Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Xmas Plans
Well...I am heading to Guanacaste today to spend the holidays with a friend's family. I am not sure what my internet access will be like, so Happy Holidays! Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo! I'll be back in 2009....
Sunday, December 21, 2008
What Your Parents Don't Know Won't Hurt 'Em...
I tell ya, going to the hospital isn't all that stressful...when you are simply going along to provide a friend with emotional support. My friend Megan took a spill this past weekend trying to get into the boat when it was raining and managed to break her fall with her ribs, hitting the side of the boat (she did, however, not fall into the water, which kept her from potentially being eaten by alligators - always a positive). Seeing as how it hurts to lay down, laugh, sneeze, breath, and a few other common day to day activities, we figured it would be wise to head to the hospital to have some x-rays taken. In general, Megan figured the call home to her parents would go more smoothly if she could say the following: "Yes, mom, don't worry, it's fine. Yes, I went to the doctor. Yes, I got x-rays taken. No, mom, there was nothing broken. Everything is fine". It sure beats the alternative conversation, which would go like this: "Mom...it's not a big deal. I mean, it hurts to breath, but I am sure it's fine. Don't worry..." And then Megan's mom would spend half the night pricing plane tickets to Central America. So, hospital it was, and I told Megan I would come along for the cultural learning experience, like an excursion.
If there is one thing that the Megans have learned, and that they are teaching me, is that if you need to go anything, ask about ten ticos first, what they would do if it were them, or their kid. We took a poll during the day to get the general opinion of "How to approach a hospital visit in a cost and time effective manner", and we certainly received a few interesting answers. One person suggested that we call 911 and say that it really hurt and then we could go in an ambulance, which would mean that Megan would be seen much faster and not have to do so much paperwork or stand in the lines. Another person suggested that Megan act like she didn't speak much Spanish, for the same end result of avoiding lines. Two people suggested that she wear a skirt and lipstick. We were also told to be prepared for a four to five hour wait. When we swung by the apartment to grab some reading material and her insurance card, our neighbor Lance decided to tag along and his contribution was two decks of cards and a giant root beer float to share in the waiting room. Score!
It is amazing what sugar, cards, and good company can do to make you forget you are in the emergency room at the hospital. Two hours later (record time!) Megan had x-rays in hand and was heading to the pharmacy to pick up some prescription Advil. Not bad at all, and better yet, she hadn't broken or fractured anything. Just a nice bruise, a little R & R, and a calm phone call home to her parents in the States, although she did leave out the bit about the alligators in the water. These are things that you share with your parents a few years down the road when you are safely back in their house sharing a nice dinner and you can say, "Oh, did I not tell you about that time when I almost died?? Must have slipped my mind. Anyway, it went something like this..." You might get a scolding, but in general, all heart attacks and sleepless nights were avoided, and everyone is happy.
If there is one thing that the Megans have learned, and that they are teaching me, is that if you need to go anything, ask about ten ticos first, what they would do if it were them, or their kid. We took a poll during the day to get the general opinion of "How to approach a hospital visit in a cost and time effective manner", and we certainly received a few interesting answers. One person suggested that we call 911 and say that it really hurt and then we could go in an ambulance, which would mean that Megan would be seen much faster and not have to do so much paperwork or stand in the lines. Another person suggested that Megan act like she didn't speak much Spanish, for the same end result of avoiding lines. Two people suggested that she wear a skirt and lipstick. We were also told to be prepared for a four to five hour wait. When we swung by the apartment to grab some reading material and her insurance card, our neighbor Lance decided to tag along and his contribution was two decks of cards and a giant root beer float to share in the waiting room. Score!
It is amazing what sugar, cards, and good company can do to make you forget you are in the emergency room at the hospital. Two hours later (record time!) Megan had x-rays in hand and was heading to the pharmacy to pick up some prescription Advil. Not bad at all, and better yet, she hadn't broken or fractured anything. Just a nice bruise, a little R & R, and a calm phone call home to her parents in the States, although she did leave out the bit about the alligators in the water. These are things that you share with your parents a few years down the road when you are safely back in their house sharing a nice dinner and you can say, "Oh, did I not tell you about that time when I almost died?? Must have slipped my mind. Anyway, it went something like this..." You might get a scolding, but in general, all heart attacks and sleepless nights were avoided, and everyone is happy.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Oh there you are Costa Rica!!!
It took me about a month, but I finally found it. I finally found Costa Rica, the Costa Rica that I fell in love with in 2003. In Sarapiqui, the environment is harsher, not in an aggressive way, but rather a gentle refusal to consider human necessity or desire as part of the plan. It is a place that requires a certain type of human spirit - one that is flexible, full of acceptance, and willing to live on mother nature's terms. It is place full of change, a place that is always changing your plans, or reminding you not to to have to many. The river could, and often does, flood. The rain restricts what one can do, and to be agitated by the environment would mean maintaining a certain level of discontent year round. I decided that all of this creates an ambiance of relaxation, or at least of slowing down. The gentleness of this place was reflected in the eyes of every person that I met, flowing as freely as the river and the rain. All of the stress of San Jose, of horns honking, constant fireworks, cars backfiring, florescent lights, barred windows, and dirty streets was washed away. At times, in between the pitter patter of raindrops and the waves splashing against the boat, I could almost hear the wind whispering, "Tranquilo....tranquilo". Oh, the places you end up when you stop trying to plan and just let go and roll with the punches (or invitations)....
This past week marked the end of my month of Spanish classes at Conversa in San Jose. I really wanted to get away and head to the beach to bask in the sun, but my friend Megan convinced me otherwise. I cut my classes short by one day, so I could go with the Rotaract Club on their service trip to Sarapiqui. I didn't know what to expect - I was told to bring clothes I didn't care about, mosquito repellent, rubber boots, and that I wouldn't need a bathing suit because the river is full of crocodiles. Gulp.
Of course, I had to do it Sarah style, which meant squeezing in a night of dancing even if it meant total sleep deprivation. On Thursday night, David, fellow volunteer and avid salsa dancer, and I packed up our stuff, went Salsa dancing until 2 a.m., took a taxi to the apartment, showered, slept for 15 minutes, and then got up to catch the 4 a.m. ride out of town. There were ten of us total, sitting on the curb outside the church in the moonlight waiting for the truck to pick us (and the 10 garbage bags of presents) up. Dave and I were the only gringos, but his Spanish is perfect after living in Argentina doing mission work for almost two years, so I was a little "behind the tree" as they say in Spanish - translation: totally lost. However, everyone seemed to find the look on my face completely endearing, and they did a wonderful job of making sure I made my way out of the woods and into the conversation, even if it meant explaining things over and over again.
