Mas o Menos Tico

I have recently returned from the PC Site visit where I “shadowed” the lovely Lindsay Webb. She's from Phoenix, Arizona and has been here two years. She'll be heading back home this month after the completion of her service. The site visit rocked. It was in Guanacaste near the beach and we were able to visit Playa Samura one day. I basically stayed with Lindsay for few days to observe her work and ask questions. I saw monkeys, helped her paint a world map on the elementary school and picked her brain for all the juicy Peace Corps details. Pictures of the trip should be on Facebook soon.

Lindsay taught English, was active in the community association, taught aerobics to a womens group, and much more. It was wonderful to see all the opportunities and possibilities. And let me tell you, this site was rural. Twenty minute drive in either direction along dusty, rocky mountain roads to the nearest town where there is Internet and phone. It was an extremely humid version of driving in the old blazer along the back 40 of Grammie and Grandpa's ranch. The other difference is that there is a beach about 30 minutes away. But, you have to cross a river to get to the beach, and that is really only possible in the dry season (which is now). Lindsay had a scare one time when she was trying to cross the river when it was too high. She thought she was going to be swept away because the current suddenly picked up, but luckily a local helped pull her across. The site is called San Pedro de Nandayure, near Carmona in Guanacaste. It is incredibly small- only a few hundred people. And a stark contrast of poverty near to summer beach houses of wealthy Westerners hangs in the humid air. The community loves Lindsay and I was awed by the experience in a very positive way.

The other trainees brought back similar stories of awesome visits in all kinds of places throughout rural Costa Rica. We compared and contrasted the experiences, projects, and general outcome of the trip. I for one have been revitalized to make it through the rest of training.

Next week is Semana Santa (Holy Week) in which we will be given a four day weekend (hallelujah... literally). I plan to partake in all the town's festivities which include a hike, a party (with a bunch of food according to my host sisters), a candlelight vigil, and some other interesting cultural things.

Soon after is the famous “VAC Dinner” (Volunteer Action Committee) on April 18th in San Jose at which all the Costa Rica PC volunteers come together to mingle and meet. It is supposed to be mountains of fun and we will all stay in a hotel in San Jose.

After that we will be officially half way through training. Yahoo.

In other amazing news, I somehow got myself onto a womens soccer team here in Jerico. (Found out there are no co-ed teams here... it's just not really culturally acceptable). I simply met a girl who was visiting the house one day (everyone is friends or family with everyone else here) and when she found out I played, she asked me to play that night with some other girls. After showing up, being decked out from head to toe in a uniform that included specific socks, shorts and a jersey that all say #8, I trotted out onto the field with 21 other highly competitive female players aging from 18-thirty-something. Wow... I have never been the weakest player on a soccer field, but the humbling experience only made me hungry for more. I was asked to join the team despite what I considered a pretty poor performance (it was raining and I was sliding everywhere in my indoor soccer shoes on the slick grass of the outdoor field). They even travel to other small towns to play. I hope that's feasible for me, and that Peace Corps allows it. The players all speak only Spanish, so I better learn all the soccer vocab quick.

So for now I'm back at the home base; Jerico. I've grown fond of it actually... even when it gets cold and wet and windy. Because now I have soccer, and I've also grown to love the many winding mountain roads and beautiful views. And we go into the city of San Jose every Friday which offers a nice change. Here are some things I jotted down on one of my walks through my mountain town when the mood felt right:

My Favorite Place

This is my favorite place
An overlook onto a great river valley,
Steep, jagged mountainsides compressed on either side.

Green, green, and more lush green
Sometimes you can see for miles south,
Deeper into the valley where the mountains fade into plains.

But today my favorite place is in a cloud

Everything damp and dewy from a recent downpour.
The air brisk and wet,
The grasses dance a slow dance in a moist breeze
Esta muy obscuro hoy.
The fog grows thicker and closer
I can see its movement as it makes love to the mountainside,
Caressing softly and slowly, quieting the busy life that chirps and hums and sings,
Readying for the night.
So thick, the fog brings early darkness, so calm,
Tranquilo.

This is my favorite place.

My first Costa Rican soccer game

Green and lush and mountainous
Cool breezes rush along winding valley roads.

When it rains, we're in a cloud, thick and cool and wet.
The power goes out and we wait for la luz.
Calm, dark silence hovers.

A Tico calls out a shrill whoop, echoing in the darkness.
A response comes wailing back from across the plaza,
A secret language, sounds of life.

The pulperia thrives; quiet chatter and commerce and caffeicito glowing under dim candlelight.
Motorcycles buzz loudly by,
Cutting through the country silence, overpowering the chatter momentarily.

Not rain or wind or extreme heat or cold
Can keep the jugadores de futbol home.
We wait and cheer as the flickers of light appear.
And out we trot onto the cancha,
the hum of excitement reverberating in the air.