Maan on the Street: The non-tourist side of the Bahamas

Normally during Spring Break, we say hello to concert tickets, water activities, and girls going nuts — almost literally. That’s one of many stories college students either share or wish they could share with their peeps by the end of Spring Break. Here in the Bahamas, behind the concert lights, the splashes of water, and the banging going on next door there is a story of a ‘hood’ like no other.

While on a cruise to the Bahamas, my friends and I landed in the Bahamian capital of Nassau. Upon making port we were immediately greeted by an enthusiastic bus tour driver named HJ. HJ was not only a driver but also our tour guide. He was a true mastermind when it came to knowing his way around town.

Blue seas, blue skies, and that’s me in between

It goes without saying that the Bahamas has impeccable beaches. You’ll find the clearest of waters, the softest of sands, and the most generous supply of sunlight  — take it from a Saudi Arabian.  All of the natural sites at the Bahamas give you the same feeling too. The wind is fresh, the trees are varying shades of green, and there are lizards everywhere of all sorts of colors.

These are all so many things people can tell you from their trips there, or you can just Google it and know exactly what I’m talking about. On the other hand, I got some inside info on what’s it’s like to actually live in this paradise on Earth. HJ had some great perspective to share about his experience living in the Bahamas.

Our tour guide HJ was always smiling

My first childhood memories I can remember go as far back to when lived in Saudi Arabia and was first allowed out on the street. In Saudi Arabia, the attitude of your neighborhood portrays the attitude you have towards people. If you were raised in a neighborhood where everyone got along, you were probably either cool or you never left the house. HJ explained how his neighborhood compared to our idea of a ‘hood’: “I tried to get you to point out a few things that were different from your environment and ours.”

A typical house in the Bahamian hood

“I mentioned that, one, no drug dealers in the corners, ’cause drugs are illegal in the Bahamas.” Drugs are illegal in a lot of places, but the point HJ makes is drug laws are not only enforced in the Bahamas, they are also respected. Before my interview with him, he shared that the court is also strict on drug users, not just drug dealers. He said a lot of people end up staying longer in the Bahamas because they’re arrested — yikes.

“Second, the neighborhood is clean because we teach our people that you could be poor, but not nasty.” HJ is absolutely right. Here’s an image of a toilet in a public bathroom in the middle of a not-so-fancy Bahamian neighborhood.

No pee on the floor. The seat looks OK to sit on. The floor is spotless. That’s not like your average, everyday bathroom anywhere else I’ve visited.

“And I mentioned that there are no homeless, because the young’ns take care of the elderly. When it comes to the point that Mom and Dad are in Pampers, then we take them to the geriatric hospital and the families supply whatever their needs may be.”

Parents invest so much time and effort to raise their children. It makes just as much sense for their “young’ns” to reinvest in their older family members when their elders can’t take care of themselves anymore. Overall, Bahamian communities sound and look self-sustaining. I can image why the Bahamian locals are both happy and hardworking.

There is a lot of history in the Bahamas as well. I will spare you the history lesson, you can google that. Instead, here are the closing words of a wise tour guide and a proud citizen of the Bahamas.

“The Bahamas came out of the belly of slavery and colonialism. We were under the British rule for more than 300 years. Finally getting our independence July 10th 1973, the sons of slaves now govern our country. They now are the prime ministers, governor generals, senators, and so forth. And so that is one of the impetus that we are proud of because we know our background. We know how far we’ve come, and so we continue to thrive and to strive for excellence. Forward, onward, upward, together.”