Day 24...Mmm.Coffee:)

After breakfast, this morning began with a tour of a local coffee farm. We took a twenty minute hike to the farmer's home where Elisia showed us around her and her husband's farm. In addition to coffee, her family grows sugarcane and multiple fruits. Towards the end of the tour, we were given the opportunity to taste the sugarcane grown as well as help make a juice from it. It was a really neat experience to taste something so fresh. We also enjoyed a beautiful view while doing so. As we finished up with this farm, we made our way to the next where we were given the opportunity to buy some coffee as a souvenir after learning the process of production. We then journeyed back to campus for lunch.

After we finished lunch, we were given time to work on our projects seeing as today was the due date. After about two more hours, I finally finished my identity project. I then made my way to Shannel, Tamera, and Sydney's room to add finishing touches to for our group presentation later that evening. It did not take long before we felt prepared causing us to become quite distracted by multiple outlets. Before we knew it, it was time for dinner.

Dinner was delicious as usual along with dessert. Unfortunately, we were not given the opportunity for a taste of UGA Costa Rica's hot chocolate one more time before leaving. Upset that the mass group of people was the cause, we dispersed for an hour before meeting for class. I managed to skype my mom for about ten minutes before meeting up with my group. However, skype was not cooperating, so I went back to Bungalow C to see what was needed for our project. We practiced for about twenty minutes before heading down to the classroom.

Of course we were in a building back in the woods leading us to have some difficulties finding our peers. We did manage to do so after a couple of minutes searching. We had hoped to present first, but were beat by the other undergraduate group. Their presentation on haptics and proxemics lasted for approximately twenty minutes; ours followed and was in about the same time frame. I believe we all did a great job on give details of our subject matter and comparing it to the United States. As we completed our final projects and felt relief lift off of our shoulders, the graduate students were required to present. However, their presentations were to be of their identity project and much more intense. Considering I completed the same project with similar outlines, I would not feel comfortable at all sharing this information. It was very private and intimate details about my journey, and I commend them for standing confidently in front of the class and sharing with us.

Lesson of the day, and the final one of this trip, is to be yourself. If the graduate students can embrace who they are in front of the class, I can do it in my ever day life. It is important for everyone to know who they are and stand up for what they believe in. Having learned so much on this journey, I can use today's lesson to help me when feeling the need to educate others on the multitude of lessons I have learned while in Costa Rica.

Day 23...All Work and No Play

I was finally granted the opportunity to sleep a little later than usual. Though it was only until 8:15, it felt wonderful. Immediately after getting dressed, I proceeded to walk to the common area to work on my group project. From 8:30 until 12:00, I mostly worked on a video for the introduction to our project. After about an hour of doing so, I had the opportunity to have a chat with Dr. Harris. The first thing we discussed was my favorite part of the trip. Though it may seem simple and silly, the highlight for me was playing soccer with the kids. Most people simply watched from the sidelines or played for a few minutes before retiring for water. For me, on the other hand, it meant the world. As I told Dr. Harris of my passion for soccer, I began to tear up. Though I did not have the opportunity to give detail as to why it is so important to me, I think Dr. Harris understood and realized that the simple things on this trip have meant to world to me, like playing soccer.

After finally finishing the video, I took a break for lunch with the remainder of the group. I only took fifteen minutes to do so in order for me begin my identity paper. From about 12:30 until dinner at 6:00, I worked on my paper. Dinner was like lunch in that I sped through in order to return to my work. From 6:15 until 10:00 I worked on my paper more. Even with all of this time, I was still not finished but decided to head for bed; I could have a fresh start in the morning. 

Today mainly consisted of work and eating. Therefore, the lesson of the day lies in my conversation with my teacher. I recently realized it is my passion, and I need to find a way to play again. However, as I cried a bit thinking back on soccer and my past, I realized why it is so close to my heart. Having played soccer since I was seven years old, I have made some wonderful friendships during the process and have some very wonderful memories. For eleven years, my life, as well as my parents', revolved around this sport. This sport was a bonding time for me with new friends and for my parents with new friends as well. My last game was a sad day for all of us as we realized I would probably never play in a competitive setting like my club team provided ever again. Today I learned that without soccer, my life would be completely different. There were times I wanted to quit along with some of my friends, but I managed to stick with it. All credit is due to my parents for all of the time they gave up and effort they put forth so that I could play for as long as I did. Thanks for everything guys:).

