POST by JONNY: Hitchhiker's Guide to a Strategy...

Mauricio in Costa Rica

Hello my name is JOHNNY

My story is about an experience that I had, going to my country’s neighbour, COSTA  RICA, in order to represent my homeland, Nicaragua.

In 2011 I went to an international event where two dancers fought on the dance floor against two other dancers, with competitors being eliminated in groups of two. We won the event, my friend Mauricio and I.

Five days after this competition in San Jose, we received a telephone call from Costa Rica. The person on the other end of the line advised that myself and my dancing group companion, Mauricio, had been elected by the bboy organisation in Costa Rica (the board of the Costa Rican dancing federation) to represent our country, Nicaragua, in future events.

Jonny in Costa Rica

One day my dancing companion, Mauricio and I, were wondering and discussing how we could ever get to the dancing event in Costa Rica. He didn’t have any money, and neither did I. On top of that, neither of us were had a job at the time.

We thought about who we could borrow money from and then I thought of someone. Mauricio agreed that we should ask for a loan. And so we went along to my friend’s house, and low-and-behold, the chap was at home!

Jonny with some Costa Rican junior talent

We explained our situation to my friend, and he said “of course I’ll lend you the money for your trip to Costa Rica. When you get the money back again, just repay me then.”

The next day I went with Mauricio and bought the coach ticket. We would be departing Managua rather early in the morning, at 4am, on the 23^rd of February, 2011.

The Boys with local Costa Rican talent

Five days after purchasing our coach tickets, we left Costa Rica-bound. However, when we arrived at the border between our two countries, all of the people on our coach exited the bus and proceeded to the immigration hall. Each one of us were asked by the immigration officials (Police) for our passports. Mauricio, my friend, told me he was hungry, and persuaded me to go with him in order to buy something to eat.

When we went to buy food, I told Mauricio that I needed to go to the toilet.  Mauricio agreed and went by himself to buy a snack.  When I came out of the bathroom I saw Mauricio running towards me. “What happened?” I called out. “All of my things have been stolen!” I was shocked. “Who stole your things?” I inquired. “Some thieves” Mauricio accurately replied.

Jonny dancing on the streets of San Jose

We headed for the bus. When we arrived we were told by the coach staff that we would not be allowed to board the bus, because we didn’t possess tickets. The bus left us at the border. We didn’t know what to do.

At that very moment, a young man of approximately 25 years appeared and told us that he’d watched our videos on Youtube, that he knew of us, and that he’d like to one day watch our crew dance. We told our new friend that we were desperate to travel to Costa Rica, for in San Jose we would represent Nicaragua in a dancing competition. Our friend explained that he knew of a path nearby, that we could travel along, in order to cross the border.

Mauricio dancing on the streets of San Jose

We went on foot with this fellow and traversed the border to Costa Rica. When we made it safely through, our friend crossed back, because he had to return for work. Once on the main highway again, we tried to hitchhike. However, nobody offered us a lift.

So I said to Mauricio, “come on, let’s walk. Somebody will eventually give us a ride.” Mauricio agreed, and we started walking towards San Jose at 9am. We walked for five hours.

Mauricio, the tinman

At 2pm a van stopped and told us to get in. “The capital of Costa Rica is 340 kms away” he said. “I will talk with the Police and they will help you.” We looked at each other, and then at our Good Samaritan and said “Okay, sounds great. Thank you.”

The chap took us to the Police station and then took off. He was headed in a different direction and needed to get moving. The Police beckoned us in and began to ask us questions. “Why are you walking?” We said “We’ve been robbed, but we’re here legally. We have the correct documentation.”

Jonny, on the coach to Costa Rica

The Police asked us if we knew of someone who could help us. “Yes”, was our reply. We asked to use their telephone so that we could call the event organisers. The Police kindly offered a loan of their phone and we called our colleagues in Costa Rica and asked them if they could send us some money, so that we could get to the capital.

