January 30, 2025 • 38 mins
Vanessa shares her remarkable journey from Grenada to New York and Texas, and back to Grenada, revealing how cultural shifts and personal passions drive the quest for simplicity and connection. Their conversation explores the complexities of family bonds, the significance of community, and the steps taken to secure Grenadian citizenship.
• Explores the contrast between life in Grenada and the fast-paced lifestyle of New York
• Discusses the impact of food and culture as a means of belonging
• Highlights the journey towards Grenadian citizenship for family members
• Emphasizes the importance of community in shaping personal narratives
• Reflects on the power of prayer and meaningful connections during life transitions
Thanks for listening to Nutmeg Nation - I would like to thank my Editor Sean for helping with the audio of show, thanks to my Designer Yim for creating the logo and images for the show and thanks to my Guests!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
hi, I'm carlene and this is not magnation.
I am so excited I have a familymember.
Her name is vanessa hatcher andshe's in grenada and we're
cousins and she's actually movedto Grenada, and so it's
(00:23):
important to discuss what theprocess is like for anyone who
is interested in living a moresimple life and living in the
Caribbean.
So tell me about yourself.
You know, what do you dofull-time?
(00:45):
What's your passion.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Wow, my passion, god, I haven't been asked that in a
while.
I don't know.
I think I'm passionate aboutbeing a homemaker.
I am a housewife right now, atthis time, and I'm enjoying just
, you know, being a homemaker.
I think I kind of realized thatwhen we moved to Pennsylvania,
out in the country, andeverything was kind of simple
(01:09):
and you know, I kind of like theidea of homesteading type thing
.
I guess, yeah, that's, I wouldsay that.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Yeah, yeah.
So like you have three kids,two of them are younger right?
Speaker 2 (01:24):
are younger and one he just turned 28.
Yeah, yeah, wow, I'm like wheredoes the time go?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
yeah, yeah, it was just the other day.
I remember, like you know, justhis whole fascination with
planes, and you know, that'swhat I, that's what I remember
because of his excitement, likeyou.
You know, when kids are soexcited, like they, they, when
they're passionate aboutsomething, that's all they want
to think about, that's all theytalk about, that's it, you know,
(01:55):
yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
I'll take him down to the airport to watch yeah land
and take off, and so he wasalways excited about that.
Oh, yeah, yeah, so pilot.
So he was like, oh, I want tofly too.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
I know it's the greatest thing you know.
I think I will.
I'll always be proud ofchristopher because, like he's
the only is he the only pilot inour family?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I don't know um, let me think, think as far as I know
, is that completely true?
I do not know.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
I mean there could be someone else with, like a
private pilot license, but Idon't know if there's someone,
maybe distant family, yeah, our,immediate family, like you know
, in terms of like differentroles, because there's we have
like nurses and we have ourdoctor yeah, a lot of a lot of
our families in the medicalfield and like, yeah, so that's
(02:52):
why I think it was, it was justlike, oh, that's so cool that he
flies a plane, you know, butyeah, so I always think it's
important to know like you're afamily, you're a homemaker and
your focus is your family.
Right now and before you got towhere you are, did you grow up?
Where were you born?
Were you born in Grenada?
(03:13):
Remind me.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, so I was born in Grenada and then we left
right about maybe a month afterI turned 10 and we moved to New
York and I didn't like it verymuch, you know, it was like kind
of a culture shock from Grenadato bam New York City, you know,
and it was OK but it wasn'tlike my cup of tea.
(03:39):
And then we moved to Texas andwe moved near the Houston area
but outside of Houston more nowback to the country, more of a
little country part of in thatarea, like outside Houston, and
so we really enjoyed it therebecause, although it wasn't like
Renata, but you know we can goconcrete jungle kind of thing
(04:03):
like New York, so that's kind ofI, I really enjoyed it there
and so I spent, um, yeah, mostof my wow a lot of years in
Texas.
From when did we move to Texas?
We actually moved to Texastwice.
So I went through fifth gradein New York, moved to Texas and
(04:25):
went through sixth grade,seventh grade, eighth grade in
Texas, part of eighth grade.
Then we moved back to New Yorkand I did eighth grade and part
of ninth grade in New YorkWasn't going that well.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Why did you move back ?
Do you remember, like why?
Why did you guys move back toNew York?
Wasn't going that well, why didyou move back?
Do you remember, like why?
Why did you guys move back toNew?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
York.
We moved back to New Yorkbecause at the time like the
salary from New York to Texaswas like a shock for my mom and
it didn't really get any better,and so she's like I can't, I
just can't, and so we moved backto New York.
And then she quickly realizedlike we didn't do as well there
(05:10):
in New York.
So she pretty much said, well,yeah, finished high school and
college in Texas and part of myadulthood there.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, wow.
So I think it's in the blood.
It's traveling like the wholelifestyle, like.
I mean it's like when you'retrying to find your way, because
I moved around a lot too canrelate to you, like we moved a
lot in Toronto, like, and I'vemoved a lot myself, so yeah, you
just kind of have to find thatplace, that kind of jives with
(05:53):
you, you know yeah yeah because,home is where the heart is, and
if you're not finding that,that peace, it's like oh, it's
time to go or it's just rightworking out.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah the right neighbor or right neighborhood,
or yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
If you don't feel comfortable coming home, it's
like okay, time to go yeah, yeah, so now that you're I mean,
we're both born in Grenada, youobviously stayed a lot longer.
Do you find, like living inGrenada for the time that you
did kind of grounded you in away?
(06:28):
Like now that you're back inGrenada, did you see yourself
coming back and living inGrenada, you know?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah, I actually wanted to move to Grenada even
before I got married.
And then, once Todd and I gottogether, I'm like, ah, that's
going to be a bit of a cultureshock for him and so I decided
to pump the brakes on that andI'm like I'm going to kind of
put that on the back burneruntil I think that he may be
(06:56):
ready for that or if that wouldever happen.
But I knew like right away inthe beginning of our marriage,
like that would not, that wouldbode well.
Like you know, it would takehim a while, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
I mean I, you know him morethan anyone else, right?
So it's one of those thingswhere you just have to gauge
like it's like when you'remarried.
It's a whole different thing.
I know you don't identify asTexan per se, but the Texas
accent will never go away.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I don't think it will .
Speaker 1 (07:27):
You know what I mean.
It's just part of who you are.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I kind of think of myself as Texan somewhat,
because I'm like I love goingback to Texas too.
I do feel like a sense of homewhen I go there and my kids they
like it too.
I took them and they're likecan we go back to Texas, mom,
you know?
Because I'm like this is mymiddle school and that's my high
(07:50):
school and that's where I wentto college, and so I mean, where
did you go to college?
Speaker 1 (07:56):
San Jacinto.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
College.
Well, they have a couplecampuses, but it's a junior
college and it was San JacintoCollege and the central campus
and then the north campus aswell, so they have one in
pasadena and one in houston.
Itself like, but yeah, I mean,I even missed the.
Well, I'm a foodie, so, like Imissed the food.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Definitely, I definitely go back for the food
okay, so so tell me what's yourfavorite food like, what's your
favorite like restaurant orplace?
Because we always used to whenwe were visiting you.
It was like we I love that wewent to Sonic to try the fries.
You know there's so manydifferent places to eat in Texas
, right?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
so oh gosh so I'm gonna go with I mean there's I'm
going to go with.
I'm going to go with somethingthat I don't find, a lot of
places, and OK, so the Mexicanfood.
I just love the Mexican food inTexas because, well, tex-mex
and there's a lot of Mexico, soI'd say the taquerias over there
(08:58):
, oh my God, I like that.
But and then then they havelike the bakeries God, they have
that Polish, the kolaches.
But it's not like kolaches thatyou'll find, like your typical
Polish kolaches.
No, it's kolaches how they doit, texas style.
So it's different than whatlike maybe Polish would call.
(09:19):
You know, your typical Polishkolaches.
