Saturday, June 21, 2014

Morning Thoughts--Rainy Days--Being lied to and stood up!

View of the mountains from my deck.
Olive is staying in the house where it is warm and dry.
Chico just stands at the door and looks out.
We have had several days of rain. I didn't leave my place all day yesterday because of the rain. I was also waiting for the internet repair people to show up and fix mine. They came once and only fixed my landlord's connection. Unfortunately, I wasn't here at the time. I did not know they were coming. So they refused to walk up the stairs and look at mine.

This internet problem has been going on every since I moved up here. I paid almost a hundred dollars to a private computer repair man to fix it. That was a month ago.  He came twice. He knew what the problem was. He told me the connector had to be replaced but he only jiggled the wires. He didn't want to bother actually fixing it. So he was here five minutes, charged me too much money (Two days of pay for the average Mexican laborer) and left. It worked for a few days then it went out again. It works on and off. Mostly off. This has slowed down my blogging.

 I called him up and complained. He said he would be here at four on Monday. I waited all evening. No repair man. No phone call. Then the landlord got the other people to promise to come. The ones from the phone company. We were given a three day window. So I have been sitting here for three days. This is going into the fourth day. Did they show up or call? Of course not!

The private computer repair man promised to come back after I complained to him about not showing up. So he said he would be here on Thursday at six. Was he here? NO! Did he call? NO!

For me, this is the most frustrating part of living in Mexico. Unreliable people. I hear these kinds of stories from my friends all the time. The man who fixes things around this complex is the same way. He will promise to be here on a certain day and time and he just doesn't show up.

 Once I called him and asked if he was coming when he hadn't shown up.  He promised that he would be here in two hours. Two hours later he wasn't here. I called him again. He said, I am on my way over now. He didn't show up. I called him again, hours later, and he had shut off his phone.  He never showed up. I wasted my entire day, sitting around here waiting for him. So frustrating!

North Americans have a totally different approach to time and commitments. Yes, there are many Mexicans here who don't do business like I just described. But there are also many more who do it and it is very difficult to handle if you are used to people being reliable and doing what they say they are going to do!

 I would rather a person tell me the truth than lie to me and make me wait around for nothing. Lying to me is worse than standing me up.  I have been told that many Mexicans don't like to disappoint you so they will lie instead. Yes, I will be right there. But not show up. Or give wrong directions rather than disappoint you with no information.....   What they don't seem to realize is that we get angrier when we are lied to!  But it is a cultural difference...

We have to learn to deal with it or go back to the States. (I try not to put negative stuff on my blog because it always comes back to bite me. But today I am so frustrated with being stood up and lied to and my computer not working that I needed to write this. Mexico is different from the States and this is one of the differences. Things aren't always rosy here.

 Also, there were FIVE home break ins last Sunday in my neighborhood. That locked gate hasn't done any good as far as I can see. It just makes life harder for people living near it who don't have cars. I am feeling irritable with all this rain and not being able to leave here because of it and having to wait for people who don't show up. I am isolated. I am frustrated. I am angry.  Forgive me for my ranting.... I have no one to talk to here and I am frustrated beyond my limit this morning.

17 comments:

  1. There's nothing to forgive, Patricia. You have every right to rant on your own blog. I know I would be upset if I had to sit around and wait for days and days and nobody ever showed up.

    You may feel alone right now, but you're sure not alone in your feelings of frustration with this kind of situation! In fact, I just read a 4-page thread on the Chapala.com forum with the subject heading "MAÑANA type of service" and these tags below the heading--"waiting and more waiting" and "broken promises".

    This rash of break-ins in La Floresta is really disturbing. Were the residents at home during the break-ins, or did the thieves wait until everyone left to burglarize the houses?

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    1. Thank you for your kind words of understanding. I don't read that site. It is interesting that other people here are complaining about the same attitudes in the service and business communities here. It can be extremely frustrating! I don't know about the break ins. That is all I heard. Except one friend said her renter LET THE ROBBER IN THE DOOR. I guess he wasn't warned about break ins and he was being too trusting. p

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  2. MAÑANA appears to be the way of Mexico. I too would be so frustrated. But then all the frustration does not change the out come does it. ? Repair people will get there when they get there and you just hope you are home...Grrrr :)
    P.

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    1. Hi Pat, Looks like you have a Mexican keyboard. Cool. Thanks for writing. p

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  3. I'm confused...how did you landlord's get repaired and you are getting the run around? Seems like the landlord as owner of the building or at least unit you are in could have let the repairmen in??? What does this say about your relationship with him? Remember he wanted that apartment you were in that he now is in?
    "They came once and only fixed my landlord's connection. Unfortunately, I wasn't here at the time. I did not know they were coming. So they refused to walk up the stairs and look at mine."
    Did the landlord "know" your internet connection was not working properly? hmmmmm?

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    1. Sorry for the confusion. Yes he knew mine wasn't working. That is why he called. Because I wasn't there, they refused to bother with fixing mine. Guess they were too lazy to walk up the stairs. My door was unlocked so that wasn't the problem. My landlord has been trying to get this fixed too. No he never wanted the apartment I am in. He lives in the house and has always lived in it. So those are the facts but they don't change anything. My internet is still not working properly and no one has come to fix it for me. Frustrating. Thanks for writing. p

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  4. From all I have read about the mentality towards women in Mexico is it's a man's world there, contractors, mechanics, repairmen, don't listen to women but I've read a couple of women on forums say they haven't experienced any problems in dealing with the Mexican labor workers at all.. I guess it just comes with living there, one has to be accept the mentality of the Mexican labor services and culture and be mindful and cautious with strangers coming to your door. Like here in the US, you have to be cautious of strangers always now ever since 911 the world has changed everywhere!

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  5. Yes, both men and women are stood up by workers. Makes no difference. Thanks for writing. p

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  6. So if you were to call the supervisor of the company that you have your services with, they won't get someone out there sooner? I wonder if one spoke fluent Spanish if that helps in situations like this? I think I'd figure out another company or service to go with and would keep changing until one worked better but if there are not any choices that means just taking it as it is and don't plan to sit around waiting for the worker since you know you can't depend on them. The alternative is to wait it out and just deal with it as it is there, cause what else can you do. I wonder if you tip them if in the future they would be faster in responding to helping fix whatever is wrong.

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  7. Wish I had some answers. I have already way overpaid for services. Fortunately, It has been working for a couple of days now. Fingers crossed! p

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  8. Pat, this would frustrate me beyond belief. I don't blame you. The internet would probably be my only way of communicating with my son and this would put me in a panic! Ugh! I feel for you!

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  9. Hi Lorrie, Thank you for your e mail and understanding. Finally I am online again and it seems to be working okay. p

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  10. Even when you consider these frustrations, etc., would you ever consider moving back to the States? I guess I'm asking--Is it worth it?

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    1. Hi Lorrie, Everything considered, I would NOT move back to the States..... p

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    2. YES. IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT.....

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  11. Good. Glad to hear you say that!

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    1. Life here has ups and downs, just like everywhere else but it is better here, at least for me. p

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