You have summed that up so well @jayna. That's exactly how I feel, and it pains me to leave my parents behind. That's their situation that they cope with and the only way they know, so it would be difficult to "tell" them that life in a safer environment could be better.

Jamaica is one of those places where you either have a little or sufficient to get by, or you don't.
I understand what you felt seeing how some of the people live the way they do, yet at the same time how the other half does.

It's a bittersweet experience that could eat at you if you let it. Years ago I learned to put that in perspective for my health and well-being, but it is tough.