Irma and Frank Host a Fiesta

The few days I spent in San Isidro provided me with some new snapshots of the expatriate experience and of the dynamics which forge Costa Rican families.
On Saturday, Frank and Irma, a couple whose home is in Brentwood Bay, hosted a fiesta for their local community. To say Frank is a bit of a character is like saying that George Junior may have been off base in a few of his decisions. Frank and Irma own a quinta (hobby farm) about three miles from San Isidro. They have built a home with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains and are in the midst of a new venture, raising cattle. Frank, a former fisher who knotted his nets in the seas off Prince Rupert, gave me a tour of his property. He planted every tree and bush and seemed to have a personal connection with each.
The fiesta was replete with families, frolic and, for me, a growing appreciation of the underpinnings of Costa Rican family life. From the outset, it was clear it was going to a real party; Keith and Carlos, the main man for Frank and Keith, had ventured into the mountains to acquire some contrabando, a lethal alcohol distilled from sugar cane. Keith described the adventure as somehow landing on the set of Dukes of Hazard, always looking over his shoulder for Boss Hawg to appear with handcuffs at the ready. As well, a pig had been slaughtered, its meat on the open flame for hours. Being a good guest, I sampled the coconut/contrabando concoction and finding my lips instantaneously numb, stuck to cerveca for the rest of the evening.
What struck me during the festivities was the natural manner in which children were incorporated into the events. There was no sense that adults did adult things best left to adults. Throughout the evening scores of kids made their own fun, gambolling about. Not once did I hear the sounds of squabble. I watched closely, intrigued by the interplay amongst the older and younger children. I surmise that events such as these play an important role in social initiation; the younger taking their cues from the older; the older keeping a careful watch, but not explicitly adopting a protective stance, preparing for adulthood.
There was music, there were lyrics and there were people. Combined they became something powerful, offering a glimpse into the profound. Sometimes, when we look into each other's eyes, I swear we can see our souls.