Consumerism in Venezuela

Venezuela is the country with soaring figures of consumerism in South America and the world in general. According to figures, Venezuela consumes more Blackberry phones than any other country in the world and more the Brazil and Mexico combined.

Pretty much everyone has a Blackberry or another expensive phone. Blackberry phones signal fortune and wealth. If you have one you are definitely going to be taken care more seriously.

Kids from as young as the tender age of 10 own Blackberry phones. But also the poor of the country are not behind. In fact there are stories of people who will say they don’t have money but buy Blackberry phones because of the pervasive pressure to go with times.

But this consumerism doesn’t stop here. It goes along way up to the clothes, shoes and cars. Moda is very important for the Venezuelan people and the malls are always loaded with consumers who go out with bags and bags of newly purchased merchandise.

But not just in the expensive malls will you find shopaholics. In the downtown famed for its affordability is where consumers swam the shops like bees, ladies purchasing shoes and men new shirts.

As I pass the narrow closed street of 20^th Avenue where shops are lined up on each side, I am not shocked anymore to be bumping with thousands of shoppers tagging along their kids for a Saturday of new shoes and the like.

The clothes shops filled with shoppers display goods on sale with 50% discount of some selected merchandise. These shops have employed people special to speak on loud speakers attracting customers with the sweetest words.

And so as the day dies off, I have managed to buy boxers of about US$15, three pairs of socks of US$2, a bag of about US$15 and a cheap cologne from a seller who couldn’t stop talking of about US$10.

This is part of the lives of many of the Venezuelans.

But why such consumerism?

The Business of Sikarios

If one hates you enough to want to kill you, one is able to do so in Venezuela. What one will do is have a price tag attached to your name. One will then contact the professional killers, or famously known as Sikarios to take you down. In few days the job will be done and you will be no more.

And all this can be at a price of 500Bs which is equivalent to about US$150.

According to the information I have gathered, Sikarios started off as professional killers, of Colombian citizenship present in Venezuela. The job of killing was conducted by them. However today, Venezuelans are also doing the job with gusto.

Mostly, the killings will be conducted by guns which are illicitly obtained. One might be kidnapped first and then killed afterwards or might be killed at an instant.

In order to carry out their operations, Sikarios will purchase a random Identity Card to conduct their operations. These cards are mostly of deceased persons but sometimes they might be of innocent people living which will end up complicating matters.

A friend told me of his once dire situation. Once while driving he was stopped by the police who conducted a checkup of his vehicle. As part of the checkup process they asked for his ID.

The Rich and the Poor

Venezuelan colors are divided on several lines. But indeed there are two major lines that seem pervasive, covering the general population and owing to discussion.  As you have gathered from reading or visiting the country, its population is highly mixed between the sons of this land, Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese and Africans.

With this mixture you are bound to encounter people like the colors of the rainbow, diverse and rich. From the very light skin, European looking to very dark skinned as if picked from the middle of the Nigerian soil. Everyone lays somewhere on this long color line.

But within this long line, a crossroad is formed when another line crosses through it, dividing the population on two sides, placing them into two different parts.

I only realized it when I decided to walk around the Eastern part of Barquisimeto on a Saturday evening, trying to absorb more of my surrounding. As I walked I met people on the road doing the same thing as I.

Insecurity in Venezuela

Venezuela, one of the happiest country but clouded by the
prevalence of insecurity

Insecurity in Venezuela is a naughty issue, scaring not only the locals but everyone thinking of visiting the country. If one embarks on a thorough reading of the country while deciding to visit, they might be persuaded to abandon their mission.

A friend who went to Cuba narrated her experience while conversing with other lodgers in Backpack hostel. Many of the tourists who had traveled extensively in the South American continent eschewed  touching Venezuela though it has the tallest waterfall in the world.

This has led to the anti-Chavez sentiment due to the fact that the issue of insecurity is prevalent in almost all states and towns of the country.

When you arrive you will be explicitly warned over the duration you are here. That will be the topic that you will meet while conversing with people for the first time. Everyone will warn you to be careful.

This will include wisdom about evading the worst part of this cities or that where people of low income resides. It will also include not walking at night from the hours of 5 pm, though others will warn you to completely not walk at any time.

