Student Life Blog Post

Today I decided to join the Student Organization of Caribbean Appreciation (SOCA). Since I was eight years old, I have been to the Caribbean quite a few times. I’ve been to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Aruba more than once and I loved those vacations very much, and I can’t wait to go back. The weather and the beaches are beautiful. The food is amazing, and arguably the best in the world in my opinion. The whole vibe of being in a Caribbean nation is so unique, and it is something I wish for everyone to have the chance to experience it. That is why I decided to take it upon myself to truly learn about their cultures.

I feel that learning about any culture is very important, in order to truly learn and experience all of the beauty that this world has to offer, but for some reason, Caribbean culture has always caught my attention and I have always wanted to learn more about it. I find it so fascinating how in Aruba the native language is Papiamento, which is a mix of Spanish and Deutsche. It is truly remarkable how such a language came to fruition. Same in Jamaica, where the common tongue is Patois, which is basically a Caribbean dialect of the English language. It is fascinating how rare these languages are in the world, and have truly become the common tongue within these nations. I am also a big fan of Reggae and Soca, which is very popular music within the Caribbean. I am also a very big fan of Caribbean artists like Sean Paul, Shaggy, Vybz Kartel, Sean Kingston, and probably my favorite artist of all-time, Bob Marley.

As you can see, I am very passionate about Caribbean weather, food and music, and I definitely want to learn more about the culture. It also helps that the club leaders were extremely pleasant and welcoming. I truly hope to expand my horizons, learn more about the culture, and really make new friends.