Marimba in the Park.

(Marimba concert in the park)
Today there was a Marimba concert in the park. There were no bum dancers this time, I think they are on strike after yesterday. The Marimbas in Costa Rica are made of wood and are beautiful. They have a full, rich, sound that is incredibly happy. Because of the tone that comes from the wood, they aren´t really good to use for any kind of really fast music. They remind me of what Steve Martin said about the banjo, "You can´t sing a sad song with a banjo!"

The Marimba is the same way. It is warm and unhurried, it is almost the musical equivalent of Costa Rican favorite phrase: Pura Vida. This means so much more than Pure Life. It means everythings ok, live the good life, don´t be worried about anything, enjoy yourself, spend time with friends, enjoy the pure life.

When you meet people on the street and ask them how they are doing, many times they answer "Pura Vida!". It´s an all purpose expression that is useful for so much.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Tutoring

The Salsa Concert in the park

(Salsa Concert)

Saturday, there was a Salsa and Merengue concert in the park as part of the fiesta. I found a seat close by and got a diet pepsi with lime and sat down to enjoy it. It was a good group. They had a saxaphone, trumpet, piano and an incredible percussion section. There were three singers. A guy with perfect hair and sunglasses and two girls who seem to wear that same brand of flare-cut-two-sizes-too-small jeans that are very popular around here.

They were having a great gig and everyone was sitting around enjoying themselves when the real show started. Out of the crowd came an older Asian man who looked to be mentally challenged. He also had a larger than normal butt,(not that I´m one to talk, but this point is important to the story).

As the group played, he started to dance. It was a very, well, shall we say, provocative dance. He had some incredible hoochie mama moves. You know that thing where the girls shake their hips back and forth really fast, like you see on rap videos? He was doing that. It was like a car wreck, you could not take your eyes off it. It was like if Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas had a child with Forest Gump.

Soon he left. I was both relieved for the band, and kind of sad to see him go. I just had to respect that the home-boy had studied, and he brought all the love he had for us. It was like William Hung on American Idol. You could not help but like him for being so utterly brave in the face of utter mediocrity.

The band was relieved for about one song, and they were twirling and moving their hips in perfect timing. I just love Salsa, even if I could not dance it at gunpoint, I still love it. Then, out of the shadows came the next dancer.

Actually two showed up. The first had a mustache and blue shirt. He had a real interesting style. It was obvious he had studied Michael Jackson during the early "Billy Jean" days, but he was influenced by something else, but what was it? Then it hit me. He was mixing the subtleties of Michael Jackson´s "Billy Jean" moves with the incredibly retro Wild-West Gold Prospector shuffle. But in the end, try as he might, it just ended up looking like bum dancing. It was sad, because with some real choreography, maybe a 12 step program, and some mousse, he could do something with that.

Then his partner showed up. He was also wearing a blue shirt, but he proceeded to take it off and do some freestyle Merengue moves about five feet from the band. He was wearing his pants very low on his waist, I was pleased to see there was no thong sticking out. He tired of the freestyle dancing after awhile, and seeing there was no oil to put on his burnished chest, he was struck by a flash of inspiration. He soon moved to the far left side of the bandstand, and started waving his partner to get out of the way. He was going to do some acrobatics!

He kept teasing us by taking three steps and then stopping. His partner persisted in getting in his way. Finally the wait was over and he did a cartwheel. It was really a half-hearted attempt. He went back to some free style Merengue, and then another pathetic cartwheel. After the cartwheel, he went to the band leader and they seemed to have some conversation where he put his hand out.

I assumed he was explaining that he should be paid scale for the sort of artistic expression that he had brought to the exhibition that day. He left empty handed. The police had been watching all of this. I assumed they were either just too tired from the heat to care, or bum dancing is a constitutionally protected form of free speech. I´ll have to do some more research on that.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry:Marimba in the Park

Sunday Morning

(Iglesia "Jesus es el Señor")
Today I went to church. I found a little church about three blocks from my house called "Jesus es el Señor" Pentecostal Church. The service started at 9 am, and I was there by 10 minutes til 9. I still have not got on Tico Time. I seem to show up early for everything. The service did not start until 10 minutes after, I don´t know why I thought I had to be early.

From the moment I came in the building, everyone came up and shook my hand. They were very warm, and it felt like home. That´s the great thing about church. No matter what country you are in, you can go somewhere and people will be glad to see you, because you are family.

The sermon was very good. The pastor said that God´s most important plan for your life is not what you do. Instead, the most important plan for your life is if the character of Jesus Christ is cultivated in your heart.

Its amazing how much similar churches can be even though they so many miles apart. Except for the language difference, and Ticos being more affectionate than churches in the U.S., I felt like I was in the Assembly of God where I attended as a kid.

When the pastor said "Ya Termino", which translates to "I´ll be done with the sermon very quickly.", I could tell by the clock that it meant exactly the same thing that it means in Gringolandia.

Absolutely nothing...

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Salsa Concert in the Park

The Eternal Stuggle Between Good and Evil.

I hate cockroaches. I don´t know what it is, but they represent everything bad in the world. Like they are the Satan´s personal hordes, sent to piss me off. I went to get into bed and a two inch one came out of nowhere and started making laps around my bed. He finally jumped on the floor and I distributed three hundred pounds of ugly to him in a personally negative way.

I thought we had some sort of understanding. I would not look for them, and they would not show themselves to me. I thought it was a good plan, but the little terrorists keep showing up to get on my last nerve.

Really, this is only the third one I have seen since I have been here. My house is very clean, and this not that big of a deal. I just really don´t like them. But I have an ally that keeps them at bay: the gecko. Geckos live in most houses, and you see them in gardens and on the street. They are cute green lizards that make these cheerful chirping noises, like some happy little bird. They eat the roaches. They are my heroes, and they never try to sell me insurance if I tell them I´m not interested. I appreciate that.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Sunday Morning

A Little Homesick

Most of the time I feel fairly at home here. My family is very warm, and they treat me like one of their own. The people at the school are very friendly and kind too. People at Cafe Daniela are nice to me,(tipping well never hurts).

