I live in a “cerro” (slum/hill) in Caracas, Venezuela called Petare. My neighbourhood is not the prettiest, or the cleanest. It is mostly composed of narrow alleys, houses made of bricks, and some of them even made out of wooden planks. We live in a hill in the east of Caracas. I am a Venezuelan native and speak only Spanish.
I don’t live a very hygienic life; we do not have running water, sewage services, or a stable roof that does not leak. As for electricity, we take it illegally by connecting to the light pole. It is extremely risky, but it’s free so we might as well just do it. Our neighbourhood is very unsafe. We have some sort of informal curfew according to which we do not go out after 8 pm, if we do we run the risk of getting mugged or worse, murdered. My home is very small, despite the fact that we have 6 people in it (my mom, my dad, my grandma, and my 2 older brothers). We only have 2 bedrooms, and a septic tank. We share rooms, and sometimes beds. Luckily, sometimes my brother stays out for the night robbing people, and so I get the bed for myself.
Like all teenagers in my “barrio” (slum) I have a rough day, but I’ve gotten used to it. By now I know where to watch out for “malandros” (gang members) and at what time they operate. My typical day consists of the following routine: I wake up early (around 4 am), take a bath with a bucket, eat my breakfast, and depending what time of the year it is I wait for the sun to rise in order to “safely” go out. After that, I take the Jeep ride downhill to get into the subway. The subway, by the way, is filthy and always gets utterly crowded. After I ride the subway, I walk to the public school I study in. After I finish school I take the subway and Jeep ride back home and, some days, I run into one of my brother’s friends and they give me a ride uphill in their motorcycle. I get home, put my school bag away and go play basketball with my friends from the neighbourhood for about an hour. Sometimes we have to shorten the game due to the drug dealers taking over the court to do their business. I get home, do my homework, and watch “novellas” (soap operas) with my family. After that, we stick to the informal curfew and go to bed. We, of course, blot the doors and windows before we do. I still remember how I couldn’t sleep when I was younger because of the gunshots. Now, for better or for worse, I’m used to it and it doesn’t bother me anymore.
One thing that I personally like about my community is that we are there for each other. This is not limited to family, my neighbours and we have a very special bond. We always stick up for each other, celebrate victories together, party together, and we are there for them during difficult times as they are there for us. I also enjoy my friends and the things we do together.
However, no good thing can come without a bad thing. Transportation is very difficult; sometimes I have to wait a long time before I can catch the next Jeep ride. Hygiene is a major issue as well, as the septic tank overflows sometimes. And security overall is another huge problem we face.
I really wish, though, that there was a sewage system, a safe electricity supply, a bigger house to hold the needs of my family, a Metrocable system like in San AgustÃn, and a safer lifestyle.
It is definitely not the best way to live in the world, but it isn’t all that bad. I just like my life the way it is, with both the good things and the not-so-good ones.
Sources
- Personal experiences
- Personal interview with Valmy Diaz (my father)
- http://www.freeserbia.net/Articles/2006/DonChavez.html
