Exploring Identity: A Jamaican's American Journey

Identity can be described as the way we view ourselves; the way that we distinguish ourselves from others while also comparing our similarities. In other words identity is what makes someone unique and average at the same time. To start off with I was born and raised in Jamaica for 6 years with my parents, but due to the fact that my parents were offered an opportunity to attend school in America they dove for a chance of a better life. My first home was in Jefferson, Missouri where it seemed like it snowed every day. White sheets of snow would cover every inch of the city, no stone or rock was left without an inch of snow. The city was so beautiful to me because it would always light up in front of my eyes. The people there was so nice that

every Easter they would hid Easter eggs for my fellow bus riders and me to find before we went to school. I believe that was the best part of living there, every little Easter egg was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. Unfortunately, my parents were offered admissions to FAMU for their environmental PH.D., so we packed our bags and travelled via truck all the way to Tallahassee. I recently graduated from Lincoln High School this past May and I’m very excited to start college. I plan on receiving a PH.D in pharmacy and living in a foreign country. When I listen to music I only care about the beat and tone of the song, it doesn’t matter what kind of music or who the music is by. I usually listen to pop, electric, classical, rock, hip hop/ rap, dance, electric, R&B/ Soul, Reggae, and etc. The only music I don’t really listen to is country because I’m not a fan of how the sounds and the words work together to make the song. To me it feels like every country song talks about the same two things; trucks, and girls.

Also I feel like I don’t really relate to the lyrics themselves because I’m not a country girl and I’m not really a fan of trucks. Unfortunately I do not participate in any musical activates because I do not know how to play any instruments; except, for the recorder that I learned in 5th grade. When I say I know how to play the recorder I mean I only know how to play three cords of Mary had A Little Lamb. As you can see that’s not much of a musical talent. I have always thought the piano was such a beautiful instrument to play, but I was never able to fully understand the different keys and symbols. I also can’t sing or dance, the only hobby I was partially good at was playing soccer and refereeing soccer. Music to me can be anything that has a beat or tone, which is partially right and partially wrong. I have learned that calling an Islamic prayer a song is very disrespectful even if it has a beat or tone; it has a specific religious meaning to many people. Many people will and can preserve different things as music, this is what helps us find our identity. It show us what makes us unique and similar to others at the same

time. I hope to learn about different cultural music and what that type of music means to people around the world.

For example, cultural significance of a Buddhist prayer verses a songs that is played at weddings. I wish to learn how the tone and tempo of the song helps to provide insight into the meaning behind the song

itself.