Out Of My Comfort Zone - Part 2

One year ago right now I was in Jamaica.  It was my second solo trip there in 5 months.  To say that I was stepping out of my comfort zone would be a gross understatement.  I was travelling there by myself to meet a friend with whom I would be staying with for the next 10 days.  No big, fancy all-inclusive resorts this trip.  No large buffets, or waiters bringing me frozen drinks as I sit by the pool.  I would be staying in a small community on a steep hill that overlooks the Caribbean...in a wooden house with two rooms - a living room/kitchen and a bedroom.  The bathroom?  In a separate building a short walk from the house...no running water in either building.  I'd be eating a mainly vegan diet, as that is what my host ate.  I had no idea what the next 10 days would have in store for me, but I knew it wouldn't be margaritas and hot showers...and I couldn't have been more excited.

 House where I stayed.

Living room/kitchen.

This is the "bathroom", with the Caribbean visible behind.

Jamaicans speak Patois - and there are many different accents and slang words and dialects within that one language.  My first night here was spent sitting on the front steps of the uncle's house, listening to a group of Jamaican men all sing, tell stories, jokes and yell greetings at anyone who was walking on the road....all in Patois.  I maybe caught every fifth or sixth word.  When it is written, I can understand Patois, but hearing it spoken, with different accents, different speeds, is very confusing.  It is a fun language to listen to though...very musical and rhythmic.  Between that, and the nature sounds that are abundant in Jamaica, I had no shortage of entertainment.  I was welcomed with open arms by everyone and I was even more excited for my stay.

Over the next 10 days, I almost stepped on a giant bullfrog while walking back to the house one night, did my own laundry by hand in a wash bucket outside, picked mangoes off the tree and peeled them with my teeth, went to a traditional grave digging, collected coconuts from towering palms, hosted a Jamaican cook out, took many showers with collected rainwater, and generally lived a life that was far removed from my own.  I ate amazing food, danced on the beach, met more people than I can remember, and was forever changed.

To have to haul two buckets filled with water collected from the rain barrel down to the "bathroom", do a quick lizard and creature check, somehow wash and condition my hair and soap my body, all followed up by a very chilly bucket dump, is something that makes a person appreciate being able to walk into a lizard-free room, turn on the hot water, and scrub and buff to one's heart's content.  Don't even get me started on the whole leg-shaving scenario...

To walk up a hill and not know what you will find, only to be told that it is a traditional Jamaican grave digging, is a culture shock that is hard for me to describe.  It's a true celebration of the deceased's life...friends, family and neighbors cooking so much food, dj's playing loud music, Rastas dancing, men reasoning with one another....Then the actual grave - only men taking part in this part.  There is one in the hole, laying cinder blocks and mortar, and about 30 up top all yelling their directions to the brick layer.  It's chaos, and organization all in one.  There are women passing out amazing food in take-out boxes to everyone....fish or chicken with salad and veg.  I was the only white person for miles and although they were surprised at a new woman in their midst, not one person batted an eye and I was welcomed like a long lost friend by all I met, with many hand shakes and hugs.

I did make it to the beach, it would be a sin to be in Jamaica and not make it to at least one beach while you are there.  We stayed in a little hotel right on the beach...ate amazing jerk chicken from the vendors on the road, drank rum on the beach and danced until I thought my legs would fall off.

This whole experience not only changed how I see my own life at home, but it also impacted how I work as a travel agent.  I now encourage my clients to venture off the resort when they get a chance...if you are taking the time and the money to visit a country, why not take the time to actually get to know that country and the people in it?  Jamaica is a perfect "starter country" for this....everyone speaks English (as well as Patois), the water on the island is naturally filtered and very safe to drink, and the food is amazing and there is something that will appeal to everyone.  Of course, the concept of common sense applies here as it does all over the world, but all in all, it is a very safe and friendly place.

My Jamaican experience has taught me and inspired me to want to get in amongst the local life no matter where I go now in this world.  I hope that it has inspired you to want to do the same.

