Littlemamalisa opened a thread concerning her wish to find a way to live in Jamaica. There were some encouraging and some not so replies.

I'm in a similar position. Being a Jamaican citizen eliminates one hurdle.

Keeping myself with food, clothes, shelter and healthcare are certainly the major to do's.

As I have made clear from my postings here, I look forward to and am planning to learn by practice and encouragement, the art of Sustainable Development and Realistic Economics.

It is timely that this topic has come to wider attention for many reasons on this forum. This topic is also in the spotlight globally. Some welcome this, some do not.

Because I felt comfortable with the community and the land, I purchased property in TB. I have done nothing with it but transplanted aloe vera, discouraged chopping of bush and trees, kept trails clear, mapped the terrain for future work and encouraged local burning to stop...cough!

As I have posted before, the first currency is encouragement, others will follow.

So, I invite you all to send me some encouragement. I'm sure there are others that would benefit too. Lisa for sure.

Why do I request this?.....a human need 1.

2. Having not been in TB for so many years I am begining to wonder if the selfishness, dishonesty and coarseness I experienced in other places is creeping in.

I left denial behind a while back, it serves no useful purpose. If we are fooling ourselves, we end up being foolish and the losers in the long run. I consider "Jamaica no problem" PR ploy as a sugar coated denial. Some may consider visitors as they do cattle. Feed em, wall em in, extract maximum value and ship em off. Horrible.

I have options, none so sweet as Ja and TB. I also have a sense of wanting to contribute to the land that gave me form and the culture that cradled me.

The first steps to a sustainable community have been discussed. To me, as thought comes before action, attitude fed by true information is the first step. With composting, recycling of man made products etc learned methods may have to be modified. Pretend does not work here. The smell of the compost heap and the appearance of the land will not lie.

I promise to return any encouragement with interest compounded!

WOW!
Sustainable Development and Realistic Economics

I think we would ALL benefit learning to live this way! Most live OUTSIDE their means and have been living with disrespect for their environment and their own bank accounts for a long period of time!

It is interesting that the turn in our world economy has made us all stop and think. I think its the Universe - halting us in our tracks for a well needed CHECK YOURSELF before you WRECK YOURSELF! It is a time for reflection of ourselves and the selfishness and greed bred down from big business into our own neighborhoods.

Turey - it sounds like you have left your home in JA for a journey that will eventually bring you back in a wiser state of mind? Good for you for inspiring us to live in a way we should all begin striving for! I wish you the best of luck getting home! Your words show love for your property and homeland. A true desire to live in peace and friendship should be admired!

I will continue to explore what might be there for me. I will come to Jamaica with the best intentions - not to see what it can give me but what I can contribute to it. That is my state of mind in this exploration. I see that most are encouraging, some protective and the others I understand have issues that they themselves need to explore! I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR POSITIVE VIBE! ALL THE BEST TO YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY!

I can really identify with the vibes coming from turey and mamalisa. These are times that most of us have never seen, or maybe cannot remember; tough times. And when times are tough, the mind naturally drifts homeward. That is why I'm so impressed with mamalisa's desire to explore outward. I say, if you really like yard that much, then go for it mama. Follow your dreams like a lot of us did when we left home.

Time is the master of all and there comes a time in every life, global economic turmoil or not, when each one of us comes to realize what is truly important. There comes a time when we strip away the plastic and the bling, when we realize that we've only been chasing wind mills. It is then that we can come to reality and to fullness, understanding that we've always had what we've been chasing.

I know that some of us are mulling over the idea of bringing the journey full circle but we have our concerns. Turey seems to have a handle on things when he mentions healthcare. That, in my humble opinion, is the number one concern. The other things turey, clothes and food and shelter, Jah will provide. The medical side though, is more technical and economic and I think we need a little more secular intervention there. Like in Canada eh?

Thanks Lisa and One Man.

I pay Ca$54 per month and get to see a doctor free in British Columbia. There are many medical centres within reach and the hospitals are well organised and people friendly. Medicines are subsidised for low income and elderly.

Prevention is the best medicine. Proper diet and excercise being the most important. Ja has top quality foods to choose from, no winter and areas like TB that offer relative peace and quite thus less anxiety and tension. These are two important considerations for a quality life.

Things are changing rapidly now, still I have confidence in our flexibility and common sense. Especially on the Rock.