Tracy and Jamie's Visit!

Just two days after my crazy weekend in Eleuthera, Jamie and Tracy came to visit again. We all used to work together in Nassau so they were not only excited to see me (hopefully!), but also to come back home and visit their old stomping ground. Tracy’s friend, Jesse, also came and hopefully enjoyed her first visit to Nassau. Unfortunately, I sucked and was not feeling well from too much partying the weekend before. A chest cold had set in so there were no 6am club mornings for me, but I think we still had fun together. We visited some of their old haunts, went to Grouper’s weekly dart matches where we caught up with friends, went to the comedy show at the Atlantis, caught a sunset at the Green Parrot, and do what we do best, drink Tequila together. It was a short visit, just three days, but it was great to see them, even for a short time. I can’t wait for their next visit!

Harbour Island

As one of my favorite family islands, Briland for short, I have visited Harbour Island almost a dozen times since I started coming down to the Bahamas in 2002. A short ride from Nassau, and an even shorter ride from Eleuthera, we decided to take a daytrip to Briland during Homecoming weekend. Driving north we took a dingy over to from Eleuthera where we rented golf carts and putted around the island. Harbour Island is 3x1.5miles and known for its pink sand beaches, background for several Sports Illustrated Bikini issues in the years past. It is also known for being quaint and peaceful with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the beach and the friendly community on the island.

I took a small video of the beach shore for you to take a timeout with me in your busy lives. This moment is one of the main reasons why I love the beach and love the Bahamas, so take a timeout with me and exhale.

The Glass Window Bridge

One of the most spectacular sights in the Bahamas, and to me, in the world is something called the Glass Window Bridge located on Eleuthera. The Glass Window Bridge is a narrow bridge that connects Eleuthera in the north part of the island. This narrow strip of island shows the most impressive separation of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. One the east you see the rough dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean and your turn your head just a bit and west you see the calm clear Caribbean waters. Look under the bridge and the waters meet, crashing over the rocks. It is incredibly amazing and beautiful to see in person so I hope this video gives it justice.

Homecoming Weekend in Eleuthera

I was invited to a weekend on a family island called Eleuthera. The history of the island dates back to the Eleutheran adventurers that first came to the island in search for a new, free life. The island is larger than New Providence, 110 miles long, but the population far smaller, only 11,000 compared to 200,000 in Nassau that is 21x7 miles. Needless to say, traffic is welcomingly non-existent. I was invited by one of Nelly’s friends, Ineisy and her husband Juan for Palmetto Point’s Homecoming weekend. Juan is originally from Palmetto Point, a settlement about midway on the island. The term "homecoming" refers to an annual settlement reunion that all family islands have. It usually consists of a regatta, a lot of home-cooked food stands, bars, and live music. Bahamians party all the time, but homecoming is a special reunion celebration giving extra reason to celebrate. And the term “family islands" is a literal term: islands of the family, your family. Most people move to Nassau for work, leaving their family home on the outer/family islands. So these reunions are a time for everyone to come home and party together. So, from the moment we left the dock it was rum and coke all the time. I drank more coke this weekend that I have in five years. Seriously. I met the group at the dock at 4pm on Friday, after a mix-up of going to the wrong boat and buying the wrong ticket in typical Priti fashion. We took a boat called the Island Link (not the SeaLink which was my original ticket), which is a barge with a ½ floor of benches. People come on with coolers and booze it up for the 3.5 hour ride. So here I was rum and coke in hand, making new friends and enjoying the ocean breeze. There were 10 of us on the trip, Juan, Ineisy and the baby, Grammy, Kim, Bertram, Rhoda, Sandra, Kristen, and myself. I didn’t know everyone very well at the beginning, but with Bahamian friendliness and hospitality we were fast friends soon enough. Bertram was the number tennis pro on the island before he retired. His daughter Kim was a 30th of a second short of qualifying for the Olympics in swimming, an accomplished triathlete and swimming medalist. Sandra was married to a music producer for Paula Abdul in LA for years with her daughter Kristen. (They met when he was recording in Lenny Kravitz’s studio in Nassau back in the 80s before anyone knew who Lenny was). Rhoda is the controller for John Bull, so we were able to talk a little shop. We spent our days driving, drinking, eating, and sunning. We went to the big blue hole (literal hole in the island that extends down 1500feet to the ocean below) in Rock Sound that I explored. It was pretty cool, lots of fish. We took a day trip to Harbour Island (seperate entry to come on this) where we had lunch and putted around in a golf cart in search for fresh baked bread for Rhoda. We went to the beach every night for homecoming, where we drank, ate, danced, made new friends, and watched Juan catch up with everyone on the island. The last day when we were driving back to the boat we stopped at a day party in Hatchet Bay where I had the best Bahamian Mac n’Cheese I have ever had. I really wish I could digest cheese. After watching the local town drunk dance his butt off (video below) we made our way back to the boat where we drank even more rum and coke and fought off eating all the pineapple tarts we bought for friends at home. (Eleuthera is known for their pineapples, holding the Eleuthera Pineapple Fest every year showcasing some of the sweetest, juiciest pineapples that you will ever taste. And of course lots of partying and drinking.) We got home around 10pm and after the boat captain (my new BFF) dropped me home, I passed out and a week later am still recovering.

