Tamera's Take is about being here.
Are you ready? I am.
Before I begin, I need to say that it was a compliment that my husband borrowed my signature tag line, "are you ready", in his last post.
So we move forward. Now I have borrowed his.
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| Las Grietas, Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos |
It makes me feel a little closer to my loved ones back home.
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| What does "trouble maker" mean? |
I will make the long and excruciating story short by saying, our neighbor Maria was worried after a day went by and she only saw three of our four cats. I only gave her keys to the downstairs and the exterior gates. Luckily she knows our landlord. The house was opened. The wayward monster kitty was scared but okay...after making a mess that cannot be described.
In the future, I will never ignore my instincts - which told me to check the entire house for a "cat count" before we left.
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| One cool bag, one strange hat |
I do not even have to look up the year this song was released. I know the year because forever in my memory is my four year old daughter dancing and twirling around the house, with her hair brush microphone singing that very song. She may not have known all the words. She certainly did not know the MTV video that caused so much controversy. All she knew was that she loved to sing and dance. Especially when momma sang and danced with her. Her momma loved that too.
People close to me know I love wearing scarves. They are my favorite accessory. I know every way to wrap, twist and tie them. They seem to work for me. In any season. Any time of day. What is not to love?! If it is raining - cover your head. If it is cold - wrap around your shoulders. Having a bad hair day or the wind is blowing - twist and tie around your hair. If you need a bit of color on a drab day - just pick one and go. My daughter likes scarves too. Although I think she is more of a hat person. She wears them well.
I do not see a many Ecuadorians wearing scarves in Crucita. No matter. It is my thing. I do not feel the need to change that about myself. Although I will say that I am now recognized by my fishing hat more than my scarves around here. It is a simple tan cotton fishing hat. I have had it for nearly 15 years. I wear it a lot. I brought 6 scarves with me when we moved here. I brought the hat at the last minute.
Two weeks ago I received all the confirmation I needed; in Crucita, I am recognized by that darn fishing hat.
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| The only ATM in Crucita |
So here is what happened.
We needed cash to pay our utility bills and buy a few things from Frema's tienda. Jason offered to walk to the ATM machine. The ONLY ATM machine in Crucita. I do not try to use that machine any more. It hates me. When I say it hates me, I mean that I cannot get it to work. Jason has no problem with it.
The issue is that the machine "requires" your card (tarjeta) to have a chip in it. Our Visa debit cards do not have chips. Our bank and many others in the U.S. do not feel the need to put chips in their cards. I am sure it has something (everything) to do with the cost associated with updating software, and replacing machines.
When we first arrived in Crucita, we were told there was an ATM machine in our little fishing village. It is located at the COACMES building, which is a 10 minute walk from our house. The first time we tried to use it we realized that chip technology is alive and well in Ecuador. Good for banks and security. Bad for us. In order for us to use an ATM machine, we had to go to Portoviejo - 18 miles away. There are ATM machines that will accept cards with or without a chip.
Bus ride to Portoviejo for cash.
We did this for 5 months. Right up until April 15, 2016. The day before the 7.8 Terremoto (earthquake) hit Ecuador.
Two weeks post earthquake, we were really in a difficult situation. No buses to Portoviejo. Even if there were buses running, it would not have mattered. Most bank machines were not working. Most of the buildings that had ATM's were destroyed. Portable ATM machines were set up, along with lines of people waiting hours to use them.
We mentioned our ATM predicament to a few of our friends and acquaintances here in Crucita and asked them what they thought we should do. First they offered us money and asked if we needed food or water. If we have not made this clear before, that is what it is like to be here in Crucita, Ecuador. People help each other. Not just in times of catastrophe - all the time. No "once a year slogan" required. A slogan that lost its true meaning so long ago, that everyone forgot. I will let that one sit. You will either get it or you won't.
We declined the kind offers of money and food. We were not at that point yet.
We were told by two Ecuadorians and one Canadian friend that if you "keep trying", your chip-less card will eventually work in the Crucita ATM machine.
What?!
Stunned and with some amount of disbelief, we grabbed our cards and made the trek to COACMES (co-a-may). The Cooperativa building where the ATM machine is located. Deep breath. Google Translate App open and ready on our cell phone. The card slides into the machine. It speaks to us in Spanish, telling us basically that the card will not work, and "please remove your card". We remove the unacceptable card and slide it in again. The machine speaks to us again. Please remove your unacceptable card. We do. But we try again; and again; and again. After 15 or so tries, we see a different screen appear. Press here for Espanol. Press here for English. Woo Hoo! English!!! Please enter your PIN. Those words never looked so good. Please select Withdraw, Inquiry, Deposit. Withdraw Withdraw Withdraw!!!! Please select, Savings, Checking,....blah blah, whatever came after those selections I have no idea. Savings please!!! Enter the amount. We enter 200. We receive $200, in $10's and $20's.
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| Jason - Las Grietas, Galapagos Ecuador |
As I said, two weeks ago Jason walked to COACMES, to withdraw cash. He was gone a long time. I knew this was not a good sign. He returned about 45 minutes later with a look on his face that meant only one thing. The attempted transaction was not successful. Two hundred tries not successful.
I asked him for my little blue zippered wallet that contained the bank card. He looked in his recently acquired bag from the Galapagos. All Ecuadorian men carry these by the way.
No blue wallet. He looked in his pockets. No blue wallet.
My "wifey" panic sets in. His calm standard response, "I know I have it; it's here somewhere".
Obviously NOT here somewhere, as my heart sinks, we make the trek together towards COACMES. We are now looking on both sides of the street, in the ditches, trash cans, etc.
I have already envisioned what must have happened.
On Pandora Radio: Adele "Set Fire to the Rain"
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| Sea Lions like the benches |
What really happened was he put the card into the blue wallet. Then looking away he goes through the motion of putting the wallet into his bag and misses the bag completely. The wallet falls to the ground in front of the ATM machine. He walks home.
Fast forward.
We are nearing COACMES at break-neck speed. I am wearing my tan fishing hat. I look up at a young man walking towards us. I recognize him. He works at COACMES. I know he recognizes me by that silly hat of mine. Instead of the usual "buenos dias, or hola", he says, "tarjeta y bolsa azul". At the same time he is making the shape of a square with his hands. He has just told us that they have our card at COACMES.
A bus ride to Portoviejo.
It would be the last bus ride with that debit card. It expired September 1, 2016. Where is my new card? At my daughter's house in Jacksonville, Florida. We are still working out the logistics of getting that card mailed to us from the United States. That story to be continued in another blog.
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| La Ruta del Sol |
It is times like these that I feel more like a vagabond than an adventurer. Maybe there really is not a difference. Its a good thing I have a lot of scarves and an awesome hat.
It seems to be the standard, basic apparel for backpackers, travelers and Europeans. We see a lot travelers who fit that description in Ecuador. Especially when we take trip on La Ruta del Sol (The Route of the Sun). While we were in the Galapagos last month, I saw many more. I fit right in. Minus the backpack.
Our move to Ecuador was my first real introduction to Hostels. They are everywhere. I knew what they were, but had never actually seen one. In my ignorance, I assumed they only existed in Europe and used by teens and twenty-somethings who were trying to find themselves. I could not be more wrong. I cannot speak for other countries, but here, they are cheap, clean and a great way to save money on lodging while on your adventures. Regardless of your age.
It was bought probably 30 years ago. After time became dog eared, torn and revered with all the hope of a girl who thought she would get the chance to experience adventures.....one day.
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