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Pregnant, No English, New Country: How Jamaica Became Home for 18 Years · Babes, how did you get here

0:00
What do you think is one of the most common misconceptions about life in Jamaica?
0:04
What do you think that perhaps someone who hasn't lived here or hasn't visited?
0:08
They may think your life looks like a security thing.
0:11
Yeah, because people say, oh, Yameka's is not safe and but a lack show.
0:16
I don't think so.
0:17
Because I feel very safe in Yameka and feel very comfortable.
0:22
Welcome to a life elsewhere where we speak with people who have built lives beyond the
0:26
United States.
0:27
They have followed their intuition over convention and managed to carve out new paths in unfamiliar
0:32
places.
0:33
I am April Jackson and I am speaking with Isis Valdes, a former lawyer who's journey
0:38
takes us from Dominique Republic to Jamaica.
0:42
She shows us the importance of living in the present moment rather than constantly focusing
0:46
on the past.
0:47
In this episode, we talk about what life is really like in Kingston after she arrived
0:52
here 18 years ago while being three months pregnant and barely speaking any English.
0:57
Her story touches on managing grief from afar and shows us that despite different nationalities,
1:03
people are more like than different.
1:06
So Isis, you are from Dominique Republic?
1:09
Yes.
1:10
I would love to know how did you end up living in Jamaica?
1:13
Okay, so 18 years ago, I was thinking that like, oh my gosh, I want like a change in
1:21
my life, you know, I'm missing something like I never been living in a country outside
1:28
of the Dominique Republic and I thought you're thinking about it, but I never spoke that
1:33
with my husband.
1:34
Nobody, you're thinking about it and guess what, a few months after my husband came and said
1:40
to me, do you want to move to Jamaica and I said, what?
1:45
So he works for a fertilizer company, a person you bought for San Jamaica and they offer
1:51
to him.
1:52
They open a plant here and they open to him to move to Jamaica and I said, yes, here we
1:56
go.
1:57
So, here I am.
1:58
Had you visited before?
1:59
No, no.
2:00
No, but I came, I moved in August 2007 and I came like a three months before in May to
2:09
see houses, but my first time in Jamaica, it was 2007.
2:14
When your husband comes home and he says, do you want to move to Jamaica, did you have any
2:18
ideas, any first impressions, any expectations?
2:21
Nothing.
2:22
No, no.
2:23
You didn't know anything about Jamaica?
2:24
Just but partly.
2:25
Under Reagan.
2:26
Nothing, nothing, nothing.
2:27
I said, well, you know, at that time we have Google, so I start to type, okay, Kingston
2:32
Life, and guess what?
2:33
The first things, you were like the gold walking on the street and I said, what?
2:39
Because in the Dominique Republic, you see that just in the countryside, now in the capital,
2:44
it was so fun, but I was looking that we had a Jamaican friend in Jamaica, she was living
2:51
in Jamaica, so we spoke with her and she talked to us about Jamaica and she told everything,
2:58
so great food for that.
3:00
Okay, so you moved to Jamaica and at the time do you have any children?
3:05
I had one, my oldest one, he was six years old at that time.
3:10
When you worried in terms of his schooling, how you were going to have, like sure, sure,
3:15
I was very worried, especially because I love Jamaica, but when I start typing, things
3:22
like a safely come, maybe it's not a safe country, but guess what, sometimes I feel
3:29
more safely in Jamaica than in the Dominique Republic because I don't know, people that
3:36
are so friendly and I feel comfortable, that is no problem at all, but yes, I had that
3:40
but not anymore.
3:42
Okay, when your son came to school, he came to school in Jamaica with you, how did you
3:47
pick which school he was going to go to?
3:49
Okay, I had plenty of options because I'm my friend, my Jamaican friend, she told me
3:54
education is great in Jamaica, so but I want something international because as I said,
4:02
Dominique in Jamaica, I want him to be more involved with the international culture, so
4:10
I pick the international school because of that.
4:13
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4:57
And at the time, did you speak English when you arrived?
5:00
No, I told you.
5:01
Like, good morning, red, blue, basic, basic, really awards, yeah.
5:06
And your husband?
5:07
No, let me tell you something, I'm a contributor, I'm from the Dominican Republic, San Francisco,
5:14
it's a big city in the world, but I am in a village river, it's a small town, very
5:20
similar to one road, like Uracabeza in Jamaica, so I was lucky that I have a school with
5:28
Spanish, okay, just Spanish, but my husband, he grew up in a Puerto Plata, he's a very tourist
5:34
town, so he had a English school every corner, so he learned as a child and he did his master
5:43
in the United States, so he's okay.
