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A little less than two years ago, I managed to faint virtually in the middle of the campus after a soccer game. As a result, I enjoyed more attention than I appreciate. The paramedic on campus treated me with an oxygen mask whilst a whole bunch of students watching the spectacle looked more worried than I was. A little less than one year ago, I managed to crash with my head into a goal post during a soccer game. When the paramedic had to treat me again, I am not sure whether I really want to know what was going on in his mind. He no longer has to worry about me and my activities. I got the message. There are more sensible things to do for a forty two year old man than playing soccer. After mulling things over a little, I made the wise decision to quit playing soccer. Even though students every now and then try to talk me into changing my mind, I stick with Margaret Thatcher’s famous phrase: “The lady is not for turning”. At about the same time, my writing career with Escape Artist has been getting into full swing. Moreover, I tend to spend more and more time on sussing Latin American literature out. A while ago, yours truly finished reading the collection of short stories “The Burning Plain and other Stories” by Juan Rulfo. Even though the quality of his short stories leaves nothing to be desired, I had a few difficulties getting access to the world he wrote about. Never mind. It is worth the effort. In a nutshell, instead of organising the defence in soccer games there are more pleasant things to do for a junior elder in Colima – e.g. extensive breakfasts and lunches, reading, writing.

Colima, Mexico

However, what makes winter – and spring – worth chatting about are the sunset and the cloud formation when the sun sets. When the sun sets, portions of the sky turn into a strong red. After finishing a class in the late afternoon, my humble self is fond of watching this sort of thing whilst gliding across the campus like an elder statesman. During the weekend I am inclined to watch this sort of thing on my roof terrace.

Gated Communities In Latin America

My articles on living in Latin America may give you the impression that life there is very pleasant. But do not jump to conclusions. Life in Latin America tends to be very pleasant indeed provided you do not have to live from pay check to pay check. Living in the right neighbourhood and having some sort of decent educational background do make a difference as well. 

Loads of folks in Latin America do have to live from pay check to pay check (if there is any pay check), do not live in the right neighbourhood and lack some decent educational background. When you live on the wrong side of a very unequal society life may be rather unpleasant. The market reforms in Latin America have presumably not decreased this sort of social separation.

As a result of social inequality, completely different lifestyles and crime, gated communities have been rapidly expanding all over Latin America. They are called “barrios cerrados”  and “barrios exclusivos” in Spanish. Even though gated communities appear to be expanding in particular in megacities – e.g. Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro – you can find them in more mellow spots like Colima as well. As far as yours truly understands the situation, gated communities in Latin America may be characterised as a dynamic real estate product, which is reflected by high returns on investment.
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Downtown in Colima City, Mexico

Even if you do not live in a gated community, there are other rather sophisticated security measures to fortify your home, at least by Western European and New Zealand standards. A heap of posh properties – including my place of residence – are protected by metal gates, which open and close electronically. They also tend to be surrounded by high walls.  It is easy to recognise those islands of prosperity in Latin America. They tend to be separated from poverty and low income neighbourhoods. Never mind. These security measures may not be deemed absolutely necessary in a rather mellow place like Colima. But you feel very relaxed and at ease when you know that they are there. However, in Latin American megacities those sophisticated security measures are presumably considered necessary to protect you from the fragmented social structure. In short, when I leave in Colima my familiar turf – e.g. the campus, my fortress, my favourite restaurants, the places of friends of mine – and venture into less pleasant neighbourhoods, it is easy to realise that there are two worlds. And I feel a little out of place in the other world.

One of the things that I try to drill into students is that they should think in bigger terms than most folks. The reason? Quite simple. Think in small terms and your world will stay small. And you are likely to end up wasting your talent. Think in bigger terms than most of your valued contemporaries and your world will grow. The world of a post office and post office clerks doesn’t match with the concept of thinking in bigger terms.

Social Democracy In Latin America

There appears to be a trend emerging in Latin America similar to New Zealand and the United Kingdom. After implementing the market revolution in these countries, social democratic governments came to power there. These social democratic governments didn’t put the economic clock back. They have rather accepted market principles whilst trying to combat poverty and social ills at the same time.

