Anything Bahamian

Date: Monday June 22nd          Time: 7:08 pm               Mood: Burnt Out       

Music: The Sweet Sensei Sounds of Bob “More Ganja Please” Marley – Waiting in Vain

“I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love…”

I hate Mondays just like anyone else living in this rat race capitalistic society but today the dread lingers on me like chinchilla in 90 degree heat. Its drags me down and its taking its toll on my bones. Welcome to Metro NYC and from the first scent of morning dew – I knew today would be a bitch. You know that feeling? But you inconspicously deny your intuition and play it off like it’s just life grabbing you at your jugular. But its not; your denial has you fronting like this was made from the best stuff on earth.

Today NYC awoke to another mere 65 degree morning, no radiant sun, just blotchy skies and we call this summer. As I release Lucky from his cage to relieve himself, I closed my eyes and daydreamed that I was actually in Bahamas, soaking in the rays. But when I returned to my senses, dreary gray NY appears all over again.  It became quite evident – yeah, this is it for me. Stick a fork in this – I’m done.

“From the very first time I set my eyes on you girl, my heart said follow through…”

God Bless the Caribbean – for they know not what they have. I have been traveling across our Southern neighbors {way south} since 2000. I swore, everytime I landed at JFK, that I had got to leave the US and settle in the Caribbean to start something out there. My excitement (and dread of NYC congestion, traffic and pollution) would have my senses on high, bragging to everyone I would meet how amazing my time in the Caribbean was. But much to my dismay, my Caribbean born-USA bred family and friends looked at me with bewilderness and taunted me to get a grip. “How would you survive?”, “Where would you live?”, “How would you eat?” are questions that would bombard me to sway my enthusiasm and convince me to stay put. Oh and it worked  – until June 11th 2009. My first time in the Bahamas.

Ahh – this is the perfect cocktail of laid-back Caribbean Laissez-Faire blended with American Amenities. And this concoction soothes my burning desire for better living and quenches my drought of an “easier life”. But of course, all things come with a price. Everyone forewarned me about the higher cost of living due to the enormous import duties levied on foreign products sold within. And of course, all business expenses are reflected on consumer sticker prices of staple items like Hair Care, Clothes and Food. My Organic Hair Mayonnaise that offsets heat/sun/chlorine damage to my easily fried hair would cost me $6.49 for half the size of my $10 container bought at my local NY Sally’s. But I am not going to let that phase me – when there’s a will, there’s a way.

 ”Tears in my eyes burn, tears in my eyes burn – while I’m waiting, while I’m waiting for my turn…”

This time my arrival back at JFK was different. I felt it and it exuded from my core on out. This time I did not seek approval from people who bitch and complain about NYexpenses raping their pockets, but never budge to do something about it. I didn’t express my joy to sh*t talkers who cry about how hard times have hit but stand there taking the blows and punches. NO! I refused to stay around these crabs who hem and haw about what could have been, should have been or wished it would be. I’m going to do it, not talk about it. And if its doesnt work – NY isn’t leaving anytime soon. So get the Visine, I am clearing off this smeared mascara and venturing off to the land of 14 islands and 31 districts and I plan on giving you the scoop about each and every one of them. Welcome to Anything Bahamian, the nitty-gritty ins and outs of real Bahamian life: passion,  food and culture. Jump aboard and kick back – the first conch is on me. =D