Hello there!
So, my last two weeks have been madness in the city. I have been spending 8-12 hour days at the center and working on a ton if interesting, yet stressful projects. I am writing a paper about the food crisis and how sustainable, small-scale farming can be affective in preventing it for my writing class, which is very interesting. A lot of my work after my service learning has been centered on agriculture and I am already planning out WOOFing adventures for my future. On the topic, I am also writing about the actual agricultural techniques and their specific environmental impacts for my environmental sciences class. The other paper I wrote this week was about colonial Latin America women in the church, and it was fascinating!
School has been stressful and I have a bit of a cough, but I have been provided four different remedies from an assortment of tico and gringo friends, so I am feeling better already. :) Other than that, life in the city has been repetitive: get up, go to school, do homework, eat dinner, do homework, sleep. Last weekend I went into San Jose at 4:15 IN THE MORNING (ewww) to this farmers market. Oh man, it was spectacular. One thing about Costa Rica is they only have one kind of cheese, squeaky cheese as my friend Kristy calls it. Though a lot of people don't like it, it is fine with me, but they eat it with EVERYTHING. It sorta looks like a hunk of tofu and it squeaks when you eat in (hence the name). But at the farmers market we found goat cheese!!! We also found amazing banana bread, bread bread, chocolate, vegetables, fruits, and flower. It was so refreshing to get some all-natural, fresh, organic food! This weekend Lorna, one of out teachers and my advisor, took us into San Jose for a reggae concert, which was great. I have missed live music!
That is about all I have to tell about MY life for the last two weeks, it has been a lot of work and a lot of fun. Oh, and Spanish classes ended, which is very sad! I will miss my mornings with Ariel!!!
So manana I leave for Panama! I know I say this like every blog entry, but I can't believe how fast my time is going. The next two weeks are packed with travel and fun! We were going to start in Costa Rica and move down the coast, but now we are going to Panama first and than working our way back due to the damage of the landslides that have been hitting the area. It would take me forever to list off all of the things we are doing, but here are some highlights. We are going scuba diving, getting an ocean tour, staying with indigenous host families and learning about their life styles, visiting the cloud forest, and watching some traditional indigenous island dances. I fell so lucky that this is my school! I think the neatest part of all of this is that we are learning all along the way, moving every few days, oh it reminds me of my TTS days!
Last, I don't know what kind of news coverage (if any) Costa Rica is getting right now in the international community, but there have been a ton of very bad landslides and floods that have ruined many people's homes. I went to the community of Bajo los Anonos with Gail and a few students this Saturday to see the damage and it was overwhelming. Often the poorest people live by the river and so people with barely anything now have nothing. It is all very difficult to see and hard because the rains are still coming. I want to get the word out about it though, so check of the pictures. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=96824&id=1269311946&saved#!/album.php?aid=96824&id=1269311946
You don't have to be on facebook to view it, just to comment. check it out and stay informed!
Alright, I will get you guys a update about Panama when I get back. Hope you are all doing well, I miss you all and hopefully will see some of you over Christmas!
xo
Greta
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Farms! Wahoo!
What up kids?
So, life is crazy. I can't believe how fast time goes, in seven weeks I will be flying back to Bozeman for big Christmas trees and snowy walks. It seems like another world to me as I write in my room, the rain pouring down and the patio outside reflecting thousands upon thousands of city lights. I hope I will get to see most of you when I am back, it is going to be fast and fun!
Anyways, to updating you on my life. WELL. I spent the last week on an organic finca (farm) planting seeds, making garden beds, and cleaning, than rubbing decomposed cow shit on trees. Among other things. Roderick Sell and his wife own this finca and they are the kindest, most inspirational people I have ever met. They took me and three other GC students in to their family for the week, and oh man was the food good! Roderick know so much about farming and is willing to share it all with you as long as you are willing to listen and maybe use a machete for a few hours. I learned how to make compost, what times of day as well as what times of year are good to plant, how to naturally protect from insects, and so much more. We would get up around six everyday and work until eight when we would go into the house for some amazing gallo pinto, (Costa Rican rice an beans dish) fruit, and eggs. Than we would go out and work until around one, and by that time we were very tired and hungry. We would wander back into the house for an amazing lunch, mostly all their food they grow or get from other local organic farmers, and so it is all really healthy and good quality. We didn't eat any meat which I actually sort of liked! Crazy right?
After lunch was the best part of the day, siesta time! We would sleep for at least two hours and than wrap up the workday with a few more hours of work. Dinner was always small, unlike the huge (but well needed) breakfasts and lunches because we didn't need a ton of energy to sleep. We would pass out after dinner, I think one night we may have made it until ten. So in short, the farm turned me into a hard-working vegetarian morning person who has a strangely strong love for compost for the week. I totally loved it.
