"Yes, that's called a tattoo, big people sometimes have them"
"Well that must just be white people"
"No honey, lots of people have them"
"No miss, we only color pictures here, not our skin"
Gotta love Grenadian children. This was the conversation i had with a little girl about 8 years old today. She was very confused how there was a tattoo on my ankle and foot and that it didn't come off ever. Tattoos are slowly reaching Grenada, but they are still very unknown to young children and some adults. I can usually hide the foot tattoo but the ankle tattoo is sometimes hard to cover up, so I've gotten used to the curious stare.
Grenadians have picked up on alot of the American culture and are always looking for ways to be a little like Americans but keep true to their Caribbean roots. I appreciate locals who can have an intelligent conversation about American culture but truly appreciate their own Grenadian background. I find such innocence in people who aren't accustomed to seeing tattoos on people. Its nice that some of Americans crazy ways have stayed far from Grenada and that we haven't warped the whole world into our thinkings. I am really learning to love Caribbean culture and the simple things that the people here enjoy, like sitting on the veranda enjoying the sunset, sharing fruits vegetables with neighbors and conversations about life. Many times i find myself reminiscing on all the time i spent in "autopilot" back in the States. Just living workday to workday and never really sitting down to appreciate what i have, stressing over the next material thing i could buy, or constantly on my phone. Those things aren't important here and i find such harmony in knowing that i can enjoy my dinner on my veranda while talking to my neighbor about Grenadian culture.
This truly is the life...I'm so blessed...
No comments:
Post a Comment