Our friends very graciously lent us the $20 dollars we needed. Mauricio and I walked five kilometers to a place where we could withdraw the money for our bus tickets. We bought our tickets and began to wait. I fell asleep and Mauricio chatted away on the telephone he’d recharged with the money we’d received. Our bus, left without us! We continued to wait, and luckily the next bus allowed us to board. San Jose at last!

Mauricio hitchhiking

When we arrived in the massive city, nobody was there to greet us. We were nervous, as we’re Nicaraguan and didn’t know much about Costa Rica. However, Mauricio had a sister who lived in Costa Rica, but he had no clue where she lived.

In this moment I asked a complete stranger if he knew where the local bus terminal was. He said that he did, and offered to take us there personally. Mauricio asked if he could borrow our tour guide’s phone for a moment, so that he could look at his facebook and try to locate his sister’s phone number. Our guide obliged Mauricio.

Mauricio with his sister and her kids/friends in Costa Rica

Mauricio found his sister’s phone number and called her on the telephone. She told us to wait at the bus station and she’d come and get us. Two hours later, and in she waltzed. It was so good to see her. She took us with her to her house.

We hadn’t eaten all day and were starving hungry. We’d been up since 4am! We told Mauricio’s sister that we were hungry and she made us some food. It was like breakfast for us!

Mauricio and his brother inlaw

The following day, we called and spoke with staff from the competition that we would be participating in. They explained that they were no longer having us come and compete in the event. We went along anyway, unsure as to why we were no longer to be included.

The View from our House in Costa Rica

The following day, we were still unsure as to how we’d make it back to Nicaragua. We decided to busk, dancing in the streets, in order to raise the money we needed for our bus fare. It took us twenty days to raise the money. We’d been on quite the trip, and were now excited to return to our beloved country, proud that we were able to represent Nicaragua, even if only dancing on the streets.

God bless you for reading this story. Thank you!

Jonny!

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This story was written by a Nicaraguan youth, and was voluntarily given to Capital on the Edge for publishing. The subject choice was his entirely. He has elected to write about his experiences for the glory of God and so that others may learn from his experiences. The translation of this work is performed voluntarily and not professionally, hence there may be some errors. Any decisive deviation from the text is in consultation with the author, and is done so to make clear the life events written about and to provide further information so that the story is more understandable. 

Hola mi nombre es JOHNNY

Mi historia es sobre una experiencia que tube que pasar para representar a mi pais en el vecino pais COSTA RICA .

En 2011 fui a un evento 2 vs 2 Y fui ganador del evento. Y alos 5 dias recibi una llamada de COSTA RICA y la persona que me llamo me dijo que yo y mi conpanero de baile mauricio estabamos elejido por la organisacion de eventos de COSTA RICA para representar nuestro pais Nicaragua .

Y un dia mi conpero mauricio y yo estabamos ablando sobre como i vamos a ir al evento si no teniamos dinero y no estabamos trabajando tanpo . Pero yo pense en prestar dinero a unas personas que conocia y mauricio me dijo si esta bien agamolo y en eso fuimo a casa de la la persona y cuando yegamos , la persona estaba hay y yo le dije que nos prestara dinero y el dijo que si que nos aria el fabor pero que le pagaramos el dinero cuando tuvieramos .

Y al dia siguiente mauricio y yo fuimos a comprar los boletos del auto bus . nuestro viaje era alas 4 de la mananael dia 23 de Febrero del 2011 .

Al terser dia de aver comprado los boletos nos fuimos acia costa rica . Pero cuando estabamos en la frontera nos bajamos de el bus a que la policia mirara los pasaporte de cada persona que iba en el bus . En eso mi amigo mauricio me dijo tengo hambre bamos a comprar algo para comer y yo le dije bamos esta bien .

Y cuando ibamos a comprar yo le dije mauricio ire al bano y el me dijo esta bien , y mauricio se fue a comprar solo . Y cuando yo sali de el bano mauricio benia coriendo y me dijo me robaron todo ..

