Hombros

Tico 31 CED PCTs at the end of Orientation in Cartago

Just wanted to give you all a quick update. 

There’s so much to share, but I’m short on time (would you believe I have homework?) so I’m going to do my best to squeeze the best I can out of my five days in-country. Also I'm not really sure why the format is so quirky. Let's just deal with it together, eh?

First of all, it’s astounding to see the diversity represented here. They say that everyone in CR these days has the blood of the indigenous people, Spanish ancestors, AND Afro-Caribbean ancestors flowing through their veins. The conversations I’ve had with various people in the surrounding communities have only deepened my admiration for this place. Even the language itself seems to have a bit of fluidity, depending on where you are and with whom you’re talking. 

Tobias, our vigilant guard dog

- Second, this place is gorgeous. Granted, I’ve only seen the city of San Jose and small portions of Cartago and Heredia, but it is FREAKING BEAUTIFUL. Everything is green and luscious and full of life. The air is magnificently clean and pure, and the people are - for the most part - incredibly nice.

Woke up to this little gem on the first morning in my training community

Staging (in Houston) and Orientation (in Cartago, Costa Rica) went well. It was a joy to meet all these other people who have similar passions and drives to help a foreign people group in such a huge way. We, like Costa Rica, are a diverse bunch of people, and I love it. Some are louder and more outspoken, some are quieter and more reserved (I’ll let you guess in which group I fall), but there’s a great mix among us all, to be sure.

View from Juan XXIII, our Orientation site

My training host family is amazing. I am the 8th volunteer to come through this household for homestay during Peace Corps training. I’ve been here for about two days now, and I’ve already eaten arroz con pollo, sopa de carne, ensalada (with some crazy tasty sauce/dressing), huevos fritos, gallo pinto (local staple of rice and beans with herbs), pescado frito, hamburguesa frita, muchas tipas de fruta, and empanadores. You should look all those up and figure out how to make then on your own because they’re amazing. I’ve also received two separate invitations to play on soccer teams, an invitation to jam on a guitar, and just last night, I was told that I might be heading to a professional game between Heredia and Saprissa (the big team in CR)! What an awesome family, for sure. More to come later about them.

My host mother, Elsa (left), and her second cousin, Raquel (right) in the kitchen

Training has been strenuous but so, so good. There’s a plethora of information to soak up in the next 12 weeks or so, but I can see how it’s broken up into intelligently planned sessions; I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what the CED sector is truly all about in Costa Rica. Don Luis, our CED Program Director is energetic and full of life, and he will surely make for a wonderful teacher during my time here in Costa Rica with Peace Corps. One thing I instantly liked about Don Luis was when he mentioned that he enjoys somewhere around 10 cups of coffee a day. A man after my own heart, to be sure. The rest of the staff have been so accommodating to our various situations, and I can tell that each of them has a passion for this country and Peace Corps’ work here. It’s a beautiful thing.

When I say there are dogs everywhere, it's not a joke

Monday starts our Spanish training, and I’m excited to jump in and deepen my understanding of the language. Wednesday sees our group heading into the heart of the capital of San Jose to learn more about the local area, landmarks, etc. I’m especially excited because I GET TO USE A MAP! It should be a great time. 

Mi cama!

Another view of my bedroom

You may or may not be wondering why on earth I chose to title this particular post "hombros." If you know a little Espanol, then you know hombros means shoulders. So, there's a bit of a joke among some friends of mine about shoulders: When you want to share in the emotion of the moment but not give away your man card too soon, you simply grab the other guy's shoulder. Twice this week during Orientation and the first bit of our Training, I've heard some Peace Corps staff members use the shoulder as an analogy. First of all, we heard about how, as PC Volunteers, we are not going into the communities to be the fixers; rather, we're going to integrate into those communities, establish relationships, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the locals and figure out innovative ways to improve the overall quality of life in ways that are sustainable and manageable for them long after we're gone. Speaking of long after we're gone, another PC staff member spoke briefly about coming into a community as a new PC Volunteer and remembering that we are simply continuing the good work that has been put forth by so many others. In a sense, we will be standing on their shoulders. So yeah, hombros. Gotta love it.

Yep. No caption needed

Thanks so much for all your support. It’s one hell of a ride, and it’s only going to get better. 

Love y’all.