Betwix and Between

Happier times, sunset in Tama as the boats come back in. Completely deserted beaches now.

There comes a point in your life when you're standing at a crossroads. Sometimes it happens many times. Right now is one of those 'many times' of crossing that rubicon, hard choices with no idea it they will genuinely work out.

The American community here in Costa Rica we are having to decide. Do we stay, or do we take that one last flight out of Costa Rica to go back to the States to ride out the Pandemic. If you go you risk your residency status, and application. You go knowing it may be one very long time before the borders reopen and allow you back in. People have pointed out that you might come back to a looting house, or a landlord that has evicted while you were gone. What happens if this extends and you miss paying your Riteve on your vehicle. Lots of risks.

And what for? Here the COVID curve is being so thoroughly squashed the daily numbers of new infections have now dropped below ten a day now. We have had 10,000 people tested, and are topped out at just under six hundred COVID patients and only four deaths. As I have outlined here before it's being handled much differently than in the States.

But a part of that is giving up some essential rights that most Americans chafe at. When the government here tells you to be off the beach, don't drive, shelter in place and closes all alcohol and tobacco sales there's no talking back, no wiggle room. You do it, or you incur a huge fine.

Even when hearing people having these discussions here, freaking out over the choice I think it's a no brainer in my mind to stay, and not return home. We've already been assured that they are extending our visas automatically. The private health care here is some of the best I've seen. The government tested me for COVID and issued the treatment for free. Let that sink in. For free. Compare that with the roughly 3 thousand being charged in the U.S. just for the test.

Every single thing I am seeing on CNN, and the BBC World Service and Al Jazeera makes it look like the U.S. is a confusing infected shit show. I have had to stop watching the daily press briefings with President Trump. It's too painful. Me, ever the cockeyed realistic, was looking hopefully for the president to be, well, presidential. I didn't vote for him, I don't much like him, but I have remained hopeful that he might be one of those people that crisis brings out the leader, or the best of him. Sadly he's only interested in sowing discord, treating the daily briefings into rantathon to settle the score with his political enemies. I'm not interested in seeing that. I've given up on him.

I know for me I have made the hard and right decision to stay. I've learned where to go for all the things I used to import from the U.S. It's still beautiful here even if I cannot walk on the beach. We went out riding this afternoon when I had to go to the pharmacy. The sun is still shining, birds swooping in and out and flowers blooming. It's always a Tuesday afternoon vibe here.

Comments

FuguesStateKnits said…
Cockeyed realist:) I would love to know how you got away from the fundie thing. It does a number on the mind. Thanks for your blog:)!
5:03 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Missed Stompism

One anecdote I neglected to pass on that had Jim and I puzzling and laughing. Stompy, Jim and I were talking about her upcoming European trip when she mentioned she was going to be in Amsterdam a few days. I squeal and tell her had I know I would be loading her with money and a shopping list for the Van Gogh museum. I really, really, REALLY want that entire set of sweet Samsonite with his almond blossom painting on it. She turns to us and tells sue she's going to the Sex Museum instead. Oh holy crap!
Read more

Bottomless Betty and Blocking the Aunt Heap

Image
  The Chesapeake Bay Bridge last weekend. So where have I been? Back to Louisiana and then up to Maryland. I wanted to check on my mother in her assisted living. It didn't go well at all, even if I stayed ten days. One of my aunts in the Aunt Heap nicknamed my mother 'Bottomless Betty' after she suddenly developed the inability to wear bottoms at all, no pants, no panties, no skirts. It was most bizarre and had a sudden onset. Her dementia has gone haywire in the few months she's been in assisted living. I'm not entirely sure she knew who I was either. This was a shock, her mental status slid so fast it was scary. Did what I could, talked to the folks in the admin office seeking a way to help her. My mother's doctor had tried a drug to slow the dementia but all it did was cause my mother to hallucinate.   Got home on Tuesday night, taking that long airplane ride from Washington, DC to my home near Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Human Greek chorus and alarmist member of...
Read more

Ancient History With a Crystal Ball

Image
I decided as I remember bits and pieces to post them here on this post as they come back. I'm so addled with asthma drugs right now that it sometimes comes through into my memories that way. I have no desire to fight with this person, but I'm not going to lay down and play dead either. This is my truth, the only one I know, and those of you coming in here from Reddit  and  other places know who this is. Not mentioning her directly by name because I do not want to feed any narcissistic supply, but I need to vomit up this entire history of awful. I can't recall exactly at what point I met her virtually. I think it was not long after we moved into this house. Pre stroke? I think. She popped up, and we started talking. I believe she'd been pointed towards me when she came onto Patheos as one of the old hands who'd been writing for Patheos for a long time, that I could answer questions and help out. It wouldn't be the first or last time I have functioned in tha...
Read more