Lime with Raeann: A series of insights and learnings from a WP Fellow
Meet Raeann!
Raeann Garvis was the first Research Fellow at the NWEJC. In her blog series, Lime with Raeann, she shares her experiences exploring Oregon and researching environmental justice topics through a Trini perspective.A passionate youth advocate, Raeann is part of the Caribbean Climate Justice Leaders Academy and attended the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.
By Raeann Gervais
Welcome to Lime with Raeann! This blog series is dedicated to sharing my experiences exploring Oregon and what I have learned while being a fellow at Willamette Partnership. I’ll be taking a Trini perspective on sustainability and environmental justice topics. My name is Raeann Gervais, and I’m thrilled to have you join me on this journey.
With a degree in Environmental Science and Sustainable Technology, my passion for the environment and all its wonders runs deep. I am an environmental enthusiast and a believer in sustainable practices. I get immense joy in pursuing the field of environmental science.
But this blog series is more than just a platform for sharing knowledge and insights. It’s a space where I hope to recreate the feeling of liming, a word commonly used in Trinidad and Tobago, where I am from. Liming refers to hanging out with friends, enjoying each other’s company, and engaging in lively conversations.
Why lime?
Transformative sustainability and environmental justice is going to take all of us working together over multiple generations. Much of the work is extremely urgent and challenging, yet a true paradigm shift also requires us to share knowledge, experience, and ideas across cultures and between friends over a lime.
Through my blog series, I want you to feel as though you’re liming with me, discussing and exploring the wonders of nature as if we were old friends catching up on our latest adventures. Together, let’s uncover the hidden treasures and untold stories that make our planet so extraordinary.
Definition of lime
Origin: Trinidad and Tobago
Roti with spinach and pumpkin.
Meaning: In Trinidadian culture, the term “lime” or “liming” refers to a social gathering or hanging out with friends, family, or even acquaintances in a relaxed and leisurely manner. It is an essential part of the Trinidadian lifestyle.
Lime typically involves people coming together to have conversations, share food and drinks, and just enjoy each other’s company. It can take place in various settings, such as someone’s home, a public park, a beach, or even on a street corner. The atmosphere is laid-back, casual, and generally free from any planned activities or formalities.
Unlike the United States concept of going out with friends, which often involves specific plans or activities (which can be a lime), a lime is more about spending quality time together with no specific agenda in mind. It is an opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with friends, often for extended periods of time.
In a lime, you might expect to find people engaging in lively discussions about various topics, sharing jokes, stories, and laughter. Trinidadian cuisines, such as roti, doubles, or even a home-cooked meal, are often an integral part of the lime, and drinks like rum or locally brewed beers are commonly enjoyed.
A doubles.
Overall, lime represents a significant aspect of the Trinidadian way of life, emphasizing the importance of communal bonds, socializing, and enjoying the company of others in a carefree and relaxed manner.
Examples:
(v) Where we limin later? (Where are we liming later?)
(v) We limed on the beach yesterday.
(v) Lewwe run a next lime tomorrow nah. (Let’s have another lime tomorrow.)