Living in Paradise

Living in Paradise is not all it's cracked up to be. There's the heat, the constant humidity. There's the unfair practices at the workplace. There's sexual harassment and abuse. There's the belief that women are substandard...Or just plain "fair game" and that we should "take that and cool it". Well I've had it! I'm tired, worn, weary, washed out and fed up with it already. The Caribbean woman is the center of the household, and whether or not she applied for the job, she somehow gets handed the "woman's work". "Woman's work" usually entails anything in the house beyond the front door. If a sock goes missing, she should know where it is. If a stomach is growling it is her duty to fill it. If the floor needs sweeping/mopping, well...I won't digress further. Suffice to say that all the bill paying, cleaning, cooking, washing or anything that goes on in the home is her job. The children's faith, education, etiquette and manners are to be taken care of by her, and if she should have difficulties in dealing with them, well then, that was her choice, wasn't it?The man goes to work, comes home, flops down on the sofa/bed/hammock and expects that his mate should manage everything that goes on in the home. Regardless of whether she herself works or not. His meals are to be cooked and served (don't even think of him going near that kitchen stove or sink. A broom? What in God's name is that? "Woman! You see me look like a maid?" This ritual it seems has been handed down through the generations, and has somehow been ingrained into the Caribbean Woman's psyche. I know firsthand, because you see, I am a Caribbean woman. You somehow end up feeling guilty if something goes wrong in the household. There is a burden that is carried on our shoulders as though a cross to suffer, yet we compliantly go along with it, why? Why should we be humble and meek and not stand up for our rights? Don't get me wrong now, I love St. Maarten. I love the beauty of the Caribbean and her peoples. There is an inexplicable joy in the day to day lives of the average Caribbean person (usually more pronounced around carnival time) and we are a people with playful mischievousness in our blood, which can be gleaned from our music, literature and basic way of life. Life could be so much better if we could get our (in)significant others to rise up to the challenge: Be a "Caribbean (wo)MAN!!!!