Stuff They Never Tell You About Living in London (the rebuttal to Stuff They Never Tell You About Living in Barbados)
Created | Updated Jul 14, 2003
Stuff They Don’t Tell You About Living in London
(a resonse to the article “Stuff They Don’t tell You About Living in Barbados” – created 12th December 2002 and published by the BBC)
I recently read “Stuff They Don’t Tell You About Living in Barbados”, and as a Barbadian, I can say, unfortunately that many of the negative points made by the author are true. However, it seems that his or her attempt at “investigative journalism” was over shadowed by a tone that reeked of hostility and seemed to be more a case of maliciousness rather than informing perspective migrants to the island on a need to know basis. He even comes over in this article as if he is hitting back at the island over something that did not go too well for him there.
Surely every country has its good points and bad points, and having lived in London for almost two years, I think I can safely say that his article seems to be a case of the “pot calling the kettle black”.
So in the event that you have not noticed, here are a few things that you have not told the world about living in London.
IT'S DAMNED EXPENSIVE
London is the most expensive city in Europe and among the top ten in the world. You speak of expensive North American goods in Barbados, but believe me, these goods are much cheaper in Barbados than they are in London since you find the American goods in London with the same price tag, but with the dollar signed changed to the pound sign. As for finding your favourite products in London, I can’t even find toothpaste with whitening, baking soda and peroxide. But then from what I have seen, dental care is not high on the agenda of most Londoners, so I guess not finding good toothpaste is trivial.
Moving on to salaries - that Barbadian University graduates are paid a maximum of £8000p/a ($16,000US) is simply not true. I made that amount whilst working as a freelance radio announcer before I even went to university. So I suggest you do your research. Further more, if we make a little less in Barbados than you do in the UK, it could have something to do with the fact that our government pays for our university education so perhaps we are turning out more educated people in Barbados than you are in London.
Rents are definitely not the same as in London and it is certainly times cheaper to buy a house in Barbados. What you would pay for a two bedroom council flat in crime ridden Hackney, could get you a luxurious mansion on Barbados’ exclusive “Gold Coast” (St. Peter and St. James).
Cars are expensive, but again you have exaggerated the costs. Gee talk about sensationalism. You should apply for a job as a researcher on The Jerry Springer Show.
NOW ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BEING UNRELIABLE, MY GOODNESS!!!!! For those of you who have had the unfortunate, and I do mean UNFORTUNATE, experience of traveling on the bus, tube or train in London, you know that I am not exaggerating when I say it is very expensive and disgusting. The trains and tubes are used as toilets and often reek of urine.
You say that buses in Barbados do not have a time-table, but you in London have one and are never on time. You wait at the bus stop for over an hour for your bus and then four of them come at the same time. Of course the last three are empty, and how unfortunate for the person that misses them and has to wait until the next one comes along. The buses are made for winter (the windows can’t open) so you roast like a turkey on Christmas day when you are on them (especially the upper deck) in the summer. The bus drivers are wholly unfriendly and impatient; and tend to forget that a large number of people in London are tourists and genuinely need help. You often have to battle with garbage and discarded food containers for a seat on the bus and at the end of your journey, you would be lucky if you can get up from your seat not having been stuck to it with someone’s chewing gum.
LACK OF CHOICE
Well I must say that there is no lack of choice in London at all (sarcasm). All you need to do is blink twice to find a Starbucks or McDonalds, a food chain that Barbadians had the good sense to reject. This has resulted in the country being one of only two (I think) in the world where McDonalds has failed. And you say we are up America’s backside. By the way, has Tony taken his nose from up George’s rear yet?
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OFTEN HORRIBLE
How many stores have I walked into in London and been ignored whilst people come in after me and get service before me? Oh pardon me, that is not bad customer service, that is just racism. Excuse me for being black.
ENVIRONMENTALISM HASN'T ARRIVED IN LONDON
I cannot believe you have the audacity to speak about litter in Barbados. Gosh you can’t even see the pavements in London for the chewing gum stuck to them. And forget throwing litter out of the windows of vehicles. Londoners just drop it as they walk along the street. As for buses in Barbados emitting noxious fumes, believe me, so do yours. And even if they didn’t, the crazy bus drivers would kill you before the fumes did.
MACHO CULTURE
I must admit that I am happy to be able to walk down the street here in London without being whistled at by men. But I soon realized (and accepted) that it is because I’ve got the wrong tools below the waist for most of the men here anyway.
