One With Nature?

So much has happened since the last time I wrote, but once again, I will try to limit my post to the highlights.

Last weekend I visited my year long site to meet my family and drop off half of my luggage (Yes, I brought that much stuff). It took about 4 buses to get there, but it was so worth it. I rode the first three buses with some of the other volunteers and the last bus I rode with one other volunteer and her host mom. They got off before me so I was left in the hands of the bus driver and the random older man sitting next to me. I had my instructions of where to get off so I wasn’t nervous. The volunteer before me showed me pictures of my new family so I had an idea of what they looked like. When I saw them approach the bus I quickly gathered my stuff. She then approached the bus and said “¿Hay una gringa?”(Is there an American?), and as I hopped up everyone turned and stared at me; so much for blending in. The truth is I really wasn’t embarrassed. I felt more like that school child sitting there with her lunch box patiently waiting for her mom to come pick her up from school. I was so happy to see her.

I live with a mom and her nine-year-old daughter in the house and the rest of my family lives up and down the hill. The whole family probably lives within a one mile radius from my house. My family is so sweet and tried to include me in everything they did, whether it be going to the plaza to watch the soccer match, going to the pulperia (general store) to play video games and eat snacks or pile on my mom’s bed with four other members of the family to watch TV. I was even invited to my grandmother’s house to pray over the Nativity scene, where they also prayed for “Kiara.” I guess I will answer to two names this year.

My house is located in the mountains and the views are just breathtaking. I will be able to look out my window every morning and look at the mountains which still seems so surreal. If I stand outside my house I can even see the Turrialba Volcano, which is dormant, though there is smoke at times. Hopefully it remains quiet because I am definitely not the run from lava type. I believe that my time in Costa Rica will make me a more “tranquila” person. My weekend in San Ramon was a great indication of that.

I spent my time running around outside in the dark looking for armadillos with my mom and sister, eating everything my sister and cousin gave me from the trees, with the exception of the red chili peppers they tried to trick me into eating (I may need to assign more homework for trying to trick the teacher); and just getting used to all the insects and animals that live there. Believe it or not I am not really afraid or grossed out by any of it. Even when my host mom brought what appeared to be a grasshopper into my bedroom and the leg fell off on my bed I kind of just laughed it off with her (though I’m sure PETA is probably looking for us.)

I returned back to Orosi and my host family there with a new outlook on nature. One night I was sitting with my mom chatting at dinner when my new tranquil state was put to the test. She had just finished saying that she does not like cats when out popped Mickey. It was as if he had heard us and came to chime in with, “yeah me either.” I nonchalantly said oh there goes a mouse and pointed, and after she saw him he ran away. I am still amazed at how “tranquila” I was about the whole situation. If you know me well, you know they are the second critter that does not sit well with me. To give you an indication of the level of fear I have, I will admit that: I have stood on a chair for 5 hours until my cat caught a mouse in my house; I have been sent home from work because I behaved so badly when there was one at the office; and called the after hour emergency line in my apartment complex because I could not sleep know it was there (I still think the laughter on the other end of the phone was uncalled for). So for me to be so calm was a huge deal.

Perhaps I am becoming one with nature. I don’t freak out as much when I see “cucarachas” or when I had to remove the giant dead one, who had previously guarded the hallways, from under my bed. May he rest in peace. Hopefully I continue with this positive outlook, because critters are everywhere, so the only thing to for me to do is just embrace them.

P.S. The picture is of one of the cutest lizards I have ever seen. He was in my classroom and only about the size of my index finger. I wanted to touch him, but I remembered some of the animals are poisonous so I thought it better to not risk death for a lizard.

Tears, Fears and Everything in Between

I'm sure everyone is dying to know how my first week in Costa Rica went. I am going to try to give you as much info as possible while still getting to the point. (Those of you who know me well know this is no easy feat.) I want to start by saying getting to Costa Rica has been a long journey for me: the saving, the planning and the fretting of course. I appreciate all of the support from my friends and family. People have been so generous and for that I am extremely grateful.

Ok so I left January 8th and yes, I cried all the way to the airport. I flew into Miami where I met up with some of the other volunteers and had a pre-departure meeting with our program advisor in the U.S. From there we took two flights to Costa Rica; the first had a layover in El Salvador and the second was direct. I’m sure you can guess which flight I ended up on. Anyway the flight from Miami to El Salvador was great because I got the lucky seat next to the baby who screamed the whole way. Upon arriving in El Salvador I forgot the golden rule “don’t flush the toilet paper,” so if you hear reports of the airport in El Salvador being flooded it’s probably because of me. Whoops! Fast forward to my arrival in San Jose where I went through immigration and definitely got stopped because I didn’t have my return ticket (we have to change the date so we don’t actually have them yet). Luckily I speak Spanish well enough to actually explain the situation otherwise me and one of the other volunteers may have found ourselves having a completely different adventure. When both groups finally got through the airport we took private buses to San Jose to a hostel called Hostel Bekuo where we stayed the night in camp style bunkers. The place was neat and clean so that was a plus.

There are currently 18 volunteers (one more who will be returning to complete a second year shortly), a field agent and an assistant. We are all together for Orientation this month in Orosi and later go to our respective sites. My site San Ramon is located close to the city of Turrialba in the province or Cartago. We stay with host families at both our orientation site and our year long site. I currently live with a Grandmother a mother and 13 year old daughter. They are all really sweet. Oh yeah they have a dog too. His name is Tommy and he definitely hates me. I have to use my key and enter through the front door instead of the side door aka “his door” because otherwise he just might kill me. Yesterday I tried to pet him and he bit me; and not in that cute playful way that most dogs do. He definitely was trying to draw blood, so needless to say I don’t really mess with him.

The setup of orientation is Spanish classes in the morning and “charlas” (talks) in the afternoon. I am in the highest level in the Spanish classes of course, but I am still learning so much because we are learning words more regional to Costa Rica and are reviewing grammar, which is perfect since it has been a while since I have used a lot of it.

So far things have been great. I have gone hiking and survived; all the people (Gringas and Ticos) are really nice; and the food is great. If anyone decides to send me anything please let it be fat pants because I fear that the rice and beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner is not going to help me lose weight. So far I would say that the majority of my experience has been positive. If I had one complaint, it would be the “cucarachas.” I’m sure you know that I am afraid of the ones in the U.S. However, here in Costa Rica they are a whole other variety. If I were to describe them I would say they are mutated versions of ours and triple the size. I hate going out of my room at night because I know they are out there waiting for me. I go with a flashlight, which generally scares them away except for the one yesterday who wanted to have a standoff, so we basically just looked at each other for a good five minutes until I gave up and ran back to my bedroom.

I am still in what they call “initial euphoria” phase of the cultural adjustment curve where everything is wonderful and I love being here. Hopefully this lasts longer then the projected one week to two month period because the “irritation and hostility” phase that follows seems kind of scary.

Side note: To anyone who read to the end of this entry; I thank you. I will work on making them shorter, but believe it or not I left so much out already.