PCV: Paid Caribbean Vacation

I love to hear the stereotypes that people have of our country in the USA, but until now have I never found it funnier than to hear some of the questions that I have been asked since arriving in Yo Creek. They include:

• Do you have a moon in the US?

My response was "yes," but I found it extremely hard not to laugh. How was she to know? It's a perfectly logical question if you dont know.

• Does air conditioning make you obese?

This was I did laugh out loud because my audience was one that I felt comfortable with that I wouldnt hurt their feelings. There is only one place in the entire village where air conditioning is at and that is my computer lab. Then they see the big American coming out of it everyday and it seems like a perfectly logical question. My answer was that it didnt cause obesity but it probably didnt help it either and then went into the whole debate of calories in vs. calories burned.

• Did you know that water is bad for you?

This was asked because they think I drink an absurd amount of water. I'd estimate that is around 1 gallon per day, sometimes more, sometimes less. People in my family may drink 1 glass of water per day, but they even it out with about 10 Coca-colas per day. Im not sure which one is worse. Water or Coke? It doesnt have high fructose corn syrup in it like the US, but water is a main ingredient. Doesnt that mean that too much Coke is bad for you too? Eh, never mind, I guess I'll just continue to drink water and hope that I dont die.

• How will you eat when there is no woman to cook for you?

I have no idea! Yo Creek has no restaurants so I will be lost when it comes to food. I may have to hire out someone every day because we all know that men are incapable of cooking food. At least good food that is. If they only knew how I really felt about a question like this on so many levels, but the language barrier and my persistence not to judge keeps me quiet.

• Where did you learn to run so fast?

This I just find hilarious after beating a bunch of 9 year olds in a race. I wish I could say that I felt good about myself afterwards but really, I was just the bully who was twice their age showing them that I can run. Forget all about how my legs are twice as long as theirs, and we all know I have short legs which just tells you how small they are.

• Do you know Lebron James? Do you know Barack Obama?

This was hard because here, everyone really does know everyone. Our taxi driver in Belmopan asked us what we were doing one night, we told him going to Independence and trying to catch a water taxi to Placencia. No worries, his uncle lived there and he could give us a ride. The Kevin Bacon 6 degrees of separation is no more than 3 degrees here for the entire country. Just because I live in the same country doesnt mean I get to play 1 on 1 with Lebron and kick it in the Oval Office with the President. It's a shame though.

Im sure questions like these will continue to pop up and I will try my best to post them to the blog when I remember. I can only imagine the more people I meet, the better they will get.