Monthly Archives: June 2014

First Day of Vacation Camp

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P1070200Today was the first day of our vacation camps in Damas. We had 6 kids show up today, and they had such a good time that they promised to bring their friends tomorrow! We started with an icebreaker where the kids and volunteers told us their names, age, and a fun movement. Then, we played “Steal the Bacon,” which was a large orange cone. In preparation for this  week of activities, I was explaining the game, and no one had heard of it. I first though maybe it was a USA thing, but the two East Coasters in the house had never heard of it. Then, I thought maybe it was a West Coast thing, but my fellow West Coaster also drew a blank. So, maybe it’s a game my Elementary PE Teacher created. In any case, it went great! The kids loved racing to get the cone and tagging each other out. It was a dynamic way to start the day. To Mrs. TK, wherever you are, thank you for introducing me to the game!

P1070211Next, we created works of art with straw painting, had a grueling kickball match, jump roped until our legs were sore, calmed things down with Wink, Murder, played a little more tag, and ended the day painting, building with Janga tiles, and chatting about our favorite singers. The girls know the dance to Waka Waka and they promised to dance for us when we bring music on Wednesday. They did give us a little preview and they are very talented!

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I am very excited for the next two weeks of activities! Woo Vacation Camp!

 

 

Costa Rica Beats Greece!

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Costa Rica is still in the game and advancing to the quarter finals! The game against Greece was truly historic because this is the furthest Costa Rica has even come in the World Cup! For this game, every bar in Manuel Antonio and Quepos was packed. People showed their pride by wearing Costa Rica jerseys and painting flags on their cheeks. All around me were locals, expats, and tourists alike cheering for the Costa Rica team. As the players did well we cheered them on. And when they missed a pass and lost a player, we felt their pain. In fact, I believe the entire bar was in shocked silence when Greece made a goal less than 1 minute left of the game, which started overtime and eventually penalty kicks. During the penalty kicks, the stress and anxiety in the room was palpable. With the winning kick, the bar exploded in cheers, hugs for everyone, tears of joy, and even one man giving everyone a hug and saying, “Costa Rica, I love you forever.” I feel so lucky to be in Costa Rica during this memorable World Cup. Be sure to tune in to the World Cup on Saturday for Costa Rica vs. Netherlands! ¡Vamos Ticos!

Memorable Moments

staff cartoonCheering on Costa Rica with my fellow staff members, cartoon style.

View from Barba Roja

 

 

 

 

 

View from the bar, Barba Roja of Manuel Antonio.

Barba Roja

 

 

 

Watching the Game from Barba Roja. I was a little bit hidden by a pole, but I had a great view of the screen!

Mi Aventura con Uma

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This is a story about a girl and the neighbor’s dog. Allow me to introduce you to Uma. She is our neighbor’s energetic dog and our house’s constant companion. Uma sits with us on the porch, calms us down with her affection, and sometimes sends us running with her smell. However, overall, she is lovable and very charismatic. Uma

P1070191Yesterday, I decided to venture to our nearby waterfall. As soon as I left the property, Uma was by my side. She deftly guided me to the waterfall, which was useful because there was not a clearly marked trail. At times, I doubted her judgement as she insisted on plunging ahead in the water instead of tromping through the jungle. I must say, Uma almost always chose the best route, so I started following her completely.

P1070188She even led me up a mini waterfall for a side adventure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P1070195Finally, we arrived at our destination. I picturesque waterfall with no one else around. Uma advised me that today was not the day to jump off the waterfall as we were both a little tired and not sure we could climb the rope back up. So, we settled on swimming in a deep pool close by.

 

 

P1070193Thank you for a wonderful adventure, Uma! Until next time!

Spider Monkeys and Sloths

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One of the benefits of living in forest of Manuel Antonio are the animal sightings. From our front porch today we saw spider monkeys running across ropes set up by a local community organization and a sloth slowly making its way down a tree. The animals are amazing to watch! The spider monkeys are especially cool because they jump from branch to tree and line to line, often with babies on their backs. They are very quick so it is difficult to capture good photos, but I hope you enjoy these!

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P1070182Spider Monkeys

First Day at Cocal and Summer School Planning

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Thursday was my first day at the Primary School in El Cocal, Costa Rica. The school is small (3 classrooms plus a GVI specific classroom) and the younger and older students alternate morning and afternoons every other day. The community is definitely in need, and seem to respond well to GVI and reach out for more programs. For example, a volunteer recently started an Adult English class. Less an hour after posting a sign on Thursday about the new schedule for these classes, two parents inquired about more information. Also, the kids are eager to spend time with the volunteers.

Today, we started planning for the two weeks of summer vacation that begins on Monday. We planned a mix of Arts and Crafts, Sports and English games for a variety of age levels. After brainstorming the activities, preparing a schedule for each day of the week, and making a shopping list of needed materials, the volunteers diligently wrote detailed lesson plans for every activity. I’m excited to see how the kids at Damas, another nearby town, react to our programming!

