The Bent Page

Aruba has several local newspapers, all written in Papiamento, the local language. Each paper has its own flavor. The Diario is my favorite. Jossy Mansur is the editor and he pulls no punches. He’s also written a few books, including a Papiamento-English dictionary, which I find very useful as I attempt to read (or should I say interpret) the newspaper. Here’s a look at the front page of a typical issue of the Diario:

And below you’ll see a photo of Mansur’s Papiamento/English dictionary:

Wherever you go, reading the local papers will put you in touch with the sensibility of the citizenry, what’s going on in their world, what they think is important. I find this makes my traveling experience more enriching. Instead of taking in the sights, sampling the food, and heading for home, I’ll take the time to peruse their papers and magazines, try to decipher the letters to the editor, and get a deeper understanding of the culture. It’s a challenge, but one well worth the effort.