Life as an English Speaker in Guadeloupe: Move to the French Caribbean
Vložit
- čas přidán 10. 05. 2021
- Thinking about moving to Guadeloupe? In this interview, Taiwo Williams and Zoe Smith explore the ins and outs of life as an anglophone in the French-speaking Caribbean.
Prior to the pandemic, Taiwo and her husband would split their time between Dominica and the neighbouring island of Guadeloupe but since March last year, travel restrictions have seen them firmly planted in the French overseas region.
This is the second half of a two-part interview. Taiwo's inside take on life in Dominica, make sure to subscribe for next week's interview.
_____________________________________________________________________________
✈️ Want to Move Abroad? Unsure How To Make It Happen?
✈️ Join My LIVE 2-Day Virtual Workshop: Master Your Move on 3-4 June 2023
➡️ Book Your Ticket Today: www.theexodus.co/master-your-...
_____________________________________________________________________________
ABOUT TAIWO
Taiwo Ogunnaike-Williams is a London-born author, educator and counsellor who grew up in Hackney, East London.
thesuckingsaltchronicles.com/
CULTURAL IDENTITY IN GUADELOUPE
travelnoire.com/guadeloupe-is...
I love this interview and the woman giving us an insight into her experiences of the different islands she's been to, I personally could sit and talk to her for hours, what an amazing history teacher she represents. I hope to hear more. I am very happy she has found her love in a Dominican man 🇩🇲 I'd rather stay away from them because of my experiences. Well done and thank you both for this interview 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thank you for the glowing feedback Mags ☺️
@@ExodusCollective
Hallo. Thank you for making this video. I'm.watching from arizona / california
Ahhhh thanks for your feedback! I've only just seen this comment!💕
Very interesting to hear that Haitians are so united in Dominica and in Guadeloupe. If only they could do the same back home in Haiti. Sometimes all it takes is to leave one's comfort zone to find the goal to success.
Very true. I'm looking forward to doing interviews with Haitians who've returned to the island - it feels like my spiritual home 🙂
They are not very united in Gwada and Dominica tbh
Do you really know and understand the history of Haiti, if you did, you would not have made that comment.
Haitians gave Black people liberation and to this day they are still paying for it. The White man will never forget what Haiti did to become liberated . How dare those Blacks think that they can squash us and get away with it.
White people don't forget , but they expect us to forget the atrocities that they did to our ancestors and stil do to us today
Wow. This was an excellent an interview. I am so happy that I came across it. Thank you, Zoe. I appreciate all that you are doing to spotlight the Caribbean. It provides us with options. Blessings and peace,
Thanks so much Colette, it's always great to hear folks find these conversations useful 🙏🏾
Beautiful interview
Thank you Tammy!
Excellent and insightful discussion.
I'm glad you found it useful 😊
Very interesting interview.
I really liked this interview.
Thanks!
@@ExodusCollective
Is there good nature places to explore ?
Very very interesting conversation 🤔
Guadeloupeans go to France to build a life, and to work because as in the past we were invited to do so like the Windrush generation in England. However, Guadeloupeans always return to Guadeloupe, never forgetting their identity. Me, as a Guadeloupean I have never witnessed any racism in France. I now live in England and I have never felt so black as here in England. But otherwise, yes Guadeloupeans think of themselves as French first and Creole. Nice interview.
Weird I experienced alot of racism in France never England but I lived in London
No we don’t. Personally I don’t. I am Guadeloupean, French on the papers.
Loved the interview, a very insightful observation of Caribbean dynamics and identity. We need a transfusion of more African blood like the sister in the Caribbean. The paradox of paradise, it's hell without money. Looking forward to my rejuvenation holiday soon in the nature isle.
I couldn't agree with you more. Someone is working on an initiative that addresses specifically this issue so stay tuned and enjoy your holiday ✈️🏝️!
I love this video. I am a black American and I want to go to the Caribbean.
Really interesting interview.
