Sunny Clouds

Sunny Clouds May 1st 2008

The shape of my existence is molded by finesse, raindrops and sunsets, and we must always make the best of every situation, the blessings here on earth will be multiplied when I’m in heaven floating in landscapes of bliss on the canvas of perfection.

The earth will fade away but memories are ever pressing in my mind, after time has stopped and there’s no more guessing what tomorrow will bring, my mind will hold everything that ever existed.

It`s so twisted how I listened to threatening things that they would say about how high these wings, could take me but never shady I escaped the misery and see how I’m soaring above their mourning when they have nothing left and all they see is death.
High up in the untouchable sky I feel so alive, just watch me fly

Through it all give thanks, and give thanks for it all

But I must give thanks to the hands that tried to bury me, through this I recognized my friends from enemies

Those demons that were stealing my soul, made me realize that I was just to whole and they all wanted a piece of me, clearly, but some role models are so uplifting that I couldn’t stop rising
Surprise! I’m whole again, no more holes, I need time to mend, heal and feel that my creator will carry me, sincerely I could never make it on my own, if it wasn’t for the one who is sitting on that thrown,

Moaning and complaining would only be wasting my patience so I’m escaping I’m not blaming but creating my own way out, no doubt , it’s a new day now, watch the sun rise but hardly watch it fall the moon will take its place as soon as it is called

Through it all give thanks, and give thanks for it all

Shameless, aimless games at this low ambition stage

Raging, I’m caged in this metaphorical huddle of struggles

That weighs on me and mussels my pain, I can’t face this all in one day so if I may take a moment I can find a solution to why I’m losing. My rest is over now i must get moving, there`s nothing that I`m proving but I’m choosing to improve and there`s no time to stall

Through it all give thanks, and give thanks for it all

No your words will never bury me, I’m more than treasure, recognize my worth I am royalty because I am a priceless, empress, with a mind that of my ancestors, more wisdom that can be put into words, maybe I should stop, I should be more humble, but if I was trying to follow their path I would probably trip and stumble because of the abundance of greatness and knowledge they have left. My motives are much greater, no my goals are never small

Through it all give thanks, and give thanks for it all

I give all my praises to where it is due; there is only one thing in this lifetime that I will pursue

And that is the pursuit of peace, peace through happiness, the peace to say I am blessed, peace so I can rest. As I grow I know that I will stand taller and stronger than when I first began and this is my plan as I am guided by great hands

Through it all Give Thanks

By : Nadia Thompson

What is Culture?

When i first read the outline for this blog assignment I thought that I could write it in about 20 mins. 20 mins has turned into 2 weeks and I still cannot conclude on what I believe culture to be. I have tried many ways to approach how I may define culture, however they have all lead to unanswered questions and dead ended answers. So, instead of trying to create some type of cultural equation to satisfy my desire to understand this concept I am going to speak on what it is that I notice around me and how I see culture as it appears to be.

In Canada, culture is a widely debatable concept. Culture, firstly, is intangible but at the same time there are aspects of culture that are directly relation, i believe, to ones geographic region. For example countries with colder climates produce things that represents the activities, events and even diets that are preferred in that particular region. In the case of Canada this would be hockey and other winter sports as our cultural signifier, as well as maple syrup and that great Canadian bacon. Here in Barbados, the culture is mainly displayed through their music and dance, while their diet of home grown fruits and meats present their cultural taste.

It is ironic, however, how North American culture can completely bombarded this tiny Island. It can be seen in the market , coca cola bottles, kfc, and my favorite shampoo brand. These customs go far furthur than just an influx of North American ways of life. This country was built on the backs of slaves. Everything that I see here is a mark that was left because of its dark and brutal past. Barbados at times has even been called "little Britain", with more sun of course. There are a lot of residents here from all over the world. The colonial presence here is very apparent.

My culture, as a Jamaican woman, as a lot to do with what i learned in my household growing up with very traditional parents. My mannerisms and values derived mainly from having a mother who was strongly rooted in her religious beliefs. Through this, I adopted a way of looking at things that made me separate what i thought was acceptable from unacceptable. It also determined the type of taste that i had in music, art and literature, which in most cases were in some way all biblical(gospel, roman catholic art and literature was pretty much the bible itself. Aside from that my Jamaican roots were mainly present and practiced when it came to the food I ate and how the elders spoke. The Jamaican dialect of patois, I believe, holds a lot of culture within it because of our unique way of speaking ( mainly because we make up a lot of our own words and phrases). Being in Canada for most of my life, however, has definitely exposed me to a number of different things that makes me feel that my culture is limitless. Being Canadian makes me explore a lot more, learn new things and embrace many diverse cultures. My culture is my taste, so I suppose its fair to say that culture is very individual. Just because I am Jamaican, doesn't mean that I like reggae, or eat curry goat. I love Jazz music, Claude Monet paintings, batique art from Uganda, and Lasagna. As I learn new things, My culture will continue to change as I grow and embrace my surroundings.

Culture is different depending on what people value and what people internalize as being a part of who they are and what they prefer. I could go on and on, but as I stated earlier, this is a question with no clear cut answer, so i will end it on that note.

Go Canada Go.

The beauty of this life

This island is allowing me to see beauty I never knew existed. Whether be in the people or the landscape it just amazes me. Every morning I awake in my new home, I just have to give thanks to the creator for allowing me to experience such a thing. I am so fortunate. Although my life has been full of stress, worries and pain, i know it has all been worth it because my experiences make me who I am and make me feel like I can do anything in this world despite the barriers that may suggest otherwise. It is also always important to acknowledge those who brought you to where you are, who gave you the opportunities throughout life to show and prove that you can excel. I never want to stop traveling. Money will no longer a barrier between me and my goals.
We are young people, who can do it all, have fun and change the world at the same time

GIANT SEA CREATURE IN BARBADOS!!! da da daaa

On Wednesday afternoon, a friend and I were taking a walk on the boardwalk by the sea when we see a group of people surrounding this GIANT creature in the sand. At first I was scared. It looking like it was kicking, but it was so dark that i could not tell what it was. Then i finally discovered that it was a Giant Sea Turtle. It had to weigh at least 200lbs. We came to realize that it was nesting its eggs in the sand and covering it up. I was then told that Giant see turtles are known to sometimes lay hundreds of eggs at a time. He stood there for quite a while in a amazing to what we were seeing. However, we wanted to give her her privacy so we carried on with out walk, but it was something that I will truly never forget and this is just WEEK 1 in Barbados.

This place is amazing.

Barbados again June 3rd

Last night I went out with a friend to club "Extreme", which at first was extremely cold and empty. It was actually a reggae night, and beingg it that i am Jamaican I felt quite at home. It seems that in Barbados people listen to more reggae than they do soca. Later that night the party got really good and i ended up having a lot of fun. However, I have to come back to the point about Jamaican culture in Barbados, everyone here has dread locks, and some people even speak the Jamaican dialect of Patois, I am guessing it was picked up from the music. Either way, at times I actually forget where I am because of how developed Barbados actually is. There is nothing that you can't get over here, be it your favorite chip dipping sauce or your preferred brand of make up. Everything is here. I think it would be safe to say that the people here live quite comfortably. The communities are so mixed with their economic abilities that you really cannot tell who has more than the other.

Either way, the best parts of it all are the friendly people and the beaches.
I love it here, dare I say i may not come back to Canada!

Barbados

Arrived 2:00pm in Bridgetown Barbados on May 27th, 2009.

Staying in Clapham St. Michael 10 min walk from the beach with a beautiful sunset view. 10 mins walk from work and right ont he bus route