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Caribbean:
Jamaica, Meet-the-People.
 What many families love most about Jamaica is the warmth of our people. Which is
why visitors are invited to join “Meet-the-People,” a program made possible by
the generosity of Jamaicans eager to share the sounds and sights of their island
paradise.
An Enriching Experience of
Hospitality.
What better way to experience
the culture of a nation than through its people? For travelers seeking insight
into the Jamaican experience and the warm welcome of a Jamaican friend, the
island's
Meet-the-People
program provides an
ideal option, taking them way beyond the traditional resort and beach setting
into the colorful realm of Jamaica's lifestyle, tradition and culture. The
Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has re-launched this popular program, originally
introduced in 1968, reaching out to visitors curious to explore the culture of
this vibrant Caribbean island.
Connecting interests. Visitors
wishing to take part in the Meet-the-People program are teamed up with Jamaican
hosts or volunteers who share a common profession, hobby or interest. In true
Jamaican fashion, these volunteers offer a hand of friendship and hospitality to
visitors who genuinely want to know Jamaicans and the Jamaican way of life.
Meet-the-People
allows the visitor to meet a Jamaican who can enhance enjoyment of the real
Jamaica. Guests may get to meet a family, get to know a fellow musician,
businessman, photographer, nurse, teacher or artist, or participate in a wide
range of activities, such as hiking, shopping at a local craft market, enjoying
a simple Jamaican meal, visiting a church, a clubhouse or theater, touring the
countryside or even accompanying the host on daily errands.
Whatever the focus,
these outings are uniquely Jamaican, providing an island experience that only
locals can create and a pathway to the unique aspects of Jamaica's rich
endearing heritage in people, culture, music, cuisine and natural landscape.
Unforgettable
experiences of Jamaica continue to linger through Meet-the-People encounters. In
March 1976, the Jamaica Tourist Board adopted the forget-me-not flower as the
symbol of the program. The flower grows wild all over Jamaica, especially in the
cooler areas, producing white, pink, or blue blossoms. It was selected to
reinforce the significance of the people-to-people contact, after which each
person can truly say to the other, "It was a wonderful time of togetherness.
Forget me not."
International Friendships Blossom.
Deputy Director of Tourism - Marketing - David Shields is enthusiastic about the
Meet-the-People revitalization. "This is an excellent way for our visitors to
explore Jamaican culture," he commented, "and can be very rewarding for visitors
and hosts alike. In many cases, the friendships that have grown out of these
social gatherings have flourished for decades and led to subsequent trips in
both directions!"
How to Participate.
To participate in
Meet the People, visitors planning a trip to Jamaica should explore details
online at
www.visitjamaica.com,
select the Meet-the-People link, and fill out the registration form.
Meet-the-People participants will be contacted by a program volunteer.
Content provided by
Everett Clay and Associates,
Miami. 2004Vacation
Book Connection
Jamaican Folk Tales & Oral Histories. By
Laura Tanna, DLT Associates, Inc.; (August 9, 2000). This book provides many
rare insights into
Jamaica’s culture and unique heritage. This is an excellent reference for
growing young citizens of the world.
Anancy-spiderman.
By James Berry, Walker Books; (July 27, 1989). Every young child will be enchanted by the
folktales of Anancy (Anansi). This book contains a collection of 20 tales about
the antics of the West Indian trickster and his companions Bro Monkey, Bro Dog,
and Bro Tiger. This collection is ideal for an airport layover or a prelude to
naptime.
A Caribbean Counting
Book.
By
Faustin Charles.
Houghton Mifflin; (March 3, 1996). The perfect trip companion for parents with young
travelers, this book engages tykes in the island culture with rhymes and rhythms
typical of Jamaica, Martinique to the Dutch West Indies. Count pawpaws and
breadfruit, guava, centipedes, and fish. This book works really well with the
lighthearted A Caribbean Alphabet by Frane Lessac. Both create a
sense of place for young children by making them a part of the learning base.
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