My new home for the next 2 years

…is Bijagua, and I’m pretty excited about it!

So I went to visit Bijagua this past week to get the lay of the land, meet my new host family, and start to poke around a bit. Short version: Bijagua, my family, and possible projects are all awesome! Long version:

The community –
Bijagua is a rural town in the north of Costa Rica, pretty close to Nicaragua. It is located between two volcanoes – Tenorio and Miravalles! It is at the heart of the biological corridor of the two volcanoes, which also means that there is lots of wildlife around. It sounds like I will have neighbors such as monkeys, sloths, poison dart frogs, lots of birds, and of course a fun mix of bugs and even scorpions! And on the volcanoes, there are hot springs and lots of waterfalls and rivers (disclaimer: water pics are not mine – have not been there but will right that soon enough). There’s one river called Rio Celeste that is named for its beautiful blue waters that are due to the minerals that mix with the water. And there is just so much beautiful nature all around with great hiking. In other words, lots of extra incentive to visit me!

One of the harder things to deal with will probably be this non-stop rain that I’ve heard about. But I figure I’ve worked up a lifetime rain deficit while living in southern California, so it will be good to work some of that off. And it is also the reason why everything is so green and beautiful, so vale la pena. And besides, it will be a great excuse to sport some stylish rubber boots.

There are fields with cows and horses all around but there is a bank, internet cafes, primary schools and a high school, a few markets, hotels, etc. It is also pretty accessible by bus, right on a main road – short 4-hour bus ride to San Jose. I really feel like I’ll have the best of both worlds – a rural town with bastante resources.

(I didn’t take many photos this week, but I’ll post more once I do)

Living Situation –
I will be living with an older couple about the same age as my parents. They are a really nice couple and a hard working team. Alcira (my new mama tica) is an artist and her art is painted on the wood pieces or within the wooden frames that Rafael (my new papa tico) creates. Alcira plans on teaching me some art while I’m there. They also sell different homemade corn products (cornbread, empanadas de chiverre, etc) every day throughout the community that they bake in their outdoor concrete fire oven – yum! On that note, I will definitely be well fed while I am there, as Alcira is a great cook. If you are reading this blog you probably know that my happiness is pretty connected to food. La cocina is another art that Alcira will be teaching me. I just will have to make lots of use of all the beautiful trails so as not to double my weight while I’m there, eating so much good food. Their children are grown and out of the house, but one of Alcira’s daughters has a daughter and they come by often as they live in the surrounding barrio. It will be nice to come home to a tranquila house with some good food after a long day.

The house itself is a lot more typical of rural houses, with walls that don’t reach the ceiling, less sealed off from the outside, and cold showers. The last one is probably the one that is a little harder for me. But I’ll just have to plan my exercise around my showers to warm up beforehand. More encouragement to keep off those cornbread pounds!

I will be living with them at least for the first 6 months of service (PC CR rules recently changed from a year to 6 months required to live with a host family). After that I can move out on my own if I find a safe and affordable place. It would be nice to have a place to call my own, but I also appreciate the time with a family, learning the culture, practicing my Spanish, integrating into the community, eating well, etc. We’ll see how I feel and what I find when 6 months rolls around. But I think it will go really well.

Project Work –
I am really excited to be able to report that it sounds like I will have a plethora of possible projects in Bijagua.

One fabulous resource that I have for my first 2-3 months is named Ryan. He is the PCV that I will be replacing. After his 2 years in Bijagua, he has tons of projects already going that I can continue to work with such as the Empresa de Credito Comunitario (ECC) (Community Credit Enterprise) – a micro credit institution where the community members pool their money to loan to themselves and therefore there is a much better repayment rate and the interest from the loans goes right back to them. He is also helping a co-op to start up at the school in the neighboring community that will sell organic produce and fertilizer. He also has projects with women’s groups, the schools, and lots more.

But even though Ryan has done so many projects, there is still a vast potential for projects that I can help with. We’re going to try to get a farmers’ market started up, work with environmental groups, and help develop the tourism industry even more. Then there are possibilities of teaching business, English, or technology classes.

