Where to begin?
In the last two weeks I've learned more, seen more, done more, and experienced more than I will ever possibly remember. I applied, never dreaming that I would actually be accepted. I was so scared to go and I had so many fears…fitting in with a group of people I'd never met, the snakes and insects, hiking in the rainforest, understanding everything, trying to participate in everything.
The United States is such an incredibly diverse country with so many different cultures. I never in my life interacted with people all from different places at once. I met people from Idaho, South Dakota, Missouri, Michigan, Alaska, Iowa, Texas, Florida, West Virginia, Washington, Virginia, and twelve other states. Next summer I'm probably going to visit Cat in her town of Mesa Verde and go hiking in the Badlands with Kathy. I may even try out hunting with Keith's family. Next week Stacey will be in Columbus and I'll take her out for Donatos. It's so cool the connections and relationships created during the last two weeks.
I saw so many cool animals first-hand in their natural habitat and many I stood lees the two feet from: both two- and three-toed sloths, yellow and brown pit vipers, fer de lance, howler monkeys, capuchins, toucans, macaws, rainbow crab, blue jean poison frogs, iguanas, tarantula, fire ants, leaf-cutter ants, and many more. I almost planted my hand on the slippery rock which a huge poisonous spider was resting…good thing I missed.
I went hiking through true unadulterated rainforest in pouring torrential downpours. I navigated a small waterfall to hike through a gorge and cave to see a hidden waterfall. Then I scaled that small waterfall. I climbed through slippery and muddy rainforest clay to get to a natural swimming hole in a gorge and I actually swam in it…all in the rain.
I spent my birthday in the rain with my foot up to my shin being eaten by mangrove mud "quicksand" to then be sung "Happy Birthday" when I was filthy, disgusting, drenched, and at my wit's end. All I could do was laugh at that point. Later that night everyone surprised me by singing Happy Birthday yet again at dinner and I'm sure I was blushing. Keith and I were treated to the tallest cake of my life: a hodgepodge Betty Crocker two-layer cake with lemon frosting, strawberry-flavored marshmallows and cake candies that had all softened and melted in the humidity. Although rainforest heat and humidity do not make for a great cake, the effort that the staff put into finding cake mix, frosting, marshmallows, and cake candies in the middle of nowhere and baking in that humidity was one of the kindest things a stranger has ever done.
I experienced life in rural Costa Rica spending two days with Doña Ana's finca. There was no hot water, a methane stove, ants everywhere, and an unsurpassable kindness and generosity. It wasn't the TV with almost no reception, but rather the stories that filled the evening. They shared everything with us and in spite of the daily challenges they face, they were happy. Doña Ana is living her dream of having her own small finca and she hopes that one day her husband will be able to leave the pineapple plantation to work the finca with her. And I even got to experience agua de pipo and fire ants simultaneously. I love agua de pipo; but fire ants in my pants…not so much.
I learned about another educational system and that the dropout issues we face are not unique to the Bronx, or even the United States. Costa Rica struggles with the same problems of getting students to school, passing exams, and graduating from high school. Moreover, I learned that there is no perfect system. No one person, city, or country has found all the answers and there will always be multiple sides to every situation that must be honestly evaluated through all stakeholders' points of view. Although Costa Rica has made great strides towards environmental sustainability, they also struggle with environmental practices on a basic daily level. Poverty is everywhere; it is not unique to one country. Inequalities exist in all societies. I appreciate that the everyone we met and dialogued with in Costa Rica was honest about the issues and challenges they face as they grapple with building a carbon neutral society by 2021.
I saw a pyroclastic volcano!!! It was a perfect cone and I awoke to seeing the gigantic beautiful Arenal smoking. I even saw lava flow from the top at night! It is bright orange like I had imagined. I then flew staring wide-eyed at Arenal as I summoned the courage to zip-line almost 500 feet above the valley floor. Each zip the sequence of emotions was the same:
1. Fear and not wanting to lift feet off the platform into a fetal position.
2. Eyes clinching shut, grabbing handlebar as tightly as possible, and stomach dropping as body accelerates beyond 55 miles per hour.
3. Opening eyes and feeling free, like a bird flying peacefully above the valley more than 500 feet below and in pure awe of the beautiful volcano…while hoping glasses stay on face.
4. Sadly realizing the zip is nearing its end but still needing to lift knees higher to gain enough speed and force make it to the next platform.
5. Gracefully (or not so gracefully) landing on next platform, getting the hugest adrenaline rush humanly possible and waiting in anticipation to repeat steps 1 through 4.
I still can't wipe the smile off my face when I think of zip-lining. I did it. But I also did Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, I came to appreciate the beauty and complexity of both a culture and people. I saw and experienced a whole other world: the untamed rain forest. I saw nature in its natural state, unscathed by human actions and I also witnessed the tangible consequences of our collective decisions. I now grasp how great of an impact every decision I make has on others and that my daily choices concretely effect both humanity and the planet. I learned "tranquilo" and "unplug." I learned that this world is truly a wild and incredible place. And I continue learning...