It inspired me so much because this grass roots organic farming idea affects everything that I am interested in, and I didn't think such a thing existed. Organic farming is a political statement, a social statement, environmental statement, a spiritual exploration with a strong connection to nature, an art form, physically challenging, promotes strong local communities and it is FUN! I mean, how could it get any better than that? I am so excited about this! Oh and check out this link, I want you all to watch this movie. It is the first documentary I have ever seen that has left me more hopeful than when I started the film. It amazes me how we believe we are all so powerless in the world's problems when in fact, we have all of the power. The consumers have power over the producers and the cultivators have power over the middlemen and corporations. Instead of more laws and regulations being made upon the massive food industries (which our government has a monetary dependence on so you have to question how strict those regulations are) and small scale protests by specific groups, we need a simple grass roots movement. We as consumers have the ability to only buy local and organic, start cultivating some of our own food, and make educated communities. And the amazing thing is that it is already starting. It isn't hopeless or imposable for a single person to have a huge affect on the world by paying an extra buck for a organic tomato, or even growing their own. If you knew all the stuff they put in GMO tomatoes, you probably wouldn't want to eat them anyways.
So, that is the end of my little rant on that, go and plant some trees or something! But before you run out to get a pack of non-genetically modified seeds, I want to let you know what is up next in my life. I am going to be in school working lots and lots for the next two weeks. Than I am gone for two whole weeks, my class is going through Costa Rica and Panama to study. Then I will be back in school, finishing my major projects and getting my portfolio ready. So, I will blog for sure before I go to Panama, hopefully next week. We shall see how stressed I am. Until than, thanks for all the support and I hope you are all happy and healthy!
much love!
Greta
tweet: Got back on Friday from service learning. I love and am inspired by organic farming! Lets save the world now guys!
So, life is crazy. I can't believe how fast time goes, in seven weeks I will be flying back to Bozeman for big Christmas trees and snowy walks. It seems like another world to me as I write in my room, the rain pouring down and the patio outside reflecting thousands upon thousands of city lights. I hope I will get to see most of you when I am back, it is going to be fast and fun!
Anyways, to updating you on my life. WELL. I spent the last week on an organic finca (farm) planting seeds, making garden beds, and cleaning, than rubbing decomposed cow shit on trees. Among other things. Roderick Sell and his wife own this finca and they are the kindest, most inspirational people I have ever met. They took me and three other GC students in to their family for the week, and oh man was the food good! Roderick know so much about farming and is willing to share it all with you as long as you are willing to listen and maybe use a machete for a few hours. I learned how to make compost, what times of day as well as what times of year are good to plant, how to naturally protect from insects, and so much more. We would get up around six everyday and work until eight when we would go into the house for some amazing gallo pinto, (Costa Rican rice an beans dish) fruit, and eggs. Than we would go out and work until around one, and by that time we were very tired and hungry. We would wander back into the house for an amazing lunch, mostly all their food they grow or get from other local organic farmers, and so it is all really healthy and good quality. We didn't eat any meat which I actually sort of liked! Crazy right?
After lunch was the best part of the day, siesta time! We would sleep for at least two hours and than wrap up the workday with a few more hours of work. Dinner was always small, unlike the huge (but well needed) breakfasts and lunches because we didn't need a ton of energy to sleep. We would pass out after dinner, I think one night we may have made it until ten. So in short, the farm turned me into a hard-working vegetarian morning person who has a strangely strong love for compost for the week. I totally loved it.
It inspired me so much because this grass roots organic farming idea affects everything that I am interested in, and I didn't think such a thing existed. Organic farming is a political statement, a social statement, environmental statement, a spiritual exploration with a strong connection to nature, an art form, physically challenging, promotes strong local communities and it is FUN! I mean, how could it get any better than that? I am so excited about this! Oh and check out this link, I want you all to watch this movie. It is the first documentary I have ever seen that has left me more hopeful than when I started the film. It amazes me how we believe we are all so powerless in the world's problems when in fact, we have all of the power. The consumers have power over the producers and the cultivators have power over the middlemen and corporations. Instead of more laws and regulations being made upon the massive food industries (which our government has a monetary dependence on so you have to question how strict those regulations are) and small scale protests by specific groups, we need a simple grass roots movement. We as consumers have the ability to only buy local and organic, start cultivating some of our own food, and make educated communities. And the amazing thing is that it is already starting. It isn't hopeless or imposable for a single person to have a huge affect on the world by paying an extra buck for a organic tomato, or even growing their own. If you knew all the stuff they put in GMO tomatoes, you probably wouldn't want to eat them anyways.
