The Costa Rican Adventure - Volume 20 - UFO's - Dogs - And the Learning Curve
It has been a little over two weeks since I've been back in Costa Rica and I finally feel settled in. In the latest, late breaking news I will no longer be moving to Thailand in December. More deep thinking and figuring out what will be the best option for me, I decided that I am going to live and stay permanently in Costa Rica. There were many factors, but the greatest of which were an unfamiliarity with the country, the fact that Covid is in a very bad condition there right now and most importantly that I would have zero, family or friend support while in Thailand. In my travels to Costa Rica this summer, I made some very good friends and feel very comfortable with my surroundings. While there is a bit of a language barrier, which I will talk more about later, I can at least speak a fair amount of Spanish and communicate comfortably. Going to Thailand would have been extremely difficult in that respect as well. I knew that if I decided not to go to Thailand and stay in Costa Rica that it was a very welcomed fallback plan.
With that said, I have spent the last two and a half weeks getting used to what I call a learning curve. It's simply establishing routines, getting comfortable with my surroundings and seeing exactly what it is going to take for me to survive and live a functional life here. Not a dysfunctional one, lol. A regular day here is an early morning walk, about 6.5 km (about 4 miles) into downtown La Fortuna (I live on the edge of town), a quick stop at Maxi Pali (a Walmart subsidiary in Costa Rica) for food or basics, then into my tiny little office for about 6-8 hours of writing and miscellaneous freelance duties (many times I'll find a quiet place outside to write). Nighttime I visit with new friends here at the other four Airbnb units, write some more, or go take in some food and live, local music from my friend Jimmy Loop, who is an amazing musician and local talent. Like I said, just trying to establish a routine and get used to my surroundings. Since we are located relatively near the equator, you can consistently plan your day with sunlight to be from 6 am to 6 pm everyday. Very different from either the unique winter months of minimal hours of daylight or the summer months of twenty-two hours of daylight I had experienced in Alaska.
Another funny thing about my walks now is the newness of what I am watching out for. When I was in Mountain Village, I sometimes carried a gun and/or bear spray on my walks. The common warning was to watch out for moose and bear that could be anywhere along the trails or single road up to the airport. Now my walks involve watching for Pumas, Jaguars and venomous snakes. Just like the bear and moose, you're not likely to run into a Puma or a Jaguar, but you need to be aware. And the snakes...God help me. If I came face to face with a snake, there is a really good chance I am going to shit my pants, and then run. Not a good combination, but the reality of things is, Costa Rica is a jungle climate and they are everywhere here. On a brighter note, there are some of the most beautiful birds and creatures on earth here and it is so amazing to see and listen to. And...I should mention they have some of the most beautiful flowers and plants you will ever see too. I've tried to take a picture of every new flower I see on my walks and I keep discovering new ones all the time. Flower lovers would be in heaven here.
Continuing with the appreciation of beauty, I am very lucky to be able to look at a beautiful volcano and mountain everyday on my walks and days in La Fortuna. There is the active, Arenal Volcano and right next to it is the mountain that I don't know the name of right now, better known as the Sleeping Indian. I'll have to do some research on that. If you look closely, the mountain does look like an actual sleeping man. And so I don't offend anyone by mentioning its given name, feel free to refer to the mountain as looking like an Asexual-non-gender-non-racial-ageless Mountain. Nonetheless they are both very beautiful and just have you in awe everyday looking at them. I was also very fortunate while in Mountain Village, Alaska, that everyday I could wake up and see both the Azachorok Mountain and the Yukon River. Our village was located right on the river and you could see for miles. It was so beautiful. If I had to give some additional props to Mountain Village, like Costa Rica, it has some of the most amazing and beautiful sunsets and sunrises in the world.
The people here have been really great to me, however a hurdle I will need to get over is the language barrier. I did study Spanish earlier this spring for a good two months before I came down for the summer, but I have a long way to go. For anyone who has ever spoken a second language you will understand this. I can understand a lot of what people are saying to me in Spanish (unless they talk fast, which many people do), I can read Spanish words and sentences very well, but when it comes to putting together the words I want to say to people, I have a hard time with that. I'm sorry I didn't pay more attention in your class in High School Mrs. Noble. You were a great Spanish teacher. I was thinking too much about girls and baseball at that time. I'm sorry.
But I have to say, I am getting better everyday and the learning curve as I mentioned is improving. Fortunately I have my 73-year-old, American friend Bob, who is the owner of the property and a real hoot (very funny). He comes to stay and check on his place once in a while. Bob used to work in Alaska as a plumber and pipe fitter for many years, so we both have a lot of Alaska stories to share with each other over a few cervezas (beers). One great thing I also have going for me is the new friendship I have with Enrique, the groundskeeper of the Airbnbs where I live. Originally from Venezuela, Enrique manages the five units and we are helping each other with the sharing and teaching of our native languages. He's a great guy, we have a lot of laughs and stories to share, and he too is looking to improve his second language of English. Along with Jorge, the daily maintenance guy and carpenter of the Airbnb, we are all helping to bridge the communication gaps slowly but surely.