So Texas has like ham and cheeseand then they have like sausage
and cheese and of course, whatwould it?
You know, wouldn't be Texaswithout like jalapenos in the
mix of everything, and so thatused to be like one of my
favorite things that I miss somuch was getting up on a
Saturday morning and going downto the bakery and go get a
(09:42):
kolache, like wow, yeah, andthen they have like non-chain
donut places and it's just agood Texas donut.
I don't know what to say,that's about it.
I couldn't even describe it,but that was like one of my
favorite place.
So I guess the Mexican food god, you can go get like what they
(10:02):
call snow cone, but from theMexican place, again you go.
I don't want to get out of thisbus or whatever, and it's just
a snow cone and they just makeit the best to me like I think
everything's better in Texas,right, right it's all it's all
about, like the Tex-Mex I don'tknow.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
We didn't like, we didn't try a lot of Tex-Mex
stuff.
We went to KFC Jack in the Box,sonic, you know, and where else
did you guys think us?
We went to this other place,yeah, but I guess we didn't have
a good Texas meal.
We didn't have a good Texasmeal.
We didn't have like yourtypical.
I know I like TGIF.
(10:39):
You know what it's sooverwhelming and there's a lot
to do when you're in Texas.
So I guess we did a bit, alittle bit of this, a little bit
of that At that time.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Yeah, there's a lot, oh, and Cajun food.
Oh, my goodness, can't forgetCajun, because Louisiana's right
there, like from Houston.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
So Cajun food like boudin and crawfish etouffee and
mostly boudin barbecue, god,you cannot even the like oh my
gosh, where's the best place forthose like I mean for for those
like in Texas or want to go toTexas?
It sounds like like if you'rein Texas, you got to get some
(11:18):
barbecue, some barbecue ribs orsomething quite a while.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
So I cannot say where , okay, but it's usually, I will
say, for when I was there itwould usually be that hole in
the wall.
You might not be able to sit inthere, but it would be that
hole in the wall where where youwould wonder, are they really
serving food there?
But it would smell really goodand so those are the places you
(11:44):
would go and get like the bestbarbecue.
It's like your small mom andpop place that that that they
would just they would haveawesome barbecue and just can't
beat it.
They used to have these placesthat would make these loaded
barbecue potatoes and they wouldhave barbecue chicken.
Then they would have a bakedpotato and they would put
(12:06):
barbecue chicken on it and thenthey would chop up some brisket
and put that on top and thenchop up some pulled pork or
something and put that on topwith bacon and onions and chives
and cheese.
What that was awesome girl.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
I am like I'm salivating right now, like I'm
getting hungry, like justlistening to you talk about food
.
Let's change the topic.
Oh, my goodness, this is.
This is like we'll definitelyhave to go down.
Yes, go circle back to the foodbecause, oh my god, but you know
you're talking about texas.
You know that thing.
I left my heart in texas.
(12:43):
Do you feel that's true?
Did you leave your heart intexas?
Did I leave my heart in texas?
Oh my god, did you leave yourhome in texas?
Like there's a part of you thatstill you.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
You know there's a part of me that still has a
thing for Texas.
But I was kind of I always kindof felt this well, grenada too,
you know.
So my big heart was here inGrenada too.
But yeah, I do, I miss Texaswhen I go back to live.
I don't know, we did that wasone of the things we were gonna
do.
We actually did try to move backafter we got married.
(13:14):
We, I, was to move back afterwe got married.
I was going to move back toTexas because I'm like you know,
florida's getting kind of, eh,I want to move back to Texas.
And he was all for it.
I got a job and he did not getthe job he wanted.
So we kind of went okay.
So I turned down my positionand we moved.
That's when we moved to.
(13:35):
We left Tallahassee and movedto Palm Coast, yeah.
So we kind of did a ixnay onthe Texas thing and stayed in
Florida, but we moved more toCentral Florida as opposed to
North Florida, yeah, wow.
So I will say, the two placesthat have my heart, though, is
(13:56):
Texas and North and Pennsylvania.
Yeah, pennsylvania most peoplemight think of Philly, not
Philly, not at all.
No, we were out in the sticksin the country, like in central
Pennsylvania, amish country alittle, maybe about 45 minutes
from Amish country.
So yeah, we were out in thesticks.
(14:17):
So in the summer it reminded mea lot of Grenada, like, like
you know, narrow the more narrowroads, you know you have to
wait on the car to come acrossthe bridge and then you go real
mountainous, hilly, hills andcurves, hairpin turns, that kind
of stuff, that part ofPennsylvania that we lived in
(14:38):
and farms everywhere.
So yeah, it reminded me a lot.
I feel like it prepared me tomove to Grenada honestly,
because when I drive there itkind of reminds me of here.
So I feel like as far asdriving prepared me for Grenada,
like the roads and such- youthink it did.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Like I'm the roads a little bit bigger than the ones
in Grenada, like I can never getover the roads, like I mean
Grenada, that's the one thing,like you notice it when you're
driving to the country,especially how narrow the roads
are, and then the British styledriving too, but yeah so, okay,
the opposite side, no, but wehad freeways, of course, in
(15:18):
Pennsylvania and the area wewere.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
But when you get to like in the back country, like
the roads we drove and stuffthere, like we were, we lived in
a little town.
When I told you a little town,hey, first Christmas we were
there.
Bring, not Christmas Eve.
The day before Christmas Eve,hey, miss Hatcher, yes, hello,
you have a package here andwe're going to be closing this,
(15:42):
probably Christmas gifts, so youmight want to come get that and
just come knock the door.
We're at lunch anyway, butknock the door.
Like most post office don'tclose for lunch, but like they
do in Grenada, like they used to, I should say, things used to
close for about an hour.
And so there, the post officeclosed for about an hour and so
(16:03):
you go knock the back doorbecause they're at lunch and
they told you to come and youget your package.
And, like everybody knows eachother in this town that we lived
in, and so there were verynarrow roads and, like a couple
of the bridges, you'd have towait for the person to pass so
you could go, because two carscan't fit at the same time, and
(16:25):
then, like at the end of theyear, christmas, everyone goes
to like this place called theChildren's Lake and the bank
passes out cookies and the firestation passes out hot chocolate
and everybody looks at the townChristmas tree being lit and
Santa comes up in his littleboat down the lake and you know.
(16:47):
And then everyone has a goodtime and they go home.
We all do fireworks togetherout there it was.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It was a small town, so it was like a lot like we
need to what everyone kind ofknow each other, you know yeah,
no, I I understand, because it'slike when you watch those
Christmas movies, like hearingyou talk about it, it's like a
lot of those Christmas movieswhere they are in a small town
and then, like even last night Iwatched the movie and this man,
(17:14):
he used to put the tree out infront of his house as a reminder
because he lost contact withhis son.
Like the wife took the kid withher and then he told his son,
like always, look out for theChristmas tree.
So every year he left the treeout and then they did that.
But yeah, it's like that smalltown thing where I guess he was
(17:35):
so miserable and then one of theneighbors decided to light the
tree up.
You know what I mean.
So hearing you say that it'slike full circle yeah, everybody
knows you movie.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Yeah, yeah, like you go to the bank.
You go to the bank and you'relike, hey, and you, you know,
you call their name and theycall your name and you're like,
oh, oh, where are the girlstoday?
Oh, they're not here.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
They're often, you know, and it's just Did you like
that?
Did you like everyone knowingyour name?
Like you know, it's like anepisode of Cheers where
everybody knows your name.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Yeah, yeah, I won't say everybody, but like places,
the post office, banks, certainrestaurants, not all depends on
how frequently you went, or yeah, you kind of, even if they
didn't know your name, you knewtheir face and you know, yeah,
you know, type thing.
I mean so much so, where wewent down to the neighbors to
(18:35):
get eggs, or you know well, notthe neighbors, but you know some
people down the road they raisechickens.
We'd get our eggs from them.
If I grew extra herbs, I'd takesome down to her.
