My New Boyfriend

Ok...so i know that I said that I didn't want to be in a relationship for these two years, but this relationship is NECCESARY! His name is Aaron, he's 25, and he's a fellow PCV. He lives in the west (I live in the east) and we don't get to see each other very much, but I really value our relationship. I think we might actually defy the odds and make this thing work...I think we're in it for the long haul.

LOL...in all seriousness Aaron does not exist. I made him up so that men (and women) and my community would stop telling me that I need a man to move in with me in order to protect me and provide other "services" (some people will say just about anything!). Also, I don't want anyone to think that I'm available.

Here it's really uncommon for a woman to live alone. When a girl leaves her parents house she moves in with her husband and his family. My neighbors always ask me if I'm afraid to live alone (NO!)and then they begin to mention all of the men that are available for me. When I tell them that I can take care of myself and that I don't want to date anyone in my community they feel that, as a woman, I am too strong. In their eyes I should desire to have a man in my house to take care of. PUH-LEEZE! I barely like cooking for myself...I don't want someone in my house that EXPECTS me to wait on them hand and foot (this is the culture here).


So here's an example of what I deal with on a daily basis:

Since the ocean is trying to reclaim the land where my house and other houses are situated a lot of damage has been done. Coconut trees have been uprooted by the ocean and my muro, protective wall, has been severely damaged. The construction crew arrived this week to repair the damage because the tide is expected to rise even higher within the next month. I woke up yesterday at 6am to men knocking down rocks...o sea mucha bulla...and I thought it'd be a good idea to get up, make breakfast, and leave because I didnt want to be the only woman around 10 macho men (just in case they expected ME to cook for them!). As I was preparing breakfast one worker comes into the kitchen to ask for a cup. After i gave him the cup he stayed there and began talking to me. Now let me paint a picture for you guys...it's 6am, I haven't showered (the water comes on at about 7), I have bed hair, and I'm still in my "pajamas" (shorts and a cami). Basically, I'm not looking very attractive and I'm in no mood to talk to ANYONE. He didn't get the hint and I couldn't be rude...mainly because he was closer to the door and was basically blocking it.

Anyway...we start to talk and he asks me the usual questions: where are you from? how old are you? what are you doing here? bla bla bla...
He then goes on to ask if I'm afraid to live alone and if I ever get lonely at night (yuck!). I told him that I'm not afraid to be alone and that I actually prefer la soledad and if someone tries to mess with me at night I have a weapon to protect myself (if those at PC Washington are reading this rest assured that I do NOT have a weapon). So, I finish cooking and exit the kitchen....he follows me to the patio...we continue to talk. Long story short he offers to be the one to take care of me at night so that I wouldn't be lonely, he also offers to cook for me (I told him that I don't cook...hoping that that would turn him off...didn't work). So this is where Aaron comes into existence. I HAD to tell this man that I was already taken and that Aaron and I are very much in love y que él me cuida bastante bien jaja. He then told me that I was being unappreciative....THE NERVE OF THIS MAN! This is my life...I deal with men like this everyday. In a culture where women are expected to be totally submissive to men, a woman like myself must somehow find a way to fit in/live here without going absolutely crazy.


Love you all,
Mya