happy to be. here. now.

Not to long ago I was having a lazy afternoon drinking coffee with a friend a her flower shop when a customer walks to buy some flowers.  As he picks out his purchase we start up a conversation about his work in youth leadership in the community.  We go back and forth sharing what we do in community, realizing some great potential for collaboration between his and my work.  We exchange numbers and e-mails to continue to talk about my involvement in an upcoming youth leadership conference he is planning to take place later this month.

Sometimes great connections just fall right into our lap, then later lead to other connections.  A few weeks after I met the man in the flower shop I was contacted by a local journalist asking if he could do a piece on my work in Sabanillas and Sabanas and my perspective as a foreigner of this area.  I accepted, glad to have the opportunity to share with a greater audience the presence of Peace Corps in Costa Rica.  

As I start to reflect on my past year here certain things come to mind.  I am grateful for the the lifelong friendships I have formed along with the love, affection, generosity, and hospitality I have received from those around me. (A huge HUG to Rafa and Mile, Zaida and Daniel, Kattia and Guiselle).  I've learned to not be obsessively results driven, to chill out, to take time to drink coffee and sit on the porch just because.  I've enjoyed the mix of generations that happens here.  I spend my free time with people of all ages from child to great grandmother.  From each person I walk away inspired in a different way. 

Time and time again, I been inspired by how visionary Costa Ricans are.  They are always thinking of how to improve and develop their current situation. And, they are super handy. They can fix anything around the house. They use the natural materials around them (wood, bamboo, recycled materials) for everything.  My curtain rods and napkin holder are made out of local bamboo by my landlord.  The milk in my frig is from the cow I milked this morning.  The chicken in my freezer was raised by my next door neighbor.  The cheese I ate today came from the community next to mine. The pigs are fed by sugar cane that grows next to the stable and left overs from the local restaurant.  The water for the farm animals comes from a natural creek.  Life here is more organic, more natural. We life off the land around us and we produce less waste.

I am an addict to the traditional Gallo Pinto (rice and bean dish) in the morning, accompanied with a homemade tortilla, a fried egg, and a little avocado.  With that said,  I must admit whenever I go into the city I find the American restaurant open.  

I've faced challenges in the Education system.  In particular, a lack to resources such as a projector, photo copier, text books, or other teaching materials.  A lack of motivation from teachers has been a problem as well as way too many days when classes are canceled for one reason or another.  I've also had great successes professionally.  Several of my students have passed the final, daunting English exam after literally years of failing.  I've seen professional growth in some of the teachers I work with and a huge increase in students motivation to speak English.

I couldn't be more glad that I have another year here.  In fact,  I wish it was longer.  Who knows the future...

            

Loving My Deep Mountain Cabin

Six Month Mark

Right after training I had the overwhelming image in my head of a great white canvas.  Being provided with brushes, oils, paints, and a multitude of other resources, I was to design this canvas in the way in which I saw fit.  Throughout the many years I spent in school and in my first job at the law firm I was told exactly what to do and how to do it to succeed.  This was the first time in my life I had the freedom to create. A freedom that was daunting.  Throughout the first couple months of service I was just getting my face out there (getting to know the community, the educational system, the strengths, the needs, and the dreams of the community members).  I started a multi-level English community class as way to get my feet wet for the school year started in February.


As the school year started I had two main issues:  The first was exploring how to balance my time between three institutions: two elementary schools and one high school.  The second was learning how to teach an English class. Although I had learned many theories behind teaching (student-centered learning, the think-pair-share method, communicative activities, the importance of seating arrangements, the whole shebang of non-formal education (aka the Peace Corps model)), I had yet to really put those ideas into practice. This all resulted in very very lengthy planning sessions. My saving grace during my first couple months in site was the soccer field. Getting some exercise, interacting with other young people, and having fun were crucial to my sanity during the transition into my new life in Sabanillas de Acosta, San Jose, Costa Rica. After playing soccer we would go hang out at an abandoned cabin and eat ice pops or walk to the top the mountain and start a campfire. Looking back on my first three months it was so beneficial to be able to connect with these kids and get to know them outside of the classroom before they became my elementary and high school English students.  


Months four, five, and six I really saw some things start to kick off.  I started a grant writing process with one of the elementary schools to get money to fund a typical dance group and a choir in the elementary school.  The beauty in this project was that it was fully supported by the community as the idea originally came from the principal of the elementary school.  I´m pumped about the kids having an opportunity for self-expression and character development.  Plus, extra-curricular activities around here are slim to none.  