We loaded up the truck with our luggage and the presents/supplies and headed out in a mini-bus. Two hours later we arrived in Sarapiqui, where we all loaded into the back of a truck for the next two hours of the journey. As the door closed and we were left with darkness, people started cracking jokes about the "Migra" and border patrol, until the truck started moving and it was too loud to make talking worthwhile. Two hours later the door opened and our driver jokingly asked us for our passports as we all scrambled out of the truck to stretch our limbs. We then piled into a water-taxi for the final leg of the journey, and I was informed to keep an eye out for crocodiles. I spent the entire trip imagining the boat tipping, me falling into the water, and being pulled under and eaten alive. We finally arrive at "The Mission", a self-sustaining Christian mission camp/farm on the river. Anna, the founder, came to Costa Rica 15 years ago, and this place is the end result of over a decade of work. She and the volunteers eat what is available on the farm, and use electricity when the solar panels are working properly and candles when they are not. They have a main kitchen structure, another structure that serves as a bodega (storage space), and then they have a house boat with five rooms with bunk beds, where we slept for the weekend. It rains here 9 months out of the year, and I was really excited to break in my new rubber boots, which I had decorated with Rock Band 2 stickers spice them up a bit! Man o man, did they get a lot of use, as it rained 80% of the time.
Anna has been working with the Rotary club for the last few years to organize Christmas parties for the community. During the days we put on christmas parties, complete with masses, singing, puppet shows, games, bobbing for apples, handing out presents, and lots of laughing. The children were precious. At night, we sat around playing cards and telling stories in the candlelight. I feel like I made some long lasting friends, especially with a girl named Daniella. I liked Daniella immediately, mainly because she has short hair, and because she is hilarious. I also got to know Megan better, whom I will be sharing a room with for the next five months, and we get along really really well, which sure is nice to feel sure of!
I didn't necessarily want to come home, but Monday morning was the day that the Spanish school was coming to pick me up at my host family's house to give me and my suitcases a ride to Heredia, where I will be living from here on out. I gathered up my things and spent one last night in San Jose with my host family and then moved to Heredia. Daniella had called me to see if I wanted to come help her and her little brother set up her grandmother's Nativity Scene, and of course I accepted. We took a series of buses to get to Atena, where her grandmother and most of her family live. We then proceeded to put together the most elaborate Nativity Scene I have ever seen in my life, which included a number of animal figurines that I don't remember being part of the Bible but that she insisted on their presence, like dogs, a rocking horse, a giant rabbit, four or five little bo-peep look alikes, etc. It took up half of the living room! Her grandmother is 83 years old and still lives alone. I decided that there are five levels of fluency in Spanish - level four is UNDERSTANDING GRANDMOTHERS. She spoke very fast and I only caught about 50%, but she was a riot. At one point she looked me straight in the eye, and wagging her finger, and swore up and down that washing machines are a total joke (she prefers to wash everything by hand).
We stayed until the sun set and night came, and she fed us tortillas, gallo pinto (typical rice and beans mix), and arroz con leche until I was sure I was going to explode. We took the bus back to Daniella's house and I crashed on the extra mattress because it was too late to bus back to my house. I think that Daniella's family is going to officially adopt me for the holidays, now that Tom and I are going to move our Xmas travels to mid-January to ensure good weather. Her little brother helped me make a list of "Costa Rica slang" so I can fit in more. As we were laying in bed talking, Daniella asked me what I learned this weekend. I said that for the first time since I arrived, I feel like I live here - that I am happy to be here and have this country as my home. Like I am finally getting the hang of "Pura Vida". Life is good. Life is really, really good.
This past week marked the end of my month of Spanish classes at Conversa in San Jose. I really wanted to get away and head to the beach to bask in the sun, but my friend Megan convinced me otherwise. I cut my classes short by one day, so I could go with the Rotaract Club on their service trip to Sarapiqui. I didn't know what to expect - I was told to bring clothes I didn't care about, mosquito repellent, rubber boots, and that I wouldn't need a bathing suit because the river is full of crocodiles. Gulp.
Of course, I had to do it Sarah style, which meant squeezing in a night of dancing even if it meant total sleep deprivation. On Thursday night, David, fellow volunteer and avid salsa dancer, and I packed up our stuff, went Salsa dancing until 2 a.m., took a taxi to the apartment, showered, slept for 15 minutes, and then got up to catch the 4 a.m. ride out of town. There were ten of us total, sitting on the curb outside the church in the moonlight waiting for the truck to pick us (and the 10 garbage bags of presents) up. Dave and I were the only gringos, but his Spanish is perfect after living in Argentina doing mission work for almost two years, so I was a little "behind the tree" as they say in Spanish - translation: totally lost. However, everyone seemed to find the look on my face completely endearing, and they did a wonderful job of making sure I made my way out of the woods and into the conversation, even if it meant explaining things over and over again.
We loaded up the truck with our luggage and the presents/supplies and headed out in a mini-bus. Two hours later we arrived in Sarapiqui, where we all loaded into the back of a truck for the next two hours of the journey. As the door closed and we were left with darkness, people started cracking jokes about the "Migra" and border patrol, until the truck started moving and it was too loud to make talking worthwhile. Two hours later the door opened and our driver jokingly asked us for our passports as we all scrambled out of the truck to stretch our limbs. We then piled into a water-taxi for the final leg of the journey, and I was informed to keep an eye out for crocodiles. I spent the entire trip imagining the boat tipping, me falling into the water, and being pulled under and eaten alive. We finally arrive at "The Mission", a self-sustaining Christian mission camp/farm on the river. Anna, the founder, came to Costa Rica 15 years ago, and this place is the end result of over a decade of work. She and the volunteers eat what is available on the farm, and use electricity when the solar panels are working properly and candles when they are not. They have a main kitchen structure, another structure that serves as a bodega (storage space), and then they have a house boat with five rooms with bunk beds, where we slept for the weekend. It rains here 9 months out of the year, and I was really excited to break in my new rubber boots, which I had decorated with Rock Band 2 stickers spice them up a bit! Man o man, did they get a lot of use, as it rained 80% of the time.
