LASP…Learning Alternative Sanitation Procedures….Lice and Scavies Program…??

We had no idea….life on Cartí Mulatupu for 6 days… Dec. 6 through 12...

12 LASPers, our intern and prof stayed on 2 indigenous islands in the Caribbean with the Kuna…to simply live in solidarity with them and learn to communicate in more ways than verbally.

We drove in trucks across the Panamerica Highway to arrive to Cartí, the shore of Panamá where we took small wooden boats across the ocean to the 2 islands where we would live for the week. It was a gray and dreary day. We were nervous and excited about the unknown and the challenge. I had expectations to speak a bit of Kuna, learn differences and similarities between Kuna and Bribri, learn how to express gratitud without the word ‘thank you’ (because it doesn’t exist in Kuna) but by my actions, facial expressions, and attitude, and live without the concept of time.

Little did we know that we would endure a tropical depression and the effects of la Niña…rain every day, island flooding..¡que difícil!...the most challenging and difficult week of the semester! Wow.

The Kuna - The comarca of the Kuna includes land in Panamá and several islands off the coast where around 32,000 semi-autonomous Kuna live. My island - Cartí Mulatupu had over 900 Kuna living on it. Each island has its own government/laws while also protected under the Panamanian governemnt/law. (When it is not raining) the men go out to fish or to the mainland (Panamá) to gather firewood, hunt, get fresh water, etc. The women prepare the food, take care of the children, and sew their molas for their own clothing and to sell to tourists. The children do have a school on the island and they play together. Men will also weave baskets or other utensils out of grass plants. For celebrations, the community dances and drinks ‘chicha’ (fermented traditional drink) and plays music. Each night the community has Congress…a meeting led by the Sila who chants in Kuna and then another person interprets the message. The Kuna are truly creative, open, beautiful people.

Mi familia…I lived with a grandma and her two daughters Isidelia and Marline. Each daughter had two children: Reye, Marelinez, Josué, and Jacob….all 5 and under. They all slept in hammocks in the main room of the hut but gave me the queen sized bed in the separate room…which was a blessing to have privacy but I got flea bites from the mattress. My family showed me hospitality through giving me the seat of honor….the lawn chair…in the hut. They prepared me food…even special Kuna dishes that took extra time. They always accompanied me…to the latrine, to take my bucket bath, to wander the island. My mom gave me the traditional bracelet and a necklace.

Gratitud…and all I could do to show my thanks was to eat the food and to use facial expressions and the few kuna words that I had learned. It was challenging to not be able to communicate with my family because they only spoke a few words of Spanish.

A typical day of this rainy week consisted of getting up around 8 am…going to the bathroom in the latrine over the ocean, accompanied by my aunt…eating a breakfast of 2 homemade Kuna breadsticks with 2 Kraft singles…sitting and watching my mom sew molas (the artesanía (quilting/traditional dress) of the Kuna)…journaling…playing with balloons/bubbles/play dough/paper with my siblings….playing Uno and Old Maid with Laura and her older siblings….eating a lunch of plaintain soup and boiled fresh fish…touring the island during the one moment when it stopped raining in the afternoon, playing with other Kuna children…dinner of rice and tuna or pasta or some strange mixture…going to a church service or the community congress…sitting under the one lamp with the family…bedtime around 9 pm. O to pass the time…the days seemed so long because we were stuck inside most of the time because of the rain. I felt trapped. I always felt relieved when I would see one of the other students on the island. It was encouraging to have a few people who could relate to challenge of adapting to a different culture.

By the end of the week, the tropical depression stayed strong. We actually did not know if we could leave on Saturday as scheduled! It was quite the anxiety for our leaders to figure out. The Panamanian government had closed the Panamerican highway…the only route back to Panama City out of the comarca of Kuna. The other option would be to take boats to another island that has a small airport in order to fly out. But that was doubtful as well because the waters were too dangerous to travel in the first place. So we did a lot of waiting in desperation because we did not want to stay any longer….because of God’s hand and also being privileged Americans with connections, we were able to get out of Kuna land safe and sound. We did travel by boat in the rain singing Christmas carols for an hour to the airport island. We did get on a 20 passenger Panama Air airplane, which we were unsure if it would be able to come or not….We are privileged….other people had been waiting in that airport more than a day to get out of the area because it was the only option.

It is not fair…yet at the same time we were so thankful to be out of there, to return to the hotel, shower, de-lice ourselves, and be clean! We like to think that all people are equal…but in that moment, why did we think that we deserved to leave that island when that is the reality the Kuna are living? I was uncomfortably stretched through immersion in a different culture during an oppressive situation….and for that I do not know what light I just painted of the experience…I do not know really how to say, but I did anyway. Let me share my stories when I come home!

My last moments in Costa Rica…

After my 3 week stay in kéköLdi with the bribri and a few days of reflection in San José, I spent the final weekend of Costa Rica in San Gerardo de Dota with two amigas McCall and Madison. They are students at Southern Nazarene University, which runs QERC – Quetzal Education Research Center – in the valley of Talamanca mountain range. San Gerardo is the sanctuary of quetzals, in the tropical cloud forest. The first trip to this beauty of nature, I was oblivious to that. But after watching birds for 3 weeks with my indigenous brothers in the Caribbean, I took advantage of the opportunity to go with Maddie and McCall to another distinct climate/diversity zone of the Talamanca mountain range…with hopes of relaxing, just being, and perhaps doing a bit of birdwatching!

The ‘paseo’ was a refreshing closure to my time in Costa Rica. I never imagined what range of biodiversity thrives in a country the size of West Virginia. It was like crisp fall weather…sunshine…no rain! Glorious. Maddie, McCall, the director of QERC, Michael, and I hiked the trail to the waterfall and another trail in the primary forest. We paid a bit of dinero to hike up the back of a man’s property to see some quetzals as well! They love to perch in aguacotillo trees. The resplendent quetzal is in the trogon family….and it is known for its brilliant green, blue, and red colors and flowing tail feathers. Of course the male is the favored one over the duller colored female…she’s still a beauty.  It was a blessing just to be and soak in God’s creation with a few wonderful women.

On Saturday afternoon, I spent my final moments back in Guadalupe/San José packing for Panamá and saying goodbyes at my favorite bakery, my neighbors, and my familia. It was a simple goodbye with my host family. We took some pics in front of the Christmas tree, and they gifted me with a Costa Rica “¡pura vida!” tshirt and a letter. I was not super close to my family, but I truly value the experience. They welcomed me in treating me like a daughter. I got to see how a single mother survives on a low income supporting her 3 children….the good and bad of the family…real. I appreciate all the “cafecitos” (coffee breaks) that I shared with Mami when she shared with me her life and perspective….all the games of Clue and Uno and Dutch Blitz that I played with my brothers…all the fútbol games of Alejandro on the weekends, the Disney movies with Sebastian, the rainy weekend trip to the beach. It was challenging to live in a house with different values of ‘cleanliness’ and nutrition. What I can now look back on and laugh about is the ridiculous fact that one of the mini poodles – Sakoomi – would sometimes poop and pee on my bedroom floor…guacala! (gross)…I never understood those 2 dogs that were not disciplined in the house…but I endured. Craziness. Like Mami told me, I had the opportunity to learn from a variety of familias…my tica familia, nica familia, Bribri familia, and Kuna familia. Indeed I did, and I learned to respect each one in a different way…there is no ‘perfect’ familia.

I am also glad that I made a few connections with other ticos while in San José. Although most ticos do not interact with their neighbors…they are super family-oriented…I met my family’s neighbors and would go over to cook with the señora here and there or have ‘cafecitos.’ I also hung out at the local Panadería (bakery) of Joaquín…who makes the best bread (and cinnamon rolls) in Costa Rica…and made connections with him and the other employees. I got to know a few other LASPer’s tica familias by going over to their houses and taking weekend trips with them.

