Conor Finn
Blog Five
Professor Torres
Although having Jamaicans work in the United States during the summer, and in some situations for the rest of their lives is beneficial, employing migrant workers can have negative aspects. Today our country is in a recession and thousands of Americans are being laid off from work. With this happening migrant workers are taking jobs that Americans could be hired for. This situation is hurtful for both Americans and migrant workers because the recession leads to less job hiring for Jamaicans, and in return the culture that comes with these workers is lost. The recession is going to make landing a job extremely difficult, and the future may have less foreign workers than ever before.
Last summer Kennebunk acted and put a restriction upon the number of foreign workers allowed to live and work in the town for the summer. The town has the right to make such restrictions, but it is unfair to the thousands of workers that have been traveling to Kennebunk for years. For future summers the Jamaican culture in Kennebunk will be more intimate around the town. Decreasing the number of Jamaican summer residents will limit the interactions between them and town residents. Ultimately the culture will still be in Kennebunk but due to the recession and the town restrictions the Jamaican influence will not be as great as past years. I hope that the future will be brighter for the economy, summer Jamaican residents, and also the opportunities presented for working Jamaicans.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Conor Finn
Blog Four
Professor Torres
To follow along the last blog I want to give an insight of how Jamaicans affect the town of Kennebunk in the summer. As May turns into June if you live near the port you will constantly see Jamaicans walking to and from work. Most town members do not stop to think of these walking workers. In contrast if I see a Jamaican walking on the road I pull over, roll down my window, and offer them a ride. They smile back at me and say no thank you. It took me awhile to realize that they decline the offer because unlike us lazy Americans, they enjoy a nice summertime walk.
The cultural site is Jamaicans coming to America to find work during the summer, and more in depth is my personal experiences I have had with Jamaicans in my hometown. Jamaicans are not the only foreigners to work in Kennebunk with many workers coming from Russia and other European countries. With this said Jamaicans are the ones that town members can most easily interact with because English is the main language. Some slang terms that I pick up being around my Jamaican friends are “Jah”, “Aks”, and “Ease up”. These are just simple terms that I remember easily picking up when talking with younger Jamaicans.
Being exposed to such a friendly group of people is a blessing to Kennebunk town members. We are able to interact with another culture that spends the summer in Kennebunk.
Blog Four
Professor Torres
To follow along the last blog I want to give an insight of how Jamaicans affect the town of Kennebunk in the summer. As May turns into June if you live near the port you will constantly see Jamaicans walking to and from work. Most town members do not stop to think of these walking workers. In contrast if I see a Jamaican walking on the road I pull over, roll down my window, and offer them a ride. They smile back at me and say no thank you. It took me awhile to realize that they decline the offer because unlike us lazy Americans, they enjoy a nice summertime walk.
The cultural site is Jamaicans coming to America to find work during the summer, and more in depth is my personal experiences I have had with Jamaicans in my hometown. Jamaicans are not the only foreigners to work in Kennebunk with many workers coming from Russia and other European countries. With this said Jamaicans are the ones that town members can most easily interact with because English is the main language. Some slang terms that I pick up being around my Jamaican friends are “Jah”, “Aks”, and “Ease up”. These are just simple terms that I remember easily picking up when talking with younger Jamaicans.
Being exposed to such a friendly group of people is a blessing to Kennebunk town members. We are able to interact with another culture that spends the summer in Kennebunk.
Conor Finn
Blog Three
As Jamaicans infiltrate Kennebunk in the summer they bring along their happy spirits, delicious food, and their own cultural norms. Many of my friends in the summertime come from the beautiful island of Jamaica, and we spend hours together playing soccer on the beach, or watching some on the tele. These friends our only with me for three months out of the year and every August is a sad departure, as they head back to their homes and away from their summer homes. Being around these young men and women have shaped my easy going personality and my down to earth outlook of life.
Some Jamaican culture I have experienced in the summer is eating delicious Jamaican dishes with my friends ranging from salted codfish to barnrny. After these dishes we usually enjoy some fresh fruit and a nice cold red stripe beer. One thing I have learned from them is that they enjoy reggae, but more importantly they enjoy all music that “makes their soul at ease.” I have been blessed to have such great teachers about how to relax, sit back and enjoy what is in front of me.
