Explain this to me (Especially the men)

[Emperah]

smaddy tek a wild guess dats all, nuh need fi mek anyting outta it.

[Tropicana]

smaddy tek a wild guess dats all, nuh need fi mek anyting outta it.

Given where I was that was pretty wild...I thought at the time.

Come come now Emperah...are you trying to tell me that I don't give off a Jamaican vibe?

[Emperah]

[Xavier]

When did all of these Jamaicans arrive in South Florida? I have a cousin in Jacksonville and her brother is also in Florida, Miramar wherever that is. I have an uncle near Jacksonville. I guess I have to remember that my family is no different from any other Jamaican family and the same patterns apply.

South Florida is called "Kingston 21". It has the 2nd largest Jamaican community in the US (NY is no. 1). According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are 153,000 people of Jamaican ancestry. Most people will tell you it is underestimated due to people who are here illegally and those who don't trust the census. The number is closer to 250,000.

Miramar and Lauderhill are Jamaican enclaves. In Miramar all 5 commissioners are Jamaican or off Jamaican descent. Same thing in Lauderhil. If you don't claim your Jamaican descent in these areas you will not get elected.

[Emperah]

dats why dung deh a mi 2nd yaad

[Xavier]

dats why dung deh a mi 2nd yaad

I used to have an Aunt from New York who would refer to here like it was Jamaica. She would say things like "Last time I was here I saw cousin xxxddd" when that cousin is actually living in Jamaica.

[Tropicana]

[Tropicana]

I used to have an Aunt from New York who would refer to here like it was Jamaica. She would say things like "Last time I was here I saw cousin xxxddd" when that cousin is actually living in Jamaica.

When did the demographics shift? Aren't you all afraid of the stand you ground laws?

[Emperah]

wah ya talk bout it's bin that way fi de longest while dis nuh new.

doan mek mi haffi tell yuh bout de cocoon again

[Tropicana]

wah ya talk bout it's bin that way fi de longest while dis nuh new.

doan mek mi haffi tell yuh bout de cocoon again

Here is the deal Emperah. I went to St. Petersberg, Clearwater, and Orlando before my son was born. He is now 23. I don't recall running into any West Indians then. Ditto when I took him to Orlando at age 7. Did not go back until last year .... to Palm Beach.....and there were quite a few Haitans and Jamaicans working at the hotel. One was even from the same town as my family.

So know I have not been in a cocoon. I have been travelling a lot just not to the USA. I used to travel via LA before 9/11 enroute to Asia. Last year I went to New York for the first time since my son was born. I was surprised that the community where we stayed was largely Jamaican (and other Caribbean), East Indian and Latin American...no African Americans. I'll be going down later this year.

Xavier this would make a good feature for the front page about the growth of Jamaican communities in the USA. If I had time I would research it myself. Here is a source Xavier:

http://www.migrationinformation.org/feature/display.cfm?ID=787

There clearly has been a shift. Do you remember what the USAID rep said about the failure of the contraceptive initiatives in Jamaica. This would have been circa 1983/84. Wish I could find it on-line but it pre-dates the internet. He said "We've send enough condoms down there to sing the island but the main thing that Jamaica keeps exporting is Jamaicans." We soon fill up de whole a de US Eastern seaboard.

[Emperah]

all dem place yuh name is weh old yt ppl go

You did not go to Broward or Dade county weh de Jamaicans dem is everyweh, weh yuh cyan drive inna yuh cyaar and hear bout 4 reggae stations to soca statons and bout 5 spanish ones.
I've been to those places yuh chat bout and have never had a desire fi guh back deh.

[Tropicana]

all dem place yuh name is weh old yt ppl go

Wh'appen you prejudiced?

You did not go to Broward or Dade county weh de Jamaicans dem is everyweh, weh yuh cyan drive inna yuh cyaar and hear bout 4 reggae stations to soca statons and bout 5 spanish ones.[/QUOTE]

Oh okay that explaines it.

I've been to those places yuh chat bout and have never had a desire fi guh back deh.

How could you not like Palm Beach? I haven't been to Boca Rotan but I hear it is amazing. Yes it was White people who told me that.