Synchroni City

There are times when you want something and the Universe delivers it to you on a platter. Some call it a stroke of luck or a coincidence; I prefer the word ‘synchronicity’. And for some reason it happens all the time in this little town of Santa Teresa, in Costa Rica. It all started the day we set foot here…

The Hotel. Arriving in Santa Teresa, it doesn’t take us long to find our hotel but we can’t check in because the manager is running an errand. In the meantime the maid shows us the rooms. We look at each other in disappointment: this place doesn’t look like the photos. Fortunately we didn’t pay anything in advance or even give a credit card number. We disappear before the manager returns, get back on the road and find a great hotel where we meet wonderful people.

The House. We are on our way to visit a rental home called ‘Casa Escondida’ (the hidden house). We follow the directions but can’t find the place. We reach the end of the street and prepare to turn around. A few workers are talking in front of a house. We roll down the car windows and ask for help. One of the men jokes: “Casa Escondida? I don’t know… it’s hidden.” We share a good laugh, then he continues: “What kind of place are you looking for? This house is for rent: would you like to see it?” Mai smiles as we tour the place. In her eyes a big red sign flashes: “I want it!” We move in a few days later.

The Master. I have a habit of looking for a Martial Arts school in every place where we stay more than a week. After a few days here I discovered that Santa Teresa boasts a plethora of surf, yoga and Spanish schools, but no martial arts. Bummer! A couple of weeks later Mai and I are watching a movie about the life of Ip Man, one of Bruce Lee’s Kung Fu teachers: I am mesmerized by the beauty, speed and efficiency of Ip Man’s “Wing Chun” fighting style. I decide to post an ad in the local Facebook group where people buy and sell all sorts of random things ranging from surfboards to mattresses, cookies and fresh produce. Within an hour I receive 4 responses. It appears there are Kung Fu, Capoeira, Karate and Tae Kwon Do teachers in Santa Teresa, although no one knows about it. And guess what? Carlos, the Kung Fu Master, teaches Wing Chun techniques. I’m in!

The Teacher. I wake up with the desire of improving my Spanish skills. While eating cereal and watching the sunrise on the beach, I tell myself that the ideal teacher would be from Spain… just in case we end-up living in Barcelona one of these days! I put these thoughts aside and go to my Kung Fu class. Ninety minutes later my forearms are sore, my blood loaded with adrenaline, and I’m hungry like a wolf. I walk to Chicken Joe’s – the best pollo in town – but I forgot that it closes on Tuesdays. My feet lead me to the Ginger Café – the home of delicious and enormous sandwiches. I spot a familiar and friendly face: Juan-Carlos is having a coffee. We chat about surfing and house hunting, and I ask him for tips on Spanish teachers. He raves about Adela who recently arrived from Spain and can be found at the corner of the street. Shortly after I am talking about logistics and prices with Adela. She pauses and says: “I will give you Spanish lessons gratis if you help me improve my English.”

Although this handful of stories falls short of scientific proof, I sincerely believe that Santa Teresa is a place where if you really want something you’d better get ready: your wish could be granted much faster than you think. With a bit of faith and an open mind…

Cedric, 12/14/11