A whole new world
Culture shock was, thankfully, not a huge problem in my transition to Costa Rica. Although nothing was too shocking to me, there are a good deal of differences between Costa Rica and the United States. Please note that these observations are neither good nor bad, but rather just things I have noticed that vary from the culture I grew up in.
1. The Food
– I was thankfully placed in a host family where both the host parents are amazing cooks, and college cafeteria food pales in comparison. Rice and beans are staple foods here, but I have not gotten sick of them at all. Rice and beans are served with almost everything, but I feel like there is enough variety of main courses to go with them that they do not become tiresome.
-The oranges are green here! I’m pretty sure everything I knew about fruit is a lie. The bananas are three times smaller here, but more flavorful. My favorite flavorful discovery here goes by the name of “Mamon Chino”, it is small, red, sweet fruit, which looks like it should be a pulsing alien egg as opposed to a delicious snack. (picture below)
2. Family Dynamics- Living with a host family has given me a snapshot of family life in Costa Rica. Every family is different, but one cultural difference I have noticed is that it is very common for adult children to live with their parents. Children live with their parents until then they get married in order to save money, compared to the US where kids try to move out asap.
3. Routine- I initially stated that their is no good or bad, only different when comparing cultures, but this may be an exception. In Costa Rica, an afternoon siesta followed by an afternoon snack with coffee is a common, almost daily occurrence. Respecting nap time (or at least a quiet time) is an art, and it remains strong in Costa Rica, and I believe that is an excellent tradition.
4. The Weather- Now, this cannot be helped, nor is it specific to Costa Rica, but I feel it is worth mentioning that it rains everyday here. Not just for twenty or thirty minutes, but after 3pm until dark everyday without fail. A joke my host dad is particularly fond of is “In most places they have four seasons in a year, Costa Rica has only two: rain and waiting for it to rain.” Please note that August-December is the rainy season here, and next semester it should be considerably drier.
Those are just a handful of the differences between Chicago and Costa Rica. As I previously stated, culture shock was not a huge problem for me, but that being said, I would encourage everyone to find their piece of home they can take with them. For me, it is song in English, preferably familiar, but even an old time ballad in English reminds me that I not fallen off the map.