my first tasks were to get myself some of the basic essentials: 1 pot, 2 plates, 1 fork, 1 pan, laundry soap, dish towels, etc.
with all the other things i had on my mind prior to moving to a new country, packing dish detergent wasn't one of them.
grocery shopping was next on the list. i am truly impressed with the price difference of some items. costs are often double what they are in canada. (example: 2L of juice: $6.00)
one thing is for certain: antigua is not a country of shoppers. accumulating material possessions ranks much below spending time with family & friends.
i have learned from excellent tips for living modestly...
- no toaster? just use the bottom of a pan; a couple minutes per side.
- no washing machine? when hand washing in the sink, do whites first.
- no large fridge? get used to drinking water at room temp. buy groceries only for the day.
- no pillow case? a t-shirt works nicely.
- no TV? pick up the classic horror movie 50 pack & play on laptop; go to bed early.
- no hot water? suck it up. its a tropical country.
- no lawn mower? wait for the goats to mow the lawn.
- no bug zapper? invite neighbourhood anoles to sit in the windows and gobble mosquitoes.
- no electric can opener, butcher knife or screwdriver? bring your swiss army knife.
- no internet service? go to the airport & pick up the wireless signal.
- no limitless supply of drinkable water? boil tap water & make iced tea by the gallon.
- no stove? use single gas burner connected to propane tank.
it'll take a bit to get used to the time things take, to get done. another is availability of goods. it takes 48 hrs to hook up internet service in canada. it is taking at least a week here & that's with a cousin expediting. imagine the biggest supermarket being out of eggs most of the week? or a gas station not having propane until tomorrow?
i recall the panic that set in with torontonians, on days Loblaws was closed for a stat holiday. it was hilarious to see the line-ups, practically hoarding carts full of goods, like a hurricane might be coming & the store could be shut for a week. god forbid one has to dip into the cupboard full of food already at home. a football team could be stranded at your door & you'd need to feed them...
something antigua can boast is the sense that the people who live on the island, are the ones who own it & run it. for better or worse, this island is theirs.
antigua is tighter than a small city like, say, owen sound or kingston. the government here is all-in-one. there are no layers. it would be like the mayor actually being able to change the educational system. there are no battles between the provincial & federal govt's as to who pays for pubic transit or repairing highways. think of all the beaucracy that doesn't exist removing 2 layers of government.
while i might suggest there are areas where there should be more government here, the government seems to interfere little in daily life, taxation is much less (admittedly, less services), but at least you don't feel jacked.
antigua feels tighter because unlike kingston or owen sound, it is quite an effort to immigrate or emigrate (i've discovered). it isn't just a moving truck. antiguan folk are much tighter than any small town i know. hitch hiking is common. private vans pick people up at the side of the road & charge according to distance.
people honk & wave. they say good morning. they stop to talk to each other. they know their neighbours. the mood is very relaxed. and the great thing is: it rubs off. how can i get worked up about internet access installed in my place? on the grand scale of things, is it worth getting uptight because it isn't happening fast enough?
next posting,
i will be taking & sharing more photos + tips on how to survive the heat.
'nuff said for now.
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