Project Compassion Jaxon

Next Adventure in the Works

2010-04-24T14:36:00.002-05:00

It is the first day of Spring and I am jumping ahead to our August adventure. I think I have a tentative plan for our next phase of Compassion Jaxon. This one will have to be on our continent again until I can figure out the funding aspect to go further.

Matt will be leaving for a brief Tour of Duty (TDY) in Iraq in August, so I think that Jaxon and I are going to head out West for a 4,000 mile loop from Montecito, California to Redwood National Park to Eugene, Oregon, to Spokane, Washington, to Bozeman, Montana, to Estes Park, Colorado, to Guadlupita, New Mexico, to Sedona, Arizona and back to CA. I would like to rent a Hybrid and drive through this part of the country that I have not much explored. We will stay with friends mostly along the way and let our spirit of adventure guide us! I think we will try to go for 4 weeks, however that would mean Jaxon would miss his first week of "real" school. (brick and mortar this fall at the Montessori School of Camden). Hope they won't mind!!

As usual, creative financing will be necessary, so any ideas (or donations!) will be much appreciated!!!

I will post more as our plans develop!

Final Moments

2009-12-16T10:34:00.002-06:00

Dec. 15, 2009

These are our last few hours here in Costa Rica and the last 24 have been melancholy for me. Jaxon is thrilled to be returning to the Land of Excess and Consumption, but I am not ready. I feel free for the first time in years. Not as free as the 20-somethings I watched with longing as they celebrated finishing their yoga training with a surf trip to Montezuma. Now that is real freedom. That was me, once upon a time. I was overcome by the sensation of time literally flying by as I watched the Costa Rican landscape pass me by out the bus window, and I listened to the girls planning their adventure.

Jaxon had fallen asleep with his hand slightly gripping my arm. He reflexively squeezed and released my arm and I was reminded of how he used to do that to my finger as he was sleeping as an infant. The tears came pouring forth as they are about to again as I write this. Nine years since my baby was born and here we are on our first adventure together. Gosh, he is so big now and his upper body barely fits in my lap.

Tears poured hot down my face as I gazed at the beauty of the mountains, the azure sky and the puffy clouds, the cows on the hill, the boldly painted Tico homes – pink and teal. I thought of my Uncle who just passed away days before our trip and my Dad who died when he was almost the age I am now. I was so sad that they could not share this view or any others with me - grossly aware of how sometimes we do not have as much time as we think we do.

In 2010, I approach my 40^th year and as the landscape blew by me, it reinforced my feeling of how my life is passing me by. How, if I am lucky, I am probably at the halfway point. Given my family history, that may not be the case, but I am a positive person and (mostly) healthy. I hope to live a long life so I can take Jaxon’s kids zip lining with me in Costa Rica and elsewhere to experience the world.
Well, Jaxon is nagging me about his stomach growling, so I must end my Costa Rican journal to take him to breakfast…our last breakfast in Costa Rica. One thing I will not miss is rice and beans, but I have developed a new fondness for fried plantains.

Today, give your kids a big hug. Call your mom, or your dad and tell them you love them. Kiss your spouse on the cheek for no good reason and wrap your arms around them and say thank you for sharing their life with you. Be grateful you have eyes to soak in the beauty around you. Be thankful that you can hear the beautiful sound of laughter and music. Shout out in joy that you can breathe and feel the coolness and freshness of the winter air or the feeling of raindrops on your skin.

Be grateful for each moment of your life, each minute, each second.

I know I am…….

Until our next adventure,
Lisa

2009-12-12T18:39:00.000-06:00

OK - think I figured it out! Here are the pics of us working with the animals at the Zoo. If you cannot see them well, click on the slideshow and it will take you to the pictures and you can view them at your leisure. ENJOY!

2009-12-12T18:26:00.000-06:00

Los Personnes de Santa Rosa

2009-12-09T17:25:00.001-06:00

Tuesday, Dec. 8. 2009

Jaxon and I have worked at the La Marina Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Center for 2 days now. I must say, it is extremely satisfying work. We arrive around 8:30 after taking the bus up the hill, work until about 10 and then go have café with the others who work there. Then we go out for a while more, came back and have a communal lunch at noon and then out again till 3 pm and then we’re done! Today we took the bus to Aguas Zarcas and spent some time in the internet café.

