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She Chose Jamaica Over Her Birthplace (Here's Why) · Babes, how did you get here

0:00
You feel the trinket?
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Yes, half of me, I'm very strong, I've already, you know, I'm very proud of where I come
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and how I live over there. But it's true that Jamaica has won my heart.
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I feel home. I feel as home here, that in I recalls to you. So my heart is like,
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sitting in the same heart. I think because my family, I've missed my family, so I
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recalls will always be very strong, but I love my life in Jamaica.
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So when you told your mom that you were moving to Jamaica, what were her thoughts?
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She was devastated. So when you think about traveling and you think about your mom,
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do you ever think that perhaps you need to move back to her? Because at some point,
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I remember the first time I sent a picture to my mom, she said, are you lying, you're about it?
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Yeah, and I said, no!
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Welcome to a life elsewhere. The podcast that shares stories of bold moves,
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quiet transformations, and the people who choose to live life on their own terms.
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Today, I'm speaking with Nadine Buchi, the founder of Leachmore Chocolate, an artisan
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chocolate brand infused with the vibrant spirit of Jamaica and culture,
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where every bar tells the story of heritage, intention, and love.
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Her and her family considered a life in Ethiopia and Palestine before choosing Jamaica as their home.
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This decision took them from the Ivory Coast to the heart of the Caribbean,
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diving deep into the world of Kakao, Craftsmanship, and Luxury being to bar chocolate.
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In this episode, we discuss finding home, even with the ache of missing loved ones,
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the bitter sweet realities of finding a beautiful life elsewhere.
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Nadine, tell me how you got to Jamaica from court de boireh.
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So it was in 2010, my husband is a diplomat, so I moved in Jamaica with my husband,
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and I was at home, taking care of my son, and I got bored, and I started to bake,
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and it was relaxing me. Your son was how old at the time?
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Less than two years old when we moved. Was that your first move as a family?
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Oh yes, with my husband. So this was your first placement in Jamaica?
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In Jamaica, with my husband.
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And when you found out that you were moving, what was the time difference?
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How long did it take before you actually moved?
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I will say a year.
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Okay, so you had time to plan and do research?
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A little bit of research.
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A little bit of research.
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What was your first impression when your husband said we're moving to Jamaica?
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Well, we have different options. We had Ethiopia, we had Palestine, and Jamaica, and I say,
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no way. We're going to Jamaica.
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Why did you say Jamaica?
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Because Palestine noise, it's too much trouble.
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I didn't want to live in this area.
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Sure.
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And Jamaica, it's a little bit like Africa, okay?
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So I felt comfortable to come to Jamaica.
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Had you heard a lot about Jamaica before, right?
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Yes, when you're outside of Jamaica, you're always here.
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Yes, it's dangerous, it's violent.
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Sure.
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But since I was coming from Ivory Coast, I was not very...
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Do you hear the same about Ivory Coast when you travel?
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Less, because we had 10 years of civil war and problem, but now it's very stable.
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So normally, everything we hear is now fun, food and yet.
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And tell me, how does one get from Ivory Coast to Jamaica?
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Like, what is the group, the connection?
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We did Ivory Coast, Paris, Paris, Miami, Miami, Kingston.
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A lot of travel with a little baby.
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Yes, whatever, I had a good baby.
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It was a sweet.
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So you land in Jamaica, you're in Kingston, do you remember what that first feeling was like?
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Yes, it was shocking, because we arrived at night, so we passed by downtown.
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Yes.
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And the driver left us to this rental area, this apartment that's which rent.
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Yeah.
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And there were no towels, no bedsheets, nothing on the bed,
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because we were renting it from another lady that just left.
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But we didn't know, we thought it was like an Airbnb.
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So, okay, I opened the suitcase, thank God, I had like three towels.
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Oh, we slept on those three towels.
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And the next day, my husband got to work and leave me.
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With the three towels.
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No, it was fun and the thing, and I remember the first thing I said is,
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it doesn't matter that I call him, he's new here too.
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Sure.
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So, let me just take a taxi and go around, and this is what I did.
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Okay.
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And then when you're in the taxi and you're going around to buy your things for your house,
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how are you feeling being in a completely different country?
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Well, I felt this, okay, I didn't feel anything but because people was very friendly,
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you go to the supermarket and people are nice, people are always smiling.
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So, I had a good experience, I didn't have the bad.
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And, taking the taxi actually helped me a lot because it took me three months.
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We're dropping new episodes every single week.
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Your support really helps this community grow.