5:46
So when you moved and you're clearly moving to a country that speaks English, did you
5:51
feel that you were official to water, did you feel that you had to rely on your husband
5:55
more to communicate?
5:56
How do you navigate communicating in Jamaica if you don't speak English?
5:59
Well, I think my personality helped me a lot because two things, I was lucky that I had
6:07
a neighbor's Latin, so that helped me a lot and they know everything, everything about
6:13
Jamaica, one is from Haiti, another one from Mexico, Chile, so they helped me a lot, so
6:24
to me the language at that time it wasn't like a nothing because I had those friends that
6:30
can speak my own language and I feel comfortable, but outside of that, yes, it was a challenge,
6:36
I was selling the school with my son teacher that they don't speak in Spanish and sometimes
6:43
I was like, okay, let me go to Google and let me see, I hope we have a chagy pity at that
6:48
time, but no, but yes, I think my personality helped me a lot because I'm not shy, I don't
6:55
care about if I was talking good or bad, I just want to communicate and people in Jamaica,
7:01
they were like a someone and they, you know, like a friendly, so that helped me a lot.
7:07
Do you remember the first week you arrived and what is like the priority in terms of settling
7:13
in, right, in terms of making this foreign place, no feel like home?
7:17
Okay, good question, I was pregnant, okay, so I had three months, so imagine when you
7:25
were pregnant, you were no you, like so many things, so many emotional, no energy, so it
7:31
was like a really shocked when I came, but not because, I don't think it's because I moved
7:37
to a different country, because even if I was in the VR, I'm going to be the same, like, no
7:43
energy, I just want to be laid down, but thank God I had my good friends and they helped me.
7:48
Okay, yeah, and so your other son who is born and raised his entire life in Jamaica, even to
7:54
who will hear your second son?
7:56
Yeah, yeah, yes, in Jamaica.
7:58
Do you see a difference between how Jamaica has influenced your children because they came at different
8:03
stages of their life?
8:04
Well, it's so funny because the little one that he's 100% Jamaica, he doesn't feel that like
8:12
100% Jamaica, but the other one, yes.
8:15
Really, so the one that came here when he was six, he feels more Jamaican than the one
8:20
that was born here.
8:21
Yes.
8:22
Why do you think that is?
8:23
I don't know, but you know, when he had the opportunity to come back to Jamaica, a
8:26
vacation, whatever, he come, he loved to go to Carnival, parties, so kind, a dance hall,
8:32
like 100% Jamaica, I love the Jamaican food.
8:36
Sure.
8:37
The little one, no, he's like a mix between Dominican Republic because he preferred Dominican
8:42
food.
8:43
Okay.
8:44
And Jamaica, sometimes, and European because his friends at the school, but I don't know,
8:51
but they're so different in his form because I think maybe the one that was born in Jamaica
8:56
will be more Jamaican, but it's not in my case.
8:59
And you speak about food.
9:01
Tell me how Jamaica food is similar or different to Dominican food.
9:05
Totally different.
9:06
Really?
9:07
Oh my gosh, because we don't eat spicy, okay, at all.
9:11
I think of Latin culture and I think spice, no.
9:14
I learn how to do the spice in Jamaica, with my Jamaican and my Mexican friends.
9:19
Okay.
9:20
Because in the year, we don't eat spicy at all.
9:22
Just sometimes we have some coachos, some coaches like a heavy food, a heavy soup, sorry.
9:27
And we add a few drops, a few ones.
9:31
For example, eating a party.
9:33
Right.
9:34
You think a party is spicy?
9:35
Oh my gosh.
9:36
I can cry.
9:37
Eating is so spicy.
9:39
Really?
9:40
Yes.
9:41
And they love stir, cori love stir, let me tell you, sometimes when I eat, I love it.
9:46
Now I love spicy food.
9:48
But at the beginning, eating a cori love stir, I was crying.
9:53
Are the ingredients the same, like plantain and cassava as you call it?
9:59
Yeah, we have cassava, but we eat it in a different way.
10:03
For example, you have the bami here.
10:05
We have our bami.
10:06
Okay.
10:07
In the day, we call it cassava.
10:08
Okay.
10:09
Recazava.
10:10
Yes.
10:11
It's more things.
10:12
Right.
10:13
And it's more things and different.
10:14
So for the cassava, for example, I see in Jamaica, they just eat like a bami.
10:20
Yes.
10:21
For in the day, we do like a mash, cassava.
10:24
Okay.
10:25
Fry.
