Each month we share our Seasoned View. Snapshots of nature and daily life taken by the Seasoned sisters. Find our archive of past months’ views here.
IT’S MARCH! WTF. If you remember, that’s exactly how I started the February Seasoned View. I can’t help but feel like this year is slipping through my fingers. I think I’m bopping around so much that I haven’t had a chance to sit still and organize my thoughts, but hey, who needs a moment of calm? This week I’m hosting Blacka, who I refer to as my Jamaican dad, but he’s more like a best friend.
Blacka lives next door to the villa where I studied abroad in Jamaica in 2009. I loved talking with him and his family so much that I decided to go back to Jamaica alone in 2010 and stay with them for two months. Those were some of the most relaxing months of my life. I would wake up early because of the heat at which point I’d go lay near the beach, catch a breeze, and take another nap. After nap time, I’d hit the street (as they say in Jamaica) take tons of photos, eat jerk fish, drink Red Stripe and stroll on back home. I learned how to make rice and peas, I made an “office” on the porch of an unused villa, and I learned how to wash my clothes by hand. I met up with farmers and locals that I had met the year before and generally treated every day as a mini photo adventure. I shot soccer tournaments, elementary school fashion shows, and dozens of different professions. I waded out into five feet of water in the ocean (with my camera held over my head) in order to hop aboard a tiny fishing boat, slipped on my ass all the way down a muddy mountain to teacher ginger farmers about pesticides, and slept in half finished houses with acquaintances just to get a better feel for the life of a Jamaican. I even worked on a book concept, but like most of my projects, it was never actually completed. Over the course of two summers, I fell in love with Caribbean culture and island life. I made countless friends, a handful of which I still keep in touch with. I cannot believe that I’m hosting Blacka in my home. I always hoped the day would come, but I never knew it could be a reality. It just goes to show you the potential of talking to strangers. I thought it could be fun to share some Jam Rock photos here today in honor of the one trip that made me realize I could feel completely at home anywhere on earth. What a magical moment that was.
You know the deal, you can download one or all of these photos to use as your desktop background or even as phone and tablet wallpapers. Simply click on the download link below each photo and save the image. Enjoy!
Negril Sunset
Reich Falls
Pondside Road
Yallahs Backyard
Mountaintop Restoration 
Bruce’s Butterfly Garden
Excuse the quality of these shots – they were taken over five years ago, they’re unedited and honestly, they make me cringe, but they’re telling of my time so I’ll share them 🙂
Paper makers in eastern Jamaica.
Ginger farmers learning about pesticides – most thought that bad spirits were the reason for the decline of their crops. It was actually due to an invasive worm.
Veggie patty and bun – my favorite fast food in Jamaica.
A primary school fashion show and talent contest was one of the highlights of my trip.
I had the opportunity to visit a Blue Mountain coffee factory. The drive up was terrifying, but totally worth the private tour.
This is little Lily, she is the daughter of the cook for the study abroad program. I was able to stay at their home that they’re building brick by brick, which is how homes are built in most third world countries.
Jamaica’s beer of choice. My best friend actually worked in the offices of the Red Stripe factory so I was able to go on a tour, watch their company soccer team play and even try Red Stripe Bold, an awesome spin off brew that isn’t exported.