Viewers online can't seem to get enough of the popular series ‘Jamaicans to the World’, which recently surpassed a combined 3 million views on YouTube and Facebook. In the series, expatriate Jamaicans were asked; "What is it like to live ‘there’ as a Jamaican?” Posing that vital and timely question is Xavier Murphy, the founder of the Jamaicans.com platform, who launched the unique docu-series on YouTube and Facebook in 2021.
The docu-series explores the personal accounts of Jamaicans who have chosen to live overseas and gives others who are considering similar actions an opportunity to benefit from the experiences of those who have gone before them. The information included in the interviews is also useful for those planning a visit to one of the countries, as the Jamaicans interviewed generously share their recommendations about the best foods to sample and not-to-be-missed sites to see.
The interviews do not shy away from addressing more serious matters, such as racism, perceptions of Jamaicans overseas, and the potential challenges associated with moving to another country with an unfamiliar culture. The expatriate Jamaicans also discuss the cost of living in their new countries and offer tips about the best ways to adjust to an unfamiliar environment.
“I am amazed by the adventurous spirit of many of these Jamaicans who move to another country and make it their new home,” said Murphy. “I have learned so much doing this interview docu-series with Jamaicans living abroad.”
Thus far, Murphy has spoken with Jamaicans living in 74 different countries: China, Ireland, Ghana, Australia, Zambia, Costa Rica, Norway, Japan, Finland, Argentina, Panama, Kenya, Kuwait, France, UAE, Portugal, Guinea Bissau, Chile, Uganda, Spain, Switzerland, Bali, Malawi, New Zealand, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Senegal, Brazil, Russia, Sweden, Austria, French Guiana, Belgium, Barbados, Mexico, Antigua and Barbuda, Italy, St Kitts and Nevis, Denmark, Colombia, Cameroon, Thailand, Hawaii, Kazakhstan, Peru, Anguilla, Germany, Aruba, Guyana, Trinidad, Ukraine, Korea, Saipan, Mallorca (Majorca), Nigeria, Macau, Taiwan, Montserrat, Cuba, Netherlands, US Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Vietnam, Bermuda, Malta, Morocco, Ethiopia, Poland, Cayman Islands, Newfoundland and Labrador, Djibouti, Bahrain, and The Bahamas.
With more than 1.8 million views on YouTube and 1.5 million views on Facebook to date, and more than 20,000 comments from viewers, Murphy plans to continue satisfying the interest of his online fans in how Jamaicans adjust to lives beyond the borders of their home island. New episodes are available on Sundays at 12:30 pm on YouTube and at 1:00 pm on Facebook.
