Coffee Continued!

For the past couple of weeks we have discussing coffee and its importance in Latin America, and more specifically in Costa Rica.  However, this week it was interesting to find out my host mom’s take on the importance of coffee in Costa Rica.  When I first asked her why it was so important in Costa Rica she immediately responded with an answer about its social importance.  She told me that coffee is important here because it has been a very strong tradition for so long.  She validated the point of our class by saying that coffee, and the production and consumption of it, played a huge role in the country’s history and success.  In addition to the social aspect of coffee she also acknowledged that coffee is a very important crop to the country, and because of that it produces an amount of the country’s income.  My host mom went on to explain that coffee is one thing that all Costa Ricans look to as a cultural staple.  The quality of the coffee produced here represents the pride of Costa Rica, and their dedication to the purest of products.  As for politics, my mom instantly began talking about how Costa Rica exports a lot of coffee to other, large market countries, such as the U.S.  Because of this involvement with other countries she noted that coffee does not only play a large role in their National politics, in the form of an income crop, but because of exportation coffee also involves Coast Rica in global politics.  It was very interesting for me to see just how perfectly my host mom’s answers were falling into the context of what we have learned in the class.  This particular interview showed me just how important coffee is to Costa Rica, and just how valid and true our readings about coffee’s role in Costa Rica have been.

For my photos this week I took pictures of Kaldi.  Kaldi is a coffee shop in my neighborhood that I, and many of the other students attend on a regular basis.  The very first time we went to Kaldi we fell in love.  We have gone there for dinner, small group, homework, and just for a coffee and pastry after classes.  The atmosphere is great.  It is so warm and inviting.  In the multiple times that I have been there I have really taken note of the types of interactions that go on.  I have noticed that many people meet there in the afternoon just for coffee.  I have also noticed that even when they are just there for coffee they are there for a while.  They sit and talk and socialize.  One morning I stopped in there to do some work and I got stares because I was alone.  This proved to me just how much of a social place Kaldi is.  It was completely unlike in the U.S.  where if I would have walked into Starbucks or Panera alone I would probably fit right in with the other lonely people who came to seek solitude.  However, here I could tell it made the other guests somewhat uncomfortable.  It is clear that “public” coffee culture is so much more social than in the U.S.  It is expected that you drink coffee with another person, and it is also expected that you respect the “public” coffee culture and customs. While Kaldi also serves pastries and regular meals, it is clear that they pride themselves on their coffee.  I think that Kaldi is such a cool place.  I love going there to find so many different of people.  Coffee houses in Costa Rica truly act as social equalizers, and I think that is something that Costa Rica should hold onto forever.