Category: Costa Rica

Letting go isn’t the end of the world…

It’s the beginning of a new life. 2 more days left until leaving Costa Rica behind for good. Bittersweet is really the only word to describe this feeling. Still don’t know what to do yet once I get home…I’ll figure it out when I get back…never the one who plans.

—> Just got back from buying some gifts downtown. It’s weird because it was probably the last time taking the Carmiol bus to downtown San Jose and walking down Avenida Central…which brought back many memories. San Jose has been my home for a long while and every time getting back to San Jose from the beach it feels like home, it’s comfortable and familiar and I know exactly where I am. Definitely immersed in the culture and everything now and like every other experience it has to end sometime. Even though I didn’t take any Spanish classes here and I’ve been teaching English almost every day, my Spanish still improved a lot. There’s only so much to learn in class. I also thought of more things that I’ve learned about Costa Rica:

34. You’re not supposed to throw toilet paper into the toilet, use the garbage bin.
35. Cover your mouth with your left hand and finger smack with the right hand while you laugh or something funny happens.
36. Ticos love checking out girls, and I don’t mean just looking top to bottom, their heads follow the girl left to right and right to left and their heads move in sync…it’s amazing really.
37. No army here.
38. Nightclub here doesn’t mean a bar/club/disco, it means a strip club.
39. Red light doesn’t mean shit here when there aren’t many cars.
40. Always support local businesses, even an extra dollar for tips means a lot here.
41. “Costa Rica Named First BioGem Country by NRDC”
42. Huge differences between the Caribbean Coast and the Pacific Coast.
43. They play soccer on basketball courts…
44. Honking is a warning to other drivers that you’re crossing an intersection so they don’t crash into you, it’s a signal, and they converse with it, especially cab drivers.
45. Pura Vida!

That’s about it really…this kinda marks the end of my journey here in Costa Rica…and so, here I am, packing up and getting ready to leave otra vez…

1:25 am, 3/9 ——-> Estoy disfrutando mis últimos momentos en Casa Luna y Costa Rica. En unas horas voy a salir para el aeropuerto, otra vez. Estoy triste y no voy a esconderlo. Este me ha pasado muchas veces y estoy acostumbrado. El fin nunca es el fin, es el comienzo de algo nuevo. Bueno ya, tengo que tomar una siesta porque estoy muy cansado de anoche.

19 days and counting…

It’s been a while since I’ve felt the sensation of having to leave a place knowing that I won’t be back for a while (forever…possibly). I’m going to miss Costa Rica, especially friends and students who I’ve gotten to know. Some of them I might see again someday but others, the chances are pretty slim. Así es la vida. I’ve got my experience, my thoughts, and my memories to take with me…what more do I need? Don’t answer, that was rhetorical. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy fully these few remaining days in this “Rich Coast” but first, some things I’ve learned here:

1. Pura Vida!
2. Que tuanis, mae!
3. Do not rely on the buses here, they’re NEVER on time.
4. However, the buses go everywhere in the country and it’s the cheapest way to travel without a car.
5. Things are done in Tico time (meaning NEVER on time), even the government.
6. Cajero automáticos (ATMs) suck and have LONG lines.
7. Chicas are Ba-ba-ba-beautiful.
8. Pura Vida!
9. Roads suck, 8 out of 10 have huge ass holes which a car has to zig-zag through.
10. PDA(s) are seen everywhere, it is normal…you are supposed to have make-out sessions in the middle of the street.
11. Girls LOVE boots here.
12. Taxi meter is called “Maria”, always ask for it when getting in a cab.
13. Cacique Guaro (Local liquor) tastes HORRIBLE, similar to Aquadiente in Spain, but SO CHEAP.
14. Gallo Pinto for breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner. Everyday.
15. Pura Vida!
16. Casados con chuleta, pollo, o carne de res (Rice and beans, plátanos, salad and tortillas) son muy buenos.
17. Guanabana (Local fruit).
18. Fruits are VERY sweet.
19. Ticos LOVE 80’s music, and I mean LOVE as in hearing it on TV, in clubs, on buses, in cabs, and in sodas and restaurants.
20. Fast food restaurants especially McDonalds are COOL and the place to hang out…
21. Think Americans are fat and lazy? Burger King DELIVERS here, right to where you live.
22. Saprissa vs Liga (Also Alajuela). Local soccer teams are the best ones.
23. Ticos do NOT like Nicos…
24. The Police here don’t do anything…Pay them 10 – 20 dollars they’ll let you go.
25. Imperial (Costa Rican beer) tastes like piss…seriously.
26. It’s uncanny and probably applies to Latin America in general, but people here look like people back home…only darker…SO many of my students look like someone I know back home…
27. Do not say you are from America…because Central and South America IS part of America.
28. They LOVE Obama here!
29. Every other store is a shoe store.
30. Everyone knows salsa.
31. No street names…address is the number of blocks E S W N from a landmark.
32. Ticos do not know how to give directions…they know the place, they know how to get there, but they can’t give directions.
33. Pura Vida!

