Jamaican Residency

[Accompong]

This is an interesting thread I got my residency almost two years ago. That in itself was a total nightmare. The thing about jamaica is you can live here 25 years and even get citizenship but you will never be a jamaican or accepted as one. You will have ja friends who will say you are and treat you that way but when you are alone you are just another white man. Aubee is the one who shared that thought with me and a few others. It's not easy to live here kinda like Tombstone in the 1800s. Don't be fooled by all the smiling faces it's a very very hard life here for jamaicans 99% of them would leave here in a heart beat and never return. Just some thoughts from a tired old man trying to survive in an insane world.

Thank you for putting into words almost exactly my thoughts on living here in Jamaica... especially rural Jamaica.

Same here... about 25 years and blessed with very good friends but could only really count on one or two if it was me that needed the help they expect from me. This is not putting Jamaica or Jamaicans down. It is just a fact IMHO that Jamaica runs like a clunky old piece of machinery. It sputters and spits but it keeps grinding on with some crazy form of precision. Jamaicans have learned over the years to adapt to differences that we as outsiders will never truly understand.

I am told nearly daily that I am "almost" a Jamaican because I have learned how to adapt to rural Jamaican life. My word is not given often but when I do, I follow through at whatever cost. I have pretty much learned when to bite my tongue and agree with a nod even when I don't really agree. These are not things that can be mastered with only casual contact a couple of times a year just like with our friends back home.

I favor the idea of more people coming to Jamaica to live as long as they come with their eyes wide open and not mesmerized by Robinson Crusoe inspired ideas of living off the land and having a man Friday. Every year I return I know of more people getting VISAs and leaving Jamaica and most are more educated and better off than the ones that can't qualify. That void needs to be filled by people from affaren who have those skill sets.

I am satisfied to spend my up to 6 months a year here in Jamaica and the remainder on the beautiful East Coast of Florida.

Peace and Guidance

[jojo p]

I think a lot of people who love Jamaica at one time or another think, ''oh, wouldn't it be great to live here."" I know enough people that do, that would tell you it sounds a lot
better than it is.
''LIving there,'' is not the same as lounging around on the beach, and going out to places to eat and drink everyday. And even if you are a ''country person'' I can only imagine
how much more difficult it would be to live in conditions that would present itself.
I know someone from US, that married a Jamaican. lasted 5 years, and had had enough. Moved back , now married and living separately.

I know I could never, as I would miss my family way to much, but I'm satisfied to just have a great place like Negril , to look forward to going to a couple times a year, and realize how
lucky I am just to do that !!

[Bnewb]

I have pretty much learned when to bite my tongue and agree with a nod even when I don't really agree. These are not things that can be mastered with only casual contact a couple of times a year just like with our friends back home.

Living here full time might make the difference, but I have only been told once to "bite my tongue" in my ten years here. I was given unsolicited "advice" by a white man (North American expat)...I had seen him around town but didn't really know much about him. He told me that as a white female, that I should never open my mouth down here, to keep to myself and not share my opinions. I was stunned, upset and puzzled...though I had a pretty good idea he was wrong...
I asked my Jamaican friends in the area about his advice, and they told me to ignore him because "he's an idiot". I later found out he had married a very young Jamaican woman (she left him) and had been in Negril for about two years...he was also struggling to live here and having many problems in the area. I should have realized this as he was so horribly negative about most things down here.

I've learned to take any advice or information given with a grain of salt (of course there's sources I respect), learned it's okay to open my mouth and have an opinion...but just like anywhere it's best to listen and learn first and get a good grip on your environment before you start judging and sharing those opinions.

Live the dream but live it wisely!

[JDd]

AMEN................... hi lisa..miss me yet

[captaind]

I'm not that cerebral about my relationships in Jamaica. My kids are just that. My family is just that also. After 43 years in the same district most everybody knows me. I speak patios when in Jamaica (albeit with a NE Florida/ South Philly accent) and have embraced the good, bad and ugly of life there.

I'm a member of the Masonic Lodge in Sav and have friends across the financial and educational spectrum. I do what I say I will. I don't lie or gossip and stay out of other people's business. I just returned after two weeks and never went to Negril once.

I do like meeting boardies and other visitors. It's helps with our business (Linston's Zion Hill Taxi) and I enjoy the social intercourse. Can't say I know even one ex pat.

As I say I'm not that cerebral.

Cap

[Bnewb]

I do like meeting boardies and other visitors. It's helps with our business (Linston's Zion Hill Taxi) and I enjoy the social intercourse. Can't say I know even one ex pat.

As I say I'm not that cerebral.

Cap

Ummm...Capt...don't you know Rob or Chris at Seastar or even me?
I know you well enough to know I can tease you this way!