tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62002991191365423842024-02-08T01:41:41.197-04:00El Jibaro GringoThe true story of an Italian-American living in the mountains of Puerto RicoDon Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-58402465692932930522010-04-29T13:01:00.003-04:002010-04-29T13:56:09.215-04:00H.R. 2499 - Puerto Rico Democracy Act ScamThere will be a congressional vote today to determine whether or not to give Puerto Ricans a choice on the status of Puerto Rico with respect to the US. In the current system, the "status quo", Puerto Rico is a colony of the US. We receive certain benefits, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamps (limited compared to what you get in the US). We don't pay federal taxes, but we do pay SS taxes and serve in the armed forces. Puerto Ricans have historically voted for retaining the status quo over the other two options: statehood and independence.<br /><br />In last election, Fortuño was elected governor. He was the Republican candidate: here, that means pro-statehood.<br /><br />So suppose you were pro-statehood, and you wanted to rig an election in your favor. Here's how, using a brilliant ice cream analogy of my own design.<br /><br />Say the only three ice-cream flavors are chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. 49% of the people want chocolate, 47% want vanilla, and 4% want strawberry. You really want vanilla to win, so you break the vote into two parts:<br /><br />1. Do you want chocolate? Surprise! The people say no!<br /><br />2. Since you don't want chocolate, do you want vanilla, or do you want strawberry? Surprise, vanilla wins!<br /><br />Democracy in action!Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-86132182314960429262008-11-06T07:33:00.007-04:002008-12-26T10:16:50.756-04:00Election Results<p>I took voting this year far more seriously than I have in the past, perhaps because when I lived in Massachusetts the outcome was fairly certain before the voting even started. Things did not turn out exactly the way I wanted, but I'm proud to have voted in my first Puerto Rican election.</p><h2>Governor</h2><p>The incumbent governor and Popular Democratic Party representative, Acevedo, was trounced by the republican candidate, Fortuño, who represents the New Progressive Party. Acevedo currently faces federal charges alleging irregularities in his campaign finances. Fortuño has also been under FBI investigation over allegations of campaign finance irregularities. I didn't vote for him, but I wish Fortuño the best of luck.</p><p>The election, however, had less to do about politics and more to do about the economy. Puerto Rico is in rocky shape these days, with recession, rising utility prices, a sales tax imposed during the Acevedo administration, and ever rising unemployment. This election was about change.</p><p>I understand the frustration of the Puerto Rican people. The economy sucks, and job opportunities, particularly for young people, are scarce. Most of the jobs are in retail, construction, services, and manufacturing. There is little chance of advancement.</p><p>The school system does not adequately prepare kids for the job market. Many will go to the US looking for work, but language will be a barrier. English is a mandatory course of study, but it reminds me of the French I took in high school. I remember none of it. None of my 16-year-old brother in law's friends or other young people I know speak English with any degree of fluency; some not at all.</p><h2>Mayor</h2><p>The incumbent mayor of Aguas Buenas, Arroyo, won re-election. He's done much for our small town, including providing funding for a new library, technology center, parks, and free bus service.</p><h2>President</h2><p>I watched TV coverage of the presidential election most of the night and into the morning, and I wept when Obama was declared the winner. This was the most exciting election in my lifetime, and it gives me hope for the future. His acceptance speech was intelligent, dignified, and inspiring.</p><p>It will be a daunting task, undoing the damage of the last eight years, but I believe Obama is up to that task. It may take his entire first term to make significant progress, but then, it took a long time to get where we are today. I only wish I could have voted (Puerto Rican residents can't vote in presidential elections).