Postcard From Central America

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday September 6, 2006

Elsa Evers

Elsa Evers's social conscience is pricked on a road trip.

It was noon, we were drinking and then someone had an idea: "How fun would it be to buy a second-hand car and drive from Mexico down to Costa Rica?!" Crazy twentysomethings that we are, we decided "heaps fun!" and bought the car.

We set out from Mexico, where I am studying, in a six-cylinder Chevy christened Chuck (after Chuck Norris, Walker, Texas Ranger). Its size and growling demeanour were justified by our plan to sleep in the back and save some money.

Mum said it was too dangerous. Of course, I disregarded her advice. I was daring and ready to venture into Third World countries thick with jungle and the scars of civil war.

Now, six weeks later, all I have learnt is that I am a foolish overeducated Westerner who probably should have stayed at home.

I ask myself, is there any benefit in travelling to developing countries? Do tourists bring anything positive? And have I really taken anything constructive away from the experience, apart from a good story to tell at a Glebe dinner party?

Don't get me wrong, I had a great time. From within our portable bubble we watched the quaint natives working the fields. Then we sped past to the next destination on the Lonely Planet hit list.

When we arrived in Ometepe, a "must-see volcanic island in Nicaragua", I took a great photo of a boy lugging 15 kilograms of firewood on his head.

I'll probably turn it into a postcard and send it home labelled: "Cute boy, but shameless child labour." The thing is, he approached me to take the photo. He knew that I'd give him a few coins for looking cute. What kind of exchange is that? I think it's called voyeurism.

There's the argument that tourists bring money in and, sure, when Chuck's brakes caught fire we had already been to the mechanics 11 times. However, most tourist dollars never make it to a local.

In Costa Rica about 60 per cent of the hotels belong to foreigners. Costa Rica is also one of the most economically stable countries in Central America but this has come at the cost of selling their paradise to American and European retirees.

I decided to think of my trip as a learning tour and, yes, I learnt a lot.

When I was hospitalised because of a reaction to tablets for food poisining, I learnt that the public health system in Belize is a disaster. I lay on bloody sheets as I waited for the overworked nurse to pump me with valium.

My travel insurance would have covered treatment in a private hospital but the other people in the ward had no options. They had to put up with the poor hygiene and lack of modern medicine.

What will I do about this injustice now that I am back in Mexico?

I'll write an article. And get paid more for it than the average Mexican gets paid

in a month.

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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