Can’t really think of any more for now…so I’ll leave it as that.

A picture is worth a thousand words…


Brasilito

Originally uploaded by Drickalick

Sometimes…depends on the picture.

We can only see a picture, maybe use a little bit of imagination to feel what it is like, however, it’s not the real thing. The smell, the sound, the atmosphere, and of course the mood and the moment.

The point is, my friend Andy and I went to Guanacaste to spend Christmas instead of staying in boring San Jose. It was one of the most relaxing trips I took in a while. Just chilling on the beach, getting some sun, enjoying the smell of salt water in the air accompanied by the sound of waves. Good times.

We left on the 22nd and went to Playas del Coco towards northern Guanacaste. We thought it was going to be a nice beach but we were disappointed…so we only spent a night there. The next day we took the bus and went to Brasilito, which is a little down south. Definitely my favorite place thus far. The place we stayed at was cheap so we ended up spending two nights there. Brasilito is surrounded by resorts with Playa Flamingo being the most famous. Right next to Brasilito beach lies Playa Conchal (Shells beach). Part of the beach is formed basically by seashells. Further down the beach shells become sands. The beach was so relaxing. So, we spent Christmas there. Had a great meal on Christmas Eve (we can only afford one). Watched the Lakers-Celtics game on Christmas day at a bar at Flamingo. Ate dinner then chilled.

The next day we got up early to go to Montezuma…the guidebook that we had was pretty outdated so it was plenty of improvising. We took the bus from Brasilito to Santa Cruz, then changed bus from Santa Cruz to Nicoya, then Nicoya to Playa Naranjo. By the time we got there, we were exhausted. To get to Montezuma we still had to take a ferry from Naranjo to Puntarenas then another ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera only then could we take the bus to Montezuma. We decided that it wasn’t worth the trouble…our money was running low and we didn’t want to go back to San Jose broke. So, we ended up staying in Puntarenas and left for San Jose the next day.

Despite all the traveling, it was definitely a great trip. I got darker again…which will fade away soon enough. It was a much-needed vacation from working too much. Anyhow, I got a lot of time to think on this trip and Andy and I had some great conversations. All I need is pretty much one more trip to Quepos, Manuel Antonio, or even Tortuguero or Montezuma and my travels in Costa Rica will be fulfilled…and then it’s time to move on.

Que Dios te bendiga!

Will I ever stay?

The answer is a very simple no. I’ve asked myself countless times. Traveling and moving always come first. I can see myself settling down but I just can’t get around to actually doing it. I hate leaving things behind I do, but once I’m in a new place all those things don’t seem to matter as much. I have my health, my memories, and my experiences with me…what more do I need? I really don’t care about a lot of stuff, not that they aren’t important, I just, well, don’t care.

Someone once asked me: Will you ever stay…for love? The simple answer would be again, no. Nevertheless, people tend to follow these yes or no questions with…why? Well, simply because my desire to travel is stronger than any other feelings I might have. ‘Pero el amor es el sentimiento mas fuerte que los demás’. Sure, I agree with that, and I’ve come very close to compromising but somehow, the thought of traveling and seeing the rest of the world comes out on top. I would give it a shot, I have been giving it a shot, but it’s just not happening. ‘All you need is love’, not me. ‘Love can withstand anything’, perhaps. If that’s true then love can wait (I am kind of in love).

I’m generalizing though…there are so many circumstances and I’m about to contradict myself by quoting Spider-Man: ‘Sometimes, to do what’s right, we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams.’ Truth be told this quote is definitely one of my favs. If my family needs me to stay, then yeah, I’m willing to give up my dreams, but if they “want” me to stay, then maybe. Now I’m gonna quote House: ‘You can’t always get what you want’, and now I’m gonna quote Into the Wild: ‘When you want something in life, you just gotta reach out and grab it’. On the surface, these seem like contradictions, but really, they go hand in hand. Think about it…no really, think about it! I’m not about to explain. Hmm, my wifey was just on tv with her music video”Suerte”.

All in all, take what has meaning, and leave the rest behind.