Grave construction finished and looking down towards the food and music from the grave site.

Collected coconuts and opening them with the ever-present machete.

A day in Lucea and a trip for the guys to the barber shop.

Fresh produce - most of which I had never seen before - at the Lucea market.

Say What?!?!

Patois is, in my opinion, a fun, unique, colorful language.  For those of you who don't know, English is the "official" language of Jamaica, but Patois is spoken very widely on the island...there are so many dialects and accents just within Patois...plus you add in the speed with which it is spoken, it can be very difficult to catch even a single word!  Well, for me, at least.  I am getting better at understanding written Patois, but spoken still makes me giggle because I am absolutely clueless.

My first day on my solo adventure, I was taken in a taxi by a friend to Mega Mart (more on that later), and I think my taxi ride was one of my most favorite parts of my trip.  Devon was a great driver compared to some stories I've heard (he even delivered me supper one night!), but it was still a trip (in the groovy sense of the word) and I just sat in the back seat and giggled the entire time.  If you're in Montego Bay and need a taxi, I highly recommend Devon and can hook you up - just drop me a line!

Here is a video clip I just had to take of Devon chatting it up ... I literally sat and giggled because I had no idea what the conversation was about.... Sorry about the weird angle - yes, I am aware that it starts out sideways! - I'm still getting used to my iphone video camera!! haha!!

Palm View Guest House

The majority of my stay in Montego Bay was at a lovely guesthouse only a couple of minutes from the airport.  The Palm View Guesthouse is owned by Doris Morgan, who lives right on property.  She has owned the house for around 20 years.  It is a grand house that has been separated into approximately 15 fully furnished suites - some with and some without kitchenette.
The grounds of the house are covered in gorgeous flowers and plants and a multitude of fruit trees - breadfruit, lime, banana, coconut, almond...and Corey, the grounds keeper, takes immaculate care of everything.
The house has security posted at the road and each suite is very secure...you are given a key ring upon check-in that resembles a jailers ring! haha!  If you make arrangements the evening before, Doris will make you an amazing home-cooked breakfast along with the fabulous Blue Mountain coffee that Jamaica is famous for.
You are a short 10 minute walk to the Hip Strip, but be warned, the hill that the house is on top of is crazy steep!! 
I put together a few photos of my suite that I stayed in the first night before being moved to a different room....enjoy!!!  Get in touch with me if you are interested in staying here!  jodi@somebeach.ca