Goodbyes were simple and sweet in San José. It was time for the challenge of Panamá and Kuna Yala…living on an indigenous island with the Kuna….

In harmony with nature while battling modernity...

Estar en harmonia con la naturaleza mientras combatir la modernidad...

Where to begin?! How do I explain to you my experience of living in the Caribbean in the mountains of Talamanca with the bribri – a pre-Columbian indigenous group struggling to maintain their culture, history, language, and history amidst a the modern world. The indigenous reserve of keköLdí (3500 hectares2), there are 250 bribri – 50 families. I lived with Gloria and Juanita and Duaro and Keswar. Gloria and Juanita are two single women in their 50s who never got married. Juanita takes care of her mother Catalina and aunt Eustasia. Gloria raised her niece Sobi and two nephews Duaro (18) and Keswar(16)…the case of alcoholism, abuse, infidelity is all too common among spouses.

21 years ago, 7 bribri families joined together to begin the Green Iguana Project with funds and resources from outside organizations in order to preserve the population of green iguana…in route to extinction. With slow progress at developing the iguana farm, some of the families gave up on hopes of gaining profit from the farm. The families of Gloria and Juanita have maintained the Iguana farm, and have released around 38,000 iguanas in Costa Rica, in reserves and mostly in the surrounding area, achieving the purpose of preserving the nearly extinct species iguana iguana. Tourists visit keköLdí to see the iguanas and receive tours or charlas about the iguanas, medicinal plants, bribri culture/history, birding, and more. And in this way, Gloria and Juanita tell their story and have enough to live day by day with their people.

A basic day for me with the bribri….
-Wake up around 6 AM and listen to the magnificent chorus of birds, dogs, chickens, etc.
-chat with Gloria in the kitchen while she prepared my breakfast
-eat breakfast-always a large spread of toast, cereal, fruit, and coffee
-feed the iguanas, scrub out the water containers, give them fresh water
-birdwatching
-chat with random tourists/foreigners who visit the iguanas
-help/watch Gloria and Juanita…with whatever they were doing
-lunch
-chat with Gloria and Juanita and learn about the bribri
-journal
-more birdwatching/exploring the mountain trails
-watch the news with Juanita
-supper
-hang out with Duaro and Keswar and learn about birds/revise my growing list of new bird species!
-read in the hammock

ALSO…
-tours in the morning/afternoon/night with my personal guide Keswar..birding in the forest/mountains/plantation/lookout
-making chocolate from cacao…the complete, natural process
-traveling in the mountains to other indigenous areas/towns with Gloria and Juanita
-taking in the sun on the beach (Manzanillo) with Gloria

My “job” was to feed and water the iguanas…my excuse to live with the people. And out of that reasoning, I had the incredible opportunity to live with the bribri through their daily lives and see the struggles and responsibilities they face as they are active participants in preserving the land, nature, language, culture, history, etc. I learned their stories, from their creation story to their traditions. I picked up a bit of the language, which was originally only spoken, not written. Nowadays, the language has been written and is still taught in some indigenous schools in the area. However, the children prefer to speak Spanish in the home, even the parents. So the children are losing the language and the significance. Honestly, sometimes I felt like I was at my Amish neighbor’s house, as the family conversed in their own tongue and would switch to Spanish here and there so I could understand. And the simplicity of daily life as well.

From my brothers, Duaro and Keswar, I observed the clash between living the indigenous life and fitting into the modern world of Puerto Viejo. The boys have iPods, a laptop, computer games, facebook…etc. Gloria and Juanita say that the boys understand the value of preserving the land in danger of deforestation and the animales/nature, but lack the complete picture of the value of the stories and language. Yes they know the stories and the language, but it is not their priority as they enjoy their youth.

What a privilege to live in keköLdí…I felt more at home in the mountains/forest with the bribri than in San Jose with a modern family! To live freely in communion with nature, what beauty that cannot be explained with words! To listen to the symphony of birds in my “backyard” and up into the mountains…toucans, hummingbirds, oropendulas, and so much more! To see wonders such as the mountains, tropical forest, ocean. To eat from the land…fruits and vegetables, to smell PURE air…and to simply BE amidst it all.

And who would have thought that Joanne would become a birder in Costa Rica…but I now have a respect for the avid birdwatchers that I know! Keswar especially took me under his wing  and was patient and willing to teach me and help me learn how to identify birds. In keköLdí, there are 325 species of birds; 240 are resident species. In Costa Rica, there are 893 species!! Of those, I managed to see 136.

This is a brief summary of my experience in keköLdí. Now I am back with my family in San José for the week to reflect with my peers on our individual experiences and to prepare for our journeys to either Cuba or Panama. On Sunday, I leave for Panama, to an indigenous island of “los Kuna” for one week of learning through being with the people yet again! I fly to Miami on December 14 for 2 days of group reflection. December 16 I face reverse culture (and climate) shock and get to see my beloved family, boyfriend, and friends and transition into life as you all know it. And while I am looking forward to seeing you all again, I have 16 days left to soak in…each day as it comes.

Blessings, Joanne

A recap from the past two weeks…and a peek into the next 3...

the past 2 weeks:

We divided into our concentration areas. I am in Advanced Language and Literature with 13 peers. We had charlas in the mornings with guest speakers that shared their lives with us…marginalization and homosexuality, violence and war, poetry, transcultural service, and Gestación (a recent and respected Costa Rican film that portrays teenage pregnancy and its consequences in an authentic light while criticizing the socio-economic gap between rich and the poor, religion, discrimination, the absence of a father figure in the home…and on!!)

I especially enjoyed Gestación because I was able to understand it from a Latin American perspective, and since it was filmed here in San José, I could identify with the places where the film took place!! The director presented the film to us at LASP because it is not out in stores (yet?) because once a film goes public in Latin America, you’ll be able to find it on the streets … pirated. I hope they do sell it publicly. I was impressed, and I rarely get excited about movies, if you know me!

Elmer Rodriguez, a Salvadorian, visited us yet again, this time to share his poetry and his inspiration for doing it. Elmer was one of our first speakers at the beginning of the semester and told us his life story of growing up with his family squatting land near the dump and scrounging for food each day to survive. He lived through the wretched civil war time in El Salvador also. He is an example of a person who keep hold of hope and has persevered to live a dignified life, although still lower class, with his 6 children. This man is a guard who works 24 hour shifts to support his family and still MAKES time to express himself through poetry and art. It is his way of rebellion, to have a VOICE where he otherwise would never be heard. He writes to feed his soul, to express the pain and despair that a privileged person like me cannot fathom. Since the first charla when Elmer shared his story, he has challenged me to think about how I can live in solidarity with the poor or oppressed instead of just knowing poverty or marginalization as a theme.

The lang and lit students also had language classes for 2 hours every afternoon with the best tica Spanish teacher Xinia. She was one of our profs at ICADS and came especially for these two weeks to push us along even further in our language acquisition! We trudged through the fearful subjunctive verb tense which doesn’t exist the same way in English. I feel like high school Spanish teachers make it out to be a big deal to reach the subjunctive verb tense and freak out their students! But this tica profs always tell us that it is not that glorious. Relieving to hear and know! In these Spanish classes, we dialogue about everyday stuff, but Xinia challenge us to talk about themes of life using newspaper articles…talking beyond ourselves and what we know to higher academic themes! We also learned typical latino sayings, false cognates, nominalization, other uses of common verbs, and more! So much to know and then to apply to daily speech! Wow. I have a ways to go! But Xinia was very encouraging and gave us useful advice to continue our second language learning. She pushed us by pointing out our mistakes and correcting us and reviewing them with us each day. This could seem intimidating and humiliating, but for us, it made us want to improve. I wish all the LASP students could have had more Spanish classes these 2 weeks. We were blessed.

the next three weeks:
Monday, November 8 through Tuesday, November 30, I will be living with Gloria y her two nephews who are 16 and 17. They are the main family who manages the Iguana Project. So I will be helping them with whatever dirty work that consists of…cleaning cages, change water dishes, feeding them, watching the iguanas lay eggs…who knows! In reality, this “concentration” is an excuse to live and relate to the people. It may mean that I really do not do anything at all, that I will feel useless, that I won’t accomplish anything, that I will sit in a hammock each day and relax. I have the opportunity to BE instead of to DO…to listen and observe and learn from this indigenous people group who is content with simplicity of life. Each LASP student has the opportunity to be and to participate in the latino culture in a different way outside of the americanized capital city for three weeks!