I expect it to be challenging, but at least there is lots of potential and a plethora of interesting projects that I am passionate about. Now I just can’t wait to get started.

So now we are back in our training communities for our last few days. Our official swearing in will be May 29 at the US Ambassador’s house. Then it’s off to our new homes. Exciting stuff!

Peace Body

I got back from our Tech Visit last Friday. We visited Kayla in San Mateo – awesome site and amazing volunteer. It was a whirlwind of a week, chalk full of activities so I’ll just give the highlights.

This area is known as the fruit region so it wasn’t surprising that one of our first visits was to a family who does just about everything you can with mariñones, which I had never heard of before I got to Costa Rica. So first we tried the fruit itself, experiencing its full bitterness. Then we all tried our hand at the mariñon-crushing machine they invented to process 10 times the number of cases as they had by hand (love the ingenuity). The juice that came out was immediately poured into glasses for us – talk about fresh. Then they showed us where they process the crushed mariñones to dry them and we got to try those as well, which were sooo delicious. And to finish it off, we got to sample the product that I actually already knew and loved but never knew the source – cashews! Cashews are the seeds of mariñones, which grow outside the fruit (I believe the only such seed). It was amazing to see how many delicious products come from the same fruit and are all processed by this small family.

The next day we toured an old mine, complete with bats flying in our faces, which I felt so well prepared for with my handy dandy head light. Then we spent the rest of the morning splashing around in the best natural water park ever. There was

a rock water slide that was too perfect to be naturally formed, rocks to jump off of, and a swing to jump into the water. It’s so funny how we instantly search for things to jump off of.

We also visited the Fabrica de Semillas de Mariñon (cashews) where they crack and peel organic cashews by hand. So delicious. The visit with the Artesanas de San Mateo was also awesome and made me want to do sculpture. They were such a talented group of women.

We attempted to teach English at the Telesecundaria in a neighboring community with mixed success. First of all, a Telesecundaria is a rural community’s version of a colegio (high school) when they don’t quite have the resources for a colegio. It is generally low on teachers and resources. And like many Telesecundarias, this one was in the Salon Comunal, with four different classes all in the same room. Combining the noise of the other

classes, the melting heat, the often fatalistic attitude of the students, the fact that a relatively high percentage of the students are already parents, and the lack of resources doesn’t make the teachers’ (or students’) job an easy one. But nonetheless, Leah and I taught a bit about how to describe someone. They all had to describe another student in the class. And though we gave them about 20 words, everyone ended up being ugly, fat, and stupid. It’s refreshing to know that 12-14 year olds are the same everywhere.

But then we also visited the colegio técnico in the town center, which was a world away. They have a computer lab, specializations to study (tourism, cooking, accounting, etc), and lots of projects (mariposera, compost, sell food, etc). It was much better off than my high school in the US. The tourism students even took us on a hike to the river. We saw monkeys along the way and ended up at another nice river, where we found some more tall stuff to jump off of.

A visit to the Ancianos place was an entertaining endeavor with singing, dancing, and even some magic. It was also the best Welcome sign yet (direct translation of Cuerpo de Paz).

We also got to teach an ICT class to some local business people. We taught Publisher to the librarian who made a library schedule and posted it immediately. How’s that for immediate results?

The last night we had a rockin’ party with all the host families and the rest of the community. There was salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, hip-hop, and more. It was a great way to end the week.

The next day we ‘debriefed’ our experiences from the week at the beach in Jaco. Such a nice and much-needed vacation…I mean debriefing. Though Jaco is over touristy and a little sucio, it was a relaxing day with some swimming, sun bathing, reading, and nice food (I had been missing fish tacos dearly). The whole day just wet my palate for this weekend, when our whole training group will be taking our one vacation night together there.

My Triumphant Return to the Pacific Ocean

My first trip (hopefully of many) to the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.

After packing up, we were off just after 4am! Though it was the same road as last weekend, it was like a completely different road – I have a whole new appreciation for shocks and loading a car with the recommended number of people! And I was very impressed with the way Jacky just went for it. She didn’t let the fact that she had never driven the road, with the crazy potholes, blind corners, inclines and declines, or anything deter her.

