“Sandwiched by Gringos” (5/12/2010)

As announced through Facebook, I finally received my site assignment! For the next 2 years, I will be living in MonteCarlo de Cajon in Perez Zeledon. There is much to say about the beauty of Perez Zeledon; but until you have seen San Jose, the beauty of Perez Zeledon cannot be understood. Think Cinderella and her ugly step sisters: San Jose is loved by the stepmother but Perez Zeledon is prettier and kinder.

As I write this, stories of the past week continue to pop up. So please excuse me beforehand for the randomness of this blog.

“Mommy has always wanted a brown daughter.” First, this past Thursday, PC took the trainees and their counterparts (members of the communities that will host and work with us). As in PC tradition, things are never as simple as: This is your Counterpart. Instead, we had to find our counterparts by asking questions. After finding Maureen (counterpart / sister) and spending the day conversing, she made a phone call to her mother. “Mami, the volunteer is exactly what you wanted.” She hangs up the phone and explains that her mother has always wanted a morenita (brown girl). When Maureen and her sisters were born, the mother was disappointed that they were blancas. Therefore, the mother is very happy to have me living with her. I died laughing and made a mental note to share this, particularly with Collette. I wasn’t insulted or even shocked.

As far as I’m concerned, I’ve had the most positive, welcoming experience with my complexion. I’ll put it like this: If I didn’t already know that black / brown was beautiful, Ticos have boldly remarked on the beauty of my skin. Example: Standing at the bus stop at noon, a random person states that my brown is the most beautiful color that she has ever seen, especially with the sun reflecting off of it. But I share this because it reflects the bluntness of Ticos.

“Sandwiched by Gringos.” Heading to my site for a week signified a new phase in my Peace Corps service. First and foremost, it marks the transition from Trainee to Volunteer. After swearing in on May 21, I will be living amongst Ticos and speaking Spanish 98% of the time. Seeing Americans & / or my fellow volunteers will require that we make arrangements to meet up in the nearest city or wait until official Peace Corps training. Or at least I thought this before arriving in my new site.

Seventy percent of my new site is owned by foreigners. A Swiss families owns a large farm and employs majority of the town. Actually, this family established the town by bringing the original families to the area in order to work the farm. The farm’s main product in coffee, but it also has sugar cane. Who owns the other 30%? Not quite sure. There are 300 permanent residents and I suspect that majority of them own their land. But interesting enough, my 3 closest neighbors are….Gringos!! While two of them own property and come to Costa Rica for vacations, the third neighbor is a Returned Peace Corp Volunteer (he served in Peru, Jamaica and a 3rd country) and lives here year long.

Best View in Costa Rica. When revealing our site assignments, my program director gave me a couple descriptions: 1) I have the best view in Costa Rica and 2)My family spends all of its time on the back porch. He definitely understated the beauty of my new site! I didn’t take photos of the new site, but trust me, it is absolutely gorgeous! My entire site is on a slight incline with only three road. My house lies off of the main road with the front porch facing the road. But the back porch overlooks La Valle de el General. The family eats EVERY meal on the back porch. There is also a hammock and I have claimed it as my thrown, so useful for watching sunsets and sunrises.

Get on the scale! My final night of site visit summed up my new life with my host family. While eating dinner, my host brother brings the Mom a shirt to be ironed. The Mom looks at him and then brings out the scale. While weighing him, my host sister reveals another of the Mom’s secrets: to fatten me up. YIKES!!!

El trabajo. While the visit was overall pleasant, it also demonstrated that I actually have a job to do. My job title is even more defined by the community’s expressed needs: build a new clinic; new ebais; school cafeteria; computer knowledge; youth group; women’s group; English. The only thing that concerns me is building things. Sidenote: I won’t physically be building anything! If I am involved in infrastructure, it will entail that I help the community petition different government agencies for funds and approval to build. While I explain my role in building to you, its more so something that I will have to explain to my community: the role of the volunteer.

