El principito, parte 2

Había una vez un principito que era feliz. Tenía para comer y un techo para dormir. Sobre todo tenía música y le encantaba bailar; asi viajaba.
Sin embargo, un día le dijeron que lo que vivía era demasiado bueno para ser verdad, que no se podía vivir bien sin tener un trabajo o dinero -lo del dinero le costó entender porque al principio eran pedazos de papel que no eran comestibles ni producían música ni podía utilizar como ropa cómodamente. Luego se hizo una tarjeta que tenía cables y frecuencias, era como un videojuego.
El principito fue absorbido por la idea ya que todos Los demás eran así, parecía razonable. Así fue como se olvidó de lo que algún día había tenido.

Como todos Los demás, el también decidió que tener vacaciones una vez al año era importante. En uno de estos viajes salió una criatura del agua y le habló de todo lo que el principito habia vivido antes, cultivar su comida, cantar y comparator con la Tierra y Los seres queridos.
El principito no creyó que ésto podía ser cierto, dijo que nadie podía vivir así, que incluso este paseo en el que estaba era solo un sueño.
La criatura del agua le dijo que era cierto lo que estaba viviendo, que sufrir era parte de ser feliz pero que la vida no es para sufrir si no para ser feliz. Estar triste o frustrado o estresado está bien, con moderación, con propósito.
El principito no creyó que la criatura de agua existía así que como solo lo que el observador quiere ver, existe, la criatura de agua desapareció de su vista. Aunque seguía ahí, el principito ya no podía verle. Más o menos como el cerebro borra la nariz y las pestañas de su vista, aunque están ahí, estorbarian la vista.
El principito se fue a dormir y soñó que estaba en su trabajo y era infeliz. Después de todo, era su única opción porque era todo lo que quería creer.

Colonization for Children, a story (titled coined by Kristen Wallis)

Once upon a time there were purple people. They were sovereign and had developed every system so their community was equitable. They had traditions of sacrifice animals and people in the name of their goddess Pachamama. No disease was visible and although they died around their 50s, they had a plentiful life and understood the cycle.
Then came the yellow people. They had things that the purple people had never seen before. Through mesmerizing the purples, the yellows were able to subordinate them. The systems of the purples for sanitation and health, for passing their knowledge from generation to generation was oppressed. With time, some purples grew resentful and wanted what the yellow had. POWER. The yellows raped the purples and were diluted. The purple-yellows were called indigos. A lot of purples died because of all the diseases and abuse that the yellows brought. Indigos also suffered but survived. Indigos did not want to be under the yellows' power anymore so they started a revolution. The indigos took over and the few purples that survived were isolated. They became the 'poor' according to the indigos and yellows. Yellows still thought that the indigos were unworthy and treated other colors as inferiors.
The indigos emulated the yellows for centuries and marginalized the purples. As a result many purples left their communities to become more like the indigos and yellows. The purples struggled because they had lost much of their knowledge on how to care for land and resources but with time they were able to recover many of those systems.

Some indigos started realizing that the purples were some of the wealthiest in wisdom and decided to start listening to them and learning. Other indigos only wanted to be yellow. Very few were happy as indigos but still followed what the indigos that were following the yellows would do.

Since the indigos had also oppressed the purple, one day the yellows felt pity for the purples and decided to help them against the indigos.

A lot of purples were dedicated to get food and water, take care of animals and build their shelters. One day the yellows started handing them money so that they could be "empowered". Some purples liked money and started asking for more. Other groups of purples disliked money because it brought fights to their communities. These groups warned the yellows not to come or they would shrink their heads. Some did not listen.

Some yellows decided to go into communities to tell them that how they were living was wrong, that they needed running water, toilets and jobs (with money involved). They told them that carrying water was a waste of time and offered 'solutions' that yellows had implemented seeing so much disease -the solutions were much like what the purples had had before the yellows came-.

Many of the purples saw that the yellows were unhappy with the recommendations they were making. Their children were alone and killing without understanding the reasons -any times it happened because the yellows wanted power over other colors-. Moreover,the yellows did not have a good relationship with Pachamama. Some purples, seeing this, rejected the yellows' solutions. They would simply smile at the yellows, may be share if the yellows were willing to listen and then let them leave.

