Questions from Gram!

My gram has been writing me letters but I've only been able to call her twice.  So here are the answers she asked in the letters.  My mom will print them for her.  :)

Questions from Gram –

Why don’t the pigs have names?   The pigs now have names, Eudalia & Anacleto.  Coco named them

The baby cow’s names are Hairy,  Terible, & Snow Flake(Copo de Nieve) 

What did you do with the house painting you did?  The one I paintined here is at Williams, I gave it to him mom.  The one I painted from here but from photo is in my house in Portland.  

Does anyone have their pets spade or neutered?  Not here in Costa Rica that I have seen.  In Boquete Panama there is a monthly clinic where you can take your pet for free.  It’s funded by the American expat community there.  

This wasn’t exactly her question – but sex education is not taught.  There are many wives tales regarding pregnancy.  Most of the men I’ve met have at least 1 kid, more often 2 by different woman.  It’s not uncommon for kids to start having sex around 12 years old.  Abortion is not legal here and more than half the population is catholic.  Most people, including the men,  have very strong anti-abortion opinions.  Vasectomy is also not common here.  I have heard of one man having one, but mostly the men think it will kill their manhood.  Very much machismo on this topic.  

Are tattoos here done by the hour or the piece?  It depends on the place, most of Coco’s have been by the piece, mostly because he knew the tattoo artist.  It is cheaper that way. 

Do they have yard sales there?  No.  People here in general don’t have extra items.  If they do and needed money they would sell something.  Or they use their things until there are no longer useful.  

Do they have old wives beliefs?  Yes, too many to list.  And I’m sure I haven’t even begun to hear them!  

How do the people who don’t work survive?  Unemployment?  This is a good question.  I know many people who don’t have steady work.  They live with family members, borrow money from friends or family, hunt illegally, get fruit from the trees around.  Family seems to be very supportive of each other.  There isn’t unemployment.  If you have a kid and no support from the father she might be able to get something from the government.  Old people can get something from the government if they have paid into it, but many haven’t.  Same with health insurance, they have public insurance but you have to pay in, and it’s really slow and terrible.  Theft and illegal business is not really frowned upon.  “Taking gold or wood” and selling it will land you in jail or a huge fine, but there are buyers for both.  Things here are getting worse from what I’ve heard and seen.  

Why was Puerto Jimenez built?  In the 1960’s logging and a gold rush hit.  PJ is the last stop to the last of the wild Costa Rica.  Even though it is now illegal to cut wood or take gold it still happens.  PJ is now the main stop for tourists going to the National Park.  

Is there wild fruit there?  Yes, coconuts, bananas, plantains, oranges, limes, avocados, water apples, and many other fruits I don’t know.  They grow on the beach, in the forest and jungle.  They might not be “wild” but they aren’t in an orchard.  

What do people do for entertainment at home?  Reading, watching TV, etc.  Things that don’t require money for hobbies.  Coco’s mom Crochets and reads.  She also watches Animal Planet a lot!  Williams mom watched TV a little  but mostly cleaned the house etc.  

What do people do on the weekends?   Party.  Drinking, dancing, the typical stuff.  No movie theater anywhere close by.  But booze and food are expensive here.  Cocaine and pot are very poplar and extremely cheap given the prices of other things.  

Do you see many veggie gardens or flowers in peoples yards?   Mostly flowers, no too many veggie gardens.  I’m not sure why.  Some of it is that the dirt here isn’t good so it takes a lot of work or money to get the ground prepared.  

Are there Laundromats?  Yes, many.  The average person does not have a washer and dryer.  They do their laundry by hand and hang to dry.  The Laundromats also mostly hang the clothes out to dry.  But their machines have a super spin cycle that really gets the water out.