American arrogance

I recently read an email saying something about the current President of the United States apologizing for American arrogance.  It contained photos of a lot of the cemeteries in Europe where American servicemen have been buried, mostly during World War II.  This would, to me, be a poor response to negate the apology.  Those were Americans that went to war to fight Nazism and Facism.  They lost their lives for a cause.  I don´t know what the people´s attitudes are like in Europe toward Americans.  Here we are accepted for who we are not for what we are.  There is a lot of interest in us because we come from a different culture.  
I would have to say that there are a lot of arrogant Americans that think that the American way of life is far superior to any other.  They should not confuse a state of living with an advancement of particulars.  There are many more items available to purchase in the United States, that does not necessarily make life better.  Sometimes it can make life more confusing.  How many times have you stood in a grocery store reading labels trying to determine which one is best? or healthiest? or tastier?  We don't have that problem here because variety is not something we are "blessed or cursed" with.  I have not said to anyone when I was making any comparisons to life in America compared to life here as it being better there.  I have said many times that life in the US is different.  Life in the US is a hard life.  You have to work hard everyday, for a minimum of 40 hours per week hoping that you make enough money to provide.  A person that retires in the US has a struggle in front of them.  They usually don't have sufficient income to pay for all the things they need. The needs of the elderly are far greater than others.  The income is limited but they are expected to pay as much, if not more for services.  If their house isn't paid for by the time they retire they still have to struggle with a house payment.  Reverse mortgage is a trap, and don't fall into it thinking it is Uncle Sam giving you a helping hand.  
For the most part, I have to say that the majority of Americans ARE arrogant.  They get angry when they make a call and it says if you want to hear your message in english, press one, yet for the most part when their ancestors came here many of them couldn't speak english.  The majority of the population in the US is probably hispanic, so WASP step aside and think of how you became a minority.  People migrated from other countries into the US like they have been doing for years, to improve their standard of living.  They are taking the jobs you don´t want because they are willing to do anything to make the money that is needed to improve their standard of living.  In the US you have many families on ¨welfare¨because they are either too lazy to work or because they have figured out the system and realize they don´t have to work to live.  
I worked for 48 years in the US so that I could have something in Social Security to live on when it came time for me to retire.  The government needs to stop dipping into that fund to pay for lazy welfare recipients.  Immigrants have figured out how to us the system.  
So if the President of the United States did, indeed, apologize for the arrogance of Americans it is only because Americans are too arrogant to realize that they need to stop presenting themselves as better than the other people of the world.  I bet before Rome collapsed they had the same attitude.  Wake up before it bites you on the ass.

Paysandu

I just wanted to publish a link to give you a general idea of where I live in Uruguay.

http://www.welcomeuruguay.com/paysandu/index_i.html

Life in Uruguay: For Sale

Life in Uruguay: For Sale: For Sale!!!!! Used but still in good shape. Atomic, G-Shock Casio watch.  I stopped wearing it over a month ago.  I decided since I was...

For Sale

For Sale!!!!!

Used but still in good shape. Atomic, G-Shock Casio watch.  I stopped wearing it over a month ago.  I decided since I was retired I no longer needed to have a time piece to dictate my lifestyle.  I still check on times, occasionally, but only if there is an appointment to be kept or something that I am cooking needs my attention, otherwise it is sitting on top of the dresser gathering dust.

I can let it go for a really good price, let me know and I will tell you if your offer is acceptable.

Retired people don´t need watches to keep track of a time schedule that dictates every moment of their lives.

Enjoying the life of the retired in Paysandu, Uruguay.

cold

Wow, when it gets cold here it gets cold really fast.  Fireplace (estufa) has been fired up all day, ever since I woke up this morning and found the courage to step on the tile floor.  The only heat we have in the house is the fireplace in the living room and the heater in our daughter´s room, otherwise it´s get under as many covers as you can find and wear as many clothes as you can once you get up.  It is really rough in the kitchen because there isn´t anything between the roof and the kitchen.  The ceiling was removed because of a really bad mouse problem before I got here.  I solved the mouse problem right away...we got a cat.  He grew up loving the hunt.  Of course he was a little too adventurous and got killed by the dog next door.  Right now we have 2 cats and no mice in the house; just need to figure out where to get the money to replace that ceiling, until then it is just bare up to the cold.  It's okay when something is in the oven.
I have been thinking about everyone today.  I hope those that were upset with me for moving to Uruguay have finally accepted the fact that I moved someplace I felt I belonged.  I know it all seemed crazy to most of you but trust me when I say I am where I belong.  I am where God wants me to be.  
I am living a great life here and to me it is normal to be here, other than my slight learning disability with the language but I am learning everyday.  My 7 year old spanish teacher is very patient with me.
Anyway, just want to touch base with all you folks stuck in the real world.

Colon, Argentina

Okay, went to Colon, Argentina to renew my passport.  I took my camera this time.  I have been there during the daytime a few times but not with a camera.  The first one is a video of driving through downtown Colon.  The bumping on the video is not because I can't hold a camera still, it is because in an attempt to build a brick street, well I think they must have been a little drunk when they did it.  That street is anything but smoothe.  

The second picture was taken from the top of the bridge going into Argentina.  The third picture is of a wooden bridge taken near the river in Colon.  Picture number 4 is of a marina.  Picture number 5 is of a water park which is part of a resort called a terma.  Picture number 6 is taken at the top of the bridge going back into Uruguay.  The city in the background is Paysandu, where I live.  The last picture is at the official entrance to Uruguay.  The interesting part of all this is even though I was physically back in Uruguay, officially I was still in Argentina because my passport still displayed that I had entered Argentina but had not left yet.  We were waiting in line so that process could be accomplished.  

A lot of things have happened since my last blog.  For over a week we didn't have any internet.  After about 5 days I realized how much I had become used to the internet.  I was getting the equivalent to cabin fever.  It is my connection to the world outside Paysandu, Uruguay.  Don't misunderstand me, I love living here.  The people are great, very patient because of my spanish.  The country is beautiful, even downtown Paysandu.  It is all just interesting on a daily basis.  It doesn't change but I enjoy traveling through town when we go for a drive.  The beach, which is not actually what I would call a beach, by American standards, is still a great place to go.  I have sent pictures in the past of what is called the playa here.  It is more like a natural park.

I hope you will be able to see the video.