Recently I was part of a discussion with some of my peers and we were having problem agreeing on what is the best age for a West Indian to leave The Caribbean and come to America with out being to Americanized and still be able to appreciate their own culture and their West Indian tradition. let me know what you guys think

personally I came here at 15 and i tink this was the best age

I believe as soon as possible. One doesn't lose their culture simply because they left the land of their birth at a tender age, especially when living in a CITY/STATE where that CULTURE is always on display and especially if the parents raise the CHILD within that culture.

A question. A child is born in New York of West Indian background, what is the LIKELIHOOD that this CHILD will learn the CULTURE of his or her PARENTS culture?

never....

I say 13 - 15 as long as they wasn wayward home by that age range they'll come here and excel in school and do well. On the otherhand if their environment home is laxed then the earlier the better. In either case you'll need to monitor them for sometime to see how they're adjusting to life here in the US. Many of the people I know that came here seemed to find a new appreciation for their home islands. My friends are mostly trinis and hated the whole soca scene at home, I myself was guilty of that to an extent, but once here i gainead a certain pride in being from Trinidad and that has forced me to maintain my love and appreciation of my culture. That tho lies within the individual but can be prodded by constant exposure to the cultural highlights of our islands of origin.

agreed...