I am ready to face this challenge. And for me, I may even get to learn the Bribri tongue and their traditional stories and heritage….a different view of the world and God’s creation. I know that I have asked this before, but I have come to its value even more…to have an open heart and to be completely humbled in my thoughts, words, and actions. Pray for patience as I learn (continuously) to be present and not wish the time away. Today is what we have!

“El diálogo demanda amor, humildad, fe en los seres humanos, esperanza, confianza y un amor verdadero.” - Paulo Friere, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

May you dwell in the presence of God today, Joanne

Indigenous life...here I come!

“It may seem absurd to believe that a “primitive” culture in the Himalaya has anything to teach our industrialized society. But our search for a cure that works keeps spiraling back to an ancient connection between ourselves and the earth, and interconnectedness that ancient cultures have never abandoned.” – Helena Nonberg-Hodge

On November 7, I will be traveling to the mountains of Talamanca in the province of Limon to live with the indigenous people group the Bribri for three and a half weeks! They have a preservation project of protecting iguanas. I will live with a famila and do what they do. This "work" or iguana project is the excuse to live with the people.

This second half of the semester, LASP focuses on Faith and Praxis. We are being challenged to live out our faith and the knowledge that we have gained from the experiences from the first half of the semester. This is a life long process to discover how to practice faith in God! But I am looking forward to learning much wisdom from a "primitive" culture who sees and hears the Divine through creation and has a respect for nature and its preservation. The goal is to "be" with the people and relate to them...not to "DO" and "ACCOMPLISH" something grand!

I do not want to make great expectations for this concentration...good or bad! I just want to "be" in it! What comes, comes. What happens, happens! I strive to be PRESENT in the day; therefore, I will take advantage of the final week in San Jose before the next adventure!

How are you living out your faith today?

Three Cups of Tea

– Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

When the porcelain bowls of scalding butter tea steamed in their hands, Haji Ali spoke. “If you want to thrive in Baltistan, you must respect our ways, “ Haji Ali said, blowing on his bowl. “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die,” he said, laying his hand warmly on Mortenson’s own. “Doctor Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea. We may be uneducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived and survived here for a long time.”

“That day, Havi Ali taught me the most important lesson I’ve every learned in my life,” Mortenson says. “We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. We’re the coutry of thirt-minute power lunches and two-minute football drills. Our leaders through their ‘shock and awe’ campaign could end the war in Iraq before it even started. Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them.”


I have been enjoying a bit of leisure reading among my language and literature readings this week. The message of sharing tea with the people relates to sharing coffee with people in Latin America. I have been valuing the relationships that are built around the table, asking questions, listening, sharing stories, learning...God is present in this dialogue!

May you make time to share a cup of tea...or coffee...with someone soon! And then another cup...and a third!

Cultural perspectives….What is success? What is enough?

here is a little 'cuento' to ponder...Enjoy!

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long,” answered the Mexican.

“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs…I have a full life.”

The American interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start be fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and more to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?

“Afterwards? That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the American, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?”

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the cast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta, and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends!”

NICARAGUA…este es la vida…

Wow. What an experience!
-2 days travel by microbus (1 day there and 1 day back)
-We only spent 45 minutes going through customs at the border…a LASP record!

-2 days in the capital to learn Nicaraguan history through excursions and charlas
-I felt like the time spent in Managua prepared me for living among the Nicaraguans. I gained a greater perspective of the destructive history that Nicaragua has…starting with colonialization…up to the current corrupt political system and lack of development as a country. Inspired by the 1849 Gold Rush and the American declaration Manifest Destiny, William Walker came to Nicaragua with the purpose of enslaving the indigenous people to make slave states out of Latin America….native Augusto Cesar Sandino conquered the Marine occupation in the 20th century but was killed by Somoza, from whom sprouted a corrupt dynasty.

The 1972 earthquake destroyed Managua and surrounding areas. To this day, Managua has never re-developed because Somoza used international funds for his own riches instead of stabilizing his country and people. In the 1960s the world lit up with youth and student revolutions and movements including the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional in Nicaragua. However, in the 80s progress retreated again as Reagan denied importation of arms to Nicaragua in the Boland Act. Fearing any kind of socialism, the US intervened, getting rid of any suspicious person, ripping people out of homes and bombing innocent people. My host dad did not have to fight in the Contra-war but he did know the fear and devastation for his family and community.

Currently, the Sandanista Daniel Ortega is finishing his second 5-year term as President and also manipulating the constitution so he can run consecutively in the 2011 election. In the upcoming election Ortega and his Liberal opponent Aleman carry corrupt political records. Many Nicaraguans do not even consider going to the polls to face the electoral fraud that seems hopeless. The current presidency has its strengths and weaknesses. For example, Ortega is supporting the poor who suffered from recent flooding in Managua. He is making himself look good before re-elections by supporting the construction of block houses for the protestors of Nemagon. These are past banana workers who suffer from cancer and other internal effects because of Nemagon, a chemical banned in the US 20 years prior to its illegal use by North American companies (Dole, Del Monte, Shell, United Fruit, etc.) in Latin America. 500 people sacrificed their work and families to live in this shack community in front of government buildings to fight to have a voice and be recognized as human beings by their own leaders. So it may look good for Ortega to build them dignified houses with electricity and water source, but after 18 years of protest and no change, I am uncertain that this is what these people really need. What are Ortega’s motives?

Nicaragua has such potential to be beautiful and thriving economically. Unfortunately, corrupt government, the 72 earthquake, and the ContraWar pulled Nicaragua behind in development. It is the second poorest country in Latin American after Haiti, lacking in education, literacy, and job opportunities. Yet, I was enamored by the people who extended the table of hospitality and solidarity with me….when I lived with them for a week!

-5 days of home stays in rural/urban communities
LASP students broke into groups of 4 to live in various evangelical communities around Managua and Masaya. I lived with Pastor Eleodorio, wife Nachita, daughter Raquel, son-in-law Moisés, and baby grandson Hazael. What a blessing! Although sometimes our group felt like we were on a “mission trip,” we were privileged to fellowship with the people of our families and church community. This church has worked with a North American missionary and experienced North American youth groups; therefore, they held this positive perspective of the US…saying that Americans are very generous people with the resources and abilities they have. The PURPOSE of the home stay was: build relationships with the people. Gracias a Dios, I embraced every moment of life with my familia nica: packing our family and church community on the back of the pickup truck to go to the market, eating mountains of gallo pinto (rice and beans) while dialoguing with Raquel or Pastor, sitting and “being” on the front porch in a hand crafted rocking chair, playing with children, learning from their dedication to the church, learning from a 16 year old amiga Jessica, getting a pedicure from neighbor girl Wendy, clearing church property with machetes and shovels, learning how to hand wash my clothes, learning how to make typical deep fried food or sugary fresh fruit “refrescos”, receiving the blessing of being their guest. I was truly humbled and amazed at the value of my words that they would repeat to others and will hold on to. Parting with our familias was very emotional all around.

