Do you want to report "Going back to Jamaica soon and just wanted to know if anyone else who goes backs semi-regularly is constantly hounded by people who want to load you with shit to carry for them. Does anyone else experience this?"
Going back to Jamaica soon and just wanted to know if anyone else who goes backs semi-regularly is constantly hounded by people who want to load you with shit to carry for them. It infuriates me to no end I’m literally looking at my bag right now and there’s no space for my clothes because people have forced their junk on me to carry for them. Is this something others go through?
Yes. Every time. I get anxiety thinking about an upcoming January trip. Which is why I don’t tell anyone anymore and make sure my mum has her own checked bag if we go together. Please enforce your boundaries! You aren’t a mule.
There’s no reliable courier service so when we hear you’re going, we’re going to ask. If you say yes, delicious food will await you along with an invitation to pop over any time.
I’m not Jamaican but apparently this is common. It’s the same for Brazil, Colombia. It’s prohibitively expensive to use any kind of mail or courier and there’s no guarantee it will actually arrive. Not to even mention the tariffs.
Yes, if you have family and friends in Jamaica, it is expected that you carry things back and forth. Food leaves Jamaica, other things come back. Electronics are sometimes roughed up a little so it doesn’t look too brand new to evade higher costs of carrying it through the airport.
Been that way since the beginning of time. Always having to fill up my suitcase with yam, plantain, guinep, mango, bammy, fry fish, cassava, sugar cane, grater cake, coconut drops.
The last time I was leaving Jamaica, I was in the check-in lineup and had security approach me and call me out BY NAME, asking me to follow them onto a room and then search me and my family’s bags.
I was like… sum’n nuh right here
Yes. Personally I stopped telling anyone I was coming to visit. If you saw me, you saw me. A select few I would ask specifically if they needed something, but wouldn’t tell them when I’m coming.
I visit JA for mostly vacation purposes and to check in on extended family and friends. I don’t have to the time or energy for all the extra stress with loading up stuff for people.
I travel often. If folks want me to carry stuff, I charge them the cost for the additional check-on bag for the airline. I inspect the items first to make sure the airport will not flag any items. If they don’t want to pay for the additional check on bag (because I’m not going to pay it for them), then I’m not carrying it and their items will stay with them.
Of course, if I do have room, I have no problem taking it, especially if it’s family. But that’s just me
Come on be understanding. Its a freaking island, meaning most consumer items are not manufactured here and as such its best to get someone to carry stuff for instead of paying the high prices that some currier services charge. Don’t become detached from the struggle just because you now live elsewhere. As long as ppl aren’t being leaches or unreasonable, its the least you could do for those you care for.
I don’t see it as a big deal if not too much. On FB there’s a group called Mexico Mules. People coming or going offer to help out with all kinds of (legal) things, like mailing a letter on the US side (apparently the mail service sucks that badly). Always thought it would be cool if there were a group for Jamaican Mules lol.
I’ve participated in Mexican muling and it’s a good thing. I’ve even chaparoned dogs who’ve been adopted in the US from MX.
But guess what. When I’m making a trip to visit my parents who still live there, it’s me acquiring stuff to stuff my suitcase with leaving no space for my clothes, on purpose, my idea. Because of the same truth that applies to these people asking you.. on the island they just don’t have the access to easily get the same things you can. There’s things I can go down the street and get in 5 minutes that they would never be able to obtain. And I know it, so I bring them.
My carry on is my limit though, I don’t have space for anyone else
Lol 😂 you can’t tell anyone you’re going. My mom had me pick up an extra suitcase on my layover in Miami. People in Jamaica are too dependent on foreigners. That’s probably a reason a lot of people choose not to work.