HIGH CULTURE/INTELLECTUALISM? NO THANKS.
While I will laud the people of London, and indeed England as a whole for being avid readers; and while I am happy to be here for the abundance of classical concerts and the high standard of theatre, I have to ask: How can you say that Barbados is lacking culture and intellect? Your national dish is fish and chips, and you would be lucky to taste the fish amongst all the batter it is covered in.
What is wrong with our shelves being filled with Christian literature? Perhaps if yours were, you would not be waking up at least one day each month to hear that one of your babies was raped and killed by some sick old pervert. (Paedophilia is rampant in the UK)
You say our culture is conservative, intolerant and that change comes slowly to us. We simply call it not talking about people behind their backs, but telling them to their faces. If you think that the UK is accepting of homosexuals then guess again. You simply tolerate them. Being a heterosexual female, I often hear many of the disparaging remarks made about homosexuals when they are not around.
Yes capital punishment is supported by SOME, but please do not believe that it has not happened recently because we are thwarted by the UK privy council. Several Barbadians are also against capital punishment and being a democratic country, their opinions do count. But then again you wouldn’t know much about democracy would you? How often does Tony Blair listen to what you have to say. He prefers to “Sex Up” dossiers in an attempt to win the public vote (even though he couldn’t care less if he has it or not).
AMERICANISATION
You too are guilty of this. And it is worse for you, having been a former super power. Why do you cower to America? And let me ask again. Has Blair taken his nose from up Bush's rear end yet? Oh yes and have you seen yourselves crooning over American stars when they are in the UK for premiers? Not to mention that your own stars don’t believe they have made it until they have cracked the US market. Pathetic!!!!!
RACIAL ISSUES
You say that we have no overt racial conflict, and the races tend not to mix. Well I guess you prefer overt racial conflicts, where white boys kill black boys at the bus stop and then the police refuse to so anything about it (Steven Lawrence). I guess you prefer institutional racism, and I guess you prefer when blacks know their place and stay clear of Bond Street stores since brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada are too good for the likes of us.
As for the issue you mentioned of Barbadian white men speaking poorly of blacks when they are not around. Are you really stupid enough to think that this is not done in London? Oh come on. You people are not even civilised enough to be allowed into football matches (because of hooliganism which is racially motivated).
BAD ROADS
It would be expected that a developing country will not have a network of roads as impressive as London. But at least when we fix our roads we have the sense NOT to do it during rush hour traffic. Holding up people for hours on their way to work in the morning.
It is simply not true that we take over year to build a small round- about. But I must ask. Do you know how long you take to lay five metres of pavement? You also said our driving is horrendous. Well at least we are civilised enough to drive around puddles of water when we see pedestrians instead of speeding up to splash them.
CULINARY CONSERVATISM
For those of you who have had a well made dish of Cou-cou, you know that bland is not a word to be used to describe it. Look up the word bland in the dictionary however, and I am sure you would find British cooking as a definition. Imagine my surprise when I first arrived in the UK and witnessed the cooking of a steak. Haven’t you people ever heard of seasoning?
Oh and by the way, our Barbadian Nigella Lawsons are Marion Hart, the late Carmeta Fraser and almost every Barbadian woman. We don’t need one woman on TV giving us cooking lessons. We are naturals.
YOUR BUSINESS IS MY BUSINESS
Well let me say that if I had to choose between someone being overly inquisitive about my business or having people step over me like I am invisible as I lay dying on the street, I would choose the former.
IN SEARCH OF QUALITY CONVERSATION
How can you be so critical about the quality of conversation in Barbados. Ask the typical British male in his twenties what his hobbies are, and the response would be a resounding “clubbing and pubbing”. As for our conversations being limited, are you aware that all you Brits talk about is Liz Hurley, Posh and Becks, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. What were the last two names again? Now how is that for Americanisation?
A CHURCH FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
Perhaps if you had not been so hasty to convert your churches into pubs you would not be a nation full of drunk, spitting, pot-bellied , expletive spewing men. Oh yes, and women.