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And if you know someone who's quietly been thinking,
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Babes, send them the podcast.
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Because it took me three months by the time we get our car and our stuff here.
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So, I have to discover all the little shortcut, all the wood.
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So, as soon as we got our car, it was very easy for me.
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Okay.
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So, did your baby went straight into preschool?
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Yes, I would send them to Rainbow Land.
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That was very the best preschool for my son.
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And when you were deciding where to move to,
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did you think about education?
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Was this the right place for you to raise your child in terms of what you wanted for him?
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Well, to be honest, I didn't know that they would not have a French system
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and only American because everywhere I went in the world,
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they had both.
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So, this I was surprised.
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Okay.
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I was just surprised, but we put him in the American school and were very happy.
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Okay, cool.
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And now, how old is your son?
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16, 16.
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So, he has spent most of his life in Jamaica.
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Jamaica.
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Does he feel Jamaica?
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He feels Jamaica.
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Yeah?
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Yes.
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Well, in 2017 to 2022, we have to go live in Haiti.
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Okay.
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But we came back.
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We were lucky enough to come back.
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And this morning, he was sending me the car that, you know, when he graduated,
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he would like to come back live in Jamaica.
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He feels Jamaican.
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Oh, man.
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Yeah.
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Do you feel Jamaican?
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Well, yes.
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Half of me, I'm very strong.
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I've oriented, you know, I'm very proud of where I come and how I lived over there.
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But it's true that Jamaica has won my heart in a way.
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I feel home.
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Really?
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I feel as home here than in Ivory Coast.
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Okay.
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So, my heart is like speeding to the equal part.
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I think because my family, I've missed my family.
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So, Ivory Coast will always be very strong.
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But I love my life in Jamaica.
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What are the similarities between living in Jamaica and living in Ivory Coast?
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Hmm, the similarity.
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You have some, the way we live, you know, with helper, the way that it's firmly oriented.
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So, Jamaica, you know, it's very family.
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And Ivory Coast also, it's very family and the weather, sometimes the weather is the
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same.
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Yeah.
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But not the landscape because here in Jamaica, we have the mountains, it's in Ivory Coast,
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it's more flat.
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Okay.
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So, and then what's different about living here?
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It's easy going.
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Okay.
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Like, it's really relaxed.
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Ivory Coast is more hectic.
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Right.
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Yes, and a lot of traffic and it's booming.
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So, it's a lot of things at the same time, Jamaica, it's really more relaxed.
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And I like this kind of relax.
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And what I love is, you know, waking up in the morning to watch by my window, you see
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all the plants, the flowers, every coast is more concrete.
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Okay.
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The city.
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Yeah.
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So, I enjoy this way more.
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Cool.
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And was there any point when you first came that you thought perhaps Jamaica isn't the
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place for you and your family?
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No.
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Yeah.
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Like, I arrived and I said, okay, well, it's new for me, it's new for my husband, let's
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just take the best of it.
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Cool.
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And I was very lucky because all my way, I have met just great and very nice person that
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were still friends and it's like family now.
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Very cool.
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So, you said you were baking?
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Yes.
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And when you said you were baking just for your family, for your friends, you were selling
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your baked goods.
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Well, at the beginning, it was just for me because I have a sweet tooth.
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Right.
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So, when I was doing something, you have to know that I'm not a baker, like I studied
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the edition, but I was bored at home and I love sweets.
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When I was going in pastry shop or coffee shop, I didn't find any pastry that I like.
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So, it forced me to go into the kitchen and bake something and each time I had friends
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coming, they were saying, oh my god, this is amazing, you should sell it.
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Right.
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And I said, no, you know, it's good, but it's not pretty, it's not like perfect, it's
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like a home cake.
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Right.
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And after a few months, I said, you know what, I really enjoy baking and it's like, I was
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going into the kitchen and it was relaxing me.
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So, I said, you know what, let me check some courses.
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Okay.
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So, I look online and everything was like a year, two year of cooking and I said, no, my
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son is too strong, I cannot leave my son.
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So after a few months, six months of research, I find a lady in Montreal that was giving
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the basic of the French pastry for six weeks.
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Okay.
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So, I said, okay, let me contact her, but six weeks I cannot leave my son this week.
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I said, I'm going to call her, I'm going to tell her that I pay her more.
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If she's doing it to me, like in condensed course, and my husband was laughing and say, where
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do you think you are?
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You think you're like in every course, you can do whatever you want.
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And I say, well, because nothing to try and she accept it.