At the moment, this trend can be generally noticed throughout Latin America. After implementing radical economic reforms, countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay are now run by centre-left governments. In Mexico, the presidential candidate leading in the polls for the election in 2006, the current mayor of Mexico City, reflects a similar attitude. These emerging centre left governments seem to resemble social democrats in Europe, not the previous loony left in Latin America. 

To quote Peter Hakim, president of the Inter–American Dialogue in Washington:They are “….saying a stronger commitment is needed to address the social needs”. In case Peter’s impression is right, the economic clock in Latin America is not going to be put back. The sequence of implementing radical market reforms, which are followed by social democracy seems to be a trend throughout the world.
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Please do not get me wrong. Yours truly is not inclined to sympathise with social democratic parties. No matter what the economic trouble is social democrats always find a tax increase as a remedy. Instead, my humble self comes quite close to a true believer in the market. The best policy to alleviate poverty may be low tax – and inflation rates. Even though it does not appear to be very popular, I tend to agree with the concept of a flat tax. Vladimir Putin implemented a flat tax of thirteen percent in Russia in 2001. The result? As Daniel Mitchell – from The Frontier Centre for Public Policy – noted: ”Russia’s economy has expanded by about ten percent since it adopted a flat tax”. As far as I am aware, Hong Kong enjoyed a flat tax for quite a while. Do you reckon it is a coincidence that Hong Kong has been one of the fastest growing economies for quite some time? You might come up with the objection that a flat tax may not be socially just (whatever that may mean) and that primarily well heeled folks will benefit from it. To counter that argument, I refer to Martin Murenbeeld, who notes:”….the actual rate and basic exemption can be juggled to help low – income earners. The higher the basic deduction, the more lower – income earners fall off the tax roll, but the higher the flat tax would probably be”. Napoleon once made the remark that a constitution was not worth the paper it was written on if it could not be understood by the peasants. Can you understand your current tax code?

Rosebank Mall, South Africa

South Africa continues to be one of my favourite countries. When you fly to South Africa, you are likely to fly into the city of gold, Johannesburg. In case you are in South Africa on holiday/vacation for just a few weeks, get out of Jo’burg as fast as you can. In case you are on business in South Africa, you may have to spend some time in Egoli, which is the Zulu name for the city of gold. When you are in Egoli, you may feel like sussing  a few restaurants out.

For a business lunch or dinner, do give “Gatrile’s “ restaurant in Sandown a go. The outfit has been around already for a little more than twenty five years. “Gatrile’s” menu offers a mixture of South African and French cuisine. It certainly does not lack style and tends to attract movers and shakers as well as those who reckon that they are movers and shakers.

To enjoy Japanese food – e.g. sushi and noodles – in a restaurant with a relaxed ambience, suss “Ohsho” out. “Ohsho” is situated in the Rosebank Mall, which buzzes during the day. Sushi at “Ohsho” leaves nothing to be desired.

For breakfast or brunch it may be worth having a go at “Fournos”, which is located in the Rosebank Mall as well. “Fournos” is something like a chain of bakery – deli – restaurant and enjoys a stellar reputation for its bread and pastries in Jo’burg. It tends to attract all sorts of folks ranging from professionals grabbing lunch to folks who spend a couple of hours there. The latter may be my soul mates. They may be enjoying the lifestyle of a junior elder.

The following is a list of articles written by Jurgen for the magazine:

Some Thoughts On Living In Latin America ~ Enjoying A Latin Lifestyle
Working Around The Globe ~ Tips On How To Find Work Around The Globe
Living And Teaching In Colima, Mexico ~ A Place To Rest
Thoughts On South Africa And New Zealand ~ Hitchhiking And Economics
Some Thoughts On Literature And An International Lifestyle ~ Reading And Living
A Journey To Various Places In Mexico - Places To See
Memories Of Africa ~ Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe
A Long Way From Munster To Colima - Travel And The Self
Some Thoughts On Capitalism And Investing - In 2004
Canada From Various Perspectives ~ Montreal, Vancover And More
A Critical Look At South Africa - Politics And Economics
Emerging Markets and Economic Geography - Economic Growth Around The World
A Meaningful Life Or A Turkey On The Ground - Favorite Places To Live
Some Thoughts On Living In The Less Developed World ~ Emerging Markets
Places To Do Business In Europe - Where To Invest In Europe

To contact Jurgen Click Here
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