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Published: April 19th 2006
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rio chiquito community loving!
this was my family for the first month guys. canadians, costa ricans and gheccos alike... missin them a lot acutally. beautiful people goodmorning all. it acutally feels like midnight, we´ve been up since 3:30am to get us to this crazy city!! roosters were our alarm clock as always, and soon enough we were in the back of a cow transport truck to Upala. 5am caught the bus from Upala to San Jose, and a solid 5 hours later my gravol had worn off and i was ready to find a bikini!! girls i think you´d be proud of my choice, dont worry mom its not toooo cleavagey. haha
we just ate breakfast at this cheesy americanized place, food is food though ! i realize how glad i am that my placement wasnt in a city! geeezz rural spoiled me rotten.... the city is so busy, crowded, smelly ( we summarized it as piss and dead fish) and fake. i havent been surrounded by advertisements or vendors (for the most part) or loud traffic jams for two months.... I feel like im re'entering the world after a summer at Tan or something.
not too worried though, these three days will be nice to shower up, catch up with the other group and get some laundry done...because then its off to the coast!!!! YIIPPPPEEEE
the last couple nights have been quite special. monday night was our much anticipated THANK YOU FIESTA. we didnt find we were close enough with one or two families to have a small intimiate dinner so we invited allll our community friends to a party at the bar acrross the street from us! it was fabulous, dancing ,finger foods (mom i was in charge of food this time, you´´ll see my bbq prep skills just SOAR this next party, just watch!) and speeches. i kicked off the speeches with some spanish thank yous... believe it or not i´ve got the ability to throw together words in sentence formation! really really rewarding to feel i can now express myself. i realize if i can do that, then im happy. writing essays in spanish can come later, but if i can get across my gratitude and depth of experience with these people, then i feel i have accomplished something.
tueday night: we thought we were going over for an intimate dinner with Don Memo and Doña Ellyssa( our closest family friends, the host parents of Julie, the wonderful amazing and inspirational Peace Corps gal that brought us to San Gabriel) hoooowwwevvverrr somehow the community members managed to defy tico time and SURPRISED us at the community hall with carñe (mmm meat, so rarely eaten here!), rice, yuka (a potatoe like veggie, quite bland but goes well with the more tasty items on your plate) andddddd of course our foreman Don Luis shoved alcohol into our cups. quite noticable how much men in the rural communities consume.... i am struck by their need to get DRUNK not just socially drink. mom you´d probably laugh at me, i have rejected alcohol more times since being Legal than ever before!
its been anticlimatic even with all these celebrations. the heat has been getting to us all, no wind or break frmo it at ALL in San Gab, and i think people have been feeling ready to end project. such a different exit last night and today then from Rio Chiquito. I absolutely love that we accomplished the work we did in San Gab: ( started from scratch and almost completely finished) a community kitchen, and met the incredible life long friends we did in Rio Chiquito. Both trips so equally beautiful and eye opening, yet sooo diverse.
BAT CAVE' i cant believe i heard from you guys!!! have you gotten my postcard yet? you all made my day..... i cant believe you´re skiing the DIVE today, im in such a different state of mind now, mostly because of the temperature and poverty here... but all teh same i am with you in spirit! ( estan cuidado! ...be careful!) ···· KIM AND JOEL if youre readign this know that im totally expecting you boys in Dundas Ontario for some touristy days around toronto this summer, i will email you my days off when i know em ok!_! ekkkkkk i still screech dont worry.
spence, i cant wait to exchange honduras stories with you, wow it will be quite the catch up!
everyone here doesnt understand my trampoline pics, even the canadians who have come to accept my weird side are lost. i felt like superman, or woman i guess, that day!!
CEILs. shit son long time no hear from ya! brought a huge smile to my face just now, i missss you!!! i guess i didnt explain this well enough to everyone, i havent been able to access my email here. im trying again today(san jose diff net system) so maybe i´ll see what you´ve been sending my way!! looveeeeee you mwa mwa mwa
(SORRY TO ALL THAT HAVENT BEEN GETTING RESPONSES ON THEIR EMAILS TO MY YAHOO ACCOUNT.... by the time im on the coast i should be able to access my account and REPLYYYY yayyayayayay! gracias)
LAUCHY! i couldnt believe my eyes..... 3 more weeks_!_!_??? you must be kidding, i will be home by then so hopefully Rog and I can drop by for a visit with the new babe! m-f¿¿?? goodluck and much love.
to all my uni buddies best of luck with your studies. remember, repetition repitition and more repition.!! this year has been beautiful without any studying, and for that im in admiration for all those that HAVE been applying themselves, and for that im ALSO totally ready and stoked to begin Guelph Arts and Sci program this coming fall. yep she´s staying in Ontario for now!!!😊
camp peeps... i walk talk sleep think and PLAY camp. played the compliment game last month, did the pass the parcel last night and constantly am bringing up past experiences from my summer home, good ol tanamakoon. i was rushed into an ENCORE this morning at 430am at the Upala bus stop as I broke out into TYPICAL TRIPPERS. hahah golden. reallllllly looking forward to the new position as Algonq Co Head this summer, many ideas in store!
whhewwww so ya, i miss home. notice the extensive shout outs...
i think 2 months was perfect, and i think 2 weeks of beaching is perfect too. 4 months in India would have been life altering and beautiful, but i think i would have sank, CR has given me some shallow water and even water wings at times(ahha literally, you´ll see pictures later) to keep me afloat. excited for my next journeys!
whoa, sorry just gotta note the crazy dude hanging out on top of a tallllllll building opposite this internet cafe. drinking a Fresca and watching the live band down below. oh gosh definetly has the risk of falling, it looks as if his Fresca isnt juice, more so Vodka in a reused Fresca bottle!! lovely. i really should have brought a video camera, my nariating skills might have improved!
all right, im outa here. time to go find out if shannon has a uti and rog has an ear infection (they went with Eli to the nearby clinic. ugh. how uncomfortable for both of them!)
p u r a v i d a (the group members bought me the coolest leather bracelet with PURA VIDA engraved in it for my Bday. wicked cool)
LOOOVEEEEE
hils xoxoox
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Joel
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poo head
Hey Hils sounds like your having fun. Kim and i are off to Victoria on Sunday and then to Seattle. We are hoping to be in Toronto around the 25th of May. We will be flying out on the 5th of June to England. Kims looking forward to your carribeaner jokes. I think he misses you. I dont i couldnt care less. I think the Toronto part is goin to be the worst part of the trip. HAHA i know what your thinking about me now JURK!!!!!. haha o well you know i am only joking, i cant wait to get there and just relax some more. well all for now hils hoist. Joel