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Okay.
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I choose Montreal because I lived in Montreal for nine years.
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Oh.
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So I have all my childhood friends, teenagers, friends in Montreal still.
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So I went there and after the three weeks, she told me, listen, you're going to be successful,
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you have it.
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So you were able to do the six weeks course in three weeks?
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Three weeks.
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You said, Montreal, how do you understand French Canadians when they are speaking?
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Because I thought that I was pretty good, right?
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Like I speak with people from France, and I'm fine.
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No joke.
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I'm like, what are you actually saying?
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I had to send voice notes to my friend from Guadalupe to like, what are they saying?
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Well, I moved in Montreal with my parents when I was eight.
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Okay.
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So you want me to pick up, I picked up their French, but you still, no, I speak French.
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French French.
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Because I was saying, merci, and they said, bienvenue, I said, why would you say that?
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Madness.
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They said, pastec, and she said, melon, melon, melon, melon, melon, they have different
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teeth.
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How does that stop it?
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It stops.
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So yeah, so yeah.
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But yeah, so you did the course in three weeks?
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Yes.
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But I wanted to, so it was the basics, so I knew how to put the cake in a ring, you know,
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the basic of the French, but I wanted to do something more elevate.
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Okay.
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So I got a lot of chef books, you know, hi.
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And the point where you're doing all of this learning, is it because you have a vision
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that you want to sell, yeah, I said, you know what people are asking me, so let me do,
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I was bored.
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Okay.
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So I said, let me do this catering.
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Let's start a catering business, and I soon as I came back, I took the technique and
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I put it my way with my flavor, I mixed up a little bit, I changed to make my full menu.
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Okay.
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After that, I start from ears to mouth, people have passed my name, and this is how I,
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you know, people heard about me and they were ordering, and it was, I was very lucky.
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What was your specialty?
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There has not, the chak, the entrepreneur, it's an entrepreneur, which it's textured with
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like a crispy hazelnut bottom, you have a ganache, you have a mousse, you have the cake,
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so it's like a layered cake.
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Yes.
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This one was like very, very famous.
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So at this point, you've now come back, you put your own spin on your techniques, I'm
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selling just to order.
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Yes.
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Okay.
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So people were calling me, oh, I heard I try a cake here, and people were like passing
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my number.
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Sure.
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And then how long are we doing that for?
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I did this for two years.
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Okay.
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And I met after the owner of Cafe Blue, and Cafe Blue is where they sell blue mountain
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coffee and pastry shop, so we start also to work a little bit together, I was giving
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some pastries to their shop, and after I was supposed to leave Jamaica, and he opened
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the conversation of, you know, I see that you love chocolate, I say, yes, I love chocolate,
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but he said, do you know Jamaica has one of the best cocoa in the world?
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And I say, no, I didn't know that, and he said, what do you think about doing chocolate
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business?
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Okay.
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And this is where the idea started, so I didn't see, yes, right away, because it was something
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that I didn't know.
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I knew how to do a chocolate mombom, but I didn't know how to transform the cocoa to the
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chocolate.
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It took me a year before giving an answer, but when I felt that it was ready, this is
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where the journey has started.
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What happened when you felt it was ready?
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He wanted to launch for the cafe, his first product that was blue mountain coffee bean,
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covered with chocolate.
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And I remember, I was in Florida, and I saw a course of how to do it, and I said, you
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know what?
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This is maybe a mistake.
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And I took this as a sign, and since then, I course super focused on this chocolate.
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And what did you have to learn to be comfortable working with chocolate?
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We have to learn a lot, because at the beginning, you know, taking chocolate, melting it to
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make into a bar, or do a bombom, this is, it's easy.
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You have to crystallize the chocolate and you do whatever you want.
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But when you transform the chocolate, you have to make sure that the bean, even if the
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bean look good, it doesn't mean it's a good bean, so it has to be well fermented.
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We have to understand what was a good to a bad bean.
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We have to know how to roast, we don't have to reinvent, how long we leave it in the
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machine.
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So it was a whole process.
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Yes, it took us three years just to make contact with farmers, and to understand what we
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were really doing.
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Right.
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I was a little bit nervous at the beginning because it's food, and you don't, you want
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to make sure that you gave the best quality to people, so it took us time.
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Do you think that he knew or appreciated the process when he approached you with the idea
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that he knew it was going to take, you know, just to say?
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We didn't know it will take like that.
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We thought we will buy well fermented bean from farmers, and we will just make the chocolate.
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It was a learning for all of us, yes.