17 days

Only 17 days left in the year. Weird how time always flies by.

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? In the lane, snow is glistening. A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland. Christmas carols are so awesome. Back in the Fall of 2005, I took Chorus at UH Hilo and basically, the whole semester we were practicing for a Christmas concert performance. All day and night Christmas songs were stuck in my head, and it wasn’t the melody part because I sang bass, so it was mostly harmonies. The concert was a lot of fun though I have to admit. No snow for Christmas this year, it’s not even that cold.

It’s gonna be my first Christmas away from home. Sad and excited. Sad for not spending it with my family, excited for we’re probably going to Nicaragua! Christmas is definitely the most wonderful time of the year, and my favorite as well. The best Christmas that I’ve had was when I was 7 or 8. This was back in Hong Kong. I remember it was just my family and me. We went out for dinner, and my parents bought my sister and me lights of some sort. We saw all the Christmas decorations on the Skylines.

It was just one of those memories.

I was with my friend in downtown San Jose the other day and this guy came up to us selling some earrings that he made. He said it was okay if we didn’t buy any but just let him explain himself and such. Anyway, turns out that he’s been traveling and selling these for four years. He made them himself with a small plier and copper wires, just bending and twisting and viola. It was really cool. He was a really cool guy, very friendly. He made me a peace/love sign and Diana a star ring. So awesome.

One more week of work then vacation time! Can’t wait.

Hurray for a sunny Saturday!

It was a beautiful morning. It’s still very sunny right now, which is very fortunate because it’s been raining non-stop for the past 2 weeks. The breeze under the Costa Rican sun reminds me of summer in Hawai’i and California. Summer is coming! What is it about a sunny day that takes all the worries and stresses away?

Christmas is right around the corner. This Christmas is going to be my first Christmas away from home. It’s going to be FUN! All the plans are still up in the air but I’m definitely not staying in San Jose. The atmosphere is different here. For the past month or so Christmas decorations were already put up by Ticos, which made sense since most of the population here are Catholic. Cristo de Sabanilla is right up the street from the house. It’s going to be interesting going to mass here (even though I’m not really Catholic nor Christian nor do I associate myself with a certain religion), it’s always good to experience a different kind of, let’s just say, religion. It expands our worldview. It’s important to have knowledge about everything, even things that are not interesting to us. Damn, that sounds cheesy. Ah well. Just felt like putting something on.

Jeff Corwin is awesome.

Check out this article which gives a slight glimpse of memory recall.

Why do all good things come to an end…?

Flames to dust, lovers to friends, why do all good things come to an end? –> Great song by Nelly Furtado.

My good friend Andrew is leaving to go back to Atlanta in the next 8 hours or so. We had a great farewell party for him and also mixed with a birthday party for Julia and I. Bidding goodbye is the hardest thing to do. Time doesn’t really have much to do with how good a friendship is. It’s all in the moment. I’ve made great friends from knowing them for only a weekend, a month, a semester, to friends I’ve known since I was little. It’s all about connections, common grounds, and always a little bit of fate. When we think about how small this world really is, it’s destined, in a way, that certain people cross paths. Two people from different corners of the world with completely different backgrounds end up doing the same thing in the same place at the same time.

This world of ours is definitely a wonder. I mean, I never thought I would be here in Costa Rica teaching English. How did I end up here? What if things were different? What if I never moved to the US? I always try to imagine what it would be like. Maybe in another parallel universe, there’s another me that never left Hong Kong. Speaking of the universe, check this article out.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is I’ve bid a lot of goodbyes. I’ve been to 2 different elementary schools, 2 different middle schools, and three different universities. Some of the friends I completely lost contact with, others are scattered all over the world. It’s probable but unlikely that I’ll see many of them again. With the new age of the internet and social networks, keeping in touch is very easy, but different. Sure, we know how our friends are doing, what they’re up to, etc. but it’s different when we actually hang out with them, go out, have fun, and whatnot.

It’s sad to say goodbye, but we have to keep moving on. Just remember all the good times and bad, all the tears and joy, ups and downs. Treasure the memories and experiences that define you. Use it as strength to continue on with life. That’s how I always feel. Feels like I’ve been here forever, but it’s only been a month. Next thing you know, it’s time to leave. At first, it’s sad, then you feel glad to have made all these friends, and after you’re optimistic about encountering them again, and in the blink of an eye, you’re taking deep breaths and looking ahead, looking out the plane window or bus or whatever kind of transportation remembering all the incidents and such. Then smiling, then eyes get watery, then the guy/girl sitting next to you starts to eye you like you’re loco. That’s how it always is, for me anyway.

