From Dubai to Riverton: How I Found My Home in Jamaica's Warmth & Simplicity скачать в хорошем качестве

From Dubai to Riverton: How I Found My Home in Jamaica's Warmth & Simplicity

Babes, How Did You Get Here? | Farnoosh: From Iran to Jamaica – A Nurse Who Found Home in the Kids She Never Thought She'd Have What happens when an Iranian-Canadian early childhood educator takes a two-week volunteer trip to Jamaica, falls in love with the kids in Riverton and Mustard Seed communities, and decides to leave everything behind—her family, her career, her country—to build a life serving children who need her most? In this deeply moving and profoundly honest episode, host April Jackson sits down with Mahsa—an Iranian-born, Dubai-raised, Toronto-educated early childhood educator who traded the safety of Canada for the chaos, beauty, and purpose of Kingston, Jamaica. From her first volunteer trip in 2010, to leading groups of 30 volunteers twice a year, to having a hysterectomy that changed everything, to moving to Jamaica permanently in 2016, to living in Vineyard Town, to working with children living with HIV and disabilities, to navigating the class divide between inner-city and uptown Jamaica, to building youth leadership programs and baby wellness clinics—Mahsa's story is one of resilience, selflessness, and choosing purpose over comfort every single time. In this episode, we discuss: The First Trip That Changed Everything: Volunteering in Jamaica for two weeks in 2010 and falling in love with the kids at Mustard Seed and Riverton. From Toronto to Kingston: Growing up in Iran and Dubai, moving to Canada for school, and why Jamaica felt like home from day one. The Hysterectomy That Sealed the Decision: Having surgery in 2016, losing the ability to have biological children, and realizing the kids in Jamaica were her purpose. Living in Vineyard Town: Moving to one of Kingston's toughest neighborhoods and why she never felt unsafe. Working with Mustard Seed Communities: Serving children living with HIV, disabilities, and abandonment, and why they became her family. Building Programs from Scratch: Youth leadership camps, baby wellness clinics, after-school programs, and empowering kids to be agents of change in their own communities. The White Savior Complex: Why she hates voluntourism, why she stays behind the scenes, and why she gives the kids money to buy their own ice cream at Devon House. Navigating Class in Jamaica: The difference between inner-city and uptown Jamaica, and why she refuses to shop at Ashley Furniture when she can support local craftsmen downtown. Her Mother's First Visit: Bringing her mom to Riverton, running a baby wellness clinic together, and hearing her say, "Okay, I get it now." The Cost of Giving: Learning to say no, teaching kids responsibility, and why she refuses to create dependency. Dealing with Judgment: Being told she has everything because of the color of her skin, and why she doesn't walk around talking about her struggles. The Kids Who Made It: Sending kids to school, watching one become a lawyer, another migrate to Canada, and why that's the whole point. The Heartbreak of Leaving: Coming for two weeks and leaving the kids behind, and why that was always the hardest part. Why Jamaica?: Sunday dinners, slower living, seasonal fruit, and why it reminds her of Iran and Dubai more than Canada ever did. The Postcard of Her Life: Her, 100 kids, and the beach. Why This Story Matters 00:00 Introduction: From Toronto to Jamaica - A Volunteer's Journey 01:17 First Trip to Jamaica: The Mustard Seed Communities 05:52 The Hysterectomy That Changed Everything 06:58 From Dubai to Toronto to Kingston: A Multicultural Upbringing 08:16 When Mom Visited: Understanding the Why 09:04 Working in Vineyard Town and Riverton: The Real Jamaica 10:45 Voluntourism vs Real Impact: The White Savior Complex 11:47 The Girls at Glenhawk: Shared Trauma and Healing 14:55 Youth Leadership and Breaking the Cycle 15:43 The Pregnant 15-Year-Old: Accepting Limitations 17:05 Grandville Girls Home: Finding Self-Worth Beyond Male Validation 20:41 The Critical Age: Why 13-16 Matters Just as Much as Early Childhood 34:23 Devon House and Teaching Kids They Belong Everywhere 24:41 Donations Gone Wrong: Stop Giving Garbage to the Poor 27:05 Class vs Race: Navigating Jamaica's Social Hierarchy 30:06 Living Like a Local: Renting Downtown and Supporting Small Businesses 33:04 Misconceptions About Living in Jamaica 41:25 Cultural Differences: Sunday Dinners and Slowing Down 44:55 First Time in Riverton: No Fear, Just Connection 46:14 If Life Was a Postcard: 100 Kids at the Beach #HowDidYouGetHere #AprilJackson #JamaicaLiving #KingstonLife #Riverton #MustardSeed #ChildhoodEducation #VolunteerWork #ExpatLife #IranianInJamaica #FindingPurpose #ServingChildren #YouthLeadership #InnerCityJamaica #LivingAbroad #Reinvention #CourageOverComfort #Motherhood #ChildrenWithHIV #CommunityService #caribbeanlife