Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Best place in Jersey

So, we have Alfie, our Beagle pup..

Now, I am a Bean so have lived here all of my nearly 25 years (April 14th - in case you want to send me a card!) so have been around most of the Island.

It's funny how when you walk on the beach alone, no one speaks to you, then, as soon as you have a dog, people stop you to talk, to say hi or to pass a comment on the weather.

Jersey's fab, I am really appreciating it more now as an adult. I think as a child you don't realise how brill it is here.

One thing that I found so annoying when I stood for Deputy was how negative people are about Jersey - OK, so we aren't perfect and to be honest - we never will be!

When are islanders going to see that we need to appreciate the place more and stop moaning about EVERYTHING!.. 

I really admire a friend of mine who wrote a satirical letter to the JEP the other night about living in large houses - so many people have taken his letter seriously - does anyone get irony anymore? 

There is GST, we have it - let's deal with it - stop going on about it! 

My suggestion is - GO FOR A BEACH WALK!... get a dog and relax... crikey some folk over here are so highly strung!... If we work together we will have a much better life.

Matthew Robins; I applaud your letter in the JEP - good on you - People: GET IT... Grrrr

If I could afford a big house - I would have one - :0)

Till later - chao x

P.s... Am I too kissy?

4 comments:

  1. I would like to ask you a serious question. Do you actually know how the phrase "bean" originated?

    Allow me to explain something to you. Historically the nickname for Jersey locals is "Crapaud", which has a legitimate origin going back many centuries.

    In comparison, "Bean" was brought to the island in recent decades by seasonal workers as a term of abuse and mockery toward the local populace. It is a racial insult. It was created for no other purpose. It has no other history.

    It honestly sickens me to see any local person happy to label themselves as being "a bean". And with so many of you so ignorantly eager to do so, is it really any wonder that "beans" are so often viewed by outsiders as being stupid? People to laugh at, not respect?

    Please, THINK before next labelling yourself as "a bean".

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  2. Katy, I feel I must apologise if the tone of my previous comment was a bit strong. It was a knee-jerk reaction, but this is an issue I feel very strongly about. I would have deleted the comment had there been the option to do so myself.

    When I was growing up on Jersey it was considered perfectly acceptable in some social situations for seasonal workers to openly mock and ridicule locals. There were places a local could not go because to be overheard talking with a Jersey accent would lead to public humiliation or abuse from complete strangers.

    That low grade mentality of seasonal worker eventually moved on and your generation managed to avoid similar experiences, thankfully.

    It was a racism which was ignored at the time, and has been largely forgotten since. But it was racism nonetheless. And that's why is saddens me to see youngsters today labelling themselves as "Beans".

    So apologies for my tone, I really did not intend to offend you,but I hope you understand why I feel so strongly about the use of that word.

    PS: Please feel free to delete both comments after you've read them.

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  3. Hello, I dont live in Jersey but I have got lots of friends who do live there, including Stuart Syvret. What do you think of the Haut de la Garenne child abuse?

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