Nevertheless, I have had a couple of days where I felt like an alien. Last night I went to the fiesta, I watched the folkloric dancers, I listened to the musical trio. I walked around, ate some more chicken on a stick and some churros. I watched the people at the beer tents and at the shopping booths, but I just felt kind of left out.

It´s kind of like the whole world is really interested in something you just don´t totally understand, or think is all that great. The folkloric dancers were very talented. The women had those huge white skirts with contrasting colors of silk around their waists and the men were in white finquero(farmers) outfits with bright red cumberbunds and different colored scarves in their hands. They all twirled and danced very well, but other than seeing a glimpse of thigh now and then, it wasn´t that interesting to me. Then a traditional trio came on with 2 guitars and an accordion. They talked so fast and seemed to be making jokes that the whole audience thought was hilarious, but I just couldn´t get it.

So I headed home after while, just kind of tired and a little sad. I slept late and after breakfast, went back to bed and napped for a while. When I headed out for lunch, one of my host mother´s kids grabbed me and drug me into his house. There were two other gringos that were staying with them from. They were from Northern Ireland and Great Britain. We chatted away happily for about 45 minutes and then went to lunch at Cafe Daniella.

Now, don´t be concerned that I´m wasting away into some sort of deep depression and am ready to come home right away. Not by a long shot, I just had a bad day. I´ve still got so much to do. I´ve just finished my first week here with a 100% on my test, and I have so much more to learn.

What this little bout of homesickness reminded me is how it feels to be a stranger in a strange land. Sometimes in the states I see Latinos walking around the mall, or in the bank or the supermarket. They kind of have that same look I had last night, not totally understanding the world around them. Perhaps, a little lonely, wishing they could find some of their countrymen to speak to and talk about music, or news, or whatever. I can really appreciate their experience a lot more now.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: The Eternal Struggle Between Good and Evil

Costa Rican Tacos and Patacones

Besides trying to learn Spanish and learn about Latino culture, I like to learn about food. I love to try all different types of Latino food. Yesterday in class, we talked about some typical Tico foods.

Of course, I have spoke about Gallo Pinto, the black beans and rice that shows up at every breakfast. But yesterday we learned about tacos and a dish called patacones, that is made with the plantain, a more starchy cousin of the banana. I´m a real hands-on kind of learner, so I headed to Cafe Daniella to check these out for real today.

The taco arrived, and was really different compared to Mexican tacos. It was a fried tortilla stuffed with shredded beef, which was good enough. Then it was topped with repollo (cabbage) and salsa de tomate and mayonesa, thats right, ketchup and mayonaise. I wouldn´t say it was the best taco I have ever had, but I liked it good enough. I´m not going to make it at home, that´s for sure.

The highlight of the meal was the patacones. The way they are prepared is that thick slices of plantain are fried in oil, dried and cut into smaller squares. Then they are mashed flat and fried a second time until they are crunchy. They are served with refried black beans and a little cheese. I´m a maniac for black beans in any form. These were great. They are both crunchy and sweet and the beans are salty. It was a very good combination-I´m hooked.

On the MP3 Player, "Linger" by the Cranberries

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: A Little Homesick

Costa Rica Has Immigration Problems Too.

It was strange to hear people talking about immigration problems, but Costa Rica has them, and then some. Because Costa Rica is politically stable, and has a better economy than some of the other countries around them, they have a big problem with illegal immigration.

The main problem is with people from Nicaragua, and then people from Colombia. The word for a person from Nicaragua is a Nicargüense, but Ticos call them "Nicas", which kind of has a negative, diminuitive feeling to it. This negativity is real. People here sound exactly like many people in the United States talking about Mexicans.

They say that Nicas don´t obey their laws, that they are a drain on the economy, and that they cost the taxpayers a lot of money. They also say that many Nicas are involved in trafficking drugs, and are lawless and don´t respect the rule of law.

As far as the problem with Colombianos go, I have talked to some people that consider them even more dangerous than the Nicas, because of Colombia´s long-standing violent problems with narcotics.

Most people know about Colombia´s problems with Cocaine, but don´t know about Nicaragua´s problems. Back in the 70´s, there were all sorts of political problems there. Nicaragua is mostly stable now, they even had a woman president several years ago. But they are still desperately poor. We´re talking the same sort of poverty you can see out in the indigenous parts of Mexico.

What is different in how Ticos see the Nica problem is that even though they are annoyed by the problems Nicas cause in their country, they do have more of an understanding about why Nicas come to Costa Rica. They understand that desperately poor people, with no hope for the future in their own homeland don´t always see the value of the rule of law, when breaking the law to cross a border can mean money for their family to eat.

I´m not saying we should not make real changes in the policy at the U.S. border. We have people dying in the desert, and we have no real control over our sovereign border. What I am saying is that it´s foolish to expect people to have the same sort of respect for our laws that we do when they are desperate to do whatever is necessary to provide for their family. The immigration problem is not black and white in any country, maybe we need to seek a more human solution than just walling our country up like some exclusive club. I don´t know if the guest worker program is the answer, but it´s a real step in the right direction to compassionate and fair immigration policy.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry:Costa Rican Tacos and Patacones

Art Show

As part of the fiesta of annexation, there was an artshow in the colonial church of San Blas. Here's some pictures from that show.

(Wood Sculpture)

I liked the above sculpture the best of all of them. Both the grain of the wood and the form and the face were very lifelike.

(Painting that includes San Blas Church and the ox-cart-One of Costa Rica's National Symbols)

(My Friend Walter and his watercolors of San Blas Church)

Walter is the son of my host mother, Doña Herminia. I considered him my roomate, because his room was next to mine and we would talk a lot and listen to music with Alex. He was the quintessential artist, very bohemian, very hip, but with a solid core of kindness and charm you could not help but like. He sells his paintings in tourists shops and on the beaches to tourists in the beaches. His pictures of the church were good, but I found his landscapes of the Costa Rican countryside to be his best work. I bought some from him, here's three of them.







Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Costa Rica Has Immigration Problems Too.

Hace Calor

Which is how you say, "its hot" in Spanish. Today, most of the town was without power for about six hours. I was starting to get used to just having fans, and then we did not even have those. I hiked all over town, once to the post office, and then to the bank to cash a travellers check. The bank must have had a generator, as I was greeted by that delicious feeling of refrigeration. I wanted to curl up in a corner and nap.

The school had no fans, my house had no fans, no one did. I decided to go to Cafe Daniella and see if they still had ice. They had both ice, and Diet Coke. Its called Coca Light here. I settled down to sweat for a few hours and try to get some homework done.

After a couple of hours there and a pretty good steak sandwich on baguette bread with some really good french fries, I headed for school. I found a corner where there was some breezes while I waited for classes to start and put my feet up, there was just enough breeze to make it feel nice.

After being in class for a couple of hours, the power came back on and the fans were back on. Tonight, after I got home, it started raining hard and has not let up. Now, it feels great out, or fresco.

After while, you get used to sweating a lot more, I take two cold showers a day, but by an hour later, I´m all sweaty. But it evaporates, and the deodarant seems to be working, at least no one has told me that I smell like a chancho,(slang for pig). The funny thing is that the word for deodarant here is matachancho,literally "kill the pig".

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: The Art Show

Cariño

Cariño means affection or tenderness.

There is a lot of this in Costa Rica. They hug and kiss a lot. When people meet on the street who are friends, the woman and men kiss, and the men shake hands, sometimes they do that abrazo, which is kind of a half-hug.

Women and men call each other "Mi Corazon" and "Mi Amor",(to be clear-men do not call other men "mi amor", in case some of you were really confused), even if they aren´t more than friends or aquaintances. Even teenagers do this, not just the older people. I read about this in several guidebooks, so it was no surprise when my host mother´s daughter, who is my age, went to say goodbye, and put her cheek to my face to kiss it. When I went in to meet my host mother´s other daughter in her bookstore, she came up and kissed me on the cheek.

Of course, this sort of things feels a little weird to us stuffy North Americans, but I realize it´s normal. Some gringos would say that this is wrong, that the Ticos don´t really feel this much affection for others and its all an act. Actually, in many other places in Europe, such as France, this is completely normal.

You know, it really does not matter if it is an act or not. I don´t think it is. But I have always liked the fact that latinos in general are so much more demonstrative than Gringos. One the big differences between the two cultures is that Latinos go out of their way to make others feel better about themselves, to make sure that they do not lose face, and to make them feel loved. Even if it´s not true, this cariño sure seems to make a cold world a little warmer.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Hace Calor

Blisters

So far, I have had only one real health problem here.

Blisters.

I have done more walking this week than in some time. I´m too cheap to get a taxi, and I know I need the exercise. Its kind of strange living this way. But I can walk anywhere in about 20 minutes and get to anything I need.

Back to the blisters. I was ready for this. I will tell you the best thing to use for blisters. Blisters are a result of the friction between your feet against your socks or the shoes, either way, its the friction that makes your feet have these hot spots that become blisters.

This is going to sound really redneck, but duct tape is the best thing to use in this case. It both cushions the foot and makes it slick enough to discourage friction.

Duct tape, is there no end to your uses?

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Cariño

La Fiesta

On July 25th, 1824, the region of Guanacaste was annexed by Costa Rica and the nation stretched from the Pacific to the Caribbean. Sort of like manifest destiny without so much trouble.

This is a big deal in Costa Rica. There are fiestas all over the country, and its and even bigger deal here in Nicoya, the capital of Guanacaste. There are things happening every hour. The park in the center of town has beer tents and all kinds of vendors selling everything from jewelry to cotton candy. There are shows and expositions going on, speeches by politicians and all kinds of dancing and music.

The really big deal is that on Wednesday the 25th, the President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, and the ambassador of Taiwan is coming to Nicoya. I´m planning on being there to hear the president´s speech. He won a Nobel Prize for his work to bring peace to Central America.

Wednesday night, I schlepped up to the plaza to check it all out. I bought a little something for my wife, then bought some pieces of barbecued chicken on a stick, and a bottle of water and headed over to watch the show.


(Folkoric Dancers)
There was standing room over, and everyone was pretty excited. There were dancers doing traditional dances where the women wear these huge, colorful skirts that twirl around and the men wear straw hats and white linen outfits. The town municipal band played some numbers and the acting lady mayor,(I´ve been told this is a big deal), and another gentleman made some speeches, and at some point, an air cannon was shooting confetti at the crowd.

I really wasn´t getting much out of the band, so I walked around some more and bought a small ice cream cone that had this light coconut flavor. I walked around the square and watched things some more, and finally sat down to watch the fireworks show.

It was a very nice night.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Blisters

Guaitil

Today we went to an artisan community that is part of the Chorotega indigenous tribes. This is one of the few indigenous communities in Costa Rica. There are many shops all the way around the town square.

(Town Square in Guaitil)

Our guide took us to meet Willy, who runs one of the shops. The picture above is some of his work. Willy showed us the process from start to finish. They start with a special clay from the base of one of the volcanic mountains. They mix that with a special sand they call Iguana sand, because the iguanas lay their eggs in that sand. Then they mix the sand and the clay with water and mix it by stomping on it like people do with grapes to make wine. They use three colors, all from locally available materials of mangnanese, iron and something else that just slipped my mind. They actually only put it in the kiln for one hour. Anyone who has read Robinson Crusoe will probably remember this process.

(Willie's Workshop)

The designs were very cool, and had symbols from their religion. When I asked Willy about the dragon design, he said it was very similar to Quetzocoatl in Mexico, and that they believed it was part of the same Mayan beliefs.

(Willie's Workshop)

As we watched the process, we were served fresh Tamarindo, a fruity drink that tastes like tangy sweet ice tea. Willy was set up to take credit cards, and ship things worldwide, even though his hut was kind of simple looking. He knew enough english to be really helpful to the tourists. While I was there, two other tourist buses came and stopped at his hut first.

