"Only tourists call Jamaica 'paradise'"

[smith744]

back-in-the-day, we would say this thread was started by a troll

don't get me wrong,
i am NOT saying the original poster boardie-A_J is a troll
.oh no no nooooooooooooooo
...mi no saying dat..!!..

but it do have a troll-ish smell
...though *probably* NOT A_J's intention

btw~~~boardie-A_J::::: WELCOME to the board-family

nevertheless,
WHEREAS i've got a likkle time to kill,
i'll *play* for a likkle bit

taking pictures or videos of private moments without permission

as many know ---on the board AND on the island--- I'm a photographer .... now semi-retired

for-YEARS there've been beau-coup(sp?) images I wanted to capture/shoot,
but i KNEW it would be wrong wrong WRONG to do so
..and i quickly *learned* & recognized that down-yonder-there in Jamaica it wasn't a good idea

photo-wise I frequently would ask myself:::>> "..How would I feel if somebody came roaming around my neighborhood click-click-clicking..???.."

* sigh *
there's a whole bunch of images i wish i'd captured,
...especially some candids
........but so it go::: no images

lately, now-days, I've found that Ja-folks (who know me) are very accommodating, and *seem* to have NO-problem with my taking pictures. BUT me no fool-fool..!!..

i STILL ask permission, or get an 'ok' FIRST
..AND tell 'em what my intentions are when it comes to the use of the images

creating expectations by throwing money around to the point that one is perceived to be "buying" friends

THIS is a BIG problem..!!..
....and *probably* one-reason why we-tourist/foreigners have such a hard-time in Jamaica

on my very-FIRST trip/visit to the country-side,
many many many MANY years ago,
my now-landlord told me:::::>> "..Bill,,the people up in-country are very poor,,, BUT DO NOT give NOBODY nothing .... especially money.."

ONCE upon another time,
my landlord came to me,
wanted me to *help* & advise a fellow-foreigner-guy, who had recently come-to the area.

the forieigner was having *problems* adjusting

i saw the guy
watched him & how he moved around & dealt with folks

* sigh *

he was spending money like he was DonaldTrump
...buying rounds at the bar
...always reaching in his pocket for $$$$$ to pass-out

it always puzzled me,
as to why some-folks feel that $$$$ is the way to deal with everything

:-(

mi-SAY (to self)::::>>> "..Nope Nope..!! .... i can't help him .... i ain't waste-ing my precious vacation-time trying to change that stupid from-foreign mindset ..... Nope .... can't manage ... can't dew-wheat.."

getting confused by the patois to the point the tourist agree's to something they shouldnt have... that one actually happens quite a bit...

this is why i tend to always ask folks:::>> "..What you say ..??.. I don't understand what you're saying.."

i've found that sometimes the Patois is used deliberately to confuse the tourist/foreigners.

Interestingly, in the Ja-school system, the students aren't allowed to use Patois.

I've found that ESPECIALLY in the tourist areas ----e.g., Negril--- EVERYbody speaks the Queen's English. Their use of the English-language is better than mine. Sometimes somebody will ask ME to *translate* something I may have said, 'cause they didn't unna-stan what i was saying.

:-(

And then of course there is the obvious venturing into places or establishments that even most locals avoid, especially at night... there are more, but they can all be avoided by having someone with you who is watching out for you and your party!

and let's not forget::::>>>> AND:::>> hang-ing out with, or be-*friend*-ing, or falling-in-*love*-with somebody(s) that even most locals avoid.