costa rica

this is a map of costa rica. i live about 25 kms south of los chiles (at the very top in the middle) but where i am going to school and staying is near heredia (right above san jose, the star in the centre)

http://www.mapquest.com/atlas/main.adp?region=cstarica

san jose is not a pretty city. the whole country has a problem with garbage. the people live behind locked gates and have bars on the windows. last night and one night last weekend i stayed at patri's house. (the oldest daughter in my family) she lives just south of san jose. the city and the suburbs (except for the newly developing neighbourhoods) are very poor, dirty and not pretty. last week as i was walking to patri's house a rat walked across the street in front of me. frequently when i go to her house i wonder if i am on the right street. the rain erodes the asphalt (what there is left of it) and the street changing it from time to time.

previous team members have mentioned having a bad experience driving in a taxi here. storefronts have metal doors that roll down at closing time turning a once busy, bright street, lined with popular shops, into a dark, intimidating alley where even the locals fear to tred.

shops and houses are built onto each other. side yards??? they are lucky to have a few square feet for a front or a back yard.

the rat crossing the dirty, littered street in front of me reminded me of movies i have seen of london and paris a few hundred years ago.

the hordes of people, shop front to shop front, and buses curb to curb, reminded me of poor streets in movies i have seen of china or other asian cities. too many people and not enough space to contain them all.

the flowers and plants are unbelievable though. like none i've ever since in canada or magazines. the countryside. absolutely gorgeous. it is easy to envision the garden of eden. (just checked iraq (the euphrates) - 30 degrees north.)

but this is where my heart is.