I followed my friends from school to some of the other huts to see the other shops, but at that point I had already bought three things and was done. As we got to one of the last shops, they complained that Willy is getting all the business, and its not fair. I felt bad for them, but only to a point. They didn´t have the same marketing savvy that Willy had. There was no demonstrations in their shop. No free refreshments, no website nor worldwide shipping. Marketing and business is not always fair, no matter how noble your product may be.

Below is the link to Willy´s website if you want to learn more, or buy some of his great pottery.
Artesania Willy

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: La Fiesta

A Little TLC from Gringolandia

Some of you may have heard of CAFTA. The Central American Free Trade Agreement. Its a trade treaty between the US and other countries. Here they call it TLC, the Tratado de Libre Comercio. They wondered why I started giggling when I heard the acronym. I explained what TLC means in English. They thought it was pretty funny too. We agreed it was probably more TLC for the rich than the poor.

This is really is the issue everyone is talking about down here. I have talked to about five different people about it and everyone has a different opinion. What is going to happen is that after this treaty is signed the state-operated agencies will have competition from outside companies. I think actually some of these entities are going to disband and people will lose their jobs.

There is going to be changes in price controls and import-export rules. The country will be able to get wheat, rice and other things much cheaper. Cars will be cheaper, computers will be cheaper, many things will be a lot less expensive. On the other hand, farmers that produce the wheat and maize now will have a lot of competition and could be put out of business. Its sort of the classic Wal-Mart problem. Cheaper goods for the consumer, but other places close up and all that is left is jobs at Wal-Mart for lower wages.

The new president, Oscar Arias, is in favor of it, but the labor unions and the government agencies and farmers are not. I think its going to be signed into law the first of next year.

As you can see, its a big step for Costa Rica. They have had an economy that was partially state controlled. They have a history of Democratic Socialism that has made them one of the most stable countries in the region, but they also have a lot of unemployment, and high inflation and a high rate of exchange against the dollar,(515 Colones to 1 dollar).

Jokes about TLC and the rich aside, there´s no good answer. People have told me they wish they had a more stable economy like the U.S., but I´ve pointed out we don´t have the same social benefits they have, and that people in the U.S. are on their own when it comes to retirement and health care. I don´t know if its possible for them to have it both ways...

On the MP3 Player:"Secret Journey" by The Police

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Guaitil

"El Gringo Legítimo"

Last night, after I finished my homework, I walked to the kitchen to get something to drink and join the family on the porch in the rocking chairs. They have people dropping by all the time. Friends, family, cualquier persona. They know everybody.

A new friend called out, "Aquí viene el´Gringo Legítimo´! ¿Cómo están cosas en Gringolandia?´ (Here comes the authentic, real Gringo-How´s everything in Gringo-land?) I have been called Gringo more times than I care to count. But it does not bother me. It´s their word for us. I actual like the moniker, "El Gringo Legítimo", maybe I should get a starter jacket with that on the back...

Being the resident gringo, I am always called on for a larger world view, especially about politics. Ticos love to talk about politics. They talk about immigration, CAFTA and war, their new president. I never have to go far to find someone who wants to talk. Its so much slower here. Everyone takes the time to sit and talk about nothing and everything.

On the MP3 Player:"Man in a Suitcase", by the Police
Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: A Little TLC From Gringolandia

Costa Rican Chinese Food

For lunch today I went to the "Restaraunte dragon de oro", (Golden Dragon Restauraunt). I had their their "Pollo a la dragon oro". Thats a lesson for anyone, always order the house special, its bound to be the best they have. It was not a disappointment. It was a half of a chicken fried crispy with a real unique tomato sauce that was sweet and sour and had cilantro in it. There were papas fritas and ensalada with it. It was like no Chinese food in the U.S. I love seeing how cultures influence each other.

On the MP3 Player¨"Every Little Thing She Does is Magic", by The Police.
Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: El Gringo Legitimo

Living in the Tropics

When I got out of the shower last night, down near my foot was a 1 inch long cockroach. His antennas were going this way and that, like he was trying to decide what to do next. Before he made his next move, I killed him with my flip-flop. My first night here, I had about a 2 inch long spider on the wall. I have seen lizards around the houses, besides the big iguanas that walk around the park.

I´m not saying this to scare anybody, but these things are really common for living in the tropics. The difference is that they aren´t taking over things. My host family is very clean and neat and everything is perfect. But things happen in this region of the world. When I lived in California, everyone had roaches. When I´ve been to expensive hotels in Mexico, there are still roaches and geckos in the rooms.

What I´m getting at is that if you are ever thinking of coming to a country in the tropics, just get used to these sort of things. The difference is that in a good host home, like mine is, these things should be now and then, not an infestation where bugs scatter everywhere when you turn on the light.

As a whole, Americans are way too squemish about these things. The rest of the world is used to seeing a bug now and then, we just need to suck it up a little so that we can enjoy all that visiting a fabulous country like Costa Rica has to offer.

On the MP3 Player:"The Last Time" By Gnarls Barkely

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Costa Rican Chinese Food

Café Daniela

(Café Daniela)

Sunday, I went to my first Soda. A soda is a small restaraunt that serves plain homestyle food. The special that most Ticos eat is called the casado. It literally means the married man, in other words, the sort of meal a married man would eat for lunch.

My first foray into a soda was called Soda de la Parque. It was across from the city park. I ordered the casado with bistec(beef steak), the food was good enough, and there was plenty of it. There was beans, rice, steak and onions, fried platanos,(a more starchy relative of the banana), and a cold potato salad that I really liked. I had a large diet coke with lots of ice.

The problem with Soda de la Parque was they were not used to dealing with gringos. They were not friendly, did not even try to speak clearly, and when I did not hear them mumble dos mil colones, they shoved a calculator under my nose. I don´t think I´m going back.