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So you then start making these chocolate covered beans?
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Yes, that was the first product that we launched, right?
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So it was the, it's a blue mountain coffee bean covered with chocolate, and this is one
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of our best product until now.
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For someone who doesn't know anything about blue mountain coffee, what would you say?
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Blue mountain is one of the best coffee in the world, that's for sure, and it's going
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in Jamaica, so since we had also one of the best chocolate in the world, with the best
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coffee bean, we put it together, cool.
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And then by this point, you're no longer making cakes, so you're still making cakes.
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I'm still making cakes at that time, but now I have to be honest, it's difficult for
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me to be doing both at the same time.
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So if it's not a wedding or a big event, I'm not doing everyday baking, unfortunately.
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Do you miss baking?
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I miss it.
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Yeah, I miss it.
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But because it takes so much time with layers and texture, if I can not do it at 100
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person, I don't want to do it, because it has to be perfect.
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At what point do you stop baking completely and just focus on chocolate?
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And I think when we were growing into the company, I needed to be focused on the chocolate,
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that I couldn't do, I cannot do both perfectly, and chocolate became my main.
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And you're operating the factory at this point as well?
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Yes, we're a team, I have business partners, so it's a family.
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And before you were in Jamaica, what were you doing professionally?
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I was a dietitian, I studied dietitian, but I was very bored, I didn't enjoy it, so
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while I started, it was a little business where I was selling luxury products.
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So you've always wanted to have your own business going in spite of whatever you were doing?
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Okay, so the business part wasn't the part that was nerve-wracking, it was just working
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with chocolate because it was new food.
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And I wanted to give, if I was doing a product, I want it a high quality product.
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So this was very important for me.
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And something that we represent Jamaica, but sophisticated at the same time.
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So talk to me about how we move from chocolate-covered coffee beans to a full brand of your own independent
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of working with cafe blue.
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The cover being this was cafe blue via products.
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But me, I was always, I was always buying beans to bar chocolate when I was traveling,
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and I always loved the quality.
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So I wanted to do the same thing in Jamaica, but with Jamaican flavor.
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I wanted to make it very local.
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And a little more, I created it in 2018, and I chose that name because it was my favorite Jamaican expression.
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How would you describe the meaning of liquor more?
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Well, for me, it's a little bit more, because you want a little bit more of chocolate,
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but also it means you soon.
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And we would like to see you soon.
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So it was perfect for me.
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When I first saw it, like, first of all, I was super surprised that you weren't Jamaican,
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because obviously you still look more and you just presume whoever has created this is clearly Jamaican.
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But you can't see it and not smile.
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I feel like there's an automatic, positive emotion every time you see it.
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And I wondered, did you ever get any resistance to the fact that you were creating essentially a Jamaican brand,
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but you weren't Jamaican.
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No, but it took me three months to tell anybody the name.
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I was very shy.
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I didn't know because I'm not Jamaican.
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Sure.
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And I said, you know, how people will react, and I chose that.
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But because I'm not Jamaican, and because it's a patois, very local expression,
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I wanted to use it and make it elegant.
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Okay.
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And in the same time, Jamaican and bring my European touch a little bit.
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Were you scared that by calling it such a local Jamaican name,
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that that would also perhaps be a challenge when you're trying to sell your chocolate to other people?
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No, but the first company designer that we work with,
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they try to make me change the name for a little more.
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Okay.
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And I said no.
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And he was trying so hard to convince me.
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And I said no, it blows all the purpose.
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It's Jamaican.
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I tell people all the time, when you say something in patois,
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it has so much more than just like the literal learning.
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Yes.
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And if you ever told me that your chocolate was called little more,
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I'll just, I'll be like, why?
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Exactly.
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And it's the whole story with the expression that, you know,
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I came here as a foreigner and everywhere I was going,
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people were telling me little more.
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And I found it so friendly.
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Sure.
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Because it's everywhere and they tell you that.
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I'm glad that you stuck.
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Oh, yes.
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Thank you.
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So you decided that you're making your own bean tabar chocolate.
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Yes.
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Okay.
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And what does that mean to you at the time?
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Does that mean just like a single bar?
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Does that mean a range?
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What is your name?
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Well, at the beginning, I had like four flavors.
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And you say, okay, I'm going to see if people likes it.
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So we start very slowly.
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Yes.
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And we started with blue mountain coffee, a dark chocolate,
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plantain chips.
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Ooh.
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So this was one, it's still one of our best, best seller.
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Yeah.
