I took the bus, left early enough to allow myself time to get lost, which I did, but just a bit. So far people have been really helpful with directions. Janine happens to live and teach on property owned by the man who founded UPEACE (whose name escapes me now), in an area just outside of San Jose called Escazu, which seems to host a lot of wealth. The American and British ambassadors live there, in palatial enclaves. And there is a country club, which Janine's street is across from. The studio itself is surrounded by bamboo trees, which produce a soothing sound as the rainy season wind rustles through them, a perfect backdrop for yoga.
The class was such a treat. I haven't been to a studio in a long time, and it was nice to be led through postures by someone else, especially an experienced, compassionate teacher like Janine. After class she cooked a delicious lunch for us and we chatted about UPEACE, yoga and life in Costa Rica.
I learned some interesting things about UPEACE, too - that there has been a shadowy past, but I guess I'll have to find out more about that for myself. One scandal involved UPEACE terminating the contract of a short-wave radio broadcasting organization, called Radio for Peace International, which culminated with UPEACE preventing the radio staff from entering by using guards with machine guns - not very peaceful. If you are interested in reading about the Radio For Peace International Scandal, please visit: http://rfpi.org/UpazPR.pdf.
Good news is that I have the possibility to teach at her studio, which I will work on once I get my class schedule. Not only that, but it was just great to meet her - she is a very knowledgeable yoga instructor, and has been living in Costa Rica for 20 years and seems to know everyone. I really enjoyed her company and am glad to already have a "yoga friend" here.
On the way home, I saw the aftermath of what looked like an awful bus crash - there was a bus, totally charred and half melted, blocking a lane of traffic. I couldn't see any other vehicle involved, so it's possible the bus crashed into the hillside. I honestly don't know what happened, or if anyone was even injured, but the sight was harrowing. It took a long time to get home.
Machismo is alive and well, which works towards my advantage when on the crowded bus. When a seat opened up, some men cleared the way so I could sit there, and later I watched the men wait and ask the only woman who was standing farther up on the bus, and only after she rejected the seat did a man sit in it. Again, this is a big difference from Japan, where I have been nearly knocked over and stepped on by salarymen trying to beat me to a seat on the train.
Other big news of the day is that Oscar Arias, the president of Costa Rica who is spearheading the Honduras peace negotiations, has swine flu. This is only overshadowed by the Costa Rica-Honduras world cup qualifier game, which is on as I type this.
Viva el futbol!
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