My Lonely Planet Guide to Costa Rica recommended Cafe Daniela one street east of the park. There were a lot of people in there and I didn´t feel those unfriendly vibes. The waitress spoke slowly and smiled and was easy to deal with. I was feeling a little homesick and ordered the cheeseburger and french fries with a fruit batido,(a light fruit shake). The cheeseburger had lettuce and tomatoes and onion, and even thousand island dressing like McDonalds. The fries were hot and crispy. The owner is one of the many Asian people who live in Costa Rica, he was also friendly and even helped me with my Spanish.

I think I´ve found my home, at least for lunchtime.

On the MP3 player:"Who Cares?" by Gnarls Barkley

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry:Living in the Tropics

First Day of School

(Language School I Attended)


(Front Entrance to Instituto)

After a huge breakfast of Eggs, Gallo Pinto and more fresh pineapple and coffee, I settled down to walk to school. The school is really gorgeous. Sparce large rooms with patios and comforatable class rooms. As we started class, a big purple butterfly flew in the room circled it and left. It was amazing.

(View From My Classroom)

(Lounge at the Institute)

My professor´s name is Alberto Ramirez Vargas, and I´m really pleased with him. He is a very good teacher and knows enough English to be really helpful. He´s very patient and knows a lot about not just Spanish, but about Costa Rica and the other countries.


(Alberto-My Spanish Teacher)

Today we worked on the present subjunctive tense of verbs. This exists in English, but is not used as commonly as it is in Spanish.

On the MP3 Player:"Peaceful Journey" by Heavy D and the Boyz

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Café Daniela

Campo

Campo literally means country, or a non-urban environment. In Costa Rica it is used the same way we use the word rustic, redneck, or country, as in ¨He´s always wearing a cowboy hat and boots like he´s all country, but he really lives in the suburbs.¨

I spent about 3 or 4 hours talking to my new friend Alex yesterday. It was great. I told him about my experiences here so far. He agreed with me that Ticos are very reserved. He also said that Ticos are like people from great Britain in that they like to be introduced to another person before becoming friends.

(John and Alex)

Alex has been working in San Jose, and has been to the university. He reminded me that Nicoya is a fairly small town. They aren´t used to gringos, and some actually aren´t interested in meeting anyone new.

It encouraged me. I remembered in towns in Mexico, such as Tampico people were very easy to talk to, but up in the mountains, or out in the campo, people were very reticent to talk to you, even if you spoke to them in Spanish.

On the MP3 Player:¨Now That We Found Love.¨ by Heavy D and the Boyz

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry:First Day of School

Sunday Morning

San Blas Colonial Church in Nicoya

I woke up this morning to the sounds of roosters. In my room is a little window with a screen that is up against my neighbor's yard and they have chickens. I wasn't really sleepy so it was no big deal. I actually like that soft clucking noise that the hens make.

My host mother went out of town for the day, but her daughters are keeping me well fed. This morning I had my first desayuno tico (Costa Rican Breakfast. It started with a plate of fresh watermelon and fresh cut pineapple and a banana. That was followed by a plate of Gallo Pinto con Huevos Fritos-black beans and rice with two fried eggs. I had some toast and some really good coffee. I could barely move afterwards, but it stayed with me during a long walk around the town.

There aren't any squirrels here, but there are iguanas. I saw one enjoying the sun on the sidewalk, I offered him a little sunscreen but he said it was too late for him and to save myself. I saw one of his brothers a little later in the strangest place-he was on the roof of the catholic church.


One other thing I have noticed about Costa Ricans since I have been here is that they seem more reserved than Mexicans, maybe not as outgoing, at least on the street.

Well, that's enough for today. More tommarow after I start my first day of school.

Juanito.

On the MP3 player now-Red Garland, "Almost Like Being in Love",(That's right, I like Gershwin and am not ashamed of it.)

Next Costa Rican Entry: Campo

In-Country

(Barrio Carmen near my house in the morning)
Well, I made it to Costa Rica safe and sound. The skies were clear and sunny most of the day and I saw some breathtaking views of both the Pacific and the Caribbean on my approach to Liberia.


(My host home)
I settled in at my host home with my new mamacita tica,(Costa Rican Mom). Her name is Doña Herminina. She is about four-foot-nine and has a smile that takes up her whole face. She lives in a cute little white house that has a patio that is open on several sides to the outside in order to get some air.


(My Host Mother)

I have my own spacious room with my own bathroom and shower and a fan. It was not five minutes unpacking my luggage and I had to start using my University of Chicago Spanish to English Dictionary...to kill a two-inch long spider. That was the only thing that freaked me out a little. I don´t like big spiders. I didn´t scream like a girl or anything though, I was completely macho about it.

What has struck me so far about Costa Rica is a completely different atmosphere than Mexico. Yeah, there are still Machos and Chicas wearing jeans two times smaller than they should be, but there is a difference here.

Peace.

In Mexico, I went through military checkpoints, had the army pull us over and search our bags. Here, there is only the civilian police. Maybe its just me, but people are much more relaxed and seem more at ease than Mexico.

Hey, that´s all for today.

Juanito.

Next Costa Rican Entry: Sunday Morning

Last Meal...

Well, everything is packed. I have tested the strength of the YKK zippers on my Outdoor Products backpack, and they are holding. I did not have to leave anything important behind. The MP3 player has been loaded with 239 songs for the trip. Everything from Miles Davis, The B-52's and Gnarls Barkley, to Chet Atkins and Aaron Copeland.

The one thing I almost forgot was toilet paper. Pathetic. You can live without Teryiaki Jerky and your tunes, but toilet paper is something that can't always be counted on.

Since we had everything together by 3pm today, we decided to go out for one last gringo meal before I left the country. I thought about it long and hard. I was really tempted to go for Mexican food, or a big bacon cheeseburger, maybe country fried steak with sawmill gravy, but in the end, ribs won out.



Specifically, Applebee's riblets. They may not be the best ribs in the world, but when I want some ribs and don't want any surprises, this is what I get. The price is right too. Then we followed it up with the Walnut Blondie for dessert.


Now, I'm heading to bed so I can get up way too early, so I can make it through security with enough different kinds of things that I'm probably going to get searched at least once.