So, that is the end of my little rant on that, go and plant some trees or something! But before you run out to get a pack of non-genetically modified seeds, I want to let you know what is up next in my life. I am going to be in school working lots and lots for the next two weeks. Than I am gone for two whole weeks, my class is going through Costa Rica and Panama to study. Then I will be back in school, finishing my major projects and getting my portfolio ready. So, I will blog for sure before I go to Panama, hopefully next week. We shall see how stressed I am. Until than, thanks for all the support and I hope you are all happy and healthy!
much love!
Greta
tweet: Got back on Friday from service learning. I love and am inspired by organic farming! Lets save the world now guys!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sarapiqui
Hey kids!
SO, sorry sorry sorry that I haven't been posting. I swear I haven't forgotten about you, I just have so much going on. Also, I didn't have too much to report for the week I didn't post. Life has been going well, all is right and good. Lots and lots of work and school. It is refreshing to be back in a place that challenges me, but it is also a surprise to realize that an argumentative essay isn't quite as fun to right at a seven-page narrative about eating apple pie.
NOW, however, I do have something to right about other than the norm, which is school and school and studying and more school. (but interesting school!) Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I went to Sarapiqui with my class. I am still exhausted and overwhelmed by everything that went on there. We started out with a guided nature walk through the rain forest. It was very interesting and we saw all kinds of birds, an iguana, spiders, and insects. We saw the bullet ant, which injects poison into its victim, and if it bites a human there can be sever pain for up to 24 hours. Uh yeahh... not getting near that one. But I still think it is pretty neat they can do that. Oh, and we saw a sloth! The area we visited wasn't a park, per say, but more of a protected area. Our guide told us the reason why we didn't see many big animals was because there was not enough room for them to live. This is a recurring issue in the preserved areas of Costa Rica, they are small pockets surrounded by fincas and urban sprawl, so many big animals still lack places to live. Anyways... it was very educational and fun!
From there we all piled into our cramped little microbus and hit the dirt roads to go visit Alex Martinez. This was an unexplainable experience. Alex is an activist who owns a small part of land in Sarapiqui and in his spare time (when he is not out catching illegal hunters in the parks) he rehabilitates animals. Usually they have ether been captured and were going to be sold as pets or they have injuries that were human-inflicted. He talked to us about his experiences and his thoughts on the declining environment. I left with a ton of new ideas blending and mixing with mine. He has a volunteer program there if people what to come help the animals with rehabilitation and give tours of the area. Future plans? I think yes.
The next day we were bombarded with information. Seriously, it was a full on attack that left me exhausted and convulsing on the cold ground with no hope of survival. Okay, maybe not THAT extreme, but it was a lot. In the morning we went to a Dole banana plantation, which was fascinating. Since my semester in Central America Junior year I have had a strong, invested hatred towards Dole and so this was a good practice of mindful speech for me. Carlos, our guide was actually very nice and took us around the plantation showing us how the bananas are grown, cut, washed, and packed. Usually he gives this tour to cruse ship groups, so we were a little more educated than his usual audience. Of course he worked his way around some of our questions but we actually got a good amount of information from him. For example, did you know that the man who owns fox news also owns over half of the Dole's stalks?
After lunch we learned more about bananas. We had a meeting with another Carlos, but he had a very different viewpoint. He was the leader of the workers' union for Dole (which Dole is strongly apposed to) and talked to us about Dole's dirty deeds over the years. We learned all about how pesticides with known side effects had been used on plantations, making workers sterile, and how the land has been used and misused. He also talked a lot about pineapples, which usually have about 18 pesticides sprayed on them and are a crop taking over Costa Rica. They pollute the water and destroy the soil and are a huge environmental threat to the area. This is something for us to keep in mind as consumers when we pick up a pineapple at the store. There is tons of information on it, let me know if you want more.
Moving on... the next day we went to a small organic farm with the best bananas I have ever eaten. Ever. It was amazing to see where our food really comes from. I saw all sorts of different trees and plants and tried all of their fruits. I never knew there were so many kinds of limes! It was inspirational to see that someone is out there making a living and food for his family with environmentally sound means. It gives you hope that you can do it too, ya know? We ate more food than I thought was possible there, but it was so good! It felt like every fruit imaginable was fair game! After the farm we went back to the hotel for one more spectacular meal there (are you getting how good the food was on this trip??) and than has a exhausting processing meeting to try to understand the condensed information from the last three days. After than a ridiculous bus ride home and sleep.
