Spice

I'm still recovering from buying all the stuff for my place and so had trouble understanding when a Chilean friend living abroad wrote of missing "the fact that, by default, nothing is easy". Until today when another friend described traveling overseas for the first time, landing in Germany and sensing the system's oiled, powerful presence - nothing to stop you nicking the lollies off the supermarket shelves except that's not what's done; good quality furnishings in every home; streets streamlined enough to avert tripping or the build-up of water; and everything organised such that you need only simply, straightforwardly fulfill your part. Now I suspect this ease of living leaves space and energy for creative thought, but, to friends accustomed to another way of life, it can get pretty boring. On this continent, you never know if things will go smoothly or awry so life's lived in a state of alertness, ready for the moment people don't do as they should and 'the system' falls apart or bears its cracks. I think this is why simple errands have left me so drained. But with defensiveness comes offensiveness. Latinos are born improvising which, if nothing else, is interesting and can even be fun.