Earlier in the week I wrote about some of the challenges we discovered once we got here in the "
It Ain't All Poached Eggs and Rubies" segment. I guess I should quantify. We didn't "discover" it all. We read about some of this stuff before we got here. We read about a lot of stuff before we got here. Some correct, some not. Things change.
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| New condos in South Central Crucita |
Here in Crucita change seems to be on a fast track. Fiber-optics are coming. A new highway is coming. New housing is coming. I am not here to talk economic impact or politics. That is going the right way for a smacked bottom and I know it. The point is things change and we have to change with them. Information posted a year ago may have changed. I say this a lot because well, things change. A lot. Older blogs or websites may not be current. Generally, not the author's fault. Now my butt is eternally covered.
We are just coming to the end of our first week here and while things have not changed per say, we have learned more about what has not. Some "bad", some "good". In reality these things just are.
Our blog writing has changed. I do not know how many have noticed but most contractions (don't, we've, you've) have been weeded out unless it is a quote from somewhere. It is not because I am a lazy writer or because I am simple, as true as that may be. It is because we now have readers from places other than the good old U.S. of A (and no, we are not tracking our own hits!) . That is exciting for us. I did not really expect much more than family and a few friends to be readers. We had a hit from the Ukraine. Many from Ecuador. I am positive most are English speaking ExPat bloggers or visitors but-
Americans use contractions but many nationalities do not. They do not translate well or so I hear. We are trying to be as international friendly as possible because after all, we are trying to help all people. This is a writing nightmare for us. An editing nightmare too. It adds an hour or so to the process. We are not professionals and attempting to change a lifetime habit is in a word, hard. Good thing we have time, huh?
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| In line water heater. Quite all right. |
I said earlier that I wanted a gas stove for a long time. I went on about how happy I was to have it. I am. Supremely happy. Can someone tell me how to turn on the freaking oven? Dag nabbit blob! I say this only because in my ramble about appliances of all things; I left out the fact we do not have a toaster. No problemo mon. Make it in the oven. Nope. Don't have, it, fresh out. (Quote. The contraction is intentional).
DO NOT not flush the toilet paper. We are on a land-locked, permanent cruise. The sewage system here is not as good as many are used to. It is very important not to overtax it. Throw away that toilet paper, throw away that brush, just don't throw it in the toilet and a flush, flush, flush! We are not chicken proof. We are not peanut butter proof. That was special, just for my Jacksonville peeps. Be honest, you guys will have that stuck in your head for a few days now. Flush toilet paper and give rise to the munthsters of the deep! It is far too perilous.
That brings me to the water. We come from the water. The Toadies said it. It must be true. We have to use bottled water (you can boil it too) for drinking and brushing teeth. A five gallon can be had for $1.50 or less. From what we know, the piped or "city" water in and of itself is perfectly fine. It is treated. The issue really, is not the water, it is the delivery system. Aged and flawed like so many of us.
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| Main power line. |
Power is another thing. Yes we have it. Right here in our own little old home. Almost all the time. We have been here a week and lost power twice. The first time for about 2 hours. The second time for about 1/2 hour. We knew about it. It is another infrastructure issue like the water. The electrical is a bit sketchy if you are American as well. We are on 110 amperage. I think a few of the photos will help the electrically inclined understand. Don't recoil in horror. It is going to be OK. Promise. The house is made of concrete.
The air raid siren bugs me. I think most every town has a whistle (Maxwell House, Beechum County, AL), bell, etc. that is set off on a quasi-regular basis. We have an air raid siren. It is not too loud or annoying to the ear, It is quaint. It is the kind of thing where you say "there goes the siren!" (like everyone does not hear it already, dumkopf!) when it sounds and smile. What bugs me is I do not know WHY it goes off. Some days I hear it twice. Some days I hear it 5 times. Never the same bat time. Never the same bat channel. I'll find out soon enough. For now it's on my mind.
Update 02-02-2016: The siren is from the school which is in session From 07:00 until 21:00 Mon through Sat!
Rocks. Rocks, rocks, rocks. Maybe stones is a more appropriate description. It seems to be a permanent issue. We use them all the time. The exterior doors of our home are all held open by rocks. We are renting so can not install hooks without landlord permission. The Pacific breeze is generally pretty strong. Since the rocks are not heavy, after a time, the doors will slam shut. If you are upstairs you have to run down and fix it. If you are downstairs, run up. I know there are solutions people. We just do not have the knowledge required to find what we need yet.
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| Rocks. |
The rocks are found on the beach as we are cradled against the coast by a crescent of mountains. They can be treacherous to your feet. They are not sharp, large, or even particularly heavy. There is a line of them along the beach just like the shells line up on many beaches. You can see them when the tide is out. When the tide is up you can not see. One second you are stepping on sand and the next; rocks. The transition can bruise the bottoms your feet. Pirates, ye be warned!
The rain has stopped and it is time for us to set out on a new adventure, time for me to overcome my fears. "Man up" in other words. I am thankful my wife is here to give me strength. I can not imagine doing this alone.
Some of you want the pictures of the native people doing native things. I get it. I try not to take pictures without permission. I do not think the locals would enjoy another loco gringo waving a smartphone in their face without permission. I do not know the words. We have had bigger fish to fry, sometimes quite literally.
We must brave the bus and try to find a grocery store in Portoviejo. We must replenish items we can not get here. Another challenge. Another segment all its own. Wish us luck. Adios!
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