CAR CRASHES ARE A SPECTATOR SPORT
This goes back to what I was saying about dying on the pavement and no one caring. You refer to our viewing car crashes as a spectator sport. Most civilised people would call it humanity. But then you would not know that word would you? You helped to bomb a country and kill innocent people all because your prime minister wanted to be popular with his friends on the other side of the atlantic.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Well forgive us for having an opinion and not being too up our own rears to express ourselves. How does the stiff upper-lipped Briton express pleasure at something? “Oh that was absolutely fantastic.” (I say with a heavy British accent)
BUYING FOREIGN CURRENCY IS A REAL PAIN
I see that you are in the business of exaggeration. Forgive us for being sensible about precious foreign currency. Oh by the way, when last has anyone reading this tried to open a bank account in the UK? When I first arrived as a student, I was forced to keep large sums of cash and cheques on my person because I needed to have proof of address in the form of a utility bill or bank statement before I was allowed to open a bank account. HELLO!!!!!!! I’VE JUST ARRIVED. I DON’T HAVE ANY BILLS YET. AS FOR THE BANK STATEMENT, HOW CAN I GET ONE IF YOU WONT LET ME OPEN THE BLOOMING ACCOUNT?
BUY A TORCH
Exaggerating again. This statement about unscheduled power cuts is absolutely untrue. What about your daily unscheduled train delays?
LOTS OF RADIO
As with everything else Barbadian, you have been extremely critical of our radio stations and our music, but I have two words for you over there in London - pirate radio. As for you terming our soca as musically illiterate, have you ever listened to the utter crap coming out of the mouths of your manufactured bands like the “Spice Girls” and “One True Voice”? (Oooops, perhaps I should have been fair and mentioned bands that actually had a life span). And at least our Calypsonians are good role models. By the way, which member of the “So Solid Crew” is in jail now?
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
I rather have the boring local television we get in Barbados than watch the smut you put on tele in the UK. While Graham Norton is hilarious, all his shows are is a bunch of sexual innuendo, and Friday nights on channel five save you from having to pay for soft porn at the video shop. All of this is a remarkable testament to British intellect.
YOU WANT TO WORK IN BARBADOS?
Exactly the same problems are encountered if trying to find work in the UK. I should know. That’s what I am trying to do at the moment. Unless you are in the European Union, seeking work within the EU, you need a work permit to work in most countries dear. Free movement across the globe is only just an idea at the moment. Not happening yet. READ A NEWS PAPER FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE!!!!!!
INVESTING IN THE ISLAND
The numerous people who have set up businesses in Barbados and are enjoying tax free holidays can tell you that setting up a business on the island has its benefits. As for the relaxed work ethic you speak of, how many times have I gone into stores in London and had to wait until shop attendants finish personal conversations with each other before even acknowledging my presence and looking annoyed with me for interrupting?
HELLO, MR. CUMBERBATCH?
I think you are just jealous because you don’t get free telephone calls like we do.
THE QUEEN'S (BAJAN) ENGLISH
How can you criticize our dialect, when your young Londoners cannot even pronounce the word alright (they say aite), three is pronounced free, isn't it becomes "innit" and instead of “give me a call”, it is “give us a call”; and to think that English is your language.
PAY YOUR BILLS - THE SLOW WAY
While we pay our bills “the slow way” as you put it. You should note that as far as lack of technology goes, some of your banking systems are not even online. So I can withdraw money from my bank account at the ATM, and a week later, it still does not register that this money has been withdrawn, allowing me to over draw my account and then be charged for that. Perhaps that is not a lack of technology. Perhaps it is just plain trickery.
DON’T PACK THE CAMOUFLAGE BIKINI
I think your statement about the camouflage is just a case of you grasping at straws, as that is a very petty thing to complain about. As for having to wait for the police to come to the scene of a minor car accident, I have been in three and never had to do that.
Why are you so critical of fog lights being illegal on our cars? It is Barbados you are speaking about remember? We don't have fog. What we have is called sunshine.
Hand signals are rarely used my dear. And if you think our use of hand signals may be upsetting to pedestrians, I guess we should abandon hand signals and opt for the British way, which is yelling expletives at pedestrians through our car windows. Or better yet, speeding up when we see pedestrians crossing the street.
SO SHOULD I MOVE TO BARBADOS?
Well as a Barbadian, who was upset by some of the comments made in the article that resulted in this reply, I can only suggest that you experience the island for yourself.
Yes Barbados has its bad points, but what country does not? We are not living in utopia here. Your experience of the island is largely what you make of it.
Thanks for reading
Bajan Cutie
*Please note that the sub-headings of this article are the same sub-headings used in the article “Stuff They Don’t Tell You About Living in Barbados”. It would be good to read that article to get a better understanding of some of the statements made in this one.
