El bus

Thursday

Thursday was the first full day of classes. At 7:15 a.m. many doors in the neighborhood opened for all the students who live in the same street to walk together to the bus stop. We all line up at the bus stop, as is the style in “Ticoland,” Costa Rica, when you are getting on the bus. After every one is on the bus, it looks like a private college bus back home with all the students in their seats speaking English. The feeling of comfort is clearly present. The few natives are very helpful and willing to help those that request help or who curiously asks what the signs on the way to the university mean. As one such student asked me, what “Se renta batidora” meant. The sign also had a phone number listed. She asked me, “what is a batidora.” I answered it is a blender. Then she asked me again, “are they taking a bout regular blenders?” I replied, “I do not know, let me find out.” I asked a local about the sign. It was confirmed that the sign was about a regular blender. The Ticos have this type of business. She was surprised but understood that in other parts of the world the abundance that we have in the States in not always available. When we talk about simple things like a blender, “Pura Vida.”