How Others See Us

Monteverde is a tourist town. There are big charter buses driving by constantly, retired people with binoculars pile out, snapping pictures and digging through their backpacks. This is how the average Costa Rican sees Americans. There is very little interaction besides being a guide, no culture exchange occurs. I asked a woman who has lived her whole life in Monteverde, and she said Americans are described as extranjeros (foreigners), gringos (white people), rubios (blonde people), machillos (another word for blonde), and despistados (confused people). They also see us as very liberal, especially the students. While the people I asked told me I'm not an example of the description they gave for Americans, probably hoping not to offend me, I asked a Costa Rican friend who blatantly told me yes. I wear shorts, which no Costa Rican ever does. All the tourists are wearing shorts, so we stand out. Also, I'm blonde. While there are natural Costa Rican blondes here in Monteverde, it's because the town was established by Quakers, so they're of that descent. Those people are hard to find though. Another way I fit the description is that I wear sandals everywhere. Even the Europeans don't wear sandals as often. I never take my Chacos off, which is probably partly the biologist in me. I'm a student who is studying in a tropical forest, so it makes sense for me to wear running clothes and sandals all the time, but a Costa Rican would wear pants and boots.

Even though I like to think I don't stand out as much as the bumbling retirees with their backpacks and blazing white sneakers, I probably am just as noticeably out of place. I'm fine with that though, because as I interact more with the people, I know that I'm not just another despistada, I'm participating and immersing myself in the Tico way of life. ¡Pura vida!