The zoo is not very modern and every animal eats either bananas, plantains, yuca or papaya, so we spent a lot of time preparing fruit. I will give a more specific journal of each day at the zoo for those who are interested. I will try to post a new one each day.

Here’s a little more about our host family. They are all very sweet:

The Mother is the matriarch and the one that we interact with the most. She cooks us all of our meals and sits with us when we eat. She is very attentive and tries very hard to understand my fractured Spanish. She washes our clothes without asking and prepares meals specifically to our taste as best as she can with what she has. I know it is not common for Costa Ricans to have French toast, raw celery and spaghetti, but she has made those for us and more. She is also the person I go to if I have any problems. Like one morning I woke up and there were 20 pieces of rice on our bathroom floor. Only they were moving. And next to my dirty laundry bag. I about blanked my pants at that moment and ran screaming out of the room. Rosa assured me “es normale” and it is from ants. And usually the piles of rice are much greater than 20. (Still not sure I buy that this is normal, but she has a way about her that I find reassuring, so I believed her.) She is very gracious and likeable.

The Father works very hard and goes to university also, so we do not see much of him. He is very social and friendly and he seemed to like us a lot. At first. However, I afraid I may have insulted him by insisting that Jaxon have a seatbelt on the way home from a party. He had a few beers and although he was not drunk and I know he is a capable driver, Costa Rican drivers tend to fall on the “are you kidding me?” side of crazy drivers. They do INSANE things on the road, like pass a bus with a truck full of chickens while going uphill on a blind corner, with 50 dogs and kids - mas or menos - dangerously close to the street. So, as we were leaving I said, wait Jaxon’s seatbelt is broken. He and the kids screamed at me as I fumbled for 5 minutes to fix it, “No es necisito! No es necisto!” Well, I had had just enough beers to be persistent and I wasn’t giving up with the seatbelt. I ended up pulling the whole thing out until it was about 8 feet long and tying it around Jaxon and then hanging on to him - just in case. Yeah - that would help.) I could see the steam rising out of his ears. And his kids slumped in their seats a little lower. Overall though, he is a good man and still says "Buenas Dias" to me each morning, though not much more.

The Oldest Daughter does not live here at home. She is old enough (though can’t remember how old) to be out on her own and we have not met her. Although her parents are Catholic, she is an evangelical Christian. I thought this was interesting. Her parents do not have a problem with this, which I found refreshing.

The Only Son we have met once. I do not think he lives here all the time, but does spend a lot of time here. He is 19ish and works in a store in Ciudad Quesada. An extremely nice boy – quiet and God fearing. He has a very kind way about him, and although I do not know him well, his mannerisms remind me of the Mother.

The Teen Queen is the 16-year-old daughter who is very much like a 16-year-old anywhere. She dresses hip and spends a lot of time texting her friends. She is cute as button, a little bit broody, but offers a smile whenever she sees us. She (like all the girls and women here) seems to have a fondness for Jaxon. They all find him to be “muy guapo” (handsome) and his infrequent attempts at Spanish make her giggle and bat her eyelashes.

The Baby is definitely the dramatic one! She is a cherubic 6-year-old, who when we first arrived was trying to squeeze her way into a cheerful orange party dress that was obviously from last year’s closet. She was crushed when the zipper would barely crest her bottom, but seemed to forget all about it whence donning her hot pink shirt, denim mini, black boots and matching tiara. She is a sweetie, and loves to sit near by and chat with me. She speaks very fast and often likes to whisper secrets in my ear. Oh – I only wish I knew what she was sharing with me so confidentially! Of course I have no idea, but it doesn’t seem to bother her one bit. She keeps on flitting away like the mariposas she loves so much. Jaxon drew her one and at the party, and she asked me to rip off the jagged edges so it would be smooth. Well, apparently no one taught me how to rip a damn piece of paper properly (use a smear of water to rip a clean edge – do ya’ll know this?!?) and anyway I ripped it almost immediately. Oops. She gave me the ojo malo (evil eye) and took it from my hands and gave it to her mother to fix. Well, the damage was irreparable and she was not happy. The next day at breakfast, she gingerly took it out of her pocket, unfolded it precisely and with great care, paused dramatically with pursed lips and sighed when she unfolded the tear. Apparently, not all was forgiven and forgotten. Oh well. Time heals all wounds. Tomorrow I bet she will be whispering in my ear again.

