Tony Hawk and Children

            So, for those who don’t know, the month of April is the month I volunteer in Costa Rica.  The first three months were school stuff and now it’s volunteer stuff.  When I first signed up to study abroad, I noted that I wanted to help with a soccer program when I volunteered.  However, when I arrived in Costa Rica, the director of the volunteer programs said that soccer wasn’t an option since it had already started and only volunteering for a month wouldn’t work (not sure if she really tried but whatever).  Since soccer was a no go, I had planned on volunteering in the zoo, working with the animals, cleaning up poo, and possibly leading tours.  The director said the zoo would be fine. 

I found out this past Tuesday, the day before we started our volunteer work, that the zoo too wasn’t an option now.  Thanks for telling me in advance, right?  Anyways, the director said I could volunteer in Santa Ana at a nature preserve but that I would be working with plants, doing botany stuff.  I politely said no thank you because I wouldn’t get much interaction with people while looking at leaves, plus it would cost me $10 in travel expenses each day and I’m cheap.  So, I asked what else I could do instead of Santa Ana.  The director suggested a school.

Turns out, there’s a school near my house within walking distance that I could volunteer at and help out the physical education teacher, playing games and soccer with the kids all day.  Duh, why wouldn’t the director have suggested this in the first place?  Anyways, the director wasn’t sure if I could get ‘in’ since there was already three other volunteers at that school.  However, that same Tuesday, the director took the other three volunteers to look around the school and said I should tag along so she could ask the principal if it was okay for me to volunteer there too.  The principal said yes!

My first day of full volunteering was Wednesday, two days ago.  The school is ages 1^st-6^th grade and is a public school.  Let’s just say all the kids loved the volunteers.  The kids want to show us everything, tell us everything, learn what we like to do in the US, who we know in the US, what it is like in the US, how old we are, what are names are, etc.  I was bombarded with questions and did my best to answer them in Spanish.  Not many kids speak English at all and those that do can really only say things like ‘Hello’ and ‘What’s your name?’

I accidentally made the mistake of telling some kids I know Tony Hawk.  I thought they were asking if I knew of Tony Hawk so naturally I said yes.  Little did I know that I had just told them I was friends with Tony Hawk which quickly spread around the school like fire.  Later that day and all day yesterday, Thursday, I had kids coming up to me and asking me if Tony Hawk was my best friend and if I would sign their notebook since I was a friend of Tony Hawk.  I guess in their eyes being a friend of Tony Hawk makes me famous too.  Oh well, I feel like I’ve dug myself too deep to tell them the truth.  I guess Tony Hawk and I really are friends now.

Well, these past two days have been a blast with the kids.  I’m remembering their names, building relationships, and practicing Spanish.  I have basically been playing soccer with these kids all day long or being a monkey with them on the swing set.  But let me tell you, 4 hours a day with 300 kids really tires one out…Whew.  But in all, I think God filled the zoo with volunteers for a reason.  I think He wanted me at this school with these kids.  And so far I’m glad that I am here, with these kids, being their friend, learning and growing from them while also teaching them the things I know.

Panama and Starfish

             I haven’t done a picture post in awhile so, to fill you in on my 3 days at Bocas del Toro, in Panama, I have decided to do a picture post.  Que bueno, verdad?  So here it goes, enjoy the pictures and my captions.  Hopefully, by way of the pictures and captions you can garner enough information about my weekend and how awesome it was.  However, if you want to ask a question, please feel free to do so in the comment box below and I will be sure to answer it for you.  Enjoy!

Walking across the bridge/border to Panama after our 7 hour bus ride.  We still had about another hour bus ride after this.

The person who was supposed to check our bus after we crossed the border into Panama was eating lunch so we had to wait outside for him.  It was hot so I tossed this heat-fighting outfit together.  Stylin'

After our 1 more hour bus ride, we got to a port and boarded a water taxi so it could take us out to Bocas del Toro, an island and where we stayed for 3 days while in Panama.  By the way, we 'had' to go to Panama in order to renew our visas since our 90 days in the country was almost up.

After arriving late Friday, we didn't do much.  However, the next day, Whitney and I decided to go on a bike ride around the island.

On our bike ride, which took us all day and we basically rode on every street there was to ride on, we saw some monkeys just hanging out in a tree.

We stopped at a really pretty beach with clear blue water and nice sand.  We were the only 2 there but the waves were monstrous and destroyed us so we continued on our bike ride.

We passed a photo-worthy church.

We based 2 lone tombstones.

Finally, after riding for about 20 miles up and down hills, we arrived at where we were headed, Boca del Drago.  We had to walk the last 800m because the chain on Whit's bike decided to fall off and stay off.  However, we were finally there!

Of course, the water was clear and calm and PERFECT!

I just had to get in and pose for the camera.

I saw some seagulls.  They all had their own posts.

There wasn't much at Boca del Drago except for one expensive restaurant and a few huts like the one above.  So, being the adventurous gents we are, me and old Whit decided to explore along the coast some.