Anna has been working with the Rotary club for the last few years to organize Christmas parties for the community. During the days we put on christmas parties, complete with masses, singing, puppet shows, games, bobbing for apples, handing out presents, and lots of laughing. The children were precious. At night, we sat around playing cards and telling stories in the candlelight. I feel like I made some long lasting friends, especially with a girl named Daniella. I liked Daniella immediately, mainly because she has short hair, and because she is hilarious. I also got to know Megan better, whom I will be sharing a room with for the next five months, and we get along really really well, which sure is nice to feel sure of!
I didn't necessarily want to come home, but Monday morning was the day that the Spanish school was coming to pick me up at my host family's house to give me and my suitcases a ride to Heredia, where I will be living from here on out. I gathered up my things and spent one last night in San Jose with my host family and then moved to Heredia. Daniella had called me to see if I wanted to come help her and her little brother set up her grandmother's Nativity Scene, and of course I accepted. We took a series of buses to get to Atena, where her grandmother and most of her family live. We then proceeded to put together the most elaborate Nativity Scene I have ever seen in my life, which included a number of animal figurines that I don't remember being part of the Bible but that she insisted on their presence, like dogs, a rocking horse, a giant rabbit, four or five little bo-peep look alikes, etc. It took up half of the living room! Her grandmother is 83 years old and still lives alone. I decided that there are five levels of fluency in Spanish - level four is UNDERSTANDING GRANDMOTHERS. She spoke very fast and I only caught about 50%, but she was a riot. At one point she looked me straight in the eye, and wagging her finger, and swore up and down that washing machines are a total joke (she prefers to wash everything by hand).
We stayed until the sun set and night came, and she fed us tortillas, gallo pinto (typical rice and beans mix), and arroz con leche until I was sure I was going to explode. We took the bus back to Daniella's house and I crashed on the extra mattress because it was too late to bus back to my house. I think that Daniella's family is going to officially adopt me for the holidays, now that Tom and I are going to move our Xmas travels to mid-January to ensure good weather. Her little brother helped me make a list of "Costa Rica slang" so I can fit in more. As we were laying in bed talking, Daniella asked me what I learned this weekend. I said that for the first time since I arrived, I feel like I live here - that I am happy to be here and have this country as my home. Like I am finally getting the hang of "Pura Vida". Life is good. Life is really, really good.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Good news
This is going to be a good week. I can feel it. Oh wait! Could it be?? Sunshine? Maybe that is what I am feeling?!! What a difference a little sunshine can make. It felt really nice to walk to my Spanish school today having to squint (I crushed my sunglasses the other day on accident and hadn't bothered to buy another pair due to constant cloud cover). When I showed up at school, there were five Christmas presents waiting in the classroom, as our Xmas present collection drive is coming to a close this week, and more people are bringing in their donations. More good news (because it will be great practice): I will need to make two presentations this week, for 30 minutes apiece, in Spanish! One is for a Rotary meeting tomorrow night and the other is for my class on a theme of my choice. I spent all day yesterday making a Power Point presentation about Austin that I am sure the audience will find riveting! I even included pictures of breakfast tacos, since that was about 70% of my diet. (Did you know that Austin was the site of the first tortilla factory in the United States?). When I was looking for pictures online, I stumbled across a picture of Leslie (a semi-famous male icon in Austin whose claim to fame is his dress code, which always includes a thong). I decided it would be a bit much for the presentation, but it did make me smile. The best part about making a presentation in another language that you are obviously not proficient in is that excessive hand motions are completely permissible, and almost encouraged (especially if you don't know the word). I am banking on the fact that there will be at least five words that I will try and remember that I can't, and with a minimum of one -two minutes of charades with the audience to get them to guess the word, well that is ten minutes right there. Just kidding. But not really.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
A little trivia...
Interesting Costa Rica facts that are not in any of the travel guides: 1) Paternity tests are not mandatory under any circumstances. 2) The penalty/fine for drunk driving is $40. Yup. $40 dollars. They just passed some legislation that will double the fine, but still, I think I have had library fines for that amount for a few overdue videos. Keep in mind, this applies whether you hit someone or not. 3) There is an island off the Pacific coast, San Lucas Island, that is now a protected wildlife area. From 1873-1980! it was a prison, and an incredibly violent one that that. Twenty percent of the people who went there didn't make it out alive. A prisoner, José León Sánchez (falsely accused who spent 30 years there until he was pardoned and released) wrote a book called San Lucas: La Isla de Los Hombres Solos while in prison, for which he won several awards and drew quite a bit of international attention. I read in the paper the other day that the island will now be open to the public as a tourist attraction.
Interesting Taiwan facts: 1) If you have no trouble having kids, but your sister can't get pregnant, you can gift her a child quite easily. It is a common family tradition, and the child grows up knowing that he/she was given from one family to the other, but it carries no social stigma. 2) If you buy eggs or mini-fish, you have to be really careful, because there are companies in China that manufacture artificial eggs and mini-fish that are made of plastic. They look exactly like the real thing, and can even have the same texture, but Veronica says the flavor is pretty horrible.
I am finishing up my last week of Spanish classes at Conversa. All of my professors have been amazing, and the classes are interesting. My Spanish is definitely coming along. For any of you that have been wanting to learn Spanish but perhaps don't have enough vacation time to move abroad for a month, the school offers individual classes online, which is pretty sweet. You can actually see the professor, talk to them, and write comments on the "chalkboard". It is a great way to prepare for a trip, like if you were planning on visiting me here in Costa Rica and wanted to brush up on your Spanish before you came....just a thought.
Advice: Yes, cosmetic services are cheaper down here. I opted to try out some of the dental services - getting my teeth whitened with a laser. Let's just say that my gums are swollen and my teeth are not that much whiter. I was assured by the doctor that my teeth would continue to whiten over the weekend. Maybe she told me this because after I looked at my teeth, I looked at her and said, "But they aren't white". I have a follow-up appointment on Tuesday. I am going to ask my teacher if we can practice a nice Spanish version of "Can I please have my money back?".