She was like, oh well, sinceyou gave me some herbs, you can
have some eggs, or things likethat.
Yeah, I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Hey, can I have more?
Ms Hatcher, can I get a cup ofsugar?
Pretty much, yeah, oh my gosh,that is so amazing.
Though I feel like you've hadquite the adventure to getting
to where you are now, because Ialways say this is my saying
(19:14):
it's not where you're going,it's where you came from, and I
feel like Grenada, even thoughit's it's a smaller Island, a
small community of people, butit brings so many people
together and I think that's whyI mean I left so young, and even
people now like I've had one ortwo people ask me why I created
(19:35):
this show, and I feel like Iwant I want as many people to
know about Grenada, because it'sa beautiful place.
When you're there and the peopleare so humble.
Based on, like, my experienceswith talking to people and
hearing their story, likehearing your story too, you know
what I mean, and I'm sure youhave like some great memories of
(19:57):
Grenada.
Like, were your parents?
Like we didn't talk about that,but your mom and your dad?
Did they meet in Grenada?
Like, did you grow up with bothof them in Grenada?
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Yeah, so they met in Grenada, got married in Grenada,
had my brother and I, and thenyou know, grenada is pretty
small.
So when they sort of werewanting to go their separate
ways, you know my mom kind ofwas like, well, you know Grenada
is kind of small and so shereally went her separate way.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Into the United States.
Yeah, so, yeah, and so my dadwas here for a while and then he
eventually made his way to NewYork, but I think he always
wanted to make his way backbecause the I don't know if he
came with the idea like that, itwould be the same as Green Ada.
But you know, from the way hespoke, it was kind of a rude
(20:50):
awakening the difference inpeople, and you know what I mean
.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitelynot what you expected.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
So do you feel like you and your brother, like we're
really close growing up andlike like brother and sister who
are, you know, in that wayalways?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
always, always, always.
God talked a lot.
You know we have our ups anddowns, like all siblings do, but
pretty much always yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yeah, me and Vanessa are cousins because my
grandmother like my on my mom'sside, so like my grandmother's
sister.
Yeah, yeah, it's my mom, mm.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Hmm, there we go and so we share.
Oh, so yeah, your greatgrandmother will be my
grandmother yeah, yeah, what afamily tree.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
When they started working on that, I was like, oh
my goodness, our, mygreat-grandfather, was very busy
.
Yeah, he was.
Oh my goodness.
I'm just like when we, when Iwent to the reunion, I'm like
all these people are relatedsomehow, like, how, like, yeah,
(22:04):
like Vanessa is like baby andshe told me I said, how are we
related?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
and she goes you know what I would explain.
But it's actually the family isa pumpkin vine and I'm just
gonna leave it at that, that andI'm like you know what, I'll
just take that.
Yeah, I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I mean I wish I hadn't met her when I had to do
a family tree, you know, because, like, and they always ask you
to do that and I'm like, well, Idon't even know, because it's
just like, even on my dad's side, like I'm trying to figure some
(22:45):
of that out, and I'm like, oh,this is, this is getting too
complicated.
Yeah, right, it's a lot, it's alot Caribbean family, but okay,
so you've had this journey andso I guess what I, what I have
to get back to, is just theprocess of getting to Grenada.
Right, so you're an Americancitizen and you also have
Grenadian citizenship, so do all.
And when you started theprocess, tell me how it worked.
Like, was it hard getting on?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Like it's more of a.
For me, I think it was more ofa mental, mental when are you
going to take that next step?
And that was the hardest thingto just say that's what we're
going to do, because we wouldcome down and we'll go oh God,
you know, we got to do this, wegot to do that, we got to do
(23:25):
that.
And it was always a neverending waiting for the perfect
everything to line up.
And this last time we were justlike you know what, we're just
going to do it, we're just goingto stay.
But the process to that.
Before that also, my husband, ofcourse he's.
He's not a Grenadian citizen,he, he's a US citizen.
(23:47):
And then so my children.
They also did not have aGrenada passport.
So I ended up calling the.
I wanted to make sure that theyall had a Grenada passport,
like their citizenship, to beable to move.
Well, they couldn't move herewithout it, but I just preferred
that they had it.
And so for the girls, it waseasier to get them a passport.
(24:09):
Darren was a little harderbecause he's over 18.
So he would have to take, like,do a bunch of blood tests and
such, but still be able to gethis citizenship through me as
his mom.
The girls, since they werepretty young, they before
required the blood test.
They did all the blood testsand such, and then the lady from
(24:30):
the consulate called and saidyou know what?
They don't have to do thatanymore.
So she had me get all thedocuments up, like if you the
the.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
So just just the the facts.
So for those like looking atthe paperwork side, if you're
not a Grenadian citizen, youhave to get a Grenadian passport
.
Is that what you're saying?
Like all that paper?
No, oh no.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
I think I misunderstood.
If you want to move to Grenada,you can move to Grenada, but
you would just have to keeprenewing a visa or whatever,
depending on where you're from.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Like a work visa.
Yeah, because most people justdo that.
Yeah, but you have to have ajob, right.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
And then your work visa, the entire logistics of it
, and then they also have theCitizen by Investment program,
and I, you know we didn't gothat route, but I don't know too
.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I know it's like just to simplify things, though you
were doing it in a way so thatit would make it easier for you
to move and not have to keeprenewing, like your visa, every
six months, right, right?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
for the, for the kids and my husband.
So that's why I did that, youknow, ok, ok, and so school,
everything.
It would just be simpler ifeveryone was a citizen as well.
It's kind of like me getting mycitizenship in the US.
It would just made everythingso much more simple, and so
that's why we did that.
And so with the girls, it's not, you just simply call the
(26:03):
embassy, not the consulate, Icall the embassy in washington I
know that's what it is inwashington, yeah in the us yeah,
yeah, yeah in miami.
And then they have a embassy ora consulate in new york, but
they have an embassy in dc andthey're very helpful there.
They you.
(26:23):
If you can't find the formsonline which they are online
they'll still email it to youand say this is what you need,
that's what you need to do.
These are the steps.
It's pretty idiot proof andthey walk me through everything.
And so they're like just walkinto the office when you get to
(26:44):
Grenada with everything filledout in hand, whatever you need,
notarized, notarized before youget there, and just here's my
package.
And that's what we did.
And within a few days we hadthe girl's passport.
And because I had everythingdone, and then as far as Todd,
for him the process is a littlelonger he had to get like a
(27:07):
reference letter as far as hischaracter and such from someone
in the US, and so he did thatand we filed his paperwork for
his citizenship in December andby the next April he had it his
citizenship.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
The next April.
So like a full year, like ayear.
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
What December?
So like the end, yeah the year,and then so then you had it was
right before Christmas, andthen January, february, march,
april, so like four months Wow.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Wow, like I think they did say, it's not a long.
It's not too long of a process,as long as you, you're not
living a life of crying right.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Right right, right right.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Clean record.
Like do they do like a recordcheck, like is it that serious?
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, they do a check .
I believe they do a check,check.
That's what takes so long.
It's like they make sureeverything is, you know, on the
up and up yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
When did you meet, todd?
Did you meet like I, or is itearly 2000, so is it like yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
have you guys been married this year?
Speaker 1 (28:16):
we've been married 18 years I know, I was wondering
if it was like up to 20.
Yeah, yeah, because I was like.
I remember my, me and my sisterfirst came to visit you and
your mom in Texas.
Like we spent the summer there,like it was all.
It was like six weeks.
And then the next time I cameto visit you you were like
engaged to get married, like youand Todd were already like an
(28:38):
item.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
No, you came one time .
You guys came when we were,when I was in that apartment in
Florida.
Remember what do you mean?
You came before that you came alittle bit before that at the
apartment in Florida, that'saround the time Todd and I met
oh okay, years we kind of liketalked a little bit and then
(29:01):
kind of went on our own separateways, lost each other's number,
and then it's just weird how wegot back together it was meant
to be.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
It was meant to be.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Yeah, how did you guys get a hold of each other
again.
