PCV visit, Site Assignment, Chillin in Costa Rica

The last time I put up a blog I was beginning my PCV site visit near Canas. I ended up having an amazing time visiting Ben. I met up with Ben in Canas and we ended up having a great dinner of burritos, hamburgers, and Imperials at a local restaurant. After dinner we partied it up a little bit in Canas at this second story bar with a projector playing non stop 80’s,90’s, and every other music video Eminem has ever made. Later that night we headed to his site to get some much needed rest after all my travels and our partying. The next morning we went to his Development Association meeting, and later that afternoon I went around with him to various different kids houses where he was helping them all learn how to read. The kids had various levels of reading abilities but clearly they were benefiting greatly from the half hour sessions he was giving them. One student was on the verge of failing first grade and through his help, the student made it into second grade. The next morning we went into the local cities municipality building to fill out forms with the president of the development association, in order to assist them to receive funds for a new aqueduct project for the town. That afternoon we met up with his counterpart in DINEDECO, the development committee for all of Costa Rica. Later that evening we headed to the River near his site and jumped off of 30 foot cliffs into the water and swam down some rapids. It was really fun and really relaxing, considering it was over 95 degrees Fahrenheit almost the whole time while I was there. Overall the PCV visit was really eye opening, and I had the opportunity to ask many different questions to someone who has gone through all of this already.

Last Friday was Site Assignment day. That day we headed to this country club type place with pools, hot tubs, saunas, basketball courts, soccer fields, and pool tables. It was a pretty cool place, but most off us spent time in the pools and hot tub. That morning the Director of our program, Rural Community Development, present us with the sites where we will be working in for the next two years. The site where I will be working in is located in the southern part of Costa Rica. For safety reasons, and as per peace corps regulations, I cannot give my exact sit e location, but I am very excited about my placement. My location is considered to be very Rural and surrounded by pineapple fields. There are approximately 200 people in my site and it is located approximately 4 km away from the inter American highway running through costa rica. There is no public phone and my town just recently received electricity in September 2006. There is a school with one classroom to 42 students. Most student do not go to high school due to the fact that it is so far away from the town, it is very difficult and expensive to get to. There are many different project opportunities in the town and I am very excited to get started with my work. The house which I will probably be living in has 10 other people, and outdoor latrine (no indoor bathroom), 3 dogs, chickens, cows, and pigs. All of this information which I am reporting was given to me in my site assignment packet and could very well have changed once I get to my site or I may not end up living with this particular family. Also I will be able to give more details once I actually visit the site this weekend.

Socially the past two nights in my training community house have been really fun. Two nights ago I held a Scrabble/Margarita/Macaroni and Cheese night at my house. We partied pretty hard and managed to finish a large bottle of tequila and 2 bottles of margarita mix. And then yesterday we ate pesto pasta, strawberry milkshakes, and brownies. Pretty crazy combo, I definitely wont be eating any of this once I get to my site, so I might as well indulge now with my friends.

Also the last out of site night we had, all 16 of us rented a sick house on this private beach near the city of Jaco. It had 5 bedrooms, a deck overlooking the ocean, and a cool pool right on the beach. We partied really hard and had an amazing and relaxing time. Only in Peace Corps Costa Rica can you rent a house by the beach and party with 16 of your friends on a regular weekend night. We definately live the motto, work hard play hard.

Tomorrow I am going to be meeting my counterpart, person who I will work with closely in my future community, for the first time at this mountain top retreat place where we first stayed when we arrived in Costa Rica. Then on Friday I will leave with my counterpart to visit my future site where I will be working for the next 2 years. I will stay there for 5 days and then return back next Thursday for more training activities.

I am really excited to have finally found out the site where I will be working in. It has been a long time coming considering I started the whole application process in December 2005 and now finally in May 2007 I know where I will be working and what my peace corps experience will be all about. I am happy to get this all started but after having become such good friends with everyone in my Tico 16 group for the past 3 months it is definitely going to be difficult leaving them and going out and doing everything in my community alone. But this is what I came here to do, and once I become comfortable in my community I definitely won’t be feeling as lonely. I am very grateful for the opportunity to come here to Costa Rica and work with the people of the country. I have had such an amazing experience so far and I have met so many cool people, other volunteers and ticos. I am having a ridiculous time here, as I have said before, every day is different and everyday is a new adventure. I look forward to the future and the crazy things it will bring.

Thank you all for you emails and messages. I miss you all and whenever anyone wants to come visit give me a holla. I gotta run.

Respect.