Interesting Taiwan facts: 1) If you have no trouble having kids, but your sister can't get pregnant, you can gift her a child quite easily. It is a common family tradition, and the child grows up knowing that he/she was given from one family to the other, but it carries no social stigma. 2) If you buy eggs or mini-fish, you have to be really careful, because there are companies in China that manufacture artificial eggs and mini-fish that are made of plastic. They look exactly like the real thing, and can even have the same texture, but Veronica says the flavor is pretty horrible.
I am finishing up my last week of Spanish classes at Conversa. All of my professors have been amazing, and the classes are interesting. My Spanish is definitely coming along. For any of you that have been wanting to learn Spanish but perhaps don't have enough vacation time to move abroad for a month, the school offers individual classes online, which is pretty sweet. You can actually see the professor, talk to them, and write comments on the "chalkboard". It is a great way to prepare for a trip, like if you were planning on visiting me here in Costa Rica and wanted to brush up on your Spanish before you came....just a thought.
Advice: Yes, cosmetic services are cheaper down here. I opted to try out some of the dental services - getting my teeth whitened with a laser. Let's just say that my gums are swollen and my teeth are not that much whiter. I was assured by the doctor that my teeth would continue to whiten over the weekend. Maybe she told me this because after I looked at my teeth, I looked at her and said, "But they aren't white". I have a follow-up appointment on Tuesday. I am going to ask my teacher if we can practice a nice Spanish version of "Can I please have my money back?".
Saturday, November 29, 2008
New Information
Nothing is ever as it seems, right? I feel the need to amend my last post, now that I have a bit more information on the case - some of which prompted a sigh of relief and some of it rekindled the shock. I don't know why I feel compelled to share this story, but her well-being has been on my mind and perhaps on yours as well, so...here it is. It turns out that she was already separated from her partner, and she already had a restraining order. After the assault he was taken into custody, where a female judge (Qué??!!) reviewed the case. It is documented that when asked what he would do if released, he stated, "I find her and kill her". For some unknown reason, the female judge (Qué??!!), let him go. Now, this obviously sparked some outcry and another judge revoked the decision, and her job may be in jeopardy. Sadly, now they can't find him. He is officially the most wanted man in Costa Rica, but he seems to have disappeared. As for the woman, she is guaranteed constant police protection until he is found, which could be years if he has fled the country. As ridiculous as it that he is not in custody, I do feel reassured by the level of public outrage concerning his release, and it does make the story a little less disturbing. A little.
For other national new here is Costa Rica, a good part of the Caribbean coast is under water. The heavy rains caused major flooding along the coast and maybe areas are still completely inundated. Helicopters providing aid are having to put aid supplies in plastic bags and toss them from the air because there is place dry enough to land. There have been major evacuations and millions of dollars of damage. It will be interesting to see if the people who lost everything will receive any compensation for their losses. I had agreed to collaborate with the Rotaract Club in Heredia on their Christmas Project (they are organizing a Christmas present collection/party), and after this week's natural disaster, it has taken on a new meaning, as most of the families in need live in the areas hit heaviest by the flooding.
I just read a post from a good friend from Miami University who was in Mumbai (still is actually) during the terrorist attacks. He was supposed to go to out to one of the bars that was bombed (to celebrate the end of his ESL training course), but decided to stay in and read. Wow.
The sun came out today for pretty much the first time since I have been here. I took a blanket to the park and was pleasantly surprised to find a rugby practice a'happenin. It was wonderful to sit and soak up the sun and allow my mind to wander back to my good old college days of running people over/being run over. I apologized to my spine and lazily watched the boys run each other over until my eyelids grew heavy and I fell asleep in the grass, in the sun, with smile on my face.
For other national new here is Costa Rica, a good part of the Caribbean coast is under water. The heavy rains caused major flooding along the coast and maybe areas are still completely inundated. Helicopters providing aid are having to put aid supplies in plastic bags and toss them from the air because there is place dry enough to land. There have been major evacuations and millions of dollars of damage. It will be interesting to see if the people who lost everything will receive any compensation for their losses. I had agreed to collaborate with the Rotaract Club in Heredia on their Christmas Project (they are organizing a Christmas present collection/party), and after this week's natural disaster, it has taken on a new meaning, as most of the families in need live in the areas hit heaviest by the flooding.
I just read a post from a good friend from Miami University who was in Mumbai (still is actually) during the terrorist attacks. He was supposed to go to out to one of the bars that was bombed (to celebrate the end of his ESL training course), but decided to stay in and read. Wow.
The sun came out today for pretty much the first time since I have been here. I took a blanket to the park and was pleasantly surprised to find a rugby practice a'happenin. It was wonderful to sit and soak up the sun and allow my mind to wander back to my good old college days of running people over/being run over. I apologized to my spine and lazily watched the boys run each other over until my eyelids grew heavy and I fell asleep in the grass, in the sun, with smile on my face.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Man...I Feel Like a Woman
I read a particularly disturbing article in the newspaper this morning about a woman who was stabbed 17 times by her boyfriend. Remarkably, she survived. The man was apprehended and taken into custody and he admitted to being guilty of the crime. However, the subject of the article was not about how tough of a sentence the man received. It was about how scared she is right now because he is being released. Yes, that is correct. He is being released, on the condition that he is prohibited from going near her. He stabbed her 17 times and he is being let go. It is like a restraining order based on the honor system. I can't imagine how terrified she must be. Even in the United States, restraining orders are not much of a deterrent. If someone decides to ignore the restraining order and comes to your house anyway, you still have to call the police, and the police still have to come before you get hurt, or get killed. I thought about her all day, about how she could possibly come away from this experience thinking that her life has any value. If it wasn't enough for her partner to be abusing her, mentally and physically, telling her she is nothing, will never amount to anything, how about the reality sinking in that society does not value your life either because the law won't even punish the person who violently tried to take it.
