So there are two things that I really don’t like: wasting money and wasting food.
There are ample opportunities to do both in this country, and my newest hobby is avoiding doing either. Ejemplos? Claro que si!
1. I bought an orange juice from the colmado to enjoy one evening recently. I got home and realized that it was the sugary kind, not the “all-natural” orange juice that I like. When I say sugary kind, we’re talkin’ more sugar than juice. I forced myself to drink the neon orange liquid regardless, because I bought it and gosh darn-it I’m not ’bout to waste that.
2. I bought some eggs from the colmado recently. When I buy eggs, I like to buy them in the evening so that I have them ready to prepare for my breakfast in the morning and don’t have to walk in the cold to the colmado in my PJs. I got home, set the bag on the table, and clearly didn’t realize my own strength because I heard one of the eggs crack. I pulled out the tiny bag full of eggs and saw that one had broken. I know that I already ate dinner, and that egg was supposed to be for breakfast, but I had only one other option than to toss the spent egg to the wayside, and gosh darn-it I’m not ’bout to waste that!
3. I’ve been meaning to go to Partido recently to utilize the public market, supermarket, ferreteria and the claro store. I planned to go this morning, but ended up getting caught up with other things. By the time I was able to leave for Partido it was kind of late in the morning. I could have paid the 50 pesos each way to get to Partido on motorcycle to get the trip done faster rather than walk the 40 minutes each way, but gosh darn-it I’m not ’bout to waste that! (I’ll just go tomorrow by foot)
4. I often find that I have time to cook myself adventurous, tasty and healthy meals here in the Dominican Republic. I spend a good amount of time preparing them, putting thought and effort into making my food as delicious as possible (as delicious as can be done without running water, without a fridge, a stove-top/gas tank, one pot and one pan). On a semi-frequent basis, I find myself just sitting down to begin my meal, maybe I’m even three bites into my meal, when I hear my neighbor/landlord, Ricarda, tap at my door, “Permisito, Jaime, te traje una merienda.” (Excuse me James, I brought you a little snack). Her snacks are the size of a large meal. So I quickly put my food back on the stove, cover it, and save it for dinner (or breakfast since the same thing often happens at dinner-time as well). I wish I could just not eat one of the meals (usually the mountain of rice that Ricarda brings me) but gosh darn-it I’m not ’bout to waste that!
Aquí son cuatro ejemplos. I’m wondering if this will be a hobby/habit that sticks with me (both here in the DR and upon return to the States).
This photo has nothing to do with this blog post, however it's a part of my series "Things James See On His Runs" and it's one of my favorite views of the Dominican Countryside near my site.
