I've been losing sleep over this one.
Wednesday, the day I dug a trench across my road, my iron worker talked me into asking my neighbor, a Panamanian, who I have never met, to help me dig the ditches. It didn't look like he really wanted to do it but he said he would. All this communication was translated through the iron worker who, of course, speaks English.
I was going to meet him today at 3:30 pm and work out the project. This was the problem: he speaks Spanish and I speak English. Plus, he didn't look like he wanted to do it.
So I was worried that: one, I couldn't talk to him; two, he didn't want to do it; three, we would be off to a rocky neighbor relationship. So round and round I went, ruminating, cogitating and funkitating. Not pleasant.
A side note: It is very important to have excellent relationships with Panamanian neighbors because, if things go poorly, they tend to cause problems from petty to life threatening. And, if the relationship is good, they will help you in every way possible. They can be fantastic neighbors! So a lot was at stake in this venture.
I got to my road and noticed that an additional 3 trenches had already been completed. Wow! I didn't think he would even start before we met. So I went to his casita. It was all smiles and hellos (Buenas, hola, como esta, etc.).
What a relief. I am always worried about the local culture. I don't want to be the Ugly American. God knows we have enough of that here already.
I will say that it is amazing how much can be communicated with hand waving, a smattering of Spanish and finger pointing, and maybe most of all, an intention to do the right thing.
What a relief...I know, I already said that but this is big. It is the first time I hired a native to work for me. (Other than my builder, he doesn't count because he speaks English and has been Americanized.) We are going to have to hire additional people to live here so this is a big step.
Not only that, I actually got another thing done today.
In Panama, you are only allowed one thing a day so this was also big. Shhh! Don't tell anyone, they'll report me to the Nothing Gets Done police.
I have been struggling to get the right tools to change our car tires. Flat tires are a given here and I don't want to get stranded every time one goes flat.
Because I bought a 10 year old car and it's Panama, you know the rest of the story, none of the tools ACTUALLY fit anything required to change a tire.
I have been working on this since January and I'm down to the last thing. I needed a thin walled socket to fit between the center hub cap and the nut. Problem...what size?
I have tried to find someone with tools that I can work with to size the nut but NOOOOOO I can never be in the same place as the tools with my car. You think this is simple to solve? You got to remember we have only one car and I walk most of the time so when I see someone with tools, I don't have the F@#%$&&# car! And, when I have the car, I can't find anyone with the tools.
My friend told me to go to the Do It Center in David where he saw a thin walled, 4 way wheel wrench. I found it for $7 and tried it on in the parking lot. F&%^@##$#! It didn't fit. Too thick.
So, back to the store for sockets. I'm convinced it is a metric nut because it was made in Japan. But no #21 which is the size I think I need. So in desperation I buy a 13/16 socket thinking "this will never work."
Holy cow, it fit. I couldn't believe it! What luck. Give me a break, a 13/16 size. I still can't believe it.
So now I am deceiving myself into thinking that I have all the tools that I need to change a tire.
We'll see. Panama has a strange and powerful way of stopping progress.
Two things in one day. Wow!
No comments:
Post a Comment