But that’s jumping ahead (building things.) My first 3 months will be spent completing a diagnostic of the community: attending meetings, identifying and helping the community to prioritize the needs; and identifying the resources (human capability as well as financial and goods), interviewing people, etc…

I think that this random collection of stories/thoughts describes my site visit. If not, no worries. Two years to fill in the blanks!

Significance of Pura Vida (4/25/2010)

“The eyes are in love and the heart continues to grow.” –My inner conscious spoke these words as I rode a 7 hour long bus to my training site.

In the US, “southern hospitality” is definitive of Americans welcoming others into their homes. It is being offered sweet tea and warm conversation. After a relaxing visit, it’s leaving with a comforting hug that is filled with sincere invitations to return. Southerners proudly claim this hospitality. And while Northerners love their “fast paced, eventful, culturally enriched lives,” the thought of visiting family and / or friends in the south and being showered with that hospitality brings smiles and a moment of relaxation to one’s face.

Just the thought brings Chapel Hill to mind.

Well, imagine that hospitality to the nth degree. That would be enough to describe my visit to San Vito (southern part of Costa Rica near the Panamanian border.)

This past week marked the 6th week of training, also known as Tech Week. Myself and 9 other trainees went to visit an outgoing volunteer in a little town in San Vito called La Pintada Piedra with 700 inhabitants. If I could determine my ideal site, La Pintada would be it!

For details of events and a little political reflection, see “Role of Government and the Citizen.” (coming soon)

In addition to the various organized activities we witnessed, what made this trip remarkable was my host family. This family was composed of a mom, dad and three children (14, 11 and 7). Time with the family was simple: meals, watched telenovelas and futbol, played dominoes and answered a million questions. This family was of limited means as well. There house was a one floor dwelling perhaps the size of my living room, dining room and kitchen combined. (Imagine the biggest room in your house and that would accurately describe this family’s home.) But the emphasis on family and the pure pleasure they received from being amongst family was absolutely incredible.

This emphasis on family extended to friends and guests as well. The family welcomed me into their home as if I were the eldest daughter that went to the big city for college and was returning home for Spring Break. After 6 days with the family, I departed feeling like the daughter returning to college with goodbyes and advice from loving parents.

This family (and most of the Costa Ricans I have met) are content with life. They have been blessed with family and each knows that they are truly loved. In loving themselves, they are able to share their love with a community.

I think that I finally understand the phrase “Pura Vida.” (A popular phrase in Costa Rica that is typically the response to everything.)

Here, life is pure. Costa Ricans place emphasis on the simple things of life: family. They live in present while reminiscing about the past.

Thinking of the past allows them to reflect on the progress they have made while allowing them to enjoy their ancestry. For example, their ancestors were coffee producers and it was the source of income for all families. Today, coffee may no longer be the main source of income, but the significance of coffee is still as strong. Sharing cafecito (a cup of coffee) with family and neighbors is a daily activity. While sharing the cafecito, memories are exchanged and conversations are soulful. The present self is happy and life is fulfilling.

The future (as we define as progress and improving the world) is of no importance in one’s heart. Instead of chasing dreams and keeping up with the new technology, they focus on the happiness of their family and appreciate the technology currently available.

La Comida: A collection of thoughts regarding food

In two years, one of two things will happen: 1)I will vow never to eat rice & beans again or 2) my mouth will become a battle ground between my dentist and cavities. Actually, they both are likely.

While reading this, you’re probably thinking “What’s for dinner?” or “I want something different for lunch.” In my Spanish vocabulary, those sentences do not exist. If my hunger forces me to pose a question, then it would be “What will I eat with gallo pinto.”

Rice and beans are a daily part of my diet. I eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Surprisingly, I have no complaints again eating gallo pinto every day because  mi Mama Tica usually dresses it up. For example, for breakfast she will prepare gallo pintos w/ cilantro, toast and fried eggs. Lunch might involve “alimenta”—which is a salsa of sweet onions, tomatoes, and herbs—for the gallo pinto. Believe it or not, even the texture of rice & beans can change based off of how she reheats it.

