Warm nuts and la Sele

I am officially in El Salvador! I have actually been here three full days already but this is my first crack at the internet. Not to be the last though because I am actually blogging from my new, although transitionary, home. Anyway, to say the least, this next adventure in Central America is going to have much, much more internet access. Yahoo!

Anyway, I arrived in El Salvador Thursday evening. I have to say that as much as I have enjoyed the regal quality of King Quality bus service, flying first class in an hour beats 20 hours and three sweaty borders any day. Two highlights of the flight were that they served warm nuts and that I traveled with La Sele, the Costa Rican national soccer team. I, of course, did not recognize any of them, but thankfully they were all wearing t-shirts with the Sele logo on them so I didn't have to work too hard to figure out what all the fuss was about. Carlos and Gloria picked me up at the airport, we stopped for supplies and made pupusas at Carlos' house. They are quite yummy.

Friday, we chilled through the morning and then hooked up with the Mission staff (Four Peace Corps volunteers that are returning to the U.S. via bus). We took them to the sights, which includes the tomb of Monseñor Romero, and the museum at the UCA (Jesuit University where in 1989, 7 Jesuit priests, their cook and her daughter were massacred by government forces) Rob said it was definitely more of a downer than Chucky Cheese. We then found a restaurant in town where Rob and Billy would be able to quench their baseball addiction. It was kind of touch and go there for a bit, but we finally found some place. We then drank a lot, A LOT of beers and then went to another bar to drink a few more. I was accused of keeping the Mission staff up past their bedtime. Anyhoo... Saturday was "el día del goma" for Kelley and was spent moving very slowly. The Mission took off Sunday morning and I re-located from El Espino to San Salvador.

While I look for a permanent place to live, I am staying with Erin, a Share co-worker and her husband, and her husband's extended family. The husband and in-laws are all in a band so the house promises to be lively. Also, they have two dogs, a cat, and multiple fish so it is much like living with Dara. I am working on getting a cell phone, which is cake for everyone in the country except for me, it seems, the lines were down today so I will try again tomorrow. It should happen soon though. Things here are much cheaper than they were in Costa Rica so that is nice. For example, I payed nearly $90 to get my cell phone service in Costa Rica, here it is going to cost me about $18. Yea!

Bittersweet

I'm blogging at the airport. I feel so bourgeios. :) I've said my final goodbyes. The best I can anyway. I realized sitting here that I am in the quintessential transition phase. My American passport reports my Canadian birth; my residency card is Costa Rican and expired 11 days ago and I'm on my way to my new home in El Salvador. But right now I'm at the airport. I am sitting in front of the duty free shop where they are offering whiskey samplers. I keep going into the bathroom, changing shirts and coming back for more. :) Just kidding.

Brandon stayed with me Sunday night. We decided that I have the restaurant preferences of a mid-afternoon gay man. Maybe that's what's kept me single all this time. :) I hung out with Irene and Inti on Monday night. We had meatless sushi. It was pretty good. I wish I had taken advantage of hanging out more with Irene while I was here. Where does the time go? Tuesday Zoey came to town and we ate real sushi. Even better! Wednesday I COS'd and went out with Travis and Laura to Feliz, Feliz for tico chino food. Today Scott got his goodbye's and I am off.
The next time I write, I'll be in El Salvador!

It's official....

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 3:08p.m.

With the stroke of a pen, I am no longer a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Que Disilusion

CAFTA passed.

I will never doubt again. From now on it is pure, unadulterated cynicism.

Adios Puerto

Friday morning I said goodbye to my neighbors and walked out of my site to the bus stop for the last time. It's been a bittersweet process.... on Wednesday my viejitas held a despidida after dance class. They are very sweet, there were tears, me towering among wrinkled huggers, tugging lightly at my clothes, not so patiently waiting their turn to tell me to "go with God" and to never forget them.... Jamas.

Marina, the director of Share-El Salvador is in Costa Rica right now for the Referendum election (more on this in a minute). She was able to come to Puntarenas for the day to meet and visit with me. We had a very pleasant day. I was able to introduce her to some of the families that I have lived and worked and shared with over the last two years. I think (I hope anyway) that I was able to put her mind to rest that I was worth the pressure I threw at them to hire me. It was really good too, to talk to her, it actually made the goodbyes a little, not easier, but maybe put them in perspective. I am going to something really exciting. I am confident that in two years, I will have made friends and found cariño and fulfilment.

Friday, I spent the night in San Ramon with the Barrantes clan. They are, of course, intensely involved in the referendum process. Putting aside for a moment, my cynical nature, I have to say that my hopes are rising that the "No" camp may actually pull it off this weekend. For those very few of you that know that the TLC (or CAFTA), is not a done deal, that Costa Rica still has not signed-on, may also know that today, Sunday, Ticos will head to the polls to vote "Yes" that they will sign the TLC or "No" they will pass. It is a really big deal. The world is watching. One, because Costa Rica is the only country that has put the option to a vote, to ask the citizens what they want. You know... democracy. As opposed to other countries, El Salvador for instance, that signed the accord in the middle of the night in a classic clandestine process. On Thursday, the national paper reported a poll putting No at 55% and Yes at 43%. I am generally one to put my money on the minority with the fiscal resources, but events in the past few days have got my hopes up. While the Yes camp, plays flashy adds and elegant banners, the No's have been busy utilizing manpower, there have been parades and caravans of cars driving around the city honking horns and waving banners, there are hundreds of volunteers canvassing public areas and talking to people. Anyway, it is an exciting time to be in Costa Rica.

I'm in San Jose now. I have some things to close up in the office. Paperwork to get done. I hung out with Scottie, Max and Mateo. We reflected on the in's and out's of living in a foreign land as we watched college football on 8 different screens in a casino full of gringos. They're good guys, they're amazing volunteers, they're about as real as it gets.

Packing up and Moving on

I am slowly but surely getting things packed up and me ready to move on. It is amazing how much stuff you accumulate in two years and how little of it fits into two suitcases. Anyway, I am getting there. My neighbors are very excited for winning the "Rifa de Kelley," as are a couple of volunteers. Marianne got the bed and the stove today, tomorrow Max gets the fridge. Sarah gets a whole pile of stuff for work and/or whatever she chooses to do with it. Necio left with Marianne. He bolted the minute they got to her house. Not too surprising considering that the last (and only time) he rode in a car he came back without his testicles. I'm sure he'll find his way back around dinner time.

Wednesday my Little Old Ladies are throwing me a Goodbye/Dance party. I am pretty excited. It is crazy to think that soon I won't be seeing all of this anymore. There is a lot I am going to miss. I guess that's all part of it though.

Tico 13 said their final goodbyes this weekend. They are really an amazing group of people. We had a cafecito with the office and then began going our different ways. It is kind of a surreal thing. This goodbye isn't really unlike the ones we always say after a get-together, except that somewhere in the backs of our minds is this nagging thought that "next time" isn't as sure as it was before. As exotic as this life was in the beginning, now it's hard to imagine past it. I think that even with those of us who have "plans" we all leave feeling just a little lost and disoriented.

Tico 13 Tea/Cafecito

Tico 13 said their goodbye's to the office staff. Tomorrow is our official COS date. WE MADE IT!!!!! We gave the following picture to our latest (and greatest) APCD. We super-imposed
his face over the old guy! :) The caption said... "Feels like you were here all along!" he, he!

Two Years Three Months... A Retrospective in Photos

It's official.....

I just bought my plane ticket AND changed my magazine subscription. There's no turning back now! :)

Also... for those of you concerned for Necio.... he will be going to stay with fellow PCV Max in Herradura. I think it will all work out of the best as Necio has been talking recently about picking up surfing.

Los Caminos de la Vida

I was working on having things set up to move to San Jose.. okay I was procrsatinating but the intention was there when all of a sudden I got a big wopping "Díos no quiere." Actually , the position I applied to in El Salvador came open again and I GOT IT!!!!! YEAH!!!!

The position working is located in the capital, San Salvador ,with an organization called Share ( www.share-elsalvador.org ). I will be the Grassroots Education Coordinator. Basically I will be organizing exchanges between the US and El Salvador in that I will be organizing large delegations of Americans to visit El Salvador and learn about the history and present situation. I will also be collecting testimonies from Salvadorans, documenting them and possibly even seeking publication opportunities. I am really excited!

I will leave Costa Rica somewhere around October 10 and start with Share on Monday the 15th. I still have a lot of logistics to work out, like if I am going to go in bus or plane. Packing everything up to make another international move. And generally getting ready to REALLY say goodbye to this place. AHHHHHHhhhhhhh! It'll all work out. The real bummer is that my camera has decided to take a digger. My good buddy Sarah has been available for being my personal photographer lately, but I am bummed that I won't be able to fully document my final moments in Costa Rica or my arrival in El Salvador. We'll be looking into getting that remedied. Si Díos quiere, of course.