Good night,

More news as soon as I am in country.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: In Country

Professor Cahill's Travel 101

Somewhere in my cramped closet, filled with yearbooks, photos, books, cassettes, shiny ties, and a flare gun,(absolutely no need for it, but its still one of my favorite possessions), is a box of papers that just says "John's Files". In that box is a cream colored file folder containing an article I cut out of Outside Magazine from the January 1997 issue. The article is entitled "Professor Cahill's Travel 101", and I always read it before I leave the U.S. It's written by one of the most excellent travel writers I have ever read: Tim Cahill. Think of Dave Barry with a machete and an English-Urdu phrasebook, and you are close. Anyway, this article is a crash course for any adventure traveler. There are 20 important rules that will help your trip be meaningful. Now I realize I'm not climbing Mount Everest, or going into the Amazon, but going to another country on my own for three weeks is one of the bravest things I have done. Here's the list:

Rule 1: Avoid Psychotic Travel Companions.
Rule 1, corollary 1: The most carefully chosen travel companions become psychotic.
Rule 1, corollary 2: Psychosis is contagious.

Rule 2: Have a quest.
"The quest is the most significant and consequential of all travel plans"

Rule 3: Exercise ordinary caution.
"Never, never, never put a marshmallow in your mouth and try to feed a bear."

Rule 4: You are the protagonist.
"You are the driving force. Make your myth a good one."

Rule 5: Boredom greases the cogs in the machinery of marvels.
"Bring along a big book. And remember...Boredom is the price we pay for marvels."

Rule 6: Stop whining.
Rule 6, corollary 1: This can't be stressed enough. No one wants to hear about your last bowel movement.

Rule 7: Read guidebooks.
Rule 7, corollary 1: Expect the books to be wrong or out of date.

Rule 8: It ain't about money.
Simply put, Cahill says don't spend all your time trying to save money. Don't try to bargain everyone down to nothing, use money to accomplish your quest-it should not become a barrier between you and the people you want to know.

Rule 9: Don't worry about too much gear.
Cahill packs the following in his kit: Immodium AD, a seat pad, hot sauce, dental floss, a Leatherman tool, duct tape, and a big book. A man after my own heart.

Rule 10: Don't follow rules.
"This is probably the most important rule."

Rule 11: Try the local foods.
"If you are a picky eater, stay home."
Rule 11, corollary 1: Take the usual precautions, but expect to get sick anyway.
Rule 11, corollary 2: See Rule 6, corollary 1.

Rule 12: Learn the rudiments of the local language.

Rule 13: You are the foreigner, d--------.
(sorry for the censorship, but my mom reads this.)

Rule 14: The "natives" have their pride.
Cahill says that we need to "inquire about the nature of the national soul."

Rule 15: Schedule a rest day now and then.
"Exhaustion seldom engenders insight"

Rule 16: Don't drink too much in a little basement bar just off a street called Florida in Buenos Aires...

Rule 17: Don't become involved with your guide.

Rule 18: Wait until the last possible moment to punch out disagreeable traveling companions.

Rule 19: Mold experience into stories as a mnemonic device.
"Guides and professional travelers mold the clay of experience into stories. All guides believe their stories are unforgettable. Some of them are.
Rule 19, corollary 1: You don't have to be a guide to tell guide stories.
Rule 19, corollary 2: All guide stories begin: "No sh--, there I was..."
Rule 19, corollary 3: The worse the experience, the better the story.
Therefore...

Rule 20: There are no bad experiences.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Last Meal

Research about Costa Rica Part III

Research about Costa Rica Part I
Research about Costa Rica Part II

What have I learned about Costa Ricans as a people from my research? Quite a bit. One of the things that is repeated over and over in every travel guide, internet sources, people I have talked to and the other books I have read says that Costa Ricans are some of the friendliest people in Latin America. Visitors are continually wowed by the level of friendliness and how they are very eager to help.

The other characteristic that is repeated often in describing Ticos is that they are extremely well-mannered and have a real desire to leave a good impression. The Spanish term for this is to "quedar bien", which literally translates to "remain good". This is not something that is uniquely Costa Rican, though. The desire to save face, and make sure that others save face is common in other Spanish speaking countries.

Many expatriates living in Costa Rica and guide books point out that Ticos will do anything to avoid conflict. Some people think that this may be part of the value that Costa Rican society as a whole places on peace. Tourists have complained that its hard to get straight answers in the country and that no one wants to ever tell you bad news, or how far it really is to the next town.

When I heard this one, I thought of two things: number one, tourists in general, and Americans in particular are not always sensitive when it comes to subtle signals contained in language and gestures, number two, Americans value being brutally honest and blunt so much, they can't appreciate the delicate touch that Latino cultures have in both custom and language. I appreciate people who are "straight shooters", but I find the Latino values of protecting the feelings and public images of others somewhat kinder and softer than the gringo Jack Hammer of bluntness. Sometimes, most of us know "the truth", but don't think its necessary to beat someone over the head with it.

Many of the values I learned about in Mexico are described as being just as common in Costa Rica: machismo, the value of family, a more laid-back attitude towards time, and placing relationships as more important than work.

I said all of that to say this: none of these traits and characteristics of Costa Ricans are necessarily true by a long shot. To judge a whole group of people based only on books and the opinions of others is to be prejudiced. To expect all Ticos to act a certain way is the same as when people from other countries think all Americans are cowboys. Some of it may be true, but there are just too many exceptions. All of my research is only there to help me understand things easier, not to give me all the answers.

Juanito

Next Costa Rican Entry: Professor Cahill´s Travel 101

Research About Costa Rica Part II

Click here to read the first post: Research About Costa Rica Part I

Costa Rica is very distinct in comparison to other countries in Central America. Here's some bullet points about the country:

* Costa Rica has no standing army, only a civilian police force.
* Costa Rica has the highest literacy rate in Latin America.
* It has a large middle class.
* Averages 80% voter turnout.
* Protects more of it's land under biological reserves and national parks than other countries in the area.
* Has active volcanoes, rainforests, and borders both the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean.
* Main sources of revenue are Coffee, Bananas, and Tourism.
* Has a very high percentage of white-skinned persons, but many descendants of Africans and Jamaicans live on the Atlantic Coast and speak a mixture of English, Spanish and other sources called Lí­mon Creole.