</p><br /><h2>End of Campaigning (at least for now)</h2><br /><p>I'm also glad the campaigning is over. Politicians here don't get much TV coverage; campaigning is done with trucks with huge speakers driving up and down the streets blaring their messages. There are endless parades and rallies in the two weeks before the election, all of them annoyingly loud. I'm looking forward to a little more peace and quiet. I say "a little" because very few parts of Puerto Rico are ever truly quiet.</p>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-72746462473448940082008-11-04T12:53:00.000-04:002008-11-04T12:54:35.664-04:00Election time: Puerto Rican styleToday, I voted in my first Puerto Rican election, and I was proud to do so. We vote for the mayor, governor, and legislature (but not the president). Politics is huge here; nearly everyone who is eligible votes. Voter turnout is typically about 77%, compared to about 50% in the US (although that number should be considerably higher this year). All businesses are closed, and it's a $5,000 fine for anyone caught selling alcohol.<br /><br />The two main political parties are the Partido Popular Democrático (roughly equivalent to Democrats in the US), and the Partido Nuevo Progresista (roughly equivalent, and just as nasty as the Republicans). Everyone I know is voting Partido Popular Democrático, who stand for continued commonwealth status. The Partido Nuevo Progresista are for statehood, which many fear would jeopardize Puerto Rico's identity. English-only legislation in the US is particularly frightening, and even more stupid here than it is in the US, and that's pretty stupid.<br /><br />The polls opened at 8 AM, which in Puerto Rico means sometime around 8:40. No one but me seemed to mind. Election day is a very social time for a lot of Puerto Ricans; lots of shaking hands and kisses on the cheek. With all that, I was still back home by 9 AM.<br /><br />It was actually very efficient once the doors opened. You present your voter registration card, sign the log, and dip your finger in a phosphorescent solution (they check you at the door with a black light; if your finger glows, you can't come in). They give you your three paper ballots and point you to the voting booth (a large cardboard box with a plastic curtain). Voting a straight party line is simple: 3 Xs, fold them up, hand them to the nice lady to put in the proper boxes, and you're done.<br /><br />Now comes the long wait for the results.<br /><br />I'm a little more nervous about the US presidential election. Although we cant vote in presidential elections, whoever wins will be our commander-in-chief for the next 4 years (if Obama), or the next 2 (if McCain). The possibility of a president Palin is too frightening to contemplate.Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-73850846012853094262008-07-31T15:23:00.001-04:002008-07-31T15:23:48.090-04:00Summer Vacation Nightmare<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>It's almost over; school starts next week.<br/><br/>Summers here are almost unbearable. The kids are home from school, and they are loud.<br/><br/>The 14 year old girl next door loves her regeaton, and she loves it loud.<br/><br/>Regeaton has one requirement: the same monotonous, simple, idiotic drum track is used for every song. Beyond that, there are no rules. You can sing (very rare), shout (very common). or make vaguely animal-like noises (somewhere in the middle).<br/><br/>She plays the same handfull of songs every day, several times a day. These are the songs they play at Guantanamo Bay to make the prisioners confess to crimes they did not commit.<br/><br/>She plays this stuff for three hours a day, and she plays it so loud that we can't watch TV or talk on the phone. We've asked her to turn it down dozens of time, but she could care less about anyone but herself. Next, we will file a complaint with the town.<br/></div>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-92054320002269411702008-05-19T08:04:00.001-04:002008-05-19T08:04:28.677-04:00The Fortress of Solitude<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style=''>Our next-door neighbor is just over 80 years old, and a little on the flaky side. A few years ago, he had his house built by the best builder in Aguas Buenas, and it was beautiful. Since then, he's been systematically ruining the place. He's forever putting up new additions and generally destroying the architectural features that made this a lovely house.