On a Cellular Level
There is a great deal of poverty here. People live in conditions that we would think impossible. The very poor live under conditions that should kill them (and probably do), but even the average person has very little by our standards.
Still, most manage to have a television. Not the 42″ plasmas that most Canadians seem to manage, but televisions. Many have better jewelry than we do. This is an important thing. Many are very well dressed. It is common to see men in suits on the street, very sharp. Much more common than back home in St John’s. They like to look good. (After all, its hot, and they’re sick. If you can’t feel good ….. it’s better to look good than to feel good ….)
Local rum can be purchased for about $6 for 1.5 liters. Not half bad. Breakfast cereal on the other hand is over $10 a box. Go figure. Cake at the bakery is over $40. Forget it! There is little accounting for prices ….
And almost everyone has a cellphone. You almost can’t live without one here. Some don’t have land lines, but they have a cellphone. Cellphones are cheap to buy, not so cheap to run. They are all “Pay as you go” type phones. You load on credits and then use them until they are gone. Only the person making the call pays. No charge for receiving calls on your cell. So everyone has one.
Street vendors have ‘cards’ for sale to let you add credits to your phone. You can get whatever amount you can afford. It is a brusque trade.
In the picture above you see a local ‘general store’ on the street. You can buy just about anything at this shops. Here you can also use the telephone. Of course, there are also endless ‘booths’ throughout the neighborhood that are only “cells”. That is, you pay the amount they ask per minute and you can use their cellphone. This is ideal for those that have no cellphone or can’t afford to add credits right now.
Consequently, it is normal to see people using cellphones everywhere. All along the street, in the stores, during studies (even during meetings in some cases, but that is frowned on!). People will take a call in the middle of a conversation. Its just part of life. Its the way things are.
Notice Marvin and Guillaume during our evening together ….
Posted in The Really Big Trip by jimt with 2 comments.
Most Canadians get 42″ plasmas? Who are these people and how does one become their friend?!?
Wonder if Guillaume was calling Marvin in that picture?
(don’t ya just love the cheap seats comments!)
We’re not most Canadians, I guess. 🙁 I’d even settle for a 32″ LCD! Course that would be roughing it eh?
Even reading about people taking calls in the middle of a conversation got my hackles up! Oooo.