Well I had my first house guests/volunteers.... yes I will mercilessly use any and all visitors to assist. Especially if they are trained teachers something this country is quite short on.
Ness is a friend of mine from London who I met on my russian tour. Deeanne is a friend of hers.
It was great to have them at the house. It is amazing to me how when you have new people you see things that you have become accustomed to and you realise how much you have adapted.
I don't realise how many mosquitos are in my house most nights. I don't notice that much the crazy dog barking in my street. I hardly notice the bachata music at all... etc.
I really don't notice how cars here do not obey rules. Maybe once I have a car I will notice more. I don't notice anymore that Taxis I take swerve all over the road avoiding potholes, oncoming traffic, people, random items on the road, big rocks etc. I don't notice when I end up sitting on the ear stickwith three across the front seat with a whole bunch of strangers in a public car ( popular method of public transport) or four across the backseat with they door slammed on my hip.
I do notice as did my guests when we sat at the table near the water and ordered food and got to wacth rats in some sort of bizare mating ritual near by all running around less than a metre from where we had chosen to eat. The food was great though.
HOwever I didn't notice the men hissing at you to get your attention or merely to point out the white women to his friends, I don't notice things like men wearing their undies at the beach unless... well .... I don't register it as unusual they re not in swimmers at least.
the visit serves to remind me that I love Piña Coladas and I love the sound of rain. I love living somewhere that kids still play with kits they have made themselves out of old plastic bags- even if it means I have to hear them running across my roof (they tend to run from roof to roof jumping between houses as then they don't get the kites caught in the wires.
I love to dance merengue and bachata until you get the weird sweaty guy as a patrner. All in All. I do love this place.
