Who is Richer?

It's been said that the United States is one of the richest nation in the world.  That would depends on who you ask.   That being said, there's a lot of people who I've spoken with from other islands or even other countries, and we all  seems to share the same story of family, love ones and/or friends back home.  For some reason, the idea is that, from the moment your feet hit American soil, you're  instantly wealthy.  It's like you stepped off the plane or the boat and step wright in it, wealth that is.

 Being from one of the smallest islands in the West Indies, I know first hand just how poor my tiny island is, and how hard the way of life is.  The economy right now is ridiculous there.  The value of of the Jamaican dollar is nonexistent.  One U.S. dollar value to date about $85 Jamaican dollars, and the British pound values about $87.  The economy truly is one of the worst there is today.  However, I do feel there are some ways of life on the island that can not be beat.

Living here in the U.S. affords us opportunities that can not be found no where else.  There are rights that we enjoy in this county that cannot be enjoyed any where else in the world.  Still, some how we manage to have children starving right in our very own back yard and families sleeping on the street in the cold.  One of the things I love about my small island is this;  it does not take a lot to survive.   Life can be hard no doubt, but if you own any type of land, you can always find something to eat.  Even if you don't own any land at all but you know someone who does, you will not go hungry.   If the land is available, then the opportunity is there for you or your neighbor to plant and grow some type of produce you and your family can eat and share with your neighbors.  One of the things I cherish  most about my little island, is how tight-knit the people are, especially in the country or as you might call it, the rural area.  You can always count on someone to share something from what they have, have grown, or if they happen to kill an animal, they'll share it with you.   You can expect someone at anytime to bring or send you something that they would like to share.  So once again I feel the island motto says it all, "OUT OF MANY, ONE PEOPLE".

Now if you were to ask  me "WHO IS RICHER?"  I would have to say it depends.  The average Jamaican who has never left the island  would say us living in the U.S. are, and the average American would say the same.  As for me, I say we all are, as long as we looked out our windows and seen a neighbor in need, and help. 

NUFF RESPECT