I had the opportunity to see a church serving the Lord not only within its “building” but OUTSIDE of the block walls. This church has always traveled to smaller communities to minister. Four churches have sprouted from their faithfulness of evangelizing. I am not necessarily gungho about their evangelizing methods, but they show me faithfulness to the world, the ones that need to be reached as their mission in the kingdom of God on earth. Granted the evangelical church struggles from authoritarian leadership thanks to the North American evangelical influence and the machismo culture. Also, Nicaraguans have always been the underdogs, so they lack confidence in their own potential…they openly hold their hands out in expectation of help instead of thinking for themselves. I do not have the correct response to these issues, but the answer is NOT charity simply giving them money or building a house or church for them…Charity attempts to justify the giver without forcing them to get their hands dirty or know the true reality of the poor. Our capitalistic system thrives off of the poor. We will never defeat poverty as long as there are riches. But we can seek opportunities to extend the table, live with them, hear their stories, and be a voice for them.

O so much more I could say!!

-2 days exploring the colorful colonial Granada and processing the home stays…
Finally, to conclude the Nicaraguan journey, we relaxed and transitioned from our impacting experiences together! Granada and León are the two most visited cities of Nicaragua. They have actually been developed to attract tourists. The most impactful experience for me was talking to the locals or the artisans on the street. I even got to help a 17 year old girl weave a row of a hammock in one of the stores. She works 8-6 Monday-Saturday and gets to go to school on Sundays. She earns $5 for each hammock she makes and can make 3 in a week ($15/week). I also learned from a Swiss supervisor that this is a social project that supports women and children, providing school materials, refuge from abuse, and opportunity to work and acquire a skill/trade that is useful. Such a beautiful thing to interact with the people!

Thanks for hearing my reflections.
En paz, Joanne

The glory of Fall Break!

Friday, October 22 - Monday, October 23 is LASP students' fall break...an interlude between our 2 week Nicaragua experience and 2 weeks of classes in our concentration areas. (I will post reflections on Nicaragua another day when I have access to Internet again). But a brief update on exploring Costa Rica for the weekend...

Friday, October 22:

Amigos Caleb, Kristen, and I took a bus from San Jose at 6:30 AM intending to go to "La Paz" which is a tourist attraction of trails leading to 5 waterfalls, a butterfly conservatory, hummingbird feeders, and more! However, we found out the bus did not pass directly by this park. Supposedly we could get off at a certain spot and walk 3 km. But we had miscommunication/lack of help to know when to get off. So we ended up basically stranded at the last bus stop on the route with 2 1/2 hours to spare until the bus departed for San Jose again!! Thankfully, this turned out better than paying for a lofty tourist attraction because we hiked the rocky road overlooking the mountain slope and explored a rushing river climbing amidst the rocks! It was glorious and peaceful and adventurous. And the scenery of the mountains and hillsides traveling through Costa Rica is also incredible!

Saturday, October 23:

I spent the night with my friend/peer Kristen and her tica (Costa Rican) family, I traveled to Jaco, a popular beach a 2 hour from San Jose. Kristen's family has connections to a condominium/cabina near the beach that we stayed in for the day. We swam in the pool and ended up relaxing until evening in the cabin because it was rainy rainy rainy...normal here! We took a stroll through Jaco's souvenir shops for the night, but it started pouring again. Better to just relax and be with the family. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to spend the weekend with Costa Ricans and Kristen - to be around Spanish speakers who are so welcoming and keep us immersed in the culture! This means the family is laid back and the plans keep changing and all you can do is be flexible and go along with it. Enjoy! Which I did and was amused. We also shared the expenses of gas and food which helps too!

Sunday, October 24:

We ate breakfast of gallo pinto (rice and beans) and juevos (eggs) and tortillas...then off to Manuel Antonio: a national park along the coast of the region Puntarenas and lots of tropical forest. I enjoyed the hour and a half drive along the coast with Kristen's sister Gloriana and her boyfriend Flaco. They taught us about the masses of palm trees that companies grow to extract coconut oil and about the rice fields/production also. It is actually cheaper to import rice to Costa Rica than to produce much locally.

At the national park, Kristen's sisters Gloriana and Gabriela, Flaco, Kristen, and I explored various hiking trails/paths through the forests/mountains while the parents guarded our possessions along the shore...seriously guarded everything from the monkeys and raccoons!! We saw many clever 'theives' taking tourists' belongings like food or shoes or sunglasses!! The trails were beautiful under the shade of the trees and vines. I saw spider monkeys, lizards, hermit crabs, raccoons and their cousins picoches, sloths, and many COLORFUL butterflies and birds! God's glory everywhere. I was a bit amused at tourists that visit from all over the world....accompanied by their paid tour guide. I felt quite secure being with natives who know the park and trails. Glori, Gabi, and Flaco led us to a waterfall where we immersed ourselves under the chilly, refreshing, pounding water. I enjoyed hiking the trails the best...a challenge with the slopes and mud and streams...while listening and watching nature.

We returned to the beach to Kristen's parents, but since it was a full moon and afternoon, the tide had risen so that we couldn't picnic on the beach inside the park. The waves came up so far that we almost lost a few belongings if each one of us wouldn't have guarded them in a rush. My water Camelback water bottle took a ride quite a ways into the ocean...fortunately the next wave pushed it back out! What an exhilarating end to Manuel Antonio! The water and the views of the ocean were striking with brilliant blues and waves crashing against the rocks. We picnicked on the public beach before traveling back to the cabin in Jaco to jump in the pool at dusk, clean the cabin, and travel home to San Jose.

Being with a well-off family for the weekend in "luxury" of vacation is an interesting transition after living in the 2nd poorest county in Latin America for 2 weeks. (Nicaragua). Costa Rica and Nicaragua certainly have their distinct differences. The Costa Ricans have stereotypes or prejudices of the Nicaraguan immigrants who do the low-paying jobs that ticos wouldn't do...similar to the United States' stereotypes or prejudices of "Mexicans" or Hispano immigrants who seek jobs in the U.S. Wait until I post my reflections of my Nicaraguan experience! It touched my heart greatly.

Monday, October 25:
Today I am going to hang out with a baker in his artesian bakery as an "apprentice." It is a bakery in San Jose famous for the cinnamon rolls. And I just want to learn what I can and take advantage of the time I have to be with ticos! Then I will write the reflection paper on Nicaragua that is due on Tuesday!

Con carino,
Joanne

It has been 3 weeks since communicating by Internet! I have 2 more weeks in San Jose taking Language and Literature classes at LASP. Then all the students separate to live in various parts of Costa Rica to complete their concentration/internship. I leave for the province of Limon to live with an indigenous group los Bribri for 3 1/2 weeks to work with them and live with another familia. The Bribri have a preservation project of iguanas...so I am going to learn all about iguanas and the indigenous lifestyle! Yet I am enjoying one day at a time!

Learning Cultural Differences first hand…

El aprendizaje de la cultura de primera mano…

A recap of the last weekend/week to refresh my memory!

Last weekend (Oct. 2-3):
I experienced my first family fiesta for my Abuelo’s cumpleaños (Grandpa’s birthday). ALL the family came over Saturday night to celebrate! We would have fellowshipped with food and the fútbol game except that it was delayed because of strong lighting and thunder. Instead the little chicos entertained us by dancing in the middle of the living room. They have no shame and loved the attention!

Cultural differences:
I learned that communication is INDIRECT firsthand by an error(s) that I made at the birthday party! Abuela (grandma) has issues with my eating habits that I was unaware of. I found out because she had enough of it when she saw me snitch a bit of frosting remaining in the cake pan after everyone had eaten cake. She did not appreciate this and thought it was very dirty. How did I find out?? WELL, since you never directly confront someone, she approached her host student Elizabeth and let everything out to her, and then to my Mom the next day. So I heard these issues through Elizabeth, a friend who could let me know in a nice way! Ha! Really the whole situation is comical and it is a personal issue of Abuela. Not just a cultural issue. Abuela is the queen of the kitchen; it is where she feels control.

