Support Village Voice News With a Donation of Your Choice.
Who could ever forget what it was like to grow up in a Caribbean home?
Apart from being terrified of your parents regarding anything related to school, food, chores, and ornaments, there’s no denying that we all grew up in similar homes with parents who pushed us to choose between becoming doctors or lawyers and homes with countless jars of Milo in the kitchen.
People who were raised in Caribbean homes can definitely relate to these ten weird but funny things.
- Sewing items in a biscuit tin
In Caribbean homes, there is almost no chance of finding biscuits inside a biscuit tin. I feel confident in saying that is the root of many of our trust issues. Finding hair accessories or sewing supplies when you were looking for a sweet treat is a pain unlike any other. And let’s not even talk about ice cream containers…
- Stealing meat from the pot is an extreme sport
Despite being strictly instructed to wait until dinnertime to touch the pot, we all did it. We couldn’t help it; we had to. Stealing meat from the pot required a little bit of skill, a little bit of good fortune, and a lot of bravery. Putting the lid back on quietly is next to impossible, even if you manage to sneak a few pieces out. It was a struggle.
- You had to clean every Saturday morning
Forget about sleeping in on Saturdays. In addition to being rudely awakened at 7 am by music playing loudly, you also had to clean the entire house (even if it was already spotless). Additionally, you could forget about watching cartoons because you had to iron your clothes for church the next day or for school the following week. Sometimes, it would even run into the afternoon when you had plans. You just had to suck it up and clean without looking miserable.
- Talking back to your parents was a death sentence
Parents in the Caribbean are infamous for not sparing the rod. They are the CEOs of tough love. So, good luck to you if you ever respond negatively or act rudely toward them.
- Your parents offering to hold on to your money to ‘keep it safe’
All of us have been there. After receiving money in a birthday card or from a family member, you’re ecstatic and give it to your parents for “safekeeping” only to never again see it. And when you muster up the courage to request it back, all hell breaks loose.
- You couldn’t use any of the stuff in the cabinet
You’ll never forget the “good” China that only appeared once or twice a year if you were fortunate. They may even still be there right now. Don’t even get us started on the microwave-incompatible plates with the gold rim.
- Vicks Vapor Rub was the ultimate remedy for the common cold
Your cold was always treated by rubbing your chest with Vicks Vapor Rub. Viruses like the flu were treated with more interesting remedies like ginger, lemon/lime and molasses or white rum.
- Throwing away plastic bags is a crime
When you find a whole drawer or cupboard full of plastic bags, you know you’re in a Caribbean home. Some people hoard clothes but Caribbean people hoard plastic bags.
- You meet a new relative at every family gathering
Every family gathering is a chance to get to know more relatives you didn’t know you had. To keep you on your toes, there is always another aunt, uncle, or long-lost cousin nearby. We have how many cousins? The boundary doesn’t exist.
- The ice cream container that never had ice cream in it
Opens ice-cream container……frozen food inside. When you were expecting to get some delicious Ferrand’s ice cream but instead you got leftovers from some time or another was the ultimate disappointment. Word of advice: Don’t trust the ice cream container in the freezer.
By Sharine Joseph (LoopNews)