10:26
Plums.
10:27
Plums in different ways.
10:28
Yes.
10:29
So ingredients are similar.
10:31
Right.
10:32
And the way that we cook, totally different.
10:35
What's the national dish for D.R.?
10:37
Well, we have a few, but we have, let me tell you the three more important.
10:42
And we call it la bandera.
10:44
La bandera is like a flag.
10:45
Okay.
10:46
It's our launch.
10:47
Okay.
10:48
Wide rise.
10:49
Yes.
10:50
Red beans.
10:51
Right.
10:52
Any meat can be chicken or beef and salad.
10:55
Okay.
10:56
So, every day, at noon, the bandera.
10:59
Okay.
11:00
For example, my mom and my little kids, Luis, if they don't have fries for launch, they feel
11:06
like they are not eating.
11:07
Okay.
11:08
They need fries.
11:09
Right.
11:10
So we have that.
11:11
And we have for breakfast, we call it the three golpes.
11:12
In like a very fun way to say, three golpes, like, you know, the green planting or mash.
11:18
Okay.
11:19
And go with egg fries and salami, a local salami.
11:23
Okay.
11:24
And if you go to a resort in the rear and you're going to say, give me the three golpes.
11:29
Right.
11:30
The three golpes that I'm going to give you that.
11:32
Okay.
11:33
The mango, that's the green planting, eggs and salami.
11:35
Okay.
11:36
And sometimes can be with cheese to local, everything local.
11:39
Oh.
11:40
Cheese, salami, everything local.
11:41
Yeah.
11:42
So when you come to Jamaica and our National Justice Actions Office, did you enjoy it?
11:47
Did you like think, ooh, I love Jamaican food or were you like, damn, I really miss my food
11:52
from food.
11:53
Yeah.
11:54
Let me tell you what happened to me with the achesal fish.
11:56
The first time that I tried was at my house.
11:59
Okay.
12:00
Like this.
12:01
No, no, no, no, no, no.
12:03
No, no, no.
12:04
But a few weeks after my friend invited me for a breakfast, I wanted to guess what?
12:10
She had achesal fish.
12:12
So as a good man, I had to eat and say, oh my god.
12:15
God help me.
12:17
But I have it and I like it and I join.
12:20
And naturally, I like it.
12:22
I like it.
12:23
It's not something like I'm looking forward to it.
12:25
Sure.
12:26
But if I am in a place and I see the achesal fish, I'm going to serve my's and eat it.
12:30
Okay.
12:31
Yes, I like it.
12:32
What is your favorite Jamaican dish?
12:34
A patty.
12:35
Really?
12:36
The same patty that I was making you cry?
12:38
Love patty.
12:39
Really?
12:40
If I'm one day, I have to leave Jamaica and somebody asked me, I'm going to Jamaica.
12:45
Do you want me to bring something?
12:47
Patty.
12:48
Please, Pat.
12:49
Love patty.
12:50
Do you have empanadas in D.R.?
12:51
Yes, for deep difference.
12:53
Okay.
12:54
Yeah, no spicy.
12:55
Okay.
12:56
First, yeah.
12:57
Total difference.
12:58
Okay.
12:59
Empanadas.
13:00
Yes.
13:01
What are the pastelitos that I like empanadas?
13:02
When you visit D.R., do you bring anything back that you miss?
13:05
Yes.
13:06
What are my things?
13:07
My luggage.
13:09
My luggage is full of Dominica.
13:12
For example, the products for my hair.
13:14
Okay.
13:15
Dominica.
13:16
Because I think they are made for Caribbean weather.
13:20
Okay.
13:21
To me, the best and good prices and great quality.
13:24
Right.
13:25
The cassava.
13:26
Yes.
13:27
Many times, many flavor because we have it like a plain garlic, onion.
13:32
All the flavors.
13:33
Yeah.
13:34
Yeah.
13:35
Always.
13:36
I've been those from Dominica.
13:37
Oh, that's amazing.
13:38
Yeah.
13:39
So you come to Jamaica.
13:40
You've settled in with your family.
13:41
And then what is your like day to day life?
13:43
Is it different in any way to how you are living in D.R.?
13:46
Yes.
13:47
Because let me tell you something.
13:49
I'm a lawyer.
13:50
Okay.
13:51
So in the Dominican Republic, I was working as a lawyer.
13:53
You know that very stressful job, like in the court rooms.
13:57
Sure.
13:58
What kind of law did you find here?
14:00
A civil.
14:01
Okay.
14:02
Like I was working with the bank.
