Gringa Mistake Number ????????

When visiting – or living in – a foreign country, it is always advisable to spend a bit of time simply observing. Being a gracious guest – or assimilating if that is your goal – requires that one avoid the assumption that just because it’s okay to do something where you come from, the same applies to where you are.

This can save you a lot of time and trouble and prevent people in your host country from seeing you as pompous, ignorant, self-important and narrow minded.

Or just plain dumb…

Before I get to the rest of my story, I would like to present a situation and pose a question. This is an interactive blog post so get ready to participate.

You are hiking up a trail in a locale where, as a foreigner, local wisdom is somewhat obfuscated (in this case Isla Taboga, Panama). And you come upon three tiny puppies, about six weeks at best guess, seemingly exhausted and clearly thirsty judging by the way they lap up the water you offer in your cupped hand. Three young men on the path tell you the puppies have followed them from the top of the mountain and they believe that the puppies have been abandoned by their mother….

WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

Here is what I did. I gave the puppies more water, chatted for a bit with the guys and then said goodbye and continued on my hike, hoping the guys would be unable to resist their new little amigos. Three puppies, three guys. Perfect, right?

OK – back to your part in the story. You turn around and the puppies are no longer following the guys who by now are leaving you in the dust. They are following you – up the hill –  squeaking and mewling as hungry, desperate puppies do.

SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

Before you answer with something like,

“I would leave them there and let nature take its course.”

Or,

“Well, it’s not my country and I don’t know the custom here when it comes to abandoned little puppies alone on a hillside.”

Or,

“Maybe the mother is nearby and will be angry or sad if I take her babies.”

Just stop that. Because you and I both know none of those are the first things that would pop into your head.

But before you answer the question, here’s a little bit more information for you…

Get the idea?

Well, I don’t know what you would have done (I can guess), but what I did was stand on the hillside wrestling with my conscience and fighting my instincts to protect tiny innocents. I was near tears with indecision when I scooped those little babies up in my arms and carried them down the hill. When I got to our road, our caretaker, José, was there and he burst out laughing when he saw me, snapped a photo or two and then rolled his eyes (lovingly). I carried the puppies inside the gate to our complex.

My husband, Dan, and our neighbors had an immediate but brief  “awwwww…” moment but we all knew that this couldn’t last. We gave them milk and watched them for a bit as they stumbled around outside our doors. Dan finally said what I knew he would, “We have to get rid of them.” José rounded up a box, we put them in there with some more milk and then walked the down to the Chu (store/bar/local gathering spot) where we figured they would have as good a chance as any of being found and taken in by some kids or islanders.

On the way to the Chu…

Thanks, Dan… 🙂

I was able to walk away knowing that they would most likely have died on the mountain and this at least gave them a chance. As the story got around, I received mixed reactions ranging from “You are so stupid, you could have been attacked by the mother and ripped to shreds…” to “I would have done the exact same thing.” The latter was the more common reaction – among the gringos, that is…  So I’m not sure what that proves. Nothing, really.

But here is the end of the story. A day later, my neighbor saw the white puppy – the one peeking it’s head out of the box in the picture above – in the arms of a little boy who lives around the corner from her. “Where did you get the puppy?” she asked. “We found her! Her name is Bonita! We are keeping her!” When, a couple of days later, I saw the same kids with Bonita, she looked fatter, all cleaned up and quite happy with her new family.

The black and white one, too, has been taken in by a guy who works for the electric company. While on the island, he found her wandering down the street not far from the Chu, scooped her up and kept her. I later learned that his dog had just died and he really wanted a new one.

I don’t know what happened to the third, but he was very thin, missing an eye and I doubt he was long for this world no matter whether it was up on the mountain or with a family. So two out of three seemingly have made it.

But I learned a lesson. And I would not do the same thing next time.  I would leave the puppies right there, hope their mother came for them, and, if not, know that it is not my place to interfere.

Definitely.

Maybe.

Probably not.

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