Racism in Venezuela

Is there racial discrimination in Venezuela? 

No.

This is the answer you will get from about 90 per cent or more of the population here in Venezuela. There is no racial discrimination, only there are issues with classes, you would be told.

Venezuela presents a very difficult fabric which is interwoven and mixed to the point nothing really stands on its own purity. Venezuelans are mestizos with a rich background that spans from both directions.

In fact, no matter how dark or light-skinned Venezuelans are, most of them they will tell you that they are mestizos. There is a tendency of generalizing and drawing similarities making everyone racially the same.

It is also very common for families to have some children that look very light-skinned and refer to them as Catires and have others with the darkest skin and refer to them as Negros. But all this reference is non discriminative and quite acceptable.

Black People in Venezuela

Hay negros en Venezuela

My first encounter with them was on my second day in the country. I was in a bus heading 6 hours from Caracas to a city called Barquisimeto in a journey that started at 8:00 o’clock in the morning.

Inside the bus it was so cold one had to put on a sweater or shiver to death. Initially I had trouble finding my way to the seat by looking at the cluttered, faded out ticket until one passenger assisted me by pointing at where it was written.

In the television in front, an English movie muted, with Spanish subtitle was on the loop, repeating about three times before I reached my final destination.

After we exited the city, we were welcome by a thick jungle. The bus would disappear only to climb few miles later exposing the green fields rolling to the horizons, covered with trees hugged together paving the way for the bus to pass.

Political Rollercoaster

Politics in Venezuela is a whirlwind between Chavez and the opposition. 

Chavez is one very intriguing leader who speaks his mind even when it comes to Uncle Sam. There is so much animosity between the Government of Chavez and that of the United States. He blames them for giving him cancer. In the eyes of Chavez, US is an imperialist country which seeks to exploit other nations. US has been exploiting Venezuela in form of stealing their oil, according to Chavez and his supporters. In fact when I was talking to somebody recently, he told me that they received their independence when Chavez became the President.

This year is pivotal in the direction of this country. Chavistas are ready to win and put their commandant the President of this country while the opposition can’t wait for Chavez to lose or even die. The air is stifle and people are waiting.

Double Exchange Rates

Venezuela is the first country that I have been to which has two exchange rates for the dollar: the legal and black market also called legal parallel market. When I arrived it took me some time to understand what is happening here. But it seems that it is still difficult to understand why this is so.

For people who are coming to Venezuela, make sure you come with dollars in your hand. When you come with dollars, you will exchange them in the black market price. When I say black market price, it is not something that you should fear. Even the people who work in the bank they would advise you to change your money in the black market. The black market is simply people, Venezuelans, who want to buy your dollar at double the price because there is no free access to dollar since the government has restricted it.

Unlike other countries where one can buy dollar in a Bureau de Change, in Venezuela there is nothing like that. The only institution which gives dollar is government regulated and it is called Cadivi (Comisión de Administración de Divisas). One needs to apply to get dollars at the legal exchange rate of 1 dollar for about 4.6 Bolivares Fuertes. In a year someone will only be given a maximum of US$2,500 according to recent figures. And in case one wants to buy something through internet, the government will allow US$500 in a year. This means the Government cannot give you more than that. There are exceptions in case one is studying abroad in United States for example. In this case, one might be lucky to receive more than that from the Government. But the process is lengthy and many people don’t like to go through it.

Then if you don’t want to go through it you will need to buy dollars in the black market. The exchange rate is double the price and according to recent figures, 1 dollar is exchanged at 9.2 Bolivares Fuertes. Now the problem of getting dollars arises. You might have Bolivares Fuertes but still you might not be able to get the amount of dollars you need. You need to ask friends, and if you have foreign friends you might try to inquire from them if they have some dollars with them. The process can be a difficult one.

So for many Venezuelans it is not easy to travel since getting dollars will cost them twice and even so, it is not easy to get dollars. There issues of fake dollars too, especially from Colombia. One needs to be careful.

When you come to Venezuela, you would be swum at the airport with people wanting to buy your dollars. Everyone wants to buy your dollars.

