This is the land of my birth (Not)

So I decided to write about another one of those places I've visited and fallen in love with...this being Jamaica.

My first visit to my sister caribbean island was in 1999. The Salvation Army's Caribbean Territory decided to hold it's Caribbean Music Institute (CariMI) in Jamaica. My first response was...WHY??!!!. Why not Barbados, afterall, our crime rate was not as high as in Jamaica, we didn't have as many murders, as in Jamaica and in my opinion we didn't have all de ganja. I was adamant that I was simply NOT going to Jamaica...EVER. Why would I want to go to such a crime infested country...mind you all I knew about Jamaica was what I heard in the news and this pretty much amounted to ''crime and violence, crime and violence". However, my desire to go to this first CariMI won out and I reluctantly got on the plane.

Poor me...when i arrived in Jamaica I had to wait almost TWO hours at the airport before I was collected! Why? After a high amount of murders in a two week period the goverment had placed a curfew on the city. Boy when I heard that I was ready to tell my ride don't bother, I gine back pun de next flight to Barbados. So for nearly a week I stayed on the campsite however, when I did leave (to go to LIME CAY) it was then I fell in love with Jamaica.

Jamaica, like most caribbean islands, is culturally rich however, the Jamaican culture is not hidden away or placed in neat little bundles and sold to tourists for a hefty portion instead, Jamaica wears it's culture on the streets. Driving through the streets of Jamaican you can almost (if you listen closely) hear the heartbeat of the nation.

The first thing I noticed was how enterprising the Jamaican people are. As I drove a long I realised people sold EVERYTHING anywhere. Car rims mounted on a wall (on some side street) for sale. People selling mangoes and other fruits to drivers, weaving in and out of the traffic. The most interesting thing I saw was the bagjuice (similar to the bajan "sucka bubby") but this is literally a juice in a bag as a opposed to a cute little tetra pac and people were selling these bag juices from out of card board boxes, crocus bags, just about anything.

It's interesting the amount of ports they have in Jamaica. You've got PORT Royal, PORTmore, PORT Antonio...Since my first visit I've visited Jamaica on 4 other occasions. I've stayed in Kingston, spent some time in Montego Bay and Mandeville and enjoyed a wonderful 2 week vacation in Savannah-la-mar and I've noticed that the Jamaican people love their FOOD. Hotdogs, burgers and tuna (in the tin) go out the window when I'm in Jamaica. I'ts banana, and banana and banana, liver(which I LOVE), ackee and saltfish, dumpling and saltfish, banana and saltfish, bakes and saltfish..and did I say Liver and of course you can't forget the stewpeas and rice. Ain't nothing like a Jamaican pattie or that scrumptous Tastee cheese in the tin (which I love). Unfortunately I'm not a fan of anything hot so I pass on the jerk pork and chicken.

I'm not a fan of Kingston but I fell in love with Savlamar; probably because the people there (and their ways) remind me of my days living in St. Andrew (in Barbados) as a child. Going to the market, visiting the butcher and eating all that country food. And the people...from the security guy at the patty place (who wanted my number in Barbados) to my friend's mom who made curry goat JUST FOR ME (and no one else).  I think mostly the people I met were FASCINATED by my accent, so they just engaged me in conversation...constantly. I certainly can't foget the washer woman!! Imagine momma, hired the washer woman to wash my two week supply of dirty clothes...WITH HER HANDS!! Of course on my return home I was loaded down with everything Jamaican.

My initial opinion of Jamaica was basically the danger of a single story. Now, I probably would live there if I had to. It's one of my favourite places, I love the Jamaican accent...can't imitate it no matter how I try and I love that my caribbean brothers and sisters, despite adversities have fought on; have produced people like Bob ,Garvey,and Usain Bolt; and are forerunners in the caribbean film industry as well as the arts.

Jamaica, not the land of my birth but the land of my heart.