Barbadians' Kindness

This is an old article from a year ago that i wanted to update and share again.
The kindness of Barbadians 

. Mark

On my first day here, remember he was the one who took me to have my first glance at Barbados, without knowing me at all (I look quite harmless but still). He put his heart in showing me around and making me feel safe, comfortable. He introduced me to young people to have friends and practice my english, helped me finding a place to stay, accomodated me for a month, by his house, his family welcomed me like if I were one of them. He never stopped being there for me as a father, a friend, a support, a guardian angel. Without him I would probably have left Barbados (when my situation wasn't as funny as what I tell you in my articles).
I spent Christmas with his family. It was very heart-warming.

           The word "grateful" isn't  strong enough to describe what I feel about him.

Mon 1er jour à la Barbade, il m'a amenée voir les tortues dans la mer, acheté une noix de coco pour goûter l'eau et le fruit, et payé pour moi un bon repas typique au Just Grillin.
Le 2e jour, il m'a amenée à un lunch chez des étudiants pour me faire pratiquer mon anglais et créer des contact avec eux. Il m'a aussi présenté des jeunes barbadiens.
Durant la 1ère semaine il nous a emmené avec Geoffroy à plein d'endroits où on avait besoin d'aller, comme un centre commercial pour acheter un réveil (parce que mon portable était dans une boutique pour être débloqué), et il l'a payé pour moi.
Il est venu avec nous visiter des appartements.
Quand on a eu un petit contretemps de logement, il nous a invité passer la nuit chez lui, avec sa femme et sa mère, il nous on offert de très bon repas barbadiens.
Il nous a emmené avec Geoffroy, puis caroline à l'église, et encore rencontrer des jeunes pour parler anglais avec eux.
Il m'a hebergee chez lui et sa famille un mois quand j'ai eu besoin d'un endroit ou aller.
M'a fait partager Noel avec sa famille.
          Le mot "reconnaissance" n'est pas assez fort pour exprimer mon sentiment envers lui.

. A man in Bridgetown

When I was lost at the terminal by the post office, I asked a man in the street where I could find the ZR I needed to go to school.
He came with me through town til the vanstand, he asked me questions about me, my country.... and he made sure with the driver that was in the right van.
He was late for work but he made a big walking detour to help me.
No he didn't ask me my number or anything that just crossed your mind, he didn't suggest that we meet another time, he just wished me the best and left.  Only kindness.

Quand j'étais perdue dans un terminus de ZR vans, J'ai demandé à un homme dans la rue où je pouvais trouver le Zr qu'il me fallait pour aller à l'école. Il est venu avec moi jusqu'à l'autre terminus, il me posait des questions sur moi, mon pays... et il a bien vérifié auprès du conducteur que je prenais le bon ZR.
Il était en retard pour son travail mais il a fait un grand détour à pied pour m'aider.
           Juste de la gentillesse.

. A man in a car

One morning, I was waiting for the van, in front of my house, and a car stopped at me, the man asked me where I wanted to go. I was a bit afraid, I asked him if he was a taxi. He wasn't but told me he worked in town so he could drop me there. He spoke with me during the trip. I said that I was attending the Community College, so he made a detour to put me at the door of the school. I offered to give him money for this service, he refused, said that it was a pleasure, skook my hand, and wish me to have a good day. Once again, no sneaky tries, no attempts to get anything from me.
I know what you think, getting in a man's car like that is irresponsible. But my point is that people you don't know are not necessary psychopats. Being suspicious about anyone doesn't protect you against bad experiences but it closes you to good ones. Look at this story, I got a ride, everything is alright.

          Free kindness again.

Un matin, j'attendais le ZR van devant la maison, et une voiture s'est arrétée à mon niveau, le monsieur m'a demandé où j'allais. J'avais un peu peur, je lui ai demandé s'il était taxi. Il ne l'était pas mais il me dit qu'il travaillait en ville donc qu'il pouvait me déposer là bas. Il me parlait, s'intéressait pendant le voyage, je dis que j'allais au Community College, donc il fit un détour pour me poser juste à la porte de l'école. Je lui ai proposé de le payer pour la course, mais il a refusé, m'a dit que c'était avec plaisir et m'a serré la main.
           Gentillesse gratuite encore.

. The driver of a ZR #9, registered 148 le conducteur d'un Van 9, immatriculé 148

One morning I realized in the van that I forgot my purse at home. Panik !! I didn't know what to do, what to tell the driver... The trip was awfull, I was tense, nervous, afraid he obliged me to ask somebody to pay for me... I would have had to beg on people around.... bad scenario.
At the vanstand, I told him, with "sad-dog's" eyes: "I'm sorry I forgot my purse, I'm totally sorry, it's the first time, I can pay you next time, I'm really sorry"...
He asked me where I had to go, I answered, so he knew that I had to take another ZR to school.

He GAVE me money !! Enough to pay for 2 other trips.
Of course I promised I'll give him the money back next time.


           Such an unexpected behavior.
Un matin je me suis rendue compte dans le van que j'avais oublié mon porte monnaie à la maison. J'étais paniquée, je ne savais pas ce que j'allais pouvoir dire au conducteur, je ne savais pas quoi faire. Le trajet fut horrible, j'étais tendue, nerveuse, j'avais peur qu'il m'oblige à demander à quelqu'un de payer pour moi.... Au terminus, je lui ai dit, avec des yeux de chien battu: 'je suis désolée, j'ai oublié mon porte monnaie, je suis totalement désolée, c'est la 1ère fois, je peux vous payer la prochaine fois, je suis vraiment désolée.".....
Il m'a demandé où j'allais, je lui dit, il compris donc que j'avais un autre van à prendre pour arriver à l'école.
Il me donna 3$, c'est-à-dire qu'il m'a offert cette course, et qu'il m'a donné de quoi payer 2 autres vans.
Je lui ai dit que je le rembourserai la prochaine fois que je le verrai.
             Comportement tellement inattendu.