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And we have also sea salt.
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So I said, you know what?
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And every ingredient that I use, I take the real,
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we don't buy any ingredients from the supermarkets.
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Sure.
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We make our own spice.
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So this is what I wanted to do really.
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It's be authentic and choosing all the Jamaican ingredients.
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And the only one that is not from here is the matcha.
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Okay.
21:47
And this was inspired because I had a customer that came to pick up a cake
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and she saw that I did the white chocolate matcha.
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Okay.
21:54
So you should sell it.
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And this is how it started.
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Sure.
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Cocoa butter coloring.
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This is when I decided, okay, you know what?
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Let me do it.
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And after that, we started to play with the slush, with the dot.
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And it became very...
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It's like your signature thing.
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It became our signature.
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And now people recognize.
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I'm sorry.
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It didn't occur to me once about being...
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And I'm like super funny about food.
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And it didn't occur to me that it would have been artificial.
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I just thought, oh my gosh, this is so visually striking and really memorable.
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And that's the thing also.
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Because, you know, Jamaica is so vibrant, so colorful, so happy.
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This is what we said.
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You know what?
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People open the bar and they are so happy and excited.
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And it's like a piece of Jamaica that they bring back home.
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If someone is opening a business in Jamaica, what advice are you giving them?
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I will say to start small.
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Okay.
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And to test because you have time to adjust.
22:52
Sure.
22:53
And rectified.
22:54
And after that grows slowly.
22:56
Okay.
22:57
But I will say, you know, start with quality.
23:01
So you...
23:02
When you opened your factory and started making chocolates, this is before you went to Haiti?
23:07
Yes, it was just a year before.
23:09
We were starting out.
23:12
Oh yeah.
23:13
I was with my partner.
23:14
Sure.
23:15
So we start slowly.
23:17
Okay.
23:18
So I'm trying to understand, was there any sort of apprehension?
23:23
Because of your husband's job and being moved to other destinations?
23:27
Because you stayed three years?
23:29
Three for you?
23:30
Five years.
23:31
Five years.
23:32
But then the tradition is that you then moved to somewhere else?
23:34
Normally, but because Haiti was such in a difficult...
23:38
Sure.
23:39
That's why you came back.
23:40
Yes, we were able to come back.
23:41
But before you left, you would have known that you were going to come back so soon.
23:45
No.
23:46
So were you not worried that you wouldn't be able to keep your business going?
23:49
Because you'd have to...
23:50
Well, I choose Haiti to be able to come every two weeks.
23:53
Okay.
23:54
So Haiti was a...
23:55
Yes, it was a choice to stay in the region.
23:58
Okay.
23:59
So I would have to try also to find another country within the region.
24:02
Yes, in the region.
24:03
And just keep commuting.
24:04
Exactly.
24:05
So you...
24:06
We were coming back every two weeks.
24:08
Every two...
24:09
Every two, three weeks I was coming.
24:10
And how long you staying?
24:11
Two weeks.
24:12
Okay.
24:13
Going back.
24:14
Wow.
24:15
That's a lot.
24:16
Yes.
24:17
And so now, you may need to leave one.
24:20
In three more years.
24:21
In three years.
24:22
Yes.
24:23
But you're always going to keep...
24:24
I will always keep in coming.
24:26
I'll try to stay in the region.
24:28
So that you can navigate.
24:29
Yes.
24:30
Also, I'm lucky.
24:31
I have a very good team.
24:32
Okay.
24:33
You know, at the beginning it was all teaching.
24:36
Sure.
24:37
And now they understand.
24:38
I can also develop and come back.
24:40
But I will be...
24:41
I will have a person.
24:42
Yes.
24:43
I have to be here.
24:44
And is most of your chocolate eaten locally?
24:46
Or do you export some as well?
24:48
It's...
24:49
We are a lot in the hotel.
24:51
Okay.
24:52
Airport.
24:53
Yes.
24:54
And locally.
24:55
We have locally.
24:56
We export also.
24:57
Okay.
24:58
Yes.
24:59
That first opportunity to get your chocolate beyond the borders of Jamaica.
25:03
Well, we were part of an ITC group.
25:06
What does that mean?
25:07
ITC is an international trade center.
25:09
Okay.
25:10
And they help us.
25:11
This is a small business company.
25:13
Okay.
25:14
To promote and try to do business with Europe or in the US.
25:18
Okay.
25:19
So we were lucky.
25:20
So sometimes we travel around the world.
25:22
Yeah.
25:23
We attend show.
