Pick up the damn phone

So far, everyone is waiting. In Curacao, they will become their own country autonomous and separate from the Netherlands Antilles in October. In Caracas there will be major elections in November which will determine the outcome of the country’s future. So many changes going on in this part of the world. I’m very glad I was sent here in August instead of November!

Tonight, someone who works at the hotel (who happens to be 22; I asked) said to me, out of the blue (it was the first thing he said to me): You look very young. Hmmm….How am I suppose to take this comment… um… thanks?

I find it unbelievable that people actually speak 4 different languages here. Wow that’s a lot. Papamiento, English, Spanish and Dutch. Papamiento is a combination of all these 3 languages, I think it sounds a lot like Spanish. Walking through the grocery store I feel like I’m at the corner of 4 different countries as I am hearing the different languages, back and forth. Even a little girl came up to me today (with a handful of the most slimy, beautiful looking live green snails I have ever seen) and started speaking english with me, (wanting to give me the snails, of course). She had just been speaking some other language which I think was papamiento. Her complexion was quite unique, though I had seen a number of other people with similar complexion here. She appeared to be white with olive skin, blue eyes, and curly, dirty blonde hair. I had seen her and mom hanging out at the hotel since the night I arrived and I wonder who they are, I think they know people who work here at the hotel. Mom, or who I think is mom, is black.

If I had one wish for this island, it’s that well, a) it would be easier to get around and find the stores I want, of course and 2) that people would pick up the damn phone. I go into stores and the phone rings and no one even looks at it. I feel for these poor people who are calling because I have had to call the same place about 10 times before anyone actually picks up the damn phone. Yah, and for about a day, that was me.