A Small Chihuaua is the family dog. He is a chickytito (not sure of spelling, but means really small. If it is really, really, really small it becomes chick ti ti tito) He runs around with a with a dangling damaged leg. All of the dogs here (and there are TONS) have some kind of physical or mental deformity. The people here seem to love their dogs and yet not care about them at the same time. At any given moment there are 3 dogs in the house all being chased out in variables with a harsh word, a clap or possibly a foot. Man, our dogs don’t know how friggin’ lucky they are! I would never want to be a pero in Central America. None of the dogs are fixed. I mean NONE! There are a million skinny streetwise dogs in the street, but I digress. More on that another day.

Millions of Friends and Family come in and out throughout the day and night. The door is always open and people are always passing through There is very little to do here, so I guess people visit with one another frequently. I can only imagine what kind of gossip must happen here daily. If only I could understand what they were saying, I might not miss “Desperate Housewives” so much! People come and drop off kids, bring food, sit down and eat, play cards, call their friends, whatever! all day long. And often in to the night! I bet if I took a real count, more than 50 people on average pass through the door each day. Can you imagine!?

Well, I as going to write about the animals and the zoo, but gosh, the people are just so interesting! I will save animal speak for tomorrow. Buenas noches mis amigos!! Hasta manaña!

A few more I do not think posted previously! (if you saw these already, let me know!)

2009-12-09T17:15:00.003-06:00

A Tree Falls in Tirimbina

Older Photos from Tirimbina that I think Did Not Post!

2009-12-09T17:13:00.002-06:00

Costa Rican Wildlife 1

At the new Casa con Rosa y Ronald

2009-12-08T16:52:00.000-06:00

Sunday, Dec. 6. 2009

Today I have a bit of a hangover. Another birthday party last night and my new hosts were very successful in never allowing my glass to be empty. I told them I like Pilsen and they made sure I had many. Felt like college again! I don’t usually drink that much (beer that is!)

We arrived here yesterday afternoon. I really do not even know where we are, except to say we are between Aguas Zarcas and Quesada and our house is on the same street as the prison. The accommodations are not bad, but certainly a different standard than most Americans would find acceptable. My threadbare sheets on my single mattress are a combination of floral and 101 Dalmations with a VERY pink satin Asian theme comforter with pagodas. We have separate entrances from the house and a Jack and Jill bathroom that connects this rooms, so it is comfortable. I miss having a little kitchenette and certainly will go a little crazy without wifi, but that I s part of the adventure!

What a different way of living! I am not allowing Jaxon to use his iPod touch because we cannot charge it and I need the translator on it for emergencies. We do not have a TV and there is no internet service. This should be a reality TV show for Americans and their kids! Maybe I should pitch that idea? Like a Wife Swap, but instead have whole families swap lives in a different culture for a week. It would be a hit. Anyone have any connections in Hollywood? I want to do this!

We begin working at the zoo on Monday.. We had a chance to go and walk through it yesterday. Some of it is nice and some of it is very sad. Many of the big cats do not have adequate accommodations – small cinder block cages maybe 10’ x 10’. And neither do the spider monkeys and the parrots. How do I tell them that without sounding judgmental or rude? What could be done to fix it? Throughout the zoo are messages in Spanish and English about conservation and environmentalism, which I think are good. I think most of the animals they have here were obtained from a bad situation (so rescued) and I think they release some that are able to be released, but not many. I think! Again I need to clarify that.

