African Americans in Costa Rica – The Owens story.

We asked Jeanetta Owens if she would write about her and her husband’s experience as African Americans in Costa Rica and she has thankfully agreed to help…

“You asked me about writing you a little something about our experience here in Costa Rica as African American, black or colored people.

We have so many politically correct names it is difficult for me to keep up with them.

Charles and I both were born in Omaha, Nebraska and therefore we have been in the world of whites from the day we arrived on the planet. Difficulties because we are a different color has always been with us it is part of our every day life.

It is difficult to express at times but I find it easier to talk about it with other North Americans that are in Costa Rica because whites are the minority here. For Charles and I, we have lived in many countries and most of them, even in Germany, we have been accepted very well. The only time we have felt different is when our fellow North Americans are around. You know we bring our ugly things with us. It is ugly no matter who carries it around and we all have some form of prejudice

Charles and I went to Limon on the Caribbean coast when we first arrived, we wanted to live around the Black people and find out about their history and way of life. Well Limon was to hot and we did not last a day there. It was misunderstood that we could not speak Spanish and we also could not understand a lot of their English.

We did not come to Costa Rica to retire, in fact we purchased about 15 acres in Alabama and we were thinking of having a log home built. We had been traveling around the US in our motor home and just decided to come a take a look at Costa Rica. We had two small suitcases and no clue about Costa Rica. After staying here two weeks, we went home and put our motor home in storage and came back. The weather was just wonderful.

Most of the North Americans we talk to tell stories about how gringos are treated in Costa Rica. Charles and I look at things differently, for one thing they do not treat us as Gringos since most Costa Ricans think we are from Jamaican, Corn Island in Nicaragua, Chile, Panama or Cuba. Most blacks from these areas do not have any money so for us to spend the money that we were spending that sort of threw off their assumptions.

It is funny to give your passport to someone and they take a double take and look at you again. When we first came it almost seemed insulting that they would not think of us as US citizens. That feeling was short lived, because we found out that there are some benefits of not being identified as a North American. We are not targets for a lot of things and we can walk freely in areas that a lot of North Americans are not so free to be in. No one has actually treated us as outsiders and we could do very well if we spoke Spanish.

When we opened our B&B was when the white and black issue came up. We know that a lot of people do not refer us because they feel that perhaps their white friend would not be able to adjust to our owning this B&B. They could come here if we worked here as the cook , maid and maintenance man. That is why we put our picture on most of our advertisements.

We know for a fact that some do not do business with us because of our wonderful dark skin and kinky hair. To tell the truth most of them do not even know why they have feelings against other races. It is amazing how many people have come to Costa Rica that are prejudice. You hear it in their conversation in things they say about the Costa Rican people.

We attend church here in our community, when we first went, the only thing we could identify with was that we all came to worship. Charles and I enjoyed the wonderful spirit of the people until we kept going back and we now are members of that church.

The funny part about our attending church was that they treated us for over two years as tourists. Always thinking that one day we would not show up and we kept returning. They were apprehensive because they could not figure out why we would attend a church where we could not understand a word that was being said.

After two years the Pastor Calvo decided that it might be nice if we knew what he was talking about so he requested one of the members that is an English professor to sit with us and interpret for us. Charles then decided to purchase the equipment used by interpreters in group settings.. We invite a lot of our guest to our services, they are great and a lot of good singing and music. Each Sunday we attend the service is a surprise. I love that, nothing is the same.

We lived in Washington State for a few years and had the experience of people jacking prices up because we were black. It is so funny most white Americans think it is only done in Costa Rica. Well because of our wonderful experiences with that difficulty not only in the US but in other parts of the world, so when that happened to us here it was not unusual. Prices were raised because Charles was a military guy while living in El Paso, Germany and Japan. So with the occasional price raising feature in doing business in Costa Rica we have had a lot of training..

Some of the complaints my fellow countrymen have are not a problem for us. The difficulty is being called a Gringo. To me that means white man but in Costa Rica that means North American and they have just believed that all North Americans are white.

Being in a store with my friend who is 5’7 blue eyes, blond hair and white, most Costa Ricans think that I am her employee. When I ask them something they look at her and give the answer. Does that upset me? No! And what is so funny is that my friend doesn’t know what is going on. We were in Panama and someone insisted that I should speak Spanish, well when I tried they changed their mind.

