It has always been a dream of mine to live in the Jamaican countryside. These days, Montego Bay is sweltering hot, with rainy days (like today) and cold fronts being the only relief from the constant hellish heat. I could talk for hours about how the model we have adopted for urban development is the major cause of this bubble of heat and dust that surrounds our city.
I often visit a friends property in the hills of Saint James, and every time I do, I never want to leave. I find myself refreshed by the clean air, and the ambient sounds of rustling leaves in the constant wind, the chirps and squawks of birds, and the perfect temperature. I slept there once, the nights are cold, A stark contrast to the nights I suffer now, in a housing scheme made of asphalt, marl and concrete. Sweat pours nightly off my skin and into my bed, my Lasko standing fan failing to blow the moisture away fast enough.
I mustered up the courage once to ask her if I could stay there, but alas that was too early in our relationship. We have become best friends now, and to be honest, I am surprised how enthusiastic she is about me staying there on her property. I’m almost a bit shy about it, my insecurity making me afraid of feeling like a squatter or worrying about what others will think, but also hoping that my friend doesn’t feel in any way that I have taken advantage.
It has long been a dream of mine to live a smaller, simpler life, in a tiny house, in a lush cool green setting, near water and nature, living minimally and sustainably. Ive always envied how Americans seem to have so many options and resources, with people seeming to be spoiled for choice with places whose owners are open to them parking their tiny house on their property, for a work exchange or a yearly lease.
As someone who doesn’t really have the financial means to buy property right now, someone who can’t pay the ungodly amounts of money that people charge for rent nowadays, but also someone who doesn’t want to live entirely separated from others, this opportunity seems too good to be true. I am eternally grateful to have a friend who would do for me, something I thought would never be possible, to give me the opportunity to have somewhere (even temporarily) to call home, within my means, and surrounded by that which I love most about Jamaica.