Frustration Observation

Over the course of two months, several items and issues have found their way onto my don't-make-me-punch-another-wall list. It's personal . I'm sure many of the list's articles would invoke similar emotional responses across the board, but I am also fairly certain that some are peculiar to myself and a handful of others. Here are a few:

-Change: For a country with such a history of economic turmoil, and which is currently undergoing forced inflation, there seems a massive shortage of small bills. Being a visitor with a foreign bank account, it is highly impractical for me to visit the ATM and pull out 80 pesos at a time (fees). Therefore, I'm in possession of more 100 peso bills than I'd like at any given moment. Deciding when to pull these bad boys out is far more strategic than any spending I've ever been involved in. Being turned away for attempting to pay with too large a bill is something I have never experienced at all, let alone at this frequency. It is nerve-racking to say the least, and whether or not they accept the bill is a coin flip in itself. On the other hand, paying with exact change is an act deserving of some award in their eyes, and they don't hesitate to show it. I have received more praise for handing over the perfect amount than I have for giving up my subway seats to the elderly and opening doors for women with strollers combined.

-Sidewalks: Its hard enough for me to walk down a sidewalk as it is. Throw a few obstacles and people in the mix and it becomes close to impossible. I know I'm living in a bustling metropolis with well above a few million inhabitants. I'm well trained in side-stepping and shooting gaps, but I'm also 6'2" (188 cm) and 240 lbs (109 kg). I'm a freak (not really, there are definitely bigger people here) in this city, and people look at me like a freak (most likely due to the blond hair covering my scalp and the better half of my face). These streetwalkers spend so much time looking at me with their jaws agape that they unknowingly position themselves right in my path. It takes a lot of energy getting to my top walking speed, altering my course and pace is a wear and tear I've had about enough of. On the point of wear and tear, the conditions of these sidewalks is another major concern. Not only am I navigating an above average frame, but I also have two below average ankles leading the way. Although usually a burden, constantly looking at my feet to avoid injury has helped immensely in also avoiding the sporadically placed planters, more-than-occasional missing tiles/uneven surfaces, and over-abundance of carelessly forgotten canine fecal matter (dog shit). If I ever did walk anywhere back home, I undoubtedly would run into some of the same issues I have faced here, but nobody walks in California. Upside: no gas expense.

-The Post System: I have briefly discussed the ordeal that was obtaining my computer from airport customs. The quick rundown is this: the international airport holds any item that is valued at over a specific amount. When this happens, the recipient must go to the airport (good 30+ minute trip south of the city depending) to be shuffled in and out of 3 or 4 different offices for 1 to 2 hours until that magical time when they give you your item and you can book it. This process also generates some 20 odd pages of purposeless paperwork that would make the most lackadaisical of tree huggers shed a tear. It is in one word, painful. This was my first taste of the system here, and after a second taste, an understandable process given the circumstances. Sending a postcard in this city was by far the most frustrating post-related experience I have ever had. A 5x7 postcard, stamp it, correct address it, mail box drop it. Nothing to it, right? Wrong. After two weeks of being told this and that about where to procure a stamp, I finally found the post office, where to no surprise an hour long line awaited me. I came back to the post office two more times to find the same time-consuming mess. Finally, on the third visit, there was no line and I sent out my postcard to my loving and very deserving grandparents for a minor 5 peso fee. All said and done it wasn't too tough to get it in the mail, just a much more contorted and convoluted process than necessary. Could be a language thing. Could easily be me. We'll see if it makes the trip north.

-Ketchup: You knew it was coming, and if you didn't, you don't know me well enough. Not saying that its a less-than-satisfactory ketchup situation down here. I have found Heinz, as well as an assortment of other marginally acceptable combinations of flavors and spices labeled "ketchup" that do the trick. My real frustration lies in the presentation and availability of this "ketchup". Heinz, as far as I can tell, does not exist in restaurants and is only available for purchase in select few markets. No biggie, I like this other "ketchup" enough. Well in actuality, it has nothing to do with liking it as much as needing it. I have been addicted to ketchup since infancy (if not infancy, then immediately post-infancy). If you are unaware, I need ketchup like words need letters, like monkeys need bananas, like albinos need sunscreen--you get the picture. So, when you ask for ketchup at a restaurant here, they don't bring you a nice, full, or even half full bottle. They bring you a basket of packets (a packet basket if you will). This basket usually includes packets of mostaza (mustard) and mayonesa (mayonnaise) as well. At best there are usually 3 to 4 packets of ketchup in these baskets. A severely insufficient amount for such connoisseurs (or consumers?) as myself. I generally have to request additional packets, which more often than not has been acceptable. Now for the packets themselves. These aren't your common, jagged-edged U.S. standard packets with the pilot tear. No. These are of the highest-durable plastic that is still of the "tearable" variety. The conditions must be perfect in order to bust one of these guys open on the first go. No sweat, grease, or other enemy-of-friction can be present on the fingertips. The angle and force must be perfect. Avoid mild to moderate winds. Included in these packets are multi-language instruction booklets. In fact, these are the ketchup packets Satan refuses to serve in hell... and yet, I am a slave to them. My slavery has brought me to the verge of insurmountable rage and/or tears on more occasions in the past 2 months than I care to reminisce about. Its my plight.

That's the short list. I really have nothing to complain about, but complaining is fun, I do it often, and these things have gotten the best of me so far. No worry, I'll show them.