Thanks Sassy. Generally the folks I interview are much more positive about their experiences but I hoped people could still get value from seeing someone who's feelings about an island are much more mixed.
I'm definitely up for doing another Dominica interview to see if I can share some more positives about the island so do stay tune!
@@ExodusCollective. I loved this woman's view on life in Dominica and Guadeloupe because it was not all peaches and cream. In my opinion she gave a real view of life in the Caribbean. I am from Trinidad and have lived in the US, Canada and now Barbados. Yes, the Caribbean has beautiful beaches and a laid back lifestyle and this appeals to foreigners. However, the reality is you can't feed your family on beaches and laid back lifestyles. People migrate to more developed countries for opportunity and there are advantages and disadvantages of living in these countries. Also, the same applies to life in the Caribbean. Racism exist everywhere you go, if you are a person of color. I believe no place is perfect because in US and Canada you can succeed in your career once you got the qualifications, but you have to deal with excessive racism and the hectic life. In the Caribbean you have the slow, easygoing paced life with beautiful scenery but you have limited top job opportunities and expensive living cost. People just have to choose the country they think is best for them. At the end of the end of the day, some will love more developed countries, while some will love less developed countries. Great job with this channel, as it's interesting to listen to everyone's story.
Dominica is not a franch Island
@@ExodusCollective I don't think I was negative about either islands Zoe, on the contrary!
Lol this was a good interview
Interesting. I had a wonderful experience in Guadeloupe as it pertains to African Diaspora culture.
You wouldn’t have to explain it to me…been living more in the uk despite being french ..from guadeloupe. As for the education being poor I would disagree. I have never met something harder than my baccalauréat C. The master and bachelor I did in UK was easy in contrast. And also don’t underestimate the Guadeloupe mindset. We have a two layers of appreciation of french and the french system. Yes on the one hand many people from Guadeloupe take the french citizenship, but go in pointe-a-pitre on Saturday or listen to GWOKA and you will understand the other layer (the one that rejects and appreciate what french has done to us). This is not something new…we have had it for long time and that’s why we speak creole.
People really need to do their research before commenting the French islands - but there we go
Awww. I'm from guadeloupe and been in the UK since 99.
I really enjoyed this interview. But one thing we have to understand is that France has done its best to make sure that the 'Antillais' (Guadeloupeans, Martinicans and StTomasians) embrace the French culture as much as possible through a brainwashed education system. It is necessary for France to keep unity in their overseas territories. The bad experience of Saint Domingue (Haiti) should not be repeated.
Very informative interview. Nice hearing from someone who understands the complexities of Caribbean culture. Zoe I am not sure if you are aware but all citizens living in the OECS are entitled to live and work without a permit in any one of the member countries similar to the EU. It would be nice to hear if anyone would have taken advantage of this offering....
Interesting point Matthew! As Martinique and Guadeloupe are overseas territories without full membership of the OECS, I wasn't sure what the situation was when it came to work permits etc... Definitely something I should cover in a future episode - thanks for the recommendation 🙏🏾
You better learn guadeloupean creole if you want to talk with people here, its the mostly spoken language here
Or just creole
@@vanousisi8112 Just creole ? Lmao you know every creoles are unique and different, right ? Just creole don't exist...
Yes creole is very different in every area that speaks it. I asked a Haitian coworker to translate some zouk from Guadeloupe and she couldn't. I want to learn creole or kreyol from Guadeloupe because I love zouk.
I understand it, but I'm not so fluent in it. Nonetheless, I still manage!!
Beware beautiful ladies, some guadeloupeans do understand english haha!
This is super interesting to hear her experience in my island. I akcnowledge everything she said , but let's say she haven't seen all faces of Guadeloupe. People are very ''gwada'' as she says , some other are more on the french side of things and more and more discover and accept their african heritage. We also have indians or others who identify as gwadas.
And most of us are not accostumed with foreign people , we are very self centered, if i can put it like this. But eventually we stay opened to other cultures, but still not enough.
