Settling in...

Hello to my friends, family, colleagues, and fellow researchers. I'm settling in here in Trinidad and thought I'd start this blog now.

I'm hoping to use this blog for a number of purposes. I want to use it, first and foremost, to let friends and family know what I'm doing, and how I'm doing , though I'm sure I'll be emailing and calling on a regular basis.

I also want to use this as an intermediary site for developing my fieldnotes and thoughts while I'm in the field into something publicly presentable. That means you, dear reader, might have to put up with the occasional post that is me mulling through research problems, questions, etc. The good part is there will be comments where you can encourage me, question my thinking, or tell me to stop typing so much and post more pictures.

My basic project is to study the ways in which people utilize music in and around the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Trinidad and Tobago. I hope to examine many forms of music, including calypso and steelpan, soca, chutney, and local rock and reggae. I also plan to interact with people who work in the HIV/AIDS prevention and education efforts here, as well as those who use music to comment on HIV in alternative spaces.

Speaking of pictures, here are a few I've taken so far...enjoy, and I'll post again in a few days!





The market in Arima, Trinidad on Sunday, October 19

A view of the new boardwalk in downtown Port-of-Spain

A view of Independence Square in Port-of-Spain

All photographs by David Lewis.