Day 22...There's No Place Like Home

Waking up this morning I was surprisingly excited for the day ahead even though it would merely include traveling from San Jose back to San Luis. After I packed my bag and loaded it onto the bus, I was asked to collect money from anyone who wished to tip the staff at Hotel Milvia. Everyone was generous enough to chip in 500 colones (~$1). As the money was collected, we gathered in a circle to present it to the staff on behalf of the group. Dr. Harris gave a speech that caused each of us to tear up a bit. Though San Jose was not my favorite place of the trip, it felt the most like home. The staff was wonderful taking care of all of our needs. We felt safe and comfortable here making me feel like I could stay there for forever.

We said our goodbyes, and each of us insisted on giving Carlos (pictured above) a big hug before we left. As we walked out of the gate for the last time, we loaded the bus and made our way to San Luis. Of course we had a few stops on the way including McDonalds, the bank, and a bathroom break. The journey was about a three hour one, but I managed to sleep for about two of those.

When I woke up we were about forty five minutes away from the UGA Campus. Immediately after arrival we were served lunch, which, of course, consisted of rice and beans. We were then assigned to our rooms. I grabbed my laptop and headed for the library to begin work on my group project. With class being canceled, my group and I had extra time to work before dinner and actually managed to get a good bit complete.

Dinner was quite chaotic. In fact, there were not even enough seats for everyone. The conversation around the table as soon as we sat down consisted of hot chocolate. Because the hot chocolate here is the best any of us has ever had, it is a competition to be the first in line as soon as it is served. Tonight, we had much more competition that we are used to. We had a plan, but of course it failed due to our excitement and selfishness. (lol). They did run out before everyone could get their fair share, but our crew each had a cup. We finished our cups and continued working. After a few hours of work and a long day, we went to bed pretty early.

Today I learned that there really is no place like home. Even though I felt like Hotel Milvia was more of a home than anywhere else, today I realized how much I miss my home in Georgia. Part of my identity has always been that I am a southerner, born and raised. Being here I feel like that part of my identity has been challenged because I have felt less connected with this part of me being so far away for so long. Even with being at UGA, I am still in good ole' Georgia surrounded by friends from the same area. Therefore, though I am a good two hours from my hometown, the southern identity I have is not missing. Being here I have come to appreciate the little things I take for granted when at home such as the cooking, my family, and of course good ole' sweet tea. It will be sad leaving Costa Rica, but it will feel wonderful to get back to my roots.

Day 21...Sick and Tired

Awaking at 5:00 in the morning is not how I would have chosen to begin my day. Unfortunately, I was forced to deal with it because sleeping it off did not work. I could not even manage to eat anything. I made it through class and even managed to add to the discussion a little. However, as soon as it ended, I went straight to my room and jumped in bed.

After a two hour nap, I felt a tad better. My stomach still hurt but some of the pain was simply hunger. Nikia, Joanna, and Shannel had plans to walk to the market, so I decided to join. I purchased a few items, and we headed back to the hotel. I ate and worked on my projects some before listening to a guest speaker. Daniella, a media specialist in the area, spoke to us about dealing with prejudice in the media. Her company works to educate journalists of their responsibility to society dealing with prejudice in the media. They inform on items such as using politically correct terms and spanning coverage, good and bad, over all races rather than just the good for the dominant culture and just the bad for the minority cultures.

After we finished our lecture, we had the opportunity to work some before dinner. I managed to complete some items with enough time to take a fifteen minute nap. Dinner was casual this evening, and we all really enjoyed ourselves. I had some really good conversations with some of my fellow classmates causing me to feel like I have made some wonderful friendships here. After dinner, we proceeded back to the hotel for our last evening at Hotel Milvia.