The yellows felt good because they thought they were helping the 'poor people'.

Some indigos that were mixed among the yellows saw what the yellows meant by the idea of helping people and decided it was their role to work that way too, so that they can be more like the yellows.

Other indigos with power respected the purples and seeing what the yellows were doing, a governmental bridge was created so that the purples could be sovereign. The yellows thought that the indigos were being evil by doing this. Some indigos even started to pretend to be purple so that they could utilize the yellow to get money -most yellows did not notice-.

Many indigos then started not liking their yellow side and wished they could be more like the purples, but there was no way back.

Limbo (June 16, 2011)

Ultimos dias en el barco. El 13 tuve dia de lectura para estudiar. Me levante temprano despues de la serenata y luego del desayuno me recoste en una banca a ver el mar… Dormi por una hora, la siesta mas placida en mucho tiempo. Regrese a verles a mis queridos en la mesa de siempre por las mananas. Conversamos y luego comence a escribir los ultimos ensayos que tenia que entregar. Al terminar eso Sali otra vez a la banca y escribi otra historia. Es sobre un principe que era feliz pero pensaba que era infeliz… La posteare al final con la otra historia que escribi.

Estudiar, leer, ir a la presentacion de mi amiga Jen que escribio un libro para ni~os para comprar uniformes, entre otros proyectos. Creo que una red social con una base de datos de NGOs y soluciones de comunidades es la solucion para alcanzar los objetivos del milenio.

Por la noche tuvimos una cena formal y al salir de eso mientras seguia estudiando recibi un email. Querian que haga el discurso de convocacion (como de graduacion) al siguiente dia en nombre de los estudiantes. Lo acepte. Empece a preguntar alrededor, que dirias si podrias referirte a todo el barco? No tuve respuestas inspiradoras…

Esa noche si apagaron las luces y pude ver estrellas. Una estrella fugaz paso y le pedi un deseo… Mi amigo Charles vino a contarme una historia, como lo ha estado haciendo durante todo el viaje. Las historias son acerca de esta maquina, UNIVAC que es capaz de responder todas las preguntas si se le ha dado toda la informacion posible. Hemos compartido muchas historias durante el viaje… Han sido geniales.

En la manana me levanter a las 6 para estudiar y escribir mi discurso asi que cuando fue el momento Sali a la cubierta y comenzo a amanecer. Los rosas en el cielo eran de sue~o. En lugar de estudiar, me puse a escribir mi discurso. Tuve mi examen inmediatamente despues de esto y me fue genial! Mi profesora nos dio una charla de aplicacion para educacion superior en ingenieria. He estado hablando con ella desde el principio del viaje y le he llegado a querer mucho. Ahora estoy segura de que eso es lo que quiero hacer con mi vida.

Mi discurso vino despues con cantar imagine en convocacion. Por la tarde solo quedaba limbo. El sol, la conversacion. Decidi ir a recoger mi camara del cuarto y de pronto estaba en un plan de pintar todas las banderas de los paises que visitamos en nuestras espaldas con unas amigas. Fue toda una experiencia.

Cenar y luego escuchar preport para Nassau. El doctor me hizo llorar. Si hubiera sido doctora hubiera querido ser como el. Despues mis amigos y yo nos quedamos bailando por largo rato en el union.

Bailar y conversar y no dormir pensando en que se acababa. Pensar que en la manana tendriamos que salir del barco. Ver el amanecer y tomar la informacion de los queridos. Esperar, esperar y dejar que crezcan raices con angustia.

Decir hasta pronto al explorer sin regresar a ver…

En el aeropuerto tuve la conversacion que necesitaba con el profesor de calidad de construccion de hogares para poder cerrar el capitulo de este viaje.