Today I have successfully done very little; homework, hanging out with a few friends, all that jazz, and tomorrow (or today when I post this) I will be back in school. Oh my, so much going on! I can't believe how quickly my life goes and how much I care about it all. I want to have more time to breath, but at the same time I love this fast paced way of life. I feel so alive and passionate and I am trying to stay present. After this week I will be away for a week at an organic farm for my service-learning project. Wahoo! Yep, I get to farm for a week as part of my classes. Yes my life is spectacular. Oh, one last thing, I stupidly forgot my camera for the Sarapiqui trip. If it is any consolation there wouldn't have been many pictures anyways due to how much was going on. So sorry kids, no pictures! But I will take lots and put up a new batch after the service learning. Until than hope you are well! You are all in my thoughts!
xo
Greta
SO, sorry sorry sorry that I haven't been posting. I swear I haven't forgotten about you, I just have so much going on. Also, I didn't have too much to report for the week I didn't post. Life has been going well, all is right and good. Lots and lots of work and school. It is refreshing to be back in a place that challenges me, but it is also a surprise to realize that an argumentative essay isn't quite as fun to right at a seven-page narrative about eating apple pie.
NOW, however, I do have something to right about other than the norm, which is school and school and studying and more school. (but interesting school!) Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I went to Sarapiqui with my class. I am still exhausted and overwhelmed by everything that went on there. We started out with a guided nature walk through the rain forest. It was very interesting and we saw all kinds of birds, an iguana, spiders, and insects. We saw the bullet ant, which injects poison into its victim, and if it bites a human there can be sever pain for up to 24 hours. Uh yeahh... not getting near that one. But I still think it is pretty neat they can do that. Oh, and we saw a sloth! The area we visited wasn't a park, per say, but more of a protected area. Our guide told us the reason why we didn't see many big animals was because there was not enough room for them to live. This is a recurring issue in the preserved areas of Costa Rica, they are small pockets surrounded by fincas and urban sprawl, so many big animals still lack places to live. Anyways... it was very educational and fun!
From there we all piled into our cramped little microbus and hit the dirt roads to go visit Alex Martinez. This was an unexplainable experience. Alex is an activist who owns a small part of land in Sarapiqui and in his spare time (when he is not out catching illegal hunters in the parks) he rehabilitates animals. Usually they have ether been captured and were going to be sold as pets or they have injuries that were human-inflicted. He talked to us about his experiences and his thoughts on the declining environment. I left with a ton of new ideas blending and mixing with mine. He has a volunteer program there if people what to come help the animals with rehabilitation and give tours of the area. Future plans? I think yes.
The next day we were bombarded with information. Seriously, it was a full on attack that left me exhausted and convulsing on the cold ground with no hope of survival. Okay, maybe not THAT extreme, but it was a lot. In the morning we went to a Dole banana plantation, which was fascinating. Since my semester in Central America Junior year I have had a strong, invested hatred towards Dole and so this was a good practice of mindful speech for me. Carlos, our guide was actually very nice and took us around the plantation showing us how the bananas are grown, cut, washed, and packed. Usually he gives this tour to cruse ship groups, so we were a little more educated than his usual audience. Of course he worked his way around some of our questions but we actually got a good amount of information from him. For example, did you know that the man who owns fox news also owns over half of the Dole's stalks?
After lunch we learned more about bananas. We had a meeting with another Carlos, but he had a very different viewpoint. He was the leader of the workers' union for Dole (which Dole is strongly apposed to) and talked to us about Dole's dirty deeds over the years. We learned all about how pesticides with known side effects had been used on plantations, making workers sterile, and how the land has been used and misused. He also talked a lot about pineapples, which usually have about 18 pesticides sprayed on them and are a crop taking over Costa Rica. They pollute the water and destroy the soil and are a huge environmental threat to the area. This is something for us to keep in mind as consumers when we pick up a pineapple at the store. There is tons of information on it, let me know if you want more.
Moving on... the next day we went to a small organic farm with the best bananas I have ever eaten. Ever. It was amazing to see where our food really comes from. I saw all sorts of different trees and plants and tried all of their fruits. I never knew there were so many kinds of limes! It was inspirational to see that someone is out there making a living and food for his family with environmentally sound means. It gives you hope that you can do it too, ya know? We ate more food than I thought was possible there, but it was so good! It felt like every fruit imaginable was fair game! After the farm we went back to the hotel for one more spectacular meal there (are you getting how good the food was on this trip??) and than has a exhausting processing meeting to try to understand the condensed information from the last three days. After than a ridiculous bus ride home and sleep.
Today I have successfully done very little; homework, hanging out with a few friends, all that jazz, and tomorrow (or today when I post this) I will be back in school. Oh my, so much going on! I can't believe how quickly my life goes and how much I care about it all. I want to have more time to breath, but at the same time I love this fast paced way of life. I feel so alive and passionate and I am trying to stay present. After this week I will be away for a week at an organic farm for my service-learning project. Wahoo! Yep, I get to farm for a week as part of my classes. Yes my life is spectacular. Oh, one last thing, I stupidly forgot my camera for the Sarapiqui trip. If it is any consolation there wouldn't have been many pictures anyways due to how much was going on. So sorry kids, no pictures! But I will take lots and put up a new batch after the service learning. Until than hope you are well! You are all in my thoughts!
xo
Greta
Monday, September 20, 2010
Talamanca= WIN
Hi guys! I must say I am in love with Tico time, I can be late to everything and still be on time! I am soaking up some morning sun before Spanish class (yes I do always write these before Spanish) and simultaneously uploading Talamanca pictures to face book! go check them out dudes!
