La Pura Vida

Thank You Mother Earth

In Guapiles now, tucked into what sort of feels like heaven now that I think about it! I´m in a café with walls painted sky blue – it´s open with lots of windows and so flooded with light, and a much appreciated breeze (hace color afuera) is coming my way from a big fan on the floor. I´m on the second floor of this complex – below lies the street packed with colorful tiendas and street vendors.

Soon I will head back to Guacimo for lunch and one of my final afternoons there, but I wanted to take the time to write a little bit about a morning that has reminded me of the value of this whole experience. At times during this stay in the country I have felt more powerless and lonely than I´ve ever felt. Some nights with everyone else in the house occupied I felt desperately lonely. I envied U.S. friends living close to other friends. On days when I didn´t feel like being by myself (yet was), I was easily annoyed by bugs, heat, loud gross rap music that shakes my walls, guys that yell out for me to come over to them when I walk past…and then continue yelling even as I ignore the calls. On the walks to and from Guacimo I would talk sometimes out loud to myself and God, looking for logic to make myself feel more positive. Sometimes I missed the ease of using sarcasm, jokes, informal language - though efforts in Spanish have started working better. Living a life with no clear separation between work and play, it could be difficult to ever completely relax. I´ve craved a 9-5 job, and thought wistfully of the way I loved my work and contributions last summer. Here, my work experiences were varied which allowed for much exposure, but without a main (tangible) project sometimes I felt focus-less and that I wasn´t accomplishing anything. Even last night as I started organizing papers in preparation for writing my final paper next week, I wondered what I had really done. This ´internship´ has been very different from the American sense of the word.

BUT. This morning I wasn´t sure what to do with the day. Carlos, an old man who keeps telling me he likes listening to my voice etc, wanted me to come out and make a video of his pineapple plantation. Erlinda tried to call a similarly flirtatious yet more tolerable man to take me, but he wasn´t there. I was torn because if they need the help I would gladly do it, but didn´t get the best vibe from that project idea. I wanted to go to the local office of Pastoral Social to hear what they do, but no one answered. I then asked Erlinda if I could go with her to her meeting in Guapiles at MINAE. All I knew was that this was a government organization and thought it was related to the environment, but knew I would learn something and regardless I always like the bus rides.

Did have a splendid bus ride, eyes closed with the sun shining and wind blowing on my face, singing. We took a taxi to the office of MINAE and I immediately loved it. Environmental activism evident everywhere – poster that displayed a sad monkey and talked about rainforest preservation, one with a parrot that advised having dogs and cats as pets, not tropical birds. Name stands for Ministerio Del Ambiente y Energia (Ministry of the Environment and Energy). Their mission is managing the administration of natural resources and the environment in the Tortugero conservation area in a sustainable way (for both the environment and the local population). I talked to a man who is working on communication, trying to inform residents and schoolchildren about the effects of certain behavior (how to separate trash correctly, for example). I was struck by the energy in the building, and wanted to take part in their work. Erlinda said her meeting would be boring and so to go explore the city. I talked to the receptionist in MINAE for a while longer, and then took off outside. I felt the bright and joyful clarity of mind that I feel during my best times here. Walking surrounded by the beautiful nature, my mind was churning. Stopped and sat in the shade to write: I want to commit to bettering the environment and learning the means of doing so. Thought about how much sense it all made, nature is spiritual and we are blessed with the responsibility of preserving it. Felt inspired by those working to preserve our environment. Became clear that work with the environment is and should be an indispensable part of social justice work. As I saw in San Marcos, and other parts of the country, geography affects life and standard of living. Not to mention…we have the responsibility of caring for this beautiful world. I feel excited about joining these efforts, taking classes on environmental science and policy perhaps, getting my hands deliciously dirty more…

Just found these words of wisdom. Love em.

*I'm not an environmentalist. I'm an Earth warrior.
-Darryl Cherney, quoted in Smithsonian, April 1990

*There is hope if people will begin to awaken that spiritual part of themselves, that heartfelt knowledge that we are caretakers of this planet.
-Brooke Medicine Tagle

*Loyd: "It has to do with keeping things in balance. It's like the spirits have made a deal with us. We're on our own. The spirits have been good enough to let us live here and use the utilities, and we're saying: We know how nice you're being. We appreciate the rain, we appreciate the sun, we appreciate the deer we took. Sorry if we messed up anything. You've gone to a lot of trouble, and we'll try to be good guests."Codi: "Like a note you'd send somebody after you'd stayed in their house?"Loyd: "Exactly like that. 'Thanks for letting me sleep on your couch. I took some beer out of the refrigerator, and I broke a coffee cup. Sorry, I hope it wasn't your favorite one.'"-Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

*... make us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees do everything to git attention we do, except walk?-Alice Walker

*In earth and water will you grow. In the air will your leaves speak as you reach towards the fire of the sun. We respect and honour and admire you, O tree, and all trees, for you represent both Peace and Power - though you are mighty you hurt no creature. Though you sustain us with your breath, you will give up your life to house and warm and teach us. We give thanks for your blessing upon our lives and upon our lands. May you fare well in this chosen place. Awen." -Druid Ceremony for Planting a Tree

*From the earliest times, trees have been the focus of religious life of many peoples around the world. As the largest plant on earth, the tree has been a major source of stimulation to the mythic imagination. Trees have been invested in all cultures with a dignity unique to their own nature, and tree cults, in which a single tree or a grove of trees is worshipped, have flourished at different times almost everywhere. Even today there are sacred woods in India and Japan, just as there were in pre-Christian Europe. An elaborate mythology of trees exists across a broad range of ancient cultures.-Sacred Places: Trees and the Sacred.

Ok I really want to visit a tree cult.

Different topic:

*"God came to my house and asked for charity. And I fell on my knees and cried, 'Beloved, what may I give?' 'Just love,' He said. 'Just love.' "-St. Francis of Asissi

Woo! for viewing the world as a sacred place that we have the honor of caring for.

Walked to Guapiles. On the way asked a woman if I was going the right way for the center…she was waiting for a bus to go there but said she would walk with me instead. How sweet, we shared her umbrella as protection from the sun. Talked mostly about her son who was in Texas, as well as the difficulties of living far from queridos, and then I stopped to check out a thrift store. Enjoying browsing and the romantic music playing. Bought some secret trinkets I´m looking forward to sprucing up for family!

Followed whims, stopped in different stores. Savored an apple and a bottle of water which happily and surprisingly was peach flavored. Remembered the Catholic church here, went back to visit the women at the thrift store I´d met with Erlinda. Sat down and talked to them for a bit. Bought a little baby shirt to adorn a stuffed animal. Got directions to the church radio and then returned – sort of laughed to myself as I knocked, because my reasons for being there were fuzzy. I told the lady who answered that I´d been there before with Erlinda and the DJ had said he could make a copy for me of the nun who was singing at the time. After going through a few people found him and he said he can make it for me tonight – tomorrow I´ll go pick it up! Want Spanish music to help with learning, and she had a beautiful voice…

Walked to bus stop but on the way passed the church. Doubled back and went to the adoration room for a while. How peaceful…thought about some of what I´ve just written. Realized that despite the trials this summer has presented me it has been very worthwhile. What I wanted after all was to be broken down so that I could think without distractions of what I know...

Time for Guacimo. Enjoyed writing this. Soon I´ll post about the crazy pilgrimage to Cartago of the last 2 days! Walked with a friend from 9 PM - 3:30 AM, what a scene! They say 2 million people made this pilgrimage over those few days – that´s half the population of Costa Rica.

Hope all´s well for those reading!

posted by Colleen @ 1:02 PM