Tough Decisions

I never thought I would have to make a decision whether to keep my goats and risk them being shot, or get rid of them to save their lives! When I choose to live in the campo, I understood that village life was different, and that we needed to fit in with the locals. However, they have proved this week that we will always be outsiders.

My goats on occasion have escaped, typically they head up the mountain and return some hours later. Unfortunately, last week they got out and choose to munch on a neighbours tree. This neighbour appeared, ranted, told me to keep my goats in or else. I wandered off mumbling "or else what" he proved on Monday morning what the "or else" meant.

Mondays are chaos here, even more chaotic than usual, and last Monday we were rushing around when we heard gun shots. We then realised that the goats were out, and the stampeded of them coming back to the house indicated that someone was shooting at my goats.

Thankfully the angry guy was  a bad shot, but he did manage to hit a few trees and skim the house, even when the goats were back on my land he continued to shoot at them. This then led to a 30 minute screaming match in bad Spanglish and many rude words!

Basically we were to get rid of the goats, the local people were in agreement, and unless I wanted the angry mobs returning with pitchforks and torches to shoot and kill the goats they were to go! Apparently the people in this valley do not keep goats "we" grow fruit.

Now, I am one to dig my heels in about anything, but I learnt a long time ago on this island as a foreigner, I could be in the right, have all the facts and still I would be in the wrong. So with a heavy heart the goats have gone to live on a goat farm on the island, which has left me bitter and plotting revenge.