Jamaica the Do's & Donts

[caribny]

Originally Posted by NooYowkur81

You can blend in somewhat but at some point most natives will figure it out.

yes as they even figure out local people who are residing overseas.

[klmrocks]

Originally Posted by caribny

In many parts of the Caribbean it is actually ILLEGAL to dress in military gear.



Males should ensure that they walk with some trousers and shirts with collars. Some restaurants don't allow short pants or shirts with no collars. You will find that short pants (for men) are used only very informally in the Caribbean. OK for general hanging out during the day. But not so OK at night. Sleeveless dresses are OK for females.



Also understand that if you are black you are expected to know better about observing the rules, even if you aren't from the Caribbean.





Basically just do what you saw people doing in St Lucia.

I know this thread it old, but I wanted to comment anyways. I know in Trinidad wearing military patterned clothes is illegal as I read it on a travel advisory site before I went last time as I was planned a trip with a group of people and wanted to make sure they were given the heads up on things to be aware of ahead of time. Mind you after reading the travel advisory I was like oh my god we are going to get rob and chopped up with a machete before we even leaven the airport (it was over the top dramatic to say the least). Despite me warning the men I was travelling with NOT to pack or wear miltary pattern clothing more than once surprise they did not listen and on more than once there we wearing military pattern cargo pants or tops and to be honest no one actually said anything. They also did stupid stuff that walking around with $700 camera which I also advised against and again nothing happend. We were either lucky or people can tend to be a bit more flexible as long as you are not doing anything to cause problems ex roaming the streets drunk, bugging people or making a scene. The only advisory we actually did follow was not sitting under palm trees at the beach (that was seriously in the advisory list ). Apparently coconuts do randomly fall off those trees and can injury or kill you.

As I work with a tone of people from Jamaica similar to Trinidadian people as long as you do not do anything to really annoy or insult them they are usually pretty friendly, but don't offend them or they will be quick to tell you where to go. One of the men I was with speaks English as like a third language and I was just dying of laughter when these 2 older Trinidadian men in the Maxi Taxi we were getting made a comment assuming we were either Arab or Hispanic and living there (we could pass for either) saying you people have been living in this country so long and you still can't speak English. The guy they were referring to did not understand what they were saying because of the Trini accent and I was just trying so hard not to die of laughter as I know how sarcastic people from my culture can be.