Down to the Wire...

It seems as though this thing may actually come to an end here sooner than I think. Sarah, the new volunteer that is going to pick up where I left off (she hasn't quite got her hammock yet but it's on the list) arrived in site last night. It is kind of funny to talk to her in the very, very beginning stages and remembering when I was in her shoes. It seems like forever ago but at the same time, I wonder where the two years that once seemed like an eternity have gone. I am really psyched she is here. She has really great energy and I think will do an incredible job. I tried my very best to set her up as best I could so that the challenges were inherent in the work rather than due to neglectful site development. I think things will turn out well. I told her that in many, many ways the prep I have done for her is the most sustainable thing that I have done here. I hope she doesn't mind me taking credit for her work. he, he! :)

I find myself indulging strange waves of nostalgia. I only just resisted running up to a Puntarenas beggar woman, hugging her and saying "I'm gonna miss you Crazy Lady That Hits!" But, as you may have guessed from her name, I thought that might not be a great idea.

Independence Day

I am back in San Jose for a VAC dinner. We are all getting together tonight for general mayhem and shenanigans. Today is also Costa Rica's Independence Day celebrated with parades and "typical" dances. Lots of little girls in long skirts and little boys with coffee-ground beards. There is also a lot of political activity. Although now it is old news in the US, if it were ever news at all, Costa Rica has not signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). There will be an election at the beginning of next month to decide if Costa Rica will sign or not. So, there is a lot of talk and debate flying around. The Sí camp, or those in favor, have blanketed the country and airwaves with flashy banners and television commercials. The opposition, lacking the funds privy to those in favor, has still managed a very impressive grassroots resistance. Mainly consisting of squads of volunteers passing out flyers and educating people about what the agreement says and then what will most likely result from it. As a Peace Corps volunteer I am prohibited from expressing a political opinion so I am not officially allowed to tell people that "les va a joder."

Most likely it will pass. Most likely the people with the money and the power will do what they want and what they generally want is to protect their own interests. But maybe, just maybe, this year the people of Costa Rica will stand up and celebrate their independence by maintaining it.

Soaking up the life

Well, I am in the last few weeks of my uber-tranquila lifestyle. The end of the month is rapidly approaching which means that at some point I am going to have to start working in the traditional sense of the word. "Que pereza!" as they say.

I am in San Jose again. Kicking it at the Boulevard. I must say that the new addition of plastic sheets at the Boule does not inspire confidence. Neither does the fact that the hotel staff knows me by name. I keep telling everyone that I am just checking out my new site. :)

Anyhoo... I am headed to a Flamenco show at the infamous Jazz Cafe tonight. It is actually my first venture to the cafe, long overdue I would say. I am excited, should be a good time. Tomorrow I am back to my site. It is probably about time that I started getting serious about preparing myself for my next move. At this point where exactly I am going to move to is still up in the air, but I think I at least have a lead on a roommate... besides Necio that is.

Dengue Ultra Lite

26 months into service, 1 month to go and I get Dengue. It's a pretty easy case, I felt a little down on Saturday, worse on Sunday (I didn't stray far from the hammoch), yesterday was a little better and today got the infamous Dengue rash. Still moving pretty slow but looks like the worst is over. I got off pretty easy. Didn't even have to go to the hospital.

Tsunami time....

As you may or may not know, Puntarenas was recently given an evacuation order in response to the tsunami warning after the Peruvian earthquake. Don't worry though... it was a false alarm. There was general hysteria, bottlenecked traffic leaving the pennensula and taxi drivers charging $100 American to drive 10km, but no real harm done. Actually, I missed most of it as I was in San Jose for a training session. I left pobrecito Necio to fend for himself and watched a movie. All turned out well though.

I am currently hosting two trainees. Normally we only host one at a time but my compañeros are slackers and I ended up with two. Not a big deal though. They are both cool. Saturday I introduced them to the Puerto tradition of beer and patacones. Today we went to the beach (the waves were very rough due to the approaching tropical storm) and tomorrow will be the grand finalé with the booze cruise. :)

Tuesday I am accompanying them back to San Jose. I have my close of service medical appointments lined up. I will also be using that time to find an appartment to live in for the next year.

Just under two months to go in the Puerto

Carlos and Gloria made it back to El Salvador. We had a really great time while they were here. The next time I will see them will probably be in February when I go there for their wedding. Looks like it is going to be a great party, and I am not one to miss a great party. :)

Since then, I have been working on developing a site for the next volunteer. I actually drug Carlos and Gloria to a site development meeting. Don Flaco was there and just missed bringing up traigamonedas as a critical social problem. The meeting got a little sidetracked, but ended up pretty good. I have been running around ever since trying to find a place for he/she to live. The new volunteer, whoever he or she is, will be here for their site visit on the 1st of September, so we don't have a whole lot of time.

Other excitement this week... I have been starting to take care of my medical stuff so that I can be cleared to stay another year. So far, all I have been able to do is lab work, which mostly involves taking fecal samples into town via the public bus. It occurred to me that one of these trips would have been the perfect time to be mugged. Surprise! Too bad they missed out on that one. :)

Pupusas hecho de mano gringa

I am on the road again. This constant vacationing in tropical paradises can really get tedious. At least that is a theory I have come up with. So far it is not tedious at all, but I am determined to find out, so on I go.

Carlos and Gloria got here at about 1 am Thursday morning. Carlos tortured a group of English tourists with his lumberjack snoring and then we headed to Puntarenas. Saturday night Gloria taught me to make pupusas. They turned out pretty dang good if I do say so myself. I shared with my neighbors and ended up receiving a fish that is about three times the size of my head. I had to cut it in half to get it to fit in the freezer! On Sunday we left for Puerto Viejo. Carlos and Gloria really wanted to see the Caribbean Sea, so I sacrificed and brought them here. Today we took a taxi to a beach a little further down the coast called Punta Uva. It is basically a string of white sand beaches dotted with touristy restaurants. It was amazingly beautiful. We ate some Caribbean food that was also incredible. We were set to ride the bus back to Pto. Viejo and Carlos ended up hooking us up with a ride in the back of a pickup truck. It was raining and the roads are horrible, even if you are going 50 mph. It's a great story though. ;)

Anyway, so a little earlier, I faked exhaustion and sent Carlos and Gloria off on their own so that Carlos can give Gloria an engagement ring without an audience. Tomorrow we are headed back to Puntarenas and then they leave to El Salvador again early, early Thursday morning. Then I am back to work until the next paseo.

Round and Round we go

It was a pretty busy week. Monday half of Tico 17 arrived in my site for the gira or site tour. Five of them stayed with families in my site and we took them around to all the "must sees" in Puntarenas. It was a pretty interesting visit. We went to an activity in the school in Chacarita (next door to my barrio). I was expecting to do a quick and dirty activity with one of the classes, instead, I found myself having to sing the dedo song during an all-school assembly. They went all out to welcome us. Barring one minor sunburn incident involving a large gringo declaring to the world "Soy en fuego! Adios!" it was a very successful visit. On Wednesday we had lunch at the local restaurant/brothel and pobrecita Marianne got her purse lifted.

Then Thursday, I came into San Jose to do some training sessions with the newbies in their training sites. Zoey came in Friday so we got to hang out a little bit. Today I am going to pick up some San Jose supplies, primarily peanut butter and catfood, sit in a coffee shop and write in my journal, and then tonight, a student group from UC Santa Cruise invited Marianne and I to go to the Quinta Estacion concert tonight. I'm not sure who they are, although I have been assured that I will recognize some songs, but the tickets and a ride back to the Puerto are free so I am there.

Next week I am working in the Puerto, on Monday I have a meeting to facilitate scholarships for teen moms and then Thursday I am back in San Jose for meetings and trainings. AND... Thursday night, Carlos, Gloria and two other Salvadoran friends will be here to visit me. It should be an utterly insane, fun and ultimately exhausting visit. I can't wait!

