Jack Bowman

Folks,

I’ve been here for four months and I’ve got used to the sub-adolescent and laugh-out-loud journalistic quality of the national newspapers, the laugh-out-loud price of sprouts (goodbye to my normal folic acid intake), the joke airport (have you ever spoken to any of the Danes who built it?) and the scream-out-loud driving.

What I haven’t got used to is not knowing what’s going on in this country. I’ve lived in a lot of countries, but I’ve never lived in one where it’s so difficult to find out what’s happening. Where’s the theatre? Where are the reading groups and the local history groups and the people who don’t have that lethal expat mentality?

If you’re an expat, and your dream of living outside your country consists entirely of warm weather, rum, beer and bad sewerage, the Gap, music that’s too loud and dishearteningly overcrowded beaches on the west coast, then you can stop reading now.

Thanks, goodbye, and may your god go with you.

For those who are left, can anyone tell me where I can find out, quickly and simply, what’s going on in this country? There HAVE to be people here who are wholly unconcerned about what’s happening in the astonishingly dull Gap. Right? There HAVE to be people who wonder what theatre there is, what drama or music, what concerts or choirs or exhibitions or, indeed, anything that doesn’t involve drinking vastly over-priced beer on an over-crowded beach where some cruise company has dumped 2,000 people, while crap jewelry and tawdry prints are being pushed on them by people who are annoying beyond description.

So, the question: if I want to get a listing of events here, one that actually informs me about the cultural life on this island, where do I go?

Thanks a million for any helpful answers.

Sunniebgi

Mr. Bowman..I have several times based on some of your rants, suggested that you just simply pack your bags and leave.. and after this one, I'll suggest it again. The Newspapers, as bad as the writing can be, have information on the going's on in Barbados, but what you have to understand is that this is not London or NYC or LA. There aren't that many items of the kind of cultural experience you may want to see or hear in Barbados.

I can tell you that if you open your mind to the Bajan experience, I would have suggested that you go to Laff It Off, which is a wonderful pure Bajan Belly laugh of a show based on the events and happenings in Barbados. Political and Social satire at it's finest. but you likely wouldn't be able to understand a word they say because you don't speak the language. (I've been here over 15years and I still have a problem sometimes). and their last show is 29March and it's sold out.. has been every Saturday night for the last 9weeks.

There was a Classical Piano Concert a couple of weekends ago. did you go to that?? did you know there have been tours of the new findings that the Synagogue in Bridgetown?? Macbeth (live stage show produced by The Gala Theatre of London) will be staged at the Frank Collymore Hall which is located at the Central Bank Building in Bridgetown during the first few weeks of April. Do you have your ticket for that yet?? It was in the press. oh but I forgot you don't read the Newspapers here.

Book clubs are usually formed by groups of friends and not advertised (maybe they are away, just not sure). How about joining the Rotory Club, or A Business Mans association?? Check out the Barbados Museum and see if they can give you information on Historical groups in Barbados.

Unfortunately, you just have to TAKE IT AS IT COMES, but one of the only ways to find out some of the information, is to check the newspapers, or know someone who knows someone.

try www.barbados.org or find the Barbados Tourism Authority Website.. they sometimes have upcoming events listed.

good luck..

zanne

Next Saturday (April 5th) the Canadian Women's Club is hosting the International Women's Bazaar at the Canadian High Commission, this should be an enjoyable event for a worthy cause.

Stephanie_77

Jack, why not start your own book club? Seems pointless complaining about something when the solution is right in front of you. Also, I bet if you did this then you would meet like-minded people who would be able to answer your other questions.

Jack Bowman

Many thanks, zanne. I'll be at that one. Perhaps we'll meet. I do hope so.

In the meantime, I'll have to leave my responses to the bizarrely-named and hard-to-type Sunniebgi (Sunniebgi!) and islandmom (islandmom. What a tag. Can you believe it?) until tomorrow.

Best wishes to you, and to Stephanie-77 for helpful answers.

Back at you all tomorrow.

Thanks to all for posting

KNRX

Silly me, all this time I was thinking that part of the “charm” of Barbados was the legacy left by 340 ubroken years of British colonialism.

zanne

Okay, there are loads of events and activities going on in Barbados...it is not NYC or Paris, though. We are on a bunch of email lists and get notice of many cultural events, also Ian Bourne, whose blog I have mentioned before does a great job in announcing upcoming events: http://bajanreporter.blogspot.com/

My husband just emailed me the April calendar for Frank Collymore Hall, here's the list attached, (I think). So the point is that yes BB can be frustrating but on the other hand my family and I are living out our dream...so instead of boiling over about many of the bothersome things that don't seem to bother lots of Bajans just make it your own and have a good time!

Sunniebgi

I'm just so sorry my posting wasn't helpful. I certainly did think it was, considering the newspapers have also advertised the event on Saturday.. I certainly do not hope to run in to Jack as I too will be there.

and by the way Zanne, if Jack doesn't like Bajan reporters, what makes you think he is going to have any interest in Ian Bourne (as that is what he is).

zanne

Well Ian certainly has his own style (which I do like)...oh well. I've got to get back to work preparing for Saturday, lots to do.

username 34

call yourself what you want - the way you post I'm sure nobody takes any of your opinions seriously - mainly because although you claimed your original post contained the basic question of where you can obtain a list of cultural events you seem to forget the majority of the content contained whinging and attacking other facts of life in Barbados. Then you have the charm to correct people's language and grammar skills, hardly endearing you to people, therefore garnering the responses you receive.

I normally put lovely trolls like yourself on ignore - but I do find you entertaining at your expense.

Jack Bowman

Thanks, (you still have to tell me, as per my previous post, if I can call you "<snip>). Your post, I think, confirmned everything I said in mine.

May your god go with you. And bless...

But you didn't answer one of my questions. Islanddickhead? What do you think? Good idea? Or even "islandmom" as a name. What do you think? Good idea or the really, really bad idea of a dullard? Do tell.

Jack Bowman

I don’t understand. When I was learning Portuguese, for example, and talking to people from Portugal or Brazil, I insisted relentlessly, and relentlessly, that they correct my grammar and expand my vocabulary. It’s the only good way to learn another language.

From your posts, it seems that you’re in a really good position to start learning how to write an English sentence. There's some distance to cover, of course, and it takes time and application, as it does when you learn any language. But from what I've seen of your writing, I'm confident that you'll get there in the end.

Where are you from originally, by the way. Mars?

tulipknife

Nice retort!

I do like a good sarcastic slanging session.

Sunniebgi

The newspapers in Barbados do list and cover many events in Barbados. No, there is not one central location were you can find these items. And unfortunately some of those items may only be listed in the newspapers once or twice due to the cost factor of advertising. Each of the items I listed original were advertised, I'm sure you just over looked them as uninteresting drival.

I'm not concerned with were you have lived or where you come from. Did you find the culture you where looking for or thought should have been there in the other places you have lived? I'm sure the answer is probably not based on the list you have provided.

Zanne and Stephanie didn't answer your question either, they simply gave you events that are currently happening in Barbados at the moment. Zanne did give you a list for Frank Collymore Hall, but that's only one venue.

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Classical Piano Concert as I already had a previous engagement to attend.

I'm going to end this now, and certainly not stoop to your level of offending whole countries and feeling far superior than anyone else.

Enjoy the event on Saturday, I know I will.

KNRX

Perhaps if instead of looking around for a book club in Barbados Mr. Bowman actually read a book like Walter Rodney’s “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa” [and by extension the Caribbean and a large part of the rest of the Third World], he wouldn’t be so-snooty about the opera houses and theatres back in Jolly Ole Engelond.