So prayers, literal prayers,yeah, oh yeah, I was.
You know.
I got to the point where I waslike you know what?
I think I'm ready to settledown.
I kind of I had to look atmyself in the mirror and say you
know what's going on with you?
Why do you always like you knowyou don't stay in a
(29:32):
relationship?
And I realized I kind of likethe runaway bride.
I feel like I was alwaysrunning away, like if I even
thought someone would dosomething wrong, like it was
like after my whole deal withDarian's dad, you know, I was
like gone, goodbye, nope.
And so I realized like I had tostop doing that because I would
(29:54):
never settle down if I didn'tstop running.
And so I kind of had that talkwith myself and I'm like okay, I
think I'm ready to settle down.
So went to bed that night and Ihad a nice long prayer and a
nice chat and I'm like you know,god and ancestors, whoever's
listening, I am ready.
(30:14):
And I'm like I remember sayingto myself too I'm like I don't
do well with hints and parablesI literally said that and I'm
like throw, throw this man in mylap, whoever this man is
supposed to be, that I'm meantto be with, throw him in my lap
because I can't.
I don't do well with hints andparables, no lie.
(30:36):
The very next day, my phonerang and it's taught.
Wow.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Yeah, my heart, my heart was like right in that
story that, vanessa, I'm tellingyou, you guys, when I get you
in the hot seat, you guys tellme these amazing stories.
I can't believe that.
Like there is still hope for me.
Like you know what I meanHearing you say that Cause I'm
just like I feel like in inevery stage of our lives, like
(31:01):
when we have that moment ofclarity, we're like, yeah, what
do I need to do now?
Like I need to focus, I need to.
You know, just hearing you saythat, oh, my gosh, you have to
read this book.
My friend referred it to me.
I'm going to like, if I canafford to, I'm going to like
share this book with like a lotof people it's called
Conversations with God and bookwith like a lot of people it's
(31:26):
called conversations with God,and it's an amazing book.
Like I, I started reading.
I'm not done, but it's.
It's so like I, I'm alwaystalking to people and and I feel
like I was supposed to talk tomy mentor and he's the one that
told me to read this book.
He's like Carleen, this is likemy favorite book.
You have to read it and I gotit.
It's in five book series.
(31:49):
But I started the first one andjust hearing you say that like
well the kicker, yeah thatconversation.
You had.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Yeah, yeah, the kicker part was that day Todd
was telling me he he was workingin corrections at the time and
he went into the chapel with acouple of the inmates and so he
sat at the back and he was kindof like, yeah, I'm just, I'm
ready to settle down, you know,type thing.
And he just didn't know, likeyou know, what the next step was
(32:21):
.
And he said he went home thatday and he was looking for
something in the closet and hesaid out of this box, tipped
over, and he said his old umnext cell phone just tumbled out
on the floor in front of himand he says, huh, I wonder if
(32:41):
that girl's vanessa's phonenumber is still in this phone.
That's what he thought aboutwhen the next cell phone fumbled
out.
And so that is why he called me.
A box accidentally fell, thephone flew out and he called me.
He had your number still.
It was still stored in thephone.
But what are the odds?
You know I say fling him in mylap.
(33:02):
I can't deal with hints.
He's in the chapel.
You know I say fling him in mylap, I can't deal with hints.
He's in the chapel going.
Yeah, I'm ready to settle downand then he's looking for
something it boxed over and bam,this old phone flies out.
He boots it up and my number isstill in it, and so he thought
the person he thought about wasme, and he called me and the
rest is history.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Oh my gosh, that is amazing.
I love that story.
That's a beautiful story.
Oh that was beautiful.
I was right there with you.
I just saw you.
I just like you were.
I was feeling the emotion withthat.
Oh my that was powerful.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I love that, oh, my God so yeah, yes, they do.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yes, I think I think a lot of people like, sometimes
we there's all these things Ifeel like your story just made
me think of.
Ok, I got to share this onestory and then I know it's
getting late so we're going towrap it up, but to be continued,
so I went to work hearing yourstory about, like just
(34:05):
conversations with God.
This is a story about paying itforward and I'm always like
trying.
I always try and help people ifI can.
And I went to the hair store,vanessa, and I had no money to
buy any product for my hair.
I only went there to buy likehair, like this hairspray or
whatever.
And I was in the the the hairroom and there was this girl
(34:28):
there and I was just talking toher, cause, like I don't know, I
always have a hard timechoosing what, what style I'm
going to do next, or what likeextension I'm going to put in my
hair or whatever.
And she's like, oh, I just, itjust speaks to me.
She's like like whatever, Ifeel that's what I get.
I'm like, really, it's thateasy.
Like I'm like it's not likethat for me, like you should see
me, I'm like trying ondifferent ones and she's just
(34:48):
like oh, what do you?
I'm like so she ended upchoosing this really nice one.
I'm like oh, that's so nice,you know what I mean.
And lo and behold, she's likejust choose the style you want,
I'm gonna get it for you.
I'm like oh wow, first time ever.
Wow, she literally bought me mystare, the style I'm wearing
right now.
Vanessa, I was like, bless yourheart.
(35:09):
I was like, literally, she'slike hurry up, just choose it
now and then we're getting theline.
I was like because I was likedid I hear that?
No way, wow, her name is Shayand I, I swear she's just.
She just came from like she wasa blessing after work.
She just made my day.
I couldn't believe it.
I was like and I gave swear, shejust, she just came from like
she was a blessing after work,she just made my day.
I couldn't believe it.
I was like and I gave her likea drink, because I just, um, had
finished work and I bought onedrink, two drinks, right, and I
(35:31):
was just like, wow, I couldn'tbelieve it.
Vanessa, like, I was just likeevery time you think there's
like you lose hope inside ofpeople, something like that
happens and I'm just like I haveto like I mean, I'll pay it
forward.
I did it one way this week, butnot to that extent, but I will
do it because that was just likeunbelievable.
And so, yeah, people areamazing, yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
I'm a hard believer in it forward, and a lot of
times you think the hope is gone, but then someone, somewhere,
somehow surprise you.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Yeah, and like, and your prayer, just like it, just
it just rang his phone, like itwas, just like happened, like
you were ready.
How old were you when you saidthat?
Like you were at that point inyour life.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Thirty two, I would say yeah, one thirty two, yeah,
32.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
I want to say yeah, 132, yeah, I guess it's when
you're ready, like that clarity.
I think it's.
It wasn't that like we all havedifferent stages in our life
where we're okay, I'm ready.
Now I'm ready, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I was pretty much like okay, I'm ready.
I and I understood, like, myissues.
And so I I did.
I told him I'm like listen, I'mprobably gonna like listen, I'm
probably going to try to leaveyou, I'm probably going to
conjure up something to say thatthis is not working out.
I'm like don't, don't listen tome, don't listen to me, like,
(36:55):
really talk some sense into myhead.
And so he's like okay, I'm likeI'm for real, this is my issue
and I figured it out and I'mjust letting you know I'm
probably going to try to go away.
Don't let me do that.
And so he was very patient andhe did not.
I tried and he was like youknow, remember we had this
conversation, you're doing it,you're doing it.
(37:16):
And I'm like yeah, yeah, I am.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Aren't I am, aren't I ?
Yeah, I am okay, all right, youknow, wow, I love it.
I love it.
That's a beautiful story, it'sa beautiful thing.
You know, conversation likeit's just like he heard your
prayer.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember darian and um jamal's
sister, darian's um cousin.
They were in the car when herang and I'm like, after I hung
up from him, I'm like what God,you work so fast.
This is like not even a whole24 hour.
(37:52):
I was like what are you talking?
Speaker 1 (37:55):
about.
Wow, it wasn't even a full day.
I was like what?
Speaker 2 (38:00):
That night I prayed and the very next day during the
day.
I'm like that night I prayedand the very next day during the
day, but a ring, a ding, a day.
I'm like wow, you work fast.