Today during class we discussed the portrayal of certain races and ethnicities in the media. One specific video clip that was discussed was that of "Bonquiqui". Yesterday, a friend who had never seen the clip asked what it was about. As I told her, I laughed as I recalled each humorous line in full detail. However, today I realized how hurtful this video comes across to the people targeted, in this case black females. It portrays them as loud, rude, and obnoxious. Unfortunately, the clip causes the negativity perceived of black women to be attached to all black females who most likely have little in common with the girl in the video. While the idea may seem hilarious, it is important to remember how the targeted people must feel. Therefore, today's lesson is to be mindful of the consequences humor can cause at others' expense in all aspects including gender, race, religion, ethnicity, etc.

Day 20...Welcome to Wherever You Are

I planned to sleep in later than usual this morning. However, I was awaken by my roommate, Tamera, much earlier than expected. Fighting the light and wishing to sleep longer, I stepped out of bed to pack my bag and prepare for the day. After about fifteen minutes of frantically trying to find all of my things and throw them into my suitcase, I was dripping in sweat. I drug my bag to the bus and found a seat. Feeling all heat and no air, I realized that though I was hesitant to leave the beautiful city, the heat and humidity were two things I would definitely not be missing.

Today was a travel day consisting of a three hour drive from Puerto Viejo to San Jose. However, due to a few minor set backs, the drive was closer to a five hour trek. Our first stop was at a local ecotourism place known as ATEC; this was the organization that booked all of our activities while in Puerto Viejo. After leaving here, we traveled approximately thirty feet before stopping again for a group to make some purchases at the local supermarket. Fifteen minutes later we were finally on the road and ready for our journey. Unfortunately, we were stopped once again, this time for motion sickness. One of the girls had to leave the bus and walk around for a minute to keep from being sick. Of course we had to stop immediately causing us to be on the side of the road rather than at or even near a convenient store. Because a good bit of people bought drinks at the supermarket, many of us already needed a bathroom break. So, once again, we made another stop. After four stops, we were sure we were on our way. However, we cannot seem to do anything without having some sort of story. Just as we made it to the half way point, our front right tire blew. Luckily our driver had all of the equipment to safely change it. The last stop before arrival in San Jose was for lunch, which was quick and smooth. Feeling full and extremely tired, I slept the remainder of the way.

Upon arrival at Hotel Milvia, we unloaded, found our rooms, claimed our beds, and began working on our classwork assignments. During this time, I finished a paper and completely updated my blog. Thankfully the majority of the group decided to order food giving us a good amount of free time to work. We ordered from a local Italian place. Because we were really hungry when placing the order for seventeen people, once the food arrived we were like a pack of coyotes scarfing down our food meaning we finished our meals within about a ten minute time frame. Apparently traveling makes us extremely hungry.

On the ride from one destination to the next I listened to some music on my phone. A song that caught my attention was Bon Jovi's "Welcome to Wherever you Are". In this song he states, "maybe we're all different, but we're still the same. We all got the blood of Eden running through our veins." This verse put everything I have learned on this trip into perspective. It is important to realize that everyone is different in their own way but also realize how similar we all are, more than we want to believe at times. The title has just as important of a meaning today as the lyrics. We made multiple stops and had a variety of adventures. However, we simply went with the flow and welcomed wherever it was we were taken.

Day 19...The Glass is Half Full

Once again, I woke up this morning to have the usual breakfast prepared at the Shawanda hotel. After finishing, the group loaded into a bus to take us to a local school where we were to do some volunteer work. Here we split into three groups to each accomplish a different task. Being in group one, we were assigned to decorate a mural. Multiple colored bottle caps had been sorted into plastic bags, and we were instructed to use these to form letters on a wooden board. The letters were to spell the school's name, "Escuela Rio Negro" or "The Black River School."

After completing our project, a small group decided to go to the local Rescue Center. We saw multiple animals including a jaguar, toucans, sloths, snakes, a deer, and the best of all, monkeys. As soon as we walked into the monkey cage, one jumped onto my head and another into my arms. It was so much fun to hold and play with them. Even though it was only ten minutes, I really enjoyed the experience especially since I was contemplating not taking the tour. I really learned a great deal about the different species of Costa Rica.

