Jason Franklyn, a worker through the H2-B visa program, watches skiers board the chairlift at Lutsen Mountain as part of his five month contract in northern Minnesota. Photo courtesy of John Stember
Relocating to small town America from a Caribbean island—known for sun-saturated shores, t-shirt and shorts weather, and endless tourism—isn’t a common Cook County experience. For Jason Franklyn of Saint Catherine, Jamaica, passing up an H2-B visa for work in the U.S. was foolish. He couldn’t let go of the moment. Combining summers at Bluefin Bay and winters at Lutsen Mountain, Jason is about halfway into a year of living and working along the North Shore.
For a bit of background, Cook County businesses struggle to find seasonal employees during busy months because there are few surplus workers available. Many locals balance one, two, or three jobs and unemployment rates are low. For many businesses nearby, the answer to unfilled positions is foreign workers (H2-B) or students (J-1). H2-B workers are hired on a temporary, seasonal, non-agricultural basis whereas J-1 employees are typically pursuing educational, cultural, or language exchange opportunities while on school breaks.
For example, Jason signed onto a five-month contract at Bluefin Bay for the summer of 2019. Before his contract ended, he was offered a subsequent five-month contract at Lutsen Mountain, which prevented him from returning home. “If you don’t know someone, it’s hard. If you know someone working at a business, they can recommend someone to fill positions when openings come up… That’s how the opportunity arises,” relays Jason.
When Jason first left the muggy island, he admittedly didn’t have any idea what northern Minnesota was like: “The distance from the city to get here was a bit surprising,” Jason chuckled. Home however does not feel too far away in 2020. What used to be an isolating experience in small town America is now broken by smart phones, Skype, WhatsApp, and FaceTime. Jason video chats with his two daughters, who are currently in primary school, up to four times a week.
At some point when Tofte starts to feel foreign, Jason reminds himself of home by cooking: stewed chicken, curried chicken, jerk chicken, baked chicken. Over the familiar smell of food, the unmistakable pulse of Patois (or Patwa), the native language for many Jamaicans, drifts through the house. “I cannot get any Ackee here. That’s our national dish in Jamaica and we mix it with salted codfish. It’s a bland fruit from Western Africa that’s grown all across the country. It’s the second best national dish in the world. Your American burger is ahead of it. It’s true,” tells Jason.
Coming from the grind of the hospitality industry in Jamaica, where you work far more and make less money, Jason’s unfazed by the American nine-to-five. The H2-B visa program seems a great fit for his wide grin. Before leaving, Jason hopes to pick up downhill skiing and ice-skating properly. “Swim in the lake too,” Jason laughs.
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