NOTE: This is late because I haven't had internet until now.
Hello again! This day is marking SEVEN days in Costa Rica. Every day, I fall more in love with this country, its culture, its people. Everything is very different here, but it is a good different. I am staying on a very secluded farm, deep in the jungle. Every morning I wake up to the sound of birds and the occasional spider on my wall... no big deal. This week has been hectic! Tuesday, the day after I arrived on the farm, Gonzalo gave me and Fernando a tour of the farm, where I learned how to make chocolate from Cocao! It is very tasty (Muy Rico). I am also learning a lot of Spanish, only Layli speaks English in the family, so I am trying to learn so I can communicate with everyone. The schedule of the day varies, usually I get up around 7am to help with breakfast and setting up the farm for the day. Breakfast is a time for the family, I help with Amir and with Maurizia to make breakfast for the rest of the family. After, we usually get the camera and film, conducting interviews for the farm. Fernando and I are making videos to publish the NOA's website, this will help promote their projects. I will also help in the farm, harvesting, collecting, or planting. We also have visited a school where I taught about the importance of World Peace and communication in the community, the kids there were amazing, they listened so well and wanted to do anything in the community that promoted peace. I will return there next week with Marta.
This past weekend I went with Gonzalo to the market to sell fresh goods from the farm. It was CRAZY! Puerto Viejo is a tourist town, so people from all over the world came to buy these goods. The farmers who were there had many diverse backgrounds and I met many interesting people. Gonzalo and I spent the day in Puerto Viejo and I will return there this weekend with Marta on our way to the sea turtle reserve!
Today, I went with Laylie to help her with her Proyecto Sembrando Sonrisa Talamanca. This project helps a certain community. The people who live there were part of a large organization in Panama, but the organization crashed and the bank took everything from these people. They then moved to Costa Rica. They now have almost nothing, just each other, it's inspiring to see a community so close. Many children live here, but can't go to school because they have to help at home. For those who do go to school, we donated backpacks, pencils and notebooks to the kids. It was inspiring to see the smiles on their faces.
One big challenge for me this week has been the language barrier, throughout this internship I think that will always be a challenge, but I feel I am understanding and speaking more everyday. Hopefully by the end of my internship, I can at least communicate clearly! :)
I am so excited to see what the next 3 weeks has in store for me. Marta arrives tomorrow and I am very excited to meet her *in person*. I want to thank everyone who has made this an opportunity for me!
Hello again! This day is marking SEVEN days in Costa Rica. Every day, I fall more in love with this country, its culture, its people. Everything is very different here, but it is a good different. I am staying on a very secluded farm, deep in the jungle. Every morning I wake up to the sound of birds and the occasional spider on my wall... no big deal. This week has been hectic! Tuesday, the day after I arrived on the farm, Gonzalo gave me and Fernando a tour of the farm, where I learned how to make chocolate from Cocao! It is very tasty (Muy Rico). I am also learning a lot of Spanish, only Layli speaks English in the family, so I am trying to learn so I can communicate with everyone. The schedule of the day varies, usually I get up around 7am to help with breakfast and setting up the farm for the day. Breakfast is a time for the family, I help with Amir and with Maurizia to make breakfast for the rest of the family. After, we usually get the camera and film, conducting interviews for the farm. Fernando and I are making videos to publish the NOA's website, this will help promote their projects. I will also help in the farm, harvesting, collecting, or planting. We also have visited a school where I taught about the importance of World Peace and communication in the community, the kids there were amazing, they listened so well and wanted to do anything in the community that promoted peace. I will return there next week with Marta.
This past weekend I went with Gonzalo to the market to sell fresh goods from the farm. It was CRAZY! Puerto Viejo is a tourist town, so people from all over the world came to buy these goods. The farmers who were there had many diverse backgrounds and I met many interesting people. Gonzalo and I spent the day in Puerto Viejo and I will return there this weekend with Marta on our way to the sea turtle reserve!
Today, I went with Laylie to help her with her Proyecto Sembrando Sonrisa Talamanca. This project helps a certain community. The people who live there were part of a large organization in Panama, but the organization crashed and the bank took everything from these people. They then moved to Costa Rica. They now have almost nothing, just each other, it's inspiring to see a community so close. Many children live here, but can't go to school because they have to help at home. For those who do go to school, we donated backpacks, pencils and notebooks to the kids. It was inspiring to see the smiles on their faces.
One big challenge for me this week has been the language barrier, throughout this internship I think that will always be a challenge, but I feel I am understanding and speaking more everyday. Hopefully by the end of my internship, I can at least communicate clearly! :)
I am so excited to see what the next 3 weeks has in store for me. Marta arrives tomorrow and I am very excited to meet her *in person*. I want to thank everyone who has made this an opportunity for me!