Handling her own yarns

AS TOLD TO BC PIRES

My name is Crystal Fournillier and I want to be a crochet artist one day.

Honestly, it was very free growing up in Paramin. It was no drama. More urban-like. Kind people, very genuine.

A lot of people assume everyone in Paramin lives at the top of the mountain. But I live more Maraval side, as soon as you start climbing the hill.

Paramin is kinda big and a
lot of hills and everywhere has a nice view. And of course we had chive, tomato, everything growing!

I live with my mom and my four siblings, five including myself. And two nieces and a nephew.

My mom is Anastasia Lawrence, now that my parents are divorced.

My dad is Michael Fournillier.

I am the middle child. My sister Sherelle is 28 or 29 and has three kids. Then I have my older brother Aden and then my younger sister Kaylissa. Marc is the last.

I am 18 years.

I’m not in a relationship at the moment. I think it’s the best thing for (my recent ex-boyfriend and me) because we weren’t healthy for one another. It was just not right for right now.

Maybe in a couple o’ months, a couple o’ years, we can reconnect and whatnot but, for now, we need to focus on ourselves.

I’m comfortable talking about this. As long as he doesn’t read it!

If you asked me a little while ago, I would have said I didn’t want a family of my own someday. Because of how the world has turned out.

I now think I might be able to do it one day.

My main concern that stopped me wanting a family wasn’t what’s happening to the planet. It was crime and this LGBTQ thing. Where they are pushing sexuality on to kids at such a young age. And they are making books about it. And they are instilling their beliefs and knowledge into my kid and I don’t want that.

I went to Maraval RC Primary School, right at the end of the road.

I was born and raised Catholic, but I don’t go to church every week.

But I also don’t believe in this LGBTQ thing. It’s not that I would discriminate (against) people who are LGBTQ but I wouldn’t want that to be pushed on to me or my family members or my kid at such a young age.

Now it’s so open! Everybody is talking about it all over social media.

And social media is a big problem for me.

I always hated social media and I always will.

Yes, I will use it to my advantage.

But I don’t like it.

I know of at least maybe two- three gay people. But not anybody close to me.

I’ve heard about “furries,” primary-school children who identify as cats and demand to be allowed to use litter boxes for toilets at school.

If BC Pires says there has never actually been a single case of a primary-school child identifying as a cat anywhere in North America or Europe, I reply that I certainly hope so!

I’ve never played jab before but I love Carnival in Paramin.

I can’t say it’s different from Carnival in town, because I’ve not been to Carnival in town or anywhere else.

But I have been going to Carnival in Paramin since I was, like, 14 or 15. I played J’Ouvert and powder fete every time we had it. I love it.

And parang is always a boss fete every Christmas in Paramin. I’m not a parandero but it does be a vibe. People from all over the world coming up Paramin just to hear parang! Is be packed!

I believe there is a God, but I don’t know how to answer whether I believe in heaven and hell. I don’t think about that much.

I believe you can pray to God and God will help in our lives. And I believe God is all-powerful and good.

I can’t explain why babies get cancer, but I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe it was to teach whoever it was a lesson. There is always a reason for everything that happens.

I went to Bishop’s Centenary College. It’s different from Bishops Antsey (sic). Location different. Percentage ([in the SEA) different to get into the school. Antsey is more prestige.

I went there for five years and I have no complaints. Since form one, I have never had a teacher not show up to teach a class.

I liked school, the routine, going every single day, up until form four, when the pandemic started.

The pandemic affected me as a student. I was at home, trying to do online school with four siblings. And trying to take care of my nephews. Having to change diapers and do school at the same time is why I did not end up doing well in CXC.

But I’m not sorry, because if I did do well in school, I probably would have been well off, working in some bank or something. And not doing crochet!

Which would have been a whole different story!

Not even a whole two months now I started crocheting. I was chilling on my bed and my sister, who was doing crochet in school, had a yarn ball and a big needle. I saw a tutorial video on YouTube and I was, like, “Let me try this!”

I picked it up and, honestly, I never stopped! I crochet every day, even if it’s just for five minutes. That’s why I’ve reached this far this fast with it. I just made a small mini-bag for the first time. I can make dresses, bathing suits, pants, tops, things like that.

Honestly, the thing I love most about crochet is that it calms my really bad anxiety. I’d been having attacks more often than usual, but not so much any more, because of crochet.

Every time I feel my thoughts getting clouded, I just pick up the crochet and make something and my mind is so clear! I feel so good afterwards! From one string of yarn and a needle, I’ve now created a whole dress with my own hands!

The best thing about doing crochet is being able to create literally anything with one needle and one ball of yarn. Once you know what you’re doing.

The downside is you can get some repetitive stress injury something.

I give myself breaks to avoid it, which I don’t like to do, ’cause I love crocheting! I’m, like, “One more row!” And then I do, like, ten more rows!

One o’clock in the morning, I’m still crocheting. Aden is like, “Crystal, is time to get some sleep!”

I think I can build up my own business and actually make a living doing crochet.

I never wanted to have to work for somebody for the rest of my life, living from paycheque to paycheque.

The crime in this country is off the roof crazy!

Every time I hear about a young black male getting shot, gangster crime, all that madness, it makes me literally feel sick.

Is not even young people dying from natural causes any more. Young men especially are getting shot!

I lost somebody not too long ago, Jerrell, shot dead at age 19. I went to primary school with him!

It happens all the time! All the time!

A Trini is somebody who like to party. Drink. Smoke weed. And just enjoy life. It’s what this generation is about.

I can’t find any other word but “home” to explain Trinidad and Tobago.

If I ever was to fly out, I will always come back to Trinidad. No matter how bad things get. Trinidad is home. Paramin is home. These people are home.

Read the full version of this feature on Friday evening at www.BCPires.com

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