The decision to buy a car or not was haunting me. More than anything else, more than work, more than having to speak in Spanish, more than adjusting to the everyday life and culture of Patagonia, buying a car was causing me stress. And for those of you who know me well, I usually don't stress. I find it kind of funny that in a region that really has one road running though it, the mostly unpaved carretera austral, that this is what was on my mind.
I asked pretty much everyone I know here for their opinion and there were valid points for both perspectives. I thought long and hard, if not too hard, on the matter and in the end I did what I always do... I went for it.
Who would have thought that the first car I have ever bought in my life, would be one in Patagonia. Forget about the adventure of owning a car here, it was an experience in and of itself buying the car. First, I had to find one which meant I needed to overcome one of my biggest fears here... having to call people and talk in spanish to people on my cheap phone with terrible sound quality. Second, I took it to a mechanic to make sure I wasnt buying a complete lemon. Third, I needed to figure out a way to get money to pay for the car. I bought the car in cash and after going to literally every single bank in Coyhaique and calling PNC Bank via Skpe a few times, I found a way to get past the daily limits for ATM withdraws. Fourth, I had to finally buy the car. This meant interpreting all the legal documents, waiting in lines at various offices, until finally I had documents in my name, keys in hand, and drove off with my new auto.
So far so good. I love my car, but it does have its quirks. Like a lot of cars here, mine was imported from Japan. The user manual is in Japanese and therefore useless to me. The steering wheel has been moved from the right side to the left side so with that comes a few electrical problems with the dash. Currently my odometer, gas gauge, odometer, and temperature gauge don't work. One of the terminals on the battery comes loose sometimes but after a little whack, we are back in business. And the back window is a little loose so it squeaks when I roll over bumps. But, its got good tires, four wheel drive, a strong engine, space for friends and gear, and a radio to blast my tunes!
In the end, the most I will lose is money, and that is replaceable. What I gain is the freedom to roam and explore Patagonia which to me is worth so much more than money.
No comments:
Post a Comment