But no worries, I am getting plenty to eat. Vegetables of all type. Fried chicken. Hamburgers. Beats. Salads. Tortillas. Tomates (spelling). Espaghetti. Pastas. Bananas (ps…there are three types in the banana family. One type is extremely small and you can cook with the gallo pintos..The second is platanos and must be cooked before eating. Then there are bananas!)

Not sure how far I can carry this list but my daily meals usually include some variation of the above. The reason that I am just writing this blog is because I have a hard time learning the names of foods here. Regardless of what I eat, my last sentence at any meal is “Estoy llena” in response to mi Mama Tica encouraging me to eat more.

One of my more interesting encounters with food involved spaghetti. My host sister cooked spaghetti for lunch and it was absolutely delicious! For dinner, Mama Tica reheated the spaghetti and placed the plate in front of me. I couldn’t hide the smile on my face. As I’m eating, she brings a bowl of beans and says “the rice is almost ready.” I kindly decline and she looks at me as if I’m crazy. My Aunt Tica tells me that spaghetti without rice & beans is not enough to eat. I chuckle but sternly decline the rice & beans.

I’m thinking that the spaghetti fulfills enough of the required food categories. But in their opinions, rice & bean is another food category that must be eaten at every meals!

Still, no complaints. It doesn’t bother me and I’m sure that I can eat it for 2 years. After that, I’ll view them as oodles noodles and refuse to eat them again.

While gallo pintos describe one aspect of Costa Rican food, sugar describes another. In the past month, I have seriously lacked a sweet tooth. Twizzlers sound wonderful in theory, but I could survive without them because I am constantly eating something sweet.  Platanos. Platanos en miel (honey). Tapas de azucar. Chiverre. Pan dulce. My intake of sugar here is probably lower and healthier than in the US. The difference is that I am not deceived by the amount of sugar in mi comida. When I eat platanos in honey, I am fully aware that it is soaked in sugar.

Before I forget, in the past 2 weeks, I visited a coffee farm and a sugar farm. The farmers took us through the entire process: planting, collecting, processing, etc… Both field trips ended with us tasting the products. I’ve never appreciated a product more than coffee from the farm and sugar in its purest form.

Alright all, that is it for now. I am leaving my town in the morning to go to San Vito, a place close to the Panamanian border and will return in a week.

If you have not done so yet, please send me your mailing address!

-Q

El Camino de Jesus

To all, Happy (belated) Easter!

My parents would be proud to hear that I attended church ceremonies about 4 times this past week. According to my calculations,  I have experienced enough religious ceremonies in the past week to meet the quota for attending church for the next two years.

As a Catholic country, Costa Rica celebrates Semana Santa with a passion! Schools were closed the entire week and all businesses closed from Wednesday to Sunday. The Life, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ are not only celebrated; they are reenacted over the week.

The Civil War reenactments are put to shame by this town’s reenactment of Jesus’ crucifixion.

I’ll avoid giving an itinerary of events. But just a taste of La Semana Santa:

Friday’s theme was El Camino de Jesus y La Crucifixion. At 9 am, a procession started in Jerico (2 hours away from San Juan Norte). Members of the local church carried statues of Jesus and one of his Disciples From Jerico, the procession stopped in every town and carried out the activities of Jesus. Here are some pictures pictures of the stopover near my house (it’s also where Mary and another Disciple joins the Walk).

 

The procession approaching my houseCloser look. Image of the Alter Boys (and girls) with the Priest

Mary waiting for Jesus (Jesus was also a statue) 

More alter boys

Mary Magdalena

I forget his name…but its the guy that helped Jesus carry the cross

 

A disciple

You know the rest of the story.

What is that smell?

Have you ever walked around thinking “What is that smell?” You smell it so much that you become paranoid and start to slyly smell yourself? Your body begins to sweat profusely and the smell becomes stronger and stronger until your nose recognizes the smell of shit? You attempt to stay away from others to save your reputation. The only thing on your mind is a nice hot (or cold) shower. You can just imagine the dirt running off of your body and into the drainer?