We then went to lunch at a local place where we were given the options of chicken or fish along with rice and beans, and once again I chose fish. It was pretty tasty but not near as delicious as other restaurants at which we have eaten. Free time awaited us after we finished our meal. I decided to use this time to catch up on my blog. However, after completing two days, I found myself distracted by my friends in the pool. Before I knew it, I was in my swimsuit and headed for the refreshing water to join them.

Feeling refreshed, I headed back to the bungalow to shower and get ready for dinner. We were to eat at Koki Beach in Puerto Viejo. I was really excited because I had the opportunity to wear a new dress I bought when shopping yesterday. After placing our order, dinner was simple and relaxed so we all managed to enjoy ourselves. After two hours of the chaos we tend to cause when ordering, a night out was very much needed by the majority of the group.

We went to a local bar where most people danced and drank. I did neither simply because I was not in the mood. I observed and was content with doing so. However, after about an hour, I was ready to leave but my classmates and friends were not. Because of this, we were forced to stay another hour and a half waiting on more people to leave. Eventually I was fed up and ready to leave.

My day was overall great, but this evening brought a few bumps. Though I enjoyed myself for the first hour and a half at the bar, the second half of my time there was not fun. I was tired and simply not in the mood to drink and in turn did not feel like dancing. In addition to this tonight,  I was feeling really lonely and really missing home. However, I discussed my feelings with Audra and Sarah, which made me feel much better. I now feel as if I have two people I can confide in when things get tough here.

Today I learned that a positive attitude can go a long way and is necessary to succeed in life. When creating the mural I was shocked at the items we were instructed to use. However, believing it was possible, it turned out wonderful. When going to the Rescue Center, I did not want to go into the monkey cage fearing their reactions. However, when I did, I had an absolute blast and did not want to leave. When I was stuck at the bar, I was itching to be home, However, I smiled and talked allowing me to create even better friendships on this trip. The only way I survived my day was with my positive attitude; without it, my day, and the day of those around me, would have been absolutely miserable.

Props to Dixie Gallups for always telling me to be optimistic. Tonight I learned you know what you're talking about! :)

Day 18...It's a Wonderful Life

Waking up this morning I was ecstatic because my day was going to include surfing lessons. My cousin surfed when he lived in Florida, so I somewhat tried to learn when I was younger. However, I never managed to come anywhere close to standing. Today, I was determined, was going to be different. We loaded into  our van and made our way to the beach where we were greeted by our instructors. We were given a mini lesson on the proper form then grabbed our boards and walked to the beach.

I was the first one to try. Not realizing I was actually supposed to stand up, I fell off my board immediately after the wave hit me. However, on my second try I managed to get to my feet quickly and ride the wave for a few seconds. I did this a few times before feeling motion sick from the rough waves. I took a little break but was back out on the water within ten or fifteen minutes. We rode a few more waves and finished our lesson after about another hour.

After leaving the beach, we returned to the hotel where we were given some idle time to shower and prepare for the remainder of the day. After dressing and packing my bag, I decided to use this time to do some classwork. I worked on my blog and researched some ideas for my project. We then proceeded to Veronica's Place for lunch. It was absolutely delicious. We then interviewed a couple of people involved in interracial relationships. The relationships included Afro-Caribbean and Cuban, Afro-Caribbean and Ecuadorian, and Afro-Caribbean and German. They allowed us to ask any questions about their culture and relationships basically giving us an open floor.

After interviewing for two hours, we were given a two hour break to do as we pleased. For the first thirty minutes I shopped a little. Because shopping makes me so tired, I decided to rest for the remainder of our time. Shannel and I went to the beach for a bit and relaxed while watching people and nature. Meeting back up with our group, we walked down to Junior's house for a cooking lesson. We watched as he, along with his wife and two friends, prepared our meal right before our eyes in his outdoor kitchen. It was some of the best food I have ever had and the plantains were to die for. It was so neat to see so many people cooking at once and communicating nonverbally all while staying so organized.

As we left, Junior told us good bye and asked us to remember that "life is a wonderful thing." Hearing this I realized how wonderful it truly is and how much some of us take it for granted. The people we have met in Puerto Viejo are so relaxed. They go with the flow and do enough just to get by while enjoying all of the little things life has to offer. Seeing people happy with the bare necessities made me realize that life is a gift I need to take time to enjoy more often.