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.

Sunrise In a New City

Okay it’s almost one month since I skipped town to become an ISLAND GIRL!!! My transformation has been rather interesting and is still a bit surreal. Right now I’m still in the honeymoon phase as I soak up all the excitement that my exchange at UWI Mona has brought and will continue to bring.  

So far I haven't really explored the island, but I’ve explored campus a bit. By exploring I really mean I got lost. But thank goodness I had my future husband Mr. Hollywood Face Rob to keep me on track :o) I kid I kid. 

Rob is a character in himself BUT he’s always a ball of fun!!!! 

I’ve also met a ton of other cool people who are here on exchange from places like: Finland, Samoa, Japan, The Bahamas, Nigeria, America, and of course CANADA!!!!

But while everyone back home is enjoying the brisk Canadian air with -40 temperatures, I'm here lounging on a beautiful tropical island as I try to work on my summer glow. 

Hopefully the excitement and bliss last forever, well at least until departure!!! 

Fun Fact: 

The famous Norman Manely International Airport, which is located on the Kingston Harbour was featured in the 2002 Jamaican film 'Shottas'.

Dreaming of...

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Winter Festivities

In about 2 months, give or take a couple days, I will probably be over packing as I prepare to go on Exchange. So in preparation for this monumental trip I decided to start jotting down some of the events and festivals that will be taking place around the island. 

As I was putting together my list of January Events, I realized that January in Jamaica is a jam-packed month filled with a variety of festivities, with the most famous one being Rebel Salute.

This huge cultural event was founded in the early 90s by the famous Jamaican promoter and 'deejay' Patrick George Anthony Barrett, who goes by the stage name, Tony Rebel. 

Rebel Salute is an annual music festival that is held on or around January 15 of each year. The festival began in the parish (town) of Mandeville, which is located on the south coast of the island, in 1994. And since 2012 it has moved to Saint Ann, which is located on the north coast of the island.

The event showcases some of the best Roots Reggae and culturally themed Dancehall music that the island has ever produced. But its primary focus is on conscious Roots Reggae music. This basically means that X-rated, explicit or violent song lyrics are absolutely unwelcome at this music festival. 

This is because festival promoters and performers take great pride to maintain and uphold the positive ambiance of the event. 

The festival strictly adheres to Rastafarian tenet, which endorses a vegetarian diet and forbids the consumption of alcohol and meat products. Although the event follows a Rasta diet, there are still lots of vendors who are willing to provide alternative food and drink choices for the millions of spectators. 




The one of a kind festival has grown into one of Jamaica’s biggest cultural events and will be approaching its 20^th anniversary in January 2014. The two day event is expecting a huge turnout, with attendees coming from all over the world!!!! 

Fun Fact: 

Reggae originated in 1968 with the Rocksteady hit "Do The Reggay" by Toots & the Maytals and has become very popular thanks to artist like Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff.

What we now call Reggae music has developed over the years from different music genres, such as, Mento (Jamaican folk music), Ska (Mento and Calypso), and R&B. 

Defining The Seasons

As it is important to be mindful of your surroundings while travelling, it is just as important to understand Jamaica’s climate. The tropical island does not have four defined seasons. But June to November is usually hurricane season, meaning there are higher levels of rainfall and high winds.

For those who are not accustom to this type of weather, it is important to become familiar with the US National Hurricane Centre, so that you are well prepared and know what to do in the event that you are caught in a storm.

On the other hand, the winter/spring months December to March experiences less rainfall and is slightly less humid.


But if you have any concerns you can always seek advice from the local Jamaica Information Services. You can also contact the Canadian Embassy at (876) 926-1500 or the after hours emergency line at (613) 996-8885 / (613) 944-1310 (TTY) or simply call 119 in the event of an emergency. 

I have recently learnt about The Government of Canada's website for Canadians Travelling or Living Abroad. This website is fairly objective and it provides advisory and security warnings, entry and exit requirements, health related policies, laws and customs, as well as natural disaster and climate information for various destinations. 

There are tones of useful tips and information available on this site, but too many for me to list. This is a travel site that I will definitely keep in my favourites and I recommend you do the same!!!  

As long as you apply common sense and always stay vigilant you can dance the night away in Jamaica.... #YOLO

Fun Fact:

The average temperature in Jamaica is 28°C and on average the tropical island receives 6.5 feet of rainfall. And just in case you were curious, the wettest part of the island is Blue Mountain, which receives the bulk of the islands annual downpour. 

#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 Benefits of Going on Exchange

There are many academic, professional, cultural, and personal reasons for spending a semester or two abroad, here are my top 10 reasons why you should say YES to becoming an expert on packing and unpacking suitcases:

1) On exchange you will expand your knowledge base and transform your educational experience

2) Study subjects that are not traditionally offered at your home university  

3) Internationalize your resume and widen your career prospects

4) Help to prepare you for future endeavours and give you an edge in the professional world

5) Encourage you to move beyond your comfort zone in order to refine and polish your networking skills

6) Strengthening your knowledge of local heritage will allow you to develop a diverse outlook on historical events that are interwoven into everyday life

7) You will be able to think about life from a broader international point of view because you will have a sense of what life outside of your home border is like

 8) Immerse yourself in another culture as you learn new ways to adapt to unfamiliar circumstances, cultures and customs

9) Do some soul searching, so that you can learn more about yourself and discover your life passion(s) 

10) The most exciting reason is, you will get to go SIGHTSEEING and meet HOT boys

Fun Fact:

On exchange you automatically introduce yourself as; “Hey, I am ______. From _____.”

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. 

Random Thought

You can't move forward unless you're willing to leave old baggage at the front door. Then again you can always pack your bags and take a trip!!!