That New Bus Smell

As you may have guessed, the big news in the barrio is that we have to brand spanking new buses running. They are quite shiny. Makes that 15 minute ride into the center that much more enjoyable. It even has that "new bus smell". Ahhhhh! What else... I feel like i have been running like crazy and I am not sure what i have been doing. I spent the afternoon in the AIDS clinic. I am helping the nurse there design a study to find out the level of AIDS awareness in Puntarenas. As a sociology geek, I am totally psyched about it. It is not going to be completely scientifically infallible, but I think it will at least be useful. I may even sell the results to the WHO. (No that is not a 1970's rock group... it is the World Health Organization) The other big news in the barrio is less praiseworthy. Tuesday morning some people broke into the CEN-CINAI, which is the local daycare and nutrition center. They took all the food and even trotted off with the refrigerator! I know what you are thinking "How do people wonder off with a refigerator without being seen?" The answer is that they don't. As in they were seen. In fact, some neighbors actually bought the fridge from the robbers because they knew that it belonged to the CEN-CINAI. So here is where the social justice breaks down. The OIJ (Tico FBI) came in, "investigated" and left. All the neighbors, and the CEN-CINAI workers, know who it was that did it, but their not talking for fear of retribution and in the long run it really wouldn't matter anyway because if they don't take a HUGE amount of money, nothing will happen to them anyway. The neighbors that bought the fridge from the robbers aren't talking cuz they are drug dealers and they don't tend to mix well with law enforcement. So.. that little annecdote pretty much sums up the crime atmosphere in the barrio. Most likely, the robber's girlfriends/wives/babies momma's will show up on Friday and wonder why there is no food for their kids. It's a vicious cycle.

Transitions...

Okay.. I have officially spent one consecutive week in my site. Big excitement! I actually got some work done also. It is nice to be in one place for a while.

I am trying to get manuals written for the projects I have done. The main one being adapting the Love and Logic program to PC and Ticos. It is a big program so it is taking a while. It also doesn't help that I have been procrastinating! The same goes for writing out the HIV workshops I did in the High School and with professionals.

As for community work, I am trying to concentrate my efforts in supporting the infant HIV commission here in Puntarenas. So far we have had two meetings that have both gone well. We have a third planned for the end of the month. It works out well that I will be moving just to San José this fall so that I will be able to continue to support the commission. I am looking to get them hooked up with some NGOs in San José to have more long-term contacts.

My other "big" project is helping the office out with site-development. Tico 17 is actually already here and in training in San Jose. So, we need to get them places to live for September. My counterpart wants to replace both Scott (in Miramar) and I, AND put another volunteer about an hour away in Esparza. I am not psyched about putting somebody in my exact barrio because, it really sucks to directly follow a volunteer and I have run into so many obstacles finding projects in my school and neighborhood that I think a volunteer would have more success somewhere else. It looks like we are going to put them in Chacarita. The non-porteño would probably not even recognize it as a seperate barrio, it is so close to where I live now. It is only about four blocks from my house and sits directly betwen me and the highway so I walk through there often to catch the bus. I met with the counselors and principal at the school on Friday and they are very excited about the possiblity of getting a volunteer there. I am already a little jelous of whoever the next volunteer will be. I think they will get a lot of support and be able to do some great things there. We are planning a community meeting for the week of the 23rd.

It is already July. On the 13th I celebrate 2 years of living in Costa Rica. It is also the last stretch of my PCV service. I am excited but also trying to soak up my favorite things about living here. (Like right now I am sitting in an internet cafe listening to the Little Mermaid Soundtrek in Spanish.) I am really going to miss living on the coast. I hope I am able to do it again in my life.

Finally a little time to rest....

I think I am finally looking at a little time off... from vacationing! :) I spent about four days in my house after my whirl-wind trip to the states before I went to San José for our COS (Close Of Service) conference. We were put up my Peace Corps in a swankity-swank hotel. (Rooms included, coffee-maker, hair-dryer AND bathrobe!) All of Tico 13 was reunited for the conference (both CYF and MED programs) so we were back to all hanging together like we were at the beginning, except for the fact that we have lost 12 of the 31 we started with. During the conference we were able to present the projects we have done and our "accomplishments" both professional and personal. It was actually a very inspiring presentation, my compañeros have done some really incredible things.

I also applied and interviewed for the PCVC (Peace Corps Volunteer Coordinator) position that will be available after I finish service. I just yesterday, heard from the El Salvador position and did not get it as there was another candidate that had more experience working with faith-based groups. So it seems that Díos no quiso as they say. All is well though, I am pretty excited about the PCVC position. I will be able to continue to support the newly formed HIV commission, albeit from afar. I am also excited about being able to work on volunteer support and other projects on a national level. I think it will be a great experience. I am disappointed that I will not yet be able to go to El Salvador, but now I am looking forward to spending some time there in early 2009 to work during the elections.

On Saturday, I was able to have a quick visit with Heather and Oscar before they headed back to the states. It was great to see them and catch up, even if it was a fleeting visit. :) That afternoon we went to Playa Hermosa for one last Tico 13 trip. We rented a house on the beach from a sketchy French-Canadian and had a battle-of-the-sexes Charades marathon wherein the women, once again, proved superiority. My friend Kathy, who I initially met in El Salvador was visiting so she received a massive Peace Corps immersion. She insists she wasn't traumatized but the rocking and babbling incoherently say differently. :) Kathy and I took the bus back to my site yesterday and I showed her around el 20 and the Puerto. It was a lot of fun to have here around. I put her on a bus this morning and sent her off to San Francisco. Hopefully it won't be another three years before we hang out again!

Anyhoo... I am excited to be able to spend a little time in my casita in the next couple of weeks. My cat, Necio is living up to his name. I guess he is now officially mine, as the neighbors to whom he technically belonged moved away and left him to me. My first act as his official owner will be to take away his manhood. I think he's pretty excited about it. :)

Still No Word

Well, for those of you that have been pacing, wondering what it is I am going to do with myself after Peace Corps, well... join the club. I still have no idea. I am waiting to hear about the job in El Salvador. If that doesn't work out (it is seeming less and less likely by the minute), I will be staying here in Costa Rica (but in San José). That is of course, if they accept me for the extension. If all else fails, I may be wondering around Central America nursing my wounds and picking up the pieces of my self-confidence. Regardless, I'll end up where I am suppose to be. I always do.

Demasiado Poco Tiempo

I believe I spent the last week in the states. I can't say for sure because it went by so fast and much of it passed in a blur, but I have some tickets stubs that say I was there, so I must have been.

I got in to Denver last Wednesday night at about 9p. I left Costa Rica at 7 am that morning but spent most of the day at the Houston airport. My flight was delayed (thanks to high winds) and then I almost missed it due to having a couple of beers bought for me and being too accustomed to la hora tica (thanks to Darren (?) and Costa Rica respectively). The first indications of reverse culture shock came when I was unable to speak English in the Houston airport (possibly due to said beers) and when later that night at Qdoba, when the burrito boy asked if I wanted salsa I said "si" and then spent the next five minutes trying to convince him that I am accustomed to speaking Spanish and was not one of those dorks that says "si" instead of "yes" in all Mexican and Mexican-esque restaurants.

I spent Thursday morning at the DMV trying to get my driver's license back, a logistical remnant from the mugging. While waiting, I decided to walk over to the Rite Aid and pick up an Economist to read and pass the time. I searched high and low through a plethora of bridal, hotrod, celebrity and porn magazines but couldn't find it. I asked the girl working there if they had any news magazines at all, I would have settled for a Time or Newsweek even. She looked confused and offered a Discovery Magazine. "Never mind," I said. I guess campesino does translate.

Friday I had lunch with the Island Grove group. It was kinda our last she-bang as Nicole is moving to San Diego. Chris will be working on his post-doc. I suggested that where I come from, when someone is unable to finish going to school, it is sometimes referred to as being "held back." :) Lisa told me I was old, I told her "yes WE are." She is desperately avoiding motherhood although I think that any man that will still love you after you set his apartment on fire is one that maybe needs to be duplicated. :) Em looks happy and great and is learning to love a Republican. Donna is still amazing, still my hero and still working with the people everyone else wants to forget about, all the while suffering the British shenanigans of Dr. Hottie. And Mason.... Mason is still Mason, swinging from apron strings and looking for a lap to lay his head in. Headed off to counsel torture victims in Eastern Europe. Wei Wu Wei my friend.

Friday night drove to New Castle and hung out with the fam and 5 rapidly growing nieces and nephews. It's hard to miss that part. Billie and Rod have one more on the way, so soon there will be six. Saturday we headed to Grand Junction and hung out with a few select Sefcovics along with my girl Holly and the little man Ky. We had a very pleasant afternoon. Saturday night I met up with Aaron, Maria and Will (Bill) my buds from the initial El Salvador trip. We swapped some stories, did some shots, I lost Holly, but then I found her again. I am still getting used to American cell phones. Not sure what the big difference is, but I seem to be deaf to their ring tones. :) I learned that speaking Spanish makes me invincible at Shapiro’s although the big gringo standing behind me may have had something to do with that. :) Holly and I went to an after party at J-Dogg's or some other dreaded rapper sounding name. I spent most of the night staring at Grand Junctions alternative crowd thinking "you people are definitely not ticos." Sunday morning was back up to New Castle. I taught Holly about tico time she seemed to catch right on. We had breakfast with the Burns' et al. and then headed back to the Fort.