Here I thought that I was blessed to have the opportunity to get to know my abuelo’s family beside my own host family because they live down the street. I visit Elizabeth in the evening sometimes and because they eat later than our family, I happen to be there around 9pm dinner time. They have invited me to eat with them sometimes. LASP tells us to eat what is offered to us, so I don’t question it but appreciate the TIME and the RELATTIONSHIPS that are formed around the table. I had no idea that Abuela thinks I eat a lot or too much, since yes, I do get enough food at my house, even though it is something lighter (or whiter like bread!) and earlier with Mami at cafecito. So yes, I know that I shouldn’t have snitched the leftover frosting from the cake pan, but I was unaware that I really should not be saying yes to the offer of food all the time. Abuela offers me food because that is polite or courteous, but in her heart, she doesn’t actually mean it. So I need to manipulate my response to the question to see if she really means it.

At Laura’s house, I am seeing what true hospitality is from another mother who is queen of the kitchen. But this situation made me question whether this Mom’s offer to have tea or coffee with them is genuine or not as well! Ah! Because here again, I feel privileged to get to relate to another family and learn around the table from them.

I did not approach Abuela about this, but talked to LASP staff and Mami. Mami (the daughter of Abuela) was understanding and carries a different perspective of the kitchen. She treats me equal to her children. If Sebas opens the fridge, JoJo can open the fridge. If Ale wants more bread, JoJo can have more bread. Whereas at Abuela’s we should always ask before taking or helping ourselves to more…or in my situation, not even ask! Every family is different! And I am grateful for this interesting indirect situation, that I could learn first hand!

On Sunday I spent the day with my friend Laura. We went to the church (a typical evangelical Latin American church) where her brother and his band were leading worship. I appreciated their worship more than the pastor’s strong and loud sermon about the Word that lacked depth of teaching from the Scripture. I wonder what the people actually take away from the sermon to live out each week. It can be all fiery and emotion in the moment…this applies to many churches, not just in Latin America. After church, this band took Laura, Laura, and I to eat Japanese food at their favorite restaurant. I took advantage of the opportunity to learn from them and practice español! So here I am in Costa Rica ordering Japanese food in español. Quite a mix of culture, eh! I tried sushi for the first time! It was good, but nothing extravagant to me! (And I avoided eating the rolls with raw seafood…but I did have caviar).

The week (Oct. 4-8):
This was the final week of our Core Seminar at LASP and Language classes at ICADS. So we were completing final projects like a 10 page research paper (mine on poverty, specifically the people who live in/from the dumps) and a 10 minute presentation in español (mine on the contamination in San José). It is amazing to look back on how much I have learned/experienced through the classroom, not to mention the trips and family living, in 5 weeks alone!

In LASP we had 2 charlas (lectures/speakers) this week. The first charla intended to prepare us for our 2 week journey in Nicaragua (Oct. 11-21). A Central American missionary John Stam shared his experiences in Nicaragua and an overview of Nicaraguan history. He challenged us to become more informed about the world through reading data/news. However the interpretation of data is integral because the media presents data in a manner that can manipulate the public! So he encouraged us to get accurate and adequate information, get in depth interpretation, and consider a responsible action.

“Countries are like people, they’re fascinating, fun, and when you get to know them, you can really learn a lot.” –John Stam

Stam has a curiosity for Nicaragua. Even though Nicaragua borders Costa Rica, they are 2 completely opposite countries, which relates to their development historically. The United States has destructive history in Nicaragua, driving the Somoza nationalistic government with their own political and economic interests in mind. Where front doors are closed in Costa Rica they are open wide in Nicaragua. Stam has myriad of connections in Latin America. He even was invited to meet with Fidel Castro with a group of evangelicals hosting a conference in Cuba. Castro was full of questions about the book of Revelation. Stam had the opportunity to use his knowledge to dialogue with Casto about faith. Stam could tell us stories for hours about ministry in Central America where he has been able to understand people by loving them first, not by being a “soul winner.”

Faith and Practice in Latinoamérica: guest speaker Melinda Bates, wrapped up our series of charlas at LASP by sharing her experience as a missionary and woman pastor in Costa Rica. Instead of presenting new/shocking information to us, she showed us a direct application of the things we have been learning through the example of her ministry. Her life is a ministry of listening: the ministry of CAFECITO! God’s presence is evident to her through conversations around the table with a cup of coffee. On the road to Emmaus, the two disciples recognized who Jesus was in communion, in hospitality. Thus, her life and mission is sharing stories. She has a voice in the community and in the States, she influences the mainstream by sharing the stories of the marginalized. She shared the story about a pueblito (small village) outside of Alejuela where God is at work and multiplying the fruit of a group of woman who came together to create a small preschool.

I appreciated Melinda’s perspective because it affirmed truths of what ‘mission’ is. Missionary often carries a negative connotation. Through my 5 weeks here I have been reconsidering what being a “missionary” truly means. Melinda can testify that it is “not about success, it’s about faithfulness” and it is “not about fixing things, it’s about learning.” Why do we think that we have the answers or can fix problems? Americans assume that they have a place at the table instead of coming in and listening to stories of marginalized. (I do not deny that North America is generous and innovative, but much of American history has been painful and hurtful to Latin America).

Change only happens when we listen to each other. When we are in the mainstream we don’t even think about it or worry about it. We are comfortable. We are privileged. I know that I have more responsibility because I have access to the mainstream and people will listen to me. I am learning to be curious! I have a responsibility to share the stories that I am gifted with in Latin America. BUT how do I share the “other” perspective to people who have not been there and have only the North American perspective?!

Thank you for listening. I appreciate responses too!

P.S. During my 2 weeks in Nicaragua, I will most likely not have access to Internet (that doesn’t mean you can’t email me!). We are spending a few days in the capital Managua in a student center learning from speakers and classes. We will be separated for 5 days to live with host families in neighboring villages learning through daily life and relationships. The final days will be spent together in Granada. Pray that my heart remains open to listening and learning through people!

The honeymoon is over….

La luna de miel ha desaparecido….

Ok so the reality of living in San Jose is trickling into my life!

I cringe at the contamination daily…
I will always be a country girl…not accustomed to city life in any form!...ay! the smog that I am breathing in from the traffic…I see the black stuff puffing out of the passing buses/vehicles and cringe as I have to breathe that in!  And the noise and the busy-ness and the men that call their cultural “piropos” to females in the street (whistle, call “macha/machita” (blonde), “rica” (hott), “gringa” (american gal) honk, just stare…and whatever else). I do not want to know what the water system is really like…all the water running by the roadside. The rivers are brown with mud runoff and who knows what else! “las aguas negras.” And the trash lies wherever it pleases!! Not all areas are dirty, and I overlook this….así es la vida…but by first impression you would think it is dirty!

And really, the thought of recycling or eating healthy doesn’t exist. This is not part of their education/knowledge. And there is not grand incentive for either! To eat healthy fruits and veggies (although it would seem simple living in a country of biodiversity) costs more that buying a loaf of white bread each day. And it takes more effort to recycle than to just discard it in the trash or on the street. This is an interesting concept because Costa Ricans value “appearance.” BUT it is appearance of themselves or their houses…not of the sidewalks per say. Interesting, eh?

So I confess that I miss my healthy, peaceful country lifestyle that I grew up in. Such a blessing! Thank you Dad and Mom! But every day I resolve to seek the beauty of the city of San Jose….which God has to show me. It could simply be another LASP student with whom I share a conversation during the walk from LASP to language classes. It could be the view of the mountains, which surround the valley of San Jose. Or it could be the little girl walking to school with her father in the morning.

(Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 25-26)
The beach is not like the pictures tell…
I went to the beach of Puntarenas with my family this weekend. Doesn’t that sound amazing?! Well, let me explain to you that it is “winter,” which is the rainy season, and there is a tropical storm passing through the coast. So the mini-get-away with the family consisted of a cozy cabin, swimming pools, and beach….all the while cloudy, drizzly, or rainy…(not to mention the glorious thunderstorm during the night!!). Yet, to my little brothers who had been set on this beach trip all week, what’s a little bit of rain or clouds?? NOTHING! They didn’t care that it wasn’t the ideal weekend for a trip to the beach.