For this reason, when I sat in my orientation tonight at the Universidad Nacional in Heredia, Costa Rica, the importance and urgency of my program hit home in a big way. The director explained to us that this Master's program in Family Violence with a focus on Gender is not just the first of its kind in Costa Rica, or even in all of Central America, but in all of Latin America. My mind immediately flashed back to all of the instances where I had to evaluate an article or situation with a "gender lens", how is was an integral part of my coursework as an interdisciplinary studies major at Miami University. I thought about how commonplace it is that every university in the States has a women's studies department, how most universities offer a variety of classes that examine women's movements across the globe, how at times even I, as a woman, grew tired of talking about gender in certain moments in my undergraduate career. I thought about how domestic violence shelters are in Austin alone (which are nowhere near enough to tackle the staggering amount of violence that occurs daily) suddenly seemed plentiful in comparison to what exists in Costa Rica. Today, as I sat in the auditorium listening to the director explain the importance of studying gender, studying feminist theory, of understanding and evaluating the overwhelming phenomenon of violence against women, my mind kept racing back to the photograph of the women in her hospital bed. I thought about how she looks more like a quilt than a woman because she is so full of stitches, who will forever have scars on every limb of her body (including her face), and who will never, ever feel safe again for as long as she is alive. This is what happens when we don't talk about gender, when we don't pay attention to violence. I felt an incredible sense of pride to be here, to be part of a process that is just beginning. I have not once doubted my decision to study Family Violence here in Costa Rica, but nonetheless during this orientation I felt my educational, professional, and personal goals solidify. It was almost as if I felt myself solidify, as if I was being infused with an acute sense of readiness and willingness to accept a challenge. I am ready to be transformed by this experience, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to do so.
For this reason, when I sat in my orientation tonight at the Universidad Nacional in Heredia, Costa Rica, the importance and urgency of my program hit home in a big way. The director explained to us that this Master's program in Family Violence with a focus on Gender is not just the first of its kind in Costa Rica, or even in all of Central America, but in all of Latin America. My mind immediately flashed back to all of the instances where I had to evaluate an article or situation with a "gender lens", how is was an integral part of my coursework as an interdisciplinary studies major at Miami University. I thought about how commonplace it is that every university in the States has a women's studies department, how most universities offer a variety of classes that examine women's movements across the globe, how at times even I, as a woman, grew tired of talking about gender in certain moments in my undergraduate career. I thought about how domestic violence shelters are in Austin alone (which are nowhere near enough to tackle the staggering amount of violence that occurs daily) suddenly seemed plentiful in comparison to what exists in Costa Rica. Today, as I sat in the auditorium listening to the director explain the importance of studying gender, studying feminist theory, of understanding and evaluating the overwhelming phenomenon of violence against women, my mind kept racing back to the photograph of the women in her hospital bed. I thought about how she looks more like a quilt than a woman because she is so full of stitches, who will forever have scars on every limb of her body (including her face), and who will never, ever feel safe again for as long as she is alive. This is what happens when we don't talk about gender, when we don't pay attention to violence. I felt an incredible sense of pride to be here, to be part of a process that is just beginning. I have not once doubted my decision to study Family Violence here in Costa Rica, but nonetheless during this orientation I felt my educational, professional, and personal goals solidify. It was almost as if I felt myself solidify, as if I was being infused with an acute sense of readiness and willingness to accept a challenge. I am ready to be transformed by this experience, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to do so.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Cure for Cabin Fever
The weather in Costa Rica is not too complicated – there is a wet season and a dry season. It is like turning a faucet on or off. There really isn’t an in-between. For all of you who have been imagining me basking in the sun down here in tropical paradise (my sister asked me the other day if I was super tan yet), well…I am just waiting for someone to turn the faucet off and turn the heat up. The weather in San Jose has been cold, wet, and windy, which significantly lowers my interest in figuring out the bus system at this point in time. I have also decided that umbrellas should have different grades, like a toothbrush (soft, medium, hard), based on the type of weather conditions you need the umbrella for. I would have bought a “Rainy Season” umbrella instead of the worthless “I can shield you from the sun and not much else” umbrella that I bought at Walgreens for ten bucks. It lasted about ten minutes before I had to toss it in a trashcan and run for cover. After spending the majority of last week indoors, I was definitely feeling more than a little stir-crazy. My goal for this weekend? To get out of the house and have some fun! Now that it is Sunday and I have no voice and my calves are so sore I can barely walk, I can proudly say (or whisper) – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
On Friday night I was invited to a traditional Taiwanese Hot Pot (Olla de Fuego) dinner. It is a dish that typically eaten in the winter (i.e. Costa Rican Wet Season). There are two huge pots in the middle of the table, filled with a boiling soup base, which are surrounded by plates overflowing with all different types of meats, seafood, noodles, vegetables, sauces, you name it. It is like a million soups in one – you pick out what you want to eat, throw it in the pot for a few minutes, and serve it up. The next round you can try something totally different. I made an effort to try everything at least once, even the hot sauce (which turned my face bright red for over an hour). It was a lively dinner and afterwards we all headed downtown for a little (or 7 hours) of Karaoke. The group I was with come here quite often and know the owners, so we got the King of all Karaoke rooms all to ourselves. I am usually terrified of singing in front of a crowd, but since I was the only English speaker in the group, it didn’t seem to matter what I sounded like because no one knew the words or the tune anyway! Perfect! The first song I chose – “No Rain” by Blind Melon (seemed appropriate) was a smashing success. I even attempted a few songs in Spanish and one in Mandarin (it had the pronunciation above the characters). Unbeknownst to me, most clubs and bars stay open until 4 or 6 in the morning – so a little karaoke turned into a very long night, and I think I crawled into bed at about five in the morning, knowing full well that I was going to have a deeper, raspier voice when I woke up.
Saturday night I had made plans to go out dancing in the Center of San Jose. I almost canceled because I was so tired from the night before, but opted for a cold shower and a cup of coffee instead. I met up with the Megans (the two Rotarians) at Castro’s Bar, a hopping discoteca in the trendy part of downtown. I had heard a rumor that Salsa isn’t very popular in Costa Rica, and man was I excited to find out that isn’t true, at least not at this joint. I walked through the door and was in heaven – Salsa, Meringue, Cha Cha Cha, Cumbia Swing, and even a little Reggaeton. I pretty much danced until my feet were bleeding, and then danced some more, until I couldn’t feel my legs, and danced some more. The whole staying out late thing is going to take some getting used to (I have been in bed by 9 and up at 6 since I got here) and I didn’t know what to say when our friend Jaime asked me I was going to join them for breakfast. Breakfast???? Apparently, the custom here is to dance until dawn and then everyone goes to the Soda Tapia for breakfast around five or six. Dios Mio. Crawling in to bed when the sun is coming up….it seems to be the trend around here.
