You
know that weird feeling you get when you’re in a movie theater, like the
outside world doesn’t exist beyond the screen in front of you? When the movie
is over you walk back into the mall and need a minute to realize when and where
you are? It can be a real mind trip, especially when you’re in a foreign
country.
On
account of a rainy day, my plans for outdoor activities in San Jose were
canceled. So, my friend Elizabeth and I hopped on a bus to MultiPlaza Escazu
to check out the mall and go see a movie. Immediately after entering the mall I
felt like I had just been transported back to the states, and it brought an
overwhelming sentiment of home sickness. Except for the Latin music over the
radio, this could have been any mall in any state in the US. Actually, it could
have been any high end mall in the
US. Three floors with beautiful white tile and Christmas decorations to set the
holiday mood. Super fancy stores epitomized by the jewelry section with Cartier
and Tiffany’s. Walking around the mall it was hard to remember that we were in
Costa Rica, especially when we passed the food court which had McDonald’s,
Burger King, Quiznos, KFC, Papa John’s, TCBY and Haagan Daz.
But
get this - the movie ticket and a large popcorn each cost 1,300 colones, making
my tab a grand $5.20 for my movie going experience. We watched our movie, which
was in English with Spanish subtitles. It was strange to think that for so many
people, their movies are either dubbed or have subtitles that you have to read
just to follow along. We American’s are really quite spoiled, though I have to
admit that after being in the jungle with dangerous creatures, having cuts and
scabs finally progressing into scars from bug bites and unexplained rashes, a
mall was a nice change of pace.