<br/><br/>We call it the fortress of solitude because he seems to be barricading himself in. He had the wrought-iron gate in front of the house heightened from 5' to 8', presumably to keep out intruders. Of course, it's trivial to simply go around the gate, but that doesn't seem to bother him. He also added wrought-iron bars over all the windows. Pre-made fencing was too expensive, so he rolled his own from posts and barbed wire. Very pretty.<br/><br/>For the last week, he's been walling in what was once the most beautiful outdoor staircase in the neighborhood. Now, all you can see is a vast cinder-block wall. When he had floor tile installed in a new room, he saved money by butting the tiles against each other, thus eliminating the need for grout. Of course, it looks like crap.<br/><br/>The place now look more like a prison camp than the beautiful house it was.<br/></div></div>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-3615968080760819982007-10-21T19:54:00.000-04:002007-10-21T20:17:22.899-04:00RobberyI haven't posted in a while, mostly because of my pesky new job, but today is different.<br /><br />Our next-door neighbor, Don Pablo, was robbed today. He was out of the house at the time, and someone broke in and stole $9,000 in cash, a pile of jewlery, and who knows what else. They ripped off the iron bars from one of the windows to get in. They did it in broad daylight. They killed his dog.<br /><br />Whoever it was, they were quiet. His house is right next to mine, and I was home the whole time. I was working, so I didn't have the radio or the TV on, but still I didn't hear a thing.<br /><br />I keep saying "whoever," but we're pretty sure we know who did it. Whoever it was knew he wasn't home, which means they saw him leave (he doesn't have a car, so you can't go by that). Whoever it was knew he is an eccentric old man who lives alone in the nicest (well, the most expensive, as I say, he's eccentric) house in the neighborhood, and that he keeps a lot of cash in the house. Whoever it was knew how long he would be gone, because his nephew picks him up every Sunday and drops him off four hours later.<br /><br />The person we suspect has had no electricity in his house for months (he was caught stealing electricity from a neighbor), and no water for longer than that (he can't afford to pay his bill, which is $30/month). Oh yeah, and this person has tried to rob Don Pablo in the past, but he was so hopped up on goof balls that he couldn't pull it off.<br /><br />Of course, without proof, there's nothing anyone can do, except keep an eye out and be extra vigilant with our own safety and property.<br /><br />Did they really have to kill his dog? Que lastima.Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-8367278289380976842007-08-20T13:48:00.001-04:002007-08-20T18:21:00.135-04:00Hay LuzHurricane Dean passed us to the south by a pretty good margin, but we had heavy rain and winds, and we have not had power or water for 3 days. The power finally came back.<p>It's easy to tell when the power comes back, because the entire neighborhood erupts in applause and cheers. If you've ever flown into San Juan, you'll know what I mean. When the plane lands, there is much rejoicing.</p><p>With any luck, we'll have water in a couple of hours, which is a good thing, because some of us are starting to smell. I like a self-administered sponge bath as well as the next guy, but it doesn't compare to a real shower.</p>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-38797117657606864302007-08-17T08:59:00.000-04:002008-11-13T12:32:56.560-04:00No hay aqua ahoraEven as I was finishing up my last post, the plumber showed up to replace the faucet in the downstairs shower. We will have no water for the next six hours, and the sounds of him busting out the concrete and block walls so he can replace the pipes will no doubt leave me with a headache.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjna-mipezEF1NEf50wBMsAoxa_AHUF0x8RJCDSegCA4TFXlwHQdgnAK_8rccs53lMTK41RmrX-B85HAKo0g9Apt521Mb_N5fy9Ez_VVvDINC9dtyF5BYWeIYQNK56ADKiDcPAy98bs1c/s1600-h/plumber.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjna-mipezEF1NEf50wBMsAoxa_AHUF0x8RJCDSegCA4TFXlwHQdgnAK_8rccs53lMTK41RmrX-B85HAKo0g9Apt521Mb_N5fy9Ez_VVvDINC9dtyF5BYWeIYQNK56ADKiDcPAy98bs1c/s400/plumber.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099654226924752210" border="0" /></a>The plumber wears mid-calf rubber boots, which is not reassuring. Lovely guy though. The first time he was here, we tried to pay him after the first day of a two day job. It sounds much more poetic in Spanish, but basically, he said "You don't pay the musician before the music is over, or the quality of the performance will suffer."Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-60325591237552244702007-08-17T08:32:00.001-04:002008-11-13T12:32:56.645-04:00No hay luz, no hay aguaWell, there are now, but hurricane Dean will be moving just to the south of us (we hope) in about eight hours. At that point, it will be a category 4 storm, with 5 being the strongest. While it will miss us, we are still in for some nasty weather. We will almost certainly be without power for a day or two, and our water is delivered via electric pump: when there's no power, there's no water.<p>This is George, which passed us to the north in September 2003. We were without power and water for more than a week.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8a9ipiYdGFQ12qN6qC3-Uj13t42QraQP6oHAzGDFTCufa2j2fvHTDcmovZZbZoGr6iBYWOoNrnM73PsSGDyGukHHtLp-G48SDSdvogOFHIfJoLOff_e1Co7i9kdgmc9CJUrv5yEiHbLET/s1600-h/george.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8a9ipiYdGFQ12qN6qC3-Uj13t42QraQP6oHAzGDFTCufa2j2fvHTDcmovZZbZoGr6iBYWOoNrnM73PsSGDyGukHHtLp-G48SDSdvogOFHIfJoLOff_e1Co7i9kdgmc9CJUrv5yEiHbLET/s400/george.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099647140228713794" border="0" /></a></p><p>So we do what we always do: stock up on batteries, water, and ice, and charge our iPods. We get the lanterns and candles ready, and make sure plenty of good reading material is easy to get to.</p><p>We will secure the perimeter, bringing all the outdoor furniture indoors. We will close the windows, which are louvered aluminum: there's no glass to worry about. We will fill five-gallon pails with water so we can flush the toilets. We will make sure we have a full propane tank so we can use the stove (but not the oven, which is electronically controlled).</p><p>I write this now because when the storm comes, long before we lose power, I will lose my Internet connection. I will also lose my TV signal. Both come from a satellite, and both disappear when it's very overcast.</p><p>I leave to your imagination what else we do when there's no power, water, Internet, or TV.</p>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-77529307398374467292007-08-08T07:18:00.001-04:002008-11-13T12:32:56.968-04:00Must Hate DogsOf course, I don't really hate dogs, at least not all the time.<br /><br />Everyone here has at least one dog, usually of the yappy little mutt variety. These dogs are more alarm systems than they are pets. If anyone or anything gets within viewing distance, the dog alarm goes off until the person or thing goes away.<br /><br />This is our dog, Bengie. Bengie warns us if anyone approaches. Unfortunately, he also warns us if a pigeon, chicken, cat, or stray leaf approaches. He's treated better than most. He sleeps indoors, watches TV at night, and is generally pampered.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHnHHDLcY5Z-sd5X4FIOkwSKa3RltPoLfmat4BpghCBmeFPXss37YB2gYZbYmUMTA0OSyBAqtyEE4USq4QYsuJVYPZPDnM5ERniksOv3kD8gCHHJT65OyM1UzFKKl_3oiL1Gc6hyLtRrQ/s1600-h/bengie3a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHnHHDLcY5Z-sd5X4FIOkwSKa3RltPoLfmat4BpghCBmeFPXss37YB2gYZbYmUMTA0OSyBAqtyEE4USq4QYsuJVYPZPDnM5ERniksOv3kD8gCHHJT65OyM1UzFKKl_3oiL1Gc6hyLtRrQ/s400/bengie3a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096288461429537746" border="0" /></a><br />Not so the neighbors' dogs. Neighbors on three sides of us have dogs that remain chained in front of the house at all times. They are well fed, but generally ignored. I can always count on one of these dogs to bark uncontrollably for an hour, usually around 2 AM, and usually in response to the pack of stray dogs that roams the neighborhood every night looking for love and food.