People and place


Advertisement
Published: June 11th 2011
Edit Blog Post

About 8 miles from my homeAbout 8 miles from my homeAbout 8 miles from my home

View from the observation tower at the International Center for Tropical Studies
Buenos Dias from Copa Buena, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. I have been here about four days now and this place is nothing short of astonishing. My accommodations have gone above and beyond what I expected, especially the food, which is incredible and in great supply. I’m finding it difficult to keep up with regiment of meals here, most of which are complemented with rice and beans, or some variation thereof (gallo pinto, a dish of rice and beans fried in pork fat, from what I gather, is the official dish of Costa Rica). Daily indulgences include papaya, mango, fried plantain, chorizo, papas, queso fresco, and avocados the size of a small watermelon. The people here so far have been true to their reputation with everyone being very cordial, welcoming, and somewhat honest to a fault.

The topography and climate here is nothing like I’ve seen in person, maybe—Oregon I guess, but not really. Copa Buena, unlike the prized protected areas in other parts of the country, has been severely deforested to accommodate for cattle grazing and the cultivation of certain monocultures, such as peppers, bananas, some wheat, and of course, coffee. A long gaze from any buena vista around will reveal some small swaths of tropical forest interspersed among large tracts of green valleys, most of which are situated on an incline due to the presence of mountains every direction you look. A gorgeous, breathtaking landscape to say the least—it’s hard to remember this is a damaged ecosystem, what with the massive erosion, pitfalls, mudslides, damaged soil, and some resident’s predilection for slash and burn agriculture. The mornings here are sunny, clear, and when one can find most locals going about their business. Afternoons remind me of the monsoon season in Arizona, intense bursts of rain followed by a steady drizzle and then repeating itself through the evening until the stars reveal themselves sometime around 10 or 11pm. The Milky Way here appears as if a brush dipped in white paint was swept across a charcoal canvas—pretty impressive.

The Spanish here, just like other micro-regions, has its own little nuances and can be tough to pick up. Italian seems to have inserted itself, although quite subtly, into every day conversation, due to the influx of Italian workers (can’t remember when) long ago. My Spanish is good but not stellar and my time spent trying to meet people around town can be frustrating. I asked a cute girl minding the lone internet café here, who was playing some role play game, what her other hobbies were besides computers and I was just met with a look of puzzled bewilderment (apparently not much has changed since I left Flagstaff). Perhaps I need a new strategy…

I’ve accepted the possibility that my acclimation here will never be complete. Every day poses new challenges, surprises, and finding ways to regain my sense of humility. But my goals I plan to achieve during my stay here, however specific they may be, are one in the same: to find a purpose for myself, a new outlook, a new way to deal with the world; a world that is increasingly hostile and unforgiving (yeah, it’s cliché so what). Perhaps this is the environment that will provide that outlook, that new method of dealing that I need in order to be who I want to be, whoever the hell that is.

Well, it’s time for my thrice daily helping of scrumptious legumenal ecstacy. Yup, I’m gonna go eat a lot of beans now, until next time…



Additional photos below
Photos: 7, Displayed: 7


Advertisement

GorgeousGorgeous
Gorgeous

local swimming hole. I'm not sure it has a name


Tot: 0.08s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 49; dbt: 0.0498s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.1mb