Human Nature. We want what we don't have. The poor Nicaraguan wants my wealth (relative to him), he experiences me as a rich tourist. I want his simple life, a slower more human pace (relative to me), one closer to the soil, closer to my food.
I want what I don't have in my own culture. Life in these poor indigenous villages and settlements is striped down to bare essentials where gas stoves, concrete floors, electric fans, electricity and running water are considered luxuries. Most go without these extras. In Nicaragua 80% of the population lives on less than $2 a day, (the indigenous population lives on less than $1 a day); it is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
The poor Nicaraguan wants my relative wealth and I want his slower and simpler life -we want what we don't have. As a traveller I spend more than $4 per gallon for gasoline, $2-4 per meal and $5-8 for a place to sleep. What travelers like myself spend in a single day the average person in Nicaragua could live on the same money for nearly 12 days.
David
Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama
2 comments:
After a year of separation.....Happy Thanksgiving...I'm thankful to have a great friend, David, he provides a great world perspective.
Tim,
I appreciate the note. I have seen so much. In panama now preparing to ship the truck to Columbia in January 2010.
David
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