chit chat

A couple of weeks ago I was running errands around town & I was genuinely touched by the number of people that stopped to make conversation while I was waiting in line, waiting for the bus or just plain waiting around. Ok that last one is not true - no one really has time to wait around, island life or not. And most of the people that stopped to chit chat were seniors but I would say they are the nicest people you will find in Bermuda. Instilled with traditional old school values of yester year they are surprisingly open minded to the new values that the younger generation exuberate today. In recent decades Bermuda has seen a magnanimous influence from America as teenagers have been & continue to be exposed & relate to America's hip hop culture. While not all hip hop is bad, it's rarely the good that is the popular choice. But that's another post.

Adding to the change in attitudes & culture, seniors have also had to deal with the increase in population & the expats that have come to call Bermuda their home away from home. I'd often wonder how they felt about us expats. The tourists are only here for a short time, while we expats are here to stay for a while. When I first got here I'd not know what to say when our paths would cross. After all it's their turf & we were fresh off the boat. But they are the nicest people I've met & continue to meet. They're apt to take interest in you if you're generous enough to greet them with a smile.

While the teenagers as teenagers go, are another story, it's the young kids of Bermuda that leave a lasting impression. They have been taught to greet everyone with a customary Good Morning or Afternoon, will proceed to ask YOU how you're doing & have no problem engaging themselves in conversation with a tourist or an expat. So don't be surprised if you find yourself deep in conversation with a child or a senior citizen of Bermuda while on the bus or anywhere around town. It's expected & it's the way things are done here. Get used to it.