First 14 days: What I've learned in and about Barbados (so far)

About Barbados

* First thing to know when you read any of my notes about or from Barbados, is that Bim = Barbados. Bimshire is the old British name for Barbados, at least from what I've been told. 'Bim' is a short name used by locals and other islands to refer to Barbados.

* People from or of the island are most often referred to as, 'Bajans'. Phonetically pronounced 'BAY-zhun'. Others refer to them as 'Barbadians', which I find clumsy and awkward of the mouth. Yeah, yeah I know there are the ACTUAL Bajan Islands far far away from here but I don't care right now. My family calls this place home, so I'm sticking with 'Bajan'.

* Bim's stats:
> 14 miles wide by 21 miles long / 34 kilometers long by 23 kilometers wide.
> West is the Atlantic ocean and East is the Caribbean Ocean
> Is outside the principal hurricane belt.
> Portuguese were the first to colonize, then 1625 British colonized.
> Highest literacy rate in the Caribbean.

* As I've heard from a few locals, we (the island) get laughed at when people talk about the hills here. People say we are flat like a pancake. There are a few nice points throughout the island where one can enjoy a nice view. But, compared to other islands like Jamaica and Dominica where there are mountains. There is a positive to having a flatland - I'd imagine it makes it prime real estate for farming. Especially sugar cane.

* Barbados is unique because it is one of the few, if not the ONLY, Caribbean island NOT created by volcano. It is make of coral. The island coral is not soft as would be imagined. Once it dies, its skeleton remains and organic matter covers the surface and it become soil suitable for planting.

* Growing up in North America, as well as other places, I was taught that the original inhabitants of the land used hard stone to make tools. Due to the geographic composition of this island, there were none to be found. People would make their tools out of items found on land (like bamboo sticks, pineapple twine, etc.) and items from the sea, such as seashells. (Thanks to the Barbados Historical Museum)

* The fruit that has caused me so much confusion while communicating with fellow Caribbeans and South Americans, has more names that I thought. While trying to describe one of my favourite fruits to my fellow foodie back in Chicago, Kevin - I told him about how what we call, 'Ackee' in Barbados and St.Lucia is also called 'Ginnup' in other islands, like Jamaica. I also remember the camera man from Mayor Daley's office telling me about what he called,'Quenepa' - I believe he was Puerto Rican or from the Dominican Republic. Then, while also trying to explain to this Columbian dude about this fruit - which he also didn't recognize by my description - Kevin send me a pic from the all-amazing Wikipedia. That's it!!! I showed it to my Columbian friend, who immediately exclaimed, "Oh! That's Mamoncillo!"
So the names collected to date are as follows:
> Ackee - Barbados and St.Lucia
> Ginnups/Gineps or even Skinnips (spelling seems to vary) - Jamaica
> Quenepa - Puerto Rico
> Mamoncillo - Parts of South America, Columbia
> Chenet - Trinidad & Tobago
> Limoncillo or Spanish Lime - Dom. Republic
> Other names include: Guayo, honeyberry, bullace plum, kanappy, kenet, macao
> LATIN/Scientific Name: Melicoccus bijugatus

* There has been and remains to be a serious drought in the Caribbean.
From what I've heard, Dominica is the least affected due to their geographic landscape.
Locals have told me that there was a time when the weather used to get as hot as it does now but would cool down at night. One local elder told me, sometimes a cool breeze would come through it would make some nights cold. So much so that it they would barely want to put their feet on the floor. Now, those days are long gone. They say the seasons are affected and the produce and fruits arrive later that they use to, and in much smaller quantities than they used to, if at all.
They tell me stories about how the days start off as early as 7am in the 80s and still by midnight it cools to 75 degrees. This was exactly what I told a friend in Miami last night. I love the heat, but breaks from it are appreciated. I have a whole new respect for south India.

* And, for my personal note - my mosquito repellent isn't working. But, I shall overcome.
Last year, while doing my Chicago Botanic Garden internship outdoors in different areas of the city, I tested my experiments with essential oils and making my own oil moisturizer and deodorant. I didn't realize until the end of the summer that is was the first year I wasn't being eaten alive by those hateful little spawn of Satan (READ: mosquitoes). The ones here aren't as large and obvious as what I've known from New York, Chicago or Toronto. They look more like gnats but their bite produces the same frustrating, itchy-till-its-sore swollen mound. After some quick research, I learned the scents I was attracted to for other reasons, were also beneficial in repelling insects. Yay for me.
Without much foresight, I gave away about $150 of essential oils in an effort to be efficient with my space during packing for this trip and thinking I would be in a tropical country - so, it should be relatively easy for me to find natural remedies for mosquitoes or at least to replace what oils I have.

Not so much.

I checked a few websites to find simple, natural mosquito repellents and proceeded to hunt them down up arrival. I purchased lemongrass and ylang ylang oil. Lemongrass, is one that appeared in a few lists and ylang ylang oil is one I've had for a while and enjoyed the fragrance.
After 4 days of testing different amounts cut with sunflower seed oil and about 15 bites all over my person, including a few in places they had no business biting, it wasn't working.

Unfortunately, I only vaguely remember what I used last year that was so successful.
I do recall a few very small amount of Cinnamon oil being added to a few homemade skin care/moisturizers. I also believe Chamomile, Lavender in one. Others used geranium oil/rose geranium, sweet orange or lemon. So, just before I commence week 2 in Barbados, I am going to see if I can stock up or even make my own concoctions without putting out the big dollars for the essential oils.The prices here are nearly double what they cost in Chicago or Toronto. Par example, lemongrass essential oil cost $30 BDS for the same small glass bottle. Most of the others I used regularly ranged between $35 BDS and $60 BDS each. Even with the exchange ($1 BDS = $2 USD) it's still steep if I am living without an income. Ylang ylang, in contrast, grows here and cost me less than $10 BDS. A few, if not many, were made/processed here on the island.
Whatever, I have to learn it and I am grateful for the practice because I need to get this right and fast. As my trip proceeds, I will get further and further into less commercially-endowed lands where finding such items will become increasingly difficult to purchase. At least until I get to Australia. (Barbados is, if not THE wealthiest, one of the wealthiest islands in the Caribbean. Our dollar is very strong.).

My next recipe to test (for mosquito repellent) will try: cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon oil and lemon oil. I haven't decided ratios or combination as yet. But I will try it with the fresh or dried plants before investing in the essential oils. Sunflower oil or Vodka (non-greasy alternative) will be my base.

I'll let you know how that works.
:s: