Reflecting on Experience

As I noted in my last post, I am such a gringa. I've got my shorts, sandals, blonde hair, I go running-- everyone can tell that I am not a native. I'm just another American study abroad kid. Being an American in Costa Rica is like being an endless tourist. Everyone thinks you're a tourist, and while there are many white Costa Ricans, you stand out. Through the eyes of a Tico, Americans are seen as wealthy people. This is probably because only people with substantial amounts of money can afford to visit the country and stay in all the deluxe hotels and buy all the food and pay for transportation, etc. They think that we're nice people usually, but our country has an image that we cannot escape.

No one ever mentions it, surely because they don't want to offend anyone, but the United States has been pretty unfair to many nations over time. The U.S. was the country that came in and started all the big fruit export companies, basically taking over the government, causing political unrest, and creating work conditions that are unfair and harsh. Many Americans don't know how influential their country was from the 1950s onward in latin American politics, and how many Latin Americans have suffered because of it.

Many of Peggy McIntosh's white privilege observations are applicable here in Costa Rica -- in fact, almost all of them. The grocery stores here have American food; people know that I'm educated and have money, without me saying so; my race is represented in pop culture, and much more. I'm not even trying to assert my racial/national dominance. This automatic privilege makes me feel like an ignorant, atrocious human being.

Luckily, as a study abroad student, I have been able to challenge some of the negative American stereotypes here. People know that I'm young and trying to make the world a better place. I'm here to study the environment, which is a popular local concern. People can appreciate that I want to be sustainable and promote conservation, whereas in the U.S., many people scoff at my endeavors. I appreciate all the nonjudgemental people and the simple way of life here. We're too caught up in our own business to notice what else is out there, and I think that's obvious to the rest of the world and really affects their views of us. I really love Costa Rica. Pura vida, they say. It might sound cliched, but I think that it's something that we Americans lack.