14:03
If you have a credit with the bank and you don't pay the bank, sell me your case to me.
14:08
Okay.
14:09
And it was like a very stressful.
14:10
Sure.
14:11
Moving to Jamaica, I was pregnant.
14:13
I'm with this side.
14:14
Okay.
14:15
I'm going to be at home.
14:16
Right.
14:17
How's life?
14:18
Okay.
14:19
What a change.
14:20
What gets what?
14:21
I learned how to embrace every stage of my life.
14:25
So I said I was like going to the gym, dropping my kids to the school, then going to the gym, having a coffee with my friends.
14:32
That like, oh my gosh, floating.
14:35
Until one day I said it's no more, I need like a productive life.
14:40
Okay.
14:41
So I started doing taking pictures because my son was playing football.
14:45
And I started taking pictures of him and at the end, I was doing a website for companies.
14:51
Okay.
14:52
Calendar.
14:53
And then I started to do events in my house, hosting my friends.
14:57
Yeah.
14:58
And everybody started to ask me is this, but do it as a business.
15:01
Oh.
15:02
No, this is for fun.
15:03
This is my hobby.
15:04
No, this is please do a sort.
15:06
Last year I started as a events planner.
15:09
Oh really?
15:10
Doing very well.
15:11
Very well.
15:12
And naturally doing that.
15:13
And enjoying it every moment.
15:15
That's amazing.
15:16
So your hosting party at home, everyone's like become an event planner.
15:20
And you're like, I'm going to just jump in and start a business in Jamaica.
15:24
Tell me how you go about starting a business here.
15:27
Do you think it's difficult?
15:28
Do you think that there's a lot of, some people have said there's a lot of bureaucracy to get things started?
15:33
Well, because I started like a little informal business like doing that with my friends.
15:39
Let me tell you how we start first.
15:41
In 2023, I celebrated my big birthday, 50.
15:46
Okay.
15:47
And 51.
15:48
And I had a big party and I had a planner to do the work for me, but I gave her all the ideas.
15:55
Okay.
15:56
So I do two things without her.
15:58
It was like a welcome dinner because 42 people came overseas from the Dominican Republic,
16:05
United States party.
16:07
Sure.
16:08
So the night before the party, I had a dinner for them.
16:12
Right.
16:13
So for that dinner, I did everything and pulled the test.
16:17
Very nice dinner.
16:18
So in the party, I did the crazy hour or a local we call it.
16:23
It's something like we do in Latin America, not just the Dominican Republic.
16:29
It's like a party inside the party.
16:31
Okay.
16:32
So you choose a theme and you do anger with about that.
16:35
For example, in my birthday party, I did it with a Jamaican carnival because I love Jamaican.
16:41
So my friends were wearing like the shorts and the feathers.
16:45
We were dancing dancehall, so I did that myself.
16:50
So I said, okay, if I did it for myself, I can do it for others.
16:53
Yes, I said that.
16:54
I wasn't a challenge because at the beginning, I was working with my friends.
16:59
So for example, you are my friend and you say, you see I'm hosting a dinner time and I was doing the setting like that.
17:04
Okay.
17:05
But now because social media, I'm meeting people that I don't know, new people,
17:10
and I'm having a great time phone because I'm meeting people totally like different,
17:17
more local and I feel like I'm more connected with Jamaica and I love it.
17:21
Amazing.
17:22
Yeah.
17:23
When your husband initially said that you were coming, was it for a fixed contract or was it just open-ended?
17:27
Open.
17:28
It was open again.
17:29
Open, but let me tell you something from.
17:31
And so we were looking at the counter for the house.
17:34
And we said, okay, let's put something like that.
17:37
If we need to move in six moments.
17:39
Okay.
17:40
We can.
17:41
Yes.
17:42
Okay.
17:43
Because we were not sure if we were going to like Jamaica and guess what?
17:48
18 years.
17:49
I'm counting.
17:50
Yeah.
17:51
Really?
17:52
Yeah.
17:53
What is it about Jamaica that makes you love living here?
17:55
People.
17:56
I love the people in Jamaica, the vibes because it's like a Dominican.
18:00
We are very friendly, very happy people.
18:03
You know, the vibes and I love that.
18:06
Jamaica, they have the vibes, they love party, they are very friendly.
18:10
Is he going?
18:11
I love that.
18:12
How they welcome me?
18:13
Yes.
18:14
As an expert.
18:15
I can't complain.
18:16
I love it.
18:17
And your family presumably is still in the DR?
18:20
I have my father passed away.
18:23
My mother is in the DR.
18:25
My sister and one brother.
