Greetings – from 1 km west of the Restaurant Johel, 100 m north, on the left hand side. Yes, that’s my actual mailing address here in Costa Rica, the country with no street names or numbers. I arrived here in August for a year of study at the University for Peace (yes, that is the real name) with the generous support of the Rotary Club of Central Ohio. Over the course of this year I hope to not only complete my Master’s Degree but also share my experiences and observations as I navigate a new country and culture. From the start, it has been a great time but also a learning experience.
Most apparently, Costa Rica is a land of incredible biodiversity. It didn’t take me long to learn that “biodiversity” is a euphemism for what we in Ohio would call a bug problem. The most threatening, so far as I’ve learned, is the malaria- and dengue-carrying mosquitoes; also abundant are a vast array of moths, beetles, and unidentified flying “biodiversity.” Next are the spiders, which range from your typical daddy longlegs to the not-so-friendly tarantula (thankfully I haven’t seen that one yet). The other day we found a bug that looked exactly like a green tree leaf – with legs. Incredible.
Due to this crazy array of insects, our best friends here are the frogs. And those are definitely well-fed – the averages ones in our yard stand about 6 inches tall, and apparently some are nearly a foot. They are quite common; we counted half a dozen the last time it rained. During the rainy season (now) that’s almost every day.
So the real question is how the people deal with all this nature. Mostly, they just adjust. Spiders that send me running for assistance are considered friendly; the scorpion in my house was only cause for minor concern. My host mother said the frogs used to gross her out; now they’re almost like pets. And we do our best to keep the rottweiler from eating the neighbor’s chickens, but sometimes it can’t be helped.
Lately Costa Ricans have come to see the more valuable side of their thriving country – literally. Tourism, and eco-tourism in particular, has become the nation’s biggest source of income. The land is great for coffee – Costa Rican blends sell for $12 a pound in the U.S. – but it has proven more valuable to preserve the land in natural parks for the tourists. And the scenery is spectacular, from rainforests to gorgeous rivers, mountains, and beaches. This weekend I’m attempting my first surf lesson, and the following week we’re going to see the lava flows at a live volcano.
So come to Costa Rica. If you do, take time to notice the real bio-diversity – both the vast array of bugs and the fantastic people that call this country home. The “ticos,” as they’re called, are kind and generous and helpful with lost tourists. And they’ll even squish the spiders if you look truly terrified.
– Published in The Worthington News, 9/28/05 –
