For those who don't believe in fate.... - Jamaica Talk

JamCan · #1 (**permalink**) 07-21-2004, 12:21 AM

For those who don’t believe in fate:

**JamCan steps up to the podium to accept her award**…..”I’d like to thank Sean Paul for playing such an important part in my life this past year.”

My story will prove that random people, places and sequences of events happen for a reason. I’m a firm believer in fate and that everything happens because its supposed to, there are no accidents. I give Sean Paul full credit () for creating what my life is today compared to what it was a year ago. Here’s how he fits into this story and how he started everything:

*If I didn’t like Sean Paul so much in 2003 I would have NEVER been burning out my dialing finger to win a phone-in contest to see him live in Jamaica.
*If the first person who’s name they drew for the trip didn’t get the radio station wrong they would’ve NEVER redrawn another name which happened to be mine.
*If Sean Paul didn’t have the police security he had in Negril I would’ve NEVER met Piper and would never have been able to afford my second trip to Jamaica. Travelling was NEVER a priority for me because I’m a single mom and wouldn't have thought I could afford such a luxury.
*And if I never went the 1st and 2nd time I would have NEVER thought to take my son the 3rd time. And both him and I wouldn’t be the Jamaica-heads we are today.

So it all explains how people you don’t even know play important roles in your life whether you know it or not. Don’t ever discount the reasons why things happen because there is an “ultimate” plan for us all and its not for us to question.

How does ETJ relate to all this? After my first 2 trips in March and May 2003 I had a severe case of the terminal disease “Jamaica-on-the-brain” and randomly searched the net for everything relating to that country. Then I thought I should know how to make rice & peas if I’m gonna be Jamaican (LOL). It was the recipe by our member Stella that came up as the top rice & peas search item on the net. And that’s how I found ETJ.

At first I started surfing ETJ anonymously because I was intimidated by the fact that I wasn’t Jamaican. Then I saw a thread on Negril by MadFlava and realized I couldn’t post unless I became a member. So lil’ ol’ white me signed up under the name that my Jamaican honey gave me….JamCan.

I remember the first person to ever make contact with me personally was Chynawitch and that’s when I realized that not all members are Jamaican and black and that the color of my skin didn’t matter, everyone on ETJ loves us no matter who we are.

I quickly became a true addict because ETJ was my only direct link to Jamaica in Canada and I was of course having withdrawals from my little island. I became an active participant every single day from my PC at work, and I even resorted to sneaking on my roommate’s PC when he would leave the house! Do you people realize that ETJ was THE SINGLE motivation for me to buy a home computer?

I’ve been a member for over a year now and I’ve watched the comings and goings of new members, old members, CRAZY members (you know who you are!!). I’ve watched our membership grow from 200 to almost 1300 in less than a year. And a few months ago Ducani made me a moderator (probably cause he felt sorry for me not having any other life besides ETJ!)

What ETJ meant to me a year ago compared to what it means to me now are two totally different things. When I signed up I was looking for information and a little link between me and Jamaica. Now it has become part of my life in the way that I don’t go ONE SINGLE DAY without checking in on my second home. The only days I haven’t been on ETJ are when I was actually in Jamaica and when my PC bit it.

Our members on ETJ taught me that our world is so much bigger than our computers. Although we talk to each other every day through this wonderful medium we don’t really have a concept of each other’s lives except what’s written on the screen. Each member, no matter where they’re from, their age, race, occupation, is so accepting of everyone. They are the first ones to back up fellow members whenever the occasional inappropriate, uneducated jerk comes in and tries to throw a wrench in our family. This is what true family does for each other!

I truly appreciate all the friends and acquaintances I’ve made through ETJ. Although I haven’t met any of you yet (came close with KC) I can guarantee you all that its coming in the VERY near future. Bashment Girl and HoneyPye are gonna be my first victims! Then stateside to hit up RootsGirl and my Florida connection! Watch out y’all. And last but not least I’ll be movin’ in with my second mama JamaicaMiss next year in JA!

HUUUUGE UP to Ducani for providing us with and maintaining this place where we can laugh, cry, scream, yell, get horny, and go blind from tiny ass fonts all in one day! I know that if ETJ were to get bombed and go belly up RIGHT NOW I’d still have all you guys. And that’s what ETJ has done for me….in a nutshell.

PS: I was gonna type this whole story in font size #1 just to piss you guys off but I don’t wanna lose the contest because Ducani need the eye doctor!!

PPS: I also wanted to throw the color yellow in here, you know for Jamaica, but that would also send us all to the eye doctor!

THE END

**** Love you guys!***

Princessblack · #2 (**permalink**) 08-05-2004, 04:43 PM

First of all JamCan, I saved this to read last because as I read the first part about your award with Sean Paul, i knew I had something coming. So I went and got my lemonade and chilled to read.