Good thing we did because just a bit up the coast was Starfish beach!  There were countless starfish.  It was amazing!!  After that, she and I just laid in the water along the beach and talked for a few hours.  Lemme tell you, that water, that sun, the atmosphere was so relaxing and tranquil.  I had the 3 most relaxing days ever this past weekend.  God-like is the only way to describe that beach.

Since Whit's bike broke and because we were soo very tired, we waited around for the next shuttle to come by at 5ish.  We found some hammocks and just relaxed while also attempting to talk to each other in Spanish.  While waiting, we also met 2 gringos from Montana, Les and Mike, who are building a house on the island.  They were great guys and it was fun talking to them.  You meet the most interesting people when you travel and are open to talking to others.

The next day, Laura, Whitney and I spent the day on another island at Red Frog Beach.  It was so very relaxing.  I just laid out, explored, and napped in the shade all day for about 7 hours.  Perfect.

The old gang at Red Frog Beach (Laura, me, Whitney).

A map of the area and islands.  We stayed at Bocas del Toro which is on the southern tip Isla Colon.  The island with the giant frog is where we went to Red Frog Beach.  Also, right next to the name Isla Colon, to the left of Isla. there is a small dot (it's a starfish).  That is where Whit and I biked to.  We also biked up the east side of the island to where the surfer guy is in the ocean on the map. 

A cool shot of Bocas del Toro in the morning.

The main street in Bocas.  There were lots of gringos and bars but it was a really cool and relaxing place.  We met a local man named Nester but he told us everyone calls him Snoop.  He was very nice and proceeded to tell us how he learned the F-word.  Surprisingly enough, it was from a Bob Marley song.

The one thing I didn't like about Panama was that they didn't sell bananas like they do in Costa Rica.  I'm not sure why.  And if they did have bananas they were green like these.  Yuck!

The flag of Bocas.

Sadly, while I was enjoying my time in Panama, a lot of people live like this in poor conditions along the water.  There were tons of trash too in the ocean and around these houses.  It puts things in perspective sometimes to see others with less than you.  You begin to realize that you yourself don't need all the things that you have in order to live.

On the way back to San Jose, in a little town in Panama, we saw some school kids playing kickball.  I love how kickball is universal.

And finally, we crossed the border bridge again but this time from Panama into Costa Rica.  On the Panama side of the river was this lovely Panama flag.  While Panama was relaxing, cheaper and fun, it was certainly nice to be back in Costa Rica, my home away from home.

What Would You Do For God?

           This past Saturday, Mr. Brian and his family from the States came down to visit my host family.  Mr. Brian was a student here in Costa Rica 2 years ago when he was getting another degree (he’s 50 years old or so).  He wanted to come back and visit with his family so they, the 6 of them, have been living in our host family’s house since Saturday.  Now, with me and my roommate and my host family, there are 11 of us in the house.  Talk about busy and crowded.  Plus, since basically no one in Mr. Brian’s family speaks Spanish, I’ve been up to my clavicle in translating for them and for my host family.  But I can’t complain because it’s great practice.  

The front of the Basilica that we worshiped in this past Sunday.  It was my first ever Catholic mass too.

It’s a little strange that having ‘outsiders’ stay with us in the house makes me feel more like a part of my host family because I’m no longer the ‘outsider’ now.  Whenever I help wash the dishes or clean up around the house, my host dad tells me “It’s okay” or “Don’t worry, I can do that.”  What I’ve been telling him in return is that “This is my house too so I need to help out around it.”  It’s nice being accepted and feeling as though you are part of the family.  

A view of the inside of the Basilica and the altar way up front.

Anyways, this past Sunday, I went to the Basilica with my host family and Mr. Brian’s family.  As I’ve mentioned in some other posts, the Basilica is probably the holiest place in Costa Rica for Catholics.  It’s huge.  Well, my host parents always sing there on Sundays.  Since my host family has been singing there every Sunday for the past 11 years, they were able to give us the star treatment.  By this I mean that we sat up next to the altar the entire service, went back in the sacristy and met the priest after service, and we were given a tour of the Basilica with access to places where the public is not allowed to see.  It was a very awesome experience.  But what was even more amazing were the people who came to worship there.  Here's a short clip of the inside of the Basilica.  Sorry that it's a little wobbly.  At around the 2:10 mark you see some benches up by the altar, that's where we sat for the service this past Sunday.

These people love the Lord so much that they were willing to stand for 2 hours during the length of the service because there was no room to sit.  The Basilica was so full that people were standing in the aisles, around the back of the church, in the entryways, and anywhere else they could find.  People were sitting on the steps that lead up to the start of the altar area because there wasn’t enough room.  During the service, I started to think about how awesome it was that these people wanted to hear the Word of God so badly that they were willing to stand the entire service and not complain one bit verbally or nonverbally.  Some of these people had multiple kids they were also looking after or babies in their arms.  Even most of the children were intent on the service too.  I guess, after this past Sunday, I had to ask myself the question: “Would I stand for 2 hours to hear some pastor or priest speak about Jesus for 2 hours?”  I encourage you to ask yourself the same question and think about where you have placed the Lord in your life.  What do you value most in life and what should you value most in life?  I think sometimes we all need a little different perspective to help us see what’s really important in life. 

