It takes Cash to Care...

Old Jamaican Banknotes

“It takes cash to care” is a saying that my father continually repeats to me whenever the subject of money comes up. In a strange way his crazy saying makes sense. Whether its Jamaica, The Bahamas, Europe, or Canada money is a factor and its better to have an understanding of how it all works because if not you will reach your last dollar before you know it.

The Jamaican dollar is the national currency of Jamaica, which is sometimes expressed using the currency code JMD or currency symbol J$. There are various banknotes used in Jamaica with the most frequent ranging from $50 to $5000. Although these amount sounds like a lot they are actually not that much.

A neat little trick I learned to understand the conversion between Jamaican dollars and Canadian or American dollars is to move 2 decimal places left. For instance $1000 JMD is roughly $10.00 Canadian. My conversion trick isn’t as accurate as apps like XE Currency but it gives you a sense of what the money is valued so you can see and understand how you are spending your money.

Most Recent Jamaican Banknotes

The exchange rate for 1 JMD to CAD or USD continually fluctuates. For instance, 1 JMD is 0.0103 CAD and 0.94 USD. This basically means that for J$100 you get $1.03 Canadian.

The advice I would give to an exchange student or traveller is to walk with as little money as possible and try to have JMD on you. But if not American dollars is preferred over Canadian dollars; however, when you use USD you lose out because you’re losing $200 to $300 JMD at a time. 

Fun Fact:

The earliest currency in Jamaica was Spanish copper coins called maravedies but the dollar has been Jamaican currency since 1969.

Things to Know When Skipping Town

Random thought, here are some things I wish I knew before I arrived… Then again I was probably told some of these things but just didn’t HEAR until now:

1) Expect The Unexpected. The first night might be a bit rough and even come as a shock. Be prepared to be disappointed with your room arrangement because it may not be what you are accustom to. But if you can stay open minded and survive the first night of discomfort then you are off to a great start.

2) Pack The Essentials. That means ensure to pack toiletries even if they're travel size (ie. A toothbrush & toothpaste, soap, deodorant etc.) If you haven’t already over packed then try and pack bed linen. This doesn’t mean pack the bed-in-a-bag set you got for Christmas; simply pack a fitted sheet and a blanket. I would suggest a queen size sheet because you have more room to work with, with a queen sheet rather than a twin. But if you can adapt then you will get through the first couple of days without these things.

 3) Pack Light But Wise. If you can lift it then you can pack it. If you are like me, you might luck out and get a penthouse suite that comes without an elevator. So be prepared to lift those heavy suitcases up half a dozen or so flights of stairs.

4) Lost and Found. If you have no sense of direction like myself be prepared to get lost. Getting lost is a part of the adventure. But before you have an anxiety attack simply ask someone on campus for assistance because everyone is always willing to help.

5) Embrace the Island Hospitality. Everyone is extremely nice and always willing to give you a hand, I guess that’s a part of the island’s friendly spirit. It’s good to note that Jamaicans are very expressive; they tend to talk with their hands. And the idea of a personal bubble or personal space doesn’t exist on the island because Jamaicans tend to touch you each other a lot. Although most Jamaicans are friendly there are still some tricksters out there so stay on your toes.

Fun Fact

The first time you go on student exchange you will over pack and most likely you will never wear all the stuff you pack.

A Bit About Jam Rock

Although I haven’t gone out exploring as yet, I did learn some interesting facts about the history of UWI Mona and Jamaica. 

The long and colorful history of the 653 acres of the Mona estate goes back to the days of black enslavement. During this period the site of the Mona campus was a sugar plantation that connected the communities of Hope, Papine and Mona.

The rich Northern landscape then became a refugee camp for Jews during the 1900s, before finally joining a special relationship with the University of London (England) and becoming the home of UWI Mona in 1948.

The colourful history of Jamaica does not just begin and end with UWI Mona, its also encompasses the sensual history of Jamaican music.

The rhythm of the island is greatly influenced by African folk music and other Caribbean music, as well as other genres found in American and European cultures. 

Music in Jamaica began with Mento, before moving into Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, and eventually reaching its height with Dancehall music.

Just like the cultural history of Mona, the musical history of Jamaica expands over many eras and has seen a great abundance of change.

Fun Fact:

The decorative shrubs that are located around Mona campus are actually wells that slaves who “misbehaved” were thrown into as punishment. However these wells were so deep that the slaves could not climb out, so instead of being a nest for punishment the wells were in fact death traps.

#YOLO Safely

As I mentioned in a previous post in roughly 60 days I will officially become an island girl and have the opportunity to study at The University of The West Indies (@ the Mona Campus)!!!!!!!! 

Besides the sun, beaches and boys, I'm excited to study at Mona because I will get to learn about Jamaica's amazing culture. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this, but also because I'm Jamaican and know next to nothing about my own heritage. I'm hoping that being at Mona will allow me to discover some hidden treasures as I learn about the rich culture of my motherland.

So I thought that, since I will be living in Jamaica for awhile I should research some travel safety tips. 

Image Courtesy of GPI

And I found that despite the misconceptions that many people have about the island, its actually a safe place. Based on the Global Peace Index (GPI) Jamaica ranked 117. Next to places like America, China or Mexico, who ranked 99, 101 and 133 respectively.  

Like any other destination, Jamaica has its share of risks such as petty theft, pickpocketing, purse snatching and so forth, which is no different from some of the more favourable destinations. 


 Although Jamaica is not the violent, crime ridden country that it is often portrayed to be, it is still important to understand possible health and safety problems.

Some general safety tips for travellers like myself would be: try to drink bottled water over tap water because your immune system is not use to the local water. Granted it's still safe to drink the local water. Also do not carry large sums of money around or flaunt expensive jewelry, do not go off with strangers, and do not wonder around alone at night. 




If you apply the principles of common sense and remain vigilant then you will be safe while in Jamaica. Plus you will have an amazing time and tons of fun because the locals are extremely friendly. 

Fun Fact:

Over 2.5 million tourists visit Jamaica each year, which is roughly the size of the island’s actual population. 

The Nomadic Thinker

As I prepare to go overseas to study I can’t help but think how %@!#%! lucky I am. Some days I am still in disbelief because who would have thought that this city girl, who had no idea as to how she was going to pay for university, would be planning to study in a whole other country. 

I must admit having the opportunity to study abroad is a lovely way to conclude, well postpone my academic career at The University of Windsor. Besides what’s better than sitting on the beach sipping a Piña Colada and watching muscular men walk by? …Oh yeah and learning, learning is much more important.  

But with my daydream aside, going on exchange is a fascinating, fun, and good experience for students. In the simplest sense going on exchange is the ability to live a fragmented life under different and sometimes even unfamiliar conditions, and if a student can do that then he or she is a step closer to developing a keen sense of independence. This is because experiences abroad provides students with the opportunity to mature and become respectful global citizens as they broaden their horizons.


Fun Fact: 

People will ask you to speak just because they like hearing your accent.