Tag: Experience

Paul

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Beyond MLEC

PAUL: MUSICIAN, CHRISTIAN, FAMILY-MAN

During the interview with Paul Douillon, I learned a lot about who he his and his character, but three things stood out the most: he’s God loving, family oriented, and musically inclined. 

GOD

“Initially, my relationship with God was based off of my parent’s relationship with him. It got to a point where I had to make that relationship more personal. I remember at a young age, I was passionate about worshiping and serving God. As I grew older, the passion just doubled, tripled. Around sixteen years old, I went through something pretty intense, and it pushed me further than I have ever been.

Sixteen was one of my hardest years, but my pinnacle was at seventeen because during that year, I had no responsibilities, so I was able to work on my spiritual life.  I spent a lot of time reading, studying books of ministers, learning more about the history of the body, and during that year I’ve probably fasted more than I ever did before.

Now, I don’t have as much time to nurture my spiritual life, but I guess you could say that I do it, but not as much as I did when I had less responsibilities. At the same time I realized that during that year [of seventeen], God gave me the time to make such significant investments in my spiritual life, so that I don’t starve out going into my college years.”

FAMILY

 “I have a good relationship with my entire family, and that’s mostly because any relationship that will last has to be founded on God.

For example, with my dad, when we go to meetings, and he’s the one driving  for hours to get there, I’d be the one to keep him up. One way I would do that is through asking him questions. One thing that we love to talk about is the word of God, we’d break it down, and go over scriptures. I think that us being able to talk throughout the night has formed a very special relationship between me and my dad.

Within all of the great relationships I have with the people in my family is a very cool one with my twin brother.  In our nineteen years of living, we have shared a room, and we have never fought over something. When it comes to things we own, we are so neutral with each other, if there is something here, it’s for both of us. Sometimes it’d go like:

‘You wanted to wear it? I was thinking about wearing it, but you can have it.’

‘No, I want you to have it since you wanted to wear it first.’

We would even lie to each other and say ‘I never wanted it,’ so that the other person can have it, but that never works because we know each other well enough to think otherwise.”

From left to right: Angelo, Sashine, Ruth, Antoine, Gina, and Paul Douillon

MUSIC

“I’m passionate about music. I play eight different instruments [trumpet, drums, piano, baritone, flugelhorn, bass guitar, learning guitar and trombone]. I also want to learn how to play the flute, and the saxophone, and maybe the violin. I want to learn at least 10 instruments in total.

I’ve written a few instrumentals, and one day I would love to make an instrumental album with me playing all of the instruments featured in it. Another dream of mine is for one day, the tunes that I  make to be played by an orchestra, or even further, have the emotional tunes that I make end up on a movie soundtrack.

The music that I play is an extension of who I am. It’s expressing myself without any words. Sometimes, I’ll have a difficult day, and I don’t want to talk to anyone about it, so I’ll go on my piano, let out my emotions through my fingers, and there comes a song. Music is a way I can express myself quite well to the world, and to myself.  Music is also a universal language, it goes past borders. You can put a German, an Australian, an American, a Haitian, and an African in the same room, play the same song, and they will feel the same emotion. I think that’s a beautiful thing.”

Paul founded an organization at his school, Musical Minds, in which members play music at the school and the community, and also teach music to those who would like to learn.

— Paul Douillon, 19, Founder of Musical Minds, College student

 

Father’s Day

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Experience

Dad, 

Today is Father’s Day, and I always tell you that I love you. But today I’ll tell you why.

We don’t have the closest relationship, but that doesn’t mean everything that you do for this family goes by unnoticed. At age 21 you came to the U.S., and you have been working hard ever since.

I recall the nights as a fifth grader when I’d rush to my room at midnight as you arrived home from work, praying that you wouldn’t figure out that I was awake.

I remember the nights during my freshman year when I’d stay up to finish an assignment and I could hear you getting ready for work from my room.

I remember the dollar you’d give me everyday, and the days when’d you search the car and your pockets for change so that I would have money, just in case I need it.

There are days in which we would barely talk because I felt that you were being unreasonable, or you were mad at me for a mistake I made.

There are days when the only words I say to you are “Good morning, how are you,” and “good night.”

But there are also days when I would go on about a project I’m working on, and urge you to look at the finish product. You would look at it even if you’re tired from a long day at work.

I just want you to know that I appreciate you and how you have contributed to providing for the family.

I love you and Happy Father’s Day.

Sincerely,

A daughter who will be forever grateful for you.

 

Odds

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Creative Writing

The odds are against us

The world is against us

They think you and I can never be

They say

He’s too good for her

She’s too good for him

What is it that is so great about her

That only he can see?

 

The odds are against us

The world is against us

They want nothing more than to see us fail

They even say it to our faces

Don’t be with her

Don’t be with him

Can’t you see that everything would be better

If you’d forget her?

 

The odds are against us

The world is against us

 

Everyone has a million reasons why

Why we shouldn’t be together

Why we aren’t right for each other

 

But I have a reason to stay

And it’s the only one that matters.