18:27
And I have one brother in Orlando.
18:29
Have they visited you here?
18:30
Of course.
18:31
They have to.
18:32
They have to.
18:33
Yes.
18:34
And now we have diet flights.
18:35
So they come.
18:36
Oh, really?
18:37
I need to order.
18:38
For an hour you can be in Santo Domingo.
18:40
Really?
18:41
Yes.
18:42
Amazing.
18:43
Does your mom like coming to Jamaica?
18:44
Yes.
18:45
She is now 81.
18:46
She prefer me to visit Rebo Chico.
18:48
Like early once a year.
18:49
Oh, that's amazing.
18:50
I have no idea they are direct flights.
18:52
Yes.
18:53
Oh, wow.
18:54
So when you look forward and you now have your business, you have your children.
18:58
Do you foresee that you are going to stay in Jamaica?
19:02
Good question.
19:05
Let me tell you, I'm going with the feeling.
19:08
Right.
19:09
So because the main reason that we are here is my husband.
19:14
Sure.
19:15
His work.
19:16
So now we are OK.
19:17
We are here.
19:18
And everything continues like that.
19:19
Yes.
19:20
We will be here.
19:21
I don't know until when.
19:22
But we are having a good time.
19:23
Yes.
19:24
We have friends.
19:25
Like they are like family in Jamaica.
19:27
So yes.
19:28
We are here.
19:29
And we don't have time to move.
19:30
OK.
19:31
What do you think is one of the most common misconceptions about life in Jamaica?
19:34
What do you think that perhaps someone who hasn't lived here or hasn't visited?
19:38
They may think your life looks like and it doesn't look like that.
19:43
The security thing.
19:45
OK.
19:46
Yeah, because people say, oh, Jamaica is not safe.
19:49
I'm very, very sure.
19:50
I don't think so.
19:51
OK.
19:52
Because I feel very safe in Jamaica and feel very comfortable.
19:55
OK.
19:56
Cool.
19:57
And then I guess in terms of you going back to your children and the fact that they are going to be going to school in other places,
20:03
do you think that going to an international school has changed their experience?
20:06
Do you think that particularly for your son that doesn't feel as Jamaican right now?
20:10
Do you think that if he went to a local school that would change his experience?
20:14
Yeah.
20:15
Yeah, definitely.
20:16
But don't let me throw.
20:18
Because he's in an international school.
20:20
Sure.
20:21
But he has Jamaican friends too.
20:22
OK.
20:23
Yeah, because he's a mix.
20:24
Sure.
20:25
But yes, definitely.
20:26
But you know what?
20:28
As an expert, I think it was a better, the good option to be in an international school.
20:34
Yeah.
20:35
Because you have the opportunity to meet different people in different culture.
20:40
And people like you, like you are coming from another country.
20:45
You are here for a few years or forever, but I think you have more things in common to be in the local.
20:52
To me, if I'm not Jamaican, international, maybe if I was Jamaican, I would be in a local school for sure.
20:59
OK.
21:00
But in my case, if I could be around like-minded people who can understand your experience coming from a board.
21:05
Was there ever a time that you felt that you were at a disadvantage because you weren't Jamaican?
21:11
Not necessarily.
21:12
It could be business.
21:13
It could be making friends.
21:14
It could be any cultural differences that you felt that you were at a disadvantage?
21:19
Not really.
21:20
No.
21:21
No.
21:22
That's good to know.
21:23
Yeah.
21:24
No really.
21:25
I was thinking like it.
21:26
No.
21:27
And how do you think you would be different if you hadn't lived here?
21:30
You know, you had this idea that you wanted to live somewhere.
21:33
It wasn't necessarily here.
21:34
And I love the way the universe works, right?
21:36
Like you have an idea.
21:37
You don't share it with anyone.
21:38
And then months later, it happens as it should.
21:41
I truly believe that everything happens for a reason.
21:43
But I wonder, again, you came pregnant in your second motherhood, that's like a really critical phase.
21:48
How do you think that Jamaica has impacted you as a person, if at all?
21:53
Well, meeting great people, I don't think that will be happening in the VR.
21:59
Really?
22:00
Yes.
22:01
No, because we don't have great people.
22:02
Yes, we have.
22:03
Sure.
22:04
But because when you are local, you are in the same circle.
22:08
Your family, your friends from the childhood.
22:12
Yes.
22:13
So as an expert, meeting new people.
22:16
For example, I have friends from over the world, from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Caribbean.
22:24
Sure.
22:25
I think that opened your mind.