Monday, I kidnapped Sarah from her infant twins and 4-year-old and took her shopping. It was lots of fun. There was giggling involved. I had just enough time to squeeze in an hour of drinking coffee and writing in my journal at Starry Night before I met Shawn and Cassie for dinner at the Rio. They are expecting their second child or "young mind to corrupt" as I like to call them. Caroleena and Andy joined us and we ended the night with a PBR at the Trailhead. They are also doing well, finishing up school, working for Island Grove and hunting shrooms. Cool.

Tuesday Byron and I were going to go hiking but it was raining. (Did I mention that I froze 97% of the time I was in Colorado?) So we went over my financial stuff. I got a couple of "bad monkey" speeches but other than that, all went well. Byron seems to have inherited all of the "adult responsibility" genes, I predict that this will not be the last time I am found crashing on his couch. Dara still likes animals. I can't seem to talk her out of it. Although there maybe be hope for her after all, she spends her days cutting them up and placing their insides on glass slides, or watching other people to make sure they do said cutting correctly. Jack got onto my computer and learned to play chess. I may try to learn also and play with him next time I am home but that will probably end with tears. Not generally a problem, except that they will probably be my tears and that's not nearly as fun.

Wednesday I spent packing and desperately looking for quasi-formal shoes just in case I ever need to wear something besides my Chacos. Failed miserably. I have been cursed with gargantuan feet and they just don't make shoes for me. I have thought about shopping where drag queens shop, but I think I would be hard pressed to find a sporty-and-outdoorsy-yet-appropriate-for-semi-casual-drag-queen store. If you know of one, please let me know. :)

Wednesday night, I left. We, logically, flew from Denver (left at 1:30am) to Newark then to Costa Rica. I was only quasi-conscious through most of the flight. I got back to San Jose, grabbed a cab to my bus stop just in time to squeeze into the last space on the bus to Puntarenas. My house is in good/excellent order, thank you Marianne. My neighbors are already hooking me up with their husbands’ co-workers and my cat is MIA. Although I'm not worried about the cat, I know he has been around because there was half a mouse on the kitchen floor when I got back. He is probably just pouting because I was gone so long. He is so catty! HA! Anyhoo... like I said, I spent most of my time running frantically from one reunion to another. I learned that one week is not nearly enough time after being gone nearly two years.

I am still waiting to hear about the El Salvador job. So I still don't know, for sure, what I will be doing come October. Well, that's about as good an update as I can give you. I have a work report and a close of service report due soon so I will be spending the next couple of days at my computer.

Peace Out

T minus 4 months

Today I picked up my COS (Close of Service) packet from the encomiendos office (aka the bus stop.. you can send packages on the passenger busses.. .it's fun AND relatively convenient). I now have to think about wrapping up this whole crazy experience and sumarizing it in 2 pages or less to be filed away in the D.C. office for posterity. That'll give me something to think about for a bit.

Other than that, I am hanging out in the Puerto again. I am recovering nicely from the hernia opperation. It involves a lot of wandering around and watching it rain. It is not, really, much different than what I normally do.

I did have a pretty productive meeting with a group from the Ministerio de Salud (Health Ministry) about forming an HIV commission in Puntarenas. It sounds pretty promising, although I am still a little gun-shy about getting my hopes up. We have another meeting in a couple of weeks, so we'll see what happens.

New PCCR Logo

Que Pereza!

I am "recovering" in San Jose. I am BORED! I am actually feeling quite good. I am moving a little slow but the drugs are good so things aren't so bad. Anyhoo... I thought I would share with you all some of my favorite tico-isms (or translations that make me giggle):

The word for 'lesbian' is 'tortillera'

The word for 'vibrator' is 'consolador' (Ha!)

The word for 'handcuffs' is 'esposas' or 'wives' (a tad bit machista, eh?)

Anyhoo... that is my most recent cultural update. Hope it serves you well. :)

El Chunche

Well, I have four months left in Costa Rica and I figured one thing I havn't done yet is get cut open in third world hospital. So yesterday afternoon I remedied that. Yesterday, I had a hernia operation. I would like to point out though that the "third-world" hospital that I was in, was not really that. It was the private gringo hospital and is arguably better than most of the US public hospitals. Private room, cable, it could definately be worse.

I got a shiny gold star for my surgery. I have been pleasantly surprised that I have had very little pain and discomfort. The Surgery doctors and anestesiologists thought I was a little nuts because when they gave me the spinal, I couldn't stop giggling and saying "Hormigas! Hormigas! Me siento boracha!" Apparently the hernia was in the top of my leg muscle rather than my abdomen and it was BIG. (I try not to do anything half-assed.) But, all is well now. I am on the road to recovery and should be fine within a couple of weeks. Right now I am staying at a hotel in San Jose. Zoey has generously come into town to take care of me and cater to my every whim. I will be here until Saturday so I will have lots and lots of internet access. Yea!

Back to life in the Puerto

I have been in my site for over a whole week now. (I am not counting a quick day trip into San Jose to run errands). I was pretty excited that I was here on Friday and got to go to the feria de verduras (farmer's market). I havn't been able to go in about two months and I really miss it. It is definately the perk of my exciting weekends.I went to the beach and played in the surf with some kid friends on Saturday and got a pretty heinous burn on my right side. It's fading though so I really can't complain too much.

Miracle of miracles, my PANI office has internet up and working so I am taking advantage of the free internet time. It is definately not something to be taken for granted. I am waiting for my new APCD (boss), the infamous Dan Baker to get here so that we can have a meeting with my counterpart about where they are going to put Tico 17 volunteers. I have a couple of places that I would like to see them place some people so I am hoping that they will be able to happen. Other than that, there is not a whole lot to report. I have some stuff to be wrapping up, but I am mostly procrastinating. I still have an entire season of CSI on DVD to watch, it's tough work, but someone's gotta do it, and since Katheryn left, that leaves it all up to me.

Back in the Puerto

I am back home again. And I have been here for more than two days in a row. It is a little strange, but I think I can get used to this again. It's not quite back to normal yet though cuz I had out-of-town visitors Monday night. Kevin, a friend from the states that was a PCV in the Republic of Georgia was visiting so I got to hang out with him and his buddy Jairo. We had about as good a time as you can have in a seedy port town. Did some dancing, sang some kareoke, really, really badly and drank a couple of cervezas.

I am focusing most of my efforts now into wrapping things up here and preparing for the next step. I only have a little more than 4 months left til the end of service! I am still planning on going to El Salvador for a while when I finish here. I just don't know what I am going to be doing when I get there. Figuring it out is all part of the fun though right?

That's all for now.

La despedida mas triste

Me and Maria in Costa del Sol, El Salvador

I am still running. I think I have been home a cumulative total of two weeks in the past two months and a week and a half of that was hosting guests. I am beyond exhausted, but not yet done.

I spent last weekend with Maria. We went to Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and then I finally made it to her site. It was our farewell tour, you might say. Maria is headed back to the states on Saturday. She got accepted into a really great grad school program this fall and is headed out early to spend some time with the fam and go to her brother's graduation before she hits the books in Vermont. I'm really excited for her but I will also miss her terribly. I have spent the last two years figuring out how I am going to fill my time until we can hang out again. I'm not sure what I am going to do with myself. I actually think I am still in denial. So far it just feels like we are hanging out again and then we will go back to our sites. I think it will hit me for reals in a couple of weeks when I get the urge for coffee and Maria time and there is none to be had. Que tristeza!

Anyhoo... we are in San Jose now. Zoey, Maria and I went to our favorite restaurant, Tin Jo last night. Zoey heads back to her site tonight, I'll be here to see Maria off tomorrow. Then back to Puntarenas tomorrow, and hopefully I will get to stick around a bit.

One Small Good Thing

It's done! The following is what I submitted to the Cadena about my HIV Workshop:

The entirety of my service seems to come down to this. It wasn't an accident. I've been calling it, "my baby," my "legacy project" for months. And it has literally taken months for this one day to come together. The HIV infection rate in my barrio is estimated to be one infected person for every ten residents. One in ten. 10% of the population. So I give some charlas, start talking about what no one wants to talk about. Inevitably, I know that my voice, is just one voice, in one small place in the world that not even Google Maps can focus on. Christian mythology says that hope springs from the tiniest mustard seed, but futility was beginning to lap at my mustard seed. I was sitting in a meeting of my Junta de Proteccion zoning in and out of consciousness as they ranted about the dangers of traigamonedas. I could hardly mask my indignation... Drugs, alcohol, domestic violence, delinquency, HIV/AIDS and the group that is suppose to be protecting kids is worried about glorified pinball machines. "I'm outta here" I thought, and then my do-gooder conscious part said, "Quit whining and do something about it. Teach them."