Alejandro y yo estabamos en el mismo vuelo para Miami. El era mi ultima conexion al barco. Cuando el se fue senti como todo se acababa. Habia pasado una gran porcion del viaje tratando de convencerle que el viaje no era un sue~o y que tanto la realidad en el barco es la misma realidad a la que regresaba para no sobredimensionarlo todo. Para que a persona que regresa pueda vivir y compartir lo que aprendio con los que no pudieron estar ahi. Pero cuando se cerraron las puertas detras de el comenzo a sonar una alarma y una luz azul a titilar. Era mi miedo a que tenga razon y se acabe un sue~o.

Estoy convencida de que el esta equivocado. Mientras esperaba por mi vuelo estaba leyendo ‘El Campo’ y en ese momento estaba describiendo un experimento en el que habian comprobado que el efecto de una gran concentracion de proteina (por ejemplo) cuando es completamente diluida y basicamente desaparece de la sustancia aun deja una memoria en el solvente (generalmente agua) y aun tiene las mismas funciones. Quiero creer que se aplica a todos los que estuvimos en ese barco, ahora que nos diluimos otra vez al mundo, ojala tengamos el mismo efecto a donde vayamos…

En fin. Este fue mi discurso (no lo lei asi que cuando obtenga el video y lo ponga aqui seguramente va a ser un poco distinto)

Storytelling

The wisdom of humanity is held in folk stories. One of my favorite writers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, says that life is not what you lived but what you remember and how you remember to tell the story.

So, what type of stories are you gonna tell?

I know I’ll be talking about the boys that were trying to teach me how to play cricket in Trinidad and Tobago. I’ll tell the stories of the little girl who had lost her friend in a shooting because of drugs in the streets of Panama. It all happened behind the façade of the growing skyscrapers. I will be telling the stories of the Costa Ricans who are able to be one with nature and have been able to reconnect with the cycle of life. Humans are huge fertilizing machines. After all that is Pura Vida.

I’ll be talking about Fabricio who would not stop telling me about facts of Honduras and how important is the revolution occurring in his country. I will not forget to mention all the people that are dying every day in this fight against the elite.

I’ll tell the story of Ak-tenamit and how the sun that once was God of all is back as the provider figure through the use of solar panels.

I will tell the story about the wisdom of the people of Belize about their plant properties. The same I saw in Guatemala. Did you know that carnations tea can cure hemorrhages?

The people I met do not need saviors, they need allies. Just as much as I do. They do not need get books thrown at them but to be taught how to read and write so THEY can write their own stories and share them.

What has changed? The premise. The question is not What is the problem with…? Anymore. In fact, there is no question. It is a statement. I want to meet the people, learn from them, share with them.

I saw the questions of some communities being answered in others. I am a believer of networking as the solution. All the answers and solutions are already there, they just need to get to the right people and you are the right people.

So, what stories are you gonna tell?

Unbelizeable (June 13, 2011)

I felt it. The end is coming so as I sat down for breakfast I felt as though I should not leave the ship for the last port… Made plans with many people and just stayed. Joey, Meghan and I decided to go to the zoo together. I do not like zoos, never really had. Always thought it was cruel but we were told by the invited guest speaker that it is different. When we got into the tender (first port that we had done this) we found John who wanted to go cave tubing! We joined his plan. We went to cave branch and had the most amazing tour guide who was telling us about the limestone formations and the plants grown in the area. They have the Xata from which the green leaves are used dye the dollar bills and the bullhorn whose bark in a tea lowers blood pressure (mainly utilized when bitten by snake so venom wont spread).

Going into the caves was breathtaking. The Mayans call it Xibalba, where you would go back into the underworld. It was quite a journey. It was explained to us as the path for death. I wish it was still understood in this manner. The small pockets of light with water underneath as I was floating felt surreal. But it was real and wonderful. It felt too short, I decided to start swimming when we were already outside. I wish we could have stayed longer.

On our way to the zoo we stopped for food. Our driver, Rupert, joined us. He was very knowledgeable about the plants around us and was telling us about his life growing up in farmland at Teakettle, a little town outside of Belize City. He was telling me about the fear of the people when the first jet flew over them. He was very young and could not believe it. What a heart that of Rupert’s. You could see it through his eyes.

