Kibbutz, yet not

In many ways this area is like Kibbutz. Everybody knows everybody in the small town sense but even more so everybody seems to be in business with one another and most people in the same joining businesses: tourism, real estate, rentals, construction, housing management, surfing and yoga. All of the businesses are so inter-linked that I call them everybody’s honey pots. I wonder if the expats’ “businesses” are related to the need to be incorporated in order to do many things here. I'll have to ask the lawyer about that, hehe.

This area is pretty isolated and so the supplies that are here are more expensive. Many people use a sort of currier system that is similar to “Nahag Bait” on kibbutz. There are “shoppers” in San Jose who will get the items you need for the cheapest price and send them to us either by bus, van or flight. There is a small fee for their time and we can more or less get what we need affordably.

This area is very Western though and with that comes the disconnect and strong sense of independence that is the pride of North Americans. I thought of Israelis on Kibbutz who offer to help new comers in any way. An example: we are trying to orient ourselves and focus our resources. The neighbors are friendly and offer information about how far the closest city is (almost 2 hours) and how difficult it is to get some supplies and negotiate certain concerns. They are giving us good tips but we must navigate the issues alone.  On Kibbutz, everybody offers rides, offers to bring something from the big city, offers to help resolve any issues to make the transition smoother. I feel much more on my own here and I am hoping that will change some when we meet the community of parents connected to the school. When I seek more support, Sean keeps telling me, “this is not Kibbutz; we have to figure it out.”

Humidity

We are moist, constantly sticky. Even our papers and passports curl with moisture -  and this is not even the most humid time. Maya draws a picture and I think it will fall apart before I can put it on the fridge. I’m getting used to it and somehow it is not so bothersome because there is so much beauty around us. My clothes have become an outer layer of skin that I peel of. Going to the bathroom is like taking off a wet bathing suit and putting it back on again. But... we haven’t turned on our air condition yet.

Driving

We tried to drive to the next town 27 K south of here. I read it was an hour away. Distance is not the factor as much as terrain. After an hour+ of muddy roads we were dead in our tracks. The roads here are not smooth, lots of potholes, ditches and washouts. This is the place for a serious all terrain vehicle. Sean walked in the road “puddle” and it went up to his waist.

 

 

This is not a river, this was the road that we were supposed to cross. I have a feeling this is nothing to the people who have been here a while. Most vehicles are 4 wheel drive and have snorkels.