My Naivete
While you read the below writing, please keep in mind that Central America is still a developing country. And, that these thoughts are about the developing world. Central America is definitely not a 1st world country and accommodations are not of the 'Ritz Carlton' standard. As I've written in the past, buses can be overly crowded and the occasional cockroach or Gecko visiting you while sleeping, isn't uncommon. Additionally, the average daily income for a Guatemalan, EL Salvadoran Panamanian, and Honduran is as follows:
Guatemala (44 hour work week):
- Workers in Agriculture receive $5.06 per day
- Workers in non-agricultural jobs receive 5.19 per day
Honduras (8 hours per weekday and 4 hours on Saturday, for a total of 44 hours):
- Workers receive $4.23 per day. An increase of $0.45 as of April 2004
El Salvador (44 hour work week):
- Workers in the commerce and services sector receive a minimum daily wage of US$5.28
- Workers in industry receive US$5.16 per day
- Workers in the maquila or textile sectors receive US$5.04 per day
- Farm workers receive US$2.47 per day
There have been no mandated wage increases since 2003, but it is expected that the government will revise the minimum wage in 2006 (it is customary to review it every three years).
Panama (48 hour work week):
In Panama, prices vary by region, but the highest minimum wages are...
- Workers in the Construction sector at 13.25 per day
- Workers in the Telecommunications sector at 13.20 per day
I wasn't able to collect data for agriculture, but I'm sure it is much lower. I did learn, however, that coffee pickers -efficient pickers- can receive about $20 a day by picking coffee- keep in mind that this is seasonal work.
The backpacker tourist is one of the most important travelers to Central America. As a backpacker, the money you spend is 95 times more likely to go directly into the pockets of people who need it most. Where as, when a 4 star tourist visits a developing world, and travels in 4 star style, there is a much greater likelihood that the money will get funneled out of the local economy.
Prior to traveling through Central America, I had many preconceptions about the area- I believed that whole countries would be in dire shape (this change of thought is still open for debate), I pictured the infrastructure to be in poor condition, I pictured there to be little amounts of natural habitats, and I didn't expect the people to be 'overly' friendly. As it turned out, my picture of Central America was an inaccurate one; and traveling by bus really opened my eyes to the many diversities and sheer pleasures of Central America.
Obviously, I have met travelers who've experienced situations they would have preferred never to have experienced. And I myself, have been placed in situations that, if given a choice, I would have chosen against experiencing. But, all in all, Central America has been an incredible adventure. The transportation system is just amazing, the amount of development taking place is impressive, accommodations -for the price- is surprisingly good... well, most of them..., the natural beauty throughout Central America is just amazing, and the people are wonderful.
At one point during my journey, I was forced to sit in the back of a bus, crammed between two people, with my knees flush up against a forward seat. The passengers on either side of me felt bad about my discomfort and tried as much as possible to make room.
Another time, I had just returned from Tortugero, and was about to catch a bus to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. While at the bus terminal, someone who I had asked directions from the day before, stopped me and asked how Tortugero was. He then went on to ask where I was heading. I told him I was going to Puerto Viejo but had to make a connection through Puerto Limon. He wished me good and safe travels but also warned that I should stay alert while in Puerto Limon, "it isn't uncommon for someone's bags to be stolen from the bus".
There was also the time when commercial buses stopped running from the borders of Guatemala and Honduras to Corinto, Honduras. The areas around the borders had recently experienced extremly heavy rainfalls, effectively halting all commercial transportation on a particular stretch of road. While preparing for what would have been a 22 mile walk, a local Honduran offered several of us a ride. At the end of the 60 minute truck ride, we attempted to give the man money, but he refused any compensation saying that it was "his pleasure!
Throughout my Central American journeys, I started to learn that preconceptions about a place or, a person, are healthy. But, what we must be careful of, is allowing these preconceptions to cloud our experiences and limit what we do and see in life. After visiting Central America, my whole outlook on people and places has altered dramatically. I've come to the belief that when forming judgment, the best thing one can do is take the time to better understand that judgment- be it a place, a person, or or just a simple bias. If more people were to surrender to this philosophy, I think the world would be a much more understanding place.