The zoo was good. I held a boa constrictor (as I always do when allowed to hold snakes).The idea of the zoo was great, taking care of animals that would otherwise be endangered. However, I still saw incarcerated animals. I wish humans would not have created the circumstances in which now the only choice is to put animals in a prison to protect them.

Anywho, back in Belize City the lights were dim and the lack of safety was visible. Joey, Meghan and I went into a bar and talked development for a long time. It was a great discussion! In the middle of it, a lady came to talk to Joey and he said I was his wife so the lady came to me and gave me the most obscene advice I have ever heard. We were laughing at first but then it got a little uncomfortable so we left back to the ship. I was sad I could not dance that night but I didn’t feel safe.

In the morning we went snorkeling and again I was in my element. The waves were fast and the reefs were moving along. The schools of fish were following the rhythm so I did too. I stopped swimming and move as much as I could away from the corals so that I could just let myself be there.

Kelsey and I stayed for lunch in one of the few places opened in town because it was Sunday. I was in a Garcia Marquez tale when the sky started falling with the rain as we were eating. It was beautiful. Got all my souvenirs and went back to the ship.

I had made arrangements with the voice (the assistant Dean who made the announcements twice a day) so that we could stargaze that night by turning off a few lights on the ship. Unfortunately, it was too windy on the front of the ship so it had to be cancelled. However, Alejandro, Perla and I still stargazed. It was Perla’s birthday so I serenaded her from Mana to Maroon 5. It was a wonderful night.

Imagine (June 10, 2011)

The setting was the union auditorium and there were 5 of us. I had brought my tucumba and we were singing around the piano. Imagine there is no heaven… at the top of our lungs. At the same time I was drawing. I wanted to capture the moment in the drawing but the smile in Joey’s face simply happened without my anticipation. It was the wavelength there.

Went to sleep late and woke up to Guatemala. I went with a group going to Ak-tenamit to apply the $100 solution initiative that I wanted to understand in a better manner. We arrived to this small community of mainly Qeqchi speakers and a few Spanish speakers. I was again asked to translate. I love this roll because I am able to hear first hand and ask questions that sometimes I would not be able to ask if I were only a listener.

Interestingly, the settlement was created by an outsider from the US whose company kept receiving applications from Mayans to work for him. After talking with a few of them, he decided to go to Guatemala and learn more about the situation. The trends of Central American countries to make of their land reserves has actually been detrimental to the people who lived there for centuries because they are forbidden to farm or do anything that could affect the ecosystem. I was surprised at this practice since the concept I had of reserves from Ecuador allows the people to use the resources because they have been taking care of the land for so long.

This started 19 years ago and the community has grown and adopted the model, even manipulated according to what they believe is right. The outsider is now just an adviser. He is truly an amazing man, Steve. Anyways, what they have there is what I have idealizing for education. Culturally appropriate education that teaches the community members how they can be productive in society without restraining them. The two majors they regularly have is environmentalism and the other is about cultural traditions. We were told about the success of the community members who created a small restaurant in the neighboring Livingston. A lot of chefs for traditional food have come out of the center and they are doing really well!

We went to see the solar panels that had been installed and now provide for the third of their energy consumption. I’m so glad it is the sun that is now directly again able to provide for their energy source. We also walked to their new tilapia farms which use a three storied system with greens on top, orchids in the middle and the last are the tilapia. It was a representation of the cycle of life… We were talking about the use of the plants and Oscar, our guide, was telling us about the use of the termite hives to be burnt so that the mosquitoes do not bite, among other uses of the flora in the area.

As we were having lunch, one of the future Mayan spiritual guides came to talk about the cosmovision class the people of the community have to take. I kept on translating until the explanation of the meaning in everyday came up. This was half qeqchi and Spanish so I was unable to follow. Megan, one of the videographers took over. She had lived in Guatemala for a long time before and her spiritual guide had taught her. It was amazing to hear.