(a resonse to the article “Stuff They Don’t tell You About Living in Barbados” – created 12th December 2002 and published by the BBC)
I recently read “Stuff They Don’t Tell You About Living in Barbados”, and as a Barbadian, I can say, unfortunately that many of the negative points made by the author are true. However, it seems that his or her attempt at “investigative journalism” was over shadowed by a tone that reeked of hostility and seemed to be more a case of maliciousness rather than informing perspective migrants to the island on a need to know basis. He even comes over in this article as if he is hitting back at the island over something that did not go too well for him there.
Surely every country has its good points and bad points, and having lived in London for almost two years, I think I can safely say that his article seems to be a case of the “pot calling the kettle black”.
So in the event that you have not noticed, here are a few things that you have not told the world about living in London.
IT'S DAMNED EXPENSIVE
London is the most expensive city in Europe and among the top ten in the world. You speak of expensive North American goods in Barbados, but believe me, these goods are much cheaper in Barbados than they are in London since you find the American goods in London with the same price tag, but with the dollar signed changed to the pound sign. As for finding your favourite products in London, I can’t even find toothpaste with whitening, baking soda and peroxide. But then from what I have seen, dental care is not high on the agenda of most Londoners, so I guess not finding good toothpaste is trivial.
Moving on to salaries - that Barbadian University graduates are paid a maximum of £8000p/a ($16,000US) is simply not true. I made that amount whilst working as a freelance radio announcer before I even went to university. So I suggest you do your research. Further more, if we make a little less in Barbados than you do in the UK, it could have something to do with the fact that our government pays for our university education so perhaps we are turning out more educated people in Barbados than you are in London.
Rents are definitely not the same as in London and it is certainly times cheaper to buy a house in Barbados. What you would pay for a two bedroom council flat in crime ridden Hackney, could get you a luxurious mansion on Barbados’ exclusive “Gold Coast” (St. Peter and St. James).
Cars are expensive, but again you have exaggerated the costs. Gee talk about sensationalism. You should apply for a job as a researcher on The Jerry Springer Show.
NOW ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BEING UNRELIABLE, MY GOODNESS!!!!! For those of you who have had the unfortunate, and I do mean UNFORTUNATE, experience of traveling on the bus, tube or train in London, you know that I am not exaggerating when I say it is very expensive and disgusting. The trains and tubes are used as toilets and often reek of urine.
You say that buses in Barbados do not have a time-table, but you in London have one and are never on time. You wait at the bus stop for over an hour for your bus and then four of them come at the same time. Of course the last three are empty, and how unfortunate for the person that misses them and has to wait until the next one comes along. The buses are made for winter (the windows can’t open) so you roast like a turkey on Christmas day when you are on them (especially the upper deck) in the summer. The bus drivers are wholly unfriendly and impatient; and tend to forget that a large number of people in London are tourists and genuinely need help. You often have to battle with garbage and discarded food containers for a seat on the bus and at the end of your journey, you would be lucky if you can get up from your seat not having been stuck to it with someone’s chewing gum.
LACK OF CHOICE
Well I must say that there is no lack of choice in London at all (sarcasm). All you need to do is blink twice to find a Starbucks or McDonalds, a food chain that Barbadians had the good sense to reject. This has resulted in the country being one of only two (I think) in the world where McDonalds has failed. And you say we are up America’s backside. By the way, has Tony taken his nose from up George’s rear yet?
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OFTEN HORRIBLE
How many stores have I walked into in London and been ignored whilst people come in after me and get service before me? Oh pardon me, that is not bad customer service, that is just racism. Excuse me for being black.
ENVIRONMENTALISM HASN'T ARRIVED IN LONDON
I cannot believe you have the audacity to speak about litter in Barbados. Gosh you can’t even see the pavements in London for the chewing gum stuck to them. And forget throwing litter out of the windows of vehicles. Londoners just drop it as they walk along the street. As for buses in Barbados emitting noxious fumes, believe me, so do yours. And even if they didn’t, the crazy bus drivers would kill you before the fumes did.
MACHO CULTURE
I must admit that I am happy to be able to walk down the street here in London without being whistled at by men. But I soon realized (and accepted) that it is because I’ve got the wrong tools below the waist for most of the men here anyway.
HIGH CULTURE/INTELLECTUALISM? NO THANKS.
