10 lbs of Rice

[Commander Ooh La La USN]

Just my musings. No question here:

I bought a 10 lb bag of rice. The people that I live with always by what they need from the colmado and it makes me a little nervous to never have food in the house. Somebody gets hungry, off to the colmado. I personally don't have much faith in the Colmado as it's natural for me to be independent and not rely on others. However, her the colmado is a life line and they frequently provide credit to their customers.

I saved a few pesos on the bulk 10 lbs of rice, maybe 70 peso. What ran 210 pesos for high quality rice would be 280 pesos for broken rice in the Colmodo, which is a greater than 33% mark up. In my mind, it's well worth the investment to buy in bulk. The Colmado is a convenience store like any other. You can expect to pay a sizable markup for the convenience.

They funny thing is that the rice disappeared in less than a week. Just gone. Whatever money I saved over the Colmado simply vanished. And, the riced seemed to disappear in two large amounts. I asked around and as usual, nobody knew anything.

Rice is a stable here and not being able to eat wheat, it's a stable for me too. However, I can buy a 3# bag of rice and it will last for weeks. There are 3 others in the household. The 7 year old will push rice around his plate and try to spread it out in the time honored traditional of pretending to eat something that is distinctly distasteful. The same 7 year old that will wolf down noodles in slurpy, noisy delight, but rice is definitely safe with him. The other two definitely eat rice probably in line with myself. I'd estimate that 4 lbs of rice for a week would be about right. 5 or 6 lbs would surprise me. 10 lbs of rice in a week would be astronomical and unimaginable. And, it doesn't explain the two large withdrawals.

Money seems safe in the house, so I don't think anybody is outright stealing. We behave like a family. I don't think blatant theft is the issue. Yet, l0 lbs disappeared and nobody is owning up to it.

I can only think of two things:

First, is that the 7 year old is in school or colegio. Perhaps a sizable donation of rice was made to the school as one of the missing ?chunks? coincided with also purchasing paper plates, plastic glasses, and some plastic forks. It's possible and even likely.

Second, after some closer observation, I've come to the conclusion that food is shared widely. If you have food, you offer it far and wide to anybody that has need. Certainly, the people that I live with have had economic scrapes in the past, so the mandate to share food is definitely there. it's likely a given that we're feeding more people than the 4 in the household.

Still, it doesn't explain the second large withdrawal. I suspect somebody owed somebody food. Or, maybe it was a donation to the church. Taking money would be stealing, but donating food is within acceptable Dominican behavior.

At any rate, the 33% mark up at the colmado is starting to look like a bargain. I'm certainly not motivated to buy another 10 lb bag although I doubt it went to nefarious purposes.

Ah, I can't help it. I enjoy a good mystery. Another 10lb bag of rice coming up.

Whats so hard to figure out? They gave your food away. When you buy the new bag of rice it will happen again.

Why? Because not only can you afford to buy food in bulk, you can afford to replenish it in bulk also. So, they will continue to give your food away as they see fit. And you can keep buying it as you see fit.

His Royal Majesty, Lord Belly Button Kidney Bean, House of Donkey Kong

 

[Fredo]

we used to laugh about how our fridge seemed to have it's own petite, a song from the late 80's

FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N

[video=youtube;mxPyUF5XTz0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxPyUF5XTz0[/video]

L TIGUERON (Jossie Esteban y La Patrulla 15) (CARLOS ROBERTO NORORI)
Yo me cas? con una chica muy bonita
que cada d?a, mira la quer?a mas
todo el amor que yo sent?a por mi chica
era un amor a lo Romeo y Julieta.
Pero a escondidas se entregaba ella a otro hombre
un charlat?n que le llamaban Tigueron
y cada vez que yo sal?a de mi casa
el Tigueron por la otra puerta hacia un fiest?n.
El Tigueron me le ense?? a fumar tabaco
a mi mujer que ni siquiera beb?a ron
y cuando ese charlat?n se iba de casa
iba a mi closet y se pon?a mi pantal?n.
Y yo ten?a un salchich?n all? guardado
que mi abuelita me compr? con mucho amor
y al parecer a ese bandido le dio hambre
fue a la nevera y se comi? mi salchich?n.
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
Un pedazo de queso que ten?a yo
ese charlat?n sin piedad se lo comi?.
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
Una mamahuana que ten?a yo
abri? la nevera y tambi?n se la bebi?.
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
y un vasito de jugo que ten?a yo
con tres galletitas tambi?n se lo comi?.
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N.
(SONIDO MUSICAL)

FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
un vaso de pitorro que ten?a yo
entr? a la nevera, fue y se lo bebi?.
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
Y un pedazo de queso que ten?a yo
ese charlat?n sin piedad se lo comi?.
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
UN LITRO DE PITORRO QUE TEN?A YO
ESE CHARLAT?N SIN PIEDAD SE LO BEBI?.
FUA, FUA, FUA.
UN LITRO DE PITORRO QUE TEN?A YO
ESE CHARLAT?N SIN PIEDAD SE LO BEBI?
FUA, FUA, FUA.
UN LITRO DE PITORRO QUE TEN?A YO
ESE CHARLAT?N SIN PIEDAD SE LO BEBI?
FUA, FUA, FUA.
UN LITRO DE PITORRO QUE TEN?A YO
ESE CHARLAT?N SIN PIEDAD SE LO BEBI?
FUA, FUA, FUA.
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N
FUE A LA NEVERA Y SE COMI? MI SALCHICH?N.
(SONIDO FINAL Y TERMINA) (CARLOS ROBERTO NOROR

 

[Salsafan]

I've dropped weight. Maybe that and I've seen this effect before when I go outside the United States. My autoimmune issues are far, far better outside the United States. I don't understand the reasons for that. Food? Sanitation? It's a mystery.

I drop also weight every time in the DR. Eather I get amoeba's or I eat only vegetables out of a can (which I buy in a colmado) to avoid them.
Also my bloodpressure drops, but that's maybe b/c I release the pressures in my body in many ways.

 

[GringoRubio]

Dominicans, no, they will eat 1lb, at the least, and go out partying and dancing all night.

I'll add that to my Dominican diet book. Live with ravenous people which you need to compete with for food, probiotics taken from dominican water source to, ah, cleanse your system, and now all night dancing....

Are there some stimulants that these people are on? They seem so animated and on a hair trigger emotionally.

Sunday we were visiting friends and one woman was so, so angry at her boyfriend. Veins and arteries were sticking out on her neck. She take 90 second timeouts, but went for a solid 40 minutes or so. Veins would subside and then pop up in a new fury of animated yelling. I asked what she was upset about, infidelity, stealing? (I've learned to leave out lying because that is given). She's just loca. No, seriously, tell me. I can keep a secret.... Same answer.

So 3 people ? 2 meals ? 0.5lb per meal per person ? 7 days = 15.75....... so they STILL had to go on colmado runs

Do them a favour and buy a 20lb bag next time

They do cook a lot of rice. They even do bread runs. Eat sugar with abandon. Platanos. Yuca. Fruit. Pollo and pork.

Only my vegetables are completely safe. Too many vitamins, I guess.

 

[Commander Ooh La La USN]

I'll add that to my Dominican diet book. Live with ravenous people which you need to compete with for food, probiotics taken from dominican water source to, ah, cleanse your system, and now all night dancing....

Are there some stimulants that these people are on? They seem so animated and on a hair trigger emotionally.

Sunday we were visiting friends and one woman was so, so angry at her boyfriend. Veins and arteries were sticking out on her neck. She take 90 second timeouts, but went for a solid 40 minutes or so. Veins would subside and then pop up in a new fury of animated yelling. I asked what she was upset about, infidelity, stealing? (I've learned to leave out lying because that is given). She's just loca. No, seriously, tell me. I can keep a secret.... Same answer.



They do cook a lot of rice. They even do bread runs. Eat sugar with abandon. Platanos. Yuca. Fruit. Pollo and pork.

Only my vegetables are completely safe. Too many vitamins, I guess.

Its a show. She could.always dump the boyfriend BUT she doesnt want to be seen as La Vieja Solterona, the Old Maid that couldnt get a man to want her or keep her. If you found out why she was so angry you d be like "so whats the big deal?" But thats how you know it is a show. I must play the part of being offended because I was disrespected. Then he plays into it too with the "Mi amor"s and "Te quiero mami"s.

