I have lived and worked in Canada, lived and worked in England and now am living and about to begin work in America. I can honestly say, from my own personal experience, that the perceptions that we carry of other countries are just that until we have the experience of their lifestyle. How many times I have read that someone wishes to move to Jamaica and make their dream come true with others warning of the pitfalls and issues associated with that ideal. In my experience, the same can be said of any move to anther country....Although I tried with all my might to not have preconceived notions about living and working in England (a first world country like my home country) it fell far from the limited expectations that I brought with me. I had a job, a good job, but it was soooo expensive which caught me way off guard and they have different ways of handing things then "at home". On many occasion I caught myself thinking...if I were at home it woud be done different (and better or so I thought).
We all carry misconceptions about other societies, the way they run, the way their lives are. Living and working in another country other then our home country will always be different from how we thought it might work out, sometimes for the better and at times, a struggle. I loved living in England for the 5 years that I managed but was also glad when I made the decision to move back to North America (fortunately I have the status to be able to work in America as well as Canada). I laughed on more then one occasion as the myths and preconceived notions/generalizations that I held about the British were challenged by them, just by living and working with them.
The only thing that I can say is it matters how we handle the situations and how we treat others. Jamaicans and the citizens of other countries will always have idealized notions about how it is to live and work in America/Canada/England, just as some of us have ideal notions about living and working in their home country. Human nature, politics, the news, and the histories of each of these nations shapes the citizen's views of the world around them and once upon a time not so long ago, North America was the land of "milk and honey" and it was the place to be able to come and make a good living easily. Just as not so long ago, Jamaica was a cheap place to visit and the cost of living was much more manageable or so I have read.
As far as the "friends" in Jamaica....I am sure that some people are genuine, some are not (sounds like people at home also). Some people really do enjoy the company of tourist and making friends with them with no strings attached, but this could also be said of many other vacations spots and cities throughout the world. There is nothing in Jamaica that I have not seen or experienced in other countries including the poverty, "begging", and wealth. How many times have I been asked for money on the streets in America, Canada, England, Germany, France, too many times to count....so why is this behaviour or the social issues that Jamaicans face any different from any other country in the world? I can only ask....what were your (or my) own expectations??
This just a general statement of my own experience and how I look at a country when I visit/work/live in it ....