Christmas is my favourite holiday. It’s hot all year round in Jamaica, but this time of year is the coolest as trade winds from up North blow across the Greater Antilles and give us a slight taste of winter. The beautiful scarlet red poinsettias are in full bloom, and all my favourite foods are cooked and sold in abundance. The religious significance of the holiday is not lost on me either. I was raised with a Christian background, and live my life guided by these principles. Thus, it’s important that Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and saviour. With that said, here are eight reasons why Christmas in Jamaica is my favourite holiday.
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Last month, a friend jokingly told me that blogging and copywriting are obsolete. He’s a software engineer so his stance wasn’t surprising. There is growing global concern that artificial intelligence (AI) will replace millions of jobs in professions such as office administration, law, architecture, engineering, finance, management, sales, healthcare, art and design over the next decade. This year, the latest version of ChatGPT passed the US medical licensing exam with flying colours. Experienced doctors may be pushed aside by sophisticated robots that can perform delicate surgeries more precisely and read x-rays more accurately than a human eye can. With that said, it seems both my jobs are in jeopardy, huh? However, here’s why I’m not worried. At least, not yet.
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Social media often gets a bad rap, and with good reason. When used incorrectly, social media can promote negative behaviours such as body dysmorphia, eating disorders, selfishness, low self esteem, peer pressure and unrealistic views on life, appearance and identity. However, when used correctly, social media can be a good thing. Social media keeps us in touch with friends and family. Social media can serve as entertainment; I know I look forward to the memes shared daily among my friends and I. Social media can keep us abreast of current events, and teach us new things. Above all, social media can assist with personal branding and networking. I’ve met dozens of lovely people on social media– several of whom have become good friends!
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Portmore is a large urban town located on Jamaica’s southeastern coast in St. Catherine. Much of Portmore is built on reclaimed swamp to offset the overpopulation and housing challenges of Kingston. Over time, Portmore has grown from merely a low-budget housing solution for Kingston’s working class to achieving municipality status in 2003. One day, it may even become Jamaica’s fifteenth parish! For that reason, shrewd investors have brought malls, restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts and entertainment activities to Portmore– rewriting Portmore’s history from dormitory town to promising metropolis. Today, let’s highlight five fun things to do in Portmore, Jamaica. While not marketed as a tourist destination, Portmore’s rapid growth may change that one day!
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It is easy to forget that Las Vegas is in the middle of the Nevada desert until you see the sand and mountains on the city’s outskirts. The dry, hot desert environment means you will probably want to stay inside or find ways to cool off outside. Fortunately, different activities can let you do both. Below are the top seven things to do in Las Vegas when it is hot.
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Welcome to the second quarter of 2023! Today, Fay Smith, a mother of two young children and three lovable Pomeranians, sat down with Adventures from Elle to share words of wisdom for my mommy readers. Self care is important but mothers often forget to take care of themselves in the full-time profession of motherhood which requires 24 hours of love and dedicated service seven days a week. Here’s what Fay had to say:
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March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Those who suffer from endometriosis know that it can be a very painful debilitating disease. Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition where the lining of the uterus (womb) can be found in other parts of the body such as the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, abdominal cavity and even in the brain and lung! This ectopic uterine tissue responds to the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle and results in inflammation, chronic pain and even infertility. Unfortunately, not a lot is known about why this condition exists, and there is currently no cure.
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Inspiration to write this article popped into my head over the weekend as I restocked my beauty must-haves, but it wasn’t until the Google Doodle reminder of International Women’s Day on March 8 that I committed to writing it. Why? Well, my favourite Jamaican beauty brands all happen to be female-owned too! Thus, in belated celebration of International Women’s Day this week, here are three Jamaican natural hair and skin care product brands which I believe you should know and support.
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Jamaica is a popular tourist destination for anyone wanting to enjoy clear blue waters and white sands, and for the active traveler who likes to explore. Before the pandemic hit, Jamaica welcomed 4.2 million visitors in 2019, but Covid had a searing effect on tourism. In 2020, Jamaica saw just 1.33 million arrivals, and this deeply impacted one of the country’s major industries. However, the pandemic helped to drive up the popularity of many outdoor activities including kayaking. In some areas, sales of kayaks increased by 50% as people grew tired of lockdowns and sought to enjoy the outdoors more. Now that travel restrictions have been lifted, Jamaica is once again a destination for watersports lovers. If you ever want to relax and have someone else do the sailing though, check out this weekly catamaran tour from Kingston.
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The sightseeing detours on a road trip are almost as exciting as the destination itself. On the drive home from my weekend getaway at Animal Farm, my partner and I made two sightseeing detours. Our first was the Persian Water Wheel in Falmouth which I covered in January; Stewart Castle was the second. Present-day Stewart Castle lies in ruin but was once an impressive cut stone mansion, built in the 1760s by enslaved Africans. Here’s everything you need to know about Stewart Castle near Duncans, Trelawny.
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