Now about us, we wont do silly stuff like that, so they will say that we are "muy frio". It could be OR it could be that we dont build up ourselves into an
Emotional Volcano and then sooth ourselves by telling lies to each other back and forth.

The best part of all of that is she isnt YOUR woman.


His Royal Majesty, Lord Belly Button Kidney Bean, House of Donkey Kong

 

[Lobo Tropical]

Just my musings. No question here:

I bought a 10 lb bag of rice. The people that I live with always by what they need from the colmado and it makes me a little nervous to never have food in the house. Somebody gets hungry, off to the colmado. I personally don't have much faith in the Colmado as it's natural for me to be independent and not rely on others. However, her the colmado is a life line and they frequently provide credit to their customers.

I saved a few pesos on the bulk 10 lbs of rice, maybe 70 peso. What ran 210 pesos for high quality rice would be 280 pesos for broken rice in the Colmodo, which is a greater than 33% mark up. In my mind, it's well worth the investment to buy in bulk. The Colmado is a convenience store like any other. You can expect to pay a sizable markup for the convenience.

They funny thing is that the rice disappeared in less than a week. Just gone. Whatever money I saved over the Colmado simply vanished. And, the riced seemed to disappear in two large amounts. I asked around and as usual, nobody knew anything.

Rice is a stable here and not being able to eat wheat, it's a stable for me too. However, I can buy a 3# bag of rice and it will last for weeks. There are 3 others in the household. The 7 year old will push rice around his plate and try to spread it out in the time honored traditional of pretending to eat something that is distinctly distasteful. The same 7 year old that will wolf down noodles in slurpy, noisy delight, but rice is definitely safe with him. The other two definitely eat rice probably in line with myself. I'd estimate that 4 lbs of rice for a week would be about right. 5 or 6 lbs would surprise me. 10 lbs of rice in a week would be astronomical and unimaginable. And, it doesn't explain the two large withdrawals.

Money seems safe in the house, so I don't think anybody is outright stealing. We behave like a family. I don't think blatant theft is the issue. Yet, l0 lbs disappeared and nobody is owning up to it.

I can only think of two things:

First, is that the 7 year old is in school or colegio. Perhaps a sizable donation of rice was made to the school as one of the missing ?chunks? coincided with also purchasing paper plates, plastic glasses, and some plastic forks. It's possible and even likely.

Second, after some closer observation, I've come to the conclusion that food is shared widely. If you have food, you offer it far and wide to anybody that has need. Certainly, the people that I live with have had economic scrapes in the past, so the mandate to share food is definitely there. it's likely a given that we're feeding more people than the 4 in the household.

Still, it doesn't explain the second large withdrawal. I suspect somebody owed somebody food. Or, maybe it was a donation to the church. Taking money would be stealing, but donating food is within acceptable Dominican behavior.

At any rate, the 33% mark up at the colmado is starting to look like a bargain. I'm certainly not motivated to buy another 10 lb bag although I doubt it went to nefarious purposes.

Ah, I can't help it. I enjoy a good mystery. Another 10lb bag of rice coming up.

Now you are beginning to learn about the DR.
In time you may begin to understand.
Your logic does not apply here.

 

[GringoRubio]

The best part of all of that is she isnt YOUR woman.

Amen, brother. Mine is trouble enough.

 

[AlterEgo]

I can't begin to remember how many kitchens I've seen here with locks on Kitchen cabinets. I've even seen locks on Refrigerators.

And I'm not talking about poor folks homes. The majority were middle class.

The first time I saw that, I thought it was awful. Then when we started sending down more things from NJ, that disappeared while we were gone [pots, pans, utensils, knives], I saw the wisdom of it. When we built our new kitchen, we had locks put on about half the cabinets, and when we leave they get locked up.

 

[dv8]

rice is just the beginning. then it's minutes from the phone, internet too slow to be usable because the wifi password has been given to all neighbours. later it's small items misplaced and broken, or in other words, sold. but too many gringitos take it as it comes because now they have family who loves them (and disrespect them every minute of the day) and they are among folks who share so generously (what is not theirs and they did not pay for). lunch times turn into fiestas and fiestas turn personal (look, i was asked to be a padrino for nth time). such a joy to watch them stories unravel.