http://youtu.be/n_3m7fKMxsU

My Adventure Begins

At 3:20 am on January 21, 2013, I got out of my bed and set my feet upon the cold floor of my bedroom.  Although it was the middle of the night, and the middle of a cold January in Alberta, I was wide awake and full of anticipation.  I was about to embark on a long journey...both literally and figurtively.  I was taking my very first solo trip to anywhere.  Once upon a time, it wouldn't have been a big deal for me to do such a thing - I was an idependant, free spirit...however, as I have approached my 40's, and become more dependant on those around me, I also have become more cautious and fearful....which is really not a good thing to always be!
Not that I'm old, by any stretch....but you get caught up in the whole having babies, raising children routine and forget what it feels like to just "do"...So...I suddenly found myself in the midst of a huge life change...I could either stick with the status quo, or I could start listening to that adventurous voice that still whispered inside of me from time to time....
Now something that I should make known about myself is that I am a planner...which goes along quite nicely with me being a travel agent, I might add....I need to know when, where, for how long, how much will that cost, what should I/will I be seeing...when I took my family to Walt Disney World, I literally had a huge manilla envelope full of print-outs, schedules, and lists of must-sees.  OCD much??
So now here I was planning this solo trip to a place I had only been to briefly three months before.  I didn't book my flight until 4 days prior to me leaving.  I didn't book my accommodation until the day before I left - and even then I only booked it for my first night.  Seriously.  Who was this crazy, no plans, see what happens person?  I was nervous, excited, exhilirated, and totally shocked at my own non-OCD actions.
So, back to the wee hours of January 21...my two daughters were fast asleep in their beds as I showered, wrote them a note telling them I'd call them later, and quietly left the house.  I was doing it!  Here would be a perfect place to also let you all know that I am a big believer in "signs"...not the No Parking, or speed limit type (although if there are any RCMP reading this, I TOTALLY believe in those too...), but the "ok, if I'm meant to do this, give me a sign" types.  I had been practically beaten over the head with signs telling me to go on this trip - crazy, make you laugh out loud, obvious signs.  So I just knew I was on the right track.  Fast forward to my 2 hour drive up to my friend's house where I would be leaving my car while I was gone....I get to her place and we sit and have a coffee while we wait until it's time to deliver me to the airport. All the while I still can't believe I'm doing this.  Just 4 months prior I had to go to Calgary to a trade show by myself and I nearly had a panic attack...now, I was literally minutes away from boarding a plane and heading to another country...ALONE!!  We hugged at the departures gate and she wished me luck and I was on my way.
Now I guess it would be a good time to let you all know where I was off to...if you recall I mentioned that I had visited this place for the very first time three months prior on a brief, 4 day, travel agent familiarization trip.  From the moment I stepped off the plane I felt like I was on familiar ground.  I felt more alive than I had felt in a very long time.  What was this magical place?  It was Jamaica, my friends....some place that I had wanted to go to for as long as I could remember.  During our whirlwind trip I fell head over heels with this place, it's food, it's music, and the people who lived there.  So much so that I was now stepping so far out of my comfort zone just to have the opportunity to visit it again.
My morning flight from Calgary to Toronto was smooth and uneventful.  Oh and we had not one, but TWO priests on our flight!!  How's THAT for a good sign!! haha!  As I sat at the gate in Toronto, waiting to board, I was looking around at all of the other people waiting with me...and I was the ONLY one who was alone.  Was I imagining them giving me strange looks?  What the heck am I doing?  Are they thinking I'm insane?  Be cool, Jodi....breathe...it's too late to turn back now...thankfully, it was then time to board my second flight of the day and the one that would take me to Montego Bay.  I was one of the last to board and I made my way to my seat and discovered that I was sitting with a couple on their way to Jamaica for the first time.  Becca and Mark.  Becca has no idea but she was a Godsend for me on that flight.  We hit it off immediately and literally talked the entire 3.5 hour flight...I know that you will be reading this Becca and I want to say thank you to you!!  I believe that everything happens for a reason, and people come into our lives for a reason as well...our easy conversation on that flight calmed me, reassured me, and pumped me up for the trip I was taking.  PLUS, she's a really cool chick and I think we have some good laughs in store for our futures!!  Mystery Trip, right Becca!! ;0)
One of the great things about when you land in Montego Bay is seeing the GORGEOUS Caribbean water that is literally right beside the runway...well, we were arriving in the dark, so that was a no-go.  My nerves and excitement were building...I did not even have a ride waiting for me to take me to my guesthouse for the night.  Another great/fun thing about MBJ airport is the trio of musicians that are playing happy, infectious music to welcome travellers as they come through security...well, as we were the second last flight to arrive of the day, the airport was all but quiet and deserted....not helping...however, I did receive one last - I think quite major - sign before I passed through customs.  I was waiting in line to get my passport stamped along with everyone else.  A window cleared and I was told to head to that agent...she greeted me and asked my purpose for my visit.  Then, as she stamped my passport, she said to me "Well today is your lucky day."..."oh really?  Why?"..."Because it was me who stamped your passport and welcomed you here for the first time 12 weeks ago...".  I'm literally crying right now as I think back on this.  Are you kidding me?  What are the chances of that?  There cannot be a clearer sign telling me that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.  It was then that I knew that everything was going to be great and that I was embarking on something that was going to change my life.
I hope that the blog posts that are to follow make you laugh, make you want to travel, and mostly, make you want to step out of that comfort zone!!