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LivingNotes
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ROCKY START
“ Yo u a r e g o i n g t o l ov e C o s t a R i c a ! I h av e a f r i e n d w h o m ov e d t h e r e a n d s h e l ov e s i t ! ” , - V ’s e x c i t e m e n t i s g e n u i n e, i t ’s h a r d n o t t o s m i l e. “I sincerely hope so”. T h o u g h t s r a c e a h e a d o f e a c h o t h e r. I D O s i n c e r e l y h o p e w e l ov e C o s t a R i c a . G e t t i n g t h e r e has been a lot more challenging than it should h av e b e e n . ... “ L o o k a t t h o s e ye l l o w t r e e s ! D o yo u s e e ? R i g h t t h e r e ! ” - B o b by ’s a m u s e m e n t i s s i n c e r e a n d g e n u i n e. H i s e ye s a r e f o c u s e d o n t h e l u s c i o u s g reens that peeked from under the clouds. M y e ye s f o l l o w h i s g a z e. Ye l l o w d o t s , t h e t r e e s , p o p i n t h e s e a o f l u s c i o u s g r e e n e r y. C o s t a R i c a i s b e a u t i f u l . T h e h e av i n e s s , a f e e l i n g t h a t s e t t l e d d e e p i n s i d e ov e r t h e p a s t c o u p l e o f w e e k s , s t a r t e d t o e a s e o f f a s t h e c u r i o s i t y t o o k ov e r. ... “That was the easiest immigration check point w e ’v e e v e r h a d , ” - B o b by ’s w o r d s l i t e r a l l y v o i c e m y t h o u g h t s . Pe o p l e s e e m t o b e n i c e h e r e. K i n d . G e n u i n e. A gust of wind rushes through the open door a t t h e a i r p o r t e x i t a n d h i t s m y f a c e. H u m i d . And hot. B u t s o m e h o w i t f e e l s n i c e. “ T h i s i s w h e r e yo u w a i t f o r t h e s h u t t l e t o p i c k u p yo u r r e n t a l c a r ” , - t h e a i r p o r t a t t e n d a n t w i t h k i n d e ye s s m i l e s a n d w a l k s a w a y. W h a t e v er was left of that uneasy feeling evaporated. M a y b e I w i l l l ov e C o s t a R i c a a f t e r a l l !
… “ $ 5 0 0 e x t r a ? Yo u ’v e g o t t o b e k i d d i n g. H o w i s it possible that the car insurance is more expensive than the rent itself ? And then the dep o s i t o n t o p o f t h a t ? ! T h a t ’s r i d i c u l o u s ” , - m y mind is trying to find solutions to a surprise I r e a l l y d o n’ t w a n t t o d e a l w i t h r i g h t n o w. “ M a y b e w e d o n’ t r e n t a c a r h e r e a n d j u s t t a k e a s h u t t l e ? ” - h a l f d e s p e r a t e, h a l f s e r i o u s , m y brain considers this decision as an option. “ W h a t i f I g i v e yo u a d i s c o u n t ? ” , - a s a l e s m a n obviously sensed a very close loss. “ H o w a b o u t I c u t t h e d e p o s i t i n h a l f , ye s ? ” … . . . T h e l u s c i o u s g r e e n s a r e b r e a t h t a k i n g. M y e ye s a r e g l u e d t o t h e r o a d a h e a d . M y h a n d itches to roll the window down, but the hot and humid air outside is not that appealing c o m p a r e d t o a c o o l AC a i r i n s i d e o f t h e c a r. “So, what exactly are we going to do at the f i r s t l o c a t i o n ? ” - B o b by ’s w o r d s v o i c e m y thoughts once again. What are we going to do there? My fingers quickly refresh the email on m y p h o n e. S t i l l n o d e t a i l e d i t i n e r a r y. “ I ’ m n o t s u r e. L e t ’s g e t t h e r e a n d s e e ? ” B o b by ’s h e a d n o d s i n a g r e e m e n t . A feeling of unease is starting to make its way b a c k . T h i s i s n o t t y p i c a l . We a l w a y s h av e a n i t i n e r a r y t o s i g n o f f o n . S u r e, t h i s t r i p h a d a lot of logistical changes, but still. My mind tries to find logical explanations. Maybe this is a Costa Ricans’ way of doing things. Kind o f , h o w i s l a n d e r s h av e a d i f f e r e n t p a c e o f l i f e ? Half-soothed, my subconscious mind is somewhat calming down.