DWL...(yes mi a dead wid lauf) this is funny! Gal you funny.

I do share some similarities with you in this piece, and one of them is our ADDICTION TO ETJ. I am happy once again to have met you and share this wonderful site with you and with these gorgeous somebodies on ETJ. You put in all in a nutshell in a funny way...LOL.

Fi real, Ducani is the man. Nuff thumps up and big toes up to him! LoL
Can-Jam,

will definately get ready, get ready, GET READY! for the FLorida Link-up.
Nuff luv and laufs, PB.

#3 (**permalink**) 08-05-2004, 04:59 PM

Great story Jamcan!! I also do believe that everything happens for a reason.

Princessblack · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2004, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Great story Jamcan!! I also do believe that everything happens for a reason.

One of the reasons could be where you meet you're future husband..em em..

HONEYPYE · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2004, 05:07 PM

Nice read girl very nice, I feel the love and send it right back at ya gurl!!!

JamCan · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2004, 08:07 PM

Thanks guys. That was just the way I felt at the time. I'm gonna read the rest of yours after dinner too. So I'll add my comments in a while. I'm sure everyone's will touch us in a different way.

Jamaica Miss · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2004, 08:25 PM

JamCan: Mi future roommate, yur story was great. It whimsical but right to di heart. Luv ya gyal and luv yur story. Nuf luv, JM

FiEvaSweet · #8 (**permalink**) 08-06-2004, 12:42 AM

Yeah Girl!!!I was laughing now mi madda tink mi mad...like seh she neva know before

Keep the love strong inna u heart!!Nuff luv and respec GREAT READ!!!!

Jomo's girl · #9 (**permalink**) 05-16-2008, 10:29 AM

Thank God, this wasn't a real awards show..........that acceptance speech was too damn long!

JamCan · #10 (**permalink**) 05-16-2008, 10:53 AM

LOLOLOL if it was a real show half of the speech woulda been pre-empted by the music before a commercial.

How'd you dig this up?

Jomo's girl · #11 (**permalink**) 05-16-2008, 10:54 AM

Guest, of course!

trinigirl · #12 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 04:47 PM

I'm actually in the same boat right now... I've never left Trinidad in my life. My first trip was to work for CFW in Jamaica.

I fell in love immediately with this country, so similar to mine yet so fundamentally different.

I'm a soca girl -- now I'm listening to Reggae and dancehall for the first time in my life.

We have pelau in Trinidad -- now it's a steady diet of my bun-up rice and peas LOL.

I'm convinced that I have to find a way to move to Jamaica to live -- even if it's just for a year to see if it's just an immediate attraction or a lifelong journey to find happiness.

We have some of the most beautiful men and women in the world but there was just something sexy about Jamaican men (not the rent-a-ras who try to pick me up on the beach eh) that really touched my 'eart. They're raw, honest, frank... so direct...

I'm not white... I'm mixed with everything but predominantly hispanic.

This is my second post... Where it will take me -- I have no idea. Why I'm here? I want to know more... to keep in touch with the country and people from the country that literally stole my heart.

I wake up in the morning and put on Bob Marley.

I still have patties and cheese in my fridge.

I wear a Jamaican cap when I'm out liming.

I'm hooked... so hooked like a serious drug addict.

Thinking about going to UWI Mona -- looking for ways to do it. (My education would be free thanks to my government but not sure how the whole rental/housing thing will work out).

But one think I know for sure at this point is ---- I will come back. I must. Must. Must.

Would be great to find a nice, educated Jamaican husband who shares my passion for all things Caribbean but hey... For now, I'll settle for just coming back.

To get back to your initial point... I'm a believer. I turned down a great job, better paying job and the day after, I got the offer from my company to work for Fashion Week.

Look where I am now... LOL. Life is strange oui.

JamCan · #13 (**permalink**) 06-25-2008, 05:44 PM

Quote:

I'm a soca girl -- now I'm listening to Reggae and dancehall for the first time in my life

Thats interesting cuz I've always been a reggae/dancehall girl and have recently taken an interest in soca! Its a whole different vibe.

Quote:

Thinking about going to UWI Mona -- looking for ways to do it.

A girl that's coming with me to Jamaica next month is seriously considering this too. She's taking nursing right now and would like to finish in Jamaica and work there for a while.

Next month will be her first time to JA though so I think she should see it first hand and see what she thinks. She also has family history in Jamaica that she's trying to find out....a grandmother.

Jomo's girl · #14 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008, 10:44 PM

I didn't realize you were going with someone, JC.

JamCan · #15 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008, 10:19 AM

Yea she decided about a month ago that she was gonna use her flight credit to come with me.