Pan is My Life

First 4 years:  Arrive, live frugally, walk and "travel" (use maxis, taxis, no car). I was lucky enough to have a job held for me until immigration/work permit issues were finalized. But it meant running through all my funds. Lost weight (benefit.) In the months without work I learned how to get around fairly well, my ear got used to the Trini-flavored English spoken so I could understand most people, and I learned 40 tunes by ear so I could play with a well-respected steelband here: Invaders Steel Orchestra. The band was my family, my social group, my "work."

Once working on a regular basis, I was allowed to parcel out my vacation days in order to travel with the band to NYC, Miami, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic as cultural ambassadors for Trinidad and Tobago.  Somewhat flexible hours helped when the annual nightly practices began for Panorama, the steelband Olympics that ran concurrently with Trinidad's Carnival. (Late nights, every night. Minimal sleep for weeks upon weeks.) All this was amazing...I couldn't believe I was living my dream.

Some basic info   http://away.com/travel-do-trinidad-tobago-travel-guide-0184010001-sidart_200808_095826.html

Another blogger's experience (non-steelband Carnival)  http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Trinidad-and-Tobago/Trinidad/blog-378247.html

Trinidad and Pan  http://www.trinigourmet.com/index.php/trinidad-and-tobago-carnival-part-3-steelbands-and-panorama/