Here are some truths about a place that most people tell me is "easy life", not arguing that theory, I've just got some input :)
The truths about Paradise:
-The power shuts off for a few seconds or minutes every day, and we lose power for several hours about once or twice a week. Usually on the weekends when I’m home and need it most.
-Nothing, absolutely nothing, is consistent or reliable here. Nothing!
-The mangos and pineapples here are sensational
-Mold grows EVERYWHERE on EVERYTHING
-Fruits and vegetables have a third of a shelf life compared to the States, because of mold.
-It is absolutely normal here to see dogs getting it on in the middle of the streets, especially in big groups.
-The dogs here are equivalent to raccoons in some places in the states, abundant and considered pests, always going through the trash.
-The floor in our house is never clean for more than 2 hours, and in the evening, just for 20 minutes.
-The bottoms of my feet are never clean for more than 2 minutes
-In just a day and a half, a yellow banana with no spots is completely covered in spots and becomes a little soggy.
-An “electrician” is just someone that you know that has a good reputation in the town for wiring and connecting things without blowing other things up.
-Some people here “deal” with puppies and kittens by putting them in a trash bag and throwing them away, alive.
-When you need to dry your clothes, you play a game with the weather, and the rain always wins.
-Robberies are as common as car accidents in the States (relatively)
-A (small) bottle of shampoo costs $8.
-A can of Mosquito repellent is just shy of costing $10.
-One Cosmopolitan magazine costs $8.
-What is considered to be a very affordable electronic in the states is at least double the price here.
-Returning something that doesn’t work or that you don’t want does not exist here.
-An umbrella does almost nothing here, when it rains, it pours
-The quality of items here is very very.....er...bad.
-The mornings are just a competition for birds to sing the loudest and most beautiful song.
-The evenings are just a competition for the frogs and toads to croak the loudest.
-The term “bumpy road” here is an understatement
-Everyone has time for everyone else here
-The less you have and hold on to, the happier you will be
In one year, I have accomplished pretty much exactly what I said I was going to. (Look at my first blog post, I have proof!)
I moved to Costa Rica, and I am still here.
-I have seen a pretty impressive amount of animals, but still no Jaguar.
-I was robbed, and as a consequence, robbed of trust and confidence.
-I survived hiking 50km in the sweltering heat and humidity of the jungle, with the worst stomach virus ever. (The first time in my life where I came to terms with the fact that I might die)
-I think I have cried more in this one year than in the rest of my life.
-I rescued a dog off the streets, and then after only 2 months, it ran away from the robbery.
-Then I rescued two cats, and they are still here.
-I have visited Corcovado National Park more than 50 times
-I finally saw my beautiful male Resplendent Quetzal, full tail and all.
-I fell under the belief that I was bad luck, after a series of unfortunate events
-I lost my positive vibes and completely lost my balance
-Things fell apart (like the book) over and over again, and I had no outlet, no escape, no comfortable place to go, and I survived.
-I have been stung by a Jellyfish, burned by a caterpillar, burned by a beetle, bit by a mouse, bit by Army Ants (and many other species of ants..) and I have had more mosquito bites than most people have in their lifetimes
-I LEARNED SPANISH!
-I got a job in a office, in Costa Rica!
-I now work as a pre-school teacher for 14 tico children, and after 3 and a half months with me, they can understand and speak a beautiful amount of English.
-I learned to cook (and Costa Rican typical food on top of that!)
-I have not consumed so many sugary drinks since my childhood, thanks to the climate!
-I have made a (small) space for myself in the (small) town of Puerto Jimenez
-I have learned the hard lessons of a small town culture
-I have seen many many people come and go, which makes me congratulate my own strength, for sticking with something so difficult for this long.
-I have seen the most breathtaking sunsets and sunrises, in a place that could never compare to anywhere else on Earth. -I have met people from all over the world, just by staying in this little town.
-I witnessed my first street fight
-I lived without electricity (except for a connection for the refrigerator, one lightbulb, and one outlet for everything else) for 10 months (not quite like Africa or anything, but hey, a big difference compared to the U.S.)
-I didn’t have a refrigerator for the first 2 months living here, and once again I am without one
-I didn’t have hot water for 10 months
-I have survived the rainy season! (and never in my life have I seen that much rain!)
-I have learned to live without A LOT of luxuries, that most people don’t even consider to be luxuries.
-I once saw two anteaters fighting in a (very tall) fig tree, and one fell down, got up, and waddled away, like nothing happened.
-I have visited the states and looked at it from an outsiders perspective (wow!)
-I never realized JUST how consumed the US is with technology until I spent 8 months away from it in a much less developed place.
-One time we didn’t have running water for 4 days, and we had no warning.
-I survived without music for 5 months
-My cellphone has the game “snake” on it, that’s how “advanced” it is...ha ha...
-I don’t have internet at home, and I rarely use it in the town
-I have been to Panama 3 times, and by that I mean I have gone shopping three times
-My lesser worn clothes, sheets, pillows, and jewelry always smell like mold. No matter what I do.
-I don’t have a washer or dryer
-When I first came here, I had two new pairs of sandals, never worn, and now both of them, one year later, are completely destroyed.
-My cats make me very happy
-I have only had a bicycle for about 4 months, and I have gotten almost 10 flat tires
-There is no door for our bathroom, and the walls only go up half way
-The inside of our house has seen about 10 species of birds, one of which spent the whole night with us, safe from the rain (Clay-Colored Robin, the national bird). It has also seen around 6 Jesus Christ Lizards, countless Ameiva Lizards (usually dead from my cats), a Gladiator Frog, several Glass Frogs, a Red-eyed Tree Frog, and several other small species. To add to the list, we have also had visits from other cats, several mice (that my cats always end up killing) about a trillion mosquitos, as well as tons of moths, enormous Wandering Spiders, Cicadas, grasshoppers, praying mantis, dragon flies, butterflies, termites, ants, and many others. Our house is a jungle!
-I have held a baby hummingbird in my hands
-I have caught several Caimans
-I have touched a Tapir
-I was nearly attacked by White-lipped Peccaries, twice, and my boyfriend had to stay on a tree for more than 30 minutes until they ran away
-I was only about 10 feet away from an enormous crocodile
-I got underneath the body of a huge Boa Constrictor, just inches away, to take the best photo ever
-My blood is a FEAST for mosquitoes, no matter what I eat or don’t eat, what clothes I wear, or how much mosquito repellent I put on, and yes, it has deet, a lot of deet.
-I have become completely used to insects crawling on me, or in my food, jumping at me, and finding dead things in my house (from my cats)
-My English grammar is now horrible because I have been around Spanish and very incorrect English for so long
-I have succeeded in making my own dreams come true.