22:28
You are no more limited to be in a Caribbean island, like a Dominican Republic.
22:33
And maybe that happened with the local in Jamaica.
22:35
Sure.
22:36
Because sometimes, let me tell you something.
22:38
I love to go to downtown.
22:40
Okay.
22:41
I love to go to the market and talk with the people.
22:45
They call me Cuban.
22:46
Yeah.
22:47
Because I think.
22:48
Sure.
22:49
So I love that.
22:50
But I have Jamaica and Flanda.
22:51
I've never been.
22:52
Yeah.
22:53
Isn't that funny how you can be from a country and you could be scared or nervous like whatever the reason is.
22:59
And then you come not from here.
23:01
And it sounds like there's nowhere that you don't want to go.
23:03
Exactly.
23:04
Yeah.
23:05
Funny.
23:06
Yeah.
23:07
That happened to me.
23:08
So I think, if I was in the VR, I didn't move to Jamaica.
23:10
It would be more like a less than a bubble.
23:14
Like just the meeting with Jamaica.
23:18
Sure.
23:19
And a very few limit international people.
23:21
But here, you don't have limit.
23:23
Yes.
23:24
Because you have friends.
23:25
For example, I have my BFF.
23:26
I call it my BFF.
23:27
And that group is amazing.
23:28
Okay.
23:29
And I have friends from Jamaica.
23:31
From France.
23:32
From Ivory Coast.
23:33
From Haiti.
23:34
From Chile.
23:35
From Colombia.
23:36
So everywhere.
23:37
Yes.
23:38
And this is amazing.
23:39
It sounds like you had any issues socially.
23:41
Sometimes you speak with people.
23:43
Especially that you didn't...
23:44
This wasn't your first language.
23:45
But even I've spoken to people who move here from England.
23:48
And they say they find it hard to find their group of friends
23:52
in their social circle.
23:53
Sounds like it was a them problem.
23:55
That never happened to me.
23:56
I have plenty...
23:57
Wait a minute.
23:58
For my birthday, it's so funny because I do this celebration
24:01
with my group.
24:02
Okay.
24:03
And it's like a two weeks celebration.
24:05
Okay.
24:06
The Latin, the European.
24:07
The American, the Canadian.
24:09
So to me, that is no problem.
24:11
And I think to be in the school again.
24:14
That school opens more doors to you.
24:17
Sure.
24:18
Because you have people like they are in Jamaica like you.
24:21
And they are looking for friends.
24:23
They are looking to be...
24:24
To be happy in Jamaica.
24:26
So they are in the same page.
24:28
Well, there are ever a time that you...
24:30
When you first came in particular,
24:32
that you thought you had perhaps made the wrong decision?
24:37
Oh my gosh, yes.
24:40
Oh?
24:41
Yes.
24:42
Yes.
24:43
When my dad passed away.
24:44
Okay.
24:45
Yeah.
24:46
I don't want to cry.
24:47
Yeah, because my sister called me.
24:49
And she said to me, my dad is not feeling well.
24:52
And she said to me, and I asked,
24:55
do you think I need to go?
24:57
And she said, no, he's fine.
24:58
Okay.
24:59
And he passed on the way to the hospital.
25:01
So that was like, oh my gosh.
25:03
I really want to be with him,
25:05
hopefully in kissing, so...
25:07
Yeah, that was the only moment that I said,
25:10
I wish I would be in the yard.
25:12
Yeah.
25:13
Family is some, yeah.
25:14
Yeah, oh lord.
25:16
I thought you were just going to say, no,
25:18
you've been smiling all day, I'm tired.
25:20
And if you're going to start crying?
25:22
I'm a sympathetic writer.
25:23
You can't cry because then I cry.
25:25
It's a mess.
25:26
And then only I think that part is harder part as an expert.
25:29
To be here without your family.