I literally said that.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
Yeah, so I guess you're a firm believer.
Yeah, for sure.
Oh my gosh, I'm in shocker.
I'm speechless, I don't evenknow what to say.
I'm like, wow, the power ofprayer, yeah, prayers.
Yeah yeah, every time.
Yeah, prayers and meditation.
Thank you for listening toNutmeg Nation with Carlene
(38:32):
Humphrey.
hi, I'm carlene and this is not magnation.
I am so excited I have a familymember.
Her name is vanessa hatcher andshe's in grenada and we're
cousins and she's actually movedto Grenada, and so it's
(00:23):
important to discuss what theprocess is like for anyone who
is interested in living a moresimple life and living in the
Caribbean.
So tell me about yourself.
You know, what do you dofull-time?
(00:45):
What's your passion.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Wow, my passion, god, I haven't been asked that in a
while.
I don't know.
I think I'm passionate aboutbeing a homemaker.
I am a housewife right now, atthis time, and I'm enjoying just
, you know, being a homemaker.
I think I kind of realized thatwhen we moved to Pennsylvania,
out in the country, andeverything was kind of simple
(01:09):
and you know, I kind of like theidea of homesteading type thing
.
I guess, yeah, that's, I wouldsay that.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Yeah, yeah.
So like you have three kids,two of them are younger right?
Speaker 2 (01:24):
are younger and one he just turned 28.
Yeah, yeah, wow, I'm like wheredoes the time go?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
yeah, yeah, it was just the other day.
I remember, like you know, justhis whole fascination with
planes, and you know, that'swhat I, that's what I remember
because of his excitement, likeyou.
You know, when kids are soexcited, like they, they, when
they're passionate aboutsomething, that's all they want
to think about, that's all theytalk about, that's it, you know,
(01:55):
yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
I'll take him down to the airport to watch yeah land
and take off, and so he wasalways excited about that.
Oh, yeah, yeah, so pilot.
So he was like, oh, I want tofly too.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
I know it's the greatest thing you know.
I think I will.
I'll always be proud ofchristopher because, like he's
the only is he the only pilot inour family?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I don't know um, let me think, think as far as I know
, is that completely true?
I do not know.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
I mean there could be someone else with, like a
private pilot license, but Idon't know if there's someone,
maybe distant family, yeah, our,immediate family, like you know
, in terms of like differentroles, because there's we have
like nurses and we have ourdoctor yeah, a lot of a lot of
our families in the medicalfield and like, yeah, so that's
(02:52):
why I think it was, it was justlike, oh, that's so cool that he
flies a plane, you know, butyeah, so I always think it's
important to know like you're afamily, you're a homemaker and
your focus is your family.
Right now and before you got towhere you are, did you grow up?
Where were you born?
Were you born in Grenada?
(03:13):
Remind me.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, so I was born in Grenada and then we left
right about maybe a month afterI turned 10 and we moved to New
York and I didn't like it verymuch, you know, it was like kind
of a culture shock from Grenadato bam New York City, you know,
and it was OK but it wasn'tlike my cup of tea.
(03:39):
And then we moved to Texas andwe moved near the Houston area
but outside of Houston more nowback to the country, more of a
little country part of in thatarea, like outside Houston, and
so we really enjoyed it therebecause, although it wasn't like
Renata, but you know we can goconcrete jungle kind of thing
(04:03):
like New York, so that's kind ofI, I really enjoyed it there
and so I spent, um, yeah, mostof my wow a lot of years in
Texas.
From when did we move to Texas?
We actually moved to Texastwice.
So I went through fifth gradein New York, moved to Texas and
(04:25):
went through sixth grade,seventh grade, eighth grade in
Texas, part of eighth grade.
Then we moved back to New Yorkand I did eighth grade and part
of ninth grade in New YorkWasn't going that well.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Why did you move back ?
Do you remember, like why?
Why did you guys move back toNew York?
Wasn't going that well, why didyou move back?
Do you remember, like why?
Why did you guys move back toNew?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
York.
We moved back to New Yorkbecause at the time like the
salary from New York to Texaswas like a shock for my mom and
it didn't really get any better,and so she's like I can't, I
just can't, and so we moved backto New York.
And then she quickly realizedlike we didn't do as well there
(05:10):
in New York.
So she pretty much said, well,yeah, finished high school and
college in Texas and part of myadulthood there.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, wow.
So I think it's in the blood.
It's traveling like the wholelifestyle, like.
I mean it's like when you'retrying to find your way, because
I moved around a lot too canrelate to you, like we moved a
lot in Toronto, like, and I'vemoved a lot myself, so yeah, you
just kind of have to find thatplace, that kind of jives with
(05:53):
you, you know yeah yeah because,home is where the heart is, and
if you're not finding that,that peace, it's like oh, it's
time to go or it's just rightworking out.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Yeah the right neighbor or right neighborhood,
or yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
If you don't feel comfortable coming home, it's
like okay, time to go yeah, yeah, so now that you're I mean,
we're both born in Grenada, youobviously stayed a lot longer.
Do you find, like living inGrenada for the time that you
did kind of grounded you in away?
(06:28):
Like now that you're back inGrenada, did you see yourself
coming back and living inGrenada, you know?
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah, I actually wanted to move to Grenada even
before I got married.
And then, once Todd and I gottogether, I'm like, ah, that's
going to be a bit of a cultureshock for him and so I decided
to pump the brakes on that andI'm like I'm going to kind of
put that on the back burneruntil I think that he may be
(06:56):
ready for that or if that wouldever happen.
But I knew like right away inthe beginning of our marriage,
like that would not, that wouldbode well.
Like you know, it would takehim a while, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
I mean I, you know him morethan anyone else, right?
So it's one of those thingswhere you just have to gauge
like it's like when you'remarried.
It's a whole different thing.
I know you don't identify asTexan per se, but the Texas
accent will never go away.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I don't think it will .
Speaker 1 (07:27):
You know what I mean.
It's just part of who you are.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I kind of think of myself as Texan somewhat,
because I'm like I love goingback to Texas too.
I do feel like a sense of homewhen I go there and my kids they
like it too.
I took them and they're likecan we go back to Texas, mom,
you know?
Because I'm like this is mymiddle school and that's my high
(07:50):
school and that's where I wentto college, and so I mean, where
did you go to college?
Speaker 1 (07:56):
San Jacinto.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
College.
Well, they have a couplecampuses, but it's a junior
college and it was San JacintoCollege and the central campus
and then the north campus aswell, so they have one in
pasadena and one in houston.
Itself like, but yeah, I mean,I even missed the.
Well, I'm a foodie, so, like Imissed the food.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Definitely, I definitely go back for the food
okay, so so tell me what's yourfavorite food like, what's your
favorite like restaurant orplace?
Because we always used to whenwe were visiting you.
It was like we I love that wewent to Sonic to try the fries.
You know there's so manydifferent places to eat in Texas
, right?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
so oh gosh so I'm gonna go with I mean there's I'm
going to go with.
I'm going to go with somethingthat I don't find, a lot of
places, and OK, so the Mexicanfood.
I just love the Mexican food inTexas because, well, tex-mex
and there's a lot of Mexico, soI'd say the taquerias over there
(08:58):
, oh my God, I like that.
But and then then they havelike the bakeries God, they have
that Polish, the kolaches.
But it's not like kolaches thatyou'll find, like your typical
Polish kolaches.
No, it's kolaches how they doit, texas style.
So it's different than whatlike maybe Polish would call.
(09:19):
You know, your typical Polishkolaches.
So Texas has like ham and cheeseand then they have like sausage
and cheese and of course, whatwould it?
You know, wouldn't be Texaswithout like jalapenos in the
mix of everything, and so thatused to be like one of my
favorite things that I miss somuch was getting up on a
Saturday morning and going downto the bakery and go get a
(09:42):
kolache, like wow, yeah, andthen they have like non-chain
donut places and it's just agood Texas donut.
I don't know what to say,that's about it.