Here's a little about it's history. Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica in 1502. It was named Costa Rica because the Spaniards expected gold and riches that were never realized. Pre-Columbian times showed some advancement, such as aqueducts, stone streets and gold artifacts, but not to the extent shown in other parts of Latin America. As with many Latin American countries, much of the indigenous population was decimated, but there is still a remnant living in the country. Because Costa Rica did not have a large indigenous population and limited mineral wealth, the Spanish Crown did not pay much attention to it. Therefore it was left alone and allowed to develop into an agricultural economy with limited autonomy.

In September 15, 1821 Costa Rica was granted independence from Spain during the same time as Guatemala. After some political wrangling by Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua, Costa Rica finally became its own country, and the borders were established for the most part around 1824. Soon after that, the coffee industry started developing.

In June of 1855, an American named William Walker tried to invade Central America in a quest to set up slave states. The struggle to defeat Walker was the birth of one of the national heroes of Costa Rica, Juan Santamarí­a, a young drummer boy, who was killed in action as he set flame to the fort where Walker was making his stand. After the fort burned and Walker had to flee, he was eventually defeated.

After the war with Walker, Costa Rica developed under the influence of the cafetaleros,(coffee barons), and the power of the United Fruit Company led by Minor Keith. Even with the influence of those two powers, Costa Rica still had compulsory elementary education in some parts of the country and free elections,(although women and people of African descent were not allowed to vote).

The next real steps toward modern democracy began in the 1940's. It started in 1940 when Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia was elected president. He introduced many social reforms, including minimum wages and an eight hour day for workers. Calderón made an alliance with the Communist Party and the Catholic church to accomplish his goals. Calderón was defeated in 1944 and ran again in 1948 against Otilio Ulate. When Calderón lost to Ulate, he refused to accept defeat, and the situation escalated into a civil war. José Figueres Ferrer,(Don Pepe) led the forces against Calderón, who was finally defeated. Don Pepe led the country for two years and then turned the presidency over to Ulate in 1949. After Ulate took power, we see the political foundation of modern Costa Rica. The military was abolished, woman and people of color were given the vote, and presidents were forbidden to run for successive terms.

Since then the country has developed into a model of stability compared to it's neighbors. Because of its pacifist traditions and stable government, Ticos,(Costa Ricans) have long been proud of their reputation as "la Suiza de América Central"(The Switzerland of Central America).

They have a lot to be proud of. When Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala were all struggling with internal conflicts, the president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias Sánchez helped to negotiate peace accords with his neighbors to help bring stability to the region. Arias later received the Nobel Peace Prize for this work.

Costa Rica is very different from the U.S. in many ways, and yet is considered to be one of the most westernized countries in Latin America. A good example of the differences is an article I read in AM Costa Rica recently. While the U.S. allows civilians to own semi-automatic military rifles, such as the AR-15, Costa Rica does not allow it's police to even own such weapons. Recently, the new government found some of these same rifles and melted them down to scrap metal. Costa Rica does allow people to own small arms, such as handguns and shotguns under special license, but it does not allow its citizens to own any "weapons of war". It's these sort of differences that make me very interested to learn more about this unique country, and even more excited about my trip. While I may not agree with everything I have learned about Costa Rica, I know that they certainly are doing enough right that they have some things they could teach the rest of the world, including the United States.

In Part III, I will talk about what my research has showed me about social customs in Costa Rica. Below are links to the books where I got most of my information about history for this entry.
Culture and Customs of Costa Rica
Lonely Planet Costa Rica

Juanito

Next Costa Rica Entry: Research About Costa Rica-Part III

New Blog Template

Thought the old blog template was getting a little tired and was starting to have that Homer Simpson website look to it. I thought this was nice and fresh and welcoming, but in the most masculine way possible, of course.

Juanito

Research About Costa Rica Part I

I've always had a tendency to over-prepare for trips. In the case of a three week long trip to a country I have never been to, I don't consider this as a character flaw. One of things I have been doing is trying to read anything I could get my hands on about Costa Rica. At some point, I had most of Elkhart's Public Library's books about Costa Rica. What's impressive is that I managed to get them all back without having a fine. I wish I could say the same about two videos from the university library.

Part of writing this blog is as a travel journal for this trip. I will turn that in to my professor after I return to show cultural and social observations made while in country. I've read travel guides, and books on history and customs, and anything I could find. One of the more interesting books I found was about called "Culture and Customs of Costa Rica". It is essentially an encyclopedia of customs, history and sociology.

Some things about a society cannot be learned through textbooks or guidebooks. How a group of people feels about life, love, and more eternal values can really only be found through art and literature. I found a book called "Costa Rica : A Traveler's Literary Companion" that was extremely helpful. It has stories from all regions of the country from all kinds of authors. This was the book that really helped explain feelings and beliefs in ways a guidebook cannot.

I've done some research on the web and by trying to talk to people that have lived in Costa Rica, or live there now. There are two english web newspapers in Costa Rica that have been very helpful: AM Costa Rica and the Tico Times, which is actually a print newspaper also-it is the most popular and oldest English paper in the country.

AM Costa Rica is geared more for the large group of ex-pats from the U.S. and Canada that live there. One of their columnists, Jo Stuart, was very gracious to me and answered a whole bunch of questions and even wrote a column based on our email conversations.

Here's the link to her article: "A Tico home stay can make you less tongue-tied.".

Read Part II of this post where I explain some of the things all this research taught me...

Juanito

Shopping and Packing for the Trip

I have just spent the last two days shopping for my trip. I had to dip my steaming Mastercard into ice water, before it melted from overuse. Most of the stuff I had to buy was boring: some new clothes and toiletries, some gifts for my host family, and other assorted miscellaneous items of every type.

