The buses in Costa Rica are like the crowed subways of New York. A body of a stranger is bumping you not out of rudeness, but because the bus that is made to hold 30 seating passengers if filled with and extra 20 standing. A light shove can be felt here and there as passengers pass getting on, off, or merely moving to a more spacious area. “Its no use” I think to tell the later but my Spanish is too limited.
It is hot and humid and I can smell the man three people behind me. His cologne is way to strong for my taste. I try to ignore it as I bounce my head to the music streaming from my headphones. A woman is making her way back toward the back of the bus shoving around people as she chats on the phone in rapid fired Spanish. She’s teetering in her heels that seem to be the normal traveling shoe for the women of Costa Rica and hold onto the railing with the hand not currently occupied with her phone.
The bus slows to the next stop and we keep moving as no one is getting on. I feel pretty accomplished in a way. This is the first bus ride I am catching with my roommate and we are heading home without getting lost. I’m on such a good vibe I don’t care that the woman talking bumps passed me with a ‘pardona’ or excuse me. I was on such a glow that it took me a minute to notice the bus stopping and not moving for sometime.
I noticed the angry rise of “Que pasa?” fromt the passenger when the bus remain still. After a few minutes the cries be came “Vamanos” and explanations of more important things to do. I began to notice the press of bodies and heat as I tried to communicate with my roommate about what could be happening.
“What the Fuck!” the woman who was earlier chatter on her phone cries out. I couldn’t help but wonder where she picked that up from. Soon the crowd turns angry and my roommate and I began to call out to the driver “Vamanos senor, vamanos por favor.” Still the bus sat.
Close spaces, humid atmosphere and angry people are not a good mix for a safe environment. Nor for Claustaphobia. My roommate began to push here way to the front when we noticed the back door had yet to open to let anyone out. She was out the bus and breathing cool air (well coolish, its is after all Costa Rica). I was almost to the front and breathe a sigh of relief at the exit when the doors shut and my way was block by a man.
“No Abierto! I was taken aback. A man was pushing me toward the door while another shouted about a woman who got on the bus without paying and intended to ride. As far as I was concerned that had nothing to do with me. My roommate was outside the doors looking in trying to get help from those outside. I was inside looking out trying to get help from the people within.
After 15 minutes of shouting, and pushing the doors were open letting in cool air and a freedom I longed for. The walk home was long and uneventful but the relief of looking at our house was almost a fulfilling as the first day.