I had done some work at the local HIV/AIDS clinic and suggested to the nurse there that we host a taller(workshop) for professionals educating them about HIV/AIDS. The hospital was already involved in doing some education in the schools and other organizations although their reach is severely limited in that they spend a great deal of time treating patients and they don't have the time or resources to dedicate to organizing charlas. I have the social connections I told him. I have drank coffee and talked about the weather in pastel colored cement buildings all over this city. The theory is that all service workers that work with the affected populations are working in HIV/AIDS, they just don't realize it. It's up to us to tell them, I said. He agreed. Well, he said, Where would we get the money?

We had no budget. It was made pretty clear that there would be no financial support from the hospital or any other social institution. (Speaks volumes doesn't it?) Our biggest expense would be the food, and there has GOT to be food. Whoever said, "There's no such thing as a free lunch" has never been to a tico taller. Not only is there a free lunch, you also get two cafécitos. "If you feed them, they will come." I decided I would write a PCPP and try to get the funding for the food. That would leave the facilities, all resources etc. up to the community to provide. My hospital counterpart had a contact at the Rotary Club and he thought he would be able to get the building donated, the clinic staff would be giving most of the presentations so that would not be a cost and the rest we would hunt and gather. We had a plan, we were good to go. We were on it. First things first let's pick a date. It is such a simple thing, you look at a calendar, you chose a day, you write it down, then you get to work.

We changed the date 3 billion times between November and April; the space wasn't available that day, he scheduled it during his vacation, then the doctor wasn't available, then the "donated" space became a "discounted" space and we were back at square one. This called from drastic measures. Fortunately, while researching "stress management techniques" and greater "community integration" on the Paseo de Turistas I met the brand, spanking new gringo owner of a bar/restaurant and ended up talking him into donating the upstairs of his building, and he would work within our budget for the food. Rockin'! Now I have a space, AND the irony of giving an HIV taller in a bar was really just too good to pass up. The good news; things are coming together. The bad news; it's becoming increasingly clear that this is my baby and very little help is coming from my "counterpart." I decide I am just going to have to live with that. It's not that they don't care or even that they don't want to do anything, it's that working on big problems with few resources tends to breed what looks like apathy, but is really just hopelessness and resignation.

The "S" word (sustainability) keeps popping up in my head. If I'm the only one invested in this, it's not sustainable. "One good thing," I think. "If I can just do one good thing during my service. I'll be happy." I had it in the back of my mind, but I hardly dared to whisper it. I wanted to create a Red de Prevención. There are a ton of HIV resources out there, but there is not any one organized entity in Puntarenas that is working on getting them there. It's a pipe dream, I know. But, I thought that if we could just get people together; the people that are already out there working in the most affected populations. If we could just get them to be aware of it. If we could get them to start talking about it, even in the smallest way, then that would be something. That would be my seed.

The week before the taller, the date was finalized (for real this time). We cranked out some invitations, I took half and my counterpart took half. I hit the streets. I walked all over Puntarenas with a stack of invitations and a sweat rag. I was running about half and half of those that said they would be able to go, and knew that probably about half of the ones that said they would make it wouldn't actually come. I spent the rest of the week typing up the agenda, pre and post tests, evaluations and surveys that would be the measurements and accountability portion of my project. My counterpart was working on getting us some folders donated.

Monday morning, the day before the taller, I got to the hospital to go over final stuff with my counterpart. He, the doctor and the psychologist are scheduled to present in the morning. I booked an amazing woman from Associacion Americas to come from San Jose to present in the afternoon. I got to the clinic Monday morning, the day before the taller and my counterpart has come through with the folders. Yipee! Then the psychologist walks in and I ask her if she is ready for the big day and she says, "yeah, I don't think I'm gonna make it. I think I am gonna be 'incapacitada"(sick) tomorrow." So I did what any mature professional would do... I told on her. My counterpart told her she had to go or at least had to find someone to stand in for her if she couldn't go. I confirmed the Associacion Americas woman that afternoon. I had all the speakers lined up with one exception, me. But I still had a good ten hours to get that together.

The morning of the taller I show a the restaurant at 8 am. The taller was scheduled to run 8-4, so needless to say, I was early. There were two minor (AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!) catastrophes first thing. The new owners changed the name of the restaurant recently and had bought a new sign. The name I put on the invitations was in little-bitty print on the new sign. I had also mistakenly written "Oeste"(West) on the invitations instead of "Este"(East). I was on the verge of a breakdown. Was it all really going to fall apart due to one little extra 'O'? One little 'O', as in "Oh f*@#, everybody's lost." My ever so generous machito compañero helped me out, signs were made people came. Not a lot of people, but people none-the-less. I ended up with 11 professionals and 6 PCVs.

All in all, things went pretty okay. The presenters presented. The food was good. The service was good. People participated. The Associacion Americas presentation was incredible and impactful. It still had it's idiosyncrasies of course. It was Puntarenas HOT. The doctor sweat through his scrubs during his presentation. Don Flaco; so named because he is amazing emaciated (I think that taller provisions are his sole source of nourishment); still managed to bring up the evils of traigamonedas. The afternoon presenter was an hour late and my counterpart left after lunch. But then people started talking about the future. Shirley, this incredibly powerful and compassionate woman, starts talking about planning another taller for her coworkers and for MEP and IMAS. The women from the schools ask about scheduling the doctor to present at their school. And then it happens, the heavens open, a man from the Minesterio de Salud (Health Ministry) says it; "I am going to work on putting to together a commission to work on HIV prevention in Puntarenas."

I don't dare get my hopes up. There is excitement, there is energy, there are promises and sometimes they don't make it out of the building. When I leave here in September, the HIV infection rate will still be high. The social workers and psychologists will still be over worked and overwhelmed. Vital programs will still be under-funded. Important information will not be distributed because it is uncomfortable to talk about. The impact of the taller will fade. But maybe, just maybe, one small good thing remains.

This thing may actually happen

I don't want to speak too soon, but it looks like my HIV workshop for professionals may actually happen. The newest and latest date for it is next Tuesday. We are having it in a bar. No, the irony is not lost on me. I am running around today hand delivering invitations (read: begging people to come). I am not sure how this thing is going to turn out. I may be in tears come Wednesday, but at least it will be over and done with.

More irony: Last week I was in San Jose giving a talk to the new group about filling out Incident Reports after having been mugged and/or a victim of theft. When I got back to my house, I found out that the local crackheads had stolen my towels off my clothesline in my back yard. Oh those crackheads! You just never know what sort of shenanegans they'll be up to next!

Back but not completly

We got back to Costa Rica Sunday night at about 9pm after over twenty sweltering hours on a bus without air conditioning. To say the least it was good to be back. I was home for two whole days before I had to come into San Jose to do some training work. I am giving a training on safety and how to fill out an incident report since I have, unfortunatley, got the process down now. I am looking forward to spending some actual time back in my site.

The date on my HIV/AIDS workshop got changed again. It will be nice to have a little more time to get things together but I would also really, really like for it to get done. It has drug out a really long time. I am a little worried that I am more invested in it than my counterparts, but that is a pretty typical scenario. After so much anticipation, I am just hoping that it gets done without bombing too badly. On a good note, the food is paid for so I don't have to worry about people showing up! :)

Quick Note from El Salvador

I'm back in El Salvador. Zoey, Maria and I arrived Thursday night. We have been running like crazy. We have already eaten pupusas, been to the kareoke bar (twice), scoured San Salvador for the best jugo de naranja con vanilla, and went to a music festival. The girls are getting a crash course in Salvadoran history and culture. It's a tough one to swallow at times but they are hanging in there. We toured the UCA campus where 6 Jesuit priests and two women were murdered by the government death squads during the civil war and we went to Cinquera and hiked in a nature reserve and then spoke with the town patriarch about the war. Zoey caught the bus back to Costa Rica early this morning. Maria caught some sort of bug that kept here in the hammock all day, but seems to be doing better.

Anyhoo... that's all for now.

Pre-trip check in

I am still in San Jose. Dan Baker Day was a success. It will be nice to have an immediate supervisor again. Work-wise things are going well. Trying to get some stuff done between vacations. It's a tough, but I have nearly a month worth of days to take before June when I am no longer allowed to take vacation days. So... it must be done. :)

Tonight, or more specifically, tomorrow morning at 3am, Zoey, Maria and I are headed to El Salvador. I am really excited that they are going with me. We are all staying with Carlos. He gave me a quick rundown of our itinerary and it seems that the phrase "we'll sleep when we are dead" translates perfectly.