Well, today is Sunday and it is raining (surprise!), but I am sure will pass. I need to get up and shower and make an appearance in the main house for breakfast, lest my hosts think I am dead in here. Feeling a bit fuzzy, like I stubbed my head. Today we do not work, so we may go to the local pool and maybe up to the hot springs that are pretty near by.

Oh - last night Jaxon was hilarious at the party. The lights went out for about a half and hour (no one knows why!) This was a big party with loud music, tons of food about 50 people, etc. We were sitting in the kitchen making strained conversation and Jaxon suggested that there was a guy upstairs that was riding a bike to make the electricity for the lights and that maybe he fell off or had one to many cervesas! I almost fell off my stool laughing. Funny boy!

Moving On....

2009-12-05T12:13:00.000-06:00

I am sittting in the lobby of the lounge to write our final post from Tirimbina. We are very sad to be leaving. Tirimbina is a such a warm place and they people who work here are like one big family. They have embraced Jaxon and I, and really made us feel welcome.

I am thinking of trying to come back next year, but leading an educational trip for kids for a week to 10 days. If any of you parents would like to send your children with Matt and I out here for a week, let's talk! I promise it will be the experience of a lifetime for them, as it has been for us. Many educational tours through the rain forest, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, etc., We even know an ex-professional soccer player to teach us soccer! I am working on pricing now, but it would be affordable. Better experience than a summer camp!

So now, we are heading to La Marina Zoo in Aguas Zarcas on the bus. We will be there for 6 nights and then to Arenal (active volcano) for 3 nights where we have arranged a high octane zip line through the canopy where they take you up the mountain in a gondola and you zip line back down! I do not know if I will have internet access or not in Aguas Zarcas, but will defnitely in Arenal. Check back with us every day, just in case!

PURA VIDA, AMIGOS!!!

A Tree Falls in Tirimbina

2009-12-03T13:34:00.000-06:00

This morning Jaxon and I accompanied Emanuel on a two and half hour hike through a rustic trail in Tirimbina to do a visual check of some of the plants in a study and to search for caterpillars. Tomorrow begins the week-long butterfly (mariposa) study. Tirimbina has been collecting data on butterflies the first week of each month for about the last five years. All of this cumulative research will be very helpful in studying the health of the forest and the butterfly population.

The day began with our regular suspension bridge crossing into the forest, only today we had company. A family of nine Howler monkeys (mono Congo) was crossing the bridge at the same time and came within feet of us! We spotted two babies, several juveniles, a few females and one male in the troop. I think they were the same group we spotted in the forest a day before. (Trying to download a video, but having some trouble! Check back a little later.)

We hiked and searched under leaves for caterpillars. Even to the untrained eye, there is a lot to see in the rainforest. But if you know what you are looking for, the rainforest is amazing! Manuel knew exactly what to look for. He would examine plant leaves for bite marks, then scope for caterpillar poop on the leaves (surprisingly visible!) and then he would search for a rolled up leaf. If the plant had any or all of these signs, he would flip the leaves over and VOILA – caterpillars!

The first we one spotted was huge – about the size and girth of my index finger. We labeled a large plastic bag and inserted leaves for food and placed the entire leaf and caterpillar in the bag. Manuel then wrote a description of the caterpillar where it was located, its surroundings, etc. He said that all that info (and the caterpillar) would go to the National Museum of Costa Rica. We even got to write our names in the book as the ones who discovered it! Great day!

A funny aside – while we were looking for caterpillars, we pulled down a branch that was being strangled by vines. Also in the vines was a tree trunk. We heard a loud sound and realized the tree was going to fall. I screamed, “Watch out!” to Jaxon and pushed him out of the way….. or so I thought. Instead I pushed him right into the path of the falling tree, which cracked in half over his head! It hurt a little, but most of all, we all laughed at what a great mom I am!! Pushing her kid into harm’s way!

Also spotted on the hike today – many frogs and toads, a strawberry poison dart frog, one unidentified snake, an agouti, a lot of birds, several lizards and Central American whiptails and of course, the monkeys!!

