On my first night in Costa Rica, I drove home in a taxi with my host mom. I was looking out the window the whole time, smiling and nervous to be in a new country. I didn’t know what to expect, and everything looked so different! We stopped at a gate and a watchman let us into the neighborhood. Even though it was dark outside, I did my best to take it all in.
I noticed that all of the houses are super colorful, from pink to blue to yellow, and they’re all in a row touching each other. Instead of a backyard, my host mom has a bunch of plants and a hammock in the back of the house where she hangs up the laundry. I was surprised to see huge metal gates in front of everyone’s house. I learned that they are very concerned about safety near the city, and it can dangerous to walk around at night.
In my neighborhood, the streets are narrow and very hilly. A supermarket, park, café, church and bank are all within a ten-minute walk from my house. There’s even a little fruit hut that sells coconuts for 50 cents! The sidewalks are cracked, and I have to look out for puddles when I walk. This neighborhood that was brand-new to me when I arrived I now know like the back of my hand.
Even though it’s very different, I love my neighborhood! Everything is colorful, there are flowers all year round, and I can see mountains on the horizon.
