Third World Reality

With being a Canadian and used to the material benefits of what 21st century North America offers, I've found myself mentally taking a step back in digesting Guatemala. Our new home here in San Marcos in the Lake Atitlan area has the beauty of the lake but the reality of third world. 

The owner of our guest house summed it up candidly... "as far as third world, it's not bad here". Certainly the people are friendly and happy. But the conditions in which they live is hard to comprehend. 

Walk down the street at dinner time and you'll see doors open with families sitting on the floor with food on a tablecloth on a bare floor sharing. The room beside the kitchen could be a living room or bedroom but there is no furniture, certainly no wood cabinets or tables or bed frames that we are accustomed to. Another house would be bare except for the baskets of fruit by the front door for sale but you could see a colour TV on in a bare room.

Yet they are happy and this is the quandary we are facing when grasping the reality of third world living. You almost have to see it to understand...

It is so vastly different to subways or freeways or even paved roads. 

We got to our new place from Antigua to San Marcos after a 3 hour 'shuttle' service in a small van with 12 people followed by a Tuk Tuk ride.

Imagine a slow Vespa with a two seater-front seat and back seat and our two 26 inch bags banging our heads behind us going over dirt roads for about 3 miles to our final destination.

It's hard to comprehend living in a villa-type environment with warm showers and fridges and stoves while over the fence the neighbor has chickens on their property to sell you eggs.

I'm just finding it really hard in comprehending the dichotomy of North America versus third world reality. I didn't think this reality would hit me as hard as it is. For me, there's a huge difference traveling the world on business going from international airports to 5 star hotels and what we are doing now. Am I enjoying it? Absolutely!! But huge differences to life in Canada.