25:32
No matter how close you are because I am one away surely yeah, but that is it's hard
25:39
But with to be a away from your family. Yes. Yeah
25:42
Yeah, I think I guess also
25:45
Speaking to that grieving must be different right because your family is in the DR at the time
25:50
And there's something about also grieving around your loved ones and you're physically away
25:55
Mm-hmm
25:56
And I I imagine that that changes the process of grieving because again when you join them
26:02
You're starting a different version in the cycle of grief and they might be a little bit ahead of you
26:07
Which I haven't really thought about before
26:09
Yeah, I'm sometimes you are missing important a date like it's a liberation like a like a first communion
26:17
Yes, birthday party. So I really tried to be
26:21
The all important a date like a graduation of openings in the waiting of course my mom birthday
26:29
Mother's day sometimes Christmas day. Sure. Yes. Did that impact your motherhood because obviously you have your village
26:37
And when I say village, I don't I don't mean like your literal village, but you have your community in the DR
26:42
And you're then coming to a foreign country your pregnant
26:46
We know the hormones that are going on and does that make it more difficult because you don't have your mom
26:52
Just around the corner or you don't have your sister and then you're trying to navigate a new space
26:56
But also I appreciate you are mother before, but I imagine that each time that you bring life into the world
27:02
It's a different journey and you don't have that that support system in the same way
27:07
Yes, we feel the distance at that time
27:10
Yeah, and I have a neighbors that their mom was living in the same compass and it was like a jealous
27:16
When I saw her like I just walking and go to her daughter house. So yes, we miss that too
27:22
Definitely, definitely, but you know I'm trying to
27:27
To enjoy what I have in Jamaica to I don't think too much about what I don't have sure
27:33
I have to enjoy what I have fear that I have so many things to be happy. So I concentrate in that
27:38
I'm
27:39
Sleep one day at a time
27:41
Yeah, and if someone is thinking about moving to Jamaica, what would you tell them?
27:46
Let me tell you I have like a rule in my head. Yes, because that question is like every month
27:52
Really? Yes, I had that question. Yes, I have like a three rules three or two. I don't remember not two rules
27:59
That first I want to say yes move okay for sure
28:04
But if you want to be happy in Jamaica first don't compare okay
28:09
Don't compare Jamaica with your own country
28:12
Jamaica is Jamaica
28:13
Okay, I need what it is because let me tell you all the countries all the places has something good and bad
28:19
Nothing is perfect in life nothing any place any people nothing expert
28:23
So concentrate in the good things. What's for example, Jamaica? You it's a very relaxed
28:30
You can live like a very relaxed life is very everybody's is he going
28:36
You know your children can go outside in the complex and play in the yard
28:41
We don't have like the townhouses. Okay. We have like a building sure apartment and we don't have like a too much green area
28:49
To to go and play to ride by see call so I see you need to embrace what you have in Jamaica
28:55
Don't compare places prices. Don't compare. I'm not comparing anything food
29:00
Just enjoy what you have here because if you made the decision you have to be happy here
29:05
And be here with the two food don't be like okay my condit no, no, no, it was one second
29:13
Be around people
29:15
Positives okay because moving to a different country anywhere you are moving
29:21
It's not easy because you are changing so many things in your life
29:24
So if you have a friends like I like a complain. Oh my gosh. I'm missing my conflict. Oh, I make a deal
29:29
You never gonna be happy. You need to be around happy people positive people like helping you like a like I said to my to my kids
29:38
Be around people like I asked you
29:42
Like I you can't think okay, he's doing these
29:45
That inspired me to be better to do more sure same when you move to a div not just Jamaica any content that you move
29:53
Don't be around so friendly about with people like happy and positive
29:58
Cool and when you're living here you must I mean 18 years is a long time
30:02
You must have favorite places that you like to visit that you like to eat at where do you like to go?
30:07
Here in Jamaica
30:11
Plenty first when I go in for example some I'm looking for beaches. I prefer to go
30:17
Because we have beautiful beaches in the Dominican Republic
30:20
What I like to to feel like I am in Jamaica, and I'm in a place like a we don't have in the Dominican Republic
30:27
Blue Lagoon, okay blue lagoon. Oh, my favorite place. I love blue lagoon
30:33
For someone who hasn't been to blue lagoon. How would you describe it? Oh?
30:37
The lagoon with all the houses the house has the deck. Yeah, like you can jump into the lagoon. Sure, and I
30:46
Don't know it's paradise to me. It's paradise. They view the water the green the mountain everything
30:53
I love it's in my favorite my favorite part of the island blue lagoon
30:57
Definitely yeah, yeah, I love Poland and total different and believe or not
31:03
I like the south coast. Oh really? Yeah, because it's different. Okay. I love Santelisa
31:09
I really love Jake's I love it. Well, I go every year for the triathlon. Okay. I Jake's I do the triathlon and I love it
31:17
Okay, what do you love about the south coast?
