Or he could move here, Teach.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

Been there done that (moved to JA), would do it again but only 6 months a year

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Why do you say that, Swell?

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

Its hard there, unless you have a great job or lots of savings life is hard, dont get me wrong I loved it there for the 2 years I was there, but I also like alot of the convieniences(sp) of life here in Canada. I like that a dollar is not just a dollar like in JA. Here you can get some change. Not sure if you understand what I mean. Hard to explain.

We have a really good life here, better than we could have ever had in JA. We had everything we wanted in JA, house, car, food, small taxi business, but it was still a daily struggle to get by, with car maintenance, house expenses, light bill, you name it.

I love JA, really do but I would not want to start from scratch again if given the choice, we have done that 3 times now in 6.5 years, its hard.

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Actually, knowing your story and JA, I do understand completely.

You know, Jomo says that now.......he's not sure he could or would ever want to go back to JA and live again. Part of it is his mother and sister, though. Visit, sure. Even for long periods of time. Retire and spend our winters there, sure. But, live, he says no. Too much sickness, death, poverty, and job & family craziness for him to handle anymore.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

Thats exactly Rupert as well. Long stays are great but not full time again.

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And, when the money runs out, you know that is where the issues begin.

Going as a tourist is one thing. Living there is another. People need to think before they leap.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

Well we both like it there better than here.....he has a son there that I would never ask him to leave.....I have 2 sons here......so for now we stay apart......but in a few years we will make some changes in our situation.....I hate the ratrace we have here in America, yeah we have more conveniences, but we do nothing but work to keep them.....I long for a more simple unencumbered life....

I understand the simple life, we had that for sure, but take it from me its hard. In JA you work to have a roof on your head and food, may not be conveniences like US and Canada and UK, but work harder than here thats for sure for very little.

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Well I have a financial plan to help out with all of that....when I am ready to make the move....so It wont be so hard for me....I know what it entails...have thought it all through.....not planning a move soon...maybe in 5 yrs.....relationship is waaaaay to new to make any life changes for yet also........and my son will be outta school then....

cool.....................

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Simple is a good word, Teach. HARD is a much better word. I'm thinking you might want to visit a little more, longer stretches at a time, to see how JA really is. You need to visit more houses and towns and see how they really live. You need to wake up hungry and try and figure out what you are going to go catch or pick for breakfast cause there is no money for food that day. You need to do all your chores early cause there is not light in the house after dark, no money to pay the light bill right now. You need to bathe by the standpipe. You need to see his son staying home day after day cause there is no money to send him in a taxi or pay for lunch at school this week. You need to see him come home from work dog tired and complaining how he is treated, day after day and then see his small paycheck each week. You need to try and get around to where you are going all the time by taxi and find their schedules are not as convenient as you would like.........that you hate waiting till 6 a.m. for them to start running again so you can finally go home from a night out and they are either full or nowhere to be found when you need one. You need to surive the intense heat, the flies, the mosquitos, tropical storms and hurricanes. You need to have to seek medical care in JA and find privacy is a thing of the past. You need to really look at how much things cost in JA. I could go on and on,you know.

If Jomo hadn't gotten a visa and green card, I would've dropped everything to be with him wherever he was. That being said, I have seen so much of JA........from the ghetto to some of the upper class housing to way up in the hills. I've stayed in the resorts and in yard. How something so beautiful can be so harsh sometimes is beyond me. It is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. Swell can tell you even better then me as she lived there for years.

Life is hard in JA, Teach. Please think about what your are wanting to do after you have seen more then a few days of JA. And, MAKE SURE he is worth all this planning you are doing.

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If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame...

Kudos to you, JG.

Incidentally, last year on my last visit, I was in a conversation with a group of friends at a club in Kingston.
and when I told them flat out, I would NEVER return to Jamaica to live, half of them were mad with me.
I was called everything from a traitor to a deserter.
Ironically, the ones who were offended were "successful" business men, top ranking security forces officials and one attorney.

The others agreed with me.

I guess you have said it all....Kudos once again.

To HT,
If you still feel strongly about this guy in a couple of years. It's better to marry the guy, move to Florida and then you both can shuttle backwards and forwards to Jamaica.

As we say back home: Life aint a bed a roses.

Alex, glad you put your input in on this seeing as your from there!

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