Charles and I love people and we just accept what comes. Costa Rica is a wonderful country and we feel very comfortable. So very few incidents with the Costa Ricans as far as not being accepted and welcomed. Perhaps we are just different, because Charles and I lived in Alabama for two years and fell in love with the South. In fact if we had not come to Costa Rica we would have built a cabin on our land in the very area that some of our ancestors farmed as slaves.

Knowing the truth about God helps, this is his big world and all of us have a right to enjoy his creation. We came here to Costa Rica not really looking for anything special. Just a curiosity about the country. We fell in love with the country and the wonderful people.

We love our community and have been blessed to participate in so many activities that a lot of my Gringo friends don’t know or understand. We have blended into the community. Costa Rica was our choice, we fell in love and when you fall in love, you have to accept the good and those things that are not so good. Our outlook for our retiring years looks hopeful. If we need care to help us in our home we can afford good quality home care. So many benefits, we can not begin to name them all.

Costa Rican cake and sweets are terrible, so I have taught many neighbors and friends from church how to bake cakes using new recipes. With all the bananas around you would think banana bread would be a common thing. I’ve shared recipes about banana bread, banana pudding and banana pie. You know we North American make a cake or pie out of almost any fruit or vegetable.

Sure we have had our experiences, we just had one this week. We were in Price Mart and purchased supplies. When we paid we always pay using a credit card. They guy asked Charles for his Cedula, he did not ask anyone else. We know that is because some find it strange that a black man has any money. Here it is because they have heard that the people living in Limon are so poor. That upset Charles and he took it to the manager, he let the manager know that he watched the cashier processing transactions for other patrons and he did not ask them for their Cedula. That happens just enough to make you a little upset.

Since I travel and shop with my friends, the difference in how they are treated and how I am treated is evident. The treatment for me is usually better because they think I am a TICO from Limon. It is surprising how many Costa Ricans just do not like North Americans. The last time my friend and I went to Panama someone insisted that I speak Spanish and I speak ‘okay’ but just ‘okay’. After I begin to talk that person changed their mind.

My biggest problems in Costa Rica is, collard greens, corn bread, grits and smoked ham hocks, good country ham, sausage, navy beans, pinto beans and cheese. Let me knot forget blue shell crabs. Seasons and spices all types.

It would be wonderful to see more black faces, we always look with up to see others from North America that would move here. The very first Costa Rican we met was a guy we thought was a visiting North American and he was a Tico from Limon. He introduced us to our church, we hired him as our lawyer after we decided to make Costa Rica our home.

The best part about being here is that as a foreigner here we are all really treated a like. They treat us equally, they treat us as foreigners. It is not in how you are treated but how you treat others. Charles and I know that your attitude really decides how you live.

God has blessed us, he blessed my great grandfather to be a slave and survive the ride on a ship under some of the worst conditions known to man, but he survived. He survived the cotton fields or melon fields in Alabama. He survived the prejudice and rose above what many call life’s circumstances. I consider it a privilege and honor to be a black person and most of all a citizen of the US.

The country that forced me to accept their culture and way of life, the country that stripped away my inheritance but yet I thank God for being a citizen of a country that gives me the privilege to live almost any where in the World.

I am not limited by circumstances, instead they have liberated me. Charles and I refuse allow ourselves the privilege of looking back. We have approached our advancing years with anticipation on wonderful things happening.

Costa Rica is part of our looking forward. We could not have asked for a better gift, nor can we think of a better opportunity to bring meaningfulness into the lives of others.

What a way to check out, we can only rejoice and take advantage of God’s blessing. We consider it to be a real blessing to get the opportunity to enjoy this country and the wonderful people we have met and are meeting. Sure some of our North American country men are prejudice but the majority of those we have met here in Costa Rica are good folk. We have established some of the best relationships. Most of us have come looking forward to enjoying our lives to the fullest. I think we made a pretty good choice. God Bless Scott.”

Written by Jeanetta Owens who owns the lovely La Terraza B&B in Grecia which is about one hour from San José, Costa Rica. For a taste of living the good life in Grecia, Costa Rica, may we suggest you to book yourself into Jeanetta’s B&B for a nice long vacation.

Jeanetta’s B&B has been rated the #1 B&B in Grecia, Costa Rica by Trip Advisor. You can find her website here at La Terraza B&B

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.