I decided the other day that I really should mention something about the importance of family here.
First, family here in Costa Rica is everything. You take care of your family members, immediate and extended, even if you have little to no resources to share. That's something I've learned firsthand from my host family. Although money is sometimes a little tight here, they still give what little they have to help out a family member in need, whether it's a medical expense that needs paid or something equally important.
Secondly, it is quite common for children to live with their parents well into their 30s or even 40s. Not only is it common, but it's often expected. Many have their own established careers and separate social lives, but they still return to their parents' homes each night. Why is this?
Well, from what I've gathered, it's partially due to the cost of housing, and partially due to familial relations. Parents take care of their children and vice-versa. There is no reason for children to move out of the house (if they aren't married) because they are cared for in their home and housing is expensive here. Furthermore, Costa Rica is a small country, so children can't move far from their parents anyway.
Thirdly, during school vacations, for example, it is very common for kids to visit relatives and stay for awhile. For example, just this past week 2 cousins of my host siblings were visiting our family. They were here for just over a week and we had a lot of fun. I played hide-and-seek, freeze tag, various jump rope games, and hopscotch. I also attended a makeshift drawing class, where a 9 year old cousin taught me to draw a manga girl. She also drew a picture of me, which is posted below.
While there are some broken families here, many single parents, for example, still retain the support of family. It seems as though very few people have to "go it alone" so to speak. Already I've visited distantly related cousins, aunts, and uncles. Sometimes a family supports ex-wives/husbands and their children. It's really quite fascinating that there is so much support of even distantly related people.
Family is incredibly important here, and I've been integrated into my host family like I was born part of it, which has certainly been a blessing. I feel very blessed that I can say that I have a family that extends from the US to South Africa and now to Costa Rica as well.
~Nola
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