Tomorrow we begin the Butterfly Project! Can’t wait!

Slideshow: Monkeys and Mushrooms and Frogs - Oh My!

2009-12-03T13:14:00.001-06:00

Futbol de Costa Rica

2009-12-02T21:49:00.001-06:00

Tonight we were invited to go watch the Tirmibina soccer team play a 5 on 5 game. It was SO MUCH fun! The game was played on a small field and moved so quickly. SO much more fun than any pro game I have watched in the States. Tirimbina won 6 to 4. I could watch them play every week! Jaxon is inspired and learned some pretty cool moves.

Afterward we went with some of the team out for a beer, and Jax and I had our first hamburguesa con pappas. (burger with fries) It was pretty darn good!

I think I could live here. I am not quite ready to leave Tirmibina and move on. Oh - we are staying an extra night to work on a butterfly project starting tomorrow. We will leave for La Marina Zoo (where I do not believe we will have wi-fi - AGH!) on Saturday. Tomorrow night we are going to celebrate our friend Carlos's 36th birthday at a celebration at the gym. Feliz Cumpleaños, mi amigo!

I am working on a post with photographs from our amazing day today. Should have it up tomorrow, so check back.

Amor Siempre,
Lisa y Jaxon

Pizza & Beer Tonight - Boring

2009-12-01T21:05:00.000-06:00

Ahhh just like home. Except it was REAL ordeal to get a pizza delivered to the lodge - involving one pizza restaurant, 1 lodge receptionist, and a taxi driver - all incredulous that I wanted a pizza with just cheese and sauce! When all was said and done, the pizza the size of the plate cost about $12. I had a beer slushy from our fridge which freezes everything and I finished off the Yippies. I told you I would eat them all - even if they were kind of gross!

Uneventful day today. I am working on developing some rainforest animal cards to use for games at the schools, but almost ended up smashing my laptop in frustration. It has been a while since I had to compose more than an email message or Facebook update. I am not meant to sit behind a computer screen all day (Note to self!) Highlight of the day was watching a 6 foot iguana whiptail down the walking path.

Horseback riding yesterday was a blast! Especially watching Jaxon gallop for the first time. (Rides like his dad - Elbows flopping, holding on for dear life, but laughing ecstatically the whole time!) Starting a butterfly project Thurs. Leaving for next stop Fri. or Sat.

Kind of boring post, but that's it for now. Not everyday is an earthquake kind of day.

La Finca de Dona Daisy (Dona Daisy's Farm)

2009-11-30T09:42:00.001-06:00

La Finca de Dona Daisy (Dona Daisy's Farm)

2009-11-30T09:41:00.001-06:00

Waste Now, Want Not Later

2009-11-28T09:50:00.005-06:00

I am reminded while living in this little eco-friendly village of how overindulgent we are in the U.S. with our resources. Here there are signs to remind you to turn off the water when you brush your teeth and wash your hands. Here there are recycle bins and compost heaps everywhere. Here they are signs asking you to please shut off your lights and fans when you leave so as not to waste precious resources. Air conditioning is in only a few rooms and turned on only when there is someone occupying it. At the restaurant you eat what you take – no more and no less. To return a plate of uneaten food to the kitchen is rude at best. In the shower you shut off the water while you shave and lather and then turn it back on to not waste water (precious hot water, I may add, which lasts for a minute at a time and is heated through solar.) Here few people have cars and most use bikes, buses and their feet to get where they need to go. Two cars per household in Costa Rica? You must be loaded!!! Here you wash your clothes (often by hand) and hang them in the sun to dry.

They do have luxuries here – like wi-fi and satellite TV, iPods and automobiles, but they do not have more or use more than they need. Count up your TVs, computers, personal handheld devices, cars in your garage and bags of goods to give away, and the bags of garbage that we toss without separating. What an unbelievable amount of waste and consumption we all create!

I am sure it is not surprise to you that the US uses a quarter of the worlds global energy supply. Before we left of for our trip Jaxon was learning about natural resources in science. We discussed renewable, non-renewable, and inexhaustible resources. It seems in the U.S., we think of all resources as inexhaustible. We do not even contemplate the end of fresh water or oil, fish from the ocean or fertile and untainted land.

