Personally, I think Olivia made the right decision in her return to Jamaica. Olivia had written, once she had gotten out on the countryside that she very much enjoyed the fresh air. Since this story seemed to have been written in 1808, London, and the rest of England, would have been in the midst of the Industrial Revolution with factories all around, meaning that a majority of the country would have been polluted with thick smog. However, I believe that one of the smallest reasons for her return to Jamaica.

Unfortunately, in England, there would always be people like Mrs. Merton who would be unnecessarily rude to Olivia and Dido because of the color of their skin. The people in England had been raised, like Little George, to believe that any complexion darker than theirs (even though Olivia was mixed) to be inferior ( A Woman of Colour 79). 

Olivia seeks a union in which she would truly be happy, she would rather go through slavery or servitude than not be truly loved by her husband ( A Woman of Colour 89). At this period in England, sadly, it would have been very hard for a nice, well-off man, to realize how lovely Olivia's stature was due to the nature of her skin. They're immediately prejudice towards looks and someone might not even want to get to know Olivia due to her skin color. Edward Long once said that "a well-educated Mulatta must lead a very unpleasant kind of a life here," in talking about England (A Woman of Colour 237). He mentions how different a black wife and her white spouse would be treated, people would always look at them with their noses turned up. On the other side of the spectrum, there are men that seem to fetishize the color of their skin tone. Take the media above, for example. This etching was written by a white man around the same time this book was originally published. It depicts a man that has come from England to woo a Jamaican woman, he uses wild caricatures that boil her whole character down to her skin color and the way she talks. He marries her, has 9 children, and then leaves to seemingly go back to England. It seems gross, there is no mention of love, no mention of the woman's countenance, just that she was chosen by this white man. While that could happen in either country, Olivia seems to hold some sort of power in Jamaica due to her status as the daughter of Mr. Fairfield who held a great estate. This would most likely allow her to have more say in her affairs and choosing of an actual suitable match. 

Another reason I wanted Olivia to return to Jamaica was on behalf of Dido. Something about her character was so lovely and the way she talked about Olivia's father seemed reminiscent of a good time. Dido's treatment by Olivia is interesting, she's darker than Olivia and Olivia almost thinks her inferior even though she admires Dido's character. But I digress. It seems like Dido misses the Fairfield estate and equates some of the houses they frequent to that as well ( A Woman of Colour 166). Dido wants the best for Olivia and says that she would be happy wherever her mistress is, but I think Dido would do best in Jamaica ( A Woman of Colour 167). 

I think the way that Olivia was treated by people like Mrs. Merton and the climate of interracial marriage would have profound effect on someone like Olivia who is so nice and sweet. That kind of prejudice encountered every day in England must take a great toll on her.