Small Victories

This entry was mostly written on Wednesday, September 16.

Being in Caracas reminds me of when I was in Ecuador for many reasons. I learned life lessons in Riobamba that have served me well over the last 5 years since I came home from my year abroad. It was a difficult year that taught me more about myself than anything else. There would be several days in a row when we simply did not have running water (if I wrote an autobiography about my life up until now, it would be called "no hay agua"-there's no water- for this reason), when the catcalls really got on my nerves, the two months before Carnaval when I got attacked with water balloons, flour or water pistols every time I set foot out of my house (apparently it was more fun to attack the "gringas") and other times when things just didn't go my way. I learned patience, street smarts, how to appreciate the small victories, and how to replace bad memories.

In Caracas there is usually water in the shower, although it's not always hot, and I haven't gotten pelted with flour or water pistols yet (however I have been rained on). But I have already experienced times where things just didn't seem to go my way. The days seem so long because so much happens over the course of the time I'm awake. Actually, even when I'm asleep it's eventful. Someone had the brilliant idea to set the hotel room TV timer to 4:05AM and that was waking me up every morning. The bad part of it was that I would roll over, fumble around until I found the remote to turn it off, and by the time I woke up I wouldn't remember exactly what had happened. I originally thought that I was waking up with the sun or something. Then one morning I awoke to some sitcom and within a few minutes became very sick to my stomach. Needless to say, I remembered what happened a few hours later when I woke up and turned off the timer, especially since the Pepto Bismal tablets that I had taken at 4AM had turned my tongue black (thanks to Khoa for forewarning me about that one). Last night I went to sleep with a satisfied grin on my face, knowing that no sitcom would be trying to make me laugh at 4:05AM. What I didn't count on were my new neighbors. I suppose I should be grateful- they did let me sleep until 6:15, at which point they decided to start their day with energy.... right outside my door. sigh...

Annoyances like this are a part of life. At times it can seem like the annoyances outnumber the satisfying moments. Either way, the small victories must be celebrated. What are small victories? They can be anything. My first small victory after I was dropped off at the hotel was walking by myself to McDonald's (there's really nothing else around here that I can walk to after dark) and getting dinner. Another time it was scrounging up the courage to start making phone calls about apartments. It's nerve-racking to make phone calls in another country to people that you don't know, in a language that's not your own, about something that's handled completely differently than in your native country.

Today's victory was school-related. I had forgotten that I needed to take a Spanish-language test as a prerequisite for entry into the graduate program. Once I found out that I needed to take it ASAP, I called the Modern Languages office and got directions. I walked from the hotel to campus, a route that I finally knew well, and started my search. I had been told that the office was in front of the Pharmacy College building. Well, now if only I knew where the Pharmacy building was! I wandered in the direction of the building where my classes would be held, wandered in another direction, and finally decided to ask for directions. I was pointed in the direction of a “building with a red wall” and some others that I didn’t know. I wandered more, asked more people for help and finally (after doing a few laps around the campus) arrived at my destination. I always look at the posted signs in hopes of finding something interesting and this time was in luck- I found out that Arabic classes are available and who to call. (update: On Friday I was in the building where they’ll be held, in another area off-campus called Altamira, but didn’t have time to find out anything more. I’ll have to call Monday)

After speaking with the secretary and receiving a slip of paper with an account number on it that I was supposed to use when I deposited 75BsF (about $12.50) as payment for the test, I received further instructions on finding the Banco de Venezuela. Apparently there are two branches on campus and the one that I found first (and of course it was the one that was the furthest away from the language office) was closed with chains and a big padlock. It took me at least another 30 minutes of walking and asking and feeling like I was running in circles to find the other branch. Another half hour of waiting in line and I finally got to pay for my test. I paid especially close attention to how people were paying and what they had to do to fill out the form, etc. but luckily I didn’t have too much of a problem because they used a similar system in Spain. However here, you have to “sign” with a thumbprint as well. I’ve never had to put my prints on so many documents in my life! Luckily they didn’t ask for any other ID because I had forgotten my passport. I guess if you want to deposit money for someone else, that’s your own prerogative.

Feeling satisfied, I returned to the hotel and called the language office again to confirm that I had paid the deposit and to ask when the test was. The secretary wasn’t sure I would be taking the test at the same time as everyone else because mine was in Spanish and theirs in English. I got another set of phone numbers to call to ask a professor if I would be taking the test on Friday. His son answered the first number and the professor himself answered the second and said that it was not a problem.

Since Wednesday when I wrote this entry, a lot has happened, many small victories as well as difficulties. I will update again soon and tell a little more about my first Rotary meeting, moving into a new place, finding out that the “no hay agua” does apply here in Venezuela after all, and my disdain for catcalls in the streets, barking dogs and blaring music. Stay tuned for the insanity….