I recently had my mid-service
doctor and dentist appointments. I don’t mind doctors or dentists but I dread
going to Managua.
Again just when I’m thinking that I can handle anything Nicaragua throws at me,
the gods decide to throw me a curve ball (I’m not sure if it’s in spite or just
to keep me on my toes). As I was waiting for the bus on Monday morning, I
immediately regretted my decision to schedule my appointment for a Monday…it’s
a bad travel day because everyone is traveling. I ended up hopping on a packed
bus in which I was lucky enough to stand for the whole three hour trip on a
terrible excuse for a road. Within the first ten minutes I almost fell and
another passenger reached his arms out (instinctively, kind of like when you
slam on the brakes and reach your arm out to protect your front seat
passenger). Here comes the curve ball, there was a guy who was drunk or hung
over and roaming around the cramped aisles even though he wasn’t getting off
anytime soon. Luckily I have this magnet that attracts freaks like this and he
stood by me; as he stood way too close for my comfort levels and not sure but
seemed like he was trying to reach into my pocket and steal the ten cords I
had. I kept my eyes on him and then he starts mumbling sweet nothings, which I
hate and then kissed my arm that was grasping onto the handrail. Why?!?! I’m a
good foot taller than the guy and as long as no weapons are involved I felt
very confident that I could kick his ass. But instead of causing a scene I
gently pushed him away and told him not to touch me. He got off shortly after
that and I was able to successfully reach Managua
without any more problems.
1st World
– Most people drive their personal cars and don’t need to deal with public transportation;
and if they do elect to participate in public transportation the buses are not
old school buses in danger of breaking down at any moment, not ever crammed
with so many people you’re on the verge of a panic attack and can usually sit
in your own solitude while listening to an Ipod or reading.
3rd World
– You rely on the buses and if you miss the bus there’s not another one coming
in 5 minutes, you’ll be waiting much longer. You’re constantly alert of your
belongings and the people around you, and you’re getting a great workout while
you grasp the handrail and hope your core muscles will support you while the
bus is launched over pot holes the size of small lakes and going way too fast
around those curves.
I had my doctor’s appointment and
all is well. I’m losing weight but nothing too drastic. I had my dentist
appointment and surprise! I’ve got a cavity. I’m not surprised with the extreme
amount of sugar and soda that I’m consuming here which is way higher than my
normal US
consumption rates. My appointments ran long and I had to stay in Managua because I
couldn’t catch any more buses for the day and my cell was dead. I don’t mind
staying in Managua
– I get to sleep in a comfortable bed, eat food that doesn’t include rice or
beans, take a hot shower and watch cable TV; but I don’t like staying when I’m
not prepared. I didn’t think it was a possibility that I would stay, so I
didn’t bring anything, toothbrush, change of clothes, nothing. So it’s not
really that enjoyable to shower and then put on the same dirty clothes and then
sleep in those clothes too. My clothes did not smell good the next day and I
felt sorry for the woman I sat next to on the bus, Sorry! I was lucky enough to
sit, but I took that worst bus ever…looking at it I’m thinking please let me
arrive safely; I arrived safely but after six or seven stops where they had to
fix or pretend to fix various mechanical problems.
1st World
– People’s response to my weight loss is “Wow! That’s great!” “You’re
getting so skinny,” etc. It’s super interesting to me because we have an over
abundance of food available to us each day and we’re overly obsessed with body
image and being skinny or muscular to be beautiful.
3rd World
– People are telling me that I’m getting too skinny and need to eat more. People
are actually inviting me to eat at their houses because they don’t think I’m
eating enough. (P.S. I’m eating, but apparently rice and beans are a good diet
if you’re looking to lose weight). Some people don’t have enough food to feed
their families or themselves, therefore in my opinion, it seems that if you
have money you show that by being a little bigger to show that you’re eating
and that you have the money to buy food. Here and in other countries that I’ve
visited big is beautiful; they want me to be hermosa not flacita.
There are
many more differences between the problems 1st world societies face
and 3rd world societies face, but these were experiences that I
recently had and reflected over and find very interesting.