The personal experiences I have had with Jamaicans have ultimately led to my utmost respect for these wonderful people and enjoyable culture. For as long as I live my heart will enjoy each person I meet and my soul will be at ease whenever music is playing. For this outlook I thank my summer friends that have come to Kennebunk Maine for better working opportunities, and the chance to expand their future.
Blog Three
As Jamaicans infiltrate Kennebunk in the summer they bring along their happy spirits, delicious food, and their own cultural norms. Many of my friends in the summertime come from the beautiful island of Jamaica, and we spend hours together playing soccer on the beach, or watching some on the tele. These friends our only with me for three months out of the year and every August is a sad departure, as they head back to their homes and away from their summer homes. Being around these young men and women have shaped my easy going personality and my down to earth outlook of life.
Some Jamaican culture I have experienced in the summer is eating delicious Jamaican dishes with my friends ranging from salted codfish to barnrny. After these dishes we usually enjoy some fresh fruit and a nice cold red stripe beer. One thing I have learned from them is that they enjoy reggae, but more importantly they enjoy all music that “makes their soul at ease.” I have been blessed to have such great teachers about how to relax, sit back and enjoy what is in front of me.
The personal experiences I have had with Jamaicans have ultimately led to my utmost respect for these wonderful people and enjoyable culture. For as long as I live my heart will enjoy each person I meet and my soul will be at ease whenever music is playing. For this outlook I thank my summer friends that have come to Kennebunk Maine for better working opportunities, and the chance to expand their future.
Conor Finn
Blog Number two
Professor Torres
In the early Seventeenth century Jamaicans, as well as many other nationalities, were being brought over to the American Colonies for slave labor. For hundreds of years this was the main immigration pattern for Jamaicans to come to the United States of America. Today Jamaicans can come into America for working opportunities, a better lifestyle, or higher wages. Unlike the early slave trade of Jamaicans, now they can live aside any American and be there equal. In this blog I will focus upon the issues of early Jamaican migration into the United States compared to the migration of Jamaicans today.
During the slave trade Jamaicans were brought over to work in plantations receiving no pay and harsh working conditions. However current Jamaicans coming to America for higher wages experience respectable working conditions. The issue of higher wages comes down to the American dollar being worth 94 times the Jamaican dollar. With this said it is easy to see why many Jamaicans come to work in the U.S. during the summer. Harsh immigration restrictions have long created problems for Jamaicans to move permanently into the States. “These laws include the Commonwealth Immigrants Act of 1962 and the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952.”1
Although America as long been a oasis for migrant workers the economy in Jamaica is quietly growing. The tourism attractions in Jamaica are slowly keeping the migrant workers in the country, and helping build an ever stronger economy. The trip overseas to come here and work is a voyage that many still make for the higher wages and greater opportunity to excel in fields of work other than the tourism market.
Blog Number two
Professor Torres
In the early Seventeenth century Jamaicans, as well as many other nationalities, were being brought over to the American Colonies for slave labor. For hundreds of years this was the main immigration pattern for Jamaicans to come to the United States of America. Today Jamaicans can come into America for working opportunities, a better lifestyle, or higher wages. Unlike the early slave trade of Jamaicans, now they can live aside any American and be there equal. In this blog I will focus upon the issues of early Jamaican migration into the United States compared to the migration of Jamaicans today.
During the slave trade Jamaicans were brought over to work in plantations receiving no pay and harsh working conditions. However current Jamaicans coming to America for higher wages experience respectable working conditions. The issue of higher wages comes down to the American dollar being worth 94 times the Jamaican dollar. With this said it is easy to see why many Jamaicans come to work in the U.S. during the summer. Harsh immigration restrictions have long created problems for Jamaicans to move permanently into the States. “These laws include the Commonwealth Immigrants Act of 1962 and the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952.”1
Although America as long been a oasis for migrant workers the economy in Jamaica is quietly growing. The tourism attractions in Jamaica are slowly keeping the migrant workers in the country, and helping build an ever stronger economy. The trip overseas to come here and work is a voyage that many still make for the higher wages and greater opportunity to excel in fields of work other than the tourism market.
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