Cold and La Catalina

It's been a while since my last post; I apologize! I was quite under the weather last week and am just finally getting back to 100%. We had last Monday off work, so I went into work on Tuesday and Wednesday before having to succumb to the bug inside of me and make a home for myself on the couch. I camped out in the house all of Thursday and Friday, getting up only to transfer from couch to bathroom to bedroom. Finally, by Friday afternoon, I was starting to feel functional again which I was very excited about because I had signed up for a women's church retreat and was really looking forward to going.

Deciding I was strong enough to go to the retreat, I got picked up by Judith at about 4 pm on Friday and headed up into the mountains overlooking San Jose. We stayed at a cabin/hotel accommodation called La Catalina, an area of beautiful lookouts and serenity. There were about 25 women at this retreat, with the youngest being me and the oldest being in their 70s. Each of these women have SUCH amazing stories of faith, travels, and barriers. I could have spent a day talking to each woman! The retreat was full of singing, worship, testimonies, small group discussions, free time, eating and alone time. I was so relaxed leaving the retreat, feeling refreshed and reconnected to my faith. I also formed better relationships with many of the women at the retreat - something I'm very thankful to have! 

I've been told that my blog has too many words and not enough pictures (sorry Chase!) so I'll keep this one short. The pictures above are from the farmers market in Pavas that I took a couple weeks ago. I took some pictures at the retreat, but don't currently have my camera cord so they're stuck in my little Canon. Todo bien!

Dia Mundial del Habitat

Well it was a big week leading up to a big event on Saturday: World Habitat Day! This is not an event or day exclusively for Habitat for Humanity, but any organization dedicated to putting an end to unsuitable housing. We partnered largely with Un Techo Para Mi Pais, a Costa Rica-based organization working to reduce the poverty situation. It was a great event despite the rain that never seemed to end. 

I started my week off on Monday with a meeting for the Little Theatre Group, a theatre company that I'm going to be doing some publicity for during my time in Costa. It was great to meet some more people, have a glass of wine at the Shakespeare Bar, and learn about this theatre community. I'm excited to see the plays while I'm here and make more connections.

On Tuesday night I went to Kate's, who is a friend and co-worker, for dinner with a couple of my other co-workers. I am going to be housesitting and cat-sitting for her so we made sure that she had told me everything I need to know and whatnot. It's going to be nice because I'm within walking distance of the grocery store and a park now, so I won't have to take cabs. Another big plus is that there is 24 hour security! In a country of robberies and crime, that is a big comfort. The rest of the week went as usual, day in and day out with work, meetings, phone calls and beautiful mornings met by dreadfully rainy afternoons. A mellow Friday was spent staying in, happy to be falling asleep to the sound of a rainstorm outside my window at 10 pm.

Saturday morning, being as incapable of sleeping in as ever, I was up and ready to rock by about 7:30. After going for a run, showering and eating some breakfast, I decided to head to the Farmers Market in Pavas and take advantage of one of the few Saturday mornings that I am actually in the San Jose area when the market opens. After yet another frustrating cab thanks to the driver misunderstanding where I wanted to go, I finally made it to the market. This time I took the risk of bringing my camera, determined to capture some of the essence that the market releases. I was rewarded with some pictures that I am very pleased with. I bought some fruit, coconut juice straight from the nut (chop off the top, stick a straw in and drink up!) and a flower plant. I was very fond of my plant back home in MN and I had to leave it with my roommate Deutsch (if you're reading this, that plant BETTER not be dead!). This plant doesn't hold a candle to the other, but it will have to do. It can be my project to bring it back to life I suppose. So after the market I headed home - I had to meet my boss Steve at the Best Western near my house at about 1.

At about 1:05 I was on the road to Parque Morazan with Steve, my boss who is from the States but has been living in Costa Rica for about 10 years I believe. We had a a bamboo shelter on the roof and a backseat filled with cardboard - the makings of a shelter for the concert. They don't call us albañils for nothing! We got to the park, set up the stand, and were set to go. Until it started raining. Knowing very well that October is one of the rainiest months of the year, we hoped that God would side with an organization like Habitat for Humanity and give us a dry day to celebrate. Silly us. We had the stand up, with cardboard roofing and was leaking streamlines of water onto our heads and bags. Thankfully, for once, I had remembered my raincoat. A great moment in rainy weather is the moment you accept and decide you don't mind that you're going to hopelessly wet, so it's pointless to avoid the drops. We all seemed to have decided so in our minds early on. After all, there was work to be done. And we realized that we were truly living our mission - we were being forced, if only for a few hours, to find refuge under a less-than-ideal shack with a leaky roof and mud floors. If I wanted to complain about my current circumstances, a reminder to myself that millions of people in Latin America alone live like the this night and day, while simultaneously trying to care for their children and make a living. It was another moment that resonates in my mind as I think about why I'm here and what could have possibly motivated me to move from my friends, family and everything familiar in Minnesota. My mission was re-established and firmly planted in the grounds of Parque Morazan.