EFR Training

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Part of becoming full-time GVI Staff members was completing an Emergency First Responders course. I have to say that I really enjoyed learning the material and I’m very glad that I now have some skills I can put into action should an emergency arise. To complete this course we read a book of material including important definitions, understanding the cycle of care, AB-CABS, and learning secondary care techniques such as Injury and Illness Assessment and First Aid.  In case you didn’t know, AB-CABS stands for Assess Scene, Airway Open?, Barriers, Breathing Normally?, Chest Compressions, Airway Open, Breathing for Patient, Serious Bleeding, Spinal Injury and Shock. We also watched a detailed film that included hands on practice. To more fully engage with the material we named our CPR practice mannequin Arthur. By the end of our training, we could successfully increase Arthur’s chances of recovery by administering CPR until help arrived.

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This course also taught me the importance of being an informed citizen who can help others with a little training. In a medical emergency, every second counts. If you feel ready for the important challenge of being a Good Samaritan who can make the difference in a patient’s life, consider becoming a certified Emergency First Responder.

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Meet the New Field Staff!

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I’m joined in my new adventure as Field Staff for GVI Manuel Antonio/Quepos by Maria and Elena. Maria is a GVI alumna from Mexico City. Today, she was so excited for each of Mexico’s goals in the World Cup that she stood on a bench in the house screaming in celebration. ¡Viva México! Elena is a communications audiovisual expert from Spain, but she has been living in Costa Rica for 3 years, so now she is media Tica. As for me, I’m the excited California native who is eager to share my sorority communal living experience as an example of cleanliness.  🙂 Together we make an awesome team! We can’t wait to finish our training this week and join the volunteers in the communities we will be working in this year. ¡Pura Vida!

staff pic

Weather Advisement: Flexibility Needed

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During the rainy season in Manuel Antonio, anything can happen. Last night a huge thunderstorm knocked out the power for several hours and the rain has not stopped much since. I was very impressed how the volunteers handled the storm. Everyone remained calm, found candles, and continued to chat about their projects, travels and fears. We even started telling ghost stories, which worked well with the backdrop of thunder, lightning and heavy rain pounding on the roof.

Today, the rain continued, the electricity was infrequent, and water was out for several hours. Still, as new staff members we learned about the chores of the house and went shopping for the week. When the volunteers returned from the communities, the water was still out for one more hour. Still, no one complained and shared their left over water with others who had run out.  Tonight, I got to see the chores in action! The volunteers quickly cleaned the house so it looked brand new. Great job guys! Tomorrow begins a full day of First Responder Training.

A Day at the Beach

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P1070168Today we had a day of rest in our training before the busy week begins. So, my fellow staff members Elena and Maria and I decided to spend it at the beach! At Manuel Antonio beach, you will find soft white sand, warm blue ocean, and lots of green and wildlife. Also, the humidity is much less at the beach, which was a nice change while we are still adjusting.

 

Also, we found a restaurant with an ocean view where we could watch the World Cup. And, I finally got my casado! It was just as delicious as I remembered! Tomorrow, the training continues!

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Manuel Antonio: Good life for Expats and Tourists

When walking around Manuel Antonio, I’m never sure what kind of country I’m in. What I mean is, in predominantly English-speaking countries I expect to see and hear a lot of English, and in predominantly Spanish speaking countries, I expect to see and hear a lot of Spanish. Also, from my previous travels I’ve learned to associate Costa Rica with rich biodiversity, small towns, cheaper prices in restaurants and shops, and very friendly people who mostly speak Spanish. However, Manuel Antonio has a large expat community. This means most of the signs along the road are in English, and many people you meet who own businesses are not Costa Rican at all.

At Emilio’s, I was taken aback that the menu was all in English, and the food offerings were Mediterranean. The waiter did speak in Spanish, and I’ve found that wait staff, bus, and taxi drivers do speak in Spanish. However, from what I’ve seen, there are no local Costa Rican style restaurants in Manuel Antonio, but there are a few in nearby Quepos.Another shock was the price. For a fruit juice and a falafel sandwich, I paid $12, that’s about the same I would pay in Monterey, California for the same meal. At least the fruit juices are authentic!

Last night, a group of us went to a Karaoke night at a local bar nearby our home. The owners were Canadian, most of the people there were Internationals, the songs were largely in English, and there was a giant Janga set up on the patio. Still, the environment was great! Karaoke became a melting pot of cultures and favorite songs and soon the entire room was singing to everything from top Pop Hits, Classic Rock, Country, and songs by Mexican artists (courtesy of of awesome program director and staff member!)

So far, I’ve had less of a Costa Rican experience, and more of a “how expats and tourists live in Costa Rica” experience. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Everybody I’d met brings a little of their culture and their personality to the table, and what’s created is something new. We’ll see how it develops!

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Karaoke!P1070153

Giant Janga!