I will start by saying this: the blog is rather unchartered territory for me, so I will do my best. Hopefully it is entertaining, or at least not unbearable to read, and I suppose if it is you don´t have to read it.
So I arrived in San José 4 nights ago, after a lovely day of flying first class, which was everything I dreamed of and more, but this is supposed to be about Costa Rica, so I will spare you from hearing about my overwhelming feeling of joy when I sat down and was immediately greeted with champagne (I felt a bit like what I would imagine Beyonce feels like on a daily basis)
BESIDE THE POINT...
So far I have yet to really get to know San José, which I very much want to do, but with caution. My first impression of San José, via things I have been repeatedly told, not experienced, is that it is not a particularly nice place. This is a bit of a change from the mild streets of Capitol Hill (though ever so slightly rough at times, it is not at all the same). My first idea about the nature of San José came upon my arrival at my homestay, when I noticed the majority of the houses in my neighborhood are surrounded by high fences and barbed wire, and ALL have gates with multiple locks. My house for example, has a gate, which must be unlocked three times with one key, then an industrial strength padlock on the same gate, which requires a different key, and finally a third key for the door to get into the actual house. I also have a key for a lock box inside the house, to put my passport, checkbook, cash I´m not using, etc in.
However, in spite of the rather high crime rate, Costa Ricans so far are incredibly warm and welcoming and fun people. They love to dance (score) and the first phrase I have learned is "pura vida" which means pure life, but more than that, it means all is great. For example, I am in the tropics, the sun is setting, i´m with good people, I have a drink in hand, pura vida. I dig it.
In the orientation for our program, it was drilled into our heads that going anywhere alone is simply not to be done while staying in San José, especially not girls. A favorite quote from the orientation was "ladies, now is not the time to exert your feminism, allow the boys to walk you home." This points to another difference I have noticed, which is the way in which genders relate to one another. In Spanish, the masculine form of the word is always the dominant one, when there is a group of 100 women, and one man, you use the masculine form "to respect it" said my professor. In a tropical dance class I attended last night (which was AWESOME by the by, I will promptly be hitting the clubs) the instructor talked about how the man is always in charge, her exact words were that he "steers the woman...like a car." Cat calls are just a regular part of life, as is being stared at. Not like an awkward moment where you catch someone looking at you, but like STARING, like no blinking and just blatantly staring. And if you make eye contact, it does not provoke embarasment or awkwardness, but rather pick up lines. A favorite so far was "I would go to the moon and back to stare into your eyes"...smooth.
I have yet to find my "spot" in San José, a place where I can sit and read and drink coffee and do homework, so that is my project for the afternoon. That and to buy bus tickets to Jocá, a beach on the Pacific Coast where I will be spending the weekend with my amigos gringos. The weekend ahead holds surfing, a hike to a waterfall, and perhaps some cervezas. Until then, pura vida!
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