Not such a good week.
Over the weekend I wrote a small piece on the importance of preserving buildings that create a sense of place. The alley behind the museum is a perfect example of this. The structures appear intact from the mid nineteenth century. The alley housing sits behind what were larger grand houses. These houses are important to the history of the island, but also would make a great walking tour. There was one in particular small timber framed building, a chattel house, that I think was probably one of the oldest buildings on Grand Turk. I wrote about this building in the article. On Monday I went to take a picture of the building. It was being bulldozed.
When I came back from this heartbreak, Martin was at the museum. He was thrown out of school because of his hair.
How I wish this would have been discussed when we first met with the principal of the local school here. Martin letting his hair dread was one of the conditions that I agreed to when we began even thinking about moving to the Caribbean. It was one of the few decisions that was his and not something forced upon him. A way of feeling that he might fit in somewhere different. Or maybe that he would be different as the rest of his life was turned upside down.
This was my word. But I also really loved his hair. He has been out of school the rest of the week as we discussed our options. There are no good options; one, cut his hair, two, withdraw him from school, three, let him go home. I am sure this seems crazy from anyone else's point of view. But I really thought withdrawing from school was a better option than making him cut his hair. I can't believe there is another family who would even consider this.
What a crappy couple of days. Today, Martin got his hair cut. Seems really uncool and unCaribbean to have to get your hair cut to go to school. It is upsetting that you can force someone to conform to some antiquated idea of social behavior modeling but at the same time anyone is free to tear down a house that has withstood the social upheavals of 200 years of colonial rule.
Sometimes life sucks.
Over the weekend I wrote a small piece on the importance of preserving buildings that create a sense of place. The alley behind the museum is a perfect example of this. The structures appear intact from the mid nineteenth century. The alley housing sits behind what were larger grand houses. These houses are important to the history of the island, but also would make a great walking tour. There was one in particular small timber framed building, a chattel house, that I think was probably one of the oldest buildings on Grand Turk. I wrote about this building in the article. On Monday I went to take a picture of the building. It was being bulldozed.
When I came back from this heartbreak, Martin was at the museum. He was thrown out of school because of his hair.
How I wish this would have been discussed when we first met with the principal of the local school here. Martin letting his hair dread was one of the conditions that I agreed to when we began even thinking about moving to the Caribbean. It was one of the few decisions that was his and not something forced upon him. A way of feeling that he might fit in somewhere different. Or maybe that he would be different as the rest of his life was turned upside down.
This was my word. But I also really loved his hair. He has been out of school the rest of the week as we discussed our options. There are no good options; one, cut his hair, two, withdraw him from school, three, let him go home. I am sure this seems crazy from anyone else's point of view. But I really thought withdrawing from school was a better option than making him cut his hair. I can't believe there is another family who would even consider this.
What a crappy couple of days. Today, Martin got his hair cut. Seems really uncool and unCaribbean to have to get your hair cut to go to school. It is upsetting that you can force someone to conform to some antiquated idea of social behavior modeling but at the same time anyone is free to tear down a house that has withstood the social upheavals of 200 years of colonial rule.
Sometimes life sucks.
1 comment:
The haircut looks good. Probably harder on you than him. It will grow back. Sorry they tore down that building. You said crappy?
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