Don’t ever come with your dollar in a bank account. When you withdraw, the banks will convert them at the legal exchange rate of 4.6. So it is better to sell them in the black market for the price of 9.2. 

Renting a Place in Venezuela

Looking for a place to stay in Venezuela is not easy especially if you are a student from abroad wanting to live alone and have a crazy/interesting/rewarding/remarkable experience.

When I came here for the first time, I had to do some getting used to the fact that I wouldn't be able to live on my own but with a family with old women or kids. 

Speaking from my experience in Barquisimeto, I had to search through the newspaper for people renting. You can do it through the El Impulso, El Informador or La Prensa. But you can also access the local newspapers depending on the region you are in the nearest kioscos. Go through it and find the ones you want and make phone calls. If you don’t speak Spanish, a Venezuelan friend might help you.

Places in the East will be difficult to find and the price will tend to be around 1000Bs and above. This is because many people would love to live in the East as it is slightly more secure than the West. 

Some rooms come with internet, and hot water but many will come with cable TV. But it depends on your luck. If you are renting from an old lady the chances are that she won't have internet compared to renting from a middle aged who has an access to a computer. 

Gordito and Negrito, Pure Cariño!

Calling someone fat or black can be regarded as racist in many countries. In fact you might end up in some horrible places if not situations. For many countries, being politically correct, is paramount, in fact breaking the norms is punishable even by laws.

But in Venezuela it is completely different. Being called "Negro" or "Gordo" is not harmful. In fact I am called Negrito on a daily basis and that is pretty okay. A friend of mine is called Gordito and that is pretty okay too. And if you happen to possess a pretty light skin you will get a chance to be called "Catira/e".

In Venezuela these expressions are used out of pure love and cariño. It is fun, normal and never taken in a discriminatory way.

Venezuela, owing to how mixed the society is, some of the kids will be lighter than others. Those who are lighter might be called "Catires" and those who are darker "Negritos". In fact even the formation of the word itself, Negrito, is interesting to analyze. The main word is Negro which means black. But in Spanish we add the diminutive "ta" or "to" in order to convey a state which is cute and pleasing. 

But even the word "Gordo" itself will be interpreted in a very positive way to both the giver and recipient. 

So don't be shocked if you hear or called in this way when in Venezuela. It is pure love and full of cariño. 

Marico and the like

Venezuela is such an amazing country in both fronts. It is interesting to experience its everyday life and see its people interacting, worrying and having fun. I personally have had very interesting experience here.

When I came to Venezuela I was a bit alarmed when I heard the term "marico" being used freely. The first time when I heard it, I was at a bus stand. Two men were referring to each other using this term. I was jolted and turned to look at them. Initially I thought maybe one of them was making offensive remarks at the other. I then tried to look at the other passengers to see their reaction. Their reaction was of total oblivious, as if nothing was happening. This bothered me throughout the journey and the first thing I did when I arrived at my destination was to inquire about this situation.

For those who are not familiar with the term, "marico" in Spanish it means "gay". But here in Venezuela the term is used freely among friends. It is not just among the youngsters, but it also among the old people. I have seen old people of around 60 years old using this term. For them it is nothing but just a word that you use with friends.

One would say, "Epale marico" like "how are you man"

But there is still the actual meaning it carries. Though they might use it to refer to friends or call the attention of friends, it all depends upon the context it is used. If it is not used in a friendly way the it will be used to refer to gay people.

So don't be shocked when you hear it. I have also tried to use it a couple of times. But it needs proper pronunciation cause if you don't do so it might end up sounding the opposite. So listen and learn.

A friend of mine from Argentina told me that this term is also used there among friends. I am not sure how many countries use it so in case anyone who has experience with this term, please leave a comment below. Let's talk!

Family Relationships

Venezuelans are very family oriented. Everything for them is about family first. Celebrations are centered among family getting together and enjoying the occasion. For example Christmas and New Year's celebrations are more of family reunions than christian ceremonies of going to church and let Jesus be born into your life especially for the first one. During holidays, families would leave for a beach vacation in some island or meet in the house of the great aunt for lunch. 

When you ask a Venezuelan what is important for him/her, the sure answer will be family and God. They are raised that way and much importance is placed on sharing and enjoying happy times with family. 

