Chapter 1: relationships matter most
In reflection of our time in Costa Rica, the thing that stands out the most to me is the relationships - those that were gained, and others that were strengthened. I am pleased to have observed so many smiles, kind words, and loving embraces. It is evident through the many pictures that this team was respectful and caring of one another while grateful of our gracious hosts.
I suppose the relationships we gain throughout or lives are the greatest gifts we may receive. Never mind wealth, possessions, and fame. True enjoyment comes from deep understanding and appreciation of one another as well as the special places, landscapes, and animals we encounter along our journey. I gained many new friendships on our trip, and have a more intimate relationship with the earth. I shared genuine laughter and smiles, as well as thoughtful moments of understanding, hard work, and intense competition, which all lithified the connection I felt with Providencia. I will miss my friends and this special place. Hasta la próxima, Providencia.
Chapter 2: the gringo
gringo [ gring - goh ]
noun, plural grin•gos. Slang: Sometimes disparaging or offensive.
a term used in Latin America or Spain to refer to a foreigner, especially one of U.S. or British descent (often used facetiously). www.dictionary.com
the invasive mucho gringo:
This gringo lacks self awareness, and has minimal knowledge of the language or customs of the host country. They enjoy donning their home flag on their swim shorts and their favorite beer brand on their tank top. Mucho gringo photobombs, steps into traffic for the perfect shot, and gets too close to wild animals. In other words, mucho gringo feeds the monkeys. Mucho gringo drinks lots of bad coffee and eats meat with every meal. They love to consume and leave many reminders of their presence. It is not uncommon to find forbidden treasures taken from the host country in their luggage.
the elusive doctor gringo [PhD]:
This rare gringo blends into the background and may be hard to spot. They are well dressed but minimalists, leaving flare at home. Doctor gringo is well prepared yet packs light. They observe leave no trace principles and only drop unique gifts in the hands of their hosts. Doctor gringo is a learned person, aware of cultural norms and with some understanding of the local language. Conservatively offering their broken spanglish, they prefer to use facial expressions and body language to communicate, smiling and laughing often. Doctor gringo takes timely photographs, often omitting themself; they protect private and historical sites, helping them remain private by limiting their exposure online. Doctor gringo doesn’t always drink coffee, but when they do, they prefer the “world’s best” organic Green Communities coffee. Mantengan la clase, mis amigos y amigas.
Chapter 3: these are #facts
Providencia is located at approximately 1500m of elevation
it required 8 batches of concrete to complete the base of the retaining walls in the lower terrace
each batch of concrete required 4 full wheel barrows (8 half barrows) of gravel, a 50kg bag of cement mix, and three buckets (~15 gallons) of water
the team manually moved around 13 cubic meters of land for the bioswale and retaining wall projects
Rhoxanne said “pura vida” approximately 1,580 times
used toilet paper goes in the trash can in Costa Rica
the team drank approximately 1,580 cups of coffee - the same number of Rhox’s “pura vidas” *no relation between the two
we said “buen provecho” 28 times as a group
Karl arrived on a Sunday
Doña Flora’s cooking is fantastic; her salsas are epic status
Don Francisco’s father was one of the first known settlers of Providencia; Francisco is also a maestro de dulces
the Savegre River running through Providencia is considered to be the cleanest in all of Central America and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2017
Providencia’s population is around 250 persons
We viewed around a dozen “precious” or “sacred” quetzals - a colorful bird resembling a flying snake and considered to be a symbol of freedom and independence
the quetzal’s status is “near threatened” by the IUCN
AnMei took 17 short naps
the locals beat the gringos in fútbol by a score of 3-1
the surf was head high in Dominical
zero team members got a sunburn
the barista’s name is Willy
Lalo has a nice smile
the group took over 10,000 photos
it is possible to stuff around 2kg of plastic waste into a used plastic bottle in order to make an eco brick
Green Communities coffee is really pura vida good
the young dreamers are all rad human beings
card games can be fun; sometimes they are not
relationships matter most
Comments