A long overdue trip to Jamaica

And what an amazing trip it was, although the circumstances were less than ideal. My grandfather passed away on February 5th. He was survived by 8 children, 33 grandchildren, 42 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild. My family moved to the states when I was 5, but the majority of my extended family still lives in Jamaica. DH decided to come along, so this was really his first time meeting the whole family. We had a family reunion in 2003 and that was the last time I'd been to Jamaica. I'd had the chance to chat with the family then but I didn't learn nearly as much as I learned during this 5 day trip. My sisters, cousins, and I just sat and listened to our grandmother telling stories for hours. Stories about her childhood (she was born in 1925), how she met our grandfather, things that happened when our parents were young. It was probably the last time we'll see her.

I wasn't sure how to feel about the trip initially. I was feeling sad for my mom but since I hadn't spent much time growing up with any of my extended family, it was hard to feel what I think people usually feel when a grandparent passes. Then a few days into the trip, I felt really sad that I don't know my family. I don't know that any of those 70-odd cousins would recognize me if they saw me walking down the street. But by the night before we were leaving, I felt a connection with my family that I'd never felt before. Ironically, my mom had said a few weeks before the trip that funerals are where people learn about their family and their traditions and customs. And that is definitely the truth. DH got an immersion course in the art of the 3 hour Jamaican country-side funeral (and I mean 3 hours in the church alone). It was a great 3 hours though-- 3 hours of singing and reminiscing topped off with an amazing sermon. It was also a great trip because DH had lived in Jamaica for 3 or 4 months years ago but this time, he got to see the house where I was born, the first school I went to, and the scenes of the things my older sister and I talk about when we talk about living in Jamaica. My sisters and I have vowed to take a family trip every 2 years back to Jamaica and I hope we stick to it.

The first two pictures were taken from our hotel. The water was beautiful! The third is me enjoying my first beef patty and ginger beer of the trip.