Business As Usual

It's a wonder anything gets done here at all--the beauty of the city is magnificent and there are more than enough activites to keep one busy (parasailing, rock climbing, trails, the beach, soccer, basketball, walking around the lake, etc...) for a long time, not to mention, things move slower here.

Today, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the bank to pay my tuition payment (automatic withdrawl isn't an option). Upon arriving, one must take a number from a small and precisely placed box next to the watercooler. There are two options: (1) preferential customers (meaning: old, pregnant, or disabled), (2) all other services. So, using my excutive seletive mind, I pressed the botton for "all other services" not knowing the wait ahead of me. 447 my slip read. 428 the teleprompter signaled. Normally in the US going to the bank isn't a chore, but here it's a nightmare! The system was running slowly, so each person averaged about 20 mins at the teller's station. Not to mention, in Copacabana there are a lot of elderly folks, implying that they move ever-so-slightly slower and don't know how to slide there bank card through the machine. Each needed additional assistance. Conversation of one sweet little lady was the following (roughly translated):

Teller: "Thank you Ma'am that is all."
Cute Little Old Lady: "I am so nervous. I need to take an asprine." (Hunched over the counter)
Teller: "No, you don't have to be nervous. I have taken care of everything."
Cute Little Old Lady: "Oh, I needed to pay yesterday. I will sit here and take an asprine."
Teller: "Of course, sit and relax if you want. I am at your disposal if you need anything else."

A new client approached the counter and began her transaction.

Cute Little Old Lady: (Staggered over to the counter where there was the new customer and teller) " I just need to know if it was paid. I am so nervous."
Teller: "Yes, Ma'am. It was paid. Don't worry anymore."
Cute Little Old Lady: "Oh, okay..." (Muttered more for about 5 more mins before sitting down to rest)

I felt so bad for the cute little old lady. She was out doing her errands, but she had no idea what was going on around her. The poor dear. Finally, about an hour and a half later, I was attented and 5 mins later out of the bank. The little old lady was still sitting there chatting it up with the other perferential customers. I have come to the conclusion that things move so slowly in Copacabana for the following reasons: (1) the help doesn't get paid enough and is underqualified, so they don't care, (2) there are a ton of people, and (3) little old ladies and men (like our friend in the bank) get lonely at home and decide to make their errand time into social time also. In any case, it's just business as usual in Copacabana.