Day 34 - Go Take a Walk

On Walking Down the Street

Several told me they want my observations; what I really think when I’m walking down the street.  So today I thought I’d tell you about the sidewalks and how people act.  Things here are very different than at home.

First of all, they do have sidewalks.  My friends in Kaufman know that a house or two might have sidewalks, but overall there are none.  And my friends, and family, in Bristol know that sidewalks don’t exist.

The sidewalks here are uneven.  In the older part of town, the curbs are high.  I assume this was so rain water, during the rainy season, would not flood houses.  Some people want the entrance to their house to look nice, so they put down tile; that can be a challenge on a rainy day.  Walking down a road for some blocks you might encounter a dozen different styles of tile, as well as broken concrete.  It seems that everyone is responsible for their own stretch of sidewalk.

Here is a collage of different kinds of sidewalks I encountered for this blog.

The second thing is how people act when you cross their paths.  The way I was raised is that men give the path to women, the elderly, and the infirm.  That’s not the way it is done here.  I have had two or three young men step in front of me, with the expectation I move out of the way, or blocking the path so I have to step in the street.  I have also seen people look at me from a shop door, see me coming, and step in the path, again wanting me to take a different path.  Stepping in front of people happens all the time.  I don’t see people giving way for the elderly or infirm.  Here it seems to be the strongest goes first.

Now I want you to know that this is not everyone.  The people I know treat me with kindness and respect.  Students I taught here in the 80s, who are now in their 30s or 40s, still call me Mr. Potter, Profe, or Maestro.  Occasionally there is someone who gives me the path, or apologizes for accidentally stepping in front of me.  Once you know somebody or do business with them, they can be the nicest people I have ever encountered.      

I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression.  I see the attitude of "I am the most important person in the world" in the United States now.  I guess the world is not what it used to be.

When speaking of cars versus pedestrians, it is the strongest goes first.  There are not that many cars that are weaker than me, so they often show their strength.  I swear it seems that cars will speed up to make me run across the street, even if I have the green light!  Yes, they have traffic lights and pedestrian lights.  In the US the pedestrian has the right of way, but not here.  Cars run red lights.  Cars will go early.  Cars will block the pedestrian path.  So you just have to be bold and go.  If you are afraid you will stay at home and watch TV.

This is just something that I noticed. 

“Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged.  Fear your God.  I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:32

P.S.  I wrote this my first week in Bolivia when I was trying to think of various blogs.  There are rules, just not everyone obeys them.  There are many nice people.  I must have been tired the day I wrote this, because now I seem to notice more people moving out of the way for the elderly than I noticed before.  I have seen a few people slow down and offer me the road.  It takes time to learn the workings of a culture.  Patience is the key.  Love your neighbor as yourself.