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Rosa's blog
*excerpted from emails and occasionally, phone calls*
[For an introduction to Rosa's blog, see "Arriving," below.]
May 22, 2007
Sports Day
We had Sports Day on Saturday. We played volleyball and ultimate frisbee, and I was going to run a hash with Loren, but it
was postponed. (A hash is kind of like a scavenger hunt. There are symbols painted on the ground in white powder. You run
to one and it tells you what to do next, whether to run back to where you came from or go down this path or that path . .
. .)
The big event was a soccer game against the Creativa (a school in Santa Elena). I started, but once they subbed me out,
I couldn't get in again. Nobody would come out, even though you could tell they were winded. I think they really wanted to
win. Some of them are better than me, but the only way I'll get better is if they let me play! I was the only girl on the
team. I think the competition brought out a lot of machismo.
The amazing thing is that, even though we had some gringos, and the Creativa team was all Ticos, we won!
After the official game, teachers and parents started to play, and Helen and I joined them.
May 8, 2007
Makeover
I went and got a ¨makeover¨ at Yarrow and Marzos' house. It's cool that I can hang with people that are, like, ten years
older than I am, and they treat me as an equal. I would have never found people like this in the States.
They cut my hair and gave me some red streaks. The red didn't turn out that bright, but my hair is a lot shorter. I think
you'll really like the style. I"m still getting used to it.
May 3, 2007
Fiestas
It's fiesta time at the bull ring in the village of Cerro Plano, a short walk from Monteverde. The food booths serve chorreadas,
which are sweet tortillas with bits of corn; papusas, thick tortillas stuffed with beans, cheese or meat; chicharrones, fried
pork rinds (I stay away from those, having eaten too many once as a little kid in Mexico); and chop suey. I've missed the
bull riding so far; I go for the dances. There's a stage, where bands play mostly cumbia and raggaeton, and a dance floor,
and balconies on both sides of the stage where you can sit down and have drinks. A lot of people come; there will be maybe
a hundred on the dance floor. I've gone with Walker, Marie, and Nico, and we've run into older kids: Alvaro, Helen, Hannah,
and Alex. It's a lot of fun.
May 2, 2007
¡Golazo!
It turns out that in addition to the tiny soccer field where we practice, there's an astroturf field, the Cancha Atlética,
outside of Santa Elena, where games are played. I played in a game for the first time last night. We wore blue and gold
uniforms. I'm number 26. Above the number, it says "Feminina Monteverde." We played against a pick-up team of cousins
and mothers. There were seven of us, we rotated in, and we all took turns playing goalie. I didn't let a single ball through.
Then, when it was my turn to play forward, I scored and we won the game. It was a lot of fun.
Normally, the games will be every fifteen days, but we'll play a special game next Tuesday and again the following Tuesday.
Yay!
May 2, 2007
Grandma
I'm really looking forward to seeing grandma. Lately, I have had pictures of being in Davis going through my head, like biking
to the farmer´s market or arriving at the co-op in grandma´s car. I've chatted quite a bit (by email) with grandma and (Aunt)
Sarah. I can't wait to be there this summer.
May 1, 2007
Asphalt
You may remember that all of the roads leading to Monteverde, whether from the Pan American Highway or from Tilarán, were,
until recently, made of dirt and rock. Two years ago, the government decided to pave, and this month, they finally brought
their asphalt to the edge of Monteverde. The pavement won't go all the way in to Monteverde; the people were against it because
they didn't want life to speed up, with crowds, pollution, and fast drivers pushing out pedestrians. But the government has
now paved as far as the gas station between Monteverde and Cerro Plano. It's less pleasant to walk on. The cars and motorcycles
go really fast around the corners, and there's no sidewalk yet. I've mostly been walking all the way off the road, on the
dirt at the edge of it. I must say, though, I find asphalt easier to run on than the rough dirt and stone.
The road construction brought something else new: the whole experience of being whistled at and hit on by construction
workers. One of them would say, "¡Hola, chica!" Another got as specific as, "¡Ay, que bellos ojos! (I like
your eyes!)"
Well, I guess I wasn't entirely surprised. When Hannah and I were in Panama (two blondes in tank tops, pedaling in the
heat), we rode past a construction site and all the workers stopped what they were doing and started whistling. Hannah, who
is used to it because she's lived here a long time, milked it, waving and blowing kisses, but I'm like, can we pedal faster?
| Still Unpaved |
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| Monteverde held out for dirt; the asphalt stops short of us. |
April 18, 2007
Feelings
I feel so great here. This week was the first time talking to my parents that I didn't even choke up. Well, maybe not the
first time, but this was the first time that the Salazars, my host family, noticed. Siria, my host mom, commented that she
saw that I didn't. So that felt good. I was proud of myself.
April 12, 2007
Return of the Rains
Yesterday I got my first taste of Monteverde rain. It was pretty cool. I got soaked walking to Dulce Marzo, even though I
had my rain jacket. Luckily, I had thrown that into my backpack in the morning.
April 9, 2007
Secky's Second Visit
| Monteverde Reserve |
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| I'll miss Secky; the hikes were fun. |
Secky's visit was great. I cried when she left. Panama City and then Secky's visit had been so much fun that the reality of
returning to the routine of school in a small 7th-8th grade class, and not having another visitor until late May, hit me hard.