25:24
Okay.
25:25
You present our brand.
25:26
And this is how we make content.
25:27
Contact with distributors and customers.
25:31
What's the biggest challenge about running the commodity?
25:36
I will say the machinery.
25:38
Okay.
25:39
It costs a lot of money.
25:41
It's a lot of money electricity.
25:44
Those kind of packaging.
25:46
Right.
25:47
We have to import everything for the packaging.
25:49
Okay.
25:50
So this is...
25:51
This is mostly our challenge.
25:53
Do you think that your son will get involved in your business?
25:56
I don't know.
25:57
I hope so.
25:58
I hope he has a good pilot.
26:00
Okay.
26:01
He has an amazing pilot.
26:02
So I hope so.
26:03
Is there anything that when you moved here,
26:05
you missed eating?
26:06
Yes.
26:07
Yes.
26:08
Yes.
26:09
Yes.
26:10
Yes.
26:11
Yes.
26:12
Yes.
26:13
Yes.
26:14
Yes.
26:15
Yes.
26:16
Yes.
26:17
Yes.
26:18
Yes.
26:19
Yes.
26:20
Yes.
26:21
Yes.
26:22
So you miss eating?
26:24
From Ivory Coast?
26:25
Yes.
26:26
Everything.
26:27
No.
26:28
Like...
26:29
It was tough.
26:30
I'm happy to see because we're spoiled in Ivory Coast.
26:32
Yeah.
26:33
We have all the product coming from Europe.
26:35
And Lebanon.
26:37
Yes.
26:39
From...
26:40
He has Lebanon and France.
26:42
Right.
26:43
It's very rich.
26:44
The supermarket.
26:45
Or like 10 times bigger than here.
26:46
We have...
26:48
One aisle of chocolate.
26:49
It's like 200 kind of chocolate.
26:51
So everything is more.
26:54
What's the thing that you miss the most?
26:59
I was just talking about Fogger out too.
27:01
This is it from Montreal, the other day.
27:03
Yeah, this was this was.
27:04
I was like don't hate me.
27:05
I know I'm not supposed to love Fogger.
27:06
I know, but that I was missing the most.
27:09
I'm not joking.
27:11
I used to go to Miami and like for the weekend
27:14
and a part of my agenda was I need to have my Fogger out.
27:18
When I say Fogger, I don't mean just like patty.
27:20
I mean like a lot.
27:21
No real, yeah.
27:22
On some brios, just slightly toasted.
27:24
Exactly.
27:25
And so I feel on this.
27:27
This, this I was missing and pastry.
27:29
That's why I started to, because when I came
27:31
the food in Jamaica was not as developed and now.
27:34
Okay.
27:35
How would you describe for someone who hasn't visited.
27:37
How has it changed?
27:39
It didn't change a lot.
27:40
No.
27:41
But we are lucky we have more chef.
27:43
And Jamaica do a lot of event.
27:45
Food cleanery, so we can experience the other.
27:48
But at the supermarket, it's the same thing.
27:51
Sure.
27:52
That's the only down.
27:53
Right.
27:54
It's the supermarket, the food.
27:57
I would love to have more choice, more kind of meat,
28:01
more kind of poetry.
28:02
You know, this kind of thing.
28:04
And more, I think because it cannot grow locally,
28:08
but more imported food and vegetable.
28:11
Okay.
28:12
So you just want more variety?
28:14
Yes.
28:15
Just the variety.
28:16
Yes.
28:17
Do you think that living in Jamaica has changed you in any way?
28:20
Yes.
28:21
In what way?
28:22
You make me more cool.
28:24
Okay.
28:25
Yes.
28:26
Yes.
28:27
I think more relaxed.
28:28
Okay.
28:29
Because I had a very more traditional education.
28:34
More, I don't know.
28:36
I'm searching for the name conservative.
28:40
And in Jamaica, it's more liberal.
28:43
It's funny because I feel like some people,
28:46
if they're coming from more structure and more fast pays,
28:49
you come here and you could find it quite frustrating.
28:52
But it sounds like you found it like a relief.
28:55
Yes.
28:56
Well, first of all, I think it's more intense than here.
28:59
Right.
29:00
And you go on the street, you put your blinker.
29:03
You know, nobody's going to let you pass.
29:05
In Jamaica, people are more civilized when they drive.
29:08
Really?
29:09
We're more civilized?
29:10
Yes.
29:11
What kind of driving are you doing in Ivory Coast?
29:14
What?