I lead five ladies in my town in their first yoga session. Started walking on a more or less regular basis with some of the women in my town.  Had a live Skype session with my first and second grade classes and my wonderful mothers class.  Exchanged e-mails, videos, and PowerPoint presentations with two other teachers back in the States. Tutored a guy in his 20´s so that he could retake his English exam to get his equivalent of a GED (and he passed!).  My Dad and GRANDMA came to visit me for wonderful week of being pampered.  


And! One of the most exciting news to share is that my high school Spanish teacher, Sr. Yutzy is in Costa Rica right now with ten of his students!!!!  They are coming to my site next Friday to spend a day in one of my Elementary schools playing games, sharing culture, making art, and cooking cheese empanadas.    


Peace Corps is always telling volunteers that we have to be patient.  It takes time to see results.  Which despite all of these praises, is VERY true.  These six months have been full of high highs and low lows.  And through all of it I continue to strive to be here now.  To not idealize the past or day dream about the future but live each day in the present and to more than ever be true to who I am.      


I often ask myself, why did I decide to be a Peace Corps volunteer?  Was it to get out of being a townie? Yes.  Was it to see more of the amazing world we live in? Yes. Was it to improve my Spanish? Yes. Was it for personal, interpersonal, and spiritual growth? Yes. Was it to help others? YES!  But as is often true in life, sometimes you learn later on why you ended up where you are.  I´m here for the ride.  To experience life and all the beauty and tragedy that comes with it.

What Makes a Tico a Tico?

I been noticing little things about Ticos that make them unique and entertaining:  You always know when a Tico is around because you can smell their perfume from a mile away. Ask any CR volunteer and they will agree.  They have a slight obsession with cleanliness and are surprised when I don't shower every day. The smells here in general are pretty overwhelming and repulsive.  Be it too much perfume, the daily burning of trash (including plastic, eek!), the gasoline-like smelling stuff they clean the floors with everyday, or the pollution.  It's a common occurrence to see me poking my head out my bedroom window to breathe-in fresh air or notice me holding my breathe at different times throughout the day. 


Ticos always have multiple bars of soap in the shower because sharing soap is just "too personal."  Don't walk around the house without shoes on...anytime..ever or you'll get sick (or so they tell me).  Beware of giving out your cell phone number.  One must be prepared to receive daily sentimental fowards about love, friendship, and the trials of life. And they might get upset if you don't respond promptly. On that same vein, if you want to make friends, just start watching one of the overly dramatic soap operas that all on all of the 7 channels available.  My best friend here, Yancy, LOVES them.  Want a mid-day snack?  Do it the Tico way and just eat halls (you know those cough drops?)  And lastly, if you want to meet up up with a Tico at 6, tell them 5 and maybe they'll make it on time.


Training is now over and I am in my site where I'll be for the next two years.  About 2.5 hours southwest of San Jose, Sabanillas is deep in the beautiful mountains. The landscape here goes without words.  The roads aren't paved and the rainy season every year is hard on them, so if you decide to visit (which I hope you do) get ready for an extra bumpy ride.  Four buses pass by my site every day, two going to the city at 5:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and two returning at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  This lack of frequent public transportation has attributed to my newfound ability to wake up at 4:45 a.m. and fall back asleep on a yellow school bus that has my body jolting up and down.

I'm living with a precious older couple, Dona Tuna and Angel. They have TWELVE children together, many of whom live in the houses surrounding ours.  Angel has 3 other children with another "amante" meaning he has a total of 15 children. Quite the carbon footprint, eh? Dona Tuna is quite famous here for her cooking abilities, particularly her tortillas which everyone has informed me are making me more robust and according to them more attractive.  I disagree entirely.  Every morning I wake up to the sound of her flattening tortillas with her palm.  She boils the corn and then grinds it, adds a little salt, flattens them, and then cooks the tortillas over the wood-fire stove.  All of my food is cooked over the wood-fire stove.   


Since I've been in site, a little less than two months, I have been tutoring some students here in English who failed their class last year.  They each had the opportunity to take an exam in early February that would determine if they would have to retake the class to move on to the next level.  Erika, a 13 year old girl who lives down the street asked me consistently every week to work with her.  She texted me as soon as she found out the results of the test that SHE PASSED!!  I haven't heard from all the students but I know of at least two others that passed as well!  Summer break has come to an end and classes started up on Thursday.  I'll be working in two elementary schools with about 35 students each and one high school with 200 students.  It's great to know that the work I'll be doing here could have potentially life changing effects.  With the ability to speak English, the odds of getting a good job spike.  Thanks for reading and I hope to write again soon.