The Caracas missing from South Florida
After living in Caracas for a year and a half, I guess there are things that I’ve become so accustomed to that I no longer take notice. As I’m sure as every expat experiences, there were things about the US – or South Florida, that I did notice during this short trip that I probably would’ve seemed the norm once upon a time.
Where are the lines: I’ve told you how Venezuelans have turned standing in line into an art. The first time I took notice was while at Super Target (my other home) and every line, including the one I was in had 4 to 5 people. All of a sudden, a manager looking guy comes to the front and starts calling for back up cashiers. What?! You mean I don’t have to spend more time in line than I did shopping? Awesome!
Which brings me to my next observation…
Quick errands: In Caracas I always expect errands to take long (I spent four hours in line registering the kids for school last month). So, when I managed to go to pick up groceries at Publix, buy lotions at Bath & Body Works and make a quick run through Marshalls in 1 hour and a half, I was convinced that I forgot to do something. Now, one of the reasons that this is so much quicker is because they were all located in the same strip
mall – an architecture that I have yet to see here in Venezuela.
Google is useful: One day for lunch we felt like having Chinese. I’m not very particular about where I get my low mein and fried wontons and I wanted to place my order so it would be ready when I got there to pick it up. What do I do? I Google Chinese food and my zip code. And guess what? 18 places came up. I chose one that was pretty close and had a website where I could review the menu. I placed my order – which they said would be ready in 15 minutes and when I arrived 25 minutes later, it was waiting for me on the counter. By this time, my head was about to explode with the excitement of convenience.
We live in the car: Now, this one was not a happy change. Everything, and I mean everything we did required the car. I know this may not be the case for all expats living in Caracas, but we live in an area that’s central to all the basics. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have lasted a year and a half without a car (felt so weird saying that to Floridians). In any case, I put on a few pounds in two weeks due to this inconvenience and I literally felt myself getting lazier.
After all these observations, I don’t know whether I’m now more of Caraqueña or still a South Floridian at heart 
Tags: Caracas, Culture, Expat, Moving Abroad, Social Norms, South Florida Lifestyle, Vacation, Venezuela
I can identify with just about everything you wrote here, but the comment about Google being useful really made me reminisce about my time back in the States. First of all, the vast majority of businesses in my city have zero online presence, and those that do often have a very basic website. Oh, and then there’s the minor issue that there are absolutely no Chinese restaurants within a 80 mile radius of my house, but that has nothing to do with Google. *Sob* There are some days when I really do miss the conveniences of life in the U.S.
No Chinese food within 80 miles?! How did you survive, LOL? Yes, I’m trying not to be too sad about being back in 30 minute check-out lines or better yet, not finding all the items I need in 2 different grocery stores (it’s not as if I’m looking for saffron or truffles, but alas). I’ll just have to make more frequent trips to get my fill of these luxuries. It’s a shame you’re sooo far!