Talamanca was amazing, we learned a lot and had loads of fun being jammed into awkward positions for hours on end in a little bus. We stated out and had lunch with Timoteo, an indigenous leader who speaks Bribri (native language) as well as Spanish. After eating with our hands from banana leafs we went on a short hike to an amazing waterfall. There we swam, and wow, the force of the water was spectacular. He also did a short ceremony where we all sat in a circle and he chanted. I was indescribable. He than told us all about the battles he and so many other indigenous are fighting over land rights and how their practices have been hurt by excessive mining and major corporations that want to exploit the resources of the land. When we returned to the microbus Max, our fantastic driver, had gotten it suck it the mud and we created quite a spectacle jumping on the back of the bus and pushing from the front, but in the end we got it out. We than proceeded on to Suredka and our hotel which was very nice. It reminded me of my TTS days a little, being jammed into busses and carted around. Also, the humidity was way worse because we were so close to the coast, so the failure feeling of constant thin sticky sweat returned and my hair took to curling.
The next day we had really neat meeting with an indigenous community, the Awa, or healer, talked to us about the alternative ways of healing and his people’s traditions. He was speaking in Bri Bri, so we had quite a train of translation going, everything had to be translated from Bri Bri to Spanish, than Spanish to English. It was very interesting and the area was stunning. After another finger-food banana-leaf lunch we had another ceremony which was just as indescribable at the previous but in a totally different way. Than we all piled onto a bus and went to the chocolate co-op which was, to say the least, delicious. Mmmmmhmm yes.
Our last day on the road we went to the Cahuita National Park and spent all morning soaking up rays and swimming on the pristine beach. The water was perfect, warm and salty, and the morning slipped by in a lazy fashion. After lunch I chose to go on a little guided hike and saw all manor of animals. We saw a sloth, monkeys with babies, some snakes, a impressive ant hill, frogs, crabs, plants that close when you touch them and a mired of butterflies. Our guide told us all about the park which is actually mostly marine and the good it has brought to the area. He also told us about how drilling and pollution from farther up the coast come down with the currents and hurt the coral reefs that the park protects.
By this point I was dead tired, but we continued onward to a Calipso dance class. The people in the class were extremely talented and I was thoroughly impressed. I tried for a wile, but shortly gave in to my tired legs and watched the class move. Finally we all piled into the microbus one last time and made the five-hour drive home.
It is funny, I had to write a paper for Spanish about this exact same thing, so actually I have written my Talamnca description in two different languages. Neat eh? I am overwhelmed by how lucky I am to be here and so grateful to all of you who helped out! I hope you are all happy and healthy where ever you are and that you continue to be so! Another update will be here soon. (Allegra. HA.)
xo
greta
Talamanca was amazing, we learned a lot and had loads of fun being jammed into awkward positions for hours on end in a little bus. We stated out and had lunch with Timoteo, an indigenous leader who speaks Bribri (native language) as well as Spanish. After eating with our hands from banana leafs we went on a short hike to an amazing waterfall. There we swam, and wow, the force of the water was spectacular. He also did a short ceremony where we all sat in a circle and he chanted. I was indescribable. He than told us all about the battles he and so many other indigenous are fighting over land rights and how their practices have been hurt by excessive mining and major corporations that want to exploit the resources of the land. When we returned to the microbus Max, our fantastic driver, had gotten it suck it the mud and we created quite a spectacle jumping on the back of the bus and pushing from the front, but in the end we got it out. We than proceeded on to Suredka and our hotel which was very nice. It reminded me of my TTS days a little, being jammed into busses and carted around. Also, the humidity was way worse because we were so close to the coast, so the failure feeling of constant thin sticky sweat returned and my hair took to curling.
The next day we had really neat meeting with an indigenous community, the Awa, or healer, talked to us about the alternative ways of healing and his people’s traditions. He was speaking in Bri Bri, so we had quite a train of translation going, everything had to be translated from Bri Bri to Spanish, than Spanish to English. It was very interesting and the area was stunning. After another finger-food banana-leaf lunch we had another ceremony which was just as indescribable at the previous but in a totally different way. Than we all piled onto a bus and went to the chocolate co-op which was, to say the least, delicious. Mmmmmhmm yes.