At about 5, the first band went on. There were 3 total, covering a variety of genres - funk, ska and salsa. Each brought their own flavor and style to the concert, complimenting each other perfectly. I drifted between the stand, the stage and cleaning duty - my official job for the concert, although I did little more than line garbage cans with plastic bags and put a roll of toilet paper in a port a potty. I can barely call what I got to do a job, taking pictures of the bands, the crew and the audience. I was happy to be running around with the camera, despite the fact that an umbrella had to be attached to my other hand to keep the camera dry and the shots raindrop-free. Boy was that audience a lively bunch! When the second band, Sonambulo, hit the stage, the electricity was buzzing throughout the crowd. What an incredible from the back of the stage - not only could I see the band, but behind that I could see a crowd soaked head to toe, dancing barefoot and carefree. It was a moment I will not likely forget soon, and to make sure that the memory would never fade, I took a video on my camera. I'll likely post it to Facebook. The band was truly amazing, so I hope you can all get the chance to either look them up or watch the video on my Facebook. 

The concert wrapped up at about 8:30, with the salsa band finishing up. I was looking rather out of place during this band, clearly not a girl who had grown up in the culture of this type of dance. After cleaning up and getting the soggy cardboard out to the garbage, Steve and I loaded up into his car to get home and dry. I was drenched head to toe! But couldn't have been happier with my day. On the way home I experienced my first known sighting of prostitutes. Steve told me that there is a large prostitution problem in San Jose, something I hadn't known before. Probably because I've thankfully never found myself walking around downtown San Jose at night! It was quite the sight, seeing them standing there in lingerie on the street. I never go a day here without learning something I find shocking, odd or entertaining. After getting dropped off I immediately peeled off my soggy clothing and got into the comfiest clothing I have here - my long sleeved Breast Cancer 3-Day shirt (I was cold! Can you believe it?) and my trusty hospital pants. It was to bed without even a second thought! I would bet I was asleep before 10. Boy am I my father's daughter!

This morning after my usual a.m. routine I wanted to go check out this exhibit I had heard about, involving art, crafts, photography and music. It was at a place called the Centro National de Arte y Cultura (CENAC) in downtown San Jose. Being that I had looked up the entire name and the street intersections, I assumed that I would be fine in getting where I needed to go with the help of a taxi. I wonder when I'll learn that the taxi's need very specific directions to get anywhere. I took the bus downtown where I found a cab, only to be disappointed. He didn't know where this building was, nor did a number of other workers. In Costa Rica, I would be better off telling a cab driver that the building is 100 meters north of the old mango tree than telling them it's at the corner of 5th street and 10th Avenue. I got back on the bus frustrated but determined to get to this event, so I went home and researched more. After feeling certain I could get myself there after some map work, I hopped back on the bus downtown and found a cab. Thankfully I had enough information this time, and after some typical conversation about my nationality and reason for being in Costa Rica, I arrived at the CENAC. 

To my relief, the event was pretty entertaining! I has put too much effort into finding this location to have it be sub-par. The court area was filled with paintings, carvings, jewelry and photography done by elementary-aged kids. It was very cute. There was a stage area set up where a few musical groups performed, all very entertaining. I ended up not staying as long as I would have liked, due to a slightly creepy man who was following me with little effort to look as if he wasn't. Following closely behind me as I walked through the art and sitting 2 seats away from me during the music, I was nervous that he had seen my camera and wanted it or decided that since I was a gringa I would be an easy target for an attack. When he slid over and was now sitting directly next to me, I decided to call it quits and walked out. Thankfully, he stayed so I was able to leave and get a cab. My #1 possession here is my camera and I will do everything in my power to keep it safe. It's just tough to balance that out with my desire to photograph the city and events. 

After getting home from the CENAC, I spent a little time relaxing before church. At church we had a jewish dance group come in and teach us some moves. I love the atmosphere of the church, as we are a smaller congregation and therefore have the freedom to do activities not possible for others. Tomorrow is a national holiday here, so I don't have to work - always a nice way to ease into the week! And 4 days is always easier than 5. I hear there's snow coming down in Minnesota - hopefully there won't be enough to be making snowmen before Halloween. Better plan for those costumes to have winter coats underneath! I'll leave you with something my pastor finishes every service with and helps me remember to make the most of every day. 

Friends, life is not lost by dying.

Life is lost minute by minute,

hour by hour,

day by dragging day,

in a thousand small, uncaring ways.

