When I was growing up, faroles – the handmade lanterns meant to symbolize the 19th-century journey that brought the message of Central American independence to Costa Rica – were simple constructions, made of paper.
I come from dry places. I am relatively new at motherhood. I am relatively new to Costa Rica. Therefore, the first downpours to trap me — along with a husband, a 3-year-old and a newborn — inside our small San José apartment filled me with dread.