As for the education, her reaction tells it all! The level is correct but most students are too playful, not serious enough. And obviously not enough regional specifities in it.
Loved this interview! Bisous les Gwada Gals!
And one last thing, the drums are called gwo ka, not guaco that sounds like some spanish stuff lol 😁
@@LOUGAone well blame my accent; I have a typical London accent, so there's that.🤷🏿♀️
This lady is soooo funny🤣🤣
I love her wit, esp about the cultural ignorance and negativity surrounding the black history of their ancestors. Good honest interview! Some real truth.
Im glad Jamaica is not like that. Guadelopians need to rise up and claim their heritage.👊🏾
It's creole like, Dominica, Martinique,St Lucia, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago.
This lady is not Guadeloupean and I can assure there are lot of things she is saying that is absolutely wrong. Guadeloupeans are proud of their history, our carnival is certainly the closest to one our ancestors celebrations (authentic, drums, hand made costumes). Yes we are French but Guadeloupeans in our hearts. 🙂 There is absolutely no need to compte Jamaica and Guadeloupe
A lot of nonsense from a woman who knows nothing about Guadeloupean culture.
That sound like Haiti. Great informative. Thanks
Taiwo is very entertainng to listen to. What she said about Haitians setting up more businesses than the black guadeloupeans was very interesting. Haiti has no social welfare, so they have more drive i would guess.
Hi Thank you for the info👍🏼 I am looking to relocate to guacca also. Planning now🌎🇺🇸🇫🇷
Gwada
I've been saying this for years. Dominicans are very grudgeful and envious to each other.
The same has been said quite alot about Jamaicans also by Jamaicans I've met.
People, this is just not related to one Caribbean country - I guess it all depends on one's experience in travelling.
Speak to anyone from the Caribbean islands and they will tell you this - even in your own family - they will dig your eyes out, and they are your blood
@@NJ_1315 h
Huh???
@@shirmelduggins9984
Blood isn't everything
The French Caribbean people have to be very cautious about how the navigate their dealings with their French colonisers, their culture is French, Caribbean & African. France has a history of extreme brutality towards the Caribbean people who "rebel" case in point Haiti, this island has never recovered economically following the revolt by Toussaint Louverture because of France needing to make an "example" for their other colonies. In time the people of Guadeloupe & Martinique will mould their culture to suit themselves. The English speaking Caribbeans like to believe that because we were granted peaceful independence from the UK that all is great but it was because GB found no more use for us and the continued exploitation was not profitable. I pray for the very best for all of the peoples of the Caribbean in doing their best as they geographically in the "back yard" of the most militarily powerful nation, the USA which is not known for treating it's own African American citizens well.
Thea, thanks for your insightful comment. I agree, the experience in the French West Indies is a complex one which can't really be fully comprehended within an anglo-centric framework.
None of the colonizers treated the people they stole from Africa well nor their descendants so there's no surprise but we should be able to speak about whatever we want and do whatever we want. Some don't even believe their of African descent. Sad some are so in love with the colonizers.
So true and so very poignant, the colonisers have left their residue on us. As a people we will continue to navigate our way through life day to day. Relying on the Grace of God. I pray we each find our tribe of the heart and spirit soon so we can thrive in the days to come!
Also saying that Guadeloupeans go to France because they think it’s a promised land … ? No we don’t but Guadeloupe job market is saturated (youth unemployment rates is over 25%). People are just trying to find jobs and basically survive. It’s so easy to judge without highlighting the reasons underneath such problematics … I don’t appreciate that itw most of the things she tells are negative. She needs to delve deeper in Guadeloupe’s history, socio economic structure etc to understand the country, the people.
Dominica 🇩🇲 bab mind
This makes me so sad. Guadeloupéens and Dominicans need to claim their own :( … Syrians? .. White supremacy has perpetuated in places I didn’t think it had. So sad to hear this but grateful for the knowledge nonetheless.