Well, that was my day. Its been the past couple of days actually. I apologize for the graphic image and assure you that it wasn’t actually the smell of .... Smelling my clothes after a nice long shower, I realized that they didn’t smell at all. It was not the smell of fresh laundry that I love. Instead, it was the scent of a long, hard day of work—in the sun.

The days here are long and hot. Each day, I estimate that I do an hour of walking. Which isn’t bad and I actually enjoy it (I’ll be returning with some strong legs.) But the sun is strong and violent!

(Photo of Nisha on the mountainous road we walk every day)

Why exactly do I walk so much? More importantly, what am I doing here?

That is an easy question, and I love the answer: I am learning about Costa Rican culture. The American taxpayer probably wouldn’t like that answer but it is the Peace Corps approach to development.

On Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, I have Spanish class. Half of the day is spent in the classroom and the other half, we walk around the community and practice with the locals. Tuesdays, I go to Jerico for class. The class discusses development: different methods of development, how to use our skills and different tools in a community, how to assess a community’s needs, etc…  On Thursdays, I go to San Jose (1 & 1/2 bus ride) for medical, technical, safety training.

 

L to R: Nisha & Meredith in our Spanish classroom

If that sounds like an easy job, just remember that I wake up at 5:45. Complete a 9-5 day. Return to my community to practice and familiarize myself with the community. All done in the sun.

 

(Taking the 6am bus to San Jose)

Why are these activities important? Well, Peace Corps take an interesting approach to development: Helping people help themselves. PC volunteers do not enter communities with projects lined up. Nor do we independently determine what a community needs. Instead, we perform activities with the community to help the community identify what it needs. Then we make sure that the community has the necessary tools to implement the change. Think of the proverb: Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. But teach a man how to fish and he can eat forever. (Or something like that).

But to do such, we have to be able to integrate ourselves into the community. To understand the culture and speak the language. My success here cannot be measured by projects (especially not now.) As of now, I only have the sweat running off of my body and into the drain.

Free time: I am having a great time with my host family and my fellow Tico 20s! Two Saturdays ago was Jacob’s birthday (another volunteer). His host family had a barbecue and all of the volunteers in the area came over. Music, dancing, birthday cake, enjoying Ticos!

This past Thursday was my host mom’s bday. I had to go to San Jose that day and tried to rush home to celebrate with her and the family. As I was walking up the hill, they started to sing Happy Bday. But my host sister saw me and made everyone stop and then restart after I was comfortably placed among the family. :)

Playing Pool…Not exactly work related, but deserved.

Goodbye English, Buenas Espanol

March 5, 2010

Stationed next to my bed are a pair of tennis shoes and a fleece because there is a possibility of another small earthquake in Tres Rios, Costa Rica and I am prepared. The key word being “another.” Experiencing my 1st earthquake (along with 6 other women in my retreat room) involved us remaining immobile for 30 seconds. Finally, we got up and just stood around. Common sense would have been to go outside, but we didn’t associate the moving of the earth as an earthquake. Smart girls, right?

The California ladies just diagnosed it as a 4 on the measuring scale. Let’s just hope that we have no more tonight because I am too excited about meeting my host family tomorrow to focus on my safety in an earthquake.

Retreat is coming to a close. Throughout, I’ve found it draining on my energy. Sitting around all day receiving information, drinking lots of coffee (perhaps 4 cups per day), and socializing with my fellow Tico 20, I was mentally drained! But today has been the best day of retreat and marks the start of life with my host family.

We finally received our host family assignments and community assignments! Drum roll…For the next 11 weeks (3 months), I will be living in San Juan Norte with the Quiros Hidalgo! Family members:

• Maria (Mom)
• Jorge (Dad)
• Jorge (Son)
• Briggitte (Daughter)
• Dogs:  Sami

March 6, 2010

Donde Estoy?