The $100 dollar solution conversation started with Oscar describing the community concerns and ideas. A year ago $100 dollars had been given with the idea that the corozo nut (tagua) could be utilized as biomass or its oil for biodiesel. They had spent the money on fuel for going to all the communities in the area and talking with them so that they could be part of the recollection. Unfortunately, the results were inconclusive. Not enough oil could be taken out of the nut. The conversation continued to look for alternatives. The community had been composting its human waste for a long time and it had worked perfectly until the population had been 50. Today with over 400 people, the rate does not keep up. I proposed something like the biodigester they had in Chiquita. I think it is feasible and I hope they’ll consider it.

We left the school to get to the clinic. We had a conversation with the residents that were volunteering there. One was from California and the other from Switzerland. I asked a different doctor if I could see the facilities. He guided me around and was telling me about his major concerns. People in the small communities getting used to be given pills and forgetting their traditional medicine. I met Maria, one of the health promoters and she was telling me all about how carnations’ tea can be used for hemorrhage control and all this other plants. As we were leaving I told her I would come back… So I can learn from her. She said she’ll be waiting.

That night a group of us went out dancing. It is so nice to have another Latin American around so we can really dance. Alejandro (one of the singers that night by the piano) and I have grown close. The next day, Alejandro, Kyle, Ben and I went to walk around town and were chatting with a 5 year old who was doing his homework. He had the shiniest eyes I have seen and seemed very happy doing homework. I was glad to meet him. We left to Las Escobas around 12 when we had planned the group going through the ship would leave (we didn’t want to be there with another 100 people). When we arrived, a girl told me that it was not great and that we should not spend much time there. It is all so subjective… I had the most wonderful time swimming and in my own natural Jacuzzi with the small waterfalls that had been established. That place provides for most of the freshwater consumed in the area. Other tourists had been disappointed because there were no big waterfalls to see since it had not rained much lately. It reminded me of what I used to say when in High School, if you make yourself very high expectations of something you cannot control, you will most likely be disappointed. If there is no expectation, you will be amazed with what life has offered. I felt blessed in that water. Then we went for food, I ordered a tapado (with the most delicious seafood). The music was great so I was dancing by the pier and then seating by the water. It had been a great day!

I was finally able to talk to Heshi… My heart still beats fast with happiness.

Then Kyle and I went walking around town on a quest to find his flag, y pin and the post office. We found all plus the most delicious mango smoothie I have ever tried! We were some of the last to board the explorer.

The night was research and development project time…

Bantiosh (thanks you in qeqchi) because we finished on time!

SPS. Golpe de Estado (Junio 8, 2011)

(hubo un problema con el sistema y esto no se posteo a tiempo! Disculpenme! Todo esta ya escrito. Hoy lo comparto =)

SPS. Golpe de Estado

Tanto que paso antes de que llegaramos a Honduras… El dia antes de llegar al Puerto, mi mama adoptive de Peru me pidio que tradujera una clase para el professor Portillo, un historiador que vino representando a la Universidad Autonoma de Honduras. Lo hice y asi les conoci a el y a su hija, Itza, que se convirtieron en mi familia en Honduras. Tambien estuve de interprete por al noche cuando dio una introduccion historica y cultural de Honduras. Por la noche no los vi pero vaya que tuve una noche Hermosa. Le conoci a este chico que va a estar en Ecuador por tres semanas y conversamos largo, al final vamos a coincidar para vernos. Pero bueno, mientras conversamos vino mi hermano adoptive (ya hasta le digo ~a~o) y nos contaron que estaba lloviendo. Salimos a bailar en lluvia pero sin darme cuenta habia dejado de llover pero la musica no paraba y seguimos bailando. Un amigo trajo su guitarra y cantamos y bailamos en el charco hasta que el cansancio nos gano.

En la manana me encontre con Itza y su papa y me invitaron a quedarme con ellos en San Pedro Sula (SPS, como le dicen ellos). Durante el dia yo tenia que ir a la represa de El Cajon y luego ellos me encontraron en SPS. En fin, El Cajon fue muy interesante, realmente una maravilla de la ingeniera de este planeta, la represa mas grande con diseno de doble arco en el hemisferio occidental. Sin embargo, no pude dejar de pensar en toda la gente que tuvo que ser desplazada para que este funcione… No fue mucha y todos fueron indemnizados pero me recordo a la represa the Three Gorges en China y todas las desgracias que he leido acerca de esa situacion. La planificacion para la construccion de represas tiene que mejorar. Yo creo que regulacion internacional para eleccion de tierras tendra que implementarse mas alla de que activistas esten defendiendo tierras.

