¡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.