29:15
I always say that learning to drive in Jamaica has served me
29:18
so that I can drive anywhere.
29:20
No, no.
29:21
I think because I'm born and raised over there,
29:23
it makes us stronger.
29:24
You think that Ivory Coast is harder to drive?
29:26
Yes.
29:27
No, no, no.
29:28
It's like your stress.
29:29
You turn on the car, your stress, until you reach.
29:31
Really?
29:32
Yes.
29:33
You have worse than here.
29:34
You're like my driver in Ivory Coast than here?
29:36
Yes.
29:38
Here's nothing, nothing.
29:39
Oh my gosh.
29:40
Yes.
29:41
I don't think you're going to say that.
29:42
No, no, no.
29:43
It's true.
29:44
I can really guess.
29:45
But I'm sure I'm genuinely surprised.
29:46
Yes, it's only the traffic.
29:47
Sure.
29:48
The rest of the food is way more intense and more choice.
29:51
Sure.
29:52
And yes, we were spoiled in Ivory Coast.
29:55
I would have never thought baking or never thought.
29:58
Because there was so much.
30:01
Because there was so much.
30:02
Sure.
30:03
And I didn't think because I came here and I couldn't find
30:06
that I went into the kitchen.
30:08
And I remember the first time I sent a picture to my mom,
30:10
she said, are you lying?
30:11
You bought it.
30:12
And I said, no.
30:13
I did it.
30:14
No.
30:15
She said, I don't believe you.
30:16
You left here.
30:17
You really knew how to cook.
30:19
And now you're making pastry.
30:20
Exactly.
30:21
So when you told your mom that you were moving to Jamaica,
30:23
what were her thoughts?
30:24
She was devastated.
30:26
Because I have an amazing relation with my mom.
30:29
She was close and my son.
30:30
She was very attached to my son.
30:32
So it was really hard for her.
30:34
Okay.
30:35
But in the same time, she knows I have my life now
30:38
with my husband.
30:39
Mm-hmm.
30:40
So...
30:41
I let them go.
30:42
She came two times.
30:43
She stayed three months each time.
30:45
I love Jamaica.
30:46
Oh yeah.
30:47
But she doesn't speak English.
30:48
Okay.
30:49
But she loves it.
30:50
She loves it.
30:51
Yes.
30:52
So when you think about traveling and you think about your mom,
30:55
do you ever think that perhaps you need to move back to Ivory Coast?
30:59
At some point, I think we will have maybe to take a decision
31:03
because all my family is there.
31:05
And no matter how much I love Jamaica,
31:07
it's hard to be far from their family.
31:09
Okay.
31:10
It's hard.
31:11
And if your son is planning on living here.
31:13
I know.
31:14
I didn't know that.
31:15
And what is your husband from?
31:18
He's Belgian, but he's like me.
31:21
He's born in Congo, grew up in Guinea.
31:24
Okay.
31:25
So...
31:26
And how does he feel about life in Jamaica?
31:29
He likes it, but he doesn't love it.
31:31
Okay.
31:32
So you're the one that loves it.
31:34
What does he not like about it?
31:36
I think...
31:39
What can I say?
31:41
I think he likes more cultural events.
31:45
Okay.
31:46
And we're missing a little bit.
31:47
A bit of that.
31:48
Yeah.
31:49
I guess you have to take more trips to New York, isn't it?
31:51
Exactly.
31:53
Well, Miami is a really cultural event.
31:55
No, no.
31:56
I would say it's New York.
31:57
He loves it.
31:58
New York, yes.
31:59
And he loves it.
32:00
He loves Haiti.
32:01
Okay.
32:02
He loves, loves, loves Haiti.
32:04
I don't know anything about Haiti.
32:06
Someone's trying to tell me that Haitian food is better than Jamaican food.
32:09
It's different.
32:10
No, no.
32:11
You have good...
32:12
Do you think it's better?
32:13
Be very careful, babes.
32:15
No, I think Jamaica has a lot of varied, like, you know, with the Indian food.
32:19
Yes.
32:20
You know, with Jamaican.
32:21
So I think you have more...
32:23
It's different.
32:26
I will not say who is better.
32:29
I think Haitian food is good.
32:33
Jamaican is good.
32:34
It's different.
32:35
And it's good that it's different.
32:37
No, no.
32:38
It's true.
32:39
No, it's true.
32:40
But you see, Jamaican cuisine is even better than the Ivory Coast.
32:43
Oh, really?
32:44
Yes.
32:45
We have good dishes.
32:46
But I prefer Jamaican.
