The other America

Sometimes, people ask me what's different about Costa Rica and I honestly have a hard time coming up with answers. It's not that Costa Rica is so very similar to the United States so much as the fact that I've spent a good deal of time in Latin America in the last year and I've begun to take things for granted. Like the million, corner fruit stands selling fresh fruit, some that I'm familiar with and some that you cannot even pronounce let alone buy in the states, that I pass daily. So, here's a list of beautiful, ugly, phenomenal, confusing, intriguing things about Costa Rica, some of which have been mentioned before, some of which haven't:



1. Toilet paper does not go in the toilet. Ever. The plumbing system can't handle it. I've wondered a couple times what it would be like in the states if we did this...

2. On that note: toilet paper in public restrooms is a toss-up; it might be there, it might not. Always come armed with your own.

3. Sitting in the park watching pigeons, people and eating paletas (popsicles) while chatting with friends is a perfectly acceptable way to spend an afternoon. For everyone. Any day of the week.

4. Food is cheap. It can also be expensive, but if you go local, you can get a very good, very filling meal for $3.00 US. Something that would be at least six in the states. You can get a couple pastries for under a dollar, a paleta for fifty cents, a juice/milk/iced tea box for about the same... on just about any corner of the street.

5. Milk comes in boxes and is stored at room temperature until opened. And oddly enough, tastes quite normal.

6. Sour cream, cream, butter, beans, tomato sauce, mayonnaise, jam, and a myriad of other sauce-type items come in bags. Some with convenient squeeze tops and lids.

7. Anyone (and everyone) who looks oriental is referred to as "chino" or Chinese. I have a friend here who is of partially Japanese descent, she was approached by a man in the park who mentioned how chinos are always good students and study a lot, especially "los chinos de Japon"...or, the chinese from Japan. Go figure.

8. They line-dry everything. My mother owns a washer and dryer, but has yet to use the dryer. I haven't asked what happens during the rainy season yet.

9. A surprising (to me) number of families here own multiple cars but the days you can drive are restricted (within San Jose). On certain days of the week, cars with license plate numbers ending in specific digits are not allowed to enter San Jose, with exceptions made for taxis. This results in a lot of car swapping between family members.

10. Houses are very open. Windows don't seal shut, doors fit their frames loosely and bichos (bugs [in CR; be careful with this word in some countries, as it can be offensive]) are a part of life (my family fumigates).

11. My host father was completely flabbergasted that all the homes where I live have some form of heat. It took him a while to get his head around the fact that it was very difficult to live without it.

12. PNW rain tolerant stoicism does not exist. Everyone uses an umbrella. Of course, here if you didn't, you'd never be dry.

13. Long-distance buses (usually) only sell tickets for the number of seats they have. After Nicaragua, this is still very impressive to me.

14. Still, buses in Central America are rather like Saga tables: there is always room for one more.

15. The educational emphasis in the university seems to be about sixty years behind our own on some levels. There is still a huge emphasis on memorization of facts and mundane details, rather than working at a broad conceptual level which, in some cases, I find admirable, in others, rather grating.

16. Again with respect to expectations for higher education: Thinking for yourself is encouraged but within the confines of what your professor expects. There is little room for intelligent debate and differences of opinion with regard to a topic (at least in my classes). Granted, these last two observations of attitude are complex and not easily summarized in a few lines.

17. There are (for the most part) no dorms. Most students pack their own lunches and generally young people live with their families until they are married.

18. Globe-trotting is not an innately Latino thing to do. They tend to be home-bodies in the best sense of the term. Family is the most important thing, right? And family is at home, so why leave?

19. Racism exists here. And it's largely taken for granted. If someone says they don't like blacks it's often treated with no more social stigma than my saying that I don't like chocolate (granted, there's some shock when you're a woman and people learn you don't like chocolate). At the same time, the majority of Ticos are not racist.

20. Most urban Costa Ricans have a lot of European ancestry and follow European and North American fashion trends. Ergo, I don't really stick out that much.

21. Taxis are plentiful, cheap and, for the most part, reliable.

22. San Jose is not as ugly as many people say. I actually rather like it.

23. One thing I've learned about my own country from being here, it's very hard to provide general answers about the culture and attitude of people from the states. My first response is almost always, "Well, it depends on where you're at..."

24. Costa Ricans are American. Nicaraguans are American. Peruvians are American. Mexicans are American. Brazilians are American. I am from the United States. But I am also American.

25. Electricy and water is expensive and precious. Costa Ricans are much more aware of this than we are.

26. Costa Ricans are proud to be Ticos. But if you ask the average university student if they like living here... they often say no.

27. Rice goes with everything. Except pasta. Sometimes.

28. You don't go barefoot. Ever. The one exception to this rule is the beach. As far as I have observed, this is the only exception.

29. Punctuality is relative.

30. Most of the country is Catholic, many people are devout, many people are completely indifferent. Being devoutly Catholic in Latin America seems to be completely different from being devoutly Catholic in the states, on many levels.

31. Costa Rican radio stations play a very random mix of music. A little Reggaeton, some country, some Phil Collins, Foreignor is always a good choice... you never know what you'll get. I passed the colegio the other day and the entire gym (and street outside) was rocking out to James Brown. It made me happy.

32. To make a sweeping generality: Everyone outside the US is more informed about politics inside it than those who are actually inside.

33. There are two things that Costa Ricans let their relaxed, pura vida attitude dissolve for: futbol and driving. Those are serious business.

34. For the most part, the Costa Rican people are friendly, relaxed and always willing to lend a hand. I really can't say that I've ever met a rude Costa Rican (even the cat-call slinging construction worker will stop and give you good directions if you ask).

35. You can buy jello in plastic tubes at futbol games.

36. Taco Bell, Burger King, McDonald's, and Pizza Hut are prevalent and easy to find. Starbucks is all but nonexistent. Not that I go looking for these anyway.

37. Lasagna here is most commonly made with a white sauce and chicken. So strange.

38. As an exchange student, the majority of your life revolves around food. When you get to eat, what you get/are forced to eat, whether it will offend your family if you say you'd like more or less, whether you get to dish up your own plate, whether you're allowed to cook for yourself, etcetera, etcetera... they are things I will never take for granted again.

39. Professors are always late. You're not late if the professor hasn't walked in the door. You will wait at least half an hour for class to start at least once in the semester.

40. Pre-frosh are an inconvenient truth no matter what country you're in.

41. Books are hard to track down here. Bookstores are mostly small and somewhat expensive. Unfortunately, literature classes can't get away with copying quite as much of their material apparently.

42. More people, in my experience, walk around town plugged into their iPods and phones here than at home.

43. "Cold," like "punctual," is a relative term.

44. "Ahorita" means: immediately, right now, now, shortly, in just a few minutes, here in a bit, in a while...etcetera. It's one of those words in Spanish that I just love to hate...

45. Just like in the states, if you're not careful, you'll be caught on camera and broadcast live on tv at a sports game. Like I just did this afternoon... luckily I wasn't picking my nose.

I think this is quite long enough to be going on with. Pura vida!