Settling into San Jose
January 01, 2021
I've spent the past nine months homeless and nomadic. It was a survival instinct...freezing...holding space...triaging...feeling...loving.
Now, something feels different. As if a new home might be emerging. And I can feel the tension.
On one hand...2020 taught me that anything can change.
On the other hand...I've been good at feeling the energy of a situation and reading the momentum.
On one hand...I know I long for stability, and when we want something badly, we can be overly optimistic that we have found it.
On the other hand...I'm mature enough to recognize life currents.
What works for me is to be aware of the present situation and to be open to future possibilities.
Here's what "settling into San Jose" has looked like:
Traffic -- traveling anywhere in this country is a nightmare to me. It is like constant rush hour traffic. The roads are underbuilt. It takes twice as long to get anywhere as it should.
Home -- Alex's home is very familiar to me, as it matches the KC three-story layout I had for twelve years. I like it. Living area on the first floor. Two bedrooms on the second floor. An apartment suite on the 3rd floor, which is my space. Lots of windows and fresh air and sunlight.
Cooking -- I've enjoyed time in the kitchen, creatively cooking tappas (small plates) for lunch and dinner. It is nice to cook for others (including hosting three dinner parties already).
City -- it feels like a US city in that I'm in a neighborhood that feels safe. There are grocery stores and a Wal-Mart nearby.
Beach -- Jaco is the nearest beach and should be about an hour away, but with traffic it is two hours. Alex took me there for a day trip on Wednesday, which will probably be a common occurrence when in San Jose.
Today we leave for Nosara. It is on the northern Pacific coast, about 5 hours away because of traffic. We'll stay for four nights, enjoying an extended beach weekend. This town if famous for its vibe and has been on my list of places to experience in Costa Rica.