...noventa días en Costa Rica

Perceptions

Throughout my weeks here, I have had numerous occasions where I have been asked where I am from. The initial urge is to say Jamaican of course! However, with that I am also inclined to mention that I am a student in Canada since this too has played a role in who I have become. When I was asked to dig deeper and explore what it means to be of a different nationality in the country where I am interning, I had to stop to think about why Costa Rica reminded me so much of home, and try to find out how people here perceive Jamaicans.

Even though I am working in a country where Spanish is the native language, Cano Palma Biological Station is a Canadian owned organization where most volunteers speak English. At the station I am a visible minority and of all the groups that have come through, I have remained the only black person (except for fellow intern Kirstin who is mixed and partially Jamaican). For the Canadians that I work with, I have gathered that they might think being Jamaican means several things from being able to braid everyone’s hair, make jerked chicken and Jamaican patties, know all the reggae songs and speak fluent patois. Another stereotype is that Jamaica is exactly like Costa Rica and so I should be able to identify all the local fruits that are provided at the station and observed in and around the community. I am constantly being asked questions as to whether a particular species of plant or animal is also in Jamaica or if the climate is very similar. I am also thought to be athletic (all credits to Usain Bolt), built to withstand the sun and the swarm of mosquitoes that flood the station. Not to mention the occasional North American who on hearing of my nationality bursts out in lyrics from some Bob Marley song (probably more aware of his musical history than I am).

Usually, when I explain to Costa Ricans (with the little Spanish I muster up) that I am Jamaican, there is an understanding nod followed by “Si, si”. At first I could not tell if this was a nod of approval or not, but it also did not seem to be one of complete resent. I think the understanding nod comes partially from the fact that my numerous visits to San Francisco (the closest community to the station) usually result in encountering black Costa Ricans who speak a unique English dialect. Many of the local tour guides I have met have also had some Jamaican background and so this has been beneficial in the sense that I am constantly being looked after. This dialect sounds much like the Jamaican creole and from my curious inquiries, I have found that Costa Rica happens to have a rich history of Jamaican descendants. An article I was reading recently suggested that Jamaicans were known to initially migrate to Costa Rica to build the Atlantic railway in the 1870s. The numerous Jamaicans who subsequently stayed have formed a unique mix while only making up approximately 1% of the population.

The Jamaicans around have in some ways created for themselves an unpleasant reputation for being involved in the drug trade and other crimes. So much so that I may have been the only intern who was given a 30 day visa each time while a typical tourist visa in Costa Rica lasts for 90 days. Therefore, being Jamaican in Costa Rica is not the most exotic thing. Despite this aspect, I think that the unique culture brought by the Jamaicans who settled has helped to make me feel like I am right at home. In fact, I have never once felt like a tourist since my visit to Costa Rica due to the strong Jamaican influence in the area. In fact, I remember walking with one of my fellow YIIP interns Sarah and getting multiple awkward stares which we both jokingly concluded was because it seemed like a local walking with a tourist. As a white ‘tourist’ in Costa Rica she was seen as exotic but I certainly blended in (or so I thought). Certainly that’s not a norm!? Through the Jamaican flag plastered on the front of boats, the Rastafarian flag on souvenirs in tourist craft markets, Jah Cure songs blasting through speakers in the neighbouring community shops and the local cuisine, I am always reminded of home.