I have a hard time with accents..is this a problem?

Yes it gets easier but still its tough. In one of my jobs I work with a bunch of West Indian women who are very sweet but when they start talking to each other I just smile nod and laugh when they laugh. Just try to grab the key words to get the gist. GOOD LUCK!

Maybe we should start a dictionary of slang terms.

I learned a new slang term the other day.
Hard cards.....pronounced hahd caahhds.
I think it means something along the lines of tough luck.
There's a Frenchie who comes into my work several times a week and tries to teach me new things, but I can never remember most of what he tells me, nor do I understand most of what he says, but he'll slow down for me and repeat himself. I also work with several West Indians and I'm getting pretty good at understanding the accent, but I still have to resort to smiling and nodding a lot.
It gets easier with time and it's much easier talking in person rather than on the phone.
It isn't just here where people have difficulty with accents. I took a Welsh friend to Memphis once and had to interpret with our waitress because she didn't understand him and he didn't understand her. Funny thing was, we were all speaking English.

Is there more than one dominate accent on the island? I've heard the jamacian one. What is w. indian?

I personally think the accent is hard to pinpoint since there are so many people here from so many different Caribbean islands. West Indian is a term used to identify people who come from the West Indies which are several different islands in the Caribbean.

Leslie, I have a VERY broad Southern accent too - Arkansas/Mississippi - and I also find it difficult...most of the time a big smile and a "wait just a minute, could you repeat that?" I tell them my brain doesn't work as fast as their speech! It's a beautiful dialect, very musical, but my poor old ears really have to strain.

One thing that has helped me - I have made a friend in a lady who is originally from Dominica, and she is very patient and kind - but having just conversations about the yard or how to cook something has proven invaluable in getting my ear more "trained" - find an islander who will take pity on you and you'll pick up more as time goes by! Also, phone conversations are generally more frustrating than face-to-face - even driving to get your quotes may be of benefit, and you'll get to meet some great people!

Hard card. It's when someone takes your wife or girlfriend. You have gotten carded!
Accents are difficult to understand, yes. Takes a trained ear. They came up wit the West Indian thing because we Virgin Islanders iot tired of being put in the same basket with everyone when one couldn't understand us. Trust me, there are some other island accents that are even hard for me to understand! A harsh Jamaican accent isn't that easy for anyone. You know you have perfected understanding when you can hear the different accents and know which island they come from!

RL

Hard Card. Thanks Ronnie. I had a Rasta and a Frenchie trying to explain this to me at the same time. I guess something got lost in the translation.