A lot has been said about the company you keep. If any of it is true, I'm in really, really good shape. During my first four and a half months in-site, I've spent some deep, quality time with some of the people - la gente - in my community. I wanted to jot down some thoughts as a way of remembering them, but I'd also like to share with you all a glimpse of the amazing folks I'm surrounded by here in San Isidro de Aguas Claras. So, let's chat about a few of 'em.
Mainor - Mainor is the English teacher at the local escuela (elementary school) here in SIAC. He's easily the most talented non-Gringo English speaker in this entire area (or at least among the folks I've met in my time here), and that's what makes him so special. See, despite being head and shoulders above the rest of the students in my intermediate class (he'd be in an advanced class if I taught one), he still comes. For comparison's sake, I have a handful of students who are a bit more advanced than others, and they'll often blurt out answers or take it upon themselves to correct other students before I've had a chance to open my mouth. Mainor is not one of those students. He sits quietly in his seat, takes notes on the things that interest him, and raises his hand to ask questions about pronunciation, different forms of conjugation, and other more advanced topics. I respect that fact that he could probably be teaching the class, and yet he chooses to attend, all the while respecting his fellow students.
Luis - Luis is one of the two guards at the local escuela in my community. They're actually both named Luis, but I'm talking about the younger one who works during the daytime. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I see Luis at the entrance of the school, and he's always very warm and welcoming as he swings open the squeaky gate. Luis is currently taking courses at a university in Liberia, the next big town over. Along with his other coursework, he recently began taking English classes and usually has a big smile on his face when I show up, eager to practice whatever new vocabulary and phrases he learned the week before. Seeing Luis is always a joy.
Willian & Marcia - Talk about a surprise from left field. These two are a young couple who have just moved to the area with their three kids (two of whom are the most adorable twin baby girls you'll ever see) from Brazil to open up a camp in the next community over. Someone in SIAC passed my number along to Willian, and he promptly asked if he and his wife could be added to the English classes I'm already teaching. When I explained to him that wouldn't be possible, I mentioned he and his wife can be placed on the waiting list for the next turn or we could possibly arrange weekly private lessons. Sure enough, Willian and Marcia were ready to start immediately, so we've been meeting on Wednesday mornings for an hour or so each week. They are wonderful students, having soaked up a TON of info from the beginner classes in a very short amount of time. It's an added bonus that I'm able to interrupt the lessons and ask questions about Portuguese and how it relates to both Spanish and English. I'm very humbled by these two, because I realize that I - a speaker of 1.75 languages - have been given the opportunity to teach my language to a pair of already-bilingual people.
Oscar - If you've kept up with any of my life here in Costa Rica, you've undoubtedly seen me talking about my host dad, Oscar. I really don't even know where to start with this guy. He and I have had this interesting connection since my site visit (four-day visit to site toward the end of training) back in early May. Some of my favorite moments in my service have been sitting with him on the long, sturdy bench that spans our front porch during the daily afternoon rainstorms. We can sit there for a half hour, staring out into the downpour and lush, green landscape without saying a word. If, however, one of us does utter a grunt or a sigh, the other typically responds by saying, "Sí, tiene razon," which basically translates to Yeah, you're right. More recently, Oscar and I have begun to work on a new woodworking business he's been wanting to start, and it's been a huge pleasure to see the excitement in his eyes when we complete a task. Whether it's designing his first set of business cards, scrolling through the people who've liked his newly-launched Facebook page, or just figuring out how to access his new Gmail account from his smartphone, the way he reacts with hope and joy makes me want to see him succeed in everything he does.
Jeffrey - I live about 50 yards east of Puente Huacas ("Huacas Bridge" - Huacas means local artifacts), which separates San Isidro from Aguas Claras. It's fascinating - there's a real difference between the people who officially live in San Isidro and those who live 'on the other side of the bridge.' Jeffrey is one of those individuals who lives in Aguas Claras, but it doesn't keep him from having healthy, productive friendships and connections in San Isidro. In fact, Jeffrey was one of the first people who volunteered to sit on the new recycling committee we've formed here in SIAC. Each meeting we have, Jeffrey comes with his iPad, ready to get stuff done. He's very focused, he engages in conversation very well, helps to guide discussions, and it's obvious he's passionate about the entire community - no matter what side of the bridge you're from.
Jimena - My project partner, Jóse Perez, told me during my first weekend in-site back in May that his oldest daughter was in dire need of some practice for her upcoming English spelling bee. I agreed to come to their house for a few hours that Sunday afternoon to help her prepare. I was blown away by her ability to spell, pronounce, and even just know all the English vocabulary that she does. She's all of 12 years old, but I can tell that she has an incredibly bright future ahead of her. As such, Jimena was placed in my intermediate English class, and she more than holds her own among the other talented English speakers in the community. To top it all off, she's one of seven applicants from the escuela who are seeking to attend a district-wide English camp called JumpStart that I and three other local volunteers are organizing for January. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she one day becomes the President of Costa Rica.
Carlos Julio - My man. Carlos Julio is a do-it-all at the local Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería office (National Agriculture Ministry), which shares the same office building as the ASADA (Community Water Company) in which my host sister Zaylin works. Any time I stroll over to see Zaylin, Carlos Julio is almost guaranteed to be at his computer typing away - or reading an article on US politics. He's a cool dude, and I always enjoy shooting the breeze with him, even though it's almost always just chit-chat about how hot/rainy it is that day. What I really admire about good ol' CJ is that I notice how he interacts with people. I'd be naive to think that kind demeanor with which he greets me was only reserved for the town Gringo; no, he's genuinely nice with every single person with whom he comes in contact. Carlos Julio is another example of what makes Ticos some of the greatest people on the face of the Earth.
Don Raul - Speaking of great people, I'd be completely remiss if I didn't mention don Raul. He and his family were some of the first folks I started working with in the community. Don Raul and his wife operate Soda Las Brisas (The Breezes Soda), which is super conveniently located at the bus stop in SIAC. When we first sat down to talk about their business, don Raul mentioned that he and his wife had a dream of finding their own space to start a bakery. A little shocked at how he'd want to give up on such a prime location, his answer was even more appalling. The best way to translate it is to say, "We don't want someone else's dreams. We want to make our own path, and that starts with our own bakery." He said it with such passion and fervor, I was immediately convinced that he was all in on this. We worked together to apply for some government funding, but, unfortunately, we were unable to submit all the paperwork before the deadline. Nevertheless, he and I are in constant contact, and I know we've not seen the last of his and his family's efforts to make their dream become a reality.
Hopefully you're able to see the caliber of people that live in and around my community. I count myself super fortunate to have been assigned to San Isidro de Aguas Claras, and it's been a unique pleasure to get to know these fine folks over the course of my first five months. It's wild to think we've developed such close bonds in such a short amount of time, but I know those bonds will only strengthen over the rest of my service as we continue to work together toward their various goals and dreams.
Here's to good people. Here's to community. Here's to La Gente!
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