Our last day on the road we went to the Cahuita National Park and spent all morning soaking up rays and swimming on the pristine beach. The water was perfect, warm and salty, and the morning slipped by in a lazy fashion. After lunch I chose to go on a little guided hike and saw all manor of animals. We saw a sloth, monkeys with babies, some snakes, a impressive ant hill, frogs, crabs, plants that close when you touch them and a mired of butterflies. Our guide told us all about the park which is actually mostly marine and the good it has brought to the area. He also told us about how drilling and pollution from farther up the coast come down with the currents and hurt the coral reefs that the park protects.
By this point I was dead tired, but we continued onward to a Calipso dance class. The people in the class were extremely talented and I was thoroughly impressed. I tried for a wile, but shortly gave in to my tired legs and watched the class move. Finally we all piled into the microbus one last time and made the five-hour drive home.
It is funny, I had to write a paper for Spanish about this exact same thing, so actually I have written my Talamnca description in two different languages. Neat eh? I am overwhelmed by how lucky I am to be here and so grateful to all of you who helped out! I hope you are all happy and healthy where ever you are and that you continue to be so! Another update will be here soon. (Allegra. HA.)
xo
greta
Monday, September 13, 2010
Pura Vida!
Hello everyone!
How is everything going? Well, I am fitting in to life here very well. I have a connection to this part of the world, I feel very at home here. We finished our first week of classes and I love all of them. It is a lot of work, lots of reading, but it is all interesting and relevant to where we are. Spanish class every morning is hard! I remember most of my conversational Spanish, but lots of grammar stuff goes way over my head. I think it is really good I have Spanish class though because seeing as I can converse and understand (usually) without the class I don't know how much more Spanish I would learn. My other classes are all about once a week and very interesting. My adviser, Lorna, and I are finalizing my plans for my independent study here as well. I am working in La Carpio with children, my focus being children’s' interpretations through art. I am going to have a different subject and medium for every class which I will teach every Tuesday. I can't wait, I start this week!
Everyone keeps asking me how the people are, so as an answer, in short they are great! I get along with everyone in my group and we have lots of fun together. I am excited to spend the year with everyone! Under the category of "people" my host mom is proving to be amazing. She is so very funny and nice. Her friends come over all the time (It reminds me of home, having my mom know everyone.) and they all talk very quickly. I can usually pick up what they are saying and join in and it is so much fun! She is also a very good cook and likes to make cakes "for fun." That is just fine with me! I can't wait until Wednesday when we are all (yes a bunch of 60+ year olds and I) going to a festival in the central park.
This weekend I went to San Jose (30 min bus ride) to an art festavil on Saturday and again to San Jose for a yoga festaval. The art fesival was neat, we made clay sculptures and ate some "cheese balls" which consist of dry bread that taist slitghtly of cheese and mostly of... nothing actually. Also we saw some inturpritive dance which was very dramatic. The yoga festival today was great. I went to a class in the morning wich was hard but very good. Than I got some AMAZING food, a wrap with indan spiced chicken or something like that. mmmm yes. We got back early afternoon feeling refreshed!
Oh, so, Thursday through Sunday we are going to Talamanca. First field trip!!! We have to get up mad early and cram into a microbus. I am told they are little and cramped, but compared to my experiences with little cramped vehicles, wow this is lugubrious! The windows even open! Anyways, we are going to a Finca and a woman's organic chocolate association. We will be in Cahuita National park, and all the national parks here (Costa Rica has a ton!) are stunning. I can't wait to see them for real, not on a screen. We get to meet with a Calipso music youth group before we get home too. And... I get college credit for this. YES.
All right, I actually have to go attempt Spanish grammar now, but I will update after the field trip!
xoxo
greta
How is everything going? Well, I am fitting in to life here very well. I have a connection to this part of the world, I feel very at home here. We finished our first week of classes and I love all of them. It is a lot of work, lots of reading, but it is all interesting and relevant to where we are. Spanish class every morning is hard! I remember most of my conversational Spanish, but lots of grammar stuff goes way over my head. I think it is really good I have Spanish class though because seeing as I can converse and understand (usually) without the class I don't know how much more Spanish I would learn. My other classes are all about once a week and very interesting. My adviser, Lorna, and I are finalizing my plans for my independent study here as well. I am working in La Carpio with children, my focus being children’s' interpretations through art. I am going to have a different subject and medium for every class which I will teach every Tuesday. I can't wait, I start this week!
Everyone keeps asking me how the people are, so as an answer, in short they are great! I get along with everyone in my group and we have lots of fun together. I am excited to spend the year with everyone! Under the category of "people" my host mom is proving to be amazing. She is so very funny and nice. Her friends come over all the time (It reminds me of home, having my mom know everyone.) and they all talk very quickly. I can usually pick up what they are saying and join in and it is so much fun! She is also a very good cook and likes to make cakes "for fun." That is just fine with me! I can't wait until Wednesday when we are all (yes a bunch of 60+ year olds and I) going to a festival in the central park.