31:20
The rustic and the people yeah, the people you know, I'm a consumer. So to me the people are like I'm
31:29
I don't know like I'm more friendly
31:32
More I don't know but they have songs you some vibes different and I love that for example
31:38
Let me tell you something. I can be working or driving whatever if I see somebody playing Dominic
31:43
Hello, can I play with you? You can play Dominic. Oh, yeah, yeah, I love it. I grow up playing Dominic. My family. We are big player
31:51
So I can stop in the middle of nowhere, right and start playing Dominic
31:56
The people say oh, I don't say yes, I want to play Dominic. No, it's you guys. So I love that and Santelisa me better place for that
32:04
Yeah, I love it. That's amazing. It is some quick five questions. Do you prefer tasty patty or juicy patty? Oh
32:13
My gosh
32:15
Like both really equally equally. You don't have a favorite. No
32:21
Oh, so if you ever leave you just bring one on one and you're happy and it's patty
32:26
Any patty, do you prefer curry goat or oxo?
32:29
Curry goat. Okay. Yeah, do you prefer do you drink? Yeah
32:35
No, that's great. Great question. How do you feel that Jamaica and Rome and Rome from the Dominic Republic compare?
32:42
From the flavor. I don't drink Rome. You don't drink Rome. No, I so I don't want I cannot question about my son do okay
32:50
And does he have an opinion? Yeah, he prefer the white Rome that you make and what's wrong? Oh, he likes it strong
32:55
Yeah, because I find Latin Latin roms tend to be a bit softer like if someone's just being introduced to Rome
33:02
A Jamaican room might be too powerful for them. Yeah, yeah, wow. He likes the white room. Yes. Okay. Cool. Do you like sorrow? Yes
33:10
Sure. Yeah, and especially make hotel with sorry. Yeah, I love it like for Christmas. I do like a
33:17
In
33:18
Prosecco, sorry. Oh
33:21
In times you say Christmas. Do you how do you have Christmas dinner in DR and when you're here is your home in terms of what you're eating
33:29
More of a DR Christmas table or is it more of a Jamaican or is it a bit of both
33:34
Let me tell you something one of the things that shook me when I came to Jamaica when I realized you don't celebrate
33:41
Christmas if
33:43
Okay, for us the more important family date in the year is Christmas if more than Christmas day
33:50
Yeah, so Christmas Eve is when you put your best dress. Okay, like I go or going as a wedding
33:57
And all the family and it's a dinner. Okay, so dinner is Christmas Eve. Yeah, so we
34:04
Is a family big big family reunions sure be family dinner. So Christmas day
34:10
We eat the leftover from Christmas Eve and everybody's relaxing in the pajamas
34:15
Sure, open the presents, but Christmas Eve is our important day. So when I realize
34:21
Jamaican people go to do shopping and Christmas Eve. I say no way
34:26
So I keep my Dominican tradition. Okay, so we celebrate Christmas Eve right with Dominican food and what does Christmas Eve Dominican food look like?
34:35
So we eat
34:37
Pork in all like a Chinese pork. Yes, but we cook it different. But it's at the end the same flavor. Okay
34:43
That with a rice that's similar to rice and peace. Okay, very similar. Right
34:50
We cook in the milk as well. Sometimes. Okay, sometimes yeah and the potato salad
34:56
And we have something we call it pastelen hojas. Do you know the tamales? Yes, you can it's similar than tamales
35:04
And that's it. This is our our Christmas Eve dinner. Is there any other cultural holiday or any celebration that you do differently in the art?
35:15
And you have carnival? Yes, yes, good question. Our carnival is totally different. We have carnival September 27. I would definitely depend this day. Okay
35:26
But let me tell you we covered even our faces with a mask. Okay, so it's not like a bikini
35:32
No, no, no, no, and everything is about choreography. Okay, so you dance and we have like okay competition the best choreography the best a
35:43
outfit, but it's everything about cover yourself. Okay, so the complete opposite to Jamaica and carnival
35:50
Completed. Yes, you're the wife the music is the same. Okay, because it's party time both
35:56
It's totally different. I love Jamaica carnival. I never being I never jump. Oh really? I will have every year I said this year
36:02
I'm gonna jump. Yeah, I don't know why, but I go to see and join you to dance and drink. I love it
36:08
I love Jamaica carnival. If you left Jamaica tomorrow, what would be the thing that you miss the most?
36:14
I love my friends definitely. I love my friends here in Jamaica. They're like family. They're like my family
36:20
So yes, I'm gonna miss them and let me tell you I am very creative people and I do party
36:26
Always without feet. Okay, so very creative. So and I love they follow me like okay, whatever I said this year at feather
36:34
Everybody's was feathered right leather whatever they're committed. Yes. Yes, and I love that. I feel like I they support me
36:40
They spoil me right that so I love that I gonna miss my friend for sure the the more
36:46
Yes, so thank you very much
36:49
Well, thank you for the invitation my pleasure