Guatemala (44 hour work week):
- Workers in Agriculture receive $5.06 per day
- Workers in non-agricultural jobs receive 5.19 per day
Honduras (8 hours per weekday and 4 hours on Saturday, for a total of 44 hours):
- Workers receive $4.23 per day. An increase of $0.45 as of April 2004
El Salvador (44 hour work week):
- Workers in the commerce and services sector receive a minimum daily wage of US$5.28
- Workers in industry receive US$5.16 per day
- Workers in the maquila or textile sectors receive US$5.04 per day
- Farm workers receive US$2.47 per day
There have been no mandated wage increases since 2003, but it is expected that the government will revise the minimum wage in 2006 (it is customary to review it every three years).
Panama (48 hour work week):
In Panama, prices vary by region, but the highest minimum wages are...
- Workers in the Construction sector at 13.25 per day
- Workers in the Telecommunications sector at 13.20 per day
I wasn't able to collect data for agriculture, but I'm sure it is much lower. I did learn, however, that coffee pickers -efficient pickers- can receive about $20 a day by picking coffee- keep in mind that this is seasonal work.
The backpacker tourist is one of the most important travelers to Central America. As a backpacker, the money you spend is 95 times more likely to go directly into the pockets of people who need it most. Where as, when a 4 star tourist visits a developing world, and travels in 4 star style, there is a much greater likelihood that the money will get funneled out of the local economy.
Prior to traveling through Central America, I had many preconceptions about the area- I believed that whole countries would be in dire shape (this change of thought is still open for debate), I pictured the infrastructure to be in poor condition, I pictured there to be little amounts of natural habitats, and I didn't expect the people to be 'overly' friendly. As it turned out, my picture of Central America was an inaccurate one; and traveling by bus really opened my eyes to the many diversities and sheer pleasures of Central America.
Obviously, I have met travelers who've experienced situations they would have preferred never to have experienced. And I myself, have been placed in situations that, if given a choice, I would have chosen against experiencing. But, all in all, Central America has been an incredible adventure. The transportation system is just amazing, the amount of development taking place is impressive, accommodations -for the price- is surprisingly good... well, most of them..., the natural beauty throughout Central America is just amazing, and the people are wonderful.
At one point during my journey, I was forced to sit in the back of a bus, crammed between two people, with my knees flush up against a forward seat. The passengers on either side of me felt bad about my discomfort and tried as much as possible to make room.
Another time, I had just returned from Tortugero, and was about to catch a bus to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. While at the bus terminal, someone who I had asked directions from the day before, stopped me and asked how Tortugero was. He then went on to ask where I was heading. I told him I was going to Puerto Viejo but had to make a connection through Puerto Limon. He wished me good and safe travels but also warned that I should stay alert while in Puerto Limon, "it isn't uncommon for someone's bags to be stolen from the bus".
There was also the time when commercial buses stopped running from the borders of Guatemala and Honduras to Corinto, Honduras. The areas around the borders had recently experienced extremly heavy rainfalls, effectively halting all commercial transportation on a particular stretch of road. While preparing for what would have been a 22 mile walk, a local Honduran offered several of us a ride. At the end of the 60 minute truck ride, we attempted to give the man money, but he refused any compensation saying that it was "his pleasure!
Throughout my Central American journeys, I started to learn that preconceptions about a place or, a person, are healthy. But, what we must be careful of, is allowing these preconceptions to cloud our experiences and limit what we do and see in life. After visiting Central America, my whole outlook on people and places has altered dramatically. I've come to the belief that when forming judgment, the best thing one can do is take the time to better understand that judgment- be it a place, a person, or or just a simple bias. If more people were to surrender to this philosophy, I think the world would be a much more understanding place.
posted by Arin | 12:14 PM
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