Bring on the Agua

In the magic Land of Panama, what works today, may not work tomorrow. What is in the store today, most likely won't be there later.

Believe it or not, we are getting used to it. And it's not too bad, really.

At the house, our water pressure was great during concrete construction last year. Now, it sucks.

I can put my finger over the spigot and stop the water. I have been telling our builder about this for months and months. He keeps telling me how good it is. I tell him again, he tells me again and on and on it goes.

Finally, about 5 weeks ago, I make him turn the water on and see for himself. You wonder why I didn't do this before. Well, he is the master of avoidance and it has taken me months to be at our house when he was there also.

He says, "your water pressure is very bad." I want to slug him. This is what I've been saying for months and months. He ignores this little fact.

For the last 5 weeks, the water company said they will run a new line so we have pressure...and they don't show up week after week.

Finally, this week, I stop by the water company (this is in a family home which is a Panamanian style house with hot and cold running children, the grandparents and others), the wife gets him on the phone and my translator talks to him...direct communication, not through my builder.

This is key...no builder in the middle of communication. It has become apparent that this guy is so far behind the eight ball that most task, issues, communications, etc. don't see the light of day, much less get done.

Back to the water guy...

He says he will fix it this Sunday. Last Wednesday, I am lucky enough to be at our house when he shows up to survey the situation. What luck! We talk with hand gestures and a little Spanish/English. I have a little confidence that it will happen.

So now it is Sunday. And I am going to my house with absolutely no expectation that things will get done. I'm learning--not fast but it's coming.

As I am a mile away from the house, I see the water guy walking down the road, carrying a pick, shovel, pipe and a bag of stuff, with a 5 year old daughter and a 7 year old son. They are headed to my house.

I stop and give him a ride. But first, we go back a 1/2 mile to his house and pick up his wife and baby to join us.

Off we go...

He starts to work. Lucky I was there. First he needs a couple of elbows and I find them. Then he needs something else and we have it. This goes on a couple of times. And, he gets the water hooked up.

Holy shit!

If you are following the blog, you know how difficult it is to get anything done. And we got it done. Wow! Double wow!

I am struck by the difference with the way things are here.

He walks to work, carrying more than most of us would get in a pickup. He goes with the whole family. Under these conditions, who would actually think anything could get done.

I was so grateful that they went to extraordinary lengths to help us out.

I am left speechless at the things that Panamanians take in stride. It's just another day to them.