Here are some random observations from our first month on what life is like on this tropical island... The days are pretty equal in length, with the sun rising around 5:45-6a and setting around 5:45-6p. We not only wake up earlier than we used to, we also tend to go to bed earlier. I'm not sure yet if that's due to an infant in the household or the length of our days/nights. Driving is on the left side of the road; there are lots of roundabouts and hardly any traffic lights. People are mostly very polite and stop to let you in if you are waiting on a side road to get on the main road. People also stop, sometimes rather abruptly, to let someone cross the street. It can create an accident if you're not alert. The gas stations all charge the exact same price, which is set by the gov't. They are also all full service. The weather is gorgeous - almost always sunny, with those nice puffy clouds in a blue sky and a slight breeze. It rains on occasion, but less so since the rainy season is now over. The temps range from low 70s to mid 80s. We're told it is much warmer here in the summer, but I doubt it can be any worse than the humid summers of NC to which we're both accustomed.
It seems to take about 20-30 minutes to go anywhere on this island. Like everywhere, commuting on a weekday means leaving your house by a certain time to avoid the rush. Leaving 5 minutes later can mean a delay of 15+ minutes. Roads/streets are not well marked so we do spend our time driving around looking for places and inevitably, taking the scenic route everywhere! It will get better I'm sure. It is safe to stop and ask for directions but M is determined to figure things out himself, so we never do stop to ask! Most shops here are open from 9 to 5 during the week, until 1p on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays! I'm glad grocery stores and bigger retailers are open longer and on Sundays, but it's also nice that Sunday is truly a day of rest. People here are polite in general, and not just on the roads. It is expected that you greet someone with "Good morning/afternoon/evening" when beginning to converse. I'm told the younger generation, like their peers everywhere, are less likely to show such proper manners, but the custom still exists. When you call a business, someone actually answers the phone. This caught me off guard the first time it happened! I called the phone # for the drive-in cinema and was surprised when a lady answered. I fully expected to get a recording with their showtimes, and stumbled in talking to her because I wasn't prepared to talk to anyone. That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure I will write on this subject again as we get more accustomed to being here.
It seems to take about 20-30 minutes to go anywhere on this island. Like everywhere, commuting on a weekday means leaving your house by a certain time to avoid the rush. Leaving 5 minutes later can mean a delay of 15+ minutes. Roads/streets are not well marked so we do spend our time driving around looking for places and inevitably, taking the scenic route everywhere! It will get better I'm sure. It is safe to stop and ask for directions but M is determined to figure things out himself, so we never do stop to ask! Most shops here are open from 9 to 5 during the week, until 1p on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays! I'm glad grocery stores and bigger retailers are open longer and on Sundays, but it's also nice that Sunday is truly a day of rest. People here are polite in general, and not just on the roads. It is expected that you greet someone with "Good morning/afternoon/evening" when beginning to converse. I'm told the younger generation, like their peers everywhere, are less likely to show such proper manners, but the custom still exists. When you call a business, someone actually answers the phone. This caught me off guard the first time it happened! I called the phone # for the drive-in cinema and was surprised when a lady answered. I fully expected to get a recording with their showtimes, and stumbled in talking to her because I wasn't prepared to talk to anyone. That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure I will write on this subject again as we get more accustomed to being here.
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