Every time I go on a trip out of the country, I take at least two paperbacks, preferably a novel and then some kind of classic work. Traveling always involves waiting. Whether in the airport, or on a bumpy road in a bus, or in a government office, at the side of the road, changing a tire, or just waiting for something to happen, you need to have a book ready. Here's what books I am taking:
Paperbacks:
"Dies the Fire" by S.M. Stirling: A thick novel that is set in a modern world where all things electrical and mechanical have stopped working and the U.S. is thrown into a new Dark Age.

"The Power and the Glory" by Graham Greene. A historical novel set in Mexico when Communists are taking over the states of Chiapas and Tobasco and the Catholic Church has become illegal.

"Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken and Other Poems". I bought this great little Dover Thrift Edition of poems in order to get the "super saver shipping" from Amazon.com . I also always liked what few poems of his I had read before.

Travel Books:
The Lonely Planet Guide to Costa Rica. Very informative. I have been reading it and other books up til now to prepare.

The Lonely Planet Costa Rica Spanish Phrasebook. One of the best phrase books out there. I have the Latin American Spanish Phrasebook, but Costa Rica has a lot of unique Spanish, so this book is a god-send.

Spanish Study Books:
501 Spanish Verbs. You do not study Spanish without owning this book.
The University of Chicago Spanish to English Dictionary.
Spanish Bible
Grammar and Vocabulary "cheat-sheets"
I am also taking my Webster's electronic Spanish translator which I have depended on for years. It has paid for itself ($49.95 @ Target) many times over.

Here is list of the snacks I am taking. Whether I am stuck somewhere I can't get a meal, or just want to eat something besides Gallo Pinto,(national dish of Costa Rica-fried black beans and rice), once in a while, taking a stash of familiar food can be a great way to ward of homesickness. Here's a list:

1 bottle of Franks Red Hot Sauce(Costa Ricans do not cook with chili like Mexicans do. This sauce is my insurance against any bad food. It tastes great on everything, including eggs and spaghetti. It does not need refrigeration, and has garlic and vinegar and red chili in it. It adds flavor, not just heat.)
4 Clif Bars, cherry almond with white choclate and almond fudge (Clif bars are protein bars that are like cookies, and they actually taste pretty good. They also don't melt in hot temperatures. A Clif Bar and a handful of nuts or some jerky is not a bad meal replacement.
1 bag of Combo's Pepperoni Pizza Pretzels
1 bag of Hanover's Honey Mustard Pretzel Pieces
2 Teryiaki jerky packages
1 six-pack of Sun-Maid raisins
1 package of instant lemon iced tea powder(not sun tea-but it will do in a pinch)
2 packs of smoked almonds and cashews

One of the things I am taking to ward off homesickness is my 1 Gigabyte MP3 player. It holds over 300 songs, and I have rechargeable batteries for it. I'm still putting my play list together, but this should be really nice to have.

Here's the list of "GI Joe" survival stuff that will go with me.
Duct tape-pocket pack
Parachute cord
Ziplock Bags
Black Plastic Trash Bags
Cable Ties
Swiss-Army Knife
Maglite (2 AA Battery style)
Compass (I really have a lousy sense of direction, I forgot which side of the mall I parked in today.)
Whistle
Rain Poncho
100% Deet Bug repellent
Bull Frog 35SPF sunscreen
A full bottle of Immodium AD
A full course of Cipro Anti-Biotics

And, always remembering the sage travel advice from that great book, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", I have not forgotten my towel.

It's a Sponge Bob Squarepants beach towel, thank you very much...

-Juanito

Next Costa Rica Entry: Research About Costa Rica-Part I

Feeling Nervous About the Trip

Its a little under three weeks before I go to Costa Rica for language school and I'm getting kind of nervous. I've been to Mexico three times, during those three times I went into remote areas where there were no tourists. So, this isn't a completely foreign experience for me, but this will be very different from those times.

For one thing, I'm going by myself-not even my wife is coming,(which I'm not crazy about). No guides, or people that have been there before to watch out for me. Sure, the school will be providing me some kind of help, but not like before where somebody else told me what and when to eat, when to shop, where to sleep. There won't be that kind of guidance. I always said I wanted a trip on my own, but the reality is a lot scarier.

One of the things that I always hoped in going to other countries is that I could learn how to fit in, how to speak the language and learn to act in a way that was polite and culturally sensitive. While its certainly possible to learn language and manners, fitting in like a native anywhere but your own country is not a very realistic goal. Of course, I'm pretty sure I wont have problems like Brando did...



My accent will leave doubts that I'm a native Spanish speaker, and my physical prescence will confirm all those doubts. Besides having blonde hair, blue eyes and very fair skin, I am both tall and large,(maybe I can convince them I am a Cuban with a speech impediment and a thyroid condition). Now, Costa Rica is actually one of the countries in Latin America that has a larger percentage of lighter skinned people. Some sources about Costa Rican culture say that they are proud of their "whiteness", I don't know if that is the case or not, but I still know that I will stick out like a sore thumb.

"Oh, Yeah, Like you blend..."

The point it that there is nothing I can do to avoid being conspicous. It's inevitable that I will be pigeonholed as a gringo, and all the negative things that go with that. Learning a language is about more than just learning the words of another language, more than learning how to conjugate verbs. Learning a language is really about learning to communicate in universal terms-not local. This means there is always a conflict in any type of cross cultural communication. We always have to go beyond our own prejudices and the prejudices of the others in order to communicate. The nature of communication between cultures always starts with the shock of the strange alien, and the eventual transformation of the alien to familiar as we find what is universal between us.

Neo-sociological-gobbledy-gook aside, I'm ready to accept the fact that I will stand out. What is great about this is I that once again I get to be the minority-I get to feel the same thing that Latino immigrants feel when they come to the US, I get to be alone in a strange place where everyone knows I'm not from there and they speak a language that I can't speak as well as they do. I've felt this way before in Mexico, but what astounded me was I was welcomed warmly and treated well. I only hope I can return the favor to Spanish-speakers when I meet them here in the United States.

Juanito

Next Costa Rica Entry: "Shopping and Packing for the Trip"