Hi Family Members!
Since our last post we have accomplished a lot in our host village: both with our group projects and our individual projects. On Friday we worked to complete a trench that is 20 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 4 feet deep- this will provide a drainage system for a locker room that the community of Bonanza Norte uses for their soccer teams. This trench pushed us to work together towards a common goal, even though the work was hard in the scorching Costa Rican sun!
Later that day we were invited to attend a end of the school year celebration where we watched our new friends perform dances and short skits. It was fun to see what they had been working hard on, and see the confidence they had to perform in front of others. Also, during the show we took many pictures, which the children loved seeing of themselves! Afterward, we ate an enjoyable Costa Rican lunch and headed out on a walk with our friend Omar to collect coconuts and mangoes (which are grown in Bonanza Norte with much pride). Not only did we get a chance to try these delicious fresh fruit, but we also met the farmers who grow them for a living!
In the afternoon, we split up to work on our individual projects which we are beginning to focus on. David chose to explore the stories behind some of the people of Bonanza Norte. One of the most interesting things he learned was that one of the older men in this community, in his younger years, was a founding member of a village with some of his friends. This project has helped David, along with other members of the group, to understand how complex and hardworking the people of Bonanza Norte are. Later that night we invited a crew of Costa Rican children to play card games and other fun activities with us. This was a perfect way to end our day.
The next day, we collected rocks from a local river, which we will use later to build a rock garden at the local school. Collecting the rocks proved to be an enjoyable job as we all took a quick dip in the river and sang some of our favorite songs. Almuerzo was rice, potatoes, ground beef, coleslaw, and veggies which everyone really enjoyed. In the afternoon we took time to work on our individual projects. Taylor is exploring gender roles within the community. As part of her project, Taylor interviewed several women and later, she will interview men. She asked the women questions about their roles in the workplace and in their household. Their responses were all very similar and showed that it is typical here for the men to work and for the woman to stay at home and care for the house and their children. Taylor’s project interests many members of this group due to the differences and similarities we are seeing between our lives at home and those of the families in Bonanza Norte.
In honor of the 4th of July, we had hamburgers and sang the national anthem during dinner! After dinner we were surprised with ice cream cones and freshly washed clothes!
Today is our last day in the village until next Friday because we leave for our excursion tomorrow morning. Before we leave we are completing the cement work on the locker room, which doubles as a bus stop. We are also wrapping up several painting projects at the local school. In preparation for our departure, we straightened up our houses so that when we come back they will be nice and tidy.
Tonight after dinner we are planning to watch a TED talk about the power of vulnerability to help broaden our horizons. Afterwards we will share our personal histories within the group, creating an even stronger community here! We miss you all and are having a blast in Costa Rica!
Pura Vida,
Morgan and Ellie