<br /><br />Cats, on the other hand, are cool. This is Cochise. He's two years old, and smokes French cigarettes. At least, he <i>says</i> they're French cigarettes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrFXIfFjMiTNApQnmFT3ZpzZieJMDCSGmIf2y6-zOjA06nuWWbAB7Gp9d0Dr-eZy_8JFlVi5S61d6tHSuv60vIETY5aju0CSDnFhjx3Wtj6pCd7eMtpm6qcJjOQfDhP0O4MbY59ClzgiU/s1600-h/cochisehat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrFXIfFjMiTNApQnmFT3ZpzZieJMDCSGmIf2y6-zOjA06nuWWbAB7Gp9d0Dr-eZy_8JFlVi5S61d6tHSuv60vIETY5aju0CSDnFhjx3Wtj6pCd7eMtpm6qcJjOQfDhP0O4MbY59ClzgiU/s400/cochisehat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096288663293000674" border="0" /></a>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-839906902702283942007-07-31T19:53:00.001-04:002007-07-31T22:33:21.773-04:00Give Me That Quiet ReligionIt's a Tuesday evening around 7:15, and I was just settling down to watch a little TV, when the sweet background noise of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coqu%C3%AD"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">coquís</span></span></a> was shattered by a religious gathering next door. The majority of islanders are Catholics, and Catholics here are loud. They bring their own powerful amplifiers wherever they go. They have guitars, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuatro_%28instrument%29"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">cuatros</span></span></a>, and maracas. They sing, they yell, and they pray, often at the same time. They get very excited. Many in my neighborhood take turns hosting these meetings, but this is the first time it's been right next door.<br /><br />I have nothing against any (or no) religion, but these people have ruined another evening for me and my family. We can't watch TV, we can't use the telephone, we can't even have a normal conversation. There's no way to shut out the noise.<br /><br />Can we talk priorities? I'm trying to watch American Chopper, and they're trying to impress god. Don't get me wrong: these are good people, the celebration is not entirely unpleasant, and I have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tivo</span></span>.Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-62815885007566365632007-07-30T11:52:00.001-04:002008-11-13T12:32:57.202-04:00Puerto Rico Status<a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-prsoldiers3007jul30,0,1778505.story">Puerto Ricans reflect on status as more die in war</a>: 75% of Puerto Rican residents do not support the war, compared to 62% in the US. Puerto Ricans have been fighting and dying for the US since World War II.<br /><div class="moz-text-html" lang="x-western"><br />Puerto Ricans became US citizens in 1917, and <a href="http://www.house.gov/fortuno/district.htm">Puerto Rico's constitution came into effect in 1952</a>; Constitution Day, July 25, is a Puerto Rican holiday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Dh2Imiqst39sBIPh1na8dXhPidSY3u6_3cfbx9F0OS5-jhOpWsGy5SSvHTI77z7oyBXo763GneU5YL7XR2z1ZJNHiRAiruZ9dmAWPvW7vvVAaAkBZfnKOgmXy_DcQkDLuSs1mV81MWUb/s1600-h/flag.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Dh2Imiqst39sBIPh1na8dXhPidSY3u6_3cfbx9F0OS5-jhOpWsGy5SSvHTI77z7oyBXo763GneU5YL7XR2z1ZJNHiRAiruZ9dmAWPvW7vvVAaAkBZfnKOgmXy_DcQkDLuSs1mV81MWUb/s400/flag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093036037315099554" border="0" /></a><br />"In the case of Puerto Rico, it must be noted that the name "commonwealth" for our present political status has no juridical value or international recognition. It came into acceptance after Puerto Rico's Constitutional Convention on February 4, 1952. Resolution No. 22 was approved establishing that "commonwealth" was the most convenient translation for "Estado Libre Asociado" because "Free Associated State" had juridical implication that was unacceptable to the U.S. Congress.". <a href="http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/1997-98misc/moscoso-19980818.html">Guillermo Moscoso, The San Juan Star</a><br /><br />So, the Puerto Rican constitution is valid only insofar as the US Congress says it is.<br /><br />Puerto Rican residents cannot vote in presidential elections, have one non-voting representative in the House, and none in the Senate. Still, Puerto Rican residents consistently favor continued commonwealth status over statehood, and only a small minority favors independence. Puerto Ricans living in the US have full voting rights there.<br /><br />Islanders don't pay federal income tax on money earned here, but we do pay local taxes, and contribute to Medicare and Social Security.<br /><br />I doubt that Puerto Rico's status will change in my lifetime, and that's fine by me.<br /><br /></div>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-74401622571061614522007-07-28T08:54:00.001-04:002007-07-28T09:33:23.965-04:00Driver's LicenseCarol and I actually got our licenses several months ago, but it was so horrible, I can only now talk about it. We got to the DVM in Caguas at 8:30, and reported to a class about the license test. What I didn't know was that the class was only available in Spanish (the test itself is available in English and Spanish). I don't speak Spanish, so the entire class was wasted on me. Carol speaks flawless Spanish, but she could hardly understand a word the woman said, so I doubt that Spanish would have helped me.