I would say that it was worth it. I got to know a different province of Costa Rica, which became well known through the growth of tourism to its beaches. They pride themselves in their seafood and an ice cream combo called “Churchill.” Delicious food indeed! It was a relaxing weekend…refreshing to just walk on the shore and think and listen to the glory of God through the crashing waves. I even had the chance to RUN on the shore twice!! The first time I have “exercised” since I arrived. Also invigorating.

Monday, Sept. 27
Today LASP students visited the U.S. Embassy in San Jose. We listened to the perspectives of three female ambassadors. It was interesting to hear an American point of view after learning through the Latin American lens for a month in LASP classes/charlas!! And I was amused by one of the ambassadors. During Q & A … she asked us “And what is your final product after your time in Costa Rica?” She was clearly talking from her political/economical perspective…that there needs to be evidence/profit….Under my breath/to the people around me I replied: “Our lives!” Ultimately what matters from this experience for each participant is what he/she does with the knowledge and experienced gained through this intercultural dialogue, which is a daily process of soaking in the experience, reflecting upon it, and then living it out in a manner that glorifies God.

The past week, I have been meditating on the truth of Psalm 23….that the LORD is ENOUGH….
“El Señor es mi pastor, nada me falta…”
May you rest in the truth today that you lack NOTHING if you follow the good Shcpherd and put your trust the LORD!

Gloria a Dios,
Joanne

Sustainable Development – La agricultura orgánica

Wow what a field trip!! For the LASP charla on Thursday, we traveled 45 to Heredia, another province of Costa Rica, to learn about sustainable development first hand…out of the classroom…the best way to learn! We visited a ‘coffee’ plantation owned and operated by Roderick. He, his wife, Évila, and his two children live off of their own land. 75% of the food they eat comes from their own labor on the farm! Roderick took us up the steep terrain among the coffee plants to share with us about his farm….really his life…because everything he shared came from his holistic approach to life.

THE OPPOSITE: Mono-agriculture…
In order to be profitable in Costa Rica, the majority of plantations of the main products, such as coffee, pineapple, and bananas are cultivated as mono-agriculture. This makes for a large quantity of product to export, yet it is not the best way to manage the diversity of the land. Large agriculture corporations use chemicals to protect the plants from disease and insects, which then run off into rivers and water systems because the land lacks deep roots to maintain the water from the rains. The chemicals can affect the people through the runoff into water systems (like the indigenous Bribri tribe that we visited in Limón) AND the chemicals affect the people through the air….

FOR EXAMPLE:
Many banana plantations offer housing for the workers on their property. However, when the fields of banana plants are sprayed with chemicals from above in an airplane, the houses end up getting sprayed as well. Unfortunately, the chemicals fall on workers and their children in the plantation community as if they were banana plants. Consequently, they can extract sicknesses or even cancer from the chemicals…which are being used to maintain that “perfect” appearance of a long, fat, flawless yellow banana that is exported to us Americans!

CONTRAST to mono-agriculture, Roderick’s one-man farm showed us the difference in preserving the diversity of the land and developing fruits and vegetables organically. He is an example of acting against the consequences of consumerism NOW…not in the future when it is worse! He works to maintain equilibrium of the soil…the good microbes and the bad microbes in the top layer of soil (15cm deep), the roots of fruit trees stabilizing the soil among the coffee plants, the influence of the planets/moon with a biodynamic calendar….etc. He also grows a variety of vegetables and herbs in his greenhouse which he sells in the organic market each month. Instead of using the chemicals to grow the perfect plants….he uses his mind! Roderick also has a little project with sheep. The sheep eat the grass…but not the coffee plants; he uses the manure for fertilization; and he can sell the meat.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning from his holistic perspective of life! He is another example of living out what is “enough.” He doesn’t need to produce masses of coffee to survive…his perspective of “enough” is to be able to live off of the land and enjoy life with his wife and children. He has a dream to teach people about agriculture so they can continue his legacy and fight against the loss of diversity. His wife studied medicine and she would like to teach people about natural medicines and health…she called it “agro-salud” (agri-health). They work hard…this is the life of a farmer (any of you Beun’s would know!!) but have such a peaceful life filled with opportunities to reflect/meditate among God’s creation while working the land.

And after trekking through the field and greenhouse, Évila served us “cafecito,” which consisted of a spread of organic coffee, fresco (strawberry juice) papaya, jacótes, pineapple, and banana cake….all natural and fresh!!! I savored it all…it was cleansing to me because my mother does not buy fruit for our familia.  I always get excited when I have the opportunity to eat fruit…kind of ironic that I am in the land of pineapple and banana and don’t eat much of it, eh?  We have the coffee part down (coffee for breakfast and supper)…but I choose to be content; it makes me more appreciative of the few times when I do get fruit. I just have to buy fruit for myself/familia if I want it to be part of my diet! Typically, the people here do not think or KNOW about health and nutrition. And what is cheaper? White bread!

En paz, Joanne

El Paseo a Limón…

A weekend on the Caribbean Coast…

We traveled through the rainforest and the plains to arrive on the rich coast of Limón. Christopher Columbus beached on an nearby island where he viewed the indigenous people and what seemed to be gold….thus naming it the Rich Coast (Costa Rica). Limon is the poorest province of Costa Rica although 75% of commerce is imported/exported through the two main ports of Limón. Ironic that the wealth is clearly flowing through the province yet little of it is invested in the improvement of the local people. This has to do with capitalism and the private enterprises that seek to control trade. Talking to the people in San Jose, they will agree that Limón is poor and may say that the people do not work. Talking to the people on the streets in the city of Limón will say that they lack opportunity for work.

Part of the focus of this trip was to learn about poverty and how that relates to discrimination and racism. The majority of the people in Limón are Afro-Costa Ricans. But what is poverty really? Well, what lens are you looking through? A North American lens? A Christian lens? An indigenous lens? From the perspective of those who value relationships over material possessions, if one has family to support them, he/she wouldn’t consider him/herself to be poor. Or if you are a Bribri (an indigenous tribe), you would say that you are not poor as long as you have your land, your home, water, and the food that you raise/cultivate, and your people. Or is one simply classified as poor if he/she lacks God? And even if these indigenous people or Afro Costa Ricans do not consider themselves poor or discriminated against, they really are. If poverty is the lack of human rights, these people groups represent that in Limón. But then you could question what are human rights really…..if they include the right to work, shelter, water, food,….etc. these people are overlooked by the government. And World Bank loans that supposedly support development projects rarely take effect. Somehow the government uses the money for their own benefit and overlooks the poor.

Interesting stuff to ponder, eh? I am collecting my thoughts to write a paper over the weekend experiences. I also have a larger composition that will deal with poverty and lacking human dignity due at the beginning of October. I read Unica mirando al mar, a book about a community of people living in the San Jose dump and their journey through life. It is an authentic account of the life of a dump dweller. I am humbled by their attitude/perspective toward life. What we can learn from the lowly in spirit!

We visited an indigenous group – the Bribri – and learned about their daily struggle through the lens of Gloria, one of the indigenous women. They fight to protect their land, identity, and dignity. For 21 years, the Bribri have maintained an Iguana protection project to preserve the dying population of iguanas. It was amazing to hear Gloria’s story and her people’s struggle to maintain their land. Tree harvesters come to cut down rubber trees or cattle farmers let the runoff of their pesticides inundate the fresh water of the Bribri at the bottom of the mountain. The Bribri do artisan work as well to earn a little more. I was humbled to hear Gloria truly say that she is not poor, as long as they have their land (the forest where they communicate with God through the nature), home, water….that is sufficient. Gloria also told us their creation story, which was interesting with a few parallels to the creation story of the Bible.

