I think I have been using an idiomatic phrase incorrectly for my whole life up until this moment when I have discovered my error. I probably have written it incorrectly in this blog. Holy crap, that is pathetic.
Fucking pathetic is most of Venezuela. That is really the only way to describe the state of a good portion of the country. Seems like the country was at its best in the late 70s when the power of their currency because of petroleum was second to only the dollar. Unfortunately has pretty much has taken a nose dive into the trash heap since then. Probably the reason my parents moved from there when I was a kid, because there wasn't shit going on. I don't know for a fact but more than 80% of the country has to be undeveloped land. Aside from the major cities which there aren't many of you just look around and see empty wilderness (probably polluted). The most pathetic part is the homeless kids who wander the streets. You just don't see that often in the U.S., but it is a recurring theme in some south american countries.
They also are in dire need of an extensive public transportation system. Specifically trains. I haven't seen one train here at all. I think the only ones in the country are probably in the capital, Caracas. What is even more disgusting are the morons who have bought into Chavez's rhetoric. That crazy fuck has done nothing for this country and is running it into ground. He using a the general dislike for the rich among the majority poor in the country to build support with talk of revolution and equality for all. But as far as I can see things have gotten better. Inflation is out of control and businesses are closing down. Fucking pathetic. Every the supports him wants to cite his ideological stance and the way he "stands up to imperialism" and the US. What a load of garbage.
Anyway, going to some moutain park area tomorrow. Should be interesting, something to do.
It seems that the only thing that keeps Venezuela from falling apart completely and degernerating into a lawless hell is the friendliness of the people. What I mean is that the government and police don't seem to be doing shit to improve things, to keep things stable, anything that such organizations are supposed to do. Aside from the sense of impunity that almost everybody has in regard to some things everyone just goes about their business and tries their best to live with a government that can be described as listless rhetoric spewing morons. It makes the inefficiency of the U.S. government look like a Toyota manufacturing plant (they are known for their effeciency and managment). Actually I really know very little about the government's workings but just by looking at most of the country and seeing how freaking pathetic most of it is you get an idea.
So what happened this week. Nothing really interesting. I encountered 3 women who apprently wanted to sleep with me. I'm talking about effortless one nighters. Basically they were grabbing at my crotch without actually grabbing at my crotch. I just can't do that shit unless I am really really drunk. And I wasn't nearly drunk enough. Especially since they ranged from fairly decent looking even maybe pretty to run for your life and don't look back. I didn't want to be in those situations but with my crazy drunken cousin and his equally drunk amigos boxing me in it was unavoidable. One of them ended up the night throwing up all over the place so...well...yeah, draw your own conclusions. I want to throw up just recalling the past week. That's it for now.
I've experienced my first earthquake. Actually it was just a tiny temblor but it was noticeable. It happend when I was sitting in spanish class. Lasted all of 10 seconds. I was waiting for something more violent but it never came.
You know what is endlessly amusing. Other foreigners in foreign countries. What I mean is that when you travel to another foreign country and see other people who are foreigners not only to the country you are in but to you as well. Like all the Filipinos at the casino here in Merida. They have been living here for a while so they are adjusted but it is still funny to hear someone speak spanish with a filipino accent. Or the german butcher here in the mountains. The is amusing to here someone speak perfect spanish with a german accent.
I think my mental state has returned to normal for a bit. No more depression. Lets see how long this lasts. Ha. Fuck. I need to get a grammar book so that I can learn at home. Fuck. Why do I suck so got damn much.
For some reason I am depressed again. I don't want to do anything. This is no good when your trying to learn another language in a limited amount of time.
I'm going to try reading all my news in Spanish. I could probably write the blog in Spanish, it would be rather basic Spanish though and besides no one who reads this can read spanish I don't think. So that is out. I have these holes in my Spanish. A lot of basic grammar rules I just don't know. And their are certain words and sounds that I have trouble or don't know how to pronounce. I think I can read and listen fairly well but there is trouble when it comes to vocabulary I don't know. Main problem is with speaking and explaining things. My limited vocabulary and spotty verb tense knowledge makes it difficult to express myself accurately.
This article, goes over what I've blogged about at length many times before. Except I feel that their numbers are conservative and that those polled probably gave bad numbers because they were embarassed to tell the truth. I won't go over it in detail you can read back posts to see what I am talking about. Since a good bit of them were done while at work "wasting time".
When it comes to consumer goods nothing seems to be comparable to the U.S. You can get anything at almost anytime anywhere in the U.S. Japan which is the world's second largest economy probably comes close but I don't think any country in the world has the level of consumerism the U.S. does. Which as I pointed out before can be a bad thing for certain reasons concerning range of selection. The funny part about it is that you can probably get all the same things in other countries that you can get in the U.S. but it might take a little longer and it is probably coming from the U.S. Ha.
I think oatmeal is somehow the greatest food ever. Ehh maybe not but it is pretty darn close. You can get it just about anywhere, it is fairly easy to make especially if you have a microwave and it is nutrient dense. You can add berries to it too. I have spanish class today from 2-6.