Parque Nacional Baurilo Carrillo

Ahh, another Sunday evening and another wonderful weekend. I just got home from church a little while ago and was able to Skype with Maggie and Deutsch, and then Ron and Shannon. It's always a great way to end an evening! Church was really great tonight. A much needed couple of hours to relax and soak in the warmth and community feeling that the church has. After a day today that ended up being more stressful than relaxing, I was happy to sing and chat with the congregation. And what an odd coincidence that for the past 3 Sundays, when we are praying, a huge roll of thunder comes barreling through the break the silence. Someone must be listening! But let me rewind to my week and weekend.

I had the great chance to attend a recital last Wednesday. It was a recital of one of my co-workers sons, who will be graduating from the British School of Costa Rica with an international bacheloriate degree in music. I believe in Europe, or at least England, they graduate from college with a concentration rather than a general degree, but this was very different from the high school experience I knew. As part of his graduation standards he had to compose music and play that as well as traditional music in a concert. He played the guitar and was quite phenomenal for 18! He played it with more of a flamenco style so it felt very cultural as well. I was very impressed and had a great time. 

I realized while walking home on Friday what a routine I have fallen into during the past few weeks. Some parts even down to the slightest details. It goes a little something like this. If you don't want to read my schedule, I'm sorry. Skip to the next paragraph; I'm writing this blog. :) I get up every day at 6:10 am. By 6:25 I am out the door to go for a run, where I do 6 laps around our neighborhood. Without a doubt, a man in a house is always watching out the window and whistles as I run by. Although I have never responded and never intend to, he keeps his routine as well as I keep mine. I always run past a woman who is walking her child to work, a security guard and his friend who aren't doing their jobs, and a boy walking to school (I assume). After my run it's inside to get ready, watch part of the Today show (a part of my routine from MN that I was very happy to be able to keep!), and go eat breakfast. Every day, breakfast is rice and beans, tortilla, egg whites, fruit, and juice. No variety, but I look forward to it every day. Buen Dia, the Costa Rica version of the Today show, is always on in the kitchen as everyone comes and goes to head to work. I make my lunch, either last nights leftovers or a peanut butter tortilla with fruit, and I'm on my way. I walk to work and work from about 8:30-5. Lunch is spent outside in the front entrance area reading my book of the moment and eating lunch. After work I walk home, where I walk past a security guard who says hello and gives me candy, and walk under an apartment where someone is adamantly practicing his drums. Past the MegaSuper where the birds are so loud in the trees that you can't hear anyone else talking, and across the highway where you have to pick a small space to run through between cars if you don't want to stand there waiting for a half hour. No injuries to date. At home, I relax for a bit before 6 pm dinner. Dinner is some sort of meat, carbs and vegetables, tea to drink. Patricia, knowing my sweet tooth, always has suckers in a bowl to cure my craving after her delicious meals. I'm so spoiled here! The evening is spent reading, painting, watching tv, Skyping, and whatever else I need to get done. In bed at 9:30 or 10, and in the morning I'm back at it again. It's a schedule I'm pretty fond of, and I definitely notice the smaller details more than I ever have at home. I'm not sure if that detail of my daily schedule was so much for you all as readers as much as it was for me to look back on later and remember my days in CR when I'm back in MN enduring cold winters.

This Saturday I went to a national park to do some hiking. I got up around 7 on Saturday to get ready for it, and my roommate Lois had decided that she wanted to join me as well. Since I have done a lot of the traveling on my own, I enthusiastically welcomed her on the adventure. We got out at about 9 am, getting on the downtown bus where we'd have to get to another terminal to catch the bus to the park. The terminal was one of the more confusing ones that I have been to so far, and we had some complications with language barriers. Whenever I think my Spanish is getting me far, I have frustrating moments like these where I just can't seem to communicate what I'm trying. But eventually we figured we were getting on the right bus, and decided that even if we weren't going to the right place, it would still be an adventure. I've learned to take everything a little more lightly here - it would be far too stressful to be too Type A here. This whole country seems to be very Type B. The bus ride was only about an hour, and most people were going all the way to the Caribbean coast so we had to watch where we were going to ensure we got off at the right spot. Thankfully, a gracious woman had heard us talking to the bus driver to make sure we knew when to get off, so she had her son go up to the front of the bus when we were close and remind the driver to stop for us. It was such a great and unexpected gesture; we were both very grateful for her thoughtfulness! 

We got off at a point that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. I was wondering if this could REALLY be the destination. We found a man sitting in a makeshift admission shack and paid him about 5,000 colones (10 dollars) for admission to the park. There were only 3 trails, each around 2 kilometers, which is rather absurd considering the park is about 117,000 acres. But having read online that there have been casualties as a result of people veering off the trail, I decided to stick to the path. It was a very dense, humid forest that felt like the most real rainforest I've been in yet. We also only saw two others the whole time, which was very nice in comparison to other parks where hikers are swarming.