This weekend I went to San Jose (30 min bus ride) to an art festavil on Saturday and again to San Jose for a yoga festaval. The art fesival was neat, we made clay sculptures and ate some "cheese balls" which consist of dry bread that taist slitghtly of cheese and mostly of... nothing actually. Also we saw some inturpritive dance which was very dramatic. The yoga festival today was great. I went to a class in the morning wich was hard but very good. Than I got some AMAZING food, a wrap with indan spiced chicken or something like that. mmmm yes. We got back early afternoon feeling refreshed!
Oh, so, Thursday through Sunday we are going to Talamanca. First field trip!!! We have to get up mad early and cram into a microbus. I am told they are little and cramped, but compared to my experiences with little cramped vehicles, wow this is lugubrious! The windows even open! Anyways, we are going to a Finca and a woman's organic chocolate association. We will be in Cahuita National park, and all the national parks here (Costa Rica has a ton!) are stunning. I can't wait to see them for real, not on a screen. We get to meet with a Calipso music youth group before we get home too. And... I get college credit for this. YES.
All right, I actually have to go attempt Spanish grammar now, but I will update after the field trip!
xoxo
greta
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Classes
Well, today was our first real day of class. Sadly, I am unable to be in the Holistic Health class because of my independent study, so my Tuesdays only really have spanish class. I have a little class, just 2 of us, so I am going to get good fast! The rest of the day I have been figuring out my independent study and planning for the year to come. I must say I am so excited for this year, I can't even describe it. I have spanish classes in the morning, a orientation seminar, a latin american studies seminar, and a writing seminar as my required courses. I am taking a global environmental issues and latin america course and doing an independent for my other credits. My independent study is going to be working in la carpio with children and their artistic inturpratations of the world around them. I am going to be there for a few hours a week working with younger kids doing painting, sculpting, writing, and all manor of artsy things. I can't wait!!!
I am setting in well here, I still love my host mom and Heredia is a cool place to be. It is a city, so I have to adjust to city life, but everything is going great! I will post again soon! Hope this finds you all well!
greta
I am setting in well here, I still love my host mom and Heredia is a cool place to be. It is a city, so I have to adjust to city life, but everything is going great! I will post again soon! Hope this finds you all well!
greta
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Costa Rica, here I am!
Hello all my friends and family!
Costa Rica is, well, amazing. My group has 21 kids from all over and spent the first few days together in hotel americana. Hotel americana was nice, with a shower the size of my bedroom and strangly american food. It was fun, and last night was our first night with our families. My family is just a woman, she is very sweet and takes good care of me. Her name is Julieta. She has a daughter who lives near san jose and two grandchildren she loves to talk about. I can't wait to meet them!
Today, we went to do some service work. We planted trees in the morning and had a great lunch. I notice how much people love to feed me here! After lunch we were suprised by a parade that passed by the church and we danced around the main field area. We than played games with the kids and eachother utill it was time to go. It was loads of fun and I made friends with lots of little kids who love to dance. Monday classes start, and I can't wait. So far everyone I met has been kind and helpful and I am feeling very safe. I have had no communications, but over the next few weeks it will become more regular. I will try to skype with some of you soon!!
much love,
Greta
p.s. It is raining. It rains all. the. time. here. And I don't really mind it!
Costa Rica is, well, amazing. My group has 21 kids from all over and spent the first few days together in hotel americana. Hotel americana was nice, with a shower the size of my bedroom and strangly american food. It was fun, and last night was our first night with our families. My family is just a woman, she is very sweet and takes good care of me. Her name is Julieta. She has a daughter who lives near san jose and two grandchildren she loves to talk about. I can't wait to meet them!
Today, we went to do some service work. We planted trees in the morning and had a great lunch. I notice how much people love to feed me here! After lunch we were suprised by a parade that passed by the church and we danced around the main field area. We than played games with the kids and eachother utill it was time to go. It was loads of fun and I made friends with lots of little kids who love to dance. Monday classes start, and I can't wait. So far everyone I met has been kind and helpful and I am feeling very safe. I have had no communications, but over the next few weeks it will become more regular. I will try to skype with some of you soon!!
much love,
Greta
p.s. It is raining. It rains all. the. time. here. And I don't really mind it!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Costa Rica
Excited. To say the least. I can't believe how much I can't wait. I can't believe how scared I am to have so many responsibilities. I can't believe how ready I feel. I can't believe how lucky I am. I can't believe this is my life.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Okay.
