Post Travel Ponderings

1. Despite the fact that for 19 years I have witnessed an American toilets capability to flush toilet paper, 8 months of throwing TP in a wastebasket has questioned my faith. It amazes me that American toilets can handle paper! What a concept! This is unheard of in most places around the world.

2. Americans are HUGE. I have been home for just over a week and it still shocks me. I am not talking about the obesity problem (although that is a worrisome issue). More and more people seem to have an extra roll under their chin or a straining belt buckle hidden beneath a paunchy belly. And its totally normal. But on top of that, the 'average' American is gargantuan. We are big boned, dense, thick and tall. Myself included. Compared to Costa Ricans and Brazilians we are built like giants (Madame Maximes and Hagrids...if you will). We tower. Our legs are tree trunks, our arms are branches and our torsos are barrels. I remember being in the old town in Brazil one day and I saw this boy from afar who stood out like a sore thumb. He was dark skinned, and in America could have passed for a Brazilian, but in Brazil I immediately knew he was American. He had that American massive athletic body build. Sure enough he was from Chicago.

3. Cars are SO polite here! Its great for running. First of all there is usually a wide, well-kept sidewalk. And where there is no sidewalk there is an expansive shoulder. On top of that, cars slow way down and give you miles of clearance. What a joy! Pedestrians are always given 100% of the right of way at crosswalks. I used to doubt that pressing the button on a cross walk made a difference, but I SWEAR that every time I have pressed the button this past week, the walk signal almost immediately turns green. I feel like royalty. In CR and Brazil there were hardly any lights at crosswalks, and even when there were they did not give the pedestrian the right of way. In Brazil right turners would barrel around the corner Cruela De-ville Style, and in CR the motorcyclist plowed through red lights at top speed. It also is quite a relief to be able to run with an ipod and not fear it will be stolen.