Thursday, May 24, 2012

Waiting & More Waiting

We're trying to learn the Caribbean way of life and just go with it:)  But, it is not in me, this planning side of mine!   One day this week we spent the afternoon at a local cement block company.  We are rebuilding a wall on the side of the school that was falling, and we had paid this company to deliver the blocks for it.  After promising delivery, 3 weeks later and $500 US dollars later we still had received nothing.  So, we had to get other block and this company told us they were not making anymore blocks.  Well, (yes, I am a cheapskate and especially when it comes to supporters money) I decided this was not okay, even if we are in another country and they do things differently.

So after being told they have no number and can't do reimbursements.  Afternoons if we miss naps can be crazy in our house.  So, we packed the kids up and unleashed them on this company for the afternoon.  I was determined that my crazy, sleep deprived 3 yr old and 11 month old boys would drive them crazy into giving us the money or blocks.  Not to mention surely 3 hours of a 5 yr old asking you non-stop questions would convince you to hand it over so we would get out of the tiny office.  I was determined to wait it out until they delivered.


Waiting them out at the cement company.


Here were the people really out waiting us.

I underestimated Caribbean life.  They are used to waiting and doing nothing but wait.  So, after all that time and repeated phrases, "We did not take your money.  It just happened.  Someday you will get the bricks."  I realized I was not going to be able to reason, drive them crazy, or out wait them.  Such is life here sometimes.  

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