Hi!

I'm looking for Jamaicans living in the Chicago area. Any out there?

Wha gwan? I've been in Chicago since Dec of 99 and mi stil nah like de place.

How come you dont like? My boyfriend will be moving up here soon and want to know if there is anything we should be concerned about? I know the weather will be one concern. What else? People, jobs, culture? Any input you have would be helpful. Thank you.

It's hard to really put a finger on it. It's a 'vibe' ting and mi jus nah really to groove from dis ya place. First off the lack of fi mi people de 'bout mek mi feel away. Mi check out a spot called Exodous every now and then when me need to feel some type of culture but even then the place nah move me to levels mi a seek.

And you know wha? It's probably a fi mi fault still -- cause me come from NY and FLL and you dun know that the yardie vibe out so STRONG!!. Plus mi go yard pon a regular still, so when mi come back yaa so mi feel fu@k up.

And wheres de food??? Mi hear sey there's a place called Maxines, mi hav ta find it still, but other than dat not a rass. You wha hear a joke?? One day mi deh feel for some 'Ital' food, zeen, and mi hear 'bout dis spot pon the southside. So mi mek a drive down so and find a spot. Lawd Gad the food nasty to Rass - whoa. Dat bun mi bad bad bad.

There's a bakery up in Evaston - nice spot!

I dont have an opportunity run amongst outer WI (west indians). I have a friend from Mandeville up ya but him don't vibe like mi; a cool youth though; other then the only people I know are the people from work barring a few people I meet but none of them are from the WI. And mi nah beg no friend at deh the yard club deh, imagine that, a fossie move dat FR (fer real). Right ya now, the I a look for a yardie football team ( Soccer) just to get a run and catch a vibe with my people dem.

So mi just flash out when I can.

A bit long I know -- sorry

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Yow Princessblack, you dun know Miami nice -- how you mean!! And big-up the FLL massive -- blaap!!!

Would love to move, correction mi wha move but the job deh ya and you know its all about the paper. But hear wha, if mi ever get le go from ya so, mi gone!!

One the real, I would like to thank you for welcoming me onto the board. Thx.

Your welcome.

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Thank you for your reply Nigel. It did take me a minute or two to translate since I am a white girl from ChiTown. But mi understand. I guess its all that time I spend in Ja. Anyhow, I'm not sure you have been hanging out in the right areas. You should try the Wild Hare for great live reggae bands. It is right across the street from exodus. I'm sure you have been there??? no? Also, I've been wanting to hit Maxine's too. Every now and then I need my Jamaican fix. I can find out where it is since I have a few friends that no its whereabouts and have been there. Where in Chicago do you live? I know of a great bar that plays reggae on Thursday nights. Tons of jamaicans and jerk too!

Oh, also Beenie Man is going to be at the Wild Hare on August 16th. Free! Get there early! Maybe I'll see you there?

Hey Nigel my brother goes to school at Columbia up there and if he needed a piece of curry goat to save his life he soon dead. Our parents are Jamaican and we where born here in miami so when you talk of real food and not McDonalds jamaican food is what we are accustomed too. I've been to Chicago a couple of times and I don't see any West Indian presence.

I'm looking for a "CERTAIN" Jamaican in Chicago! Dizzle!!!!! Weh yuh deh?

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