While I will laud the people of London, and indeed England as a whole for being avid readers; and while I am happy to be here for the abundance of classical concerts and the high standard of theatre, I have to ask: How can you say that Barbados is lacking culture and intellect? Your national dish is fish and chips, and you would be lucky to taste the fish amongst all the batter it is covered in.
What is wrong with our shelves being filled with Christian literature? Perhaps if yours were, you would not be waking up at least one day each month to hear that one of your babies was raped and killed by some sick old pervert. (Paedophilia is rampant in the UK)
You say our culture is conservative, intolerant and that change comes slowly to us. We simply call it not talking about people behind their backs, but telling them to their faces. If you think that the UK is accepting of homosexuals then guess again. You simply tolerate them. Being a heterosexual female, I often hear many of the disparaging remarks made about homosexuals when they are not around.
Yes capital punishment is supported by SOME, but please do not believe that it has not happened recently because we are thwarted by the UK privy council. Several Barbadians are also against capital punishment and being a democratic country, their opinions do count. But then again you wouldn’t know much about democracy would you? How often does Tony Blair listen to what you have to say. He prefers to “Sex Up” dossiers in an attempt to win the public vote (even though he couldn’t care less if he has it or not).
AMERICANISATION
You too are guilty of this. And it is worse for you, having been a former super power. Why do you cower to America? And let me ask again. Has Blair taken his nose from up Bush's rear end yet? Oh yes and have you seen yourselves crooning over American stars when they are in the UK for premiers? Not to mention that your own stars don’t believe they have made it until they have cracked the US market. Pathetic!!!!!
RACIAL ISSUES
You say that we have no overt racial conflict, and the races tend not to mix. Well I guess you prefer overt racial conflicts, where white boys kill black boys at the bus stop and then the police refuse to so anything about it (Steven Lawrence). I guess you prefer institutional racism, and I guess you prefer when blacks know their place and stay clear of Bond Street stores since brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada are too good for the likes of us.
As for the issue you mentioned of Barbadian white men speaking poorly of blacks when they are not around. Are you really stupid enough to think that this is not done in London? Oh come on. You people are not even civilised enough to be allowed into football matches (because of hooliganism which is racially motivated).
BAD ROADS
It would be expected that a developing country will not have a network of roads as impressive as London. But at least when we fix our roads we have the sense NOT to do it during rush hour traffic. Holding up people for hours on their way to work in the morning.
It is simply not true that we take over year to build a small round- about. But I must ask. Do you know how long you take to lay five metres of pavement? You also said our driving is horrendous. Well at least we are civilised enough to drive around puddles of water when we see pedestrians instead of speeding up to splash them.
CULINARY CONSERVATISM
For those of you who have had a well made dish of Cou-cou, you know that bland is not a word to be used to describe it. Look up the word bland in the dictionary however, and I am sure you would find British cooking as a definition. Imagine my surprise when I first arrived in the UK and witnessed the cooking of a steak. Haven’t you people ever heard of seasoning?
Oh and by the way, our Barbadian Nigella Lawsons are Marion Hart, the late Carmeta Fraser and almost every Barbadian woman. We don’t need one woman on TV giving us cooking lessons. We are naturals.
YOUR BUSINESS IS MY BUSINESS
Well let me say that if I had to choose between someone being overly inquisitive about my business or having people step over me like I am invisible as I lay dying on the street, I would choose the former.
IN SEARCH OF QUALITY CONVERSATION
How can you be so critical about the quality of conversation in Barbados. Ask the typical British male in his twenties what his hobbies are, and the response would be a resounding “clubbing and pubbing”. As for our conversations being limited, are you aware that all you Brits talk about is Liz Hurley, Posh and Becks, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. What were the last two names again? Now how is that for Americanisation?
A CHURCH FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
Perhaps if you had not been so hasty to convert your churches into pubs you would not be a nation full of drunk, spitting, pot-bellied , expletive spewing men. Oh yes, and women.