Llegue para SPS e Itza me recogio con su novio, Roldan. Me llevaron al centro comercial para que me saque el disfraz de turista ;) y luego nos fuimos a las Baleadas express, un lugar que ha comercializado la comida tipica de Honduras, mas o menos como ‘las menestras del negro’, ‘maria diocelina’ y otros lugares de comida tipica en Ecuador. Las baleadas son una delicia!

Roldan me empezo a contar acerca del golpe, de los toques de queda, de como la gente se emociono al regresar Mel (Asi le dicen a Zelaya por alla). Conversamos largo Itza, Roldan y yo. Luego me llevaron a la casa de Itza donde estaban Do~a Maritza y Don Joaquin Portillo. Ellos, siendo parte de la Resistencia me contaron la historia de como el pueblo al fin se desperto. Me contaron de como regreso la radio a ser el medio de comunicacion ya que la mayoria de canals televisivos le pertenecen a la oligarquia. Hablamos largo y tendido. Me acorde de mi Papa Klever mientras escuchaba la pasion con que la gente hablaba en la radio… Se que el estaria orgulloso.

En fin, Itza y yo conversamos en su cuarto por un buen rato, me conto de las historias de sus fotos en la pared y me dio nostalgia de la pared que yo tenia en mi cuarto en Ecuador… Por la manana Don Joaquin me ense~o su jardin. Tiene mangustines, bananas, coco, de todo. Me hizo probar todas las frutas que tenia ahi y me enseno las propiedades de otras, habia una planta (cuyo nombre tengo anotado en algun lugar) que contiene todos los nutrients que necesitas para el dia. Itza se fue a sus practicas (ella estudia odontologia) y Don Joaquin y Dona Maritza me llevaron al Guamilito, el Mercado para todo. Do~a Maritza tenia que irse para presenter una publicacion de seguridad de PNUD y yo me quede comiendo otra baleada en el Mercado con Don Joaquin. Mientras conversamos decidio invitarme a Radio 1 y me entrevistaron ahi con un grupo de la Resistencia. Habalmos acerca de Semester at Sea y luego de los paralelos entre Ecuador y Honduras. Ellos estan seguros de que el casi golpe de estado en Ecuador fue en experimento… En fin, algo importante que acote fue cuando habalron de como quieren cambiar el nombre de Puerto Cortes para que lleve el nombre de un ilustre Hondure~o. Ellos dijeron que es importante para que se nos quite el masoquismo. Yo respondi que deberia tratarse de enaltecer el orgullo Hondure~o. La conversacion fue genial. Ojala me pueda conseguir una copia.

En el mismo edificio habia una escuela de comunicaciones y habia una habitacion que tenia todo acerca de Ecuador. Sin embargo, en la pizarra decia que aun utilizabamos sucres y que el analfabetismo era del 93%. Me invitaron a la clase y les conte como las cosas son distintas ahora aparte de ense~arles algunas frases en Quechua. Pase un buen rato con los ni~os. Mi favorito fue Fabricio que me ense~aba a cada rato otro dato mas de Honduras.

Despues de eso me subi en una buseta para Puerto Cortes. La buseta no era para mas de 20 personas pero habian unas 30. Ni~os colgand de un brazo de sus madres. La transportacion realmente trae la realidad nacional a la luz. Un hombre se subio y dijo que tuvo un accidente y se subio la camisa. Tenia en una bolsa plastic, un intestino de algun animal, estoy segura de que no era suyo pero igual la gente tiene compasion y le dio del poco dinero que tiene de por si. Que lastima que haya gente se abuse de la bondad de otros. En fin, una se~ora estaba paraday se noto que estaba cansada, le di mi puesto y mientras veia todo lo verde de la ventana con las miles de acacias coloreando el paisaje sono en la radio Rivers of Babylon. Heshi se hizo presente.