 

[Eleutheria]

Are there some stimulants that these people are on? They seem so animated and on a hair trigger emotionally.

Sunday we were visiting friends and one woman was so, so angry at her boyfriend. Veins and arteries were sticking out on her neck. She take 90 second timeouts, but went for a solid 40 minutes or so. Veins would subside and then pop up in a new fury of animated yelling.

I live in a building with mainly European residents, and one Dominican "tribe", who recently moved in. Since then, we have had no end of bizarre issues, garbage everywhere, leaving the door to the roof open, and worst of all, the constant messing with our electric gate.
For some reason, they insist on opening it manually, or opening it and then pulling on it so it stays open, and all kinds of fiddling that results in it breaking and we have to get fixed. Again and again.
I couldn't care less how they abuse the property, as I'm leaving soon, but the safety aspect concerns me.
Anyway, the building manager sends out a text that he keeps having to get the gate fixed, and he doesn't mind, but it is a problem when it gets broken because of misuse. Very mild message, not directed at anyone in particular.
The Dominican lady writes back the rudest message, how everything breaks in this building and he is wasting her money and if it keeps up she won't pay her mantenimiento any more.
Absolutely sin verguenza. Astonishing. I guess the best defence is a good offence or something??

 

[the gorgon]

I live in a building with mainly European residents, and one Dominican "tribe", who recently moved in. Since then, we have had no end of bizarre issues, garbage everywhere, leaving the door to the roof open, and worst of all, the constant messing with our electric gate.
For some reason, they insist on opening it manually, or opening it and then pulling on it so it stays open, and all kinds of fiddling that results in it breaking and we have to get fixed. Again and again.
I couldn't care less how they abuse the property, as I'm leaving soon, but the safety aspect concerns me.
Anyway, the building manager sends out a text that he keeps having to get the gate fixed, and he doesn't mind, but it is a problem when it gets broken because of misuse. Very mild message, not directed at anyone in particular.
The Dominican lady writes back the rudest message, how everything breaks in this building and he is wasting her money and if it keeps up she won't pay her mantenimiento any more.
Absolutely sin verguenza. Astonishing. I guess the best defence is a good offence or something??

ahhh, Eleutheria. get the gate issue out of your way of thinking. you will never get Dominicans to perform an act which inures to COLLECTIVE comfort and security. when i moved into my apartment building, it was all gringo. then, a lady from Latvia moved out, a Dominican family moved in, and the gringos all fled. i am the only one who stayed. we have a main security gate, and everyone has a key. i have to walk behind them, at all hours, as if i am dealing with children. they never lock the gate, and one wonders exactly when someone is going to come in at 4am and do some inopportune deeds. i have given up trying. the building management has sent letters to everyone, to no avail.

right now, there is am impasse that has developed between one tenant and the management. the buttwipe who owns the building takes our rent at the beginning of the month, but does not see fit to pay for the deliveries of water. so, we all have to chip in 200 pesos for the trucks. well, the nitwit that lives beside me has left his pipes on on 4 occasions, and as fast as the cistern is filled, it empties out through his apartment. he did it again yesterday, and management told him he will have to pay for the next truck. he says he will not, because it was an accident. yup, 4 similar accidents. if he does not pay, they are going to go to the fiscal to have him evicted.

it is like dealing with 10 year olds.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

When one lives hand to mouth day to day I can understand the mentality that might be a play here. If one has access to a surplus of something, offering some of it to make up for past good will received or as a short term investment against future needs doesn't seem unreasonable. In a family household situation, what papi brings home and puts in the cupboard probably is considered "communal property" and used accordingly. In a less familial situation such as employer/employee such tacit permission to use is much more of a stretch.