<p>There were no manuals for the test in English or Spanish because "they haven't come in."<p>So we took the test cold. It was brutal, with questions like "What is the fine for drag racing on a public road?". There were a half a dozen questions about specific fines alone, and we both pretty much guessed. I got a 70 on the test (the minimum required to pass), and Carol got a 95.<p>The worst part was getting our names right, which took us two hours. They insisted on Carol using the name on her birth certificate (Puerto Rican women on the island do not adopt their husband's last name). We had to go to a lawyer, conveniently located in the building, to certify that she was know by at least three names. Similarly, they insisted that I use my mother's maiden name, which I could not even spell. The helpful woman running the show suggested that perhaps I didn't have a mother, and that I dropped from a plantain tree. She was visibly offended that I didn't want to use my mother's maiden name. We finally convinced her that we needed to use the names that appeared on all of our other documents, such as credit cards, deed to the house, etc. We also had to produce Puerto Rico voter registration cards, US passports, Mass driver's licenses, birth certificates, and our marriage certificate, which we had to return home for.<p>We finally got our licenses at 5 PM, and there was much joy.<br /><script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />_uacct = "UA-2317823-1";<br />urchinTracker();<br /></script>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-68321950045375382072007-07-28T08:40:00.000-04:002008-11-13T12:32:57.500-04:00Blue LawsBlue laws? We don't need no stinking blue laws. Alcohol can be purchased in any store, at any time. Rum is the favorite hard liquor, and a quart of Palo Viejo (old tree) can be had for $6 and change. Rum is consumed straight up; I haven't seen a mixed drink since I've been here. You can also get rum in all the tienditas (small community stores).<br /><p><div align="center"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmZTUhBHtRBg-crct-6F1OVrG6IHCSklGNwx5JSGxbwiNdiVg6aEpfq824wAWZ3zeGx2VaD8uFQjWjOQzKr6aAwxBgJUHUp1i7ti9zcJvtxujTARgb35fjRGLfJ3rgi31LgmATUdcWcaH/s400/bluelaw.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092228772442012530" /></div><br />The most popular beer is Medalla (meh-die-ya), which is made in Puerto Rico. Medalla comes in 10 ounce cans. Until recently, beer had to be sold in 10 ounce cans by law, to prevent imports of the more popular 12 ounce cans from the mainland.<br /><script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />_uacct = "UA-2317823-1";<br />urchinTracker();<br /></script>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-32917025798110654972007-07-28T08:27:00.000-04:002007-07-28T09:46:58.960-04:00About Don LuisOk, my name is Louis, but everyone here calls me Luis. They also call me Jibaro Gringo. "Jibaro" can be loosely translated in Puerto Rican as "hillbilly", and "gringo", of course, means "white guy". I was given this nickname (along with many others) shortly after my arrival here.Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6200299119136542384.post-54607023255061007912007-07-28T08:25:00.001-04:002007-07-28T09:38:56.482-04:00Living in Puerto RicoThis is a blog about my experiences as an Italian-American living in Puerto Rico.<br /><br />I moved here three years ago with Carol, my Puerto Rican wife of nearly 30 years, to help take care of her family.<br /><br />I lived near Boston for nearly 20 years before coming here. After 17 years the high-tech company for which I worked had no further use for me, or I them. Had I known what living here would be like, I would have done it several years earlier.<br /><br />I was inspired to start this blog by another blog I just discovered: <a href="http://blogrican.blogspot.com/">Blog Rican</a>. The author is a Puero Rican currently living in Portland, Oregon. She writes beautifully and her blog is fascinating.<br /><script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />_uacct = "UA-2317823-1";<br />urchinTracker();<br /></script>Don Luishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14730965303559747740noreply@blogger.com3