24 July 2009
This is my last blog post from Costa Rica, sad to say. This third week was much like the first two in terms of my volunteer English teaching and my Spanish lessons, but at the end of the week I rented an ATV with Marta and her two daughters Daniella and Layla. They’re the ones sitting on the gunwales of the old fishing boat. We made a circular journey down the coast to Cabuya, where we stopped for breakfast in a roadside bakery. We then went to Isla Cabuya which is a small island only accessible at low tide, when you can walk over. There is a cemetery on Isla Cabuya which was spooky, serene, and other-worldly all the same time. We found many, many fossilized conch shells on the rocky walk out there. The pathway to the island consisted of volcanic lava from an eruption centuries ago. Only one or two of the graves were actually marked with names and dates. I suppose those to whom it matters know who is buried there.
The ATVs were a lot of fun but carried a steep learning curve. The roads were gravel and mud, since we’d had recent rain; this was good since it kept the dust down. One road in particular from Cabuya to Mal País is marked for 4WD only. It was very steep in spots and Daniella got caught in a washed-out, downhill rutted ravine about 2 ft. deep and dumped her mother Marta from the ATV! The vehicle landed on its side in a shallow ditch with Daniella still on it. This was terrifying to watch for Layla and me, who were following! We think Marta may have a broken toe, and she sustained a few scrapes on her knee, but otherwise was in good shape, other than being quite shaken up. Needless to say, Daniella was blaming herself for the accident, and made me lead from then on. The entire trip was 8 hours long and was probably about 50 km. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Tonight, my last night in Costa Rica, an American ex-pat named Candy is having a party. Her house is not far from mine. I wish I had had time to get to know her better: she is from San Luis Obispo, CA, and is a massage therapist who does body work. She is also a medical intuitive: she can put her hands on your body and intuitively knows where you’re ailing. She’s a deeply spiritual person who spent 3 months here last spring and has moved here permanently this week.
My gear is all sorted and ready to put in the duffle, but I won’t do that until I return tonight from the party. It’s probably too early to begin to reflect on what this trip has meant to me. Some initial thoughts are that I’ve realized what a spoiled, privileged existence I lead; that people are the same the world over in terms of hopes and desires for their families, although success is counted in different terms here; and that it’s never OK to judge people by their looks, their clothes, their hairstyle, etc. Costa Ricans look for the inner heart of a person, and never ask what your educational or ethnic background is, what church you belong to, how much money you have, or who your family is/was. None of that matters to them. All that matters is who you are inside, and this is a good place to ask yourself those questions. I know that I’ll return, and would suggest that anyone who wants to seek an adventure and meet interesting people consider volunteering for Proyecto Montezuma with its dedication to teaching English to the locals. You’ll also learn to relax, pura vida style, and you’ll return home all the richer for it.
The ATVs were a lot of fun but carried a steep learning curve. The roads were gravel and mud, since we’d had recent rain; this was good since it kept the dust down. One road in particular from Cabuya to Mal País is marked for 4WD only. It was very steep in spots and Daniella got caught in a washed-out, downhill rutted ravine about 2 ft. deep and dumped her mother Marta from the ATV! The vehicle landed on its side in a shallow ditch with Daniella still on it. This was terrifying to watch for Layla and me, who were following! We think Marta may have a broken toe, and she sustained a few scrapes on her knee, but otherwise was in good shape, other than being quite shaken up. Needless to say, Daniella was blaming herself for the accident, and made me lead from then on. The entire trip was 8 hours long and was probably about 50 km. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Tonight, my last night in Costa Rica, an American ex-pat named Candy is having a party. Her house is not far from mine. I wish I had had time to get to know her better: she is from San Luis Obispo, CA, and is a massage therapist who does body work. She is also a medical intuitive: she can put her hands on your body and intuitively knows where you’re ailing. She’s a deeply spiritual person who spent 3 months here last spring and has moved here permanently this week.
My gear is all sorted and ready to put in the duffle, but I won’t do that until I return tonight from the party. It’s probably too early to begin to reflect on what this trip has meant to me. Some initial thoughts are that I’ve realized what a spoiled, privileged existence I lead; that people are the same the world over in terms of hopes and desires for their families, although success is counted in different terms here; and that it’s never OK to judge people by their looks, their clothes, their hairstyle, etc. Costa Ricans look for the inner heart of a person, and never ask what your educational or ethnic background is, what church you belong to, how much money you have, or who your family is/was. None of that matters to them. All that matters is who you are inside, and this is a good place to ask yourself those questions. I know that I’ll return, and would suggest that anyone who wants to seek an adventure and meet interesting people consider volunteering for Proyecto Montezuma with its dedication to teaching English to the locals. You’ll also learn to relax, pura vida style, and you’ll return home all the richer for it.
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