With that, this entry has come to an end. I’m heading to bed…it’s 6 in the damn morning…damn.

When it is darkest, men see the stars

Ralph Waldo Emerson might have been right 200 years ago…

This past weekend we went to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The beaches were definitely the best part. Saturday night we went out onto the beach, brought our guitars, and played some great music. I looked up at the sky and recognized a few easy-to-spot constellations: Orion the Hunter to the East (which everyone knows – Orion’s belt), Rigel and Betelgeuse, Andromeda and Pegasus almost directly above, Cassiopeia to the North, and Cygnus to the Northwest. This is looking up from Costa Rica (and neighboring countries of course). It was interesting because even though the sky was clear as glass, it was still hard to spot some of these stars. It’s sad really. The main reason for this is mostly light pollution. When we think about pollution things like air and water pollution pop into the head. Light pollution? Most people don’t even know what it is.

The point is that human activities and development have had a profound effect on the environment. Modern society depends too much on these natural resources. We keep taking but not giving back, and soon, resources are going to run out. The environment can survive without us, but we can’t survive without it. Astronomy has had a long history going back to the Greek and Roman Empire, Egypt, and China. Imagine the night sky back then…no lights, not much pollution, and a view of the stars clear as night. How awesome is (well, was) that?

Many religions associate stars with gods and heaven. Most people would admit that stargazing on the beach with a loved one is perhaps one of the most romantic things to do. Well, soon there won’t be any stars to see because our atmosphere will be so polluted.

See for yourself

Hace mucho tiempo, cuando no había nada, eso es el tiempo que pueda ver claramente el mundo y el universo. Querría volver a eso tiempo.

So, look up to the sky, ponder about meanings, and enjoy the view while we still can.

I like Jello damnit!

McCain and his wittiness are funny I have to admit, I wonder how he comes up with them on the spot. I laughed out loud when he said: “nailing down Senator Obama’s various tax proposals is like nailing Jello to the wall.” Then Obama attacked back at McCain on tax policy saying: “the ‘Straight Talk Express’ lost a wheel on that one” (Referring to the Social Security problem). And, after all the back and forth, my favorite moment is when McCain shot back, pointing at Obama, and said “You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one” (Referring to the Energy Bill vote). Btw, I ain’t “your friend” McCain!

Full Transcript here

(FYI, I supported Obama from the start of the campaign) I agree with him that health care is a “right” for everyone. I agree with him that alternative energy is essential in reducing our energy consumption. I agree with him that we need to seek diplomatic solutions first working with our allies in dealing with foreign threats like Iran and North Korea. Most importantly, I agree with him in providing 95% of the middle-class tax cuts because they suffer the most and they are crucial to our economy.

The only thing I agree with McCain is his policy of providing “moral support” for Georgia and other post-Soviet Union countries.

Update: That One 08

Any-who, enough politics, I don’t really care that much. I was in downtown San Jose today again (and will be for days to come due to the necessary commute to Santa Ana), and when I was walking, I heard many conversations in Cantonese, which was very interesting because I only heard it once at a store down my street. This is why I LOVE languages, I can understand so many people without them knowing. There’s an inner urge to connect with people who speak the language we speak in a foreign country. I see this a lot, and it happens everywhere, even right here at the Casa, both of my French housemates hang out with French friends (haha…sounded like French Fries) studying or working here (If you’re reading this Cecile or Anne-Laure, just want you to know I love it). This occurs mostly by meeting friends through friends but it is true. For me, on the other hand, I only really “connected” with a few of my Cantonese friends. Most of the time when I meet someone and learn that they speak Cantonese or Mandarin I still use English, unless they ask me specifically. Just like when I’m asked where I’m from, I just say California and leave it as that. And when they ask me specifically my origin, then I would say Hong Kong. I do that to avoid all the stereotypical questions that (some) people ask, not that I care or am offended by it, it just annoys me. Well, that’s that.

On another note, commuting to Santa Ana SUCKS, it takes 2 hours to get there without traffic and 3 hours with. The seats on the buses are damn tiny and it gets hot as hell when it’s raining and all the windows are closed. The only good thing about commuting is the walk down Avenida Central (sometimes Avenida 1 depending on my mood at the time), and occasionally a pretty Tica sits next to me on the bus to and from Santa Ana (Yes I’m shallow, deal with it). After next week though I won’t need to go to Santa Ana since the new location of my school will be opened in Barrio California.

Oh, and uh, listen to Brett Dennen, he’s great.

Cheers!