August 18, 2002

Dear Friends,

Consider this the first edition of the Barbados Update.  I leave on Tuesday, August 20 and am ready to go!  This summer, the first I've had off in six years, was delightful.  It gave me plenty of time to do some research and to prepare for my long trip.  I will be gone one academic year and will return from Barbados next May, returning to Metro State in the fall.

I will be teaching at Barbados Community College .  The community college is sending someone to pick me up at the airport, they have arranged for a long term car rental and a hotel room, and have arranged for me to look at a place to stay in Brighton .  Brighton is on the west coast (nice beach with white sand and coral reefs) about 15-20 minutes from the community college.  If the place is nice, it would be a great location to stay for the year.  I'm holding out for at least two bedrooms, though so I have rooms for all my visitors.  All these arrangements fell together on Thursday of last week.  I guess I'll have to get used to operating on island time - a real challenge for me!  If you are interested in the community college, their web site is www.bcc.edu.bb.

I will be staying at the Hotel PomMarine for a few days when I arrive in Barbados .  It is owned and run by the community college.  They use it to train their hospitality management students.  It looks pretty good to me - but you can look for yourself at www.divefree.net/hotels/marine/h104fac.htm.

I will meet with people at the community college on Thursday to discuss my teaching assignment.    So...I think I am ready to go.  Just a little more packing to do. 

  Folks tell me that Barbados is only 11 degrees north of the equator, so the sun goes down at 6:15 and rises about 6:00 .  I imagine that I will convert myself to being a morning person in short order.

  You can stay in touch with me at this email address (fitzgerald@acm.org).  Setting up Internet access will be a top priority.