We arrived at Manuel Antonio a little after 7am, 3 hours after leaving (much better than the 5 hours it would have taken via paved roads). It was almost surreal digging my feet into the sand. The place was ridiculously gorgeous – beautiful sand, the waves crashing, rocky islands just a bit offshore, and dense vegetation right up against the beach. To top it off, not 10 minutes after getting there, we spotted some monkeys in the trees! Now I really feel like I’m in Costa Rica!

After going for a walk down one half of the beach with the girls, Katie and I jumped in the water and swam out past the waves. The water was so calm and the perfect temperature – not the frigid waters of San Diego nor was it the bathwater-warm I had felt in Nassau. And it was so salty that it was the most relaxing thing to just float there chatting with Katie and taking in the breathtaking scene around us. But when we came back in, we got pummeled by the waves. Upon exiting, I was removing clumps of sand from within my swimsuit. I’m sure I’ll be finding grains of Manuel Antonio for days.

When we came out, we were apparently muy valiente for swimming so far out. We did notice that we were literally the only people out past the break, though the water was filled with people a foot in. Apparently my little sisters are pretty privileged to be taking swimming lessons. It sounds like unless you live next to the beach, it’s rare to know how to swim here, which is somewhat opposite what I’m used to in the US where it is rare to meet someone who cannot swim. So apparently, it is more common to go to the beach and just splash around in the shallow area.

As I dried off, I just lay under the shade on the beach, reading my book for some time – very nice. Then Jake, Katie, and I walked to explore the other half of the beach. We got to a rocky division and climbed through to find the entrance into the National Park of Manuel Antonio. Upon inquiring, we found out that it was 1,200 colones (just over $2) for CR locals and $10 for us “rich” gringos. Quite a difference! I have heard that our PC IDs should get us local prices at a lot of places so we decided to take advantage of the hours of exploration upon returning another day with more time (which we all intend to do at some point).

We returned for some perros calientes that weren’t so caliente and some delicious sandia, which somehow always tastes better on the beach. Then Katie and I went to check out the touristy / shopping scene. There were some really great crafts and products that really reawakened the consumerism in us. I quenched the thirst by splurging 2,000 colones (about $4) on a wrap that can double as a skirt, shirt, and dress in a few different styles – a must-have for Costa Rica.

We came back for some more swimming. But this time we were yelled out of the water prematurely by the lifeguards due to the apparent rip currents. So the rest of the beach day I spent lounging and reading my book, which was fine by me. It was so nice to just be a tourist and be on vacation, where the most difficult and pressing matter I had all day was to decide if I should go for a walk, swim in the ocean, take a nap on the beach, or read my book. I definitely want to go back to Manuel Antonio on a longer vacation. There were definitely a lot of people there and it was touristy, but there is a reason everyone goes there. I plan on returning. Perhaps with visitors? Hint, hint.

The next day we went to Playa Bandera. This was yet another gorgeous beach. It had seemingly endless with waves, beach, and forest, but it lacked the overpopulated attendance that Manuel Antonio had. It was really nice to be at such an empty beach. There was even a rio feeding into the ocean that allowed the Ticos that had a bit less swimming ability to enjoy the little pools it created.

Katie and I made our first business to walk down the beach, find some shade under some palm trees on the grass, plop ourselves down on our towels, and read / nap. Que rico. We headed back in time for a lunch of the yummy arroz con pollo and another round of sandia at the beach. Then Katie, Jake, and I took a long walk down the beach. Though we walked about 2 miles, we still saw no end to the beach – it seemed to go on forever. It was also home to a myriad of caracoles, all scurrying into their hole in the sand as we approached, beautiful shells, sand dollars, rocks, and coral, which made me wonder what was just off the coast under the water.

After the 1.5 hours of walking, we cooled off by finally jumping in the ocean. It was a weird feeling to have to walk for so long before the water level increased at all since it was such a flat beach. Though we didn’t go past the break, the water was perfect and the waves weren’t too menacing. We did feel the strong current the beach was known for, but it was pulling us more ashore and to the side, not out to the ocean so it was fine.

Then all too soon it was time to go. It was such a ridiculously awesome weekend and the perfect vacation.

