I started my week off on Monday with a meeting for the Little Theatre Group, a theatre company that I'm going to be doing some publicity for during my time in Costa. It was great to meet some more people, have a glass of wine at the Shakespeare Bar, and learn about this theatre community. I'm excited to see the plays while I'm here and make more connections.
On Tuesday night I went to Kate's, who is a friend and co-worker, for dinner with a couple of my other co-workers. I am going to be housesitting and cat-sitting for her so we made sure that she had told me everything I need to know and whatnot. It's going to be nice because I'm within walking distance of the grocery store and a park now, so I won't have to take cabs. Another big plus is that there is 24 hour security! In a country of robberies and crime, that is a big comfort. The rest of the week went as usual, day in and day out with work, meetings, phone calls and beautiful mornings met by dreadfully rainy afternoons. A mellow Friday was spent staying in, happy to be falling asleep to the sound of a rainstorm outside my window at 10 pm.
Saturday morning, being as incapable of sleeping in as ever, I was up and ready to rock by about 7:30. After going for a run, showering and eating some breakfast, I decided to head to the Farmers Market in Pavas and take advantage of one of the few Saturday mornings that I am actually in the San Jose area when the market opens. After yet another frustrating cab thanks to the driver misunderstanding where I wanted to go, I finally made it to the market. This time I took the risk of bringing my camera, determined to capture some of the essence that the market releases. I was rewarded with some pictures that I am very pleased with. I bought some fruit, coconut juice straight from the nut (chop off the top, stick a straw in and drink up!) and a flower plant. I was very fond of my plant back home in MN and I had to leave it with my roommate Deutsch (if you're reading this, that plant BETTER not be dead!). This plant doesn't hold a candle to the other, but it will have to do. It can be my project to bring it back to life I suppose. So after the market I headed home - I had to meet my boss Steve at the Best Western near my house at about 1.
At about 1:05 I was on the road to Parque Morazan with Steve, my boss who is from the States but has been living in Costa Rica for about 10 years I believe. We had a a bamboo shelter on the roof and a backseat filled with cardboard - the makings of a shelter for the concert. They don't call us albañils for nothing! We got to the park, set up the stand, and were set to go. Until it started raining. Knowing very well that October is one of the rainiest months of the year, we hoped that God would side with an organization like Habitat for Humanity and give us a dry day to celebrate. Silly us. We had the stand up, with cardboard roofing and was leaking streamlines of water onto our heads and bags. Thankfully, for once, I had remembered my raincoat. A great moment in rainy weather is the moment you accept and decide you don't mind that you're going to hopelessly wet, so it's pointless to avoid the drops. We all seemed to have decided so in our minds early on. After all, there was work to be done. And we realized that we were truly living our mission - we were being forced, if only for a few hours, to find refuge under a less-than-ideal shack with a leaky roof and mud floors. If I wanted to complain about my current circumstances, a reminder to myself that millions of people in Latin America alone live like the this night and day, while simultaneously trying to care for their children and make a living. It was another moment that resonates in my mind as I think about why I'm here and what could have possibly motivated me to move from my friends, family and everything familiar in Minnesota. My mission was re-established and firmly planted in the grounds of Parque Morazan.
At about 5, the first band went on. There were 3 total, covering a variety of genres - funk, ska and salsa. Each brought their own flavor and style to the concert, complimenting each other perfectly. I drifted between the stand, the stage and cleaning duty - my official job for the concert, although I did little more than line garbage cans with plastic bags and put a roll of toilet paper in a port a potty. I can barely call what I got to do a job, taking pictures of the bands, the crew and the audience. I was happy to be running around with the camera, despite the fact that an umbrella had to be attached to my other hand to keep the camera dry and the shots raindrop-free. Boy was that audience a lively bunch! When the second band, Sonambulo, hit the stage, the electricity was buzzing throughout the crowd. What an incredible from the back of the stage - not only could I see the band, but behind that I could see a crowd soaked head to toe, dancing barefoot and carefree. It was a moment I will not likely forget soon, and to make sure that the memory would never fade, I took a video on my camera. I'll likely post it to Facebook. The band was truly amazing, so I hope you can all get the chance to either look them up or watch the video on my Facebook.
The concert wrapped up at about 8:30, with the salsa band finishing up. I was looking rather out of place during this band, clearly not a girl who had grown up in the culture of this type of dance. After cleaning up and getting the soggy cardboard out to the garbage, Steve and I loaded up into his car to get home and dry. I was drenched head to toe! But couldn't have been happier with my day. On the way home I experienced my first known sighting of prostitutes. Steve told me that there is a large prostitution problem in San Jose, something I hadn't known before. Probably because I've thankfully never found myself walking around downtown San Jose at night! It was quite the sight, seeing them standing there in lingerie on the street. I never go a day here without learning something I find shocking, odd or entertaining. After getting dropped off I immediately peeled off my soggy clothing and got into the comfiest clothing I have here - my long sleeved Breast Cancer 3-Day shirt (I was cold! Can you believe it?) and my trusty hospital pants. It was to bed without even a second thought! I would bet I was asleep before 10. Boy am I my father's daughter!
This morning after my usual a.m. routine I wanted to go check out this exhibit I had heard about, involving art, crafts, photography and music. It was at a place called the Centro National de Arte y Cultura (CENAC) in downtown San Jose. Being that I had looked up the entire name and the street intersections, I assumed that I would be fine in getting where I needed to go with the help of a taxi. I wonder when I'll learn that the taxi's need very specific directions to get anywhere. I took the bus downtown where I found a cab, only to be disappointed. He didn't know where this building was, nor did a number of other workers. In Costa Rica, I would be better off telling a cab driver that the building is 100 meters north of the old mango tree than telling them it's at the corner of 5th street and 10th Avenue. I got back on the bus frustrated but determined to get to this event, so I went home and researched more. After feeling certain I could get myself there after some map work, I hopped back on the bus downtown and found a cab. Thankfully I had enough information this time, and after some typical conversation about my nationality and reason for being in Costa Rica, I arrived at the CENAC.
To my relief, the event was pretty entertaining! I has put too much effort into finding this location to have it be sub-par. The court area was filled with paintings, carvings, jewelry and photography done by elementary-aged kids. It was very cute. There was a stage area set up where a few musical groups performed, all very entertaining. I ended up not staying as long as I would have liked, due to a slightly creepy man who was following me with little effort to look as if he wasn't. Following closely behind me as I walked through the art and sitting 2 seats away from me during the music, I was nervous that he had seen my camera and wanted it or decided that since I was a gringa I would be an easy target for an attack. When he slid over and was now sitting directly next to me, I decided to call it quits and walked out. Thankfully, he stayed so I was able to leave and get a cab. My #1 possession here is my camera and I will do everything in my power to keep it safe. It's just tough to balance that out with my desire to photograph the city and events.
After getting home from the CENAC, I spent a little time relaxing before church. At church we had a jewish dance group come in and teach us some moves. I love the atmosphere of the church, as we are a smaller congregation and therefore have the freedom to do activities not possible for others. Tomorrow is a national holiday here, so I don't have to work - always a nice way to ease into the week! And 4 days is always easier than 5. I hear there's snow coming down in Minnesota - hopefully there won't be enough to be making snowmen before Halloween. Better plan for those costumes to have winter coats underneath! I'll leave you with something my pastor finishes every service with and helps me remember to make the most of every day.
Friends, life is not lost by dying.
Life is lost minute by minute,
hour by hour,
day by dragging day,
in a thousand small, uncaring ways.
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