CAR CRASHES ARE A SPECTATOR SPORT
This goes back to what I was saying about dying on the pavement and no one caring. You refer to our viewing car crashes as a spectator sport. Most civilised people would call it humanity. But then you would not know that word would you? You helped to bomb a country and kill innocent people all because your prime minister wanted to be popular with his friends on the other side of the atlantic.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Well forgive us for having an opinion and not being too up our own rears to express ourselves. How does the stiff upper-lipped Briton express pleasure at something? “Oh that was absolutely fantastic.” (I say with a heavy British accent)
BUYING FOREIGN CURRENCY IS A REAL PAIN
I see that you are in the business of exaggeration. Forgive us for being sensible about precious foreign currency. Oh by the way, when last has anyone reading this tried to open a bank account in the UK? When I first arrived as a student, I was forced to keep large sums of cash and cheques on my person because I needed to have proof of address in the form of a utility bill or bank statement before I was allowed to open a bank account. HELLO!!!!!!! I’VE JUST ARRIVED. I DON’T HAVE ANY BILLS YET. AS FOR THE BANK STATEMENT, HOW CAN I GET ONE IF YOU WONT LET ME OPEN THE BLOOMING ACCOUNT?
BUY A TORCH
Exaggerating again. This statement about unscheduled power cuts is absolutely untrue. What about your daily unscheduled train delays?
LOTS OF RADIO
As with everything else Barbadian, you have been extremely critical of our radio stations and our music, but I have two words for you over there in London - pirate radio. As for you terming our soca as musically illiterate, have you ever listened to the utter crap coming out of the mouths of your manufactured bands like the “Spice Girls” and “One True Voice”? (Oooops, perhaps I should have been fair and mentioned bands that actually had a life span). And at least our Calypsonians are good role models. By the way, which member of the “So Solid Crew” is in jail now?
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
I rather have the boring local television we get in Barbados than watch the smut you put on tele in the UK. While Graham Norton is hilarious, all his shows are is a bunch of sexual innuendo, and Friday nights on channel five save you from having to pay for soft porn at the video shop. All of this is a remarkable testament to British intellect.
YOU WANT TO WORK IN BARBADOS?
Exactly the same problems are encountered if trying to find work in the UK. I should know. That’s what I am trying to do at the moment. Unless you are in the European Union, seeking work within the EU, you need a work permit to work in most countries dear. Free movement across the globe is only just an idea at the moment. Not happening yet. READ A NEWS PAPER FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE!!!!!!
INVESTING IN THE ISLAND
The numerous people who have set up businesses in Barbados and are enjoying tax free holidays can tell you that setting up a business on the island has its benefits. As for the relaxed work ethic you speak of, how many times have I gone into stores in London and had to wait until shop attendants finish personal conversations with each other before even acknowledging my presence and looking annoyed with me for interrupting?
HELLO, MR. CUMBERBATCH?
I think you are just jealous because you don’t get free telephone calls like we do.
THE QUEEN'S (BAJAN) ENGLISH
How can you criticize our dialect, when your young Londoners cannot even pronounce the word alright (they say aite), three is pronounced free, isn't it becomes "innit" and instead of “give me a call”, it is “give us a call”; and to think that English is your language.
PAY YOUR BILLS - THE SLOW WAY
While we pay our bills “the slow way” as you put it. You should note that as far as lack of technology goes, some of your banking systems are not even online. So I can withdraw money from my bank account at the ATM, and a week later, it still does not register that this money has been withdrawn, allowing me to over draw my account and then be charged for that. Perhaps that is not a lack of technology. Perhaps it is just plain trickery.
DON’T PACK THE CAMOUFLAGE BIKINI
I think your statement about the camouflage is just a case of you grasping at straws, as that is a very petty thing to complain about. As for having to wait for the police to come to the scene of a minor car accident, I have been in three and never had to do that.
Why are you so critical of fog lights being illegal on our cars? It is Barbados you are speaking about remember? We don't have fog. What we have is called sunshine.
Hand signals are rarely used my dear. And if you think our use of hand signals may be upsetting to pedestrians, I guess we should abandon hand signals and opt for the British way, which is yelling expletives at pedestrians through our car windows. Or better yet, speeding up when we see pedestrians crossing the street.
SO SHOULD I MOVE TO BARBADOS?
Well as a Barbadian, who was upset by some of the comments made in the article that resulted in this reply, I can only suggest that you experience the island for yourself.
Yes Barbados has its bad points, but what country does not? We are not living in utopia here. Your experience of the island is largely what you make of it.
Thanks for reading
Bajan Cutie
*Please note that the sub-headings of this article are the same sub-headings used in the article “Stuff They Don’t Tell You About Living in Barbados”. It would be good to read that article to get a better understanding of some of the statements made in this one.