Another through-provoking experience was the tour of the banana coorporation (Del Monte)…we watched the banana workers chop the bananas off the stalks, sort them according to size-preference of the country receiving them, cut them, spray them with a chemical that keeps them green longer, package them, load them…etc. We also entered a banana field where the process of growing begins. So many steps! Del Monte provides on-site housing, medical clinic, and schooling for children. The workers are paid per banana…a competitive work incentive. Unfortunately, because of the competition, if one loses his/her job, they cannot keep their house either, thus, having to uproot completely and search for another job creating instability for the children. I do not want to know how little the workers are paid. Yet bananas remain the most popular fruit in the U.S.

Cultural diversion….the trip was also relaxing and vacation-like…not all serious! We spent an afternoon on the beach (Cahuiti)…lovely and not scorching hot either. We dined Caribbean style: Rice and Beans….flavored with coconut….and chicken….delicious. One evening we danced to typical Caribbean music. It was a good bonding time for the group as well…with all the time spent together on the bus rides, in the hotel, the beach….It was frustrating to me sometimes because all the students convert to English when together. We I arrived home in San José, I felt like I stumbled over my words when I tried to talk to Mami!

And now it is back to the San José grind of classes, reading, writing papers, being with familia…”aprovechando”…making the most of each day!

May God give you peace today.
Joanne

Happy Independence Day!!

No classes today for LASP students….or any student of Costa Rica. We celebrated the independence of Costa Rica from Spain. Traditionally, the eve before, we went to the central park to listen to a band play patriotic songs and watch the children raise their “farroles” to light the way. (a farrol is a type of lantern….decorated like one of the national symbols. They also set off fireworks.
On Independence Day (Sept. 15) we watched the parade on the main street. All the area schools participated…the band and dancers represented their school. I liked the traditional dancers the best. The parade lasted 3 hours! Very hot for the children and youth who had to wear their school uniforms/costumes! I enjoyed the experience of another culture’s independence day….everyone unified in celebration. And we had prepared presentations about the national symbols for our Spanish classes at ICADS the previous day. This helped to have a backround/history about the objects/symbols we would see.

Please pray for me to take advantage of this grand opportunity to think in many different themes of life...and to process the teachings that I am learning in classes. There is much to process and understand about the world as a whole...and we focus specifically on the relationship between the US and Latin American...past, present, and future. Pray that I continue to seek my role in society as a Christian.

¡Mi primera vomita en Costa Rica….que RICA!

On Sunday, Sept. 12, I went with 14 other students to Cartago on a day trip. It was a lovely experience … until the end. But first the beauty of the experience:
8:30 AM: We took a bus from San Pedro to Cartago – about a 45 minute drive. Cartago was the ancient capital, the first settlement of Costa Rica. Therefore, we went to the ruins of two ancient buildings. We purchased meat, veggies, fruits, and snacks in the large market before taking another bus to another valley of Cartago. The countryside was fantastic – the mountains, greenery, flowers…I tried to soak it all in basking in the Son. I greatly appreciated the peace of the country, an escape from the noise of city life! We hung out at a recreational park. We swam in the swimming pool while Andrés and Caleb grilled our food. They prepared fajitas, which were delicious….however, I may have eaten too much, because after lunch (around 3 PM) I did not feel well. It was a very relaxing day.

Now the ugly part of the experience:

We waited one hour for a bus to return to Cartago…half of the time standing in the rain. And I began to feel nauseous. Finally, the bus arrived…already filled with people. Thankfully a lady made sure that all the gringos got on the bus together. We packed in like sardines…all standing in the aisle. An older lady saw that I did not feel well. She pulled a fruit (cas) out of her bag – a natural remedy for an upset stomach? – and gave it to me to eat. It was very citric/acidic. Walking through Cartago (in the rain), I just wanted to throw up, but couldn’t. The journey back to San José on the next bus ride seemed to be a duration! Thankfully I had Laura with me for the final bus ride! I still wanted to throw up…but couldn’t quite…not until after we got off the bus in Guadalupe. I threw up on the side of the street and already felt better! Laura accompanied me to the nearby supermarket to purchase Saltines and 7Up and then to my house.

8:30 PM: Home at last! I cleaned up and told Mami that I was sick. She made me Chamomile tea – their remedy. I tried to drink a bit, then fell asleep. Thankfully, I felt better in the morning! It all passed rapidly.

Even this tiny bout of sickness showed me the servant hearts of my LASP companions. All the chicas cared for me in one way or another! I am grateful for them! Gloria a Dios.

Mi familia: This week the fun with my little brothers included playing basketball in the living room. We used an inner tube (like you would us in the pool) for the basket, and we used a plastic ‘soccer’ ball for the basketball. One person would hold up the “basket” while standing on the coach while the two competitors would take turns shooting behind a line (the ‘foul’ line). The game was to score 20 points before the other…and you could earn different amount of points depending on the style of the shot! It was entertaining….(I think that Mami prefers that we play this in the garage because she told the boys the next day that they could play basketball in the living room).

Supper has diminished to be ‘cafecito.’ We eat something light or quick…usually bread….and drink coffee. My siblings drink Coke or juice. I enjoy ‘cafecito’ time because I usually get to converse with Mami and learning something of her experiences and wisdom after the boys leave the table. Tonight she shared about the healings she experienced with both of her boys when they were young. She also shared her perspective of the poverty in Costa Rica. I have to compose a paper about poverty according to the 6 interviews I must conduct with Costa Ricans and Afro-Costa Ricans. What a way to learn! By asking the people…I talked to a nun today and a black women in the Mall. Tonight I talked to Grandpa about poverty and the past/present/future circumstances of Costa Rica. We agreed that he will be the next president of Costa Rica with his ideas to fight against poverty. 

This project on poverty intends to prepare us for our journey to the province of Limón this weekend. It is the poorest province, yet 80% of the country’s importation/exportation enters and leaves through this port. We will visit 3 industries: pineapple, banana, and coffee. And of course we will enjoy the beach a bit! I am excited to learn and experience Limón.

“uno se acomoda al ritmo o al baile que le toquen”

"One determines the steps of the dance based on the rhythm of the song"

Week #2…The first full week of classes at LASP and at ICADS.

At the LASP Institute, we have classes in the morning from 8 AM to 11:30/12. Our mothers pack us lunches, which we eat there before heading to ICADS for language classes. At the ICADS Institute, we have classes from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM in groups of 3-6 people with a native speaker/professor according to our level/aptitude of Spanish. I walk with a few other students to both LASP and ICADS. We take the bus back home because it gets dark early (6 PM).

One of the themes of LASP is “aprendemos haciendo” (we learn by doing). What a blessing it has been to be immersed in a culture to learn and raise our awareness, especially as North Americans, middle class, private Christian university students!

In LASP this week, we established the foundation of our exploration through themes relating to Latinoamérica. Through readings and discussion, we recounted the history of Christopher Columbus through a lens different than the romantic story of colonization that has been instilled in my mind since elementary school. We learned about colonization from a Latin American perspective followed by Neocolonialism which came later. Aside from the readings with do, we have “charlas” where guest speakers share with us over various topics. This week Javier (a LASP professor and “tico” - Costa Rican) spoke to us about Costa Rica’s history up to the present day of Neoliberalism (different than that of the U.S.). Another day, Elmer (a Salvadoran) shared his story with us relating to the theme of poverty. Elmer grew up near a landfill/dump scavenging for food to survive day to day with his family. Hunger and poverty were his LIFE. (For us it is only a THEME). He was a teenager during the 12 year civil war of El Salvador. Through his life, Elmer’s refuge has been his imagination – his creativity. He is an artist –painter, and a writer. He did not share his story to gain pity or compassion on him or others like him, but was thankful for the opportunity to be heard…to have a voice. Consequently, he raised our awareness and encouraged us to care through relationships around us…serving with the gifts that God has given us…no necessarily through some religious or political organization, but through our own “temple” …because each of us is a temple of God. We have the choice to honor God with our temple…our life…to embrace our circumstances and press on, acting in faith.