I couldn't even describe it,but that was like one of my
favorite place.
So I guess the Mexican food god, you can go get like what they
(10:02):
call snow cone, but from theMexican place, again you go.
I don't want to get out of thisbus or whatever, and it's just
a snow cone and they just makeit the best to me like I think
everything's better in Texas,right, right it's all it's all
about, like the Tex-Mex I don'tknow.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
We didn't like, we didn't try a lot of Tex-Mex
stuff.
We went to KFC Jack in the Box,sonic, you know, and where else
did you guys think us?
We went to this other place,yeah, but I guess we didn't have
a good Texas meal.
We didn't have a good Texasmeal.
We didn't have like yourtypical.
I know I like TGIF.
(10:39):
You know what it's sooverwhelming and there's a lot
to do when you're in Texas.
So I guess we did a bit, alittle bit of this, a little bit
of that At that time.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Yeah, there's a lot, oh, and Cajun food.
Oh, my goodness, can't forgetCajun, because Louisiana's right
there, like from Houston.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
So Cajun food like boudin and crawfish etouffee and
mostly boudin barbecue, god,you cannot even the like oh my
gosh, where's the best place forthose like I mean for for those
like in Texas or want to go toTexas?
It sounds like like if you'rein Texas, you got to get some
(11:18):
barbecue, some barbecue ribs orsomething quite a while.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
So I cannot say where , okay, but it's usually, I will
say, for when I was there itwould usually be that hole in
the wall.
You might not be able to sit inthere, but it would be that
hole in the wall where where youwould wonder, are they really
serving food there?
But it would smell really goodand so those are the places you
(11:44):
would go and get like the bestbarbecue.
It's like your small mom andpop place that that that they
would just they would haveawesome barbecue and just can't
beat it.
They used to have these placesthat would make these loaded
barbecue potatoes and they wouldhave barbecue chicken.
Then they would have a bakedpotato and they would put
(12:06):
barbecue chicken on it and thenthey would chop up some brisket
and put that on top and thenchop up some pulled pork or
something and put that on topwith bacon and onions and chives
and cheese.
What that was awesome girl.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
I am like I'm salivating right now, like I'm
getting hungry, like justlistening to you talk about food
.
Let's change the topic.
Oh, my goodness, this is.
This is like we'll definitelyhave to go down.
Yes, go circle back to the foodbecause, oh my god, but you know
you're talking about texas.
You know that thing.
I left my heart in texas.
(12:43):
Do you feel that's true?
Did you leave your heart intexas?
Did I leave my heart in texas?
Oh my god, did you leave yourhome in texas?
Like there's a part of you thatstill you.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
You know there's a part of me that still has a
thing for Texas.
But I was kind of I always kindof felt this well, grenada too,
you know.
So my big heart was here inGrenada too.
But yeah, I do, I miss Texaswhen I go back to live.
I don't know, we did that wasone of the things we were gonna
do.
We actually did try to move backafter we got married.
(13:14):
We, I, was to move back afterwe got married.
I was going to move back toTexas because I'm like you know,
florida's getting kind of, eh,I want to move back to Texas.
And he was all for it.
I got a job and he did not getthe job he wanted.
So we kind of went okay.
So I turned down my positionand we moved.
That's when we moved to.
(13:35):
We left Tallahassee and movedto Palm Coast, yeah.
So we kind of did a ixnay onthe Texas thing and stayed in
Florida, but we moved more toCentral Florida as opposed to
North Florida, yeah, wow.
So I will say, the two placesthat have my heart, though, is
(13:56):
Texas and North and Pennsylvania.
Yeah, pennsylvania most peoplemight think of Philly, not
Philly, not at all.
No, we were out in the sticksin the country, like in central
Pennsylvania, amish country alittle, maybe about 45 minutes
from Amish country.
So yeah, we were out in thesticks.
(14:17):
So in the summer it reminded mea lot of Grenada, like, like
you know, narrow the more narrowroads, you know you have to
wait on the car to come acrossthe bridge and then you go real
mountainous, hilly, hills andcurves, hairpin turns, that kind
of stuff, that part ofPennsylvania that we lived in
(14:38):
and farms everywhere.
So yeah, it reminded me a lot.
I feel like it prepared me tomove to Grenada honestly,
because when I drive there itkind of reminds me of here.
So I feel like as far asdriving prepared me for Grenada,
like the roads and such- youthink it did.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Like I'm the roads a little bit bigger than the ones
in Grenada, like I can never getover the roads, like I mean
Grenada, that's the one thing,like you notice it when you're
driving to the country,especially how narrow the roads
are, and then the British styledriving too, but yeah so, okay,
the opposite side, no, but wehad freeways, of course, in
(15:18):
Pennsylvania and the area wewere.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
But when you get to like in the back country, like
the roads we drove and stuffthere, like we were, we lived in
a little town.
When I told you a little town,hey, first Christmas we were
there.
Bring, not Christmas Eve.
The day before Christmas Eve,hey, miss Hatcher, yes, hello,
you have a package here andwe're going to be closing this,
(15:42):
probably Christmas gifts, so youmight want to come get that and
just come knock the door.
We're at lunch anyway, butknock the door.
Like most post office don'tclose for lunch, but like they
do in Grenada, like they used to, I should say, things used to
close for about an hour.
And so there, the post officeclosed for about an hour and so
(16:03):
you go knock the back doorbecause they're at lunch and
they told you to come and youget your package.
And, like everybody knows eachother in this town that we lived
in, and so there were verynarrow roads and, like a couple
of the bridges, you'd have towait for the person to pass so
you could go, because two carscan't fit at the same time, and
(16:25):
then, like at the end of theyear, christmas, everyone goes
to like this place called theChildren's Lake and the bank
passes out cookies and the firestation passes out hot chocolate
and everybody looks at the townChristmas tree being lit and
Santa comes up in his littleboat down the lake and you know.
(16:47):
And then everyone has a goodtime and they go home.
We all do fireworks togetherout there it was.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It was a small town, so it was like a lot like we
need to what everyone kind ofknow each other, you know yeah,
no, I I understand, because it'slike when you watch those
Christmas movies, like hearingyou talk about it, it's like a
lot of those Christmas movieswhere they are in a small town
and then, like even last night Iwatched the movie and this man,
(17:14):
he used to put the tree out infront of his house as a reminder
because he lost contact withhis son.
Like the wife took the kid withher and then he told his son,
like always, look out for theChristmas tree.
So every year he left the treeout and then they did that.
But yeah, it's like that smalltown thing where I guess he was
(17:35):
so miserable and then one of theneighbors decided to light the
tree up.
You know what I mean.
So hearing you say that it'slike full circle yeah, everybody
knows you movie.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Yeah, yeah, like you go to the bank.
You go to the bank and you'relike, hey, and you, you know,
you call their name and theycall your name and you're like,
oh, oh, where are the girlstoday?
Oh, they're not here.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
They're often, you know, and it's just Did you like
that?
Did you like everyone knowingyour name?
Like you know, it's like anepisode of Cheers where
everybody knows your name.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Yeah, yeah, I won't say everybody, but like places,
the post office, banks, certainrestaurants, not all depends on
how frequently you went, or yeah, you kind of, even if they
didn't know your name, you knewtheir face and you know, yeah,
you know, type thing.
I mean so much so, where wewent down to the neighbors to
(18:35):
get eggs, or you know well, notthe neighbors, but you know some
people down the road they raisechickens.
We'd get our eggs from them.
If I grew extra herbs, I'd takesome down to her.
She was like, oh well, sinceyou gave me some herbs, you can
have some eggs, or things likethat.
Yeah, I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Hey, can I have more?
Ms Hatcher, can I get a cup ofsugar?
Pretty much, yeah, oh my gosh,that is so amazing.
