Dominica Island Blog: Sharing Every Dominican Moment with the World

In the few next up-and-coming weeks thousands of Dominicans will be boarding flights from all corners of the global destiny for Dominica. Nearly every Dominican I’ve spoken too in the last few months - who is living abroad wants to be back home to celebrate Dominica’s Reunion - 30 years of independence.

If you’re one of those travelers who are concerned about eating healthy while traveling, airports can be particularly nasty hiccup in your plans. A club sandwich for instance, a common airport staple for wayward travelers, has 700 calories in single serving. Packing healthy snacks is your best hedge against fat and sugar-loaded or overpriced airport eats.

Once upon a time everyone had the liberty to stuff whatever food your heart desired into you carry-on. But today, according to the Transportation Security Administration website limits the following food and liquids items:

• Beverages brought from home or purchased before reaching the security checkpoint in a 3 oz. or smaller container and in your quart-size, zip-top plastic bag.
• Canned or jarred goods such as soup, sauces, peanut butter, fruits, vegetables and jellies - 3 oz. or smaller
• Cheese in pressurized containers, Jell-O, pudding, whipping cream, yogurt or gel-like food substances - 3 oz. or smaller

If you Pay attention to the size regulations, it will keep your oversize items from ending up in the TSA’s trash bin.

On the etiquette side of things they suggest avoiding foods with an overly strong scent for the benefit of your fellow, and possibly more sensitive.

What snacks have you found to be the perfect mix of airline-friendly and healthy? Share with your fellow readers and travelers below.

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For many years the attitude in Dominica towards men “chastising” their women to where it is now seen as physical abuse, is an example of how perceptions change. For generations, a number of Dominican women, without seeing themselves as masochistic, often voiced their appreciation of a man who gave them some “licks or beatings”. They saw this as a sign that the man cared for them, and if not he would have been indifferent to the others.

Weird as it sounds, this type of thinking is not far removed from that where we commend chastisement (corporal punishment) of children as a necessary result of caring for them. While a woman is not a child, the idea that “love” was what prompted the beatings appealed not only to some men, but the women being beaten as well, perhaps in an attempt to rationalise the experience.

Nowadays, no such ideas are favoured and female magistrates have warned that they will be dealing harshly with men who beat women. I’m anticipating that if the shoe is on the other foot, where it is the woman who is found guilty of beating her man, will the court also not be amused. I’ve heard on many instances where men have reported abuse from women - and these cases were never investigated.

The law warns that matters “of a domestic nature are not going to be treated lightly by the courts,” and advised people about the need to be clear about ending relationships. It is the growing tendency of many relationships to have physical abuse as a feature that is causing concern. The idea of men beating up women and then kissing and making up or vise-versa is not encouraged these days, maybe because a growing number of such situations have been getting out of hand, sometimes with fatal results.

What is ironic about those who find themselves in a “chastising” mode is that it is always the weaker partner who usually is chastised. The stronger one, however wrong or “deserving of being chastised”, need have no such worry or fear.

On the other hand, some men wouldn’t dare lift their hands in anger towards certain women who they know will not take it lying down. There is a saying which goes “Money don’t climb prickle Trees” – men who beat women usually know the ones they can safely beat up without the women fighting back. They will not risk beating certain women since they know they will suffer physically as a result.

This is why when men beat up their women it is often said that they “take advantage of the women”, while in truth it is not the women these men “take advantage of” but the situation. However much men enjoy beating up women, they know that in certain situations it would be unwise to do so…Come on guys we’re are better than this - lets love and respect our queens.

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We live in a culture that uses labels as a means of understanding the world and the people living in it. As a result, many of us find ourselves laboring under a label that has a negative connotation. Unless we can find a way to see the good in such a label, we may feel burdened by an idea of ourselves that is not accurate. It is important to remember that almost nothing in this world is all good or all bad, and most everything is a complex mixture of gifts and challenges. In addition, different cultures revere certain qualities over others, but this does not mean that these qualities are inherently good or bad. For example, a culture that elevates outgoing behavior will label a shy person in a negative way, calling them antisocial. In truth, the ability to spend time alone is one that most great artists, mystics, and visionaries share.

Many famous artists and musicians were considered to be isolated loners or disruptive troublemakers, or sometimes both, yet these people altered history and contributed to the world an original vision or advances in our understanding of the universe. We should try to remember this as we examine our own selves, and when we label others because they don’t behavior like us or share different opinions. There is a bright side to any characterization.

If you have been labeled, remember that all you have to do to see the positive side is to turn the label around. For example, when I first met my fiancée I considered her to be overly emotional, and the fact that I have perceived her in such way got me in a lot of trouble in the early stages of our relationship. But notice, too, the gifts of being able to feel and express your emotions, in a world that doesn’t always encourage that and labels you to be weak. Being labeled as overly emotional, might help you see yourself as brave or open-hearted enough to stay alive to your feelings.

Everyone of us at one time or another in our lives have been labeled as something we’re not; sometimes it’s merely to the amusement of others - particularly here on our nature island. But as you turn these labels around, let them guide you on your way.

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