Opinion Poll!! What Should I Do?

Here’s the question.  I need everyone to chime in so that I can make a wise and knowledgeable decision.  Lately, I’ve been pretty lazy here in Costa Rica.  What I mean by this is that I haven’t shaved my face in awhile (please refer to the picture below).  What I need from all of you is this: should I shave or should I keep growing it out and see what happens?  Maybe a bird will lay 3 eggs in my beard…Chris, Stewie, and…errr…Boba Fett (if you don’t watch Family Guy that this sentence won’t make any sense to you).  Anyhow, let me know what you think I should do and why.  And when you tell me why, be detailed, creative, and exact. 

Where Am I Going To Sleep?!

I’m sure you have all heard about the horrible earthquake and tsunamis in Japan.  My prayers are and will continue to be, of course, with everyone involved with that terrible disaster.  Well, due to that earthquake, Costa Rica was put on a tsunami alert and the program I am down here with forbade any of us from going to the Pacific Coast this past weekend just in case there was a tsunami.  Well, I was planning on going somewhere on the Pacific coast but the earthquake threw a wrench in my plans.  So, at around 1pm on Friday, Tom and I decided to go to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast because we could.  The last bus leaving for Puerto Viejo left at 4pm so we only had a little time to pack and get to the bus station to buy tickets.

Err…we arrived at the bus station at 3:50pm because we walked there.  We asked the ticket guy if there was any room but sadly there was not and there were no other buses going to Puerto Viejo that night.  Well, a little sold out bus wasn’t going to stop us.  Instead, we looked at all the other places we could go from that bus station and decided on Guapiles, a town halfway between San Jose and the Caribbean coast, again, because we could.

Bag o' Beans

And bananas...a meal fit for a king...or just me and Tom.

            When Tom and I arrived in Guapiles it was around 7pm.  We bought some bananas and some prepackaged bags of refried beans and sat and ate them while watching a local soccer match at a stadium.  After that, we walked around and checked out some local grocery stores for more food (by more food I mean more beans and bananas – a man’s meal), walked through a park, went to a karaoke bar, had a beer, witnessed a midget pastor preaching, went to a casino with a guard out front wielding a shotgun, went to a Burger King, and then finally found a hostel to sleep in for the night.  Again, this is just Tom and I roughin’ it like the pioneers of old used to.

A shot of some of Rockin' J's.

            The next morning we woke up at 4:50am to catch the bus to Limon, a large port city on the Caribbean coast.  From there, we took another bus to Puerto Viejo, finally.  Oh, in Limon we bought some more beans and bananas.  Once in PV, at around 11am, we checked into Rockin’ J’s which is by far one of the coolest places on earth, and then rented some bikes.  We rode about 15 miles to another town south of PV and rented snorkeling gear.  For the rest of the afternoon, Tom and I snorkeled around the only living coral reef in Costa Rica.  The amount and colors of fish we saw that day was unbelievable.  We also did some exploring around the forest by the beach too.  Limon is an awesome province because you have the beach and then right beside the beach you have the dense, untamed forest.  Here's a short video of Rockin' J's.

 

            That night, I made rice for dinner and then Tom and I and some other friends hit up the town for some nightlife.  We slept in hammocks that night for only $5.  At around 4am I heard howler monkeys just outside the shelter yelling their heads off.  We woke up around 7:30am because coconuts kept dropping on the tin roof we were sleeping under and making loud “bang” noises.  Tom and I then made some breakfast, hung out a bit talking to some Italian friends we made the day before, and then took the 11am bus back to San Jose.

More of Rockin' J's.

            On the bus ride back, I sat next to an older tica lady, probably around the age of 50 or so.  She asked if I could speak Spanish and I said that I could, but only a little.  She then proceeded to talk to me for 2 hours in Spanish on the bus ride back.  It was very difficult to understand her sometimes but she was very patient and kind.  We ended up becoming friends.  If anyone was wondering, he name is Hannah.  However, I could only take so much of her and told her I had to sleep because I had a headache, which was true.  I just didn’t tell her that she was the one who gave me the headache.

Where I slept at Rockin' J's with a bunch of other people.

                Overall, I loved the weekend!  Just getting up and going was what I needed to put me outside of my comfort zone.  Not knowing where you’re going to sleep that night or what the next day holds for you is a scary but an exhilarating and addictive feeling.  I recommend it.  Plus, even though I like the people from the group I usually travel with, not traveling in a large group was less stressful for me.  I felt freer.  Oh, and Tom is a hoot.  He and I had a great time together and a great weekend.  I met a lot of knew friends and people from all over the world.  I thoroughly enjoyed my unplanned, sporadic weekend around Costa Rica these past few days.  Here's another video of Rockin' J's for your enjoyment (just ignore all the alcohol at the end... We all know that's not my style).