Below is a picture of the entry to the home where I live. There are two gates, one door, an extra lock for the evening, and another interior door that locks from the inside. Each of these has a different key and the locks are double-throw. There are bars that surround the house and others that cover every window. As one of my teachers said, we basically live in jails.
Is all this necessary? I personally know several people who have been broken into over the five months I’ve been here, and I know of several other occurrences. Among these was a house around the corner that had all the appliances and electronic devices stolen. People who leave on vacation often find someone to stay in their house while gone. Two days ago the pulperia or neighborhood grocery store which is two doors (about 30 ft.) down was robbed. All of this in spite of the security precautions.
When walking anywhere it is necessary to be aware of what is going on, who is around, what they are doing. Petty theft is very common. Both my Tica mom and sister had their purses slit while in San Jose, done during a distraction with an umbrella. Often tourists are more of a target than Ticos.
In the country areas security is not as tight; often times there are no gates or bars on the windows. One can relax a little more. Over the course of several weeks it is amazing to note how much stress builds up when you are constantly on your guard.
Just some observations on life, something I live with, not really something I can do anything about.