Dear English,

I started to tell you a story about how Peace Corps blind folded and dropped me and my 2 suitcases off randomly on a mountain, telling me to fend for myself. But as I stated before, the integration process is thoughtfully planned and implemented.

Retreat ended at noon and then we loaded the bus to begin the 1 & 1/2 travel away from San Jose to a rural community called San Juan Norte. San Juan Norte is located in the mountains and is a drive with great scenery. The roads were well paved, so there wasn’t any danger. The bus dropped four of us off in San Juan Norte and our host families met us there.

Meeting my host families, I had two concerns: 1)the language barrier and 2) their reaction to receiving an African American volunteer. We didn’t talk much on the ride to their house but I did hear them say “negra” and “like to dance".” I laughed at this and the mother (Maria) turned around and said “You understand Spanish….” Both fears were short-lived. (I later learned that they hosted another black volunteer)

Arriving at the house, I was thoroughly impressed. It is a cute log cabin with a breathtaking view. Jorge built the house for his family and focused on giving it character and modern conveniences. The kitchen is large and has everything that a US kitchen has. But its the tile and craftsmanship that stands out and allows it to retain the Costa Rican flare. The bathroom is tiled as well and the focal point is a glass shower. Before I forget, my bedroom resembles my room in Suitland. But instead of being lavender, it’s Carolina Blue!!!! My room also is also off of the balcony, which faces the incredible view. To give you a visual, I would say to think of a vacation cabin in the mountains of the US.

                                                        

(A view of my house from the main road…Look at the top left hand corner for my house.)

Enough of the house, la familia es mas importante. Communication is not a problem. I understand 85% of the language (when they speak slowly) and when I do not understand it, they repeat it.

• Maria, the mother, is a sweet and loving woman. She is a stay at home wife and prepares all of the meals as well as keep the house spotless. She is very patient and I just found out that she sews.
• Jorge, father, is a crafty man that seems to be very much about family. We usually sit at the dinner table together waiting for dinner to be served and he is really good about engaging me in conversation.
• Briggette, sister, is a 24 year old art teacher. She is talkative, which makes it easy to communicate. She is also patient and speaks a little English. She actually traveled to the US to visit an older brother in New Jersey, so we had lots to talk about. She loves American music as well.
• Jorge, brother, is a 19 year old that works in an auto store. He speaks a little fast, but I will catch up eventually. He rides a moto (motorcycle).
• Danny, brother, lives in NJ but travels back and forth often. He has two little girls with his wife in NJ and works for a translation company.  Danny speaks fluent English. Maria has nicknamed him “My walking dictionary” because when I struggle for a word, Danny provides it.
• Carino lives about 10 minutes away with her husband and son, Sebastian. Sebastian is an active 5 year old that drinks coffee. He beat me 5 times in a game of Jingo.
•  

Oh, did I say that this family is very modern? Electronics are very much dominant in this house: PS2, Xbox, Dell computers, video games. Oh, did I mention that there is internet in this house? I’m being spoiled.

 

Well, that’s enough for now. Goodbye English. I am using you less frequently except in writing this and my thoughts. Buenas Espanol.

 

-Q

“Oh The Places You’ll Go”

Dear Dr. Seuss,

Let’s just say that today’s been a long day. Six hours of flight has left me less than delight. The entrance to San Jose has been a sight. Ending our destination at 8…

Alright, enough with the rhyming. Traveling from the US has been pretty uneventful but the company has been great. I’m getting to know my 55 fellow Tico 20 volunteers. We are an interesting, lively and diverse group.

After arriving at our retreat site (PS: It was a convent but converted into a retreat / conference site), we met our Country Director. Understanding our long travel and desperate need for rest, his welcoming message was a bedtime story: Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. Easing our fears and anxieties about being in Costa Rica, he sent us off to bed.

All of that was to say that I made it safely, now off to sleep under these sheets.

(No more lame blogs, I promise.)