I went to the art museum today. It is in a building that used to be the airport. It is really pretty. It is not huge, it is not the DAM (Denver Art Museum), but it was nice. Although I was a little disapointed because they had advertised a special Rembrandt exibit which ended up being a special timeline of his life. It did not include any originals nor reproductions of his actual work. But, the other stuff was pretty cool and just the right amount of things to see that I didn't get kindergartner antsy before the end.

Anyhoo, I'll try to get a post in from El Sal!

It's a tough gig....

I am having a hard time keeping up with the blogs. Been running a lot lately. All this paseando (vacationing) is tough work! Dad, Carol and Dee Dee were here for a week. I saw them off on Friday. It was a lot of fun and quite an adventure navigating the cultural divides. But, we went fishing, ziplining, snorkling and even saw some dolphins. (Oh yea... there were monkeys too.) We even drug Dad and Carol kicking and screaming to a Japanese restaurant so I could get my sushi fix. It was really good, but I gotta say it is tough to switch between English, Spanish and Japanese. It was funky.

I was hostess for volunteers all weekend coupled with trying to get ready to go to El Salvador for a week. It is also Dan Baker Day on Tuesday so I am headed to San Jose. Then to El Sal on Thursday. Dan Baker Day, for those of you who do not yet have it marked on your calendars.... is the welcome party for our new program director.

Anyhoo... I had better get going. I have got some actual work to squeeze in between vacations!

Last Dance of Malcrianza

Okay... well, my AIDS presentations went very well. Or at least they ended on a very good note so that has rosied my recall of the disorder and chaos that they started out being. Overall, I am quite happy with the results. I was able to train two other volunteers also so that felt sustainable. Although I can't say that they were overwhelmingly effective as one of the girls kept unbuttoning her blouse and making eyes at Jacob, the male volunteer helping me out. And at the end of one of the presentations, a kid came up to me and said (to my breasts), "I know I don't look it, but I am 15 years old and I know what to do with a condom." I said, "well, I feel like my work here is done."

I spent the day Saturday in Jacob's site. He lives across the gulf in a small town called Jicaral. They were having their fiestas civicas or civil festivities whose main attraction was the last ride of a world(Tico)-famous man-killing bull called Malcrianza loosely translated as "Born to be Bad." Supposedly he has killed two men and is very vicious. So we packed into a little arena, and I do mean packed. We were sardines on wooden benches. It was not comfortable. The most exciting part of the evening was marveling at the natural consequences of a country without liability laws. The arena was not all that big to begin with, probably only about 30 yards across in any one spot, and there were about 20 spectators in the ring with the bull that would taunt it and then try to scurry up the fence as it came their way.

I have to say that the riding and roping styles were interesting. I consider myself to be a fair judge as I have been to a rodeo or two in my day. It was announced that the first rider would be riding in the "free hand" style, which means that he would be riding with both hands held in the air. I was pretty excited to see how this would be done as I have seen many a good rider not make eight seconds, even while holding on with at least one hand. He came out of the shoot, flopping around like a rag-doll, both hands in the air and I was amazed, until I saw that his feet were strapped to the bull. The purist in me insists that this is cheating. That was pretty much the end of the excitement. Many of the riders made the full eight seconds. Generally there would be 2-3 seconds of rough bucking followed by and equal amount of half-assed bucking and then the bull trying to get past the harrassment of the spectators to get back into the pen. Each "ride" was seperated by at least 20 minutes of what I assume to beintensive preparations, while the spectators shifted uncomfortably trying to keep their bums from sleeping.

The roping style was also quite distinct from that which I am used to seeing. I have to say that it was right online with the tico cultural trait of indirectness, but much more fun to watch. Although I didn't get to examine one upclose, the larriats looked to me slightly less rigid than american ones. The loop was huge, it looked like it was about 6-8 feet doubled, or nearly big enough to run it around the entire bull without touching it. To throw it, they would spin it on one side of the horse, flop it over and spin it on the other and then sort of lob it over the bull. Their accuracy wasn't 100% but it was really fun to watch. It was like the trick ropers that would spin their larriets around themselves and their horses.

Anyhoo, we left after the third bull and according to the Brittish woman that stuck out the entire thing, we missed very little, although ticos insisted that we missed the ride of the century and assured us that Malcrianza was surely possessed by some sort of evil spirit that would make him so blood-thirsty. I can't speak for the level of demonic possession, but I can imagine I would have been seeking blood if I had waited out the entire show. Of course, a seat cushion may have changed my outlook on the entire event.

Update

I guess it has been a while since I wrote. Not a lot going on, mostly just killing time inbetween vacations. Just kidding...

Um what's new. On the subject of barrio wildlife, I spent about a half an hour helping my neighbor capture a ferrel bunny rabbit in the dark. I told her next time to get a white one, they're easier to see.

Next week I have a bunch of HIV/AIDS presentations I will be doing at the local high school. 11 in 4 days. I should be certifiable by Friday, just in time to give a presenation on NOT beating your children to a group of moms. I'm also working on getting my HIV/AIDS workshop together. I am pretty excited, I found out that the grant proposal I wrote was accepted and the project was fully funded. You all should be excited too cuz it was originally a "hit up folks from home" grant. So, consider this your "get out of donating" free card.

Anyhoo... I have to give an aerobics class to my little old ladies this afternoon and then I have penciled in a big, fatty nap in the hammock.

7th Street Bookstore and Café Milagro

Here's a pic of me in one of my favorite San José hangouts. The 7th Street Bookstore where I am able to have a cup of Joe, read a book (or magazine) and write in my journal. It is full of gringos, but the closest thing I have found to stand in for Starry Night.

0 to 12,530 ft

Maria, Zoey and I spent three days last week climbing Chirripó, the highest point in Costa Rica. (On a clear day, you can see both the Pacific and Carribean Coasts.) Thursday we hiked to the albergue or hostel-like thing located 14.5 km up the mountain. Friday we climbed the last 6 km to the summit and ended up doing so with a group of Ticos that included the former director of the parks who was able to tell us a lot of "insider information" about the park history and geology. We also summitted with the sports reporter from one of the local channels who, although I had never seen before, is apparently quite famous in Costa Rica. They were a really fun group and ended up offering to give us a ride back to San Jose on Saturday, which we jumped on like we do any other opportunity to avoid 6 hours in a hot, dusty bus. On Saturday we climbed down and were absolutely, totally and completely exhausted by the time we reached the bottom. We collapsed in a heap but were ecstatic that we had completed our journey and, even better, that the guys had waited for us and we still had a ride back to San Jose. It was an amazing trip! Day 1 5:30 a.m. Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed

View of Costa Rica's West Coast from top of Chirripo (The coast is just underneath the clouds.)View of Costa Rica's East Coast (Coast again just below clouds)

We collapsed at the bottom... but we still arrived to a round of applause!

Sunday, we watched the Superbowl at the Boulevar. Go Colts! Today, I am so sore, I am moving like a little old lady and actually cried out trying to climb the stairs to board the bus. Well worth it though!

Tomorrow... I am back to work!

Yes... there is some actual work going on

Okay... beyond all the mugging excitement, I have actually been getting some work done. I gave three charlas to Tico 15ers on Monday. Yesterday I had a meeting with a doctor at the children's hospital that works in the AIDS clinic. It was really interesting, a little depressing, but a good opportunity for project colaborations. The most disturbing thing I found out is that the hospital only places HIV positive kids in PANI foster homes if there is absolutely no other alternatives. The education level for PANI workers regarding AIDS issues is abysmal. The doctor told me that they had actually treated PANI babies for mal-nutrician because the caretakers didn't feed them because they were afraid they would get the disease. So... to say the least there is a need for education campaigns.

Luckily... I am currently working on an education workshop for PANI workers. I will be saying more about this later and asking for your help with it so... be sure to watch for that.

Today, I will finish up in San Jose by giving another charla to 15ers about Love and Logic parenting/discipline techniques. Love and Logic is a parenting curriculum that I used to use when I worked in the treatment centers in the states. They generously donated the curriculum to me to use here.

Anyhoo.... that's what I'm up to lately. Later today I will be headed back to my barrio and tomorrow I'm headed to the OIJ (Tico FBI) to report my mugging. Let the good times roll!

As long as we are keepin' it real...

