Last night after another delicious dinner (surprisingly pasta- not rice and beans), we had some bonding time to learn more about one another and to build each other up. After seeing the homes during community service yesterday, we were asked to name 3 things that we were grateful for. For some of us (i.e. Mrs. Wooden and me), it was a very emotional experience. A lot of students talked about their families, about their home, and about their school and community. It was nice to see that we were already gaining some perspective after just one full day here. A few card games got started afterward, but most of the students were in bed by 8:30- definitely the sign of a full day!
We were thrilled that we would have an extra 30 minutes to sleep this morning. It seemed like a few extra hours after all the work we did the day before. The thunderstorms continued through the evening and early morning hours, helping to drown out the sounds of the barking dogs and roosters. I took advantage of the extra time in the morning to take the 3 km walk down to the beach. It was nice to have a little time on my own to reflect and take it all in; I hope that the students are taking the time to do the same. One of the students that I thought about on the walk (and forgot to blog about yesterday) was Kayce. She is happier than a Tico here. The first thing she said when she walked out of her room yesterday was "Wow. This is so beautiful!" and that basically set the tone for the day. She picked up surfing so quickly, had the opportunity to drink coconut water straight from the coconut on the beach- she ALWAYS had a smile on her face. Seeing students this happy makes the entire trip worth it.
After a "typico" breakfast, we flipped our day around and went surfing at 9. Surfing started with howler monkeys and diving pelicans the afternoon before. Today was just as exciting. There was a toucan eating in the same tree that the howlers were in the day before. The consensus was that toucans are much bigger and more beautiful than we thought. Then as we got into the water to surf, we were able to spot the stingrays cruising through the tide. This reinforced the safety tip to shuffle our feet through the water!
Patrick and David were giving Allie a run for her money with the surfing today- both were doing extremely well. Everyone got up on their board today and I'm pretty sure that all did so without their instructor right by them. So much progress in just two lessons! It was the perfect morning and no one wanted to get out of the water- our sunburned faces are evidence... But again, everyone was happy and our spirits were high.
We came back to the hotel for lunch- fresh fish caught off Playa Uvita, along with rice, beans, squash, plantain chips, and the best pineapple anyone has ever had. The guides gave us just enough time to rinse off the saltwater and change before heading out to the small village for more community service.
Our tasks this afternoon were a little different. We had one group pulling rocks from the river to use for walls and drainage, one group was finishing yesterday's trench, another group moving dirt into the new cinder block house to even it out for a cement floor, and the last group was working in a house to take down the wooden walls. It was much hotter this afternoon than the morning before. Most of us had already sweat through our shirts just standing in the shade BEFORE we started working. But the guides commented that the energy was different today. Everyone seemed more in sync with one another and determined to get the job done; there weren't any accidents and everyone worked so well together.
The job that stands out the most was when the group was working in a house to take down their wooden walls and flooring. Yesterday we put in the concrete floor on the right side of the house, so all the boards were already gone. So today we just had to prep the other side for another group to come in and do the floor. There were a lot of screams, yelps, and shouting as students pulled up the beds and the floor to reveal cockroaches, termites, and rats. But then it started to sink in: the children watching them do all this work slept here. All of these creatures that we find disgusting are a part of their every day lives- this is reality for them and this is how they live. It didn't become a less disgusting thing to do; however, the group worked swiftly and cautiously to get the job done. MVP for the day was Ali M. She worked with the hammer to knock out all the floor boards and she wasn't scared of anything. Everyone was impressed by her work ethic and willingness to step up when others wouldn't. She also did a great job with the family and their kids.
All day the group was begging to go back to the supermarket. Chiky's, a Costa Rican cookie, have become a quick favorite with our students. There are many other treats that they still have to try, like Trits (ice cream sandwich) or Cocanas (cookies), but we still have a week :) I thought they'd have full stomachs before dinner after all the cookies and crackers, but everyone managed to have a clean plate by the end of it.
We're going to go through all of our donations to the community in a few minutes, then I think most of us will be in bed by 8. Everyone is very tired and sore, plus we have an early day tomorrow. We will be going on our boat tour at Cano Island, which includes snorkeling and a picnic lunch at the national park! It will be another fun- and sun-filled day.
I already have over 500 pictures from the trip, thanks to Yendry, one of our guides. We have been so busy surfing and building that we haven't had much time to take pictures of our own. I can't crop or edit on the Chromebook, but I will try to sort through and add a few to previous posts this evening... if I don't fall asleep first. I'm also trying to tweet pictures too, like I did after my beach walk this morning. Keep checking for them!
Sunburns, some bruises, but no bug bites! Pura vida!
No comments:
Post a Comment