32:49
If I have to choose, I will choose Jamaican cuisine.
32:51
Oh, really?
32:52
Yes.
32:53
Because also in Africa, they over pepper everything.
32:56
Okay.
32:57
And a lot of pineapple.
32:59
Yes.
33:00
So I don't eat a lot of the dish in Ivory Coast, like the local.
33:03
I will eat more Jamaican.
33:05
Okay.
33:06
Yes.
33:07
That's a good way for me to ask you a few quick five questions.
33:10
Do you prefer tasty patty or juicy?
33:18
Tasty.
33:19
Why?
33:20
I don't know.
33:21
It's a good answer, because I prefer tasty patty.
33:23
It's a good question, but I don't know.
33:26
I think I prefer tasty.
33:27
Yes.
33:28
I think the texture inside.
33:30
The texture.
33:31
And the flakiness of the dough.
33:34
Yes, tasty.
33:35
Do you prefer cargo or ox ale?
33:39
Neither.
33:40
You don't like yogurt or ox ale?
33:42
No, but do you eat meat?
33:43
Yes, I eat meat.
33:44
And you don't like it.
33:45
But you know what?
33:46
Ox ale is a texture.
33:47
Yes, gelatinous.
33:48
Yes.
33:49
I will eat goat.
33:50
The gravy.
33:51
I will eat the curry goat, but I don't like goat.
33:54
Okay.
33:55
Yes.
33:56
I don't like when the meat is a little bit gamey.
33:58
Right.
33:59
It's too strong for me.
34:00
Yes.
34:01
For you, that's for girl.
34:02
Yes.
34:03
And I like lamb, but I don't like...
34:05
Really?
34:06
Yes.
34:07
But if I have to choose, I will eat it.
34:09
I'm not going to...
34:10
I'm not going to say, okay, no, I'm not eating it.
34:12
But it's not your first flavor.
34:13
It's not my favorite.
34:14
Yes.
34:15
Okay, cool.
34:16
Do you drink?
34:17
Yes.
34:18
Do you prefer rum or red stripe?
34:19
I don't drink rum.
34:20
I don't drink rum.
34:21
You know.
34:22
What?
34:23
Why?
34:24
I'm not the...
34:26
Yes.
34:27
I will eat...
34:28
I will drink gin, tequila.
34:30
You like tequila and you don't like rum?
34:32
Yes.
34:33
I don't like rum.
34:34
Really?
34:35
Have we tried a range of rum?
34:37
Yes.
34:38
Have we explored?
34:39
Yes.
34:40
You like tequila and you don't...
34:41
Yes.
34:42
But it doesn't go with me.
34:44
Really?
34:45
Yes.
34:46
Sorry.
34:47
I'm not sure if it's a reference.
34:49
So you would...
34:50
Do you like beer?
34:51
I don't like beer.
34:52
No, I don't drink beer.
34:53
Yeah, I don't like beer.
34:54
I don't drink beer.
34:55
But when you said Belgium, sorry, it's Belgium.
34:56
And I was like, oh, because they have...
34:58
They have so many beers.
34:59
One thousand.
35:00
Like every city has a...
35:01
A different beer.
35:02
Oh, I must be able to find a beer that I like.
35:04
Maybe one.
35:05
Which one?
35:06
They call it the Crick.
35:07
And it's red.
35:08
I don't know if you try it.
35:09
It's like a cherry beer.
35:10
This one is the one that maybe could...
35:13
Yeah.
35:14
I thought so many.
35:15
And like all kinds of fruity, the outside...
35:17
I think the Crick.
35:18
It could be a drink.
35:19
Yes.
35:20
Okay, but it's...
35:21
Do you...
35:23
Do you like sorrow?
35:24
Yes.
35:25
I love sorrow.
35:26
Love, love, love, love.
35:28
That's good.
35:29
That's good choice.
35:30
I love sorrow.
35:31
But we have it in everything.
35:32
And we call this sap.
35:33
Exactly.
35:33
Because they call it bicep in Cameroon.
35:34
Exactly.
35:35
Yeah.
35:36
I love...
35:37
I love sorrow.
35:38
Do you prefer jam or cassava?
35:39
Cassava.
35:40
Good choice.
35:41
Coconut water or can juice?
35:43
Coconut water.
35:44
Oh, really?
35:45
Yes.
35:46
Very cool.
35:47
That's all for me.
35:48
That's all I want to say.
35:49
So you did it all.
35:50
Thank you so much.
35:51
Thank you very much.