In all cases, communication is key. If you have expressed a desire to be consulted before 2.5 lbs of rice is given to a neighbor and that does not happen, you have a problem. If an employee feels the need to use 2.5 lbs or rice for themselves or others, you have a problem. Employees who fail to follow direction can be terminated. Informal family members can be taught to respect your wishes by checking yourself into a hotel for 2 weeks and driving home the point that they comply or they will do without. If you don't correct that which is not to your liking, then you can have no real expectation that things will change or it is not important enough for you to ensure that you are not causally disregarded.

 

[william webster]

When Sonny & Cher began coining it - she came from a poor family - she bought two of everything.

One for now and the other for when they returned to poverty.

 

[bienamor]

Think the OP's guess of 4-5lbs a week is a little, off. 5 people in our house, 10lbs lasts about 4-5 days. thats 3 adults and 2 kids under 10.

 

[jd426]

I can't begin to remember how many kitchens I've seen here with locks on Kitchen cabinets. I've even seen locks on Refrigerators.

And I'm not talking about poor folks homes. The majority were middle class.

I have seen the same, first time I thought it was a Joke... the refrigerator one puzzled me thought, and they told me the cheeze keeps disappearing... someone who either worked there or cleaned or what not i guess really liked Cheeze , or it was too costly for them to afford.. Also COLD SODA, which I thought was odd cuz they had Cases of drinks ( warm) piled to the ceiling ? never figured it out, but the padlock was on the refrig like when u see one of them VANS with the padlock installed on a corner.

 

[william webster]

I don't have theft, but my jug of cold water in the 'fridge is a luxury for the boys on the property....

Refilled every time...... cold water & ice.... big deals for them

 

[AlterEgo]

I have seen the same, first time I thought it was a Joke... the refrigerator one puzzled me thought, and they told me the cheeze keeps disappearing... someone who either worked there or cleaned or what not i guess really liked Cheeze , or it was too costly for them to afford.. Also COLD SODA, which I thought was odd cuz they had Cases of drinks ( warm) piled to the ceiling ? never figured it out, but the padlock was on the refrig like when u see one of them VANS with the padlock installed on a corner.

I've never seen a refrigerator with a lock on it in DR. But I will say that when we went to buy our freezer I insisted on one with a lock. And I do use the lock.

 

[jd426]

I don't have theft, but my jug of cold water in the 'fridge is a luxury for the boys on the property....

Refilled every time...... cold water & ice.... big deals for them

thats another thing u also notice in middle class homes.. who have " domestic Help" in and out.
One of them Plastic Thermos Coolers, like at football games, filled with ICE WATER.. and CUPS
Not a regular water Cooler, not sure if they just too cheap for that, or if they prefer the ice water , LMAO.. or what , but the plastic Igloo with the Ice water..
so true.

 

[GringoRubio]

Informal family members can be taught to respect your wishes by checking yourself into a hotel for 2 weeks and driving home the point that they comply or they will do without. If you don't correct that which is not to your liking, then you can have no real expectation that things will change or it is not important enough for you to ensure that you are not causally disregarded.

Yes! Well said.

 

[josh2203]

right now, there is am impasse that has developed between one tenant and the management. the buttwipe who owns the building takes our rent at the beginning of the month, but does not see fit to pay for the deliveries of water. so, we all have to chip in 200 pesos for the trucks. well, the nitwit that lives beside me has left his pipes on on 4 occasions, and as fast as the cistern is filled, it empties out through his apartment. he did it again yesterday, and management told him he will have to pay for the next truck. he says he will not, because it was an accident. yup, 4 similar accidents. if he does not pay, they are going to go to the fiscal to have him evicted.

We have lived in a few apartments, and from this it sounds like partially the management of the building is at fault also (that is, if the building does have tinacos, if it doesn?t, then I suppose there?s little that can be done...). If the cistern empties through this tenants open faucets, the pump must be automatic and constantly connected to electricity?

The biggest building where we have lived here, had four apartments, and ONLY the landlord had access to the pump and therefore to the cistern. He connected the pump twice a day, and each of us had our own separate tinaco and thus separate plumming. Never issues with water due to misuse by someone else.

Or, in an apartment building of two apartments, the tenants have access to the pump/cistern, but you have to connect it to your own electricity, and with this people are rather careful, so again, seldom issues with water and misuse.

I can fully imagine that if water is provided without any effort from the tenants, this could well happen, unfortunately...