November 2007 Archives « A Broad In Costa RicaA Broad In Costa Rica

The Parasite Thing

You might want to skip this. I’m going to talk about poop.

Every piece of literature you read on Costa Rica makes two claims (some make many more, but these two are on every single list I’ve ever seen):

1. Costa Rica enjoys 95% literacy.2. The water is safe to drink.

Number one is false. Not true in any way, shape or form. Ask anyone who has lived here more than six months and spends any length of time outside a casino.

If you mean by literate that a person can identify the letters of the alphabet and write . . . → Read More About The Parasite Thing

The Bridge sent out its monthly newsletter today. As I read the tale of four boys, I remembered a moment from the International Living conference. When I got to the part about driving, I said, "There are Costa Ricans who have never ever been in a car. Many who have never been in a personal car other than a taxi."

For those of us from developed nations, this is a wild enough statement. Particularly when you are in Costa Rica, have never been deep in the campo but have driven around San José, . . . → Read More About A Tale Of Four Boys

Grabbing 4%

Must be nice to be a government, able to muck around with the money when the mood strikes. Grab a little here, a little there… I would have said "Stealing 4%" but that might sound a little caustic. Slanderous, even.

For instance. Last Thursday – Thanksgiving Day, ironically enough – if I gave someone a dollar, I got 520 colones in return.

Late that same day, without notice, the BCCR (Banco Central de Costa Rica) quietly revalued the colón in an attempt to gloss over Costa Rica’s runaway inflation. When we woke up . . . → Read More About Grabbing 4%

In Other News…

Nicaragua criminalized abortion – even when the mother’s life is at stake – and decriminalized sodomy. If there is a logic here, I’m not seeing it.

Melancholy Holidays

That was my excuse last week… I’m not good with holidays. Too much pressure of how it’s supposed to be. Feeling guilty because I don’t do it right. I am SO programmed. And not just with holidays. I’m programmed with all the ways "things are supposed to be." With schooling and expectations for the boys. With how our marriage is supposed to proceed. I hate to bring up politics, but I have been programmed by my government to be afraid of everything and look elsewhere for instructions on what to do next. Come holiday time, I’m just terrified I . . . → Read More About Melancholy Holidays

Like Talking To My Teenagers Somedays

I’m probably going to jail for copying and pasting this here. But I couldn’t help it. (That’s a good defense, right?) To see the real thing, go here.

Gotta Keep This In Mind

Thank you, Tica Macha, for the memory. Perfect to cure any holiday blues!

Wrong Question

This morning, I had to admit to Hal that my homesickness has ratcheted up a notch lately. A big notch. So much so that, in my mind, I unconsciously find myself adding "when we go back" to the end of my thoughts. Unconsciously, until this morning when I heard my thoughts loud and clear. It stopped me in my tracks. Why was my mind going there? Why am I so homesick all of a sudden?

Consciously, I don’t want to go back. Our lives are good here. We are comfortable, we know people, we get around, we love the . . . → Read More About Wrong Question

“They’re all in love with me.”

. . . → Read More About “They’re all in love with me.”

Blood Work

I’ve been using my lifesaving bio-identical hormone cream every night for 10 years now. Lately it feels a little off and, since I’ve never had any blood work done to see if the dosage was just right, I thought, "Why not have it done in Costa Rica?" You know, where’s it’s cheap.

My doctora [doke-TORE-ah, female doctor] told me to have the tests done and bring in the results. She recommended a lab, said I should request the Anti-Aging Workup. I’m liking the sound of this already. I go to the lab, the clerk prints up the Anti-Aging Workup . . . → Read More About Blood Work

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