Life in a third world country is different. There are a lot of ridiculous scenarios that you would never encounter the first world country. Like having to pay the previous tenants overdue power bill so that you can get your meter turned on. This is a thing. A thing I would never have to do in the US, but that everyone seems to be think is normal here.
However, most of the crazy things, have to do with legal matters. The light bill, Internet bill, telephone bill… Anything with contracts. The worst is getting your residency or citizenship, especially if you decide to do it yourself, like I did..
For example, last time I had to do my residency, I had to go to the capital (Santo Domingo) to get a new ID card.
The building where foreigners get their ID cards was separate from where everyone else gets theirs, and they didn’t take credit cards and had no ATM machine inside. So, it’s pretty easy for nefarious individuals to spot the foreigners walking around the area, and pretty safe to assume they have a wad of cash on them.
But, I was prepared. I got a taxi to take me to the ID card offices, and arrange for him to pick me up afterwards. Later, I’m outside, standing there looking for the taxi. He’s not there. Great.
About the time I figure out he’s not coming, I notice a guy in a little blue car is looking at me. I look to see if he was another taxi guy, but he wasn’t, and I decided to just go ahead and walk the couple blocks (lined with gated industrial buildings) to the ATM machine. After I crossed the divider street onto the second block, I looked behind me and the man is pulling into that same street. I shrugged my bag farther up onto my shoulder and walk a little faster.
Then, I saw him reversing towards me.
At that point I’m getting apprehensive and start walking even faster, puttjng as much ground between us as possible. He goes faster. I start to run, but not fast enough. He was gaining on me.
Right about the point I thought he was going to catch me, I saw an aged security guard from one of the industry buildings up ahead opening up the sheet metal gate to let someone drive out. I ran in just as he was shutting it, and breathlessly explained to the startled man that someone in a blue car was following me. He rolled the gate open a bit and we saw the man was sitting there waiting for me to leave. It was a big Wall with one door. I guess he figured had to come out sometime.
The guard was startled, but wasn’t very surprised. He said sometimes criminals grabbed people and made them withdraw large amounts from ATMs.
We closed the gate and stood inside nervously, trying to figure out what to do. After a few minutes, he told me he wasn’t allowed to take people through the factory (there was no other exit since the perimeter wall was built out from the exterior walls of the building) but that he would make an exception in this case. So, spy story style, I snuck through the building and out the back, evading Mr. Nefarious and making it to the ATM machine and back to get my ID without the help of an unwanted escort.
The story ended well for me, thank goodness. But, my question is, if it is common knowledge that this sort of thing happens, why doesn’t someone at the government building do something about it? Post a guard, get police to patrol, take some sort of measures. At the very least, warn the unwary foreigners by word of mouth or maybe some customized signage. After all, if a speed bump and other road hazards warrant one, a kidnapping zone surely should too.
The sign could read, “Caution, Kidnappers at Work”. The pictograph on the sign could depict a stick man throwing another stick person into the trunk of a car, or show an innocent stick person walking along unaware as a suspicious vehicle lurks in the background. Either one would get the point across. I don’t think it’s too much to ask…
Random Ramblings and Wanderings 