Here are some interesting facts from the World Resource Institute that we should consider this holiday season as we gas up to see the relatives, rush out to charge Christmas goods on our credit cards and drive though the BK for a quarter-pounder on the way.

In the U.S. alone, every man, woman and child is responsible for the consumption of about 25 tons of raw materials each year.

Americans, while making up only four percent of the world's population, operate one third of its automobiles.

To produce a lowly quarter-pound hamburger. requires 1.2 pounds of grain to feed the cattle, and 100 gallons of water -- part of the hidden cost consumers never see.

16 percent of the world's population is consuming some 80 percent of its natural resources

I, too, am guilty of wasting resources. Just ask Matt who is regularly barking at me to shut the (expletive) lights off when I leave the room. Or to turn off the laptop when I am not using it. Or to shut of the engine while waiting in the bank line or for a train to go by. I often forget to conserve. But after spending this time here, where resources are more scarce and more respected, I hope I will come home with a greater appreciation for our natural resources and be more conscious of protecting them.

I ask you to do the same this holiday season and to teach your children the importance of conservation. They are the ones who really need to learn this lesson. The earth cannot keep up with our demands and our children must be the ones to demand less, not more. They are the ones who will make the difference. But it is up to us to teach them why it is important.

Show them where our food comes from. Tell them why it is important to shop local and eat organic. Teach them what happens when we rely upon foreign oil. (We have been at war with Iraq for 7 years now - 12 in some other opinions. And believe me, it is not about WMDs!) Show them what happens to the eco-system when we overfish our oceans. Tell them what happens to our rivers and streams when we buy farmed Christmas trees that rely upon heavy fertilizer and pesticides to hold your baubles and lights for a couple of weeks. If you don’t know, find out for yourselves first and then take the responsibility to pass it on.

Contrary to popular practice, the world is not a wad of gum for us to chew up and spit out. Use only what you need. If you chew the gum, stick it behind your ear for later use. Only throw it out when it is completely spent. Actually, gum doesn't biodegrade. Once gum is made, it is gum forever. So maybe we should find an alternative to that too. Anyone for a Tic Tac?

Roughing it

2009-11-27T08:15:00.000-06:00

def. Tweezing your eyebrows by flashlight with the tweezers from the Swiss Army knife.

White Water Rafting Trip

2009-11-26T14:59:00.002-06:00

A Video Crossing the Suspension Bridge

2009-11-26T13:16:00.000-06:00

View our video of a local turkey!

2009-11-26T08:53:00.002-06:00

Click on this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic1LdpOyaYY

Con Mucho Gusto - (With Much Thanks) this Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T08:33:00.001-06:00

Although we will not be eating a Thanksgiving meal today, we will celebrate our day living with gratitude for each moment, each breath, each smile. Being in a 3rd world country for this day is a real reminder of all of the abundance in our lives. We will celebrate this day by exploring the beauty of this region by raft as we spend the morning traveling down the Sarapiqui.

Here are some simple things that we take for granted in the US that I have missed while being here: hot water in the shower, grocery shelves lined with items from around the world; medical and veterinary care around the clock; smooth roads (that do not slide off the mountain); large, comfortable homes with rooms (more than 1) for each person; an oven to cook in; washing machines and dryers (as my clothes smell damp & sour even when clean); air conditioning!

Here are Jaxon's additions: mild terrain; snow; safe homes without bars on the windows; going white water rafting down the Sarapiqui River on Thanksgiving Day, and being able to talk to my friends in English. (He misses being able to communicate with the kids here.)

We are grateful for our experience here and for all of the generous and kind people that live in this wonderful country. The Costan Rican people are extremely helpful and friendly. Even though we have difficulty communicating in words, smiles have gone a long way. We have not yet met anyone who will not smile back at us with warmth in their eyes.

We hope that you all have a wonderful day full of love and gratitude!

