(no subject)
i just arrived in heredia. the entire area feels like a festival, parade, grand holiday. which i suppose it is. the people here seem to be for the most part very excited and happy about voting and expressing whom they support. cars honk and parade flags representing the different parties. children run and play through the streets and central parks with more flags and dressed to coordinate them. one party icon consists of red and gold strips of color.... i noticed from my perch high in the bus that a car with such flags streaming from its windows, hood and trunk also had a shell oil symbol (gold and orange) dangling from his rear view mirror. i don't quite know what each party stands for (lost in my mind's slow translation) but i would doubt that a socialist country would be matched with the imperialist dictates of major oil. i could be wrong.
there are truck beds filled with drums, guitar, more drums... music filling the air. about 150 metres from my apartment is a primary school in which a long line of people stand outside to await there turn to vote. the street adjacent to it is filled with tents in which people merrily behind candidates, prepared to be asked about the different parties and candidates. drinking has been prohibited since yesterday so as to prevent the effect of the spirits on people's decisions.
and all the while people smiling broadly. it feels to my romantic and nostalgic eye as a pure form of nationalism. there is no military or police presence. just people voting for their party, one of many parties which get air time on the tv and many of which (certainly more than 2) have a good chance of winning.
this is my last day and night here. i awoke early to do laundry. there is not a dryer, so i am attempting to ensure all is dry by tomorrow. then went through all my stuff and performed 'the great culling' the clinic is closed today, so i busied myself with lying in the sun. unfortunately, a slow moving rain cloud moved over the warmth and i decided to make one last trip to san raphael and haredia. bought a couple more bags of coffee and one more tarjeta.
i am loathing the actually travel tomorrow, the possible delays through customs and all that jive, but i can't wait to see alu. it has been soooo long. i left lafayette on november 2nd, she visited for 5 days in late november and since then it has only been phone contact. it has been a strain this last week or so, as if we could feign a fantasy until the end was in sight. then the discomfort and melancholy was no longer avoidable. but it is to be over soon. i will miss this place. i am just now starting to realize how amazing it really has all been. the zoo and working and playing in costa rica for 6 weeks. i am quite fortunate.
there are truck beds filled with drums, guitar, more drums... music filling the air. about 150 metres from my apartment is a primary school in which a long line of people stand outside to await there turn to vote. the street adjacent to it is filled with tents in which people merrily behind candidates, prepared to be asked about the different parties and candidates. drinking has been prohibited since yesterday so as to prevent the effect of the spirits on people's decisions.
and all the while people smiling broadly. it feels to my romantic and nostalgic eye as a pure form of nationalism. there is no military or police presence. just people voting for their party, one of many parties which get air time on the tv and many of which (certainly more than 2) have a good chance of winning.
this is my last day and night here. i awoke early to do laundry. there is not a dryer, so i am attempting to ensure all is dry by tomorrow. then went through all my stuff and performed 'the great culling' the clinic is closed today, so i busied myself with lying in the sun. unfortunately, a slow moving rain cloud moved over the warmth and i decided to make one last trip to san raphael and haredia. bought a couple more bags of coffee and one more tarjeta.
i am loathing the actually travel tomorrow, the possible delays through customs and all that jive, but i can't wait to see alu. it has been soooo long. i left lafayette on november 2nd, she visited for 5 days in late november and since then it has only been phone contact. it has been a strain this last week or so, as if we could feign a fantasy until the end was in sight. then the discomfort and melancholy was no longer avoidable. but it is to be over soon. i will miss this place. i am just now starting to realize how amazing it really has all been. the zoo and working and playing in costa rica for 6 weeks. i am quite fortunate.