As I mentioned earlier I have found the people here to be extremely kind and welcoming. Not just because La Fortuna is known to be a tourist town, but because I have experienced the same kindness from the other areas I have visited as well. There is a common and often used saying down here, "pura vida", which means "simple life". Many, many people say it as a common "goodbye" or even interchange it with "thank you". Honestly, I felt the same sense of 'pura vida' back in Mountain Village. It was a simple, predicable way of life and people in both places really embrace it. I am truly hoping to do the same with my life here.
Traveling here has also allowed me to meet a great variety of people from other countries. Amazing, unique stories and ways of life that you never knew existed in the world. I've met some really wonderful people from Germany, Switzerland, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Netherlands, England, Brazil and Columbia to name a few. I try to avoid conversations about Covid and the pandemic and when you peel away that layer of stale conversation, you find out and learn some really interesting things about the world and cultures around us. Surprisingly there are many 'gringos' or 'expats' that live down here and what is interesting about them are the unique and often surprising stories of what drew them to Costa Rica and Central America.
One thing I do miss a little bit, I have to admit, is the closeness I had with the families and kids of Mountain Village. Honestly I couldn't walk out of my house in Mountain without hearing, "Hi Mr. Matt, hi Mr. Matt!" The same rang true at the post office or lone grocery store we had, the AC, "Hey Mr. Matt, hey Mr. Matt." It was a nice connection I had with everyone and there was a sense of peace and security knowing everyone (almost everyone) in the village. No..."Hola Senior Matt, hola Senior Matt", here. It's okay. It is definitely a wonderful memory I will always have of the kids and families in Mountain. They sure were wonderful to me.
If there are two things not lacking in La Fortuna it is dogs and bugs. Again, we are located within the tropical jungles of Central America so in essence we are sharing space with the bugs and animals. The first two weeks I got back here, there was some little, microscopic bug that got to my ankles and feet and had a feeding frenzy. Wholly shit! Talk about itching and scratching! Fortunately it is not uncommon and nothing a little bug spray and lotion couldn't help, but it was definitely Bugs 1 - Mateo 0. And dogs? Whoa! I used to think there were a lot of dogs per person in Mountain Village, but you can't throw a stick without rustling up a dog here. They are everywhere. And I have to say, while unusual, I have yet to meet an angry, aggressive or threatening dog. Each one has been docile, kept to itself or area and pretty much mind their own business. Equally unique is that I have yet to see a dog on a leash or tied up anywhere. Not one. Pretty amazing compared to what I am used to seeing and have experienced in the United States.
As far as the weather goes, between Mountain Village, Alaska and La Fortuna, Costa Rica, you could not be more opposite. Obviously they are in two very different parts of the world. One much further in the cooler northern hemisphere and the other is very near to the warm, tropical areas around the equator. You can pretty much set your clock by the weather here. We are in the rainy season right now so there is a lot of rain. A lot! You usually get the majority of the day with sunny or partly-sunny skies and by mid-afternoon, the clouds will roll in and you will get a rain shower. However, many times when it rains, we get torrential downpours. And I mean...downpours! Imagine the heaviest rainstorm you have ever witnessed in your life, and multiply that by two or three. But the neat thing is, it is one of the most peaceful and therapeutic things you can possibly experience. Minus the occasional thunder and lightning, it is really beautiful to sit and watch. Very rarely you will get a rain that lasts for several hours, but once it stops, it clears up and you end up with a beautiful and pleasant night to finish your day. It is also one of the major reasons why Costa Rica is so beautifully lush and green. Definitely something to appreciate and never take for granted while you are here.
Now I'm sure many of you are wondering about the UFO reference I made in the headline. Well as the legends and stories go, there is a very strong contingency of people who believe that there are UFOs that visit and spend time around the Arenal Volcano and the crater lake on top of the Sleeping Indian Mountain. I have heard multiple stories from people since I have been here, saw a photo someone took and heard a first hand account from a woman who saw one above the mountain. Not to stop there, very similar to the stories of the 'little people' seen in remote, Western Alaska, there are similar stories of 'the little gray people' here in Costa Rica. You might be poo-pooing what I'm telling you, but...when you hear enough different people tell the same stories, you have to give chance a little more credit. Needless to say, my eyes are always open to the skies here and you will be the second to know if I ever see one, or them.
That's all for now. Always much more to tell. Please know that not a day goes by that I don't count my blessings and realize how lucky I am to be here. I do miss my kids, grandkids, family and friends very much, but I'm also grateful for Facetime and plentiful amounts of WhatsApp-texting. Sending hugs and warm wishes to friends, families and acquaintances back in the U.S. If you're here for the first time, thanks for reading and I hope to have you back here again soon to read of more adventures.
Until next time...stay tuned!
