This week in boredom prevention

Flying home from Jamaica? Yuck. Never mind, let's talk more about my time spent on the island.
Of course we did the usual tourist things like drink pina coladas while watching the sunset, strolling the streets of Montego Bay, eating jerk pork, buying as many trinkets and overproof rum as would fit in our suitcases, and boogie boarding down a river. All activities were exhilerating, and prevented boredom, some of my favourite memories were the times when I knew I was doing something that very few people staying in all-inclusive Jamaican resorts get the opportunity to do.

Although I've been several times before, visiting my Grandmother's elementary school in Falmouth still blows me away. There are 2000 children enrolled in the school, all wear uniforms every day and the backdrop to recess is the ocean. It's staggering to see how different my school experience was to my Grandmother's.

On another one of our ten days, after sipping some seriously tasty rum punch, the gardener at our villa, Robert, offered to take us for a hike. Robert knew of my love for hiking and took us way up the mountain to experience scenery that made my jaw drop. We stood five feet away from wild boar and cows and picked lemons, limes and mangos. In true Jenna fashion, I also insisted on climbing a tree. Robert spent the walk telling us of all the fruit he picks and about the different trees- when they bloom and what the wood was used for. But as I was walking and ooh-ing and ahh-ing at every tree branch I saw, it occurred to me how beautiful our own country is and how much I take it for granted. I also wondered whether someone coming from Jamaica to Canada would do the same gasping at our "exotic" country.

After making lots of friends, and desperately trying to find a way to stay on the island, I am back on Canadian soil. I saw a lot of beautiful scenery, met a few stray dogs, and enjoyed every minute I spent on the island that my Grandmother called home. I could go on and speak to every detail of the trip but I'd rather do that over a few red stripes and a plate of jerk pork (I just hope I didn't meet the poor little porky that I will soon be eating...)

Dear Jamaica, soon come back.