Hi everyone. I would like to apologise for not posting it Italia, but A. I warned you all I might not, and B. I tried, but the computers crashed when I logged on to blog spot. I think they were just too old, causing failure. So, sorry everyone, but, in Costa Rica I will have MY computer, which is great, other than the J key, and will not crash. YAA!
Italia was amazing, as you may expect. The best part was the host stay, I thought. I Stayed with a family that lived about 30 minutes outside of Treviso, and their place was amazing! I was impressed their lifestyle, everything was so relaxed. Every Sunday my family would have all their friends and family (which is like 40 people at least) over for a big party that went from lunch till around dinner. My host sister, Enrica, was amazing, and I got to know all of her friends as well. I feel so lucky to have met them all, and learned a bit of Italian in my two and a half weeks with them.
The whole trip was spectacular, I got some time to write and read, but mostly it was fast and furious! I loved Verona, our regional director, Pino, made our short time there great. We went canyoning one day, and I got to jump off of not one, not two, not even three, but four water falls. I also had a really attractive wet suit on. (On a side note, all Italians wear swim caps to the pool. They are strange and uncomfortable.) In Verona we also saw Juliet's balcony and spent a rainy afternoon in a Italian cafe. I will try to post pictures soon of where we went, but for now, stay tuned. And believe what you will *cough cough allegra* I will be doing regular updates in the fall, so stay tuned!
Greta
Italia was amazing, as you may expect. The best part was the host stay, I thought. I Stayed with a family that lived about 30 minutes outside of Treviso, and their place was amazing! I was impressed their lifestyle, everything was so relaxed. Every Sunday my family would have all their friends and family (which is like 40 people at least) over for a big party that went from lunch till around dinner. My host sister, Enrica, was amazing, and I got to know all of her friends as well. I feel so lucky to have met them all, and learned a bit of Italian in my two and a half weeks with them.
The whole trip was spectacular, I got some time to write and read, but mostly it was fast and furious! I loved Verona, our regional director, Pino, made our short time there great. We went canyoning one day, and I got to jump off of not one, not two, not even three, but four water falls. I also had a really attractive wet suit on. (On a side note, all Italians wear swim caps to the pool. They are strange and uncomfortable.) In Verona we also saw Juliet's balcony and spent a rainy afternoon in a Italian cafe. I will try to post pictures soon of where we went, but for now, stay tuned. And believe what you will *cough cough allegra* I will be doing regular updates in the fall, so stay tuned!
Greta
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Hi
Hello from Roma! It is amazing here, the air is so fresh and free! I have had amazing gelato and great pizza and pasta already! Today we went to the Coliseum and wow! How amazing! I have no idea why this is highlighted but we will go with it... It is amazing to think about the amount of time that these buildings have been standing and the shere number of people who have seen them. Everything here is calmer and you can enjoy it all more. My whole group is great, and I am just getting over jetlag and into the country. This highlighting (incase you cant see it) is weirding me out... I cant make it stooopppp!!!! oh well. Yes, so my trip is going very well, and I am getting loads of sun. It has been so warm here! The river is so lovely, I am always drawn to towns or cities with rivers through them, it adds such magic to the city feeling. Even the streetlights are softer here. Alright, I am now going to go get some gelato, but I hope to update soon! (Allegra, dont even... at least I posted, be proud!!!!!!)
xo
greta
xo
greta
Thursday, June 24, 2010
ITALY
Oh man. Life is moving quick. Alight, incase I don't update, I will give you all a basic idea of what I am doing in Italy, I can't wait, and I have so much to do!
We fly into Rome, where we will be for 3 days getting used to, ya know, Italy. We will figure out the metro and eat AMAZING food and rejoice endlessly in the streets. This is HUGE for me because in these three days my list of things to do in life will get much shorter, seeing as we will see the Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and ST. PETER'S BASILICA!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN"T WAIT.
NEXT, we spend 8 days in Lucca where we will have language classes. This is sorta amazing seeing as I don't know Italian and will in general be very confused. I am dreading feeling like an ugly U.S. teen touring and knowing none of the language, so hopefully this will help. Here we have day trips all over, maybe to Florence or Pisa. I love how casually they mention this. "OH yes, if we feel like it, we COULD go to Florence for the day. eeeee!!!!
Than we have our home stays in Treviso for 16 days. I am so excited for this, and really have no idea what to expect!
We than travel to Verona for four days, where we may see some amazing opera or be all outdoor like and hike. YAYA! Than we go to Venice for the last few days of the trip. I can't wait for Venice, what an amazing place to end! I have always always loved the idea of Venice, but will most likely feel like I am in a murder novel, seeing as I have read so many set in Venice!
I am back on the 4th of August! So expect an update shortly after than if I don't post in Italy.
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