Thirteen-year-old Jason from Toronto discovered the Caribbean steel pan five years ago and was hooked! He’s part of a band made up of kids/teens that make up a cultural mosaic extending well beyond the Caribbean – Jason himself is Korean. The team is like an extended family – they travel, practice, hang out and perform at big events like Caribana together. Jonathan (11) has spent his entire life in the small fishing community of Parker’s Cove, Nova Scotia. He knows more about lobster than most kids and heads out to help his dad on the family boat when the “water’s right.” You’ll also find him helping out in his mom’s flower shop or beachcombing at the wharf with his little brother and sister.

THE SWAP: Jason, the quintessential city kid, boards a plane for the first time and experiences small town East Coast life – and the real challenges involved in “bringing in the lobster.” How will he fare as a lobster boat crewmate challenged to prepare fishy bait and band a bunch of lobsters so they can’t pinch? Meanwhile, Jonathan, also a first-time flyer, experiences the big city of Toronto and the colour and commotion of the annual Caribana festivities. He experiences steel pan music, Caribbean food and dance for the very first time and faces his challenges: learning a song and performing in the parade!

SWAPPERS JOURNAL - JONATHAN

My SWAP was fun and amazing. I flew to Toronto, played a steel pan and was in the Caribana parade with Jason’s band. The most interesting thing that happened to me was learning to play steel pan and how it makes the different sounds. I was most scared when I was in the parade because there were so many people looking at me. I was most proud of myself when I played ‘Amazing Grace’ on the steel pan in front of everyone. The coolest thing that happened to me was learning the handshakes and words from the band members from Trinidad and Tobago. I was really cool being on TV because I knew that all my friends would be able to see me.

SWAPPERS JOURNAL - JASON

I went to Nova Scotia. I got to go lobster fishing, eat seafood chowder and sell lobsters. The most interesting or coolest thing that happened to me during my SWAP was that I went on a fishing boat and got to catch lobster. I was most scared when I first arrived in Nova Scotia because I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I was most proud when I completed my first challenge: making a bait to catch lobster. I will remember mostly the fog on the boat – I couldn’t see 1 metre in front of me!