Giving Thanks,
L & J

PS - Enjoy the video clip of the GIANT male turkey we met yesterday outside one of the local schools. It was such a treat to see this family of turkeys - several females, one male and a bunch of babies! They were grateful to be Costa Rican turkeys and not in the US! It was explained to me that they are considered pets and not food.

A Morning in the Life of L & J

2009-11-25T08:33:00.000-06:00

(Stay Tuned for the Sequels – An Afternoon and An Evening!)

So this is not going to be a deep or profound post, I just want to share what one morning in our life is like here. We awake usually around 7-7:30 with no alarm - just whenever the sunlight starts creeping in our windows. I carefully look at the floor before stepping out of the bottom bunk because I have found giant millipedes and baby lizards roaming in the wee morning hours. Jaxon likes to catch them, although sadly he pulled off the wiggling tail of the baby lizard this morning. The tail flipped and flopped like a fish out of water, but the lizard seemed no worse for the wear as he scurried off under my bed. If Jax is still asleep when I awake, I’ll write a little or I’ll roll out my yoga mat and stretch, breathe and sit for a bit to get my head and body clear.

When Jaxon wakes up it is time for breakfast! He is a hungry, growing boy. Usually we have cereal, toast, maybe yogurt and fruit, coffee and juice. We went to the grocery store last night and here is what 15000 Colones or about $30 will by you in Sarapiqui – Choco Crisps cereal, milk, small heavy whipping cream (for my coffee!), 2 avocados, 3 bananas, 2 yogurt smoothies, 2 yogurts, a giant carrot as big around as my wrist, Oreo cookie wafers, a roll of cheese crackers, bakery bread sticks, a bag organic sesame logs, a small can of peas, one pack of microwave cheese popcorn and a 6-pack of Imperial beer (Costa Rican). I think that is it. Groceries are surprisingly expensive here! We fix our own breakfast and dinner, but lunch is included.

Then we go and check in at the main lodge to see if there is any work for us to do. Yesterday we went to a local school while Sergio gave a presentation on the rainforest. The day before, we took a GPS through the forest and mapped points to help design a topographic map. In a few minutes we leave again for two more schools. (I need to hurry and get dressed, so will wrap this up!)

The kids are extremely rambunctious as this is their last week of school. You can smell the anticipation of the holidays in the air. All of the tico houses are already decorated for Christmas with lights, garlands and even tiny snowmen – so funny since they probably have no idea what those white, round men really are they never get snow here. And the porches have little decorated Christmas trees. (75% of Costa Ricans are Catholic.) The children finish their school year this week and return in February to a new grade, so for them, this is their summer holiday about to start. Yeah – 3 months of freedom!

They do not celebrate Thanksgiving, so not turkey and stuffing for us this year. However, my new American friend Stephanie and I are going to cook a Costa Rican style Thanksgiving on Saturday. I can’t wait to report on that!

I will post some pictures of our room and some “roommates” when we return from the schools.

Here is a slideshow of some of the wildlife we have seen during our first week here in Tirimbina.

2009-11-23T16:03:00.002-06:00

After the Boots, the Umbrellas

2009-11-22T08:25:00.000-06:00

Not every moment is an adventure, but that is what it is like to live in another place, as opposed to just taking a vacation and staying in a hotel. I am trying to explain this to Jaxon. We do not have the resources to raft, zip line and play all day for 30 days straight. There may be some boring moments, but then we rest up for the more exciting times ahead. We are here first as volunteers and as tourists second.

The volunteering has been humorous thus far. I had really expected that Jaxon and I would be doing some important research and helping out scientifically, but honestly there is little for us to do here. They are finding small tasks I think just to keep us busy. Yesterday we scrubbed the communal umbrellas. The day before that we scrubbed 50 pairs of stinky, rubber rain boots. (They said the boot area never looked so good!)

