A glimpse of weekend life
Trip Start
Jun 26, 2006
1
33
50
Trip End
Aug 14, 2008
N,
Costa Rica
Monday, March 26, 2007
It started out as another dull weekend at home when a friend called and said she simply MUST get out of her site. We agreed to meet in San Jose in a couple hours. I hastily threw an assortment of clothes and toothbrushes into my backpack and absolutely tore out of the house. My host mother was rather bewildered at the state of my frenzied rushing about on five minutes' notice (I said my friend had an emergency), reminiscing that the 'old volunteer' sometimes had to go to SJ on short notice as well. But I didn't heard her as I was already halfway out the door. Of course, I got to SJ ages before she did... forgetting that I live half the distance/time closer than her.
When she arrived, we made for a popular ice creamery. (Doesn't have the same ring as "heladeria" which is the same thing in Spanish.) Thus revived, we went off in search for jeans for her. First stop, Levi's store. What a crush, everything, including the logo-ed sweat guards were WAY out of the standard volunteer's budget.
Dejected, we strolled into a department store. The prices were right, but the sizes weren't. In a discussion with Ticos later that weekend, someone proclaimed that your first mistake is to start buying larger sizes. But this is what they don't understand:
Tico sizes come in S, XS and 00. For some absurd reason, even though a good majority of the clothes are American brands (and the majority of females here do not fit into 00's), everything is made to fit stick-thin tweens. Plus, you'd be hard pressed to find a pair of pants that are not stretch pants, jeans or otherwise. (The stuffed sausage look is quite attractive. Apparently.) If you are not into the hot-pants look, buy large(r).
So upon coming here, the moment you step off the plane, your size automatically balloons two or three numbers. Then, add several months of an intensive carbohydrate diet and voila! You are on your way to a healthy depression and obsession with clothes sizes. And cutting out the labels only fools the neighbors when your clothes are out drying.
The next day, we played badminton at a local university sports complex. It was wonderful, even if a bit windy. I haven't played badminton in AGES, since before I came here. We also played volleyball. I'm not entirely sure the ball was a regulation AVL (American Volleyball League- I made that up) standard. When we took a break, my entire right forearm was a nice sunburned red color. Two hours later, it was ripening to a delicate shade of blue. By the time 5:00 hit, it was a purple mountain majesty. It looked like someone had been beating me around. Today, it's a bit stiff and faded somewhat to a redish-purple haze. Needless to say, I've donned long sleeves lest anyone start the chisme (gossip).
Happy "Semana Santa"! (I could never figure out why they were celebrating Santa Claus in the spring... but then I realized it meant Holy Week.)
