While bussing into Heredia, I noticed that there was a lot of barbed wire along the tops of fences and roofs; this was suprising to me as it contradicts the non-violent nature that we were told Costa Ricans had. All of the garages along the roads are always shut, along with the gates in front of people’s balconies. It seems like faimilies are going overboard to protect themselves from robbers. Our Host Mother was telling us how a few moths ago, a group she was hosting did not shut the door all the way and a person came in and took a bicycle.

However, when we were searching for various fruits and cheeses in the market, everyone we talked to was incredibly kind and helpful, even when we told them that we just wanted pictures and not to pay them. It is very strange to me how homes can have violent defenses (like the barbed wire) to protect against the same people they are friendly with face-to-face.

I imagine that having your home visually guarded against the real and acknowledged threat of robbery became so normalized so that now people do not see fortification as separation. It is most likely viewed as a way protecting what is closest to you instead of a way to push neighblrs away.