But we are finding pleasure in very simple moments here. Even in washing boots and umbrellas. Even though these tasks seem totally futile, we still we do them without complaining. (Well, Jaxon did a little bit.) But we played and laughed at the silliness of "our volunteer work." It is somewhat like the Buddhist idea,'"After the dishes, there are still dishes." You just do each task with mindfullness and when it is complete, you move on to the next thing. I like this from Thich Nhat Hanh, which illustrates this idea a little better:

Bathing a New Buddha

To my mind, the idea that doing the dishes is unpleasant can occur only when you are not doing them. Once you are standing in front of the sink with your sleeves rolled up and your hands in warm water, it really is not so bad. I enjoy taking my time with each dish, being fully aware of the dish, the water, and each movement of my hands. I know that if I hurry in order to go and have a cup of tea, the time will be unpleasant and not worth living. That would be a pity, for each minute, each second of life is a miracle. The dishes themselves and the fact that I am here washing them are miracles! Each bowl I wash, each poem I compose, each time I invite a bell to sound is a miracle, each has exactly the same value. One day, while washing a bowl, I felt that my movements were as sacred and respectful as bathing a newborn Buddha. If he were to read this, that newborn Buddha would certainly be happy for me, and not at all insulted at being compared with a bowl.

Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred. In this light, no boundary exists between the sacred and the profane. I must confess it takes me a bit longer to do the dishes, but I live fully in every moment, and I am happy. Washing the dishes is at the same time a means and an end that is, not only do we do the dishes in order to have clean dishes, we also do the dishes just to do the dishes, to live fully in each moment while washing them.

If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have a cup of tea, I will be equally incapable of drinking the tea joyfully. With the cup in my hands I will be thinking about what to do next, and the fragrance and the flavor of the tea, together with the pleasure of drinking it, will be lost. I will always be dragged into the future, never able to live in the present moment.

I think this is an important lesson for Jaxon. When he complained and even I admitted that it was kind of stupid, we still did it and were able to make it fun. I told him that we are here to help and even if we do not think what they are asking of us has value, that we are still to do it and then we move on to the next thing - like an amazing hour in the rainforest resplendent with brilliant blue butterflies, green snakes and yellow birds. Not every moment is going to be that exciting, yet every moment has meaning and can be pleasurable if you just remember to LIVE in it. It's the time spent washing the boots and umbrellas that gives us a way to measure our time in the forest.

Another simple pleasure is that every day after lunch (which is the same EVERY day!), we get a helado (ice cream) and go sit on the hammocks together and watch the wildlife. This has become our ritual and I look forward to that 20 minutes every day.

Life is beautiful in the simple moments. It doesn't have to be all bungee jumping and Class VI rapids. This is what we are discovering here.

Late at Night...

2009-11-22T00:44:00.000-06:00

It's late and the rain is falling on the tin roof. Jaxon is asleep in the bunk next to me and life is good here in Tirimbina despite the fact that the fridge has frozen all our drinks and the milk comes out on our morning Zucaritas (Frosted Flakes) in a giant white ice clump. Despite the fact that I never want to see frioles negras y arroz when we return to the States, yet it is the only thing I can eat with certainty that I know what it is. Despite the fact that I have no more clean underwear or socks and the washing machines are full and no one really seems in any hurry to empty them (they've been full all day with sheets and there are about 8 more bags of sheets sitting back there!) Despite the fact that I saw FIVE poisonous snakes on two different hikes today! Despite the fact that my mattress feels like a cement slab and the sheets have a thread count of 6. Despite all this, life is good.

Highlight of my day: This afternoon I had a solitary moment shared only with with one startlingly beautiful green hermit (which is similar to a large hummingbird with a long curved beak). As I was photographing a moth, something zoomed by my head. This brilliant flash of green then stopped a foot in front of my nose on the suspension bridge and fanned open his tail feathers and stared me in the eyes. For about 3 seconds time was suspended on a suspension bridge as this bird appeared suspended in midair. Amazing moment. (Sidebar - Holy crap - something just chirped VERY loudly in our room and it is pitch black. I think we are not alone! Sounds like a bird. Hope it is not a bat or a giant bug. I am a little bit nervous! I am shining my headlamp around the room but see nothing! OMG!)

I think I better try to go to bed now!