Conversations in the Comarca are easy because they don't vary. Other volunteers and I often find ourselves laughing at this reality. On a recent walk home I encountered a Ngabe man, Ediberto, whom I had met once before. As our conversation progressed over the forty-five minutes we walked together I found myself increasingly amused. The conversation, while long, was filled with a small amount of actual talking. Breaks in the flow of conversation were many and long. Typical of Ngabe people and other indigenous groups, breaks in conversation allow time for processing. This is because unwritten languages tend to have fewer conjugations and grammatical rules so one sentiment can be said many different ways. People need time to think about what the speaker was trying to get across. Talking too fast or responding too quickly is seen as rude because it doesn´t allow for time to process. Upon arriving my community I felt uncomfortable with seemingly endless awkward silences. My recent conversation with Ediberto was hilarious to me because now that I am comfortable in site I realize how little we covered over such a long period of time, how different that is from U.S. habits, and how much I like it. People are content just being in each others´ presence.
The Conversation
(C=Choy/me, E=Ediberto)
C: Opppaaah!
E: Oowayyy. ahhh Choy, where are you going?
C: To Tole to buy food. I ran out. You?
E: You´re going to Tole?
C: Yes. But I am returning to my house later today.
E: You´re returning this afternoon? Ah yes.
C: And you, where are you going?
E: Over there.
C: To your house?
E: No
C: To buy food?
E: No
C: To work?
E: Yes.
C: Ahhh yes. It´s good to work. It leaves you strong.
E: Yes it is. I am always working hard.
C: There is always a lot of work to do, right?
E: Yes. Always.
(minutes later...)
C: So, how are you? Are you strong and healthy?
E: Yes, thanks to god. Everyone is healthy.
C: Oh how great. I am happy. Health is important.
E: Yes, very important. How do you like it here in this place, Choy?
C: I like it very much. I am always hiking. But I am more accustomed to it now and I like it. It makes me strong. Very good people, good work, and good natural food! It is very different from my home but I like it.
E: It´s very good.
(minutes later...)
E: The rain is falling hard today.
C: Yes it is. Lots of mud.
E: Yes there is. Someone might fall.
C: Yes. We need to walk carefully.
(minutes later...)
C: Look at my pants. They are so dirty. And yours are so clean.
E: Yes. That is true.
C: How do you keep yours so clean? Lots of practice walking here, right?
E: Yes, of coarse. I don´t rub my feet against the inside of my legs like you do. That´s why you are so dirty.
C: Ahhh yes. It is hard for me.
(minutes later...)
E: Where are you coming from?
C: My house in Low Ñame Hill. Do you know Samuel Salinas?
E: Yes! He is family.
C: Your cousin?
E: Yes.
C: I live and work with him and his family at his house.
E: Ohhh yeah. Now I remember.
C: Yes. That´s good.
(minutes later...)
C: Where do you live again?
E: Over there.
C: At Money Stream?
E: No.
C: At Bean Stream?
E: No.
C: Oohhh at Carrizo Stream?
E: Yes. There.
C: Yes. That´s good.
(minutes later...)
E: Where are you from in the United States?
C: I am from a state called Alaska. Its very cold and there is a lot of snow.
E: Wowwww. Polar bears?
C: Yes, and moose and seals. Polar bears like to eat seals.
E: Really?
C: They wait on the ice and when the seal comes to a hole to breathe the polar bear grabs it.
E: Wow. How smart.
C: There are various indigenous groups that live there, too.
E: Really?
C: Yes. One of them, who are called Eskimo, live very close to the North Pole where it is VERY cold.
E: How do they survive there?
C: They have lived there for a long time and are very smart. They use the skins of seals and animal fur to keep them warm. They also hunt and eat whale.
E: They are related to the indigenous people here right?
C: Yes! They all came from Asia over an ice bridge to the Americas a LONG time ago. Some stayed in Alaska and some traveled here and some went down into South America...
E: How good. I wouldn´t survive where the Eskimo are though.
C: Yes it is very difficult. Me neither.
(minutes later...)
E: We don´t have a latrine at my house. Neither do my neighbors. Can you give us some?
C: oooooohhhh. I can´t. I don´t have any money for that. Peace Corps Volunteers don´t just give things -we prefer education work. But if you want, we can work together and see about doing a project together, and later we can look for funds if the whole community wants to work together and with Peace Corps. But it takes a long time.
E: Yes. We want to. The government representative is a liar and he brings us no projects.
C: Okay, I will come talk with you and other community members soon about setting up a meeting.
E: Ah yes. That´s good.
(minutes later...)
C: I am going to clean my boots off here in this water and then go to my house.
E: okay. That´s good.
C: Have a good trip! Bye.
E: Uh huh. Bye.
This might seem like a lot of talking but it was an entire conversation over a forty-five minute period. By far, most of it was carried out in silence. The Alaska and Peace Corps parts are second nature at this point -I say them so much. Communication is different among all cultures and it is always interesting to compare and contrast those different styles and appreciate their values. And there is always something to learn.