Needless to say, although I have been pretty fed up with the rain as of late, I was pretty relieved to hear the rain start falling this afternoon. Yes. Rain. Turn the faucet on please. Because then I can curl up on the couch, pop in a movie, and do absolutely nothing, without feeling the slightest bit guilty about it.
On Friday night I was invited to a traditional Taiwanese Hot Pot (Olla de Fuego) dinner. It is a dish that typically eaten in the winter (i.e. Costa Rican Wet Season). There are two huge pots in the middle of the table, filled with a boiling soup base, which are surrounded by plates overflowing with all different types of meats, seafood, noodles, vegetables, sauces, you name it. It is like a million soups in one – you pick out what you want to eat, throw it in the pot for a few minutes, and serve it up. The next round you can try something totally different. I made an effort to try everything at least once, even the hot sauce (which turned my face bright red for over an hour). It was a lively dinner and afterwards we all headed downtown for a little (or 7 hours) of Karaoke. The group I was with come here quite often and know the owners, so we got the King of all Karaoke rooms all to ourselves. I am usually terrified of singing in front of a crowd, but since I was the only English speaker in the group, it didn’t seem to matter what I sounded like because no one knew the words or the tune anyway! Perfect! The first song I chose – “No Rain” by Blind Melon (seemed appropriate) was a smashing success. I even attempted a few songs in Spanish and one in Mandarin (it had the pronunciation above the characters). Unbeknownst to me, most clubs and bars stay open until 4 or 6 in the morning – so a little karaoke turned into a very long night, and I think I crawled into bed at about five in the morning, knowing full well that I was going to have a deeper, raspier voice when I woke up.
Saturday night I had made plans to go out dancing in the Center of San Jose. I almost canceled because I was so tired from the night before, but opted for a cold shower and a cup of coffee instead. I met up with the Megans (the two Rotarians) at Castro’s Bar, a hopping discoteca in the trendy part of downtown. I had heard a rumor that Salsa isn’t very popular in Costa Rica, and man was I excited to find out that isn’t true, at least not at this joint. I walked through the door and was in heaven – Salsa, Meringue, Cha Cha Cha, Cumbia Swing, and even a little Reggaeton. I pretty much danced until my feet were bleeding, and then danced some more, until I couldn’t feel my legs, and danced some more. The whole staying out late thing is going to take some getting used to (I have been in bed by 9 and up at 6 since I got here) and I didn’t know what to say when our friend Jaime asked me I was going to join them for breakfast. Breakfast???? Apparently, the custom here is to dance until dawn and then everyone goes to the Soda Tapia for breakfast around five or six. Dios Mio. Crawling in to bed when the sun is coming up….it seems to be the trend around here.
Needless to say, although I have been pretty fed up with the rain as of late, I was pretty relieved to hear the rain start falling this afternoon. Yes. Rain. Turn the faucet on please. Because then I can curl up on the couch, pop in a movie, and do absolutely nothing, without feeling the slightest bit guilty about it.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Paciencia
I have never really considered myself too terribly spoiled (gulp...as I type on my personal computer, check my cell phone, and download music to my IPOD - I am sooooo guilty). Nonetheless, I have still always thought of it in terms of products instead of services. It has really hit home this week that I am a much much bigger instant-gratification -addict than I previously thought. The concept that there aren't any new phone numbers available in Costa Rica is foreign to me, that if you don't have a phone (land line or cell), the wait is five months, por lo menos. If you want to pay a bill, you go to the bank and deposit the money in the person's account - that way you are the one walking around with all the cash, not your landlady. You don't want to walk around with cash because then you are a target, but you need to carry cash because you can only use cash. You hide money in all of your pockets to try and spread it out - I am sure the laundry service folks make a killing by just checking all of the pockets when people drop their clothes! My friend Megan told me that once she had to travel quite a long ways in San Jose with her passport, so she duct-taped it to her leg, which worked great until she had to remove it. I think she lost a whole layer of skin. Painful. But not as painful as losing your passport. However, I think that the whole safety thing could turn into a very effective savings plan for me...too much effort!
Take today for instance, part 52 in the ongoing series of "How To Get My *#@! Documents Approved". I called the Ministry of Foreign Relations for instructions. I was told the following - deposit $80 (for four documents) into this account number and bring the receipt to us. I have my Spanish teacher call to verify. They say the same. I go to the bank - with my passport bag and money shoved down the front of my pants and an empty purse over my shoulder - and stand in line for over an hour. I make the deposit and take a taxi to the office. I then take a number and wait in a line to buy the stamps, another hour. I then take another number and wait in line for 2 hours. Although all of us have been instructed to take a number, there are people who come in and ignore that fact, walk right up to the desk, and simply shove their papers into the hands to the attendant, who always takes them, which then sparks a constant stream of people engaging in the same behavior. Injustice!! This is injustice!! Finally, they call number #63. I rush to the window, but a lady jumps in front of me at the last minute - no number. I am told to step back and wait my turn. Not fair! Not fair! Not fair! - I throw an imaginary temper tantrum in my head, which ends in me being thrown out by the guard and banned from the office forever. I step back silently and wait my turn. Finally, my real turn comes. I am so happy to get to the window. The lady takes one look at my receipt and tells me that this receipt is invalid. You see, I have four documents - I need four separate deposits for $20 each. One deposit of $80 simply is unacceptable. Go back to the bank, have them return your $$, and then have them redeposit it but divide it up into four separate payments. I really really wish they would have told me that when I called. I go back to the bank, stand in line for another hour, and then try to explain to the teller that I need him to return my $$ and then deposit it again. He looks at me like I am crazy. I give him the "Sorry! I am a foreigner...not so bright!" smile/shoulder shrug. He hands me my receipts, I discreetly shove my documents back down my pants, and head home. At this point, it is ten till five. I am calling it a day. Note to self: tomorrow, bring a book, because there will be a line. The trick for me will be to develop enough patience and grace to be thankful for the wait.