I debated about whether or not I should post this blog as it will probably get some hearts started, but to stay true to my honesty policy I guess I had better fess up. I was catching the 4am bus to San Jose Monday morning to do trainings for another Tico group and I was mugged by two guys with a machete crossing the runway between my barrio and the main road where I catch the bus. Not something I am anxious to repeat, but all ended well. They got my wallet but I got to keep my camera and my laptop. Lost my Peace Corps ID and my Colorado Driver's license but nothing irreplaceable just inconvenient. Today I am going to go the the bank and see how many days it will take me to get a new bank card. Anyhoo... life goes on.

A quick rebuttal then back to the fluff....

One of my favorite things about the blog format is that I get to write about my experiences and then from a distance of thousands of miles, people can tell me how I didn't actually experience what I think I did. But, I guess I chose this format and I must live with those consequences.

Here's the thing... this is part of MY Peace Corps experience. All of it. The beautiful stuff as well as the devestating. Read the disclaimer. When all of this is said and done, if I end up in frigic climate working out of a cubical somewhere gazing at a tropical screensaver, I may be tempted to romantacize also. Romance isn't real. This experience is. I'm trying to be as true as I can be.

I know it is tough to swallow but working for the biggest bureaucracy on the planet is not a little slice of heaven everyday. But I believe in what I am doing. I believe in the Peace Corps. I believe in the Peace Corps acknowledging that it is imperfect and, at times, can be the poster-child for futility and personality defects. Assume whatever you need to to be able to sleep at night, but at the end of the day the reality is that a great volunteer was sent home.

I would hope that anyone reading this who is thinking about joining the Peace Corps will do so. It has been, the most significant experience of my life. In fact, I am hoping to be able to extend my service to a third year (in El Salvador). I also hope that if you do, that you are able to appreciate it for what it is and what it will be... real.

No Tolerance for Zero Tolerance

This week we've lost a volunteer. Saturday, Mike Q. is leaving on a jet plane. This is nothing less than tragic. Actually, I believe 'ironic' would be a better describer. Mike was faced with 'administrative separation' for not calling Peace Corps to tell them that he would be out of his site. He was working in San Jose, and simply forgot to call in. It's something I, in my gnat-like attention span and attention to detail, have done more than once. Peace Corps found out and he was given the option to quit or be fired. So he had 24 hours to pack his things, say goodbye to his community and get out of the country. There is a policy, of course. The new policy is 'zero tolerance' and he is being made an example of. Anytime subjectivity is removed from punishments, it always seems to fall on the people that deserve it the least.

People need to call in. It's a safety thing. And yes, there are plenty of people that are screwing around, vacationing more than they are working, and there needs to be consequences. Those people are better (luckier) at not getting caught.

Mike was an excellent volunteer. His heart was in his work. He was doing great things. He, in many ways, embodied what a Peace Corps Volunteer should be. With zero tolerance, none of that matters. I am about to start a series of workshops teaching parents how to administer appropriate consequences to their children so that the message is not lost in the punishment. Maybe I should start with the office. The message we are getting is that as long as we are physically in our sites, it really doesn't matter if we are doing anything else or not. If our work performance is irrelevant in keeping our jobs... what does that say?

Mike will be fine. He is meant to be elsewhere. He'll move on from this and do great things...somewhere else. It's our loss. It's the loss of his community. Of course, if there were no injustice in the world, we would be out of a job.

Anyhoo, good luck Mike! You will be missed. Your absence will devastate Costa Rica's datability potential. :)

BBBRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I have been staying at the koosh hotel in San Jose which means that I have had access to Denver news channels. Looks pretty damn cold there. Part of me wishes I were there to enjoy the snow, although it is a frigid 72 degrees here in San Jose and I am COLD so I'm not sure I could survive the cold front.

Back in the Port

Here's a couple photo highlights from the El Sal trip. It was really a great time. It gets harder and harder to leave everytime I go. It kinda put my post service plans up in the air again. Anyhoo... we'll see where I end up.

Kids from El Espino waiting for the toys to be handed out. I tried to be incognito with the camera so I could snap some candids... I failed miserably. :)


The Salvadoran New Year's tradition is to eat Chompipe (Turkey) for New Year's Eve and then all day the next day. We bought the turkey's live. This is me sizing it up before he hits the oven. To say the least, there are not a lot of turkey's that see the new year in El Salvador.

This is me and the guys: René, Chus, me, Carlos.

Fireworks are also a big New Year's tradition. Needless to say the burn unit at the local hospital keeps pretty busy. Sparklers and colors are fun but I would like to beat the guy that invented the loud ones. My ears are still ringing.

Made it back to Puntarenas about 10 pm Wednesday night. Spent most of yesterday reclaiming my house from the spiders and other critters. Was not very excited to find a mouse carcass under my stove. Other than that, all is well. Things are cleaned up and back to normal.

Maria stayed the night with me last night with her brother and sister. I made my first attempt at Indian cooking and made Curry Garbonzo beans and Palaak Paneer. The Paneer turned out a little funky but still tasted good. The garbonzos were a hit, I must admit. Anyhoo, all is well. Trying to get back in the swing, but not having a lot of luck motivating myself as I am headed to San Jose next week to work on the Cadena.

El Salvador

I made it. Más o menos 20 hours in a bus and voila! Whole other country. Whole other world would probably be a better description. I am again finding that my vacations from my Peace Corps life seem more like what I thought my Peace Corps life would be like. It's kinda throwing me into a quandry.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas. Mine was very, very mellow. Carlos' family really doesn't celebrate x-mas with much fanfare, so we didn't do much of anything. They do their family thing on New Years so will have more to report later. We did distribute toys to the kids in the neighborhood so that was pretty cool. I got some pictures I will try to get posted soon. It was much harder to snap candids as they don't tend to get a lot of gringos here so I stuck out and the weird thing I kept pointing at people got a couple looks to. When I showed the kids the photos of themselves they burst into giggles, which was actually more foto worthy than the actual picture. The kids also loved the toys of course. Without a doubt they were the only ones they got this year.

Other than that I have been running around with my friend Carlos. The first night I was in town I helped him and some of his friends coordinate a romantic dinner to help him win back his girlfriend. Poor guy needed all the help he could get. It was looking to be hit or miss there for a while, but she was no match for the Mariachis. It was quite a show. Mission accomplished.

Last night I hung out with another friend, Alejandro, that I actually met on the bus ride the last time I came up here. He is actually one of the very, very few small business owners in El Salvador. He showed me around the city. San Salvador is a very interesting city. There are a number of architectually beautiful buildings and parks in the center but extroaordinarily bad government has buried them behind poverty and delinquincy. It's really a shame. There are also an incredible amount of Gringo stores. All the fast food, of course, but also a lot of malls and big name American stores. I actually saw a 9 West store. It is a very interesting place. The contrast between the haves and have nots is overwhelming. Hopefully one day El Sal will be able to reclaim their cultural landmarks and heritage.

Anyhoo... that's all I have to report for now. I am here until the 3rd. I am not sure I will be able to write before then. Internet is definately more challenging here. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

On my way....

I am in San Jose. I am headed to El Salvador on the bus at 3 a.m. I am hoping to stay awake until then so I can sleep as much as possible in a bus. I am already fading though so I don't know how well that plan is going to work.

Anyhoo.... Hope everyone has a Happy ChrismaKwanzaHannukka!

Critter

I have a new part-time roommate. It is a cat. I was going to say that I got a cat... but I didn't really get one. There was no effort whatsoever exerted in the aquisition, much like all my other critter roommates. It officially belongs to a neighbor but hangs out at my house. I decided to let it stay because I figured it may help fend off the rats. For those of you that have witnessed my apathy for animals this may be surprising. However, I have found that the cat and I have come to an mutual understanding of tolerance if, and only if, acknowledgement is unavoidable. The cat is also bi-lingual, meaning that it disregards me in English as well as Spanish. It has actually brought me some peace of mind in that I now can assure myself that it is just the cat making strange noises at night.

Semana de talleres

Wow! Where has time gone? I just finished up a whirl-wind week and things do not seem to be slowing down at all. I went to two workshops this week. The first one was about physical punishment for kids. It lasted two days and was a collosal waste of time, I kept having . But there were about 6 other fvolunteers fromt he vicinity that came into Puntarenas to share in the mind-numbing glory so we hung out at my house to recover. Priya, who is Indian-American made some incredible Chicken Curry for us at my house which made up for the fact that she broke my key off in my door that morning. All is forgiven. :)

The second workshop was with the local women's office and was about HIV/AIDS. It was a little crazy but night and day better than the first one. I made some good contacts for the workshop I am putting together for early March. So hopefully all will go well.

