Corporate Peon: Ticos


Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Ticos

That's what the people of Costa Rica are called. But this post isn't about them; it's about the two girls I travelled with at the beginning.

Elizabeth is 29 and from California. She had been living in CR for the past 4 months, travelling and bartending, and when she's home, she lives with her folks and bartends/waitresses. She has a softish voice that reminded me of Drew Barrymore - very Cali, with phrases like 'vibe' and 'are you picking up what I'm putting down' and 'chill'.

Now, I got the impression that E felt bad for me, living the life of a corporate whore as I am. I'm settled (or reasonably so), have bills, and a peusdo 9-5 job (more like 8-6 most days). I got the impression that she felt sorry that I was so tied down, with, like, bills and stuff.

But, the ironic thing was...I felt badly for her. She's 29 - lives with her parents when she's in the country - has a college degree, but uses it to bartend and waitress. She travels well and often and has really no ties to bind her.

I'm not saying that either way of life is right or wrong, just trying to say that there are multiple ways of skinning a cat. Or something. It's late.

*****

The second girl E & I travelled with was named Christine. Christine was a Jamaican from Florida, and spoke with a lilt. No idea how old C is.

I wasn't sure how I felt about C until she related two separate anecdotes that bothered me. The first was how her apartment burned down a few weeks before she left for vacay. Some woman a few doors down fell asleep while smoking and basically burned the whole complex down. So C was going to join in a class-action suit and sue the woman for stupidity, and the complex owners for not having the right fire-walls, or something, AND the city for not enforcing them.

I guess I feel that people make mistakes, even if they're stupid ones. Does suing make things right? No. Is it worth it? I don't know.

Maybe I'd feel differently if C had had renter's insurance.

Yes, I know I work for an insurance company and may be biased. But really...if you don't take the precautions you can against something, is it fair - or right - to take what you can get from someone else?

The second reason I decided I didn't like C was when the three of us were sitting outside our hotel/hostel room, just chatting about random shit. Somehow we got on the topic of homosexuality.

Now, you peeps know that I dig chics. But more than that, I dig the freedom to dig chics, ya dig? C told us - I don't remember the exact conversation - that she thought it was bad for kids to be raised in homosexual homes.

E & I exchanged a look at that one. Um...why? Something about it being bad for the kids. E & I said something about how even in straight homes, kids can be damaged, and that all that matters is that it's a loving home, but C didn't really buy it. The conversation ended soon after that.

Sigh. I hate when people don't agree with me on really important shit.


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