Decidi quedarme caminando Puerto Cortes por la tarde. Queria probar la cerveza nacional asi que mi amiga Sam y yo fuimos para un barcito. En el primero que paramos estaba una chica que Sam reconocio, era una prostituta que habia contraido VIH y se dedicaba ahora a educar a gente acerca del virus, no mucha gente sabe lo que les puede pasar. La chica parecia estar borracha asi que al final nos fuimos a otro barcito. Es tan incredible como Sam y yo vimos dos lados tan distintos del pais… Ambis problematicos pero aun muy distintos… Mientras tomabamos la cerveza, se escucho un ruido como si hubiera habido un disparo que rompio el vidrio. Nos asustamos, estaba lista para echarme al suelo pero lo que realmente habia pasado fue que exploto un transfomador de la luz. Mi reaccion dice mucho acerca de la inseguridad que senti. Campesinos reclamando su tierra habian sido asesinados el dia anterior en el sur del pais. Se siente la ansiedad y angustia.

Luego estuvimos caminando y probamos mamones, una fruta deliciosa y en eso le conocimos a Yefrei, un amigo estaba buscando un ATM asi que Yefrei nos dirigio a uno. Estabamos conversando acerca de futbol y de sus hermanos. Tenia que ir a comprar un libro de ciencias naturales asi que fuimos con el pero ya no habia. Estaba viiieeendo un cuadernito para colorear y le compramos a cambio de que se siga portando bien. Fuimos a comer y nos dijo que su favorito es Pizza Hut asi que alla fuimos. Mientras nos sentamos me conto acerca de su amigo que els ense~aba a jugar futbol. Habia sido asesinado porque andaba con gente mala, metida en drogas. Escuchandole tuve que contenerme, queria llorar y abrazarle y decirle que todo va a estar bien. Le abrace aun y le dije que tiene que tener cuidado. Que lo mas importante es que le escuche a su mami y que les cuide a sus hermanos. Me despedi de Yefrei y regresamos para el barco. Habia comprador un instrumento y en el camino al barco me pase preguntando el nombre porque me habia olvidado… Pregunte a una docena de personas hasta encontrar respuesta =) Una tucumba, todos sonrieron al responder.

Pura Vida Costa Rica, en casa

Costa Rica truly started the day before we arrived to Puerto Limon… I offered a Salsa/merengue lesson and that just set the most amazing mood! It was fantastic! -I actually saw my students using their moves on another day in port =)

I left the ship as quickly as I could because I needed to reserve the hostel for the next day… A taxi driver said: welcome to Costa Rica, need a cab? I responded in Spanish and he said… Pura Vida, bienvenida a casa… I was definitely home.

I called the hostel (I was trying to get a phone card cause it was Heshi’s birthday- my best friend home but only got someone to lend me her cellphone to call the hostel). We were set for hammock hostel the second day… $5 for the one of the best nights of sleep I have ever gotten ;)

I went to the Chiquita biodigester the first day. It was truly amazing to see how much they have advanced on producing energy from their wastewater. I will leave the technicalities for my energy resources class but I admit I was impressed and asked about an internship there… I may be coming back to Costa Rica in a few months to learn more from them. The manager admitted that in earlier days banana plantations were abusive to the communities but now they are committed to maintain a good relationship with them ( I want to believe this is true, it seemed legitimate). Their biodigester  is used by the community as well and has significantly reduced the bad odors released to the environment. They talked about how they tried to implement good relationships with the passion fruit producers in Ecuador (that is their other office) but the middle men between the farmers and them would not step back… Chiquita Costa Rica is now growing passion fruit. It was disappointing to hear about the middle men back home, I know them… I could recognize their abusive nature with my smell. We need better policies, not for Chiquita to be able to buy their products but for farmers to be able to get fair prices for what they grow…

Anyways, at night I went out with a group and sang, danced and met a lot of really amazing people, including someone that worked for Del Monte… I guess they are all concentrated around here.

