Polar Opposites

I've been in Pugwash, Nova Scotia for a little over a week now and I suppose it's time to write a few lines about the place that will be my home for the next six months.  And how living here is wa-a-a-a-y different than San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala.

First:  A tale of the tape:

San Pedro

Population: 17,500

Languages:  Tz'utujil, Spanish, English

Ethnicity:  Maya, Gringo

Elevation:  5,000 ft

Climate:  Tropical

Bars and Restaurants:  Lots

Noise factors:  Roosters, dogs, churches, schools, tuktuks, reggaeton, construction 

Pugwash

Population:  750

Languages:  English

Ethnicity:  Scottish/Irish

Elevation:  Sea Level

Climate:  East Coast Canadian

Bars and Restaurants:  A couple

Noise factors:  Lawn mowers, birds, waves lapping

But other than the above:  It's really different.  San Pedro is an extremely social place.  On an average day in SP I would have breakfast with a few others at the pool.  Then I'd go to a series of bars and restaurants for the rest of the day -- shooting the sh*t and hanging out.  Unless I had work to do, in which case I would hide in the corner.

In Pugwash, there are just a couple of places to hang out.  I haven't yet, as I've had work to do and I've been busy stocking up on supplies and driving around the area while I have a car.  It goes back to the rental joint next week.  After that, it's all feet and bike tires.

In San Pedro the weather is fairly constant - at least over the winter months.  It is consistently warm and sunny during the day and cool with a slight breeze at night.

In Pugwash -  well, the seasons are really changing so the weather we're experiencing now won't be like the weather once summer starts.  For now, it's mostly cloudy, cool and wet.  There are occasional sunny breaks -- which are glorious.  Hopefully the summer will be sunny, warm and long.

San Pedro is crazy cheap.  My housing was less $187.50 a month and I spent roughly $20 a day in total.  Some days more, some days less.

Pugwash is also cheap.  My housing is about double what it was in San Pedro.  But I get a whole house, not just a room.  Three bedrooms in fact, plus a deck, washer, dryer, full kitchen, etc.  I've spent a ton of cash since arriving:  A new bike, car rental, office supplies.  But all that spending was necessary -- and has now come to an end.  Going forward:  I'll be spending money on food and wine with the occasional one-week car rental once a month.

Right now, Pugwash is exceedingly quiet.  I went for a stroll last night and saw only a few people and even fewer cars.  This will likely change when the tourists start flocking here in the summer.  I'm enjoying the peace, though.  It's nice to sleep without earplugs and not have to listen to corner stores blasting the world's worst music.

And so, the latest adventure has begun.  So far, so good.

Cheers!

from the "history repeating" dept.

So it has happened again: Another theft.

This one, while not large in monetary terms, stings more than the others. It makes me want to pack my bags and go. I'm tired of being ripped off and taken advantage of.

Some background:

Since I arrived in Ghana, I've had the following items snatched:

- 1,000,000 old Ghana cedis (worth about $100) from work.
- A still camera (worth about $500) from work.
- A video camera, also from work, but I got it back.
- A wind-up radio (worth about $100) from my home.

And yesterday, 10 new cedis (about $10) from the kitchen table. Nice.

On top of all that, I am still disappointed that I was taken advantage of when I paid rent last January. I don't care about the money. I care that I was squeezed for 200% more than what I should have been paying. I don't even begrudge someone making a profit -- but 200% is a joke.

Where does this leave me? Pretty pissed off. But I've learned some good lessons and I am trying not to leave Ghana with a bad taste in my mouth. But I am very, very sour.

Back to the latest theft. Here's what happened:

I had about 10 new cedis worth of utilities to pay to the daughter of the landlord. She lives in our house, so I left the money on the kitchen table. A few hours later it had disappeared. How? Well, let's just say someone has access and, obviously, can't be trusted.

I had an inkling that the money would be snatched and I was proven right. I've been accused of encouraging the theft by leaving the money out. Right, in my own home. We call it the common area, but in reality only two others are supposed to share it. Apparently not. See above comment about someone having access.

I'd love to write more about the latest episode, but I think I should wait until I'm home.

***

I'm also damn tired of the revivalist preaching. Every night this week our neighbourhood has been filled with this bullshit wafting through the air. If you're speaking in tongues three hours a night, five nights in a row -- well, it's all an act, isn't it?

And the faux preacher gets to scare the shit out of people and drive home in a new car.

I am so looking forward to home.

Cheers...