Home Away From Homeland

When that which you love about a thing is included in its name, you know it's something extraordinary. I love the beach and I adore my hometown Pompano Beach. Pompano Beach, Florida has been my home since 2012. That's when I migrated from my birthplace Jamaica to the United States. On the plane coming in, I worried if I would feel too far from home. Yet, to my pleasant surprise, palm trees dotted every corner, coconut trees danced as the warm beachy air brushed upon their leaves and the locals proved to be friendly. Florida felt familiar. Florida felt like home and for that reason, it became my home.

If you know Florida, then you know "Florida Beaches" are the holy grail of vacationers, tourists and outer staters alike. I'm blessed to live less than 15 minutes away from the beach. Every single day, my sun-baked hometown reminds me of my homeland Jamaica. That makes it the most magnificent place to reside with my wife and daughter. 

We frequent the beach by routine and sporadically. There's no greater feeling than to stop, drop everything and go to the beach. Unexpected beach days are the best. The water heals and the sand massages. There's a calm that washes over me at each ebb and flow of the ocean. Every sandy footprint imprints an indelible mark of memories on my mind. The sunrise and sunset paint pleasure in the sky and blow kisses on moments gathered with my family. As I stare out into the vastness of the ocean, holding my daughter's hand, I feel free. I feel dismissed from the worries of the world. Just me, my wife and my little girl.

There's a wooden pier stretching out into the depths of the sea. I sit with my family and start singing tunes that my 2-year toddler tries to sing along to. Onlookers like ourselves capture their own experiences with their cameras. Some come to fish, some come for a romantic evening and others come just to relax. It's amazing to see seagulls and large pelican birds drawing on the oohs and awes of pier- lovers. The vibe calls for an overall appreciation of life. 

When we're not by the beach you can catch my family and I at a local farm or farmers market. Vendors can be seen at every corner selling hotdogs and pizza or handmade items such as scented candles or, my personal favorite, homemade lemonade. My daughter's favorite spot is of course the ice cone cart where she gets to put a swirl of her favorite colored syrup on crushed ice.

The vibrant sunflower patch is my wife's pocket full of smiles. Hey, I secretly like the oversized flowers myself.  The Family U-Pick Farm is home to cage-free chickens that roam about without a care in the world. There are also cows and goats that we get to feed with lettuce, and ponies that nibble and gnaw on carrots.

The pigs prompt me to reminisce on my own days growing and feeding pigs as an eight-year-old. Then, I lived with an elderly couple, my Aunty Lou and her husband Mr.Dinnald. I reminisce on the home they built - the one they invited me in. When they passed away, home did not feel like home anymore. Something always felt missing. Now, my home is wherever my wife and daughter are, be it the beach or our backyard. 

Our Sunday trips to the farmer's market call for coconut and corn on the cob. Once I'm done drinking the coconut water from the coconut, I get to bring it back to the vendor where they chop it in half and carve out a "spoon" from the coconut husk. I use it to scoop out and eat the rich jelly from inside the coconut. You get that feeling of home in every scoop. It brings me back to my childhood days when we used to climb coconut trees and shake off the coconuts. One of the best features of my local farmer's market is all the homemade food items and organic produce. From the jams and loaves of bread to the green juices and deserts, it worth every Sunday morning visit. 

Driving through town, we often stop at our local Dutch Pot Jamaican restaurant. Again, how can I feel far from my homeland when Pompano Beach, Florida provides everything I need to be at home? Dutch Pot's menu lists many of my favorites such as: Jerk Chicken, Curry Chicken, Brown Stew Chicken, Oxtail and Stew Red Snapper. These are usually served with rice and peas and chicken with lots of gravy on top. If you want to talk about a homemade Jamaican meal, the Dutch Pot Jamaican restaurant is as close as it gets. Aside from my wife's cooking of course. With the onset of COVID-19, I now make a lot of my orders through the Uber App. Nothing will stop this Caribbean food-lover from getting a bite of their mouthwatering meals. 

Living in Pompano Beach helps me to be reminiscent of my childhood and live it out as an adult. Who wouldn't want to be a kid twice? Places such as butterfly world and flamingo gardens highlight the tropical tone of my hometown which I marinate in so much. Yet, perhaps the thing that makes Pompano Beach more home than the places I go and the food I eat, are who I get to experience it with - my family.