The Hospitality and Kindness of Grenadians

I always thought that Americans were hospitable...until i came to Grenada. Us Midwest folk take pride in showing our way of life to others and taking care of people. We will give anyone a place to sleep, a warm meal and a hot shower when needed. But until i came to Grenada did i learn the correct meaning of hospitality, and thats its more then all those things.

The people of Grenada take great pride in their communities and the people that reside here. For example, its not unusual for families to prepare twice what their families eat at a meal, simply for the fact that people will just stop in from time to time, and its always polite to feed guests. The door to my host families house is always open and it is constantly being opened by neighbors, relatives and friends. The house is the center of the family here, and what Grenadians take the most pride in. They work many years so that one day they can buy their own land and build their own home to call theirs. Yes there are people that rent homes here, but just like Americans love their picket fences, Grenadians pride themselves in ownership of their homes.

Another observation of the my new culture that i love is that no one is a stranger. If you arent related to the person, you know where they work and who they are. When i meet new people i have been asking my host family if they know them, and i havent heard a single no response yet. This island is a family, and family looks out for each other. Im starting to feel part of this family. When i first arrived i was the the foreign white creature walking around like a lost puppy. But as my host family has slowly introduced me to people in the community i feel as if im becoming one of them. People refer to me as the Cherebins 5th child now. As i walk to and from the bus stop everyday its not unusual to have people come out on the porch and say "afternoon Mackenzie," which is the way you greet people here. In America a simple "how are you" statement is our greeting, with no real care for the response. But in Grenada you greet people with eye contact, a smile, and the greeting of "morning, afternoon, evening,etc." This is to practically every person you pass on the road, in the market or on the bus, and no response usually means you arent from here, or you are just rude.

I think this simple act of kindness is what makes me love the island of Grenada. The people are so personable. They truly care how you are doing, and they consider the children the life of the community. I was met with a stunning statistic today which said that 65% of Grenada is 30 yrs old and below. So by saying the young people are the heart of the community really speaks for itself.

So as i continue my service to the youth of Grenada, i find myself really enjoying the bonds people make with each other. The hospitality they show their people speaks wonders of the true heart of this culture, and im learning daily just how to really treat people. The quote that states something like "it takes two people to make a child, but a whole village to raise one" really says all this island is about.