Equatorial Role Reversal

Sitting by the bedside – my office – talking to the Amazon representative in the Philippines, trying to get my Kindle registered, I am once again reflecting, on the changes, occurring in these tech times ….upon my arrival in the tropics, I did not have hot water, there were no road signs, few cars and ox carts and ferries were the norm. Electricity was sporadic, and dirt floors were common.

Now, we have too many signs, gas stations, a plethora of grocery stores to choose from, ATM’s, and the hot water, that now I know, I need daily for my mental well being. Cold water showers are brutal, and just wrong!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and all the Gringos were celebrating. My first holiday here, I was invited to have turkey, with other U.S. Citizens that I had met. The whole neighborhood was requested to attend.(four families) The good ladies worked in the kitchen, and shared their covered dishes. They felt the bond of celebrating, in a foreign country. I showed up late, with wet hair, because; for one, I had wanted to surf, two I have no interest in holiday convention, and three I suspected what happened next. I knew the of character, of our host. With her hand out, she gave us all a bill for thirty dollars, ! hahahaha … welcome to Costa Rica.

*That was in 1999 – I don’t know what that thirty dollars would be now. Maybe ninety dollars?

Many holidays have come and gone, but yesterday’s was special. We started out the day, with breakfast, at The Shack. They have good coffee and food. It’s a social thing. Then I went home and cooked rice and lentils, had a smoothie, watched TV. It was a relaxed day indoors, nestled in paradise.

But then, after the sun went down, our neighbor, an indigenous Nicaraguan Indian, knocked at my door, offering me turkey. It was packaged in a zip lock container. No doubt a gift from someone he worked for.

I thought to my self-now that’s something. An Indian offering me food on Thanksgiving.

It just couldn’t be any better.

A REAL THANKSGIVING

*after writing this – I remembered my last Thanksgiving at home with my Cherokee friends. What was I thinking?