Take today for instance, part 52 in the ongoing series of "How To Get My *#@! Documents Approved". I called the Ministry of Foreign Relations for instructions. I was told the following - deposit $80 (for four documents) into this account number and bring the receipt to us. I have my Spanish teacher call to verify. They say the same. I go to the bank - with my passport bag and money shoved down the front of my pants and an empty purse over my shoulder - and stand in line for over an hour. I make the deposit and take a taxi to the office. I then take a number and wait in a line to buy the stamps, another hour. I then take another number and wait in line for 2 hours. Although all of us have been instructed to take a number, there are people who come in and ignore that fact, walk right up to the desk, and simply shove their papers into the hands to the attendant, who always takes them, which then sparks a constant stream of people engaging in the same behavior. Injustice!! This is injustice!! Finally, they call number #63. I rush to the window, but a lady jumps in front of me at the last minute - no number. I am told to step back and wait my turn. Not fair! Not fair! Not fair! - I throw an imaginary temper tantrum in my head, which ends in me being thrown out by the guard and banned from the office forever. I step back silently and wait my turn. Finally, my real turn comes. I am so happy to get to the window. The lady takes one look at my receipt and tells me that this receipt is invalid. You see, I have four documents - I need four separate deposits for $20 each. One deposit of $80 simply is unacceptable. Go back to the bank, have them return your $$, and then have them redeposit it but divide it up into four separate payments. I really really wish they would have told me that when I called. I go back to the bank, stand in line for another hour, and then try to explain to the teller that I need him to return my $$ and then deposit it again. He looks at me like I am crazy. I give him the "Sorry! I am a foreigner...not so bright!" smile/shoulder shrug. He hands me my receipts, I discreetly shove my documents back down my pants, and head home. At this point, it is ten till five. I am calling it a day. Note to self: tomorrow, bring a book, because there will be a line. The trick for me will be to develop enough patience and grace to be thankful for the wait.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Making friends at my new school : )
Apparently, November is a rather slow month for Spanish schools in Costa Rica, especially the school in San Jose. I arrived at the school today to find that there are only two other students at the school taking Spanish language courses right now. One of the students, Veronica, and I have class together. She is from Taiwan and is also a Rotary scholar. She received a three month language studies scholarship. I am very impressed with her level of fluency, because she more or less began studying Spanish as a way to fill her free time! I also like looking at her notebook, because her pages are filled with characters. She says that Mandarin is easier because you don't have to conjugate anything....I don't know if I agree with that one. Interestingly, she is living with a Buddhist Tico (Costa Rican) host family and gets to eat delicious vegetarian food. I can't wait to go over there for dinner!
My host family is also wonderful, a single mother and her teenage daughter. She has a son who is currently in Spain completing a double major in Math and Economics. Her daughter is your typical teenager, spending most of her days instant messaging on the computer with her headphones on and the music blasting. She told me yesterday that her favorite bands are Iron Maiden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. I made her a CD yesterday with about 130 songs on it...we will see what she thinks of it. The weather is San Jose is a little more gray that I had anticipated, as it is warm in the morning and then cloudy/rainy in the afternoon. I am looking for a gym, so I can get out of the house and get some physical activity in. There is a private tennis club about three blocks away, and I stopped by the inquire how much a one month membership would be - $177. Yup. Dollars. Yikes. I am going to keep looking! Nonetheless, this will be a more indoor month, in that it is still the tail end of the rainy season, as it is not really safe to be out and about in the evening. My friend Mauricio was kind enough to come pick me up last night and take me to a movie. We saw "Caramelo"- A Lebanese film. It was an absolutely beautiful movie - I highly recommend it.
My host mom, Carmen, is calling me to lunch. One surprising thing - I have been here almost a week and have not once had rice and beans! I am not going to mention this fact just yet...I am enjoying the pasta and vegetables, and rekindling my love/hate relationship with papaya.
My host family is also wonderful, a single mother and her teenage daughter. She has a son who is currently in Spain completing a double major in Math and Economics. Her daughter is your typical teenager, spending most of her days instant messaging on the computer with her headphones on and the music blasting. She told me yesterday that her favorite bands are Iron Maiden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. I made her a CD yesterday with about 130 songs on it...we will see what she thinks of it. The weather is San Jose is a little more gray that I had anticipated, as it is warm in the morning and then cloudy/rainy in the afternoon. I am looking for a gym, so I can get out of the house and get some physical activity in. There is a private tennis club about three blocks away, and I stopped by the inquire how much a one month membership would be - $177. Yup. Dollars. Yikes. I am going to keep looking! Nonetheless, this will be a more indoor month, in that it is still the tail end of the rainy season, as it is not really safe to be out and about in the evening. My friend Mauricio was kind enough to come pick me up last night and take me to a movie. We saw "Caramelo"- A Lebanese film. It was an absolutely beautiful movie - I highly recommend it.
My host mom, Carmen, is calling me to lunch. One surprising thing - I have been here almost a week and have not once had rice and beans! I am not going to mention this fact just yet...I am enjoying the pasta and vegetables, and rekindling my love/hate relationship with papaya.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Dolor de la cabeza
I really wish that I had a secret video camera where I could record the expression on my face when I am trying to understand what someone is talking about. I have been told in the past that I have very distinct facial expressions (reason #1001 I avoid poker). Here in Costa Rica, although my mouth may be spouting affirmations such as "Oh si, si...claro" (oh yes, yes, sure) who knows what my face is saying! I am positive it is pretty intense - could be that I am leaning in and staring at their mouth with unblinking eyes, or it could be a hint of confusion with a slight head tilt (similar to the way your pet dog looks at you) , or at times an unconscious head nod and pursed lips where I say to myself, "Wow....no idea. Not a clue", indicating to the speaker that comprehension has reached a low point. It can be humbling, because at times I do not want to admit to them, or myself, that I don't understand what they are asking, but in the long run, it is better to just ask them to clarify. Because my face is saying, "Huh?" anyway, right? I may was well be consistent.