Y yo le dije quienes y el me dijo unos ladrones .

Y en eso nos dirigimos a donde estaba el bus . Y las personas de el bus nos dijieron que no podiamos abordarlo porque no teniamos los boletos .

Y el bus en eso se marcho y nos dejo en la frontera . Y derepente aparecio un chico y nos dijo de que miraba nuestros videos en YOU TUBE Y que queria conoserlos a nuestro grupo OSB CREW

y nosotros le dijimos que si nos podia alludar a ir a costa rica que ibamos a representar el pais. Y el nos yebo por un camino que seria cerca de pasar la frontera en donde no nos mirara la policia de costa rica .

Y nosotros fuimos con el y pasamos la frontera . y cuando pasamos la frontera nuestro amigo se regreso, porque el tenia que regresar al trabajo , y cuando el se fue mairicio y yo enpesamos a pedir Ray pero nadie nos daba . Y

Y yo le dije a MAURICIO caminemos que abra una persona que nos alludara . Y MAURICIO me dijo esta bien caminemos y enpesamos a caminar de las 9.AM asta a las 2.PM Y derepenta una camioneta se paro y nos dijo que nos montamos y el nos dijo que estabomos muy largo para yegar a la capital de costa rica , que eran como 340 quiilometros y el nos dijo que ablaramos con la policia para que nos alluran y nosotro le djimos que estaba bien .

Y en eso yegamos a una estacion de policia y el senor de la camioneta se fue . Y la policia nos llamo y nos pregunto que porque estabamos caminando. Y nosotro le dijimo que nos robaron todo y que estabamos legales . Y ellos digieron que esperamos y que si teniamos a alguien que nos alludara . Y nosotros le dijimos que si , pero que nos prestara el telefono de el para llamar alas personas del evento .Y el policia amablemente nos presto su telefono y llamamos alas personas del evento y le pedimos que si nos podian mandar dinero para poder yegar que teniamos prolemas .

Y las personas del evento nos dijieron que si y nos madaron 20 dolares para el bus . Y mauricio y yo nos fuimos caminando 5 quiilometros para llegar a un lugar en donde retirar el dinero y para comprar los boletos de bus .

Y luugo de conprar los boletos nos fuimos y cuando yegamos a la cuidad nadie nos estaba esperando y nosotro no conociamos nada de el pais .

Pero mi amigo mauiricio tenia una hermana que vivia en costa rica . pero el no savia en donde vivia ella . Y en eso yo pregunte a uan persona que si sabia en donde eran las estaciones de buces . Y el me dijo que el se dirijgia acia las estaciones que nos fueramos con el , Y mauricio y yo nos fuimos con el y mauricio le dijo a el que si le podia prestar su telefono para mirara su facebook y poder tener el numero de la hermana . Y ls persona dijo que si y mauricio miro el facebook y pudo sacar el numero de telefono de la hermana .

Y mauricio llamo a la hermana y ella le dijo que esperara en la estacion de bus que nos yegaria ir a traer .. Y pasaron 2 oras y yego la hermana de mauricio y nos fuimos con ella para su casa . y mauricio le dijo que teniamos hambre que no aviamos comido y ella nosdio comida . Y esa comida era como el almuerso y eran las 4 de la manana .

Y al dia siguinte llamamos a los de el evento y ellos dijieron que ya no habia hospedaje para los bboy de nicaragua .. Pero a muaricio y a mi no nos inporto y acistimos al evento y a mi no me dejaron participar y no savia porque motibo .

Y para regresar a nicaragua tubimo que ir mauricio y yo a bailar a las calles para poder recoger dinero y regresar a nuestro pais . Y pasaron 15 20 dias que pasamos bailando en las calles y a si podimos recojer el dinero y poder regresarnos a nuestro pais .

Y todo eso paso solo por representa nuestro querido pais .

DIOS bendiga a todas las personas que lean esta historia gracias .

Jonny & Mauricio dancing on the streets of San Jose