. Dawn

The first week end we lived in her parents house, she proposed us to discovered her "wonderfull island", she said. By car, we went to places, saw different beautiful landscapes, points of view.....
We went with her to an Art Show (where her Mom showed some paintings) and to the Drive In.
She regularly lends us DVDs.
            Very nice from her to take us to these activities.

Le 1er week end où on vivait chez ses parents, elle nous a proposé d'aller découvrir sa "magnifique île", a-t-elle dit. En voiture, on a été a plein d'endroits, vu différents beaux paysages, points de vue...
On est allé à une expo avec elle (où sa mère exposait des peintures) et au Cinéma en plein air.
Elle nous prète des DVD régulièrement.
            Très gentil de sa part de nous avoir proposés et enmenés à ces activités

. Rhea

She is a french teacher at Combermere and BCC. She used to live in France for a year.
I met her at school and started to go to her night class to speak french with her adults students.
She invited me to go out, made me discover Oistins on Friday night for example. I also slept by her several nights when i needed.
We hang out together regularly. She prays for me.           She is a real friend, i can count on her, she cares about me, i'm really happy to have her

Elle est prof de francais au Community College. Elle a vecu en France un an. Je l'ai recontree a l'ecole et j'ai commence a aller a son cours du soir pour parler francais a ses etudiants adultes.
Elle m'a invitee a sortir, m'a fait decouvert Oistins le vendredi soir par exemple. J'ai dormi chez elle plusieurs fois quand j'en ai eu besoin. On sort ensemble regulierement. Elle prie pour moi.

        Elle est une vraie amie, je peux compter sur elle, elle s'inquiete pour moi, je suis vraiment heureuse de l'avoir.

. David ( en cours)

. David ( en cours)

I met him at Creative Junction, which is the place where I ordered my new laptop ( the old one died, RIP). I didn't have cash so he brought me to an ATM, we talked (for a long while, thanks traffic !! )and realized both of us studied arts, he was really friendly.
I was going to Oistins after that purchase. He dropped me there afterwards.
The next day was Christmas, he really seemed to be a genuine, harmless nice guy, so i invited him to the French Christmas eve I organized with my frenchies. He had prepared a nice Christmas card, even though I met him the previous day.
He was nicer and more generous and helpful in only a month that most of the people I've ever met in France.


           His friendship has no limit, he can do anything to help his friends, he literally gives himself, trustfully. I've never met someone like that before.

To you Bajan readers, all these stories can seem like normal behaviors with nothing amazing about it, but.... just..... try to go alone to Paris and get lost.....
ok, i know it doesn't sound like the funniest game in the world.
I'm sorry for my homeland, but i can't lie, i can't deny that Parisians are cold, mean, unfriendly, in a permanent hurry, selfish, rude, not helpful at all...
I even admit, not really proudly, that i was a good example of a
typical parisian myself. 
Because i look like a nice person, i guess, tourists used to target me as "the ideal directions-giver" in the streets in Paris. Poor them....
When i didn't pretend not to hear them, i stopped and gave them my most annoyed face when they started a sentence.... in ENGLISH.... omg !!!!
i was thinking " what do you want ?? can't you see im not on vacation like you, i got things to do, you want me to waste my time for you, you crazy, just get a map !  You've got to know how to get by in life ! and if you want to visit France, learn french !!"

Ahahah, that's a bit extreme, im exagerating, you can close back your lower jaw, i'm kidding, but my thoughts weren't too far from that.

Im so sorry....

My excuse can be: my english level, or maybe my lack of confidence, both certainly,  didn't allow me to answer. All what i could say was "hummmmmmm, I...... heeeeeuuu, aaaaammm....im....... sorry......" and i left.
Ok the sentence "im sorry i dont speak english enough to help you" could have come out of my brain, but not of my mouth. I was blocked, scared, swetting, hot flashing, paralized...
I have no excuse for the french tourists though....
I used to tell them "The 'Musée du Louvre'? well, yes you can walk this way, you'll eventually find it, but its pretty far, i would advice the subway, bye".

That is just about street directions, but for more.....
I don't know anybody in France who would take someone for a few nights, by him, who would feed the stranger, give him advices, gifts, love, support. Nobody who would carry your bags just time for you to get in the bus. If anyone had tried to touch my bags in France i would have freaked out anyway.

I changed a lot being here, meeting all those nice people, i felt like i wasn't an isolated being living her life transparently on her own, but like i could actually count on strangers' help.

Now, I take time to help new students freshly arrived I do everything i can, introduce them to as many friends as i can, make efforts to show all what can be done and enjoyed here. To make them feel as comfortable as i became thanks to my bajans.
As well as i help Bajans who are now in France.

And im not on vacation, and they are strangers,
and they are not giving me anything back, and i don't mind.
Am i even still a Parisian?
I don't think so, and i'm glad. Thank you Barbados.

And im not on vacation, and they are strangers,
and they are not giving me anything back, and i dont mind.
Am i even still a Parisian?
I dont think so, and im glad. Thank you Barbados.

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Articles in HELLO! Magazine