But the definition of what is family tends to be different here. In other parts of the world, family means parents, brothers and sisters, with uncles and aunts being relatives. But here when one says family, one refers to everyone from parents to cousins. And be told, families are big and extended. People have numerous cousins and uncles. The terms familiares or parientes as I was told by some, it is not used much as everyone is family. There is little effort to draw the lines between close family members and relatives. 

People spend a great deal of time with their family members, and they would go shopping together and even eat out as a family. During an evening on a weekend, beers would be bought with ice from a nearby licoreria. Family and friends would sit down, listening and dancing to salsa or merengue while chatting the evening away, cracking jokes and sharing events that happened during the week. This is a very common occurrence. 

But be told that mothers pamper their kids like nothing you have seen. Sometimes children who might be as old as 20 years and above might not wash their clothes or clean after themselves. Everything is done by their mothers. It is also common to find boys that will not cook as some of my friends here do. Mothers are the great chefs. 

Kids will take a long time to leave their homes, staying even after 30 years old and sometimes even after getting married. This is pretty normal. I have also seen divorcees of about  50 year old going back to stay with their parents. Parents would always accept their kids back to the nest. In fact I was told that it is common for parents to not want their kids to move out of the house. There is a fear of hard life treating them unkind. A friend in fact was stopped by his father from studying in another country, let alone another city in Venezuela.

So to Venezuela, family is first, and everything else comes second. 

English in Venezuela

If you are thinking of coming to Venezuela it will be nice to have some level of Spanish that will enable you to communicate with people. This will make your life much more easier.

But even if you don't speak any Spanish, that shouldn't stop you from coming to Venezuela. When I came to Venezuela I didn't speak any Spanish. I had great troubles at first but after 8 months I can say things are pretty well. Eitherways, the environment will work in your favor; to assist you to speak Spanish since no one speaks English here.

But I have had the pleasure of meeting few who do. Since I am living in Barquisimeto, it might not be easier as one who is living in Caracas for example, but there is always an opportunity of meeting someone who does speak the language. These are those who lived abroad for sometime, or whose families speak in English. But also I have met many students from University who might speak English. There is one University for example which produces English teachers for the country. Here you will have more luck.

But don't worry, with time and practice you will be able to learn Spanish. Venezuelan Spanish is different from the one in Spain or from Argentina. They have different words for things. But this won't stop them from understanding your Spain Spanish. Make sure to remind them to speak slowly cause they always get carried away thinking they are speaking to a native. For sometime this has gotten me really angry but I have learned to adjust.

So don't shy away. You can learn it here if you want.

Progress ...

After speaking with the people from Lufthansa, where Anastasiia had bought the ticket for coming to Venezuela, it seems they might help her with the ticket for going back.

The issue had been that she had her ticket for returning on September which is unchangeable. Since she needs to go back now she would need to purchase another one and loose the first one. But the ticket prices have been very expensive. The cheapest she obtained was  12,000 Bs which is approximately US$ 1200. Teachers and friends have been helping her with the issue. 

But hearing the people of Lufthansa wanting to help has given us much help. They have asked her to bring the death certificate of her father to their offices in Caracas as they might have a window for Tuesday the 31st. But they also mentioned that it might be a reduction in price though they didn't specify how much exactly. So she is going blindly to their offices to hear what they would say. 

But this means that she is leaving for good. It is very sad. There was so much we were supposed to do together. Many unattended businesses. It is very sad. 

Tomorrow she would head back to Alpha for her last goodbye. She has decided to go and teach and give her conversation club. It would be very emotional for her I can imagine. This will be the last time I will see her in the corridors of Alpha. 

Later in the afternoon she would come back and pack her bags. In the evening at around 6:00 pm. we would go to the church for a mass for her deceased father. The other colleagues would be there and so are some of her close friends. 

On Sunday we would have a despedida here at home with Yuki, Ronja (other interns) and the family. It would be something intimate and at midnight she would leave for Caracas with Ejecutivo bus together with a dear friend Juan Carlos who has been an angel sent by God. 

This is indeed a sad time. I don't know how I would feel after her departure. I am already feeling something in my stomach. I am trying to distract myself as much as possible. But I know it is coming. 

