Don’t know if any of you heard, but a recent Gallup poll placed Venezuela as the 6th country among 124 where people rated their wellbeing. Although I’ve long ago recognized the carefree and low-stress lifestyles that Venezuelans try lead, there appears to be so much political strife that this poll actually shocked me.

In general, Venezuelans take one of two sides of the political spectrum. There are those who are very happy with the current administration and talk about how much better their lives have become since the changes. Others describe the good ol’ days and are devastated by the direction the country has taken. Both groups will not hesitate to tell you how bad crime has gotten; especially in Caracas. In fact, they paint such a bleak picture that you imagine walking into downtown Baghdad. Even with all these negative feelings, 64% of Venezuelans feel that their lives are thriving.

So, have I had the wrong opinion Venezuela this whole time?

Sometimes when the weather is gloomy – which can happen anytime throughout the day – I start to feel like Caracas is a depressing place. Venturing outside of the capitol always feels like shedding the noise, the decaying buildings and shantytowns. Walking around you see a variation of feelings just like in any city. People going about their work day, meeting up with friends or focusing their handheld devices. Crappy weather aside, I think that the atmosphere here can get heavy and maybe that’s why Caraquenos rush off to the beach any chance that they get. But now with the revelation of this poll, I think maybe I’ve let the complaints of both Venezuelans and other expatriates skew my perception…

Now when I walk the streets, I try to view the people going about their day in a different way. if the proof is in the pudding and Venezuelans feel better about their wellbeing than any other country in this hemisphere, I can stand to learn a little something from them.

My daughter answered the phone the other day and the person on the line was speaking French to her. At some point in the conversation, she didn’t understand what was said and answered “Quoi?”, which is the equivalent of “What?” Both of my kids are taught that if I say something to them that they either do not hear or understand, the proper response is “What did you say?” Obviously, my daughter’s phone etiquette is still in the developmental stages.

So, I said to her that it’s impolite to say “Quoi?” when you don’t understand something. The polite response is “Pardon?” or “I beg your pardon?” She said okay and started to walk away. Then something clicked and she turned around to ask me “Why is saying ‘quoi’ impolite?” Oddly enough, I didn’t have the slightest clue.

I then told her that although she thinks that I’ve been alive since the beginning of time – the 1980’s according to her – I don’t know why every single rule was invented. I just follow them…which I suggested she do as well if she wanted her life to be a little easier. I’m all for questioning authority, but I guess when it comes to social norms I take them as they come. This may be because I’ve had to a lot of assimilating in my lifetime and going with the flow is facilitates that much more than fighting the establishment.

Have you ever wondered why certain social customs exist? Did you ever find the answer? If so, please share – a curious 8 year-old will be eternally grateful.