Where surprises lurk

Last weekend, as Francis and I spent a few days out of community (OOC in PC lingo; we get 3 days/month), I am struck by the similarities of what I experience on a daily basis in my PC service and what happens when I go on a walk through the jungle!

Since I've learned to become accustomed to things NOT happening the way I expect them to (remember my motto from 2013:" Expect the Unexpected"?); I'm finally beginning to accept "cualquier" (whatever) happens as coming with the territory.  I'm constantly reminded by just how long it takes to understand the impact that culture has on people and their behaviors.

 I love the trails of Hacienda Baru, a National Wildlife Refuge just north of Dominical on the Pacific Coast.  I was surprised to be able to watch 2  Black-Mandibled Toucans  right outside our bedroom window, high in a papaya tree.

photo courtesy of Mike Ryan

The next morning we identified a bird here at Hacienda Baru, that we hadn't seen before.

The grey-necked Woodrail   (photo internet)

 It was easier to identify than most, because it was walking around the grounds (they don't fly high) collecting goods for it's nest.  One of the fun parts about H. Baru, is how the wildlife practically comes to you while you sit and watch!
 On one hike, we were spooked by what looked and sounded like a wild pig, though later we found out it was a Collared Peccary.

Collared Peccary, common in these parts (photo internet)

 
Francis is the only person I know who gets excited when he sees "beautiful" spiders, beetles and even ants, though I'm sure there are more of his type around!

I have to admit, if you enlarge this, you'll see some  pretty cool pincers on this Medium horned Beetle.  

When Linda and Mike visited in early April, we found a flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, who stopped in a pond behind a restaurant where we had lunch in San Marcos, to give birth and hang out; so said the owner.  We sure didn't expect to see anything so surprising or beautiful, on the short walk around the grounds.

Note the bright orange beaks and feet.

The ducklings 

Linda Joyce,  Francis and Mike Ryan

The 4 of us enjoyed the many beautiful birds we saw when we visited San Geraldo de Dota, even though the restaurant owners put out plates of rice to feed the birds!  (so much for naturaleza).

The Acorn Carpintero  (Woodpecker), my new favorite bird!
photo complements of Mike

We saw the ducks right after we were guests of an English class, whom Francis and I have helped out on occasion.  The students gave us small group presentations on some of the products that Costa Rica is well known for.  They each had the opportunity to practice their English as we were "treated" to mini expositions on aguacates (avocados), café (no translation necessary), maiz (corn) and info on Tourism.

Have you ever tried Avocado Pancakes?  They are really tasty!
In the background here is guacamole.

Isaac, Karen and Carolina

Products made from fresh ground corn: tortillas and cornbread; yummy!
Presented by "Johanny" and Marylin.

We learned more about the growing and processing of coffee in Tarrazú
from Priscilla and Alejandro.

Flowering coffee matas; it's about as close to snow as they
are going to get in Costa Rica!

Speaking of coffee, we are actually drinking the coffee now, that we picked from Vilma's cafetal!  So the process goes like this: the bushes flower right after the harvest, which is now.  The granos (grains) continue to grow all through the rainy season.  At the end of the rainy season; the grains are picked when they are mature (red or yellow, depending on the variety).  

  

The coffee grains are dried (which we did) and then husked, toasted and ground, which Vilma had done elsewhere.

Coffee grains drying on burlap bags in the shade.  I stirred them daily for the first week,
but they dried for a month.

And here it is: what I have named "Alma de la Tierra" (soul of the earth).  It's a combination of "Alejandra's  and Vilma's coffee.

And voila! 
 We now get to drink and enjoy the coffee!  When made fuerte, (strong), my tastebuds consider this to be like the "Imperial" of coffees.  (Imperial Beer is made in Costa Rica and is like the Budweiser or Fat Tire of coffees).  Most coffees from this region have more of an IPA appeal, due to the high altitude and acidity of the soil that results in a more bitter taste.  

Vilma is very proud of the fact that her and her friend, Alejandra's coffee,  is organic.  Almost all big producers use chemicals.  But now Vilma is engaged in a project, to improve her coffee production, as well as other fruits and vegetables that she grows.  On her property, she has many banana trees, avocado, mandarin and lemon trees.  Last month we collected micro-organisms from the forest, which she decomposed in a process of crushing the rotting tree branches and adding molasses for fermentation.  After sitting like that for a month, she made a giant tea bag of the composted mixture, let it sit in water and more molasses for another 4 days, and then sprayed it on her plants.  Hopefully it will make a difference for her.  Here's the process:

Even when Vilma told us we were going to Alejandra's to look for "micro-organismos",
 we didn't know what we were getting into!

This is the giant 'tea bag' she made from the fermented, dried mixture, that is now soaking in molasses water.
Vilma will spray this on her plants.

More surprises from the forest:

This dried seed pod we found in the forest, is called
 "monkey's comb".  

It opens naturally into this star shape and makes for a great 'comb'!

Lest you think our time in Costa Rica is all fun and no work, here's where you'll find the connection:

 Like I said, I'm surprised when things happen like I think they "should" or "might".  The Director (principal) of the high school, gave us April 12th to do our training for the Mentor Guia program, which was both surprising in a good way and bad. This program is where we train 10th graders (there are 26 Mentors in all) to be mentors to 7th graders (there are 77 who want to participate).  The fact that we were given a full day for training like we asked for was great, but it was on a day, when none of our Tico counterparts would be able to attend.  There was a teacher's union meeting that day, and yes, they get to take off 2 days a year to attend union meetings.  They were planning a strike, which by the way, will be happening this week, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Our Día de Entrenamiento (Training Day), went off without a hitch ( which was more like a milagro(miracle) than a  surprise!)  The students said they had a great day (thanks to the help of 4 other PCVs!), and were excited to begin working with their 7th grade "Aprendices" (mentees).

They practiced good communication skills by taking their partner
on a "blind walk".

We met in small groups, discussed and practiced skills to be
a good leader and mentor.

And we ended with breathing exercises and ideas for recreation and decreasing stress.

Surprises lurk in all corners, and during a weekend in April when we went to San Jose to help with the Give-a-Book project, we were met by Carl Dickerson, the Rotary Club founder of the project, whom we have worked with before.  When we arrived, Carl said his next door neighbor had invited us to a Birthday Party, and treated us in Costa Rican fashion, to comida tipica (traditional CR food), drinks and music.  You would have thought we were the guests of honor that night, with all of the attention! Qué dicha! (What a joy) !  More about the Give-a-Book program in future blogs.

They sang folk songs to teach us about the good 'old days in Costa Rica!

Carl and Francis in the warehouse where we sorted and put together sets of books for schools where PCVs serve. 

The group of volunteers who worked at the warehouse that day.  Seeing the average age of a PCV, you can see why I have the nickname:  "Everybody's Mama"!  

April should be renamed el Mes de Sorpresas ( the Month of Surprises), because the more I write, the more surprises I realize we had!

Earlier in April, I received a message from my niece, Phaedra, which said that she and Jason were going to be in CR, for a week, could we manage to meet up with them.  And as it turns out, we could, and they treated us to a night in their condo in Quepos!  So we got to spend an unexpected evening and relaxing morning with them before heading off to Hacienda Baru, just down the road from them, where the birds, insects and other animals of the jungles of Costa Rica awaited us!

Jason, Phaedra, Francis and I

Since you never know where surprises lurk, I always take my camera with me when I go out.  On a recent walk up the street, I spotted this woman and her son!
I couldn't resist asking her if I could take her picture with her makeshift "sombrilla" (umbrella), which, she said was serving its purpose!

                                          What surprises lurk around the corner for you?