Though I feel like you've hadquite the adventure to getting
to where you are now, because Ialways say this is my saying
(19:14):
it's not where you're going,it's where you came from, and I
feel like Grenada, even thoughit's it's a smaller Island, a
small community of people, butit brings so many people
together and I think that's whyI mean I left so young, and even
people now like I've had one ortwo people ask me why I created
(19:35):
this show, and I feel like Iwant I want as many people to
know about Grenada, because it'sa beautiful place.
When you're there and the peopleare so humble.
Based on, like, my experienceswith talking to people and
hearing their story, likehearing your story too, you know
what I mean, and I'm sure youhave like some great memories of
(19:57):
Grenada.
Like, were your parents?
Like we didn't talk about that,but your mom and your dad?
Did they meet in Grenada?
Like, did you grow up with bothof them in Grenada?
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Yeah, so they met in Grenada, got married in Grenada,
had my brother and I, and thenyou know, grenada is pretty
small.
So when they sort of werewanting to go their separate
ways, you know my mom kind ofwas like, well, you know Grenada
is kind of small and so shereally went her separate way.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Into the United States.
Yeah, so, yeah, and so my dadwas here for a while and then he
eventually made his way to NewYork, but I think he always
wanted to make his way backbecause the I don't know if he
came with the idea like that, itwould be the same as Green Ada.
But you know, from the way hespoke, it was kind of a rude
(20:50):
awakening the difference inpeople, and you know what I mean
.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitelynot what you expected.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
So do you feel like you and your brother, like we're
really close growing up andlike like brother and sister who
are, you know, in that wayalways?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
always, always, always.
God talked a lot.
You know we have our ups anddowns, like all siblings do, but
pretty much always yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yeah, me and Vanessa are cousins because my
grandmother like my on my mom'sside, so like my grandmother's
sister.
Yeah, yeah, it's my mom, mm.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Hmm, there we go and so we share.
Oh, so yeah, your greatgrandmother will be my
grandmother yeah, yeah, what afamily tree.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
When they started working on that, I was like, oh
my goodness, our, mygreat-grandfather, was very busy
.
Yeah, he was.
Oh my goodness.
I'm just like when we, when Iwent to the reunion, I'm like
all these people are relatedsomehow, like, how, like, yeah,
(22:04):
like Vanessa is like baby andshe told me I said, how are we
related?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
and she goes you know what I would explain.
But it's actually the family isa pumpkin vine and I'm just
gonna leave it at that, that andI'm like you know what, I'll
just take that.
Yeah, I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I mean I wish I hadn't met her when I had to do
a family tree, you know, because, like, and they always ask you
to do that and I'm like, well, Idon't even know, because it's
just like, even on my dad's side, like I'm trying to figure some
(22:45):
of that out, and I'm like, oh,this is, this is getting too
complicated.
Yeah, right, it's a lot, it's alot Caribbean family, but okay,
so you've had this journey andso I guess what I, what I have
to get back to, is just theprocess of getting to Grenada.
Right, so you're an Americancitizen and you also have
Grenadian citizenship, so do all.
And when you started theprocess, tell me how it worked.
Like, was it hard getting on?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Like it's more of a.
For me, I think it was more ofa mental, mental when are you
going to take that next step?
And that was the hardest thingto just say that's what we're
going to do, because we wouldcome down and we'll go oh God,
you know, we got to do this, wegot to do that, we got to do
(23:25):
that.
And it was always a neverending waiting for the perfect
everything to line up.
And this last time we were justlike you know what, we're just
going to do it, we're just goingto stay.
But the process to that.
Before that also, my husband, ofcourse he's.
He's not a Grenadian citizen,he, he's a US citizen.
(23:47):
And then so my children.
They also did not have aGrenada passport.
So I ended up calling the.
I wanted to make sure that theyall had a Grenada passport,
like their citizenship, to beable to move.
Well, they couldn't move herewithout it, but I just preferred
that they had it.
And so for the girls, it waseasier to get them a passport.
(24:09):
Darren was a little harderbecause he's over 18.
So he would have to take, like,do a bunch of blood tests and
such, but still be able to gethis citizenship through me as
his mom.
The girls, since they werepretty young, they before
required the blood test.
They did all the blood testsand such, and then the lady from
(24:30):
the consulate called and saidyou know what?
They don't have to do thatanymore.
So she had me get all thedocuments up, like if you the
the.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
So just just the the facts.
So for those like looking atthe paperwork side, if you're
not a Grenadian citizen, youhave to get a Grenadian passport
.
Is that what you're saying?
Like all that paper?
No, oh no.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
I think I misunderstood.
If you want to move to Grenada,you can move to Grenada, but
you would just have to keeprenewing a visa or whatever,
depending on where you're from.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Like a work visa.
Yeah, because most people justdo that.
Yeah, but you have to have ajob, right.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
And then your work visa, the entire logistics of it
, and then they also have theCitizen by Investment program,
and I, you know we didn't gothat route, but I don't know too
.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I know it's like just to simplify things, though you
were doing it in a way so thatit would make it easier for you
to move and not have to keeprenewing, like your visa, every
six months, right, right?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
for the, for the kids and my husband.
So that's why I did that, youknow, ok, ok, and so school,
everything.
It would just be simpler ifeveryone was a citizen as well.
It's kind of like me getting mycitizenship in the US.
It would just made everythingso much more simple, and so
that's why we did that.
And so with the girls, it's not, you just simply call the
(26:03):
embassy, not the consulate, Icall the embassy in washington I
know that's what it is inwashington, yeah in the us yeah,
yeah, yeah in miami.
And then they have a embassy ora consulate in new york, but
they have an embassy in dc andthey're very helpful there.
They you.
(26:23):
If you can't find the formsonline which they are online
they'll still email it to youand say this is what you need,
that's what you need to do.
These are the steps.
It's pretty idiot proof andthey walk me through everything.
And so they're like just walkinto the office when you get to
(26:44):
Grenada with everything filledout in hand, whatever you need,
notarized, notarized before youget there, and just here's my
package.
And that's what we did.
And within a few days we hadthe girl's passport.
And because I had everythingdone, and then as far as Todd,
for him the process is a littlelonger he had to get like a
(27:07):
reference letter as far as hischaracter and such from someone
in the US, and so he did thatand we filed his paperwork for
his citizenship in December andby the next April he had it his
citizenship.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
The next April.
So like a full year, like ayear.
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
What December?
So like the end, yeah the year,and then so then you had it was
right before Christmas, andthen January, february, march,
april, so like four months Wow.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Wow, like I think they did say, it's not a long.
It's not too long of a process,as long as you, you're not
living a life of crying right.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Right right, right right.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Clean record.
Like do they do like a recordcheck, like is it that serious?
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, they do a check .
I believe they do a check,check.
That's what takes so long.
It's like they make sureeverything is, you know, on the
up and up yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
When did you meet, todd?
Did you meet like I, or is itearly 2000, so is it like yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
have you guys been married this year?
Speaker 1 (28:16):
we've been married 18 years I know, I was wondering
if it was like up to 20.
Yeah, yeah, because I was like.
I remember my, me and my sisterfirst came to visit you and
your mom in Texas.
Like we spent the summer there,like it was all.
It was like six weeks.
And then the next time I cameto visit you you were like
engaged to get married, like youand Todd were already like an
(28:38):
item.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
No, you came one time .
You guys came when we were,when I was in that apartment in
Florida.
Remember what do you mean?
You came before that you came alittle bit before that at the
apartment in Florida, that'saround the time Todd and I met
oh okay, years we kind of liketalked a little bit and then
(29:01):
kind of went on our own separateways, lost each other's number,
and then it's just weird how wegot back together it was meant
to be.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
It was meant to be.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Yeah, how did you guys get a hold of each other
again.
So prayers, literal prayers,yeah, oh yeah, I was.
You know.
I got to the point where I waslike you know what?
I think I'm ready to settledown.
I kind of I had to look atmyself in the mirror and say you
know what's going on with you?
Why do you always like you knowyou don't stay in a
(29:32):
relationship?
And I realized I kind of likethe runaway bride.
