Time, for instance, can be measured in mefloquine pills. These are the malaria pills that I take, one pill every Friday. I pick up the shiny aluminum packet and hold 6 weeks in my hand. Just a few days ago I finished my first packet - Huzzah!
Sample sentence: "Are you ready to give your big presentation at the office?"
"I haven’t started it yet, but I’m not worried; it’s still a couple of mefloquine pills away."
Money >> measured by the price of a standard almuerzo ($1.50)
Sample sentence: “This pair of pants costs 13 lunches? Forget it, I’ll take another arroz con pollo.”
Weight >> intense visual scrutiny + pudginess of one’s wrist
Sample sentence – can be one of two things: “Flaquita!” [“Skinny!”] or “Gordita!” [“Fat!”]
*Note, only an Ecuadorian can measure weight in Ecuador. Anyone else’s reading inevitably comes out inaccurate.
Direction >> landmarks
Sample sentence: I don’t know whether to tell you to turn right or left, but I know you’re supposed to walk toward the pink-flowering tree and past the house with the savagely barking dog. My house is the yellow-and-green confectionary construction (looks like a giant layer cake plopped down in the middle of the landscape).
Health >> whether or not you are having diarrhea
’Nuff said.
Hunger >> number of batidos (smoothies) you could gulp down at the moment
Sample sentence: “I´m about five batidos hungry right now." - and that´s saying a lot, especially if you go to the place where they serve them to you in personalized pitchers
Speed >> whether or not there is a speed bomb on the bus
If there is a speed bomb, i.e., the driver is ahead of schedule, you are going about 15mph; if there is not a speed bomb, i.e., the driver is behind schedule, you are going as fast as possible (but don’t worry, never faster than the driver can see).
…just part of the normal, daily routine.
Here in Italy I measure by the Km, or alternatively by how much vino has been consumed, or by when is the next meal.
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