Home Isn’t Always a Place: A Family’s Search for Connection Across the Caribbean

By the time we landed in Dominica, I still didn’t know what my roots really meant. I was born in Canada, had a Haitian mom, a Nigerian dad, and a Trinidadian grandmother who said the ocean could speak. This was supposed to be just a family vacation. But it became something else entirely.

Day 1–2: Dominica – Where the Earth Breathes

They called it The Nature Island, but Dominica didn’t feel like a destination. It felt like a heartbeat.

The air was thick with green. Every hill looked like it held secrets. Dad kept saying it reminded him of stories Nana told him growing up. I’d never seen him so still. He wasn’t on his phone. He wasn’t working. He just… looked out the car window like he remembered something he hadn’t lived.

That first day, we hiked to Trafalgar Falls. Two waterfalls spilled down a mountain like they were racing each other. Camille Mom cried a little. I pretended not to notice.

Later, in Wotten Waven, we dipped into hot springs. Steam wrapped around us like the island was giving us a hug. Nana whispered to me, “This is where the ancestors speak. Listen.”

That night I sat by the window and drew trees. I’d never seen so many different shades of green before. I didn’t know it yet, but something in me had cracked open.

Day 3–6: The Bahamas – Where Joy Gets Loud

When we flew into Nassau, the island practically danced. Steel drums, bright colors, voices everywhere. The Bahamas didn’t whisper like Dominica it shouted, in the best way.

We stayed on Paradise Island in a hotel where the ocean looked painted on. Every day felt like a celebration.

We swam with pigs in Exuma. Yes, actual pigs. I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe. Even Dad laughed, and he hadn’t laughed like that since before his company downsized last fall.

At night, we went to a local Junkanoo night. Mom danced with feathers in her hair. She used to be a painter, but she hadn’t made anything in months. In that moment, she looked like a painting herself.

One afternoon, we went to Lucayan National Park, walked quiet trails, and learned about the people who lived here before the tourists. That part stayed with me the most.

The Bahamas was noisy, beautiful, and alive. It reminded us what fun felt like.

Day 7–13: Turks and Caicos – Where Stillness Finds You

By the time we reached Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos, we weren’t the same people who boarded that flight from Canada.

We stayed in a villa steps from the ocean. There was no rush, no schedule. The sea was every shade of blue I’d ever imagined.

In Chalk Sound, I kayaked alone for the first time. Just me and the silence. I wasn’t scared. I felt powerful.

We snorkeled at Smith’s Reef and I swam beside a sea turtle. I followed her, slow and steady, until she disappeared into the coral. For some reason, I thought of all the pieces of me I never understood before Canada, Haiti, Nigeria, Trinidad and how maybe I didn’t need to choose.

Every evening, Nana told stories while we cooked. Dad started planning less. Mom started painting again. And me I started writing little poems in my journal. About water. About home. About belonging.

Leaving, But Not Going Back

On our last morning, I stood at the edge of the sea and didn’t want to leave. Not because I didn’t miss home. But because, for the first time, I’d started to understand what home really was.

It wasn’t Toronto. It wasn’t Lagos. It wasn’t Brooklyn or Port of Spain.

Home was the way we looked at each other when no one else was watching. It was laughing in the Bahamas. Listening in Dominica. Healing in Turks and Caicos.

Home was us.

If you’re planning a Caribbean family escape with meaning, here’s how we did it:
    •    Itinerary:
    •    Dominica (2 Days) – Best for nature, reflection, and reconnection
    •    Bahamas (4 Days) – Vibrant culture, beach fun, and family bonding
    •    Turks and Caicos (7 Days) – Peaceful, slow living, soul rest
    •    Flights:
    •    Direct flights from Toronto to Nassau and Providenciales
    •    Dominica may require a connection via Barbados or Antigua
    •    Best Time to Visit:
    •    December to April (dry season)
    •    Where to Stay:
    •    Dominica: Eco-lodges like Jungle Bay
    •    Bahamas: Boutique hotels or resorts on Paradise Island
    •    Turks and Caicos: Beachfront villas on Grace Bay

If you’re sitting in a cold apartment in Toronto or stuck in Lagos traffic, wondering why everything feels so disconnected this is your sign.

Not all journeys are about escape.

Some are about returning even if it’s to something you’ve never known before.