Supercalifragalistico Espialidoso!

I took a cue from Mary Poppins (in Spanish) on this one. I am just at a loss for words (sometimes because I literally don’t know how to say something in Spanish, others because it’s hard to describe even in English). Even though it hasn’t been a month since I last updated, so much has happened.

First of all, my family is really amazing – I’m spoiled. My little sisters are so cute and even though they sometimes don’t quite get the idea of my ‘me time’ (like at this very moment), I love them. And my ‘mom’ is still so fun and treats me so well. The food is great (it helps that I like rice and beans). And I’ve gotten to try interesting new fruits and vegetables that don’t exist in the US like granadilla and others that I can’t remember the names of. But I’ll have to watch myself with all the starch, otherwise I soon won’t be able to fit into the few pants that I brought!

I also really love the other PC Trainees (PCTs) that are going through all this stuff with me. I can’t believe we’ve only been together about a month. It is amazing how quickly you bond with people in a situation like this. It doesn’t hurt that they are all so remarkable and diverse, and yet in this for excellent reasons. I’ve especially bonded with the three others in Tarbaca – Katie, Mark, and Jake. Team Tarbaca is amazing and I’m so glad I have them to go through this portion of the adventure with.

Training has had its ups and downs. A lot of it is common sense or a little too much detail. Then there’s a lot of talk about safety, security, PC rules, etc. But there is some interesting stuff. Last tech training day, we really got into some more detail about microfinance and about FINCA, the PC counterpart here in CR. Some current PCVs came in and talked about the work they had done with FINCA and it sounds like a lot of the sites will have an existing Empresa de Credito Comunitario (ECC) which is basically a community based lending enterprise that FINCA helps to set up. It’s a really great concept and I really hope I get the opportunity to work with one. Not only am I very interested in microfinance, but I think it would be a great counterpart to work with and a great contact to the other businesses and the rest of the community. They even have a kids program that teaches financial principles to youth.

My Spanish is still improving, just always slower than I would like. Even though I’m using it a lot, I know that once I get into my site and I have no choice but to really speak it 24-7, it will improve a lot quicker. I’m still struggling but I can almost always get the gist of what’s being said and can get my point across. I just can’t wait until I really feel like I can have a conversation without having them repeat themselves so much, or sound like a 5 year old when I reply.

One of the coolest things so far was the PCV Site Visit, where we got to go visit a current PCV in their site to see an example of how it really is to be a PCV and what some of the communities are like. I got to go all the way down to a few kms within the border of Panama to visit Cristina. The bus ride was almost 8 hours, but I literally got to see about half of CR. About an hour after I arrived, I was at the wedding of Cristina’s host brother. It was really a treat to see, even though I couldn’t really understand most of it. Then afterward there was a reception at the multiuse gym, complete with disco balls and a DJ. The food was good and there was even a bit of dancing. There unfortunately wasn’t much salsa music or partners, but we did a bit of merengue and even the abuelos got a little jiggy with it.

The next day we went to a BBQ at the house of a US PHD student who is doing work with the local coffee farmers. He had a pretty sweet set-up and 3 hammocks to boot. There were a handful of other people and we grilled hamburger and chicken on a grill made from a wheel. It was great company, food, and music. Really it was just nice to relax a bit since we haven’t had much time to do that during training. The next day we went to a botanical garden, ate some pizza and postre at the old Italian settlement community. I left really early the next day.

During the whole trip, I was asking questions and finding out as much as I could about ‘PCV life.’ Even though there is no ‘typical’ PCV life, it was satisfying to really get to see an example of a little of what my life might be like. I learned a lot from the trip and can see that the lack of direct management and exact direction will both make it exciting and challenging. It will be nice to be able to create my own job description to a degree, but it may also get frustrating or daunting when a next step is not always clear. But now that I’ve had a taste, I really can’t wait to start my service. I know that I will have some really low points ahead of me, but the amazing highs along with the challenging times is exactly what I signed up for.

