Day 10: Reflecting On The Last Ten Days (by Alex)

As our field school comes to an end, I realized that I learned so much throughout this experience. Before this trip, I really didn't know too much about Jamaica and its culture. Over the last ten days, I was given the task to be in the film group, in which we have been connecting with locals in the town of Falmouth and interviewing about the impacts of the port and cruise industry. This was the first thing that really helped me understand the lifestyle of the people who lived there. I learned from each interview that the locals were very excited when the first ship docked and there was a huge festivity. Many people thought it would result in a huge influx of revenue for the community. What we found out, however, was that the port has its own shopping center, entertainment, restaurants; basically everything a tourist needs. This is the reason why many of the merchants in town don't make the money they're hoping for. I found this interesting because Royal Caribbean promised at the time of the port being built that it would result in a huge change in the town of Falmouth. Through conversations over the last week, we have come to find out that there has been little to no change for many of the residents of the town. One major thing I have seen, apart from the problems the port has caused, everyone is always happy and kind. What I think I can take away from this is that even though the people in Falmouth suffer from a low income and live with just enough food to put on the table, they still find a way to stay positive. Their positivity came out during the interviews and our conversations. Connecting with people and learning their stories has been one of the most positive aspects of this experience and one that I consider central to this field school.