I admit that before landing here in a plane I had no idea what Costa Rica was like. I thought it would be similar to Nicaragua in many ways, and in that sense I was right. But I had no idea that San Jose was a HUGE city nestled in a valley surrounded by beautiful mountains. There are no straight streets here, each one is a workout to walk up and down. I tip my hat to drivers here as well, they drive up and down and stop with cars crammed with people all while driving stickshift AND talking on the phone. It's quite impressive. I have trouble sometimes getting out a parking lot if I'm out of "practise". The people here are friendly on a whole - there are some like in most latino cultures that are more brazen than others (like the pack of teenage boys that hounded myself and 3 other students at a futbol match the other night) but for the most part, that I've seen anyways, they're pretty respectful. Not to go without saying that you don't walk around waving your Canadian passport freely expecting no one to snatch it from your hand. In talking to the director, students get mugged every year (like last week for example, except he's Costa Rican and actually knew the guy... he said it was pretty funny) but also he said the ones that do get mugged are the ones that look like "they're asking for it".
In my week here I haven't seen much of the city, I've stayed in this barrio and went on a super-speedy trip into downtown to get my bus ticket to Panama. However, I'm content with that. Sure, the biggest volcano in Central America is cool, but I'd learn so much more about the culture by watching the people here instead of following a tour around and piece of rock - and I'd be doing it "alone". w00t.
Enough of this... the amazing day outside is beckoning me to come and enjoy it. One of the students lent me "Irresistible Revolution" and I plan on laying on the hammock and plowing through it.
The horn-blaring came to a sudden end yesterday at about 10:00pm when the results of the elections came through. We happened to be in Taco Bell (I know.. Quebec can't have Taco Bell but Costa Rica does... pfff.) and there was a whole lot of excitement in that tiny restaurant. The first woman president, Laura was elected.. it also turns out that on a whole, more women went out to vote than men. I went to vote with one of the girl staff here at Port and if I ever thought Canadian elections were un-organized, I was horribly mistaken. lol. Flags and posters are being taken down and all is returning to normal... Tico normal.
Sitting here in the student computer lounge at Portantorchas I can't help but listen to the endless blaring of cars horns and the redundancy of sirens continuously wailing. It never stops. Praise the Lord there's not always dogs barking! I feel safe in my small apartment - the reassuring footsteps of the guy staff upstairs comfort me. Although beyond the iron gates there's a whole other world. One that doesn't speak English or treat each other with respect.
That world seems sad. In my walking around here I've been looking at the faces walk past and there's no expression of hope or joy. Eyes are tired. Mouth pouting. And lastly, feet shuffling.
It's clear to me now the different Christ makes. Living between these two different worlds it becomes clear, yet again. From hope to hopelessness, from expectation to settling for the way things are. Not everything is perfect inside these walls but there's the hope that one day it won't be "like this" that one day the whatever you're feeling or experiencing right now will be gone by the grace of God. Out there, not so much. Out there people don't expect better, in fact they most likely expect for whatever they have to be taken away.
In Canada most times, the contrast of the two worlds is often blurred because there isn't clear concrete (literally.. we're surrounded) lines that define or separate one world from the other. I think that's why I truly love traveling. I become aware of so much and am reminded of lessons I once learned but have forgotten over time.
After finding my taxi driver (who texted the WHOLE way.. apparently his girlfriend was in a crisis) and us getting lost but then finding the place, I made it! It's absolutely beautiful here. Palm trees and exotic flowers. Breath-taking sunsets are also a bonus!
I got here and jumped on board with a few students who are taking off to Paco, a surf zone just over an hour from here. I'm stoked! Although I won't surf, there's obviously a beach involved. Ok, maybe I'll try surfing. San Jose is just what I expected it to be, but more safe during the day than I thought... which is good! Tomorrow after breakfast I'm totally going to find a fruit stand and gloriously enjoy my fresh pineapple and sweet bread.
Four months ago I booked my plane tickets to Costa Rica and Panama and thought the day would never come that I'd actually get to go. Well tomorrow is almost here and I'm almost there. Whoa. Looking over the past four months I'm blown away at what the Lord has done in my life and the amazing people He's brought across my path. He's given me relationships with people that I would have never met otherwise. It's been a great ride.Something I've been learning is just to sit back and enjoy it all. On that note... I'm off to Costa Rica and Panama!