Snapshots over the last few weeks

Scene1:
Discussion with my co-worker Kevin:
Kevin: Priti when we started the program I thought you were a real bitch but it turns out that you're ok.
Priti: Thanks Kevin, right back at ya.


Scene 2:
Out at a late night bar after work:
Man at bar: My friend here wants to have sex with you, want to go in the back for a few minutes?
Priti: Just a few minutes? Totally not worth my time, but thanks.


Scene 3:
At a bar on our way to darts match/only in Nassau:
Grouper: Guys we have to drive now or we are going to be late.
Ricky: Not until I get my f-ing drink fo the road.
Todd: Yeah man, I need a beer for the traffic.
Grouper: Yeah, you're right, I'm running a little low too. Beers!


Scene 4:
Man in car driving past me: Are you pregnant?
Me: What?
Man: You pregnant right.
Me: No fool, I'm not.
I turn to my friend: Erin, what the hell was that about?
Erin: Priti, you must be getting fat.
Me: Oh, ok.


Scene 5:
On Justin's boat going to Rose Island:
Justin, as I'm taking my cover-up off: Man, that is a nice bikini.
Priti. Thanks, and by bikini do you mean breasts?
Justin: Yes I do.
Priti: Alright, thanks man.

Scene 6:
Overheard by friend that was playing an extra while filming:
Chris (acting security guard): Hello Julia, I'm Chris, I"ll be working with you today, just wanted to introduce myself. (extends hand to shake)
Julia Roberts: I'm not shaking hands with everyone today. (and then turns her back to him)

Scene 7: (to end on a postive note)
At filming where I was an extra (and above scene occured):
Gary: Hello, we haven't met, I'm Gary.
Me: Hi Gary, I'm Priti.
Gary: Oh Creepy, it's so nice to meet you.
Me (semi-annoyed): Well, Hairy, it's nice to meet you too.
Gary: Wine? I'm on my third.
Priti: Clearly.

Stuart's Birthday

Stuart has been working the Nassau program for decades. This is our first season working together, as I had only worked with opposing companies in the past. We’ve had our rival moments in the past, so it was nice to get to know him in a non-competitive manner. Stuart’s birthday is April 30th, so with our newfound friendship and my love of celebrating birthdays we were going out in style. I took him out to dinner to one of my favorite restaurants on the island, Café Matisse. Then Nelly met up with us at a bar called Crazy Johnny’s. This guy Johnny lives like a rockstar. He owns the bar, sings in the band, dangles from a u-bar upside down while singing, and spits fire (video below). Insane. So we hung out there for a while before we met up with the staff at Waterloo where most of the pictures are from below. Happy Birthday Stuart!

April Gradcity Program

After I came back from Miami, I stayed with my married friends, Nelly and Adam for a few days before I checked back into the Wyndham for work. My days with them consisted of losing power for 12 hours and almost sweating to death, going to my buddy Grouper’s dart matches (which is a lot of fun and drinking), a post-marriage celebration party, dating this guy named Jeff, American teacher on the island, being set up with Cliff by Nelly and Adam and sitting on my suitcase to move it over to the Wyndham. And lots of beach and afternoon mudslides. It was an adjustment when I started work and my time was no longer my own. I fought it for a while, but with a 10-day 1100-kid program, there are a lot of demands. And the staff was hand picked as the best of the best from all locations, so it was really fun to hang out with a group of work hard/party hard people. The staff, 45 total, came from the Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Acapulco programs, originally coming from places like England, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, etc. On average the normal staff size is between 7-15 people, so 45 was a lot more financial work for me. While working, my days consisted of attending and reconciling arrival orientations (which could be ALL day), staff reimbursements, vendor payments, submitting reports to the US office, and partying with the staff at night. At the end of the program we had a staff party to celebrate which was unbridled insanity and always a good time. There were only three kids that went to the hospital, one in jail, and one escorted off the island, not too bad for NY and Boston kids.