The next morning, my friend and I took the bus to Cahuita National Park and I understood. During the 8.3 km walk I was in awe… It was not the yellow viper, the morfo butterflies, the raccoon or the howling monkeys… it was the leaves… Randomly a leave would be rotating on its axis in comparison to the ones that surrounded it being stagnant. My awareness of their anima (Heshi, esta es por vos, su alma, su movimiento) was inevitable. They were there alive and I was there with them… I breathed. I understood then why everyone I talked to was so excited about the commitment of the government to become carbon neutral by 2021 (their 200 year anniversary of being a nation). They all see it and understand that there should not be any other way…  A taxi driver that I talked to said that although major changes will have to occur to change the fleets of cars, he wanted it to happen too, the Chiquita people talked about it… It was pura vida… At a point I just had to jump into the water, it was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen… Ferreira, you were right. The water was so warm and we had the beach to ourselves and swam and walked and walked and walked.

It took us 4 hours to finish the trail… Exhausted we took the bus to Puerto Viejo. There we met other friends and ate rice and beans, had daiquiris, listened to some music and then took a nap in the hammock hostel… It was AMAZING!

Puerto Viejo, on the other hand, reminded me of Montanita back home… I felt harassed by men and the drug offering was abundant and scary… (my tour guide, Olga, said that this all happened because this Spanish writer wrote a book about Puerto Viejo being a sexual mecca and many women coming in with such desires; it was sad to see all the people that were not functioning trying to walk) I was still able to go out dancing, firs reggae (oshi’s) then moved to a touristy place because it had a lot of people (mango) and then I moved to another reggae style place (Johnny’s place) and danced and danced until I went outside and saw the sky… I could not help it and had to go for a swim… The starry night was swimming with me.

I slept for two hours in my hammock and took the bus back to Puerto Limon… It was my opportunity to see Tortuguero… I saw sloths and thought of Sarah Sutliff… I miss that girl! I even made an impression in her name… I also saw a Jesus Christ lizard walk over the water and eat a pretty cricket! This place was breathtaking.  I heard great music by a group of musicians there at the station; I simply had to get their CD… I’ve been dancing to eat since then.

That day, as the first one I had the same tour guide. Her name is Olga. The first day we talked about social problems in Costa Rica and how even though there are so many protected areas, the all-inclusive hotels are taking up a lot of land, even destroying the mangroves without shame but the worst part is that they are using up the neighboring communities’ water without shame. More and more communities are being affected and they are asking for justice. It is not even benefitting the towns, these are hotel chains to which people go to never leave the hotel and meet the people… She was disappointed of the driven society dedicated to take pictures as proof of what they see. I think it is because people do not know how to react to beauty anymore, she agreed that a lot of people have become insensible due to the heightening of emotions and visuals we receive from television… It is not so easy to impress her tourists anymore… Being mesmerized with simple things holds the beauty in life…

Anyways, hopefully the people near the hotels will be heard. I guess it is a theme for this voyage… I do not approve of all inclusive hotels or resorts… She was also telling me that almost a third of the population was from Nicaragua (Costa Rica is also home to the biggest colony of US citizens outside of the US) and that there is a lot of tension as they claimed this island to be theirs because of a google map- ridiculous excuse (I remembering reading these news from Kevin)- because they are working on a new canal financed by Iran… I do not know the other half of the story but I also heard about this when I was in Panama… It is scary to think that they are willing to change the geography of the continent to pay less money to cross… I feel like there should be some amendment to the Human Rights or some type of agreement that inhibits the ability to do this… I know countries are sovereign but taking away hills can definitely affect habitats for all living… I hope this does not happen.

The last day Olga and I talked for a while about how amazing life is, our lack of television and how traveling is even possible from home… I adored her; we are definitely keeping in touch. The afternoon I fell asleep in Playa Bonita and then found the little market… I wished I did not have to leave Costa Rica. The amazing people I met, including Maria and David singing in the karaoke with me –I sang to Selena and got lots of applauses ;) – and Olga… Oh I feel revived and more connected to life again. Pura Vida.