Venzuelan dream

Venezuela seems to be following the course of other South American countries with Hugo having carte blanche to pass all legislation for 18 months. I find it interesting that a country that is democratic would feel the need to suspend their process to one person regardless of what or who they are and what they are promising. I was a strong supporter of Hugo before I came down here because he seemed to be willing to stand up to the USA which I found important considering the US military and political history in S. America. However, the more power Hugo grabs the more nervous people get down here and the more it seems like history repeating itself. In my opinion socialism can only work if there is some form of controlled competition. I agree with the idea of social welfare, I dont agree with corporate welfare without conditions. The government should be helping people today that are left behind because of conditions that were created centuries ago. I dont think anyone could argue that school systems and economic systems today still reflect a societal bias from history. I say control in the sense of the government controlling executive salaries, to limit tax breaks and other insentitives to companies that move jobs out of the their country or that violate government regulations on hours and pay. Total socialism cant work. Governments can't run businesses, America is proof of this idea. Government institutions are to filled with corruption and problems. Plus without competition, human nature sets in and people get lazy because they feel their jobs are safe.

What I am starting to realize down here and should have realized a long time ago is that we call places like Venezuela, the 3rd world. But America has all the same problems that these countries have and at times maybe more problems. We can just hide it or excuse it more than any other country. America is not a better place to live and doesnt have a better government or history. We have convience, which it seems to me that a lot of foreigners dont envy us for being a great country but they envy us for the convience of our products. They envy what we can buy and have at our finger tips. I have driven around america more times than I care to recall. I have seen rural areas in Missouri and South Dakota that look no more advanced than the rural parts of Venezuela. I have been to enough American cities to start to realize that our poverty and crime is no different than a 3rd world country. We are much betterat spinning the stories and we have more people and stories to cover up our negatives. Sorry just a rant. Not even sure if it makes sense.

Update: I am currently looking for a new teaching position. Janina and I have decided to move away from Venezuela. We are not sure where this will take us just yet but we are excited about starting our lives together. I was in San Francisco about two weeks ago at an International School job fair. I was not able to find a position in a place that I really wanted to live. My best chance for a job was probably in the Middle East but I still have a great deal of insecurity about living there right now. Plus it is only fair that I try for once in my life to minimize my parents fears about what I am doing with my life. After 32 years, it is time I start to down size their ulcers. So right now I am looking everywhere, which is cool because it is true, I am looking everywhere in the world. So if anyone that reads this blog hears of any social studies positions in the world please pass along the info.

I am getting excited for spring break, Janina and I was going to take her car and drive around Venezuela for a little bit, go into the mountains and maybe camp on some beaches. Then we are planning some trips to a jungle and another place that I will not mention in case the US government is spying on blogs for any information on american citizens, which by writing that probably makes me more of a target. I am including in the blog some pics from my trip to San Fran. What a truly amazing city, if I had the money to actually have a life living there, that would be the city in the US that I would live in next but I made a choice to be a teacher for the good and the bad.

PS. Book recommendation: A long way gone: Memiors of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah. Unbelievable story and makes you think about your place in the world along with your perception of life and humans

PPS Ann Coulter is a crazy person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, I have read most of her books and thought she was a horrible writer and a bit whiny. But the more she talks publicly, WOW, what a freak.