Another recent adventure was going to the rio the other day. Let’s just call this dia loco. A lot would be explained by simply understanding our guia for the day – Jeraldito. This man is probably one of the most interesting characters I have met. He is the abuelo in Jake and Marks’ families and is somewhere in the 80’s range. But you wouldn’t guess it by the way he plays futbol and goes for ‘short walks’ (aka 4 hour hikes) – definitely in better shape than me. But a lesson we learned very quickly is that you are always in for an adventure when you decide to let Jeraldo take you somewhere, and el dia loco was just no exception. I knew it was going to be an interesting day as soon as it was apparent that we were supposed to fit 11 people and a caged bird (we never figured that one out) into a car where 7 passengers would be pushing it. My mind went back to my geometry and physics classes trying to figure out how in the world the 12 bodies of mass (can’t forget the bird) were supposed to fit into the area that was parked in front of us. But somehow it happened and off we went. After about 30 minutes on curvy paved mountain road, we came to the end of the pavement. Then the real fun began. This road went straight up and straight down, making great use of the 4-wheel drive we had. Poor Katie was shoved in the back with 4 other people with her head hitting the back window every time we went over a bump. Well after almost 2 hours of that, Katie’s body had had enough, and she was down for the count the rest of the day (probably a combination with something else her stomach wasn’t liking). When we arrived, we were all a bit off, and the heat was not exactly helping. So after a cafecito, we walked down to the rio, which was at a pretty low level, but still so refreshing. Even though there was a strong current, there wasn’t really anywhere where our feet couldn’t touch, and it made riding in the intertube more fun. After a full day and a good lunch, Jeraldito wanted us to go to another finca, but we were having none of that, so we finally loaded back into the car (along with the bird, of course). We weren’t on the road for more than 20 minutes when Jeraldito was telling the driver to pull over and before we knew it, they we disappearing down some side road to explore a finca. It was a test of patience waiting for them to return (I imagine just a taste of what’s to come). Once they came back with some really ugly lemons, we were off again. I was just thinking that the day was over as we neared pavement once again when boom! The tire flew off the car, no, the tire didn’t blow, it literally decided to no longer be attached to the car it had been supporting. I guess it becomes less unbelievable when one considers that it was only screwed on with 2 lug nuts (instead of the recommended 6) and that it was carrying much more weight than it was made for on roads that made it bounce a lot higher than any car should have to put up with. It was just such perfect icing on the top of the day’s crazy cake. But it also was a lesson in the generosity of Ticos. Some mechanics stopped when they passed us and helped put the spare on (after reshaping the wheel a bit). So though we considered walking or hitch hiking, the same car ended up getting us home. This day was definitely a test of our patience and flexibility. But I have the feeling that I will look back on this day and laugh at how crazy I thought it was when I compare it to some of the other experiences to come.

Of course a lot more has happened, but those are the highlights and about as much as I have energy to write and you probably have energy to read. I guess the takeaway message is I am having the time of my life while learning about Community Economic Development (CED), Spanish, Tico culture, flexibility, patience, and such while having some great adventures. Of course I miss all of you, froyo, running on the beach, Balboa Park, and my Salsa clubs, but I truly am excited to be where I am and for what lies ahead.

Estoy en Costa Rica!

I am FINALLY here and not only healthy but so excited and happy to be here doing what I am! Here is a quick rundown of the past week to get you up to speed:

I made it to Washington, DC on March 9 for staging after a slight anxiety attack that morning before leaving. Though it was very sad to say my final goodbyes at the airport and the days leading up to it, I was excited to begin my adventure.

In DC, it was so fitting and exciting to have the time to explore the Mall before getting started. Seeing the Capitol building, Lincoln Memorial, and White House for the first time was great, just before I left the country for over two years. The other exciting part about staging was just starting to meet the other 52 amazing people who would make up Tico 19.

After a 1:30am (!) checkout of the hotel, no sleep, and lots of waiting at the airport (the fun scene to the right), we were on our flights to Costa Rica. We arrived in the late morning of March 11 in Costa Rica, sleep-deprived and weary, but so thrilled. We were finally there after all the endless preparations!