After hiking one of the longer trails, we asked the park ranger where the aerial tram that we wanted to take was located. He let us know that it was 3 km down the highway, and without having any other options, we started walking along the highway. We soon found ourselves walking only about 6 inches from the road along an uneven, weed-infested path of grass up to our calves. With each car that drove by we felt the wind of their speed and the heat of their tires. When the semi's drove by (often), that feeling was intensified by about 10. It was helpful that my back was to traffic passing us, as I didn't have as good of an idea just how close these vehicles may have been. Lois suggested that maybe we consider hitchhiking to get the 3 km. Hastily, I agreed - hitchhiking is still very common in Costa Rica so it didn't seem quite as dangerous. We probably didn't last 1 minute with our thumb out before a truck pulled over. The back of the truck looked like a pig coop, and as I stood there looking at it I was thinking we were going to be sitting back there if we accepted this ride. Thankfully, a cop car was right behind the truck and turned on it's siren to advise them to keep going. The cops offered us a ride and we took it graciously, thankful not to be in the back of the pig farming truck (Mom and dad were not too fond of this story). After a quick stop to get roadside strawberries, we arrived at the other part of the national reserve.

After buying our tickets to the tram, we were off. The tram wasn't as exciting as I had pictured. Still a new experience, but after 15 minutes of looking at tree tops it all starts to look the same. There is a plethora of information to be taught by the guide, but most of the scientific names he was rattling off went over my head. The pouring rain added quite a bit to the adventure though, and really reinforced that we were indeed in the rainforest. After the tram we went hiking with the guide, who once again had an abundance of knowledge for every tree, plant and animal we passed. After a snack, we were headed back to the highway to catch the bus as it headed back to San Jose. Again, as we weren't at a bus stop or anything remotely similar, we stood next to a sign hoping that each car that drove by giving us the peace sign or honking their horn didn't accidentally lose control on the corner they were turning. If they did, we were directly in their line of destruction. After about a half hour we got picked up along the road and headed soundly back to San Jose. 

That evening I had a meeting with some people from a theatre in San Jose called the Little Theatre Group. I met one of the publicity guru's at church, and he asked if I'd be interested in lending a helping hand and I said absolutely. Although I was scarred from theatre during a performance of "Aladdin" in about 4th grade, I still love the theatre and think I'll feel more comfortable working on the sidelines. So I met with a few others to talk publicity and meetings. I've just started working with them, so I'm sure I'll have more to talk about once I get more involved with the theatre. 

Today, as I said earlier, was a day that started out with great intentions and ended more stressfully. This morning I just did laundry and lounged around until about 1, when I left to find my way to Moravia, which is a barrio (or neighborhood) on the outside of San Jose. I was going there to have coffee with Greta, a friend I met downtown a few weeks back. I discovered on the journey that I pretty much live in a neighborhood on the exact opposite side of Moravia, in a neighborhood called Uruca. A half hour cab ride later and a great deal of re-explaining and rattling my brain for all the spanish words I've acquired, I got dropped off at the church that I was meeting Greta at. I got there a little before 2, and like clockwork the rain started coming down when I stepped out of the cab. Not just a drizzle; sheets and sheets. Of course, I had looked at the sky before I left and decided I didn't need my rain jacket. The sky can never be trusted here. I'm wondering when I'll learn that. So I stood in front of the church, looking helpless and very gringa I'm sure, happy to see Greta walking up with an umbrella. We sadly discovered that the coffee shop was closed (nothing is open on Sundays here) and so we decided to go back to her host families, where there was warm lasagna and juice waiting. That sounded amazing to a wet, cold, cabby me. I met Greta's three American roommates at her house, all of whom seem very nice and welcoming. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon! I was dreading the ride home though.

 Getting in a cab, I knew immediately that I would have problems explaining to the driver where I needed to go. After repeating my location a number of times and having the driver mis-understand, I had ended up in the wrong area a few too many times. Thankfully, we found someone who spoke english because I was very close to tears of frustration. The man was able to explain to the cab driver what my destination was, so I got to the bus stop and then rode the city bus the rest of the way back to my house. Unlocking my front door was a great relief after a stressful day of transportation. Soon after, I was picked up for church by Judith where I spent the evening relaxing and talking with people who are quickly becoming my friends and supporters. I'm really looking forward to get to know the others in my church and have another community to turn to. I have such a need for support and family in my life, so although I left all those I knew in Minnesota, I know that I can find a group here as well. I am just realizing that it doesn't come as easily or quickly as I had hoped. I was so spoiled in Australia in that I made my best friends at orientation within the first few days of arrival. We immediately bonded and within a couple weeks we were a tight knit family. On that note, a BIG congratulations to Pete and Caity, two of my friends from Australia, who got engaged last week! I am so excited for them and can't wait for the wedding :) Peace, love and sustainable housing to all.