March 23, 2010

March 23, 2010

Hi Everyone!!!! The last week and a half has been super busy. Instead of bogging you down with all the details, I’ve been jotting down a few of my experiences as I go. This is over the last week and a half or so. Disclaimer: I’m saying these things as observations not judgement. Sorry for the vulgar language in advance. Sorry for the grammatical errors. I’m typing fast and going between 2 languages.

* In Costa Rica, we are told, our host mothers cook, clean, and do our laundry for us. (Sweet!) However, if you are female, you must wash your own panties. So, I washed 13 pairs of my panties the other day and hung them all up outside to dry for all to see. And, we are told, no one cares if you’re unmentionables are hanging outside to dry. By the way, if you are a guy, your host mom WILL wash your underwear!

* Interesting --- during one of our first outings around town for Spanish class, we saw a nice Range Rover come down the street --- followed by an antique Ox cart pulled by two ginormous oxen.

*I got 21 mosquito bites my first week in training, despite being sprayed down with Ben’s 30% deet insect repellent issued by PC. (those malaria pills better work). :)

* Since my arrival to Costa Rica, I have experienced 2 tremors. One on March 5th that registered 4.4 and the other tremor the week after last. I was sound asleep during the second one. It did wake me up, but I was too sleepy to be scared.

* As I was journaling the other night, I noticed something move out of the corner of my eye: a huge roach that I almost didn’t even register as a roach because it was so big. My host mom came and said, “ah si una cucaracha” then, got a broom to kill it. It took 2 crunches with her shoe to kill it.

* On the bus from San Jose, a man grabbed my butt as I was getting off the bus. Jack ass. My host dad said I should have grabbed his package and twisted as hard as I could. I went for the ignore and get away approach.

* A lot of shows on TV are from the U.S. (dubbed over in Spanish) or are a Costa Rican version of a U.S. show. I watch Costa Rican Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Fear Factor all the time with my host mom.

*My host mom HATES movies with animals that talk (Ice Age, Madagascar, Happy Feet).

* Most, if not all, the older generation here in town are so giving, friendly, and genuine. Once you introduce yourself and chat a bit -- they invite you in for jugo de cas.

* I think I really and truly know what the words “ants in your pants” mean now.

* The bus drivers here are straight up “G’s”. They roll those huge buses as if they were Cadillacs. They parallel park into small spaces quickly and maneuver the roads in the mountains with no fear. I just keep looking out the window at the scenery instead of what’s happening on the road.

* On a t-shirt of young pre-teen at an event: I may not be Mr. Right, but I’ll fuck the shit out of you till he comes home. (Don’t think he had a clue what it said)

*I bought a shirt, a skirt, and a pair of shorts for 3200 colones (that’s just a few bucks) at the Ropa Americana store (American clothes store), which is probably where the boy mentioned above bought his shirt. I’ve been told lots of the clothes we giveaway or donate ends up in these kinds of stores.

*** Special note to my LifeWorks crew! In training last week, we discussed the importance of using SMART goals when working with people. AHHHHHHH! I thought I got away!

* On my site visit these last few days, I travelled to a community a few hours away and met with another volunteer to see what she does. On the bus, I apparently got bitten by an insect that went up my jeans. I have about 26 bites that I counted on my leg thighs, bum, and lower back. The bites got pretty nasty by the next day so I went to the clinic. They told me the bug that bit me was most likely infected and that in addition, I had an allergic reaction to the bug bites. Yuck is all I have to say about that. My legs look gross. My mentor (the volunteer I went to visit) said I have been officially inducted to the Peace Corps experience now that I have gotten the nasty bites from an unknown bug while having her host mom and many friends and family give their opinions, diagnose, and treat me! lol. I was itching so bad, I had no shame at all about them inspecting me. LOL.

That’s all I have for now. Things are going well. I’m loving it and grateful for the experiences. I do get sad every once in a while and miss everyone, but all your emails and facebook messages are helping!

Love ya!