Death

Today has been a hard day. When I woke up Anastasiia greeted me with the news that her father had passed away. It was such a shocking moment cause I didn't know what to do. So I sat near her while she sobbed. I put myself in her shoes and I couldn't imagine being in her situation and how this would feel.

By this time she was sitting on the floor, me next to her and she was communicating with her friend who was telling her the story of what happened. On Monday the 23rd she had spoken with her dad on Skype and everything was alright. He was not sick. All of a sudden his heart stopped. The confirmed news that we obtained later was even scarier.

Apparently he was out of town with friends from work and while he was walking on the street his artery broke and he fell on the street and died at the same time. It was a sudden death and there was nothing anyone could have done. According to what the doctor told the family, this was bound to happen anytime.

So the funeral was held on the same day, today back in Ukraine.

I had to leave for work after like one hour. What then Ana did was to go to church. A brother of the mother we are staying with came and picked her up. Ana got the opportunity to speak to the priest which calmed her down. Later one of her student, Angel came and pick her up. She went to make a phone call to her mother and sister. But everyone was telling her that she shouldn't come back. Adding that there was nothing she could do. But deep inside she wants to go back either ways. By the time she had come back she had bought a black bandana, a pañuelo. This is in accordance to the customs of her country.

The problem is that she has her ticket for returning back to Ukraine in September and it is not changeable. The only way is to buy a new ticket. She then has posted on Facebook if there is anyone who can help her to buy the ticket. A couple of colleagues and close friends will chip in and we believe this would be enough to get the ticket. It would cost about 10,000 Bs.

She had plans of going to Peru and she had bought a ticket for that. Tomorrow she would have to go and see if she can reclaim that ticket. It would really help if she can get the money.

But my very dear friend is heartbroken and so am I. I have written four poems already about this. When I was walking to work in the morning and in the afternoon, I was holding back tears. Even when I tried to put on a good, happy tune, it didn't help. I was thinking about our life together here. Our laws of attraction practices and vision board. Now this happens now. Why? I had just come back from losing a passport and now this. But everything works out in the light of some mysterious plan.

It made me think about my own family. So I mailed my brother and spoke to him. Losing someone is devastating. One comment she made this evening is the difficulty she has when it comes to referring to him. In Spanish you would have to use the verb to be in the past because he is not with us anymore. But she says she wouldn't do that. He is present still.

Losing My Passport in Venezuela

On the 4th of July, I lost my Passport in very funny circumstances. In the morning of the day, I together with my friend Anastasiia decided to leave early so we can have our breakfast at a nearby Empanada stand. I carried with me my Passport since I needed to cash my cheque. In Venezuela banks require Passport for this transaction and they would never accept a copy.

We arrived in the first Empanada Stand about 5 minutes from my house selling one Empanada for 4 Bs which is very cheap. But we were not satisfied with the quality of the Empanada and also since queso (cheese) is not my friend and they only had Empanada con queso. So we decided to hop into a Panaderia nearby where we indulged ourselves in what satisfied us - Torta de Pan.

As we left I stack my Passport between the pages of my book to prevent it from bending from my back pocket. Stupid as it sounds, this is how I lost my passport. After like 15 minutes I realized that my Passport was not with me. I  decided to retrace my path to the Panaderia as I was sure I had it when I left. But until I arrived my Passport was nowhere to be found.

I had to go back to work. The first thing I did was google my nearest Embajada which according to the information I had, had to be in Brazil. But my searching results were giving me the Embajada of Tanzania in US as my nearest one. Something wasn't right.

Genesis

I came to Venezuela after being in Tanzania for a year more or less, after graduating from University in Malaysia. As my nature dictates, I can't stay in a place for too long without getting bored out of my mind. And so the journey started. The journey to Venezuela. The journey to the end of the world.

I remember since I was young, Venezuela presented itself as such an intriguing place and I vowed to visit it one day. For me it sounded like one of the best countries, relaxed; totally Caribbean. And so when the opportunity presented itself I never dared to reject it.

It was also due to the fact that Spanish had become one of my little obsession that this journey took flight. Venezuela was the best place to be, especially after learning that the Spanish accent in Venezuela is considered as the most suave in Latin America.