Yesterday, a fellow PCV, Brandon came down from Liberia with a friend that is visiting him. We took the Playa Naranjo Ferry (a.k.a. Booze Cruise) and had a great time living up the PCV lifestyle. Today is Friday and I spent the day trying to get caught up, if not ahead. I am headed to El Salvador on Wednesday to spend the holidays there. I will be back on the 3rd of January. Hopefully at some point I will have email access but communication is much more difficult there. My phone will also not be of any use so for those of you who call me from time to time (both of you) no need to bother for a while.

It was really an exhausting week. The family I hang out with in my barrio didn't see me at all and nearly sent out a search party. I wasn't even able to make my dance or exercize classes so I feel like a perezosa. I was able to get some work done but it feels like it was lost in the black-hole of downtime in captivity. Oh well.

I will be in San Jose on Tuesday so hopefully I will have time for one last post before I go.

Christmas Tamales

I spent most of last Friday afternoon making Christmas tomales with my "little old ladies" that I teach aerobics to. They were making them to sell and we ended up making about 200 tomales. They were so excited that I was helping them and learning to make tomales so that I could make them back in the states and/or for my Tico husband. They couldn't seem to decide which outcome they would rather see but had a great time debating the two.



It was a lot of fun and the tomales turned out ricisimo. Here's what I learned....





First you roast the banana leaves

Then you cook some stuff....

The tomales are masa (corn meal dough stuff), rice (no lack of carbs here), potatos, carrots, green peppers, pork, and chayote (a tropical vegitable) rolled in plantain leaves.

Then tied with love by little old ladies (Emphasis on the little, I don't think that either of them hit 5')

That's it!

Que torta

The rats have carried off my toothpaste.

Día del Pavo

Thanksgiving 2006 has officially been declared a "raging success." Gracias a Zoey. We spent the holiday in a lodge like rental just outside of San Marcos del Terrazu, South of San Jose. We had everything... turkey (2), stuffing, sweet potatoes, hummus and pretzle jello. We stuffed ourselves shamelessly. We played games, we chortled, we drank. It was a thoroughly enjoyable time. I even got the pictures uploaded and sent out. I am quite possibly one of the best foto sharers in the Peace Corps. :)

Anyhoo... hope Turkey Day for all back home was good. Love you and miss you all. Next year, I'll eat, drink and play games with you. Si Díos quiere.

Saturday Morning

I wake up this morning at about 6:30 and go for a run. In another month it will be way too late in the day to do this without risking a heat stroke. But this morning is slightly cloudy so I am able to run for just over forty five minutes with only the usual rivers of sweat. I get back to my house and realize I have nothing whatsoever to eat for breakfast so I wait about 20 minutes for the sweat to quit sreaming and walk to the conejo to buy a couple of things. On the way I great Carlos' grandfather who is retired from whatever he worked at and now spends his days telling his neighbors that it is "a pleasure to greet you." At the market, I have avocados, tomatos, cream cheese and natilla. (I was going to buy some tuna because I have found that the conejo is the only place in town were I could buy a can of tuna in water for under $1, never mind that I live 2 miles from a cannery, but they aren't carrying it anymore. Salada yo.)

I say "Hi" to the butcher who is also my only remaining English student. I was all set for a nice breakfast. I get to the counter after about a 15 minute wait in line and the guy tells me the credit card machine is down. I don't have enough cash so again; Salada yo. I walk to a bakery on the corner that I walk by at least twice a day but have never been into. No reason really, just havn't. The guy is really excited that I am there. He asks me how long I have been in Costa Rica and if I like it. He calls me Reina and mi Amor about fifteen times in the three minutes that I am there. I walk down to the pulperia passing nasty bar owner who implies that he likes what he sees. At the pulperia I ask about some natilla, a yogurt like dairy product that I initially hated but have aquired a taste for. It costs 300 colones and I only have 200. Julian tells me I can bring the other 100 later. I head home and greet my neighbor who has about half a dozen roosters tied to pegs in the park. Funny they never seem to have hens.

I go home, make toast and organic coffee I bought at the AVC that was grown by another volunteers community. I dip my toast in natilla, only 2/3 paid for, read a September issue of The Economist that has been passed, and will continue to be passed, from one volunteer to another. I drink my coffee. I eat my breakfast. I read my magazine.

¡Que Barbaridad!

Apparently I wasn't the only one that lost my right to vote this year. Although I do have to say that the reasoning behind mine was much more legitimate, assuming of course that there was reasoning. A nice reminder that, although we put ourselves as the world leaders of democracy, we still got some kinks to work out.

Anyhoo... since I didn't get to vote, I am going to scold: I am also sorely disapointed in the results, specifically that Musgrave and Tancredo were re-elected and that Amendment 46 passed and Referendum 1 didn't. Unfortunately, intolerance and discrimination continue to reign....

Overall... shameful and humbling results on many levels.

Nationally though, the picture is much better. So I just may make it back to US soil... Maybe.

Raise your Voice

Well, it's election day. This is my opportunity to remind all of you that you don't have to travel halfway around the world to make a difference. The least you can do is vote. Unfortunately, this election cycle I have been stripped of my right to vote as my absentee ballot did not arrive. I am sure it is some kind of conservative conspiracy. :)

Anyhoo... get out there and VOTE. You might also take a moment while doing so to appreciate all the first world conveniences that make doing so, so darn easy.

Also... on a personal note. You should also be sure to vote correctly. If the laws in Colorado scream ignorance and intolerance, I may not come back.

AVC

The All Volunteer Conference is officially over but I am still in San Jose. The conference was really amazing. I got to know my fellow volunteers better and am newly inspired by the work that they are doing. I have to say that the people I have met through the Peace Corps, as a group, are some of the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure to know. (Besides, of course, my lovely blog-reading public.) We also had our Halloweeen party, we were the Black Eyed Peas... get it? it was fun... I will send pictures soon. My computer is acting up so I am going to keep this short. Hope all are well.

"Falling on my head like a tragedy..."

Well, the rains have finally hit. It has been pretty dry here, but the last week or so has been quite rainy. I must explain here that it is not rainy like it is back home. The biggest difference being that there is not that fresh clean smell after a shower. Here, it POURS rain. As in water-comes-into-the-house-and-destroys-furniture rain. As in streets-become-rivers-rain. As in smells-like-ass rain. What happens is that all the stuff that had been sitting around as aesthetic polution, trash, feces, rotting fruit, etc. begins to float and due to some magical scientific chemical process begins to smell... so as I said, that last description is not an exageration.

It has given me a very clear picture of the devestation that floods cause, not by the initial water damage but by the influx of diseases that follow. People are getting sick. There is talk of Dengue. (Of course, there is always talk of Dengue.) It's subtle, it's not an epidemic, it's just what happens when it rains. We had just a couple of strong days of rain, I can't imagine, although now I have a better idea, what it would be like if it were really flooding.

Anyhoo, I am headed to the AVC (All-Volunteer Conference) next week. We are all getting together for halloween this year. Should be interesting. Sure to be cold. Well, cold for Costa Rica. We will all bundle up. This year should be particularly freezing as now that I have become accostomed to living on the sun, if the temp drops below 80 I start to shiver.

Another Holiday

I came into San Jose last night. I was actually suppose to go to visit another PCV in Ostional on the Guanacaste coast and watch the turtles come in to lay their eggs, but she ended up with Dengue (which I thought was very inconsiderate). So I came in to San Jose and we watched a movie and I harrassed her for getting Dengue.

We watched an Inconvenient Truth. I was pretty shocked that it was being shown here since we generally only get the no-brainer movies but it is here and we watched it. It was really quite good and I highly recommend that everyone go see it. Two things occurred to me as I was watching it: One, that if the sea level rises 20 feet... there will be no more Puntarenas. So I would be S.O.L. Two, probably the most "world-saving" good deed I have done in all of this is that I have not driven a car and have been completely dependent on public transportation for over a year now. I don't think I even have to mention that I don't even mess with adjusting a thermostat. :)

Anyhoo... watch it. It's good and then do your part. Even Byron is on board. :)

Que Pereza

I find myself running around like crazy but I really can't identify anything I have actually gotten done. What happened to my Pura Vida lifestyle? I have had a hard time getting back into work since I got back from MST. I am still busy though I just don't have any idea what I have been doing. But it seems like the days keep passing and the list of things I have NOT accomplished gets bigger and bigger. So... life seems a lot like life here.

The big news on the block is that I have a new site mate. Marianne has moved into El Roble which is where Andre was. It is about a 15 minute bus ride from my barrio. It is kind of nice to have someone I can hang out with and we don't have to check out tits. Although we have already made a pact that we can't follow up every tedious and pointless meetings with an afternoon of drinking. Just the really tedious and pointless ones. That should keep us down to no more than once a week.

I am hoping to have something quasi productive to report soon. ALthough it is October and the holiday season is coming up which means that it is really time to start slowing down. :) What a life!