We all pay national health so nothing is free. UK we pay from our salary. There is no such thing as free health care.
Amen to that.
I am not sure if all those people are aware, that even if you lave the UK, you should continue to pay your National Insurance contributions so that when you reach pension age there is a pension waiting for you.
You may think that I don't need it, but no one knows what may happen during our lifetime and you may look back and wish you had. You can just set up it and the money comes out of your UK bank account (provided you don't close everything out) and forget about it.
I have friends who left the UK and have done this and now they are so thankful that they are in a position to receive that pension now.
That itw is very interesting but saying that Guadeloupeans feel French and are French oriented is wrong. Just take a look how Guadeloupeans rebelled against the French Republic during LKP movement. I don’t really appreciate how she pictures us we are not so naive …
Why is this so hurtful for Taiwo that Guadeloupeans present themselves as French ? This is just a fact.
Because ppl are insecure and inferior.
The French people are dividing us. Which is very sad. How could two nation speaking the same language. But one speaking English and the other speaking French. Very sad. This also happens in African country as well.
Interesting video but...the lady interviewed doesn't seem to understand very well where she landed. Martinique and Guadeloupe are to France what Hawaii is to the US.
Being surprised at the fact "Guadeloupe is so French infuenced" is like being disappointed at Hawaii being like a Pacific version of Miami mixed with Polynesia.
She talks about TV "domination" because, out of 200+ cable TV channels here, most of them are French ? We have local channels too, but you'll obvioulsy encounter all the other (and numerous) French national programs because... you're technically living in France when in Martinique or Guadeloupe. And you won't have many Caribbean channels because English or Spanish are not our mother tongue, obviously.
France has always been a centralized state. The French concept of equality means (for better or for worse) you'll have free healthcare, social benefits and European fundings in the French Antilles AND the French education system, which is rather standardised throughout the Republic, with local adaptations. This is the French obsession of "unity" and its side effect : a tendency to homogenize.
Furthermore, the French State doesn't promote "racial identities or communities". You don't have a "Black History class" because that's a anglo-american concept. Instead, we French West Indians asked for and succeded to give more space into school programs about our local History, talking more about slavery (and the local fights against it) in the French Antilles or giving credit to the famous French West Indians who contributed to the History of France.
We celebrate our African roots along with our Indian and West Indian (Native Tainos) ones, that's why many of us don't claim ourselves just "Africans" but "Antillan", which sums up our diverse identity.
As a conclusion, for a British person with a Nigerian background, I thought she would have understood better what she labelled the Guadeloupean/Martinican "schizophrenia", while enjoying her cup of English tea. 🤷🏾♂️
Anyway, thanx for the video.
Thanks for taking the time to outline your perspective so clearly!
Identity is complicated and layered isn't it so I guess people will always risk running into trouble the moment generalisations come into play, whichever side of the fence they sit on.
It's great to hear the French Caribbean perspective discussed though - it definitely differs from the anglo-influenced experience.
Well, I do support some of that say, but bare in mind the youth of today in guadeloupe are waking up and also a lot of youth do speak English also, for sure not all are open to they history because they refuse to acknowledge, they culture. But not all. Yes, one u brain wash is hard for them to understand themself, so they left with the option that they lose they identy.
Good evening, the guest is contradict herself at times, especially when it comes to the culture of the Guadeloupeenne culture. I have lived most my life between Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique and there are other comments she made I don't agree with...
This lady was condescending as all hell. The only Guadeloupean people she spoke positively on are her English-speaking friends. She seems to despise the people in general.
She is taking about Guadeloupéen are French which is True but why she is not saying she is Dominican instead she is British she is herself confused about her identity
Thanks for your comment but maybe you missed the first episode. Taiwo is of Nigerian heritage and was born in London. Why would she say she is Dominican?
Lol
'Scratching my head'! Lol
@@TaiwoWilliams Hi Taiwo, are you still living in Guadeloupe
@@realtoruncut7528 very much so! Still here!
They are not proud of who they are.