Habits

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, Feature

You’re Not Alone: Things Mothers From the Caribbean and South America Tend to Do

It’s seven a.m. on a Saturday morning and you hear a voice complaining about how it is nearly 8:30 and that no one does anything in the house. Chances are that voice is your mother, and she’s either from the Caribbean or South America.

From Haiti to Nicaragua, one can find similarities in cultures, such as the dishes made. Thus, many people with parents from the Caribbean or South America can agree on different habits their mother have. One of them: Cleaning. A lot, maybe even excessively.

“My mom’s always doing chores, and she has to make it known that she’s doing them,” said Jarell Burks, a sophomore at MLEC.

Whether it is early on the weekends, or the middles of the week, many can agree that they spot their mother sweeping or mopping around the house. During this, she may [not so] subtly mention she does the most work in the household. It can get even worse – complaining after taking over the task because you’re not doing it right.

“When my mom tells me to clean, I clean. Mid-cleaning, she says, ‘you’re doing it wrong. Let me do it.’ Not even ten minutes later, I would hear her mutter, ‘I always have to do everything in this house,” said Laudith De Los Santos, a sophomore at MLEC.

Along with the great amount of cleaning, mothers from the Caribbean and South America make food that seems to last forever. A meal which only consists of rice, beans, and chicken can last from three days to an entire week.

“The food lasts for days, even more so on the holidays, added Laudith.

Laudith recalls the year her thanksgiving dinner which included turkey, rice, and potato salad, lasted for an abnormally amount of time. She said that it was New Year’s Day, and there was still Thanksgiving dinner being consumed.

“I wish I was kidding,” said Laudith.

It is as if whenever these mothers are cooking, they think “I wonder how long this food can last.” The answer, it seems, is always pretty long. And even though they tend to overcook, and the food can last a lifetime, some cook another dish before the leftovers are finished.

Mothers that are from South America and the Caribbean also tend to have a problem with time. As in over-exaggerating when they are telling you to hurry up. As in, saying you’re waking up an hour late, when it’s really ten minutes.

Junior Samendie Blanchet remembers the night she asked her mom to wake her up at 8 o’clock the next morning. “She woke me up at 6:30 telling me it was almost 8:00. I rushed for no reason.”

The cultural similarities that contribute to the similarities in habits are something the children of these parents bond over. There are posts on social media platforms, such as Twitter, in which one person posts about their mom cooking as if it was a disease, and somewhere in the comments, there is an “I’m convinced we’re all living the same lives.”

Recently, someone posted a comedic video on Instagram. In it, the male and the chef in the video was “God,” and the food he was making was the quality of Caribbean mothers. The amount of rice put in the pan represented the extent of the quality they have.

For example, the quality “best cooking” was on a sheet of paper was placed in the pan, followed by an abundance of rice being poured into it. However, when “admit when they’re wrong” was on the paper, the chef, or “God” places two grains of rice. He took one of them back.

So, if you have a parent from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Bahamas, Nicaragua, or anywhere else in the Caribbean or South America, and you experience being woken up at 7 a.m. with the sounds of cleaning and “I have to do everything here,” know that you’re not alone.

Someone not too far from you is probably being woken up the exact same way.

Friendships

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, Feature

It Takes Two: Signs the Friendship Just Isn’t Working

Genuine friendships are golden. There’s nothing like spending quality time with someone you can share laughs with, someone you can converse with, someone you can connect with. But for some friendships, there comes a time in which the relationship is no longer genuine, no longer cherished, or no longer functioning. There are signs, and it’s important that you notice them.

A friendship can evolve overtime, or it can disintegrate. Sometimes, the one thing keeping the bond intact is the shared class, or mutual friend, and when that goes away, so does everything you have to talk about. Losing what you have in common with someone may be the beginning of the end.  

When it becomes increasingly difficult to hold a conversation that goes beyond “hi” and “how are you?” there’s a possibility that the relationship you have with a friend isn’t working anymore. Two people don’t have to speak to each other everyday to remain friends, but when the conversations you do have never have any depth, red flags are raised.   

“You know it’s over when there’s a struggle to even talk to the person and you don’t feel the same bond,” said Abigaelle Barreauny, a student at MLEC.

Sometimes the ending of a friendship occurs because one party isn’t doing their part. Maintaining a relationship is a two way street, and maintaining said friendship won’t work if one person is carrying it. Both sides are suppose benefit from the friendship, not one.

“If you become the person always reaching out, or inviting them somewhere, you’ll eventually feel like you’re bothering them. If they’re always busy or never have time, but everything else says otherwise, the friendship becomes one sided. Having a one-sided friendship is a lot of work.”  

In friendships, it may come to a point where one person outgrows the other. As you try to change for the better, and mature, it is possible that those around you won’t. The person you once called your friend can become the person inhibiting your growth, and does not result in a good, functioning friendship.  

“When someone grows or changes, they can begin to feel as though they don’t fit in or “click” with some people,” said Mariana Plata, a psychologist and mental health writer.

Friends come and go. It happens for different reasons. The only things we can truly do is enjoy the friendships while it lasts, and learn from the experiences.