It has been a whirlwind of a week, and I have already accomplished quite a bit. My documents are with an official translator (they even have to translate my birth certificate), and when I have those back I have to go get a series of stamps (I shake my fist at all those who falsify documents, forcing the rest of us to pass through no less than 80 hoops to prove that we are who we say we are and we did in fact graduate from college). I have a meeting today with the woman at the University that is responsible for helping international students, to find out what I need to do to get a student visa. I have been to a spinning class and a salsa aerobics class, and located a yoga studio nearby. I was fortunate enough to attend a Rotaract meeting last night here in Heredia (Rotary club for young adults ages 18-30) with the Megans. They have an extremely active club, and since my host club is not here in the Heredia, it is nice to know that I can participate in their weekly service projects. I move in with my host family this Saturday and begin language school on Monday and hope to get a cell phone sometime next week. We are also going out salsa dancing tonight, which I am excited about (understatement of the year). I have been sleeping soundly, mainly because it takes so much energy to do everything - speaking, shopping, listening to the radio, reading, watching telenovelas, etc. I am completely exhausted by 11 p.m.
All that said, I am off to study, and by study I mean lounge around on the couch and watch telenovelas (soap operas) while eating a papaya. Very important preparation for graduate school, as well as a fabulous lesson on how to transition into more dramatic facial expressions and reveal your evil plans out loud even when you are alone in the room.
It has been a whirlwind of a week, and I have already accomplished quite a bit. My documents are with an official translator (they even have to translate my birth certificate), and when I have those back I have to go get a series of stamps (I shake my fist at all those who falsify documents, forcing the rest of us to pass through no less than 80 hoops to prove that we are who we say we are and we did in fact graduate from college). I have a meeting today with the woman at the University that is responsible for helping international students, to find out what I need to do to get a student visa. I have been to a spinning class and a salsa aerobics class, and located a yoga studio nearby. I was fortunate enough to attend a Rotaract meeting last night here in Heredia (Rotary club for young adults ages 18-30) with the Megans. They have an extremely active club, and since my host club is not here in the Heredia, it is nice to know that I can participate in their weekly service projects. I move in with my host family this Saturday and begin language school on Monday and hope to get a cell phone sometime next week. We are also going out salsa dancing tonight, which I am excited about (understatement of the year). I have been sleeping soundly, mainly because it takes so much energy to do everything - speaking, shopping, listening to the radio, reading, watching telenovelas, etc. I am completely exhausted by 11 p.m.
All that said, I am off to study, and by study I mean lounge around on the couch and watch telenovelas (soap operas) while eating a papaya. Very important preparation for graduate school, as well as a fabulous lesson on how to transition into more dramatic facial expressions and reveal your evil plans out loud even when you are alone in the room.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Familiar faces
If I ever complained about not being able to go anywhere in Austin without running into someone I know, I take it all back. Never again will I underestimate familiar faces. At 12:05 a.m., when I had finally landed and made my way through the customs (six hours later than anticipated), I wondered if my friend Mauricio would be there, and if so, where. I round the corner, pushing a cart full of luggage (I have never traveled with this much stuff!), and bam....a hundred people waving signs with last names that are not mine and another fifty asking me if I need a taxi. I scan the crowd again and again for a familiar face. Nothing. I stand there waiting, squinting, standing on my tip toes for a better view, looking, and starting to mutter things to myself like "oh man, oh man". Nothing. "Miss, Taxi?" "Taxi?" No, no gracias. Oh man. Then I see him. Immediately everything is alright. We load up my luggage and head off to Heredia. It is dark and raining and I can't stop thanking him for the ride. We arrive at the apartment and the Megans (the two ambassadorial scholars who have been studying here for the last two years and with whom I will be staying until they return to the United States and I take over their lease) are there waiting. As I curl up on the couch to get some much needed rest, I notice that I am filled with the kind of relief that I feel when I am home, despite the fact that I am in a completely new place. That is the inherent power and beauty of familiar faces. They can transform any experience, any place, any moment, and make if feel like...well...home. Thank goodness for that.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
And the Adventures Begin
Traveling advice #1. Expect the unexpected. #2. If you have an early flight, check online to see if it has been cancelled. Otherwise, you might end up like me, arriving to the airport after a mere three hours sleep for a 6:45 am flight, checking your luggage (did the lady at the desk not think it was strange enough to mention that I checking in for a now 2:00 pm flight?!?), and going through security only to realize that that the departure time on the ticket is 2 p.m. Then you might have to beg someone at the airport to use their cellphone so you can call the wonderful person who was nice enough to get up at 4 a.m. to take you the airport and ask them to come right back and get you, just as they were getting ready to crawl back in bed. Thanks for the great emotional goodbye. Just kidding about that whole leaving thing...can you come pick me up? The good news, however, is we laughed about it all the way back from the airport (Jen I love you!), that I got a few more hours of sleep, have one less layover on the journey, get to have a yummy lunch here in Austin, and still have a ride from the airport in San Jose later tonight.
It is a nice reminder about readiness. If you would have asked me five months ago if I was ready for this (after a year and a half lapse between the initial scholarship application and the final word of acceptance into the university), I would have said YES!!! Ready is an understatement. Costa Rica here I come!
Nonetheless, when asked by many of my friends and family (throughout the series of going away parties) if I was ready, my body language had more of the deer-in-headlights feel to it. Ready to leave my support system and move to another country? Ready for graduate school in another language? Ready for a completely new everyday life? No, no I am not ready. My mind is exploding with a list of should have's and could have's , doubts, and fears. I keep reminding myself that if being ready means not nervous or unafraid, then being ready is a myth. We can only be open to change, willing to step into the unknown, and unashamed to fumble around a bit in this new unfamiliar territory. That is the true extent of readiness, and I can assure you, I am there. I am off to Round 2 at the airport. For the second time today, Costa Rica here I come!
It is a nice reminder about readiness. If you would have asked me five months ago if I was ready for this (after a year and a half lapse between the initial scholarship application and the final word of acceptance into the university), I would have said YES!!! Ready is an understatement. Costa Rica here I come!
Nonetheless, when asked by many of my friends and family (throughout the series of going away parties) if I was ready, my body language had more of the deer-in-headlights feel to it. Ready to leave my support system and move to another country? Ready for graduate school in another language? Ready for a completely new everyday life? No, no I am not ready. My mind is exploding with a list of should have's and could have's , doubts, and fears. I keep reminding myself that if being ready means not nervous or unafraid, then being ready is a myth. We can only be open to change, willing to step into the unknown, and unashamed to fumble around a bit in this new unfamiliar territory. That is the true extent of readiness, and I can assure you, I am there. I am off to Round 2 at the airport. For the second time today, Costa Rica here I come!
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