solitary path

The couple who are staying in the big house are thinking of leaving. They’re town folk and while they appreciate and enjoy the nature here, they are uncomfortable with the bugs and the life: the fridge isn’t to their liking, they want a tv and laundry facilities, the house and bathroom are too open. They have two months left in their rental agreement but are ready to go home. At some point everyone here feels this way. The Central American / developing nation / bureaucracy / difference gets to people, especially it seems people who have things or are trying to get things. One has to downsize and simplify everything when one moves here, not just in terms of material goods, but emotionally, spiritually, culturally. Costa Rica is an incredible place for showing you who you are. And it’s not easy, it can be frustrating, ugly, scary, harsh, extreme. I think everyone I know has gone through times of hating this place. Some move away, many move away. Some come here in small doses, a month, three months and then go back to where the distractions and problems are comfortable and known. There’s a lot of drug and alcohol use. The ex-pat stereotype has truth in it. But I don’t want the couple to go, I’d like them to stick it out. My reason is selfish: I talk to them almost daily. It’s not that we talk about anything in particular, maybe just share a video or talk about the mosquitoes, it doesn’t matter. It’s the common language and interaction that’s important. I have hermit tendencies and have pretty much stopped any outside social life, I’m very rarely out after 8pm. When they go I’ll be on my own. I know it’s coming and this solitary thing has to be explored fully, but I don’t quite feel ready for it yet. A tick just crawled out of my keyboard, bloody things. Yeah, maybe I’ll find enough external distractions to pretend I don’t need this lesson.