- Jon and I have been working tirelessly as cheerleaders, trying to rally Kwite behind building their own water system. We've tried carrots, sticks, logic, and heart-to-hearts over the last year in an effort to get people out to work days. It's been a slow and frustrating process.
- Other than the occasional kid testing my patience, I've never yelled at a Ngabe in fifteen months of service.
- To run a generator for four hours uses about a gallon of gas. Gas costs about the same in Panama as it does in the US.
- There are four stores in Calante. All sell the same goods for the same prices- oil, rice, sugar, salt, batteries, coffee, and laundry soap.
- Willy is one of the few people in Calante who actually has a job. He's the grounds keeper for the school. He's also one of only a few that ask me for money. When he does, I offer to buy finca food from him in exchange.
- I have seasons of "The Wire" on my net book courtesy of another volunteer. I just started watching the series, but it's slow going as I don't have electricity in my hut.
- This is a long entry. It may be good to have snacks on hand.
Last week Jon and I had a work day for the Kwite aqueduct. We spent the day rerouting tubes that had been incorrectly laid before we got to Panama. The original path went along a line that eventually rose above the height of the intake structure. We all know water doesn't flow uphill, hence the rework.
The day was awesome. To see most of the community out in full force and the smiling enthusiasm was a refreshing change of pace. We stopped for lunch briefly then went back at it. The long work day and good showing meant we got a lot done. Excitement was in the air.
At a good stopping point, I ran up to the toma (intake) to turn the valve so we could see water run to where we had finished. After all, this was a milestone moment. After about half an hour (it was a 15-minute hike to the toma), I returned to a group of frowning faces. They were disappointed with the water pressure.
I immediately went into a discussion of air blocks and how this was temporary, that the current pressure was almost that of Calante, a community three times the size of Kwite. Even still, I could tell they were disappointed as they collected their things and begrudgingly made the hour-long hike back to Kwite.
(It's worth pausing briefly for some commentary. Jon and I, the Americans, were ecstatic. The community showed up and in great numbers. They worked hard. We corrected the original problem in the line. We had reached a point where it was both literally and figuratively downhill from here. The moment water flowed from the tube represented a beacon of hope that we were turning the corner on this project. Then we were met by the community response. They weren't happy. They weren't hopeful. I can't say I fully understand Ngabe culture, but I do know that Americans are a pretty optimistic lot in a global context.)
After the community had left for Kwite, Jon and I stayed back cleaning the shovels in a nearby stream. We talked about what had transpired. We both agreed that even though we had wanted a different response from the community, it was still a day worth celebrating.
I had a box of cake mix and a netbook with a battery that needed charging back in Calante. In other words, there was potential for a celebratory evening.
When we got to Calante, Leo, the one I had planned on asking to charge the netbook, was not there. I asked around who else had a generator and was told that Willy could charge my computer.
When I got to Willy's, he said charge my computer, even proffering that since I lived in Calante he wouldn't gouge me. $2.50 for the two hours to charge the battery. I knew this was a little high, but I usually don't quibble and just chalk it up to letting them have their cut throat business day in the sun. Once the computer was charging, I set out to see if I could find some rum for an evening toast.
Tienda 1: Owner in the finca
Tienda 2: Leo had returned and I found out he would have charged my netbook for free. I said I had already committed to Willy but thanked him anyway. Side note: Leo had already been one of my favorite people in the community.
Tienda 3: Open, but no libations
Tienda 4: "I don't have anything to sell, but could give you a shot from this bottle." "You want to buy part of the bottle?" "I'll send a kid with you and they can bring back the empty glass." Success.
After transferring the rum to one of my glasses, I started on making the cake mix. After about an hour and a half of computer charging, I went back to Willy's to check on how things were going.
As I approached, he was shutting off the generator saying that he was running out of gas. Looks like I would only be partially charging my netbook, but it would be enough for this evening. It had been less time than we had originally talked about, so I asked how much he wanted of the $2.50. I was shocked when he came back with $9.50. I started explaining how the $2.50 was for more time than the generator had actually been running. I listed off the nameplate capacity on the generator and the cost of gasoline, breaking down that a generator completely full of gas would cost less than what he was asking. Willy's response was that $2.50 was the price if I had brought my own gasoline. What?! That's when I lost it. I started yelling at him, how he had gone so far as to say that he was giving me a fair price because I lived there, how I wasn't going to give him the $9.50, how I didn't want to cause problems with community members, but that his actions were unacceptable. I gave him the $2.50 and walked away, shocked as I was outraged.
So that's the juicy stuff as far as the day goes. I watched the first couple episodes of "The Wire". Jon and I toasted to the headway on the aqueduct. The chocolate cake was awesome. With dinner, cake, a drink, and TV all in my little hut, it felt like I was back at home, which is exactly what I needed after a long day at the office.
