Cultural contexts

One of the most fascinating things about living in Balgue, is the opportunity to interact with the locals. On a nearly day-to-day basis, they teach me more about their customs and culture here, while throwing a sharp realization my way on just how differently situations are interpreted here. Everything in Nicaragua, even the people, are more multi-faceted than I ever thought possible.

Machete’s here are used as both tool and kitchen utensil. Bowls in the volunteer kitchen are for eating and bringing up the harvest. The knives are for cutting onions and butchering pigs. Sure I suppose you could say that this is because there isn’t a lot of stuff here in the first place. Everything people own here must be used for several purposes. Even toilets here can be closets too.

Perhaps it is because the people here live so simply. And when you have only one colander somedays it is necessary to use it for a variety of purposes. Or perhaps it is because the people here earn such a modest wage. Now when I say that, I think you will assume that the people here are poor. And while they would not  be defined rich in our society, they do have the basics. A shelter, clothes, food, community, culture, and love. There poverty comes only in their realization that we have so much more than they do, and nobody quite understands why that is.

What also shocks me is the cultural differences here. This past weekend, Pablo joined me on a trip to Mayogalpa. I had an interesting moment of realization on the bus ride back. This forty-something man from North America started handing sweets out to the kids on the bus. Something in Canada, which depending on the parent, may send everyone into a fit of horror. How dare this stranger try to get these kids to break the cardinal rule of young children everywhere--never take candy from a stranger! He also started talking to them and asking their names (which I will admit is not exactly scary). But I was uncomfortable when he started tickling the little girls on the bus. The entire time something about this guy screamed “I am creepy” and I was definitely happy to see him leave.

After the man left and I was sitting next to Pablo again, he asked me what the man said to me as he was getting off. Which was something like “see you later my Canadian sister”. Pablo then said that he seemed to be a good man. Now as you can probably deduce, I was not exactly thrilled about this man. So I asked Pablo why he thought that. He said something along the lines of he gave the kids candy, he talked to the kids in Spanish.

I was shocked. The same reasons that I had to warrant concern for these girls, were the same reasons Pablo felt at ease with this foreigner. At times I wonder though who had the better read on the scenario? Was I being overly cautious with my own meme’s of “never take candy from a stranger” mentality? Was Pablo correct, that this man was just being kind to some Island girls?

When I explained to Pablo what my reaction was, he laughed. Was I overreacting, probably. After all the parents were right there, and never did I see the man make attempts to sell these girls into slavery. I guess the difference in it was that in my culture, someone who does those things often comes across as a pedophile. Where as here, he was just a foreigner trying to engage some locals.

Now I feel a bit silly about my reaction, yet at the same time I wonder if I should. Not because I believe it is a good thing to be entirely skeptical of everyone you meet, but because sometimes I am really frustrated with these gaps in society. By this I mean, how there are some people who seem to flirt with boundaries which are seen and unseen. This man here to me, seemed to be pushing a button. Ultimately it was a non-existent button for everyone but me. But what I saw just made me uncomfortable.

If it isn’t something that is common place in your home country, why do it here? Could you have engaged those little girls without tickling them? After all I’ve been in Nicaragua for nearly 10 weeks now, and I finally played with the daughter of one of the Ecolodge’s owners. I suppose what I really am frustrated with is this mentality of cultural insensitivity.

This was my first glimpse of my own insensitivities being here. Realizing that I had it wrong. You are supposed to engage with the children on the bus. Smile and make faces. While I may not hand out sweets, I would argue that everyone (even in Canada) tries to put children at ease on buses. I suppose that is what this trip is all about though. Learning about the idiosyncrasies within my own culture through the eyes of a Nicaraguan man.