I love the motocarros and their myriad of purposes from hauling people, pigs, construction materials, or just each other. I like that they are just an instant couch anywhere you can drive them to whether it is for watching a soccer match or just hanging out with your friends. I am endlessly surprised that the drivers feel no qualms about stopping for gas at anytime and getting 1 sol's worth ($.33). And, why is it that they never have change? Isn't their business in dealing with change? Why is their uniform approach to the rain a marginally effective plastic sheet tied under their chin? These may be questions I leave here unanswered.
I still find the number of bodegas and juice stands mind boggling. There are at least 3 or 4 bodegas on every block and they all carry virtually the same products. I suppose there is enough business for them all and it is a way to be your own boss and work at home, although nowhere near a get rich quick scheme. The juice stands are such a great self-starter business, especially if you have fruit trees in your yard. Every household is making juice daily anyway - all you need for a stand is to make extra and put it on a table on the street. It is so hot that people are always looking for juice.
Some of the construction choices and quality I find curious but I'm guessing those all come down to economics and climate. Shelter has a whole new meaning for me now. It is not the traditional American middle-class home. It is a roof if you live somewhere where it rains or you need protection from the sun. It is walls if there is something you want to keep out or in. It is glass windows if you need to keep warm, screens if you don't, or open air with mosquito nets is a viable option. Floors are a convenience - people lived for a long time with dirt floors and still do. Doesn't seem ideal but it is a reality. I read in the guide books about Pucallpa that it was hastily put together and I am not sure exactly what that means but they are definitely not pulling architecture from a European page. They are making exactly what they need made to live in at the time and nothing more.
Having lawns with grass is regarded on a complete opposite end of the spectrum from the States. We have a small yard and noticed that kids didn't play in it. We saw one friend shooing his son out of the yard. When we asked why he indicated there are insects like chiggers that can be very irritating. Upon further inspection we noticed many people don't have grass. I even noticed a woman digging up the grass that was growing in her 'yard', preferring to have the dirt. Having concrete seems like a desired solution and the kid's school is 90% concrete. A definite difference.
And while it was hard to get used to, the schedule of life where the big meal of the day is at 2 for families to eat together does make a lot of sense in some ways. Families spend time together while they have energy and have a little rest period together during the hottest part of the day. This can make the dinner hour less stressful whereas it is usually just leftovers or a snack. And 8-2 seems like a perfectly reasonable school day for children. They have time to learn and eat and play and come home for significant family time. This was challenging on my American work schedule but we had Edith for the kids.
Sometimes I felt like the list of similarities was almost shorter than the list of differences but that's not entirely true. People are not that different. They are trying to get by in ways they have learned and that make sense to them and trying to do right by their families.
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