In ICADS…we reviewed basic grammar concepts that are fundamental to gaining more knowledge and experience speaking Spanish. I enjoy these classes because there are only 4 students in my group. We have the opportunity to experience a different tico/tica professor (authentic language and context) each week. I am learning more to speak up and not care about making mistakes!

La cultura.…this week….
-I experienced the love of fútbol…which begins in the league of kids like my little brother and strong support from parents
-I killed my first cockroach in my room (Mami heard me from her room and chuckled to herself, “Bienvenida a Costa Rica JoJo!” (Welcome to Costa Rica Joanne).
-I ate a “cajita feliz” (happy meal) from McDonalds with my familia. I have not eaten those since who knows when…healthy me!
-Thursday I celebrated “Día del Niño” with my familia. A day to honor children! Que bien! The children celebrate in the school with candy and traditional dances. Grandma made a cake; we ate ice cream (my favorite!); my siblings and I received chocolates.
-I take a shower every morning. Costa Ricans value cleanliness.
-I watched a pirated movie with my familia with terrible Spanish subtitles!
-I enjoyed “cafecito” with Mami and passed hours after dinner learning from her life and perspective….

Que Dios le acompañe. (May God go with you). (A typical saying of a loving, caring mother...when I leave the house).

¡Pura Vida!

Alaba al SEÑOR, nuestro Dios y Salvador que día tras día sobrelleva nuestras cargas. Salmo 68:19
(Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. –Psalm 68:19)

I have only spent 4 days in Costa Rica, but I have learned muchísimo thus far. This first week of LASP is Orientation. We (somos 34 estudiantes en total) spent the first full day (Wednesday) in a retreat center in Coronado. Our host families came to the retreat center to take us home in the afternoon. What an emotional and nerve racking time for many of the students. It was also exciting to hear the parents’ excitement for us and watch the greetings (a hug and a ‘kiss’ on the cheek). We drew our families out of a hat. All are Christian families that are carefully and mindfully selected by the LASP staff. I shall share about my familia later…

The second day of Orientation (Thursday) we met in the center of San Jose for a scavenger hunt in groups of 3-4 students. A major theme of LASP is “learning by doing” (aprender haciendo). This is exactly what we did to orient ourselves to the city. Learning….the main calles and avenidas, money exchange, post office, pharmacy, public phone booth, POPS (popular ice cream shop), market, Mall San Pedro, bus system, taxi, etc. We also learned our way to ICADS in Curridabat where we will go in the afternoons for conversational Spanish classes during the next 5 weeks. A professor of this school interviewed us individually to evaluate our current level of conversational Spanish. Finally, to bring closure to the experience, our smaller groups merged with 2 other groups to have coffee in a Café with one of the LASP professors.

-My new favorite Spanish word is “cafeteando”….which means to have coffee, which implies the value of relationships over time in Latin American culture – to make time to spend “cafeteando” with friends at a Café or in the house with family o neighbors. This concept I greatly appreciate about Latin Americans.-

The third day of Orientation (Friday), the LASP students met at the institute of LASP in Carmen where we will meet for Basic Seminar each morning for the next 5 weeks. The staff challenged us through a cultural exchange activity, which demonstrated how quick we are to stereotype a culture not our own or to easily discern the negative things about another culture before understanding its perspective. A director of the preventative police force spoke to us about security. The LASP staff and our host families also stress the importance of safety.

I also learned more about the Concentration of Advanced Language and Literature (ALL) that I will participate in with 11 other students halfway through the semester. We will spend the first 2 weeks of this concentration having class together at LASP with Profe Laura. We will read pieces of literature that represent prominent themes of Latin America. The following 3 ½ weeks will be a placement in the countryside working among the people in a school or a farm or other area of work. Spanish will be the tool for learning….because we value Spanish, we care about the people who represent this identity and will learn through interacting with the locals and our families. The final week of the semester, the ALL students will spend a week on an indigenous island with the Kunas learning how to communicate in our second language with people who share that commonality. I look forward to these experiences, but will enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Día por día.

Lastly, mi familia!!! I am blessed to have the opportunity to live in the center of bustling Guadalupe (a neighborhood of San Jose) in a simple house with Mamá Carmen, sister Giovanni, brothers Alejandro and Sebastian, and mini toy poodles Cookie and Sakumi. Everyone has a nickname, and I was welcomed into the family this way on the first evening together. I am now “Jo” or “JoJo.” A mi no me importa.
Giovi is 15. Ale is 11, and Sebas is 8. I am enthralled with having 2 little brothers because I only have younger sisters at home in Ohio. I have never had this experience! Ale plays fútbol (soccer) and Sebas loves videojuegos (videogames). In the evenings so far, we have played multiple games of Clue and Uno (in Spanish). Very fun! They also enjoy telenovelas and fútbol on TV. Giovi is a teen who hangs out in her own room watching TV in the evening or spends time with friends or her boyfriend. But the curfew is ALWAYS 9 PM, which is sufficient.

My mom is a single mother who works full time in school administration and manages the house as well. She is a great example of a Christian mother as I have observed thus far. She explains everything to me and is very patient. She is not the stereotypical Mamá that expects me to eat plate after plate of rice and beans. She would rather know what I do like and do not like of the meals that she fixes. So far we have had pasta with chicken, and soup of pasta, plátanos, and hardboiled egg. We eat white toast and drink coffee for breakfast. My lunch consists of a ham sandwich and a jam and butter sandwich on white bread. This is common. I will eat what she provides for me! I am grateful for a loving and welcoming family whom I get to be a part of (do what they do) for 5 straight weeks.

Gracias a Dios.

Wisdom for the journey: Be flexible; Be slow to judge; Listen first; Do not complain, Be grateful.
*pray that I can continue to be open minded and living out this wisdom!

En paz, Joanne

aqui estoy...

el primer dia:
The day began at 4:30 AM to wake up, get ready, and travel to Akron/Canton airport for my flight departure at 7:00 AM. It was delayed 30 minutes, however, that was the only glitch in the flight connections to Charlotte, Miami, and San Jose, Costa Rica. I enjoy flying...having time to read and journal, meeting two ladies from Colombia,stretching my legs in the terminal to make it to the next gate, seeing God's glory from the sky in the clouds, the mountains, and the crystal ocean...what a blessed first day!

I arrived in the rain...it is 'el invierno' here...that is the rainy season. It rains most every day in the afternoon. We are also 2 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Going through customs in San Jose was simple. No questions asked. Javier and Annie (LASP prof and intern) welcomed me after I claimed my luggage. The rest of the group met up in Miami to travel together later this evening. So I was privileged to travel to the LASP (Latin American Studies Program) facilities during rush hour with them and get to know them and them to know me (en espanol). Annie and I spent time with Laura, another professor of LASP, in her office. We just had pizza together and will travel back to the airport to greet the other LASPers later this evening. I am excited to meet them and begin this journey together! We will spend the night together and be paired with our host familias tomorrow.

Gloria a Dios, Joanne
(Glory to God).

Less than 24 hours until I will be in Costa Rica!

Bienvenidos amigos.

Today, I am finishing up the final packing details and enjoying time in the country, picking raspberries with John, making Spinach Souffle for Mom and I, cafecito with Mom at Java Jo's, birthday dinner for Joyce (the big 18!!) and final moments with my familia at home. I feel ready, as much as I can be. I am excited and anticipating great things. I am going into this experience studying abroad with an open perspective. I want to learn from the people, their culture and traditions and history...

Latin American Studies Program is part of the CCCU (Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities). There are approximately 40 students from the US and Canada that will participate in the Fall Semester. We begin our journey together in San Jose, Costa Rica. And I shall relate my experiences week by week, as time and resources permit. I'd love to hear from you and I would appreciate your prayers throughout the next 3 and 1/2 months. Pray that the Lord would open my eyes, my perspective to learn and to discern how God is leading my with the passion I have for Spanish, the people, the language, the culture! Muchas gracias! Que Dios les bendiga. (May God bless you!)

Con paz, Joanne