Saw War of the Worlds last night. It was ok. Enjoyable movie but the only problem with it was that it felt like it ended unfinished. I didn't read the original book so I don't know what was left out or whether the book also ended the same way. Basically I wanted to know more about how the humans eventually defeated the invaders. They said it was germs that did them in but I wanted more specifics. Maybe another 30 minutes there at the end to go into what happened. But that wasn't the focus of the movie anyway. The focus was the characters reaction to the attack and to each other. Which had it moments but still felt like it could be a bit deeper. I think that maybe the book was very detailed and deep and was hard to fit into a single movie. But I don't know really. I just felt like there should be much more to the story.
Well, it's been about a week since I arrived in Venezuela and things are going well. I'm progressing with the language nicely and I haven't even started classes yet. They will start on Thursday. I think that by the end of my time here I'll be able to speak, read and write pretty good. I understand more than I can speak but eventually I'll be able to speak just as well.
TV here is loaded with american programming. Sure they have their spanish language stuff but there seems to be just as many shows on here that are on in the US. The Simpsons (obviously), CSI, all the reality TV crap (the same shows, not just latin american rehashes). And cable, forget about it. If you think HBO is going to show latin american cinema your wrong. More than half the movies on the movie channels are american movies. Lord of the Rings, Daredevil, you name the movie and it will probably come on. Also of course there are the ubiquotous spanish soaps that seem to be on all the time. Like right now.
The internet phone subscription I got works well. It is like having a landline in the US except you can use it with any internet connection.
After 15 days of intensive spanish one on one tutoring if I can't speak fluently someone kill me.
Thinking that I will do the Japan thing next summer for a year or so. I still have a few months to decide so I'll make a decision in September sometime probably. One year in Japan and for sure I would be able to speak that fluently too. I want to learn French next but before that even I want to nail down Chinese. I have to find a way to get over there and live for a year or so. I think it will be more difficult to find a something like in Japan. And I don't know anybody over there like Venezuela. France will probably be much easier.
There are a lot of similarities between here and the US as expected and a lot of differences. I went to the mall which looked exactly the same as any big american mall and the only way you knew you were in another country was that nobody spoke english. Gas is dirt cheap here, and I mean dirt cheap. It cost about $2 or less to fill up your car. Most people are poor though so no matter where you go you always see crappy looking neighborhoods. Its funny though because Venezuela is one of the richer countries in South America because of its oil. Yet I don't know where that money is going. The government is horribly inefficient and public works projects seem almost nonexistant. So many places look run down. Camden, New Jersey looks like a good place to live compared to some of the places here. A cabby agreed with me.
Tomorrow I will get the wireless router so I can use the laptop wherever in the house.
Posts have been few and far between recently. Mainly because to connect my computer to the internet I need to unplug stuff because I don't have the wireless setup yet. A few things I wanted to post have slipped my mind, but maybe I'll get around to them later. I have a bunch of pictures but they are fairly uninteresting pictures of family memebers. And I do actually have a saved post in notepad that I will put up next.
Blair sidesteps French food fight
The media is ridiculous and here is a prime example. They are making a big deal over a comment about food as if it is going to effect the relationship between a country. At least Blair, in this case, showed intelligence in dismissing the whole thing. I have nothing more to say about this. Need to work on a website.
You ever see those shows on the discovery channel where they show India or some southeast asian country and the driving is ridiculous. Well that is how it is here. You get used to it but not really.
To get to where I am staying now we drove through the moutains. We stopped at one of the highest points which I think is like 2 miles high or something. The air was very thin and if you even just walk too fast you get light headed. Don't even think about running or doing anything strenous or you'll pass out right away.
The laws around here are rather lax compared to the United States. Especially the laws concerning road safety and alcohol. A typical night outing for those of my age group may consist of driving the liquor store to get a bottle of rum and a bottle of coke. Then driving to the club. Parking in the street outside the club, opening your hatchback to blast some music and proceed to get wasted right there in the street where about 25 other people with hatchbacks are doing the same thing. After you've had your fill you drive back home while blowing through as many red lights as possible. Did I mention that you also drive with a cup of rum and coke in one hand. If you get stopped by the police (which you never will) the cop will probably ask you for a sip and tell you to have a nice night. The police have too many other things to worry about, like taking bribes.
On Friday, somehow I agreed to go to a concert. I sort of knew it was a bad idea in the first place but against my better judgment I went. Basically it was a boy band lineup mixed with some merengue groups. 90% of the people there were screaming teenage girls. Screaming teenage girls who must have all shopped at "Wet Seal: For Turbo Sluts". Honestly that is the only way to describe it. And I think I am probably being nice. Apparently the city I was in is sort of known for slutty women I think. Anyway, it was a big mistake.
After a brief hiatus the blog is back. Short post right now though. I'll have all day tomorrow and the next and the next to make more posts. I think I am going bungee jumping and hangliding tomorrow. It is a city in the mountains so there are lots of hangliding spots I think. Maybe, I don't know yet. I have a bunch of observations to records. But now, it is time for sleep.