No one really knows what to say about Costa Rica, so they title everything "pura vida"

Bah, these pictures are so small! You can't really see them. Oh well. I have a lot to write about, so I'm going to try to include a picture of what I am writing about as well. I think that might help. I would imagine that it is hard to visualize another country, because San Jose is nothing like I expected. It is a city of cages. I think that has been one of the most startling realizations about San Jose. I didn't really look into it before I got here, so when I saw houses with thick gated walls and barbed wire it was the furthest idea in my mind of what San Jose was like. lol not to be depressing or anything. Oddly enough I feel a lot safer here than I do at my homes sometimes. I asked one of the directors, Catalina, why all the houses had so many locks and gates, and she said that while Costa Rica is not a poor country, it is not a rich country either. Therefore, they don't have a lot of money to pay for police. Because of this, the people don't feel safe, and turn to their homes as a means of feeling secure. Yesterday I came home when no one else was there, and had to unlock five different locks. I was not quick enough and set off the alarm.
That is kind of a depressing way to introduce Costa Rica. I probably should have started with what I love most about the city so far...the mountains! Los montanas son bellas! (The mountains are beautiful!). Today it was less cloudly than most days and I noticied that some of the mountains were a lot higher than I had thought. it was so cool! They look different every day. And at night you can see the lights going up the mountain side.
But the city is surrounded by mountains and the mountains are beautiful.
At some point Catalina is also going to take me to a poor community in the mountains to volunteer at a school there. I told her that I really came to Costa Rica to see a different life style and experience poverty. So she is taking me to the moutains.