They loaded us and our luggage to take us to our retreat in the mountains (pictured to the left) for a few days of introduction to Peace Corps and what the next 27 months would hold for us. They were days full of information and questions. Though we were definitely sheltered and didn’t get to experience much of Costa Rica during this time, it was so amazing to get to know the rest of Tico 19. I can see how they will be a great source of endless entertainment, support, and friendship these next two years and beyond. There are some very astonishing people here with me! I also got a little bit of information about the program I will be working with – the Community Economic Development program. It sounds like it will involve work with micro-financing, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. It sounds like such a perfect fit for me and I am so thankful that I am getting this kind of opportunity to use my skills in such an amazing way!

The amazing Tico 19!

Then sooner than I realized, we were off to our training communities, where we will be staying for the next 11 weeks until we swear into PC officially on May 29. Here we will be getting intensive language, technical, cultural, etc training. I am so excited about my new Tico family! My ‘Mama Tica’ is younger than my sisters and so spirited and kind – I already love her. And I also finally have some younger sisters! I now have little sisters that are 8 and 3 years old. They are so cute and fun, I love being a big sis. They have made me feel so welcome, and I am so thankful to have such an awesome family!

These are my cute little sisters

And mi Mama Tica

The community itself is so precious. It is in the mountains (1,800 meters altitude) and there are beautiful views everywhere I look. It’s pretty small (I’ve heard estimations of the population ranging from 500 to 1,200) with some really neat small businesses. There are 3 other PCVs from my program here and the rest of the PCVs in my program are in the surrounding communities. I am very excited for all our training and I can already see how much my Spanish will improve here. While I still get frustrated or can’t understand sometimes, I often find myself thinking in Spanish and understanding most conversations. But I have lots to learn about Spanish, as well as all the technical subjects and the culture and everything else. I am so excited for everything that lies ahead and am so thankful that I have this opportunity. I really feel like I am in the best place for me in my life right now.

I miss you all! Please keep in touch! Pura Vida!

Bienvenidos

Welcome to my blog! I am leaving for Peace Corps Costa Rica next month and I figured this is the best way to keep everyone updated on my adventures without flooding everyone’s inboxes. I can’t promise how much access I’ll have to the internet, but I’ll try to keep it up to date.

So now for the details to get you up to date on what in the world I am doing:

First of all, for those of you who don’t know, the Peace Corps (PC) is a governmental agency started by JFK in 1961 to promote international understanding and peace. PC sends educated Americans to participating countries to aid in development in a wide variety of areas including Education, Health, Agriculture, Environment, Business, and more. Each volunteer serves for 27 months, living with the locals, speaking the language, and hopefully helping the community in which they serve. For more info: www.peacecorps.gov

For those of you who know me, know that I have wanted to do this for quite a few years now. I first started seriously considering PC when I went on Semester at Sea and experienced some new cultures, saw a lot of need, and wanted to have a more immersive and significant experience in a foreign community. I really decided PC was for me when I went on a 2 week trip to the Philippines with a group to help a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) who was stationed there. It was great to see how integrated she was in the community, speaking Tagalog, interacting with the community, and really making a difference.

Now I am going to be serving in Costa Rica as a Micro-Enterprise Advisor with the Community Economic Development (CED) program. I will be leaving March 9, attending a brief orientation in Washington DC, then flying with 52 other volunteers to Costa Rica for 11 weeks of intensive language, technical, cultural, etc training. During training, they will interview me and match my skills to the needs of a certain community where I will be placed for 2 years.

While I have a ‘job title’ I’m still unsure what my exact duties or projects might be until I arrive. But in general the CED program promotes entrepreneurial development by helping develop skills or enhance access and interest, especially for women and youth. They also stress the importance of environmental and social responsibility. I could be helping entrepreneurs start up a business, helping improve small businesses, teaching English or technical skills, or any myriad of other possibilities. I am so excited to be able to use my Industrial and Systems Engineering degree (which is basically a business and engineering degree in one) for something that seems to match my passions for international awareness, environmental responsibility, and mico-financing principles.

As for location, as I mentioned, I will not know where I will be living until training. But I will be in a rural or semi-rural community so it will most likely not be in the tourist hot-spots or ultra developed areas. I just hope that I will be able to access the internet and maybe some salsa dancing every once in a while. I definitely can’t wait to experience the Pura Vida I’ve heard so much about.