The "Real" Jamaica

This year we both wanted to experience a little more of the culture than last time. Last year our major (only) excursion was to go shopping. Anyway, this year we wanted a more "authentic" Jamaican shopping experience, and we definitely got it! Our bus driver dropped us off on a busy street in the middle of Ocho Rios. From every direction, Jamaican shop owners were shouting at us, "What's your name!" "You come to my shop!" "You want your hair braid?!" To say the least the Jamaicans are very persistent in their selling methods. One shop owner lead us through the market, which was like a maze of shops everywhere, sort of flea-market style. The shop owners are calling out to you to come look, but we had learned that to the Jamaicans looking=buying. Since the one shop owner lead us all the way back we felt obligated to buy something, so we ended up with a "hand-carved" turtle with a baby turtle on it's back, which was actually quite cute.

Lesson number one was to have figured out a better way to handle our money. While Joel was trying to pay, the other shop-keepers swarmed us, with about 8 of them in very close personal space. One lured me into her shop, and her sincere plea that anything I could do to help her would be much appreciated. I ended up with a beautiful sarong, despite already having brought four along. As we pushed our way back through the maze trying to escape the desperate pleas to buy more, I felt sobered by the destitute poverty most Jamaicans live in.

Jamaica has a very high unemployment rate, and those that are fortunate to have jobs live well below what we consider poverty in the US. We learned that the average Jamaican only makes about $75 every two weeks. One of our favorite bartenders was also describing to us how inefficient their public transportation system is, so most of the resort staff rely on taxis to get them to work. However, the taxis are also so inefficient that it can take them 1-2 hours to get home every day! Despite the considerable hardship most of the Jamaican people face every day almost all the resort staff with were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and grateful for the things they do have.

Seeing the struggles of the Jamaicans in the city just to meet their most basic needs for food, housing, and safety reminded me of how incredibly grateful and thankful I am for everything we have been blessed with. With Thanksgiving come and gone I was again reminded just how much I have to be thankful for.