I feel like I was alwaysrunning away, like if I even
thought someone would dosomething wrong, like it was
like after my whole deal withDarian's dad, you know, I was
like gone, goodbye, nope.
And so I realized like I had tostop doing that because I would
(29:54):
never settle down if I didn'tstop running.
And so I kind of had that talkwith myself and I'm like okay, I
think I'm ready to settle down.
So went to bed that night and Ihad a nice long prayer and a
nice chat and I'm like you know,god and ancestors, whoever's
listening, I am ready.
(30:14):
And I'm like I remember sayingto myself too I'm like I don't
do well with hints and parablesI literally said that and I'm
like throw, throw this man in mylap, whoever this man is
supposed to be, that I'm meantto be with, throw him in my lap
because I can't.
I don't do well with hints andparables, no lie.
(30:36):
The very next day, my phonerang and it's taught.
Wow.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Yeah, my heart, my heart was like right in that
story that, vanessa, I'm tellingyou, you guys, when I get you
in the hot seat, you guys tellme these amazing stories.
I can't believe that.
Like there is still hope for me.
Like you know what I meanHearing you say that Cause I'm
just like I feel like in inevery stage of our lives, like
(31:01):
when we have that moment ofclarity, we're like, yeah, what
do I need to do now?
Like I need to focus, I need to.
You know, just hearing you saythat, oh, my gosh, you have to
read this book.
My friend referred it to me.
I'm going to like, if I canafford to, I'm going to like
share this book with like a lotof people it's called
Conversations with God and bookwith like a lot of people it's
(31:26):
called conversations with God,and it's an amazing book.
Like I, I started reading.
I'm not done, but it's.
It's so like I, I'm alwaystalking to people and and I feel
like I was supposed to talk tomy mentor and he's the one that
told me to read this book.
He's like Carleen, this is likemy favorite book.
You have to read it and I gotit.
It's in five book series.
(31:49):
But I started the first one andjust hearing you say that like
well the kicker, yeah thatconversation.
You had.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Yeah, yeah, the kicker part was that day Todd
was telling me he he was workingin corrections at the time and
he went into the chapel with acouple of the inmates and so he
sat at the back and he was kindof like, yeah, I'm just, I'm
ready to settle down, you know,type thing.
And he just didn't know, likeyou know, what the next step was
(32:21):
.
And he said he went home thatday and he was looking for
something in the closet and hesaid out of this box, tipped
over, and he said his old umnext cell phone just tumbled out
on the floor in front of himand he says, huh, I wonder if
(32:41):
that girl's vanessa's phonenumber is still in this phone.
That's what he thought aboutwhen the next cell phone fumbled
out.
And so that is why he called me.
A box accidentally fell, thephone flew out and he called me.
He had your number still.
It was still stored in thephone.
But what are the odds?
You know I say fling him in mylap.
(33:02):
I can't deal with hints.
He's in the chapel.
You know I say fling him in mylap, I can't deal with hints.
He's in the chapel going.
Yeah, I'm ready to settle downand then he's looking for
something it boxed over and bam,this old phone flies out.
He boots it up and my number isstill in it, and so he thought
the person he thought about wasme, and he called me and the
rest is history.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Oh my gosh, that is amazing.
I love that story.
That's a beautiful story.
Oh that was beautiful.
I was right there with you.
I just saw you.
I just like you were.
I was feeling the emotion withthat.
Oh my that was powerful.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I love that, oh, my God so yeah, yes, they do.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yes, I think I think a lot of people like, sometimes
we there's all these things Ifeel like your story just made
me think of.
Ok, I got to share this onestory and then I know it's
getting late so we're going towrap it up, but to be continued,
so I went to work hearing yourstory about, like just
(34:05):
conversations with God.
This is a story about paying itforward and I'm always like
trying.
I always try and help people ifI can.
And I went to the hair store,vanessa, and I had no money to
buy any product for my hair.
I only went there to buy likehair, like this hairspray or
whatever.
And I was in the the the hairroom and there was this girl
(34:28):
there and I was just talking toher, cause, like I don't know, I
always have a hard timechoosing what, what style I'm
going to do next, or what likeextension I'm going to put in my
hair or whatever.
And she's like, oh, I just, itjust speaks to me.
She's like like whatever, Ifeel that's what I get.
I'm like, really, it's thateasy.
Like I'm like it's not likethat for me, like you should see
me, I'm like trying ondifferent ones and she's just
(34:48):
like oh, what do you?
I'm like so she ended upchoosing this really nice one.
I'm like oh, that's so nice,you know what I mean.
And lo and behold, she's likejust choose the style you want,
I'm gonna get it for you.
I'm like oh wow, first time ever.
Wow, she literally bought me mystare, the style I'm wearing
right now.
Vanessa, I was like, bless yourheart.
(35:09):
I was like, literally, she'slike hurry up, just choose it
now and then we're getting theline.
I was like because I was likedid I hear that?
No way, wow, her name is Shayand I, I swear she's just.
She just came from like she wasa blessing after work.
She just made my day.
I couldn't believe it.
I was like and I gave swear, shejust, she just came from like
she was a blessing after work,she just made my day.
I couldn't believe it.
I was like and I gave her likea drink, because I just, um, had
finished work and I bought onedrink, two drinks, right, and I
(35:31):
was just like, wow, I couldn'tbelieve it.
Vanessa, like, I was just likeevery time you think there's
like you lose hope inside ofpeople, something like that
happens and I'm just like I haveto like I mean, I'll pay it
forward.
I did it one way this week, butnot to that extent, but I will
do it because that was just likeunbelievable.
And so, yeah, people areamazing, yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
I'm a hard believer in it forward, and a lot of
times you think the hope is gone, but then someone, somewhere,
somehow surprise you.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Yeah, and like, and your prayer, just like it, just
it just rang his phone, like itwas, just like happened, like
you were ready.
How old were you when you saidthat?
Like you were at that point inyour life.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
Thirty two, I would say yeah, one thirty two, yeah,
32.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
I want to say yeah, 132, yeah, I guess it's when
you're ready, like that clarity.
I think it's.
It wasn't that like we all havedifferent stages in our life
where we're okay, I'm ready.
Now I'm ready, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I was pretty much like okay, I'm ready.
I and I understood, like, myissues.
And so I I did.
I told him I'm like listen, I'mprobably gonna like listen, I'm
probably going to try to leaveyou, I'm probably going to
conjure up something to say thatthis is not working out.
I'm like don't, don't listen tome, don't listen to me, like,
(36:55):
really talk some sense into myhead.
And so he's like okay, I'm likeI'm for real, this is my issue
and I figured it out and I'mjust letting you know I'm
probably going to try to go away.
Don't let me do that.
And so he was very patient andhe did not.
I tried and he was like youknow, remember we had this
conversation, you're doing it,you're doing it.
(37:16):
And I'm like yeah, yeah, I am.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Aren't I am, aren't I ?
Yeah, I am okay, all right, youknow, wow, I love it.
I love it.
That's a beautiful story, it'sa beautiful thing.
You know, conversation likeit's just like he heard your
prayer.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember darian and um jamal's
sister, darian's um cousin.
They were in the car when herang and I'm like, after I hung
up from him, I'm like what God,you work so fast.
This is like not even a whole24 hour.
(37:52):
I was like what are you talking?
Speaker 1 (37:55):
about.
Wow, it wasn't even a full day.
I was like what?
Speaker 2 (38:00):
That night I prayed and the very next day during the
day.
I'm like that night I prayedand the very next day during the
day, but a ring, a ding, a day.
I'm like wow, you work fast.
I literally said that.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
Yeah, so I guess you're a firm believer.
Yeah, for sure.
Oh my gosh, I'm in shocker.
I'm speechless, I don't evenknow what to say.
I'm like, wow, the power ofprayer, yeah, prayers.
Yeah yeah, every time.
Yeah, prayers and meditation.
Thank you for listening toNutmeg Nation with Carlene
(38:32):
Humphrey.
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