Am I Bahamian?

I was born in the Bahamas.
But I moved to the states at age 12.
I returned every summer and christmas until I graduated high school.

I attended college where I met my future wife.
I graduated college, moved to Atlanta, and started my family. I get to go to Nassau at most once a year.

Although I still have contact with my relatives, I have very little connections with Bahamians my age. Why?

Well, I don't sound Bahamian until I'm around other Bahamians for awhile. Not by conscious choice, it just happens. Apparently, I don't act "Bahamian" (not even sure what that means).

However, I am fiercely proud to be a Bahamian, I have flags everywhere, I can cook up a storm, I listen to Bahamian artists (probably more than Bahamians my age do back home). If I hear a Bahamian accent, I screech to a halt and approach the homie.

So .... WHY DO I GET DISSED WHENEVER I RUN INTO OTHER BAHAMIANS???

The latest incident happened just last week in Las Vegas of all places. I was there on vacation with my wife. We were on a shuttle heading from a casino back to the resort, when it came to light that there was a Bahamian on the shuttle (someone asked him about his accent. He was in the back so I couldn't hear him).

I introduced myself and we began talking. Once this guy found out I lived in the states, he became offended! He actually asked me "Well, do you at least visit the Bahamas?" He went on to extoll how opportunities available back home when I went into how my technical background didn't have a market back home when I actually looked around for opportunities. The conversation ended awkardly.

This ALWAYS happens. I can only count two Bahamians who've not given me a frosty (or at best polite) reception. Why is this? Am I not considered Bahamian??? Should I just let go of my heritage, not bother teching my children about their legacy? What's the deal?

Never mind the negativism, u are pure Bahamian my friend, and be proud to teach your children about your culture and heritage which is so rich, sometimes others are blinded by jealousy and pettiness, I lived abroad for a while and when I got back home it took some time for me to be accepted, my sister lives in London and has been there for some 30 + years she is trying to come back home, let me tell u it is a nightmare for her, because even when she speaks they have a problem, I wish we could go beyond all this foolishness, but be proud to be a Bahamian:bahamas:
My sister kept bringing her 2 kids home and when they became adults her daughter decided she wanted to live here she packed up and left london and moved to Freeport where she now works in the bank, she too has hard time with her British accent, [her mom got dual citizenship for them] so that is why I say teach your kids about home and bring them as much as possible and then they can have the best of both worlds. SO don't worry. 'u is a Bahamian ok?':bahamas:

There is a song that goes like this:

"Ya born there, ya born there". :D
Where ever you are man just raise that flag :bahamas:

much love.

preciate the positive feedback. This has really perplexed me for some time. Ultimately, I will move home (even if it takes me till retirement age), but these encounters keep me leery of the eventual move.

Personally, I feel as though every Bahamian should have to live abroad to appreciate what we've been blessed with despite the challenges.

Be cool Machete,

You are an ambassador of the Bahamas right where you are and by you living overseas does not mean that you are not contributing to your homeland. That guy you met on the bus is narrow-minded. Just by you speaking about the Bahamas to your friends and coworkers overseas give the Bahamas a tremendous amount of publicity because any travel agent can tell you that word of mouth is the best form of advertisement we have.
You might be responsible for hundreds of tourist coming here without knowing.

So keep up the good work Mr. Ambassador :cheers:

Machete I can relate. However, in my case it is with folk back home. I do get to visit often and and am always so excited once I get underway only to get a big let down once I have my first and second encounters : i.e. with immigration and customs personnel. It seems their attitudes change to negative when they realise that I am a Bahamian who happens to live abroad! I wonder if they think that my frequent visits is indicative of someone who has abandoned her country!!!!!!!! I look forward to the day when I visit and these folk embrace me and acknowlede my loyalty to my country by the mere fact that I travel more than 1000 miles to visit and nearly always bring others along to further contriubte to our economy! Not to mention my own contribution which is three times as much as I would spend if I chose other destinations for my trips!!! Sadder still is when I stay at local hotels (which is most times) and set out for local stores (Bay Street in particular) and local tourist oriented activities, I get more of the same! Show me some love smd respect my people!!!!!! My money has the same value in spite of my Bahamian accent and mannarisms!!!!!! Is it asking to mcuh to expect my own people to embrace me with the same warmth as my friends with the non-Bahamian accents!!!!!!!