Hello friends :) We are here!
...and Costa Rica is amazing. I arrived here at Rancho Mastatal on the 5th, and after getting my bearings set and my jet lag left, slid into some happy helping at the Ranch. You can see my room at the Hankey House (intern house) here. It's great-- airy, cozy, and made by hand with all local, natural materials. It feels so good to walk around in.
Days start at the Ranch at 5:30 if you are making breakfast -- which I did for a few day days-- and if not, we all eat together at 7am. I also did some housework (baking, dishes, laundry) and hiking around. It's alot different now than the last time I came-- it's the dry season, and you can really tell the difference in the plants. It's also much warmer, which I was surprised about since it's supposed to be winter in the Northern Hemisphere, but the lack of rain makes a huge difference. Of course, it's still cool and moist in the valleys, which are everywhere and where run cool, clear streams and cascading waterfalls. We went there yesterday for class.
Monday was very exciting! Frances came with the much-awaited goats, and I began my Wilderness First Responder Class. We have students from all across America, one from Japan, one from Bulgaria, and a teacher from Argentina. Not too shabby. I have class all day from 8am to 5pm. There is a yummy lunch around 12:30, and then dinner at 6:30pm. All the food is delicious and local and vegetarian. We have pancakes and eggs and homemade yogurt (kefir) and fruits in the morning... Rice and beans can be found at every meal, in one variation of another.... We had giant enchiladas (aka Tico lasagna) at dinner last night, and a Pizza party on Saturday. We used the wood-fired cob oven and everything :) Tonight is a bonfire and an oft instructor here and old friend, Tiburon.
Muchas cosas han cambiado... like, now there is internet in town! There are like twice as many houses at the Ranch, and twice as many interns. There's a WWOOF farm in town (World Worker of Organic Farms) which has international volunteers, and a vacation spot called "Villas Mastatal." There's also a cell phone tower.... and 2 restaurants! All new. Progress, it is called. Oh, the Ranch also has a biodigester, which happily turns poop (human and cow) into methane for cooking every day. Very cool... and useful :)
This winter, we interns will be working with the local people to build a community library and knowledge-sharing space in the center of town. This is very good thing, I think. Last time I was here, I helped put in the cement floor for the community center, where there is a basketball court, central kitchen w/ cob ovens and stove, and ofter bingo or dances.
I'm hoping to do a fair share of hand crafting as well-- weaving, and making some wood percussion instruments. Vamos a ver.
One more good news... We got accepted to Phase 2 of the Echoing Green Fellowship application.
WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!
Besos y abrazos, Elyssa >e)