The weekend with Secky was all about talking, walking, and running into wild animals. We saw four resplendent quetzals
while hiking in the Monteverde Reserve on Saturday, including a pair: we got to see the brilliant colors of the male. On Sunday,
hiking in the Hidden Valley Reserve by Cerro Plano, we saw a coati and several agoutis. Coatis are like raccoons, with long
tails and pointed snouts. We had lunch afterwards at Flory's with Loren, the director of my school. Flory's is an open-air
restaurant between my house and school, really just a shed with a wood stove; a troop of white-faced monkeys came by while
we ate.
| Resplendent Quetzal |
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| Coatimundi |
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Here are Secky's highlights of the weekend with Rosa:
I think my new favorite place in Monteverde is El Valle Escondido (Hidden Valley), a family farm/private reserve near
Cerro Plano, below the Butterfly Farm. It is a sweet area with stupendous views of the Nicoya Coast, "el golfo,"
and also a magical waterfall that falls in two places and pools amidst "bird of paradise" flowers and tarzan-roped
trees. We watched a coati meander along the water below the falls. We saw a herd of agouti as we entered the reserve.
We saw not one other human being.
We had a fabulous walk in the main reserve, though our goal was a highly-recommended vista along the Continental Divide
which proved futile on such a cloudy day...but hey, they don't call it a Cloud Forest for nothin'! We did see at least one
pair, maybe two, of the famous quetzal birds....the second pair was spotted by a Tico guide -- with telescope! -- so we got
a great look at the bright teal and red male and the more subdued female.
I also have a new favorite restaurant in Monteverde: Sofia's, catering a bit to the, er, upscale, crowd indeed, but the
fusion cuisine and creative use of local produce made for fabulous eating.
But the final meal at Dona Flory's was, as always, the best. Loren was good company, Flory's tamal was delicioso, and
the troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys that entertained us was a good reminder that, no Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore.
How does one translate "cupcake" into Tico Spanish? Turns out, not too easily...but cupcakes were enjoyed for
Pascuas by Doribel and her husband, as well as the Salazars (my new word for the day was lustre -- icing -- which we had to
walk into Santa Elena to buy)...with thanks to Kevin for having muffin tins and being so flexible when we took over his kitchen
at La Colina. (We hung out and watched Pretty in Pink, a teen movie at least 20 years old, Molly Ringwald's first claim
to fame.)
Secky's List for Return to Monteverde:
1. Climb Los Torres on a clear day
2. Go running with Loren and Rosa
3. Visit the hot springs at Las Juntas
4. Eat at Morpho's in Santa Elena, and De Lucia in Cerro Plano
5. Remember to bring grits and hominy for Kevin, and trail mix for Rosa.
6. Enroll at CPI (a stellar Spanish program) and move in for a few weeks....
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| Secky |
| Doribel, Rosa & Chester |
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| We made cupcakes for Doribel at La Colina, where she's usually the cook. |
April 3 - 6, 2007
Panama City!
The foreigners at Monteverde Friends School have to leave Costa Rica every three months to renew their visas. Rosa renewed
hers during Spring Break by flying to Panama City with two American families.
| Panama City |
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| Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Monteverde anymore. |
Panama is so cool! I almost feel like I'm back in the States. Panama City has a lot of neon signs and tall buildings, a big
suprise after being on the mountain for three months. The canal was exciting. We saw the locks where they haul ships up 85
feet, from the level of the Atlantic Ocean to the level of Gatun Lake. The canal is 51 miles long, and ships have paid as
much as $300,000 to pass through it. When you think of the alternative, going all the way around the tip of South America,
it must be worth it.
We rented bikes and rode a path along the canal in the extreme heat. (I'm not used to being at sea level!) We stopped
for ice cream, but I'm off sweets, so I didn't have even a bite. We also went to a shopping mall, quite a contrast to the
quiet life of Monteverde. I got a really cool pair of capris.
For the first couple of days, all we ate was American food from chains, yuck! But the last night, we went to a Panamanian
restaurant. I had a yearning for seafood for the first time in my life and the paella I ordered was delicious.
| Ship in Locks |
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| The ships have to come up a long way, step by step. |
| Renting a bike-car on a Panama Beach |
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| Hannah (a tenth-grader) and Rosa |
| Panama Canal |
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| Panama is green and hot. |
| Biking in Panama |
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| Walker, who went with us to Panama, is in my class at Monteverde Friends School. |
Comment from Andy, one of the moms who went to Panama:
I hope you know that out of 7 kids (and 3 adults!) Rosa was one of the best travelers we had! She is such a treat. She
definitely wins for most agreeable!
| Bike-car |
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| Andy and her youngest, Elena |
March 30, 2007
La Caminata
The annual fundraising walkathon, hosted by the parents' committee of the Monteverde Friends School, was last Saturday.
More than a hundred people participated in the Caminata, which is thirteen kilometers, from the school to Mirador San Gerardo,
a viewpoint overlooking Lake Arenal and the volcano. That's the longest I've ever run. It was over Costa Rican terrain --
up and down, up and down, up and down -- on a road, well, a Costa Rican road, dirt with rocks, like the main street in Monteverde.
We turned off the main road shortly before Santa Elena. At each kilometer marker there were little snacks. I didn't eat any
of the brownies or sweets, just fruit and then peanuts and raisins. I ran part of it with Loren, the school's director, and
a small group of others: David, from my class; Antonio, from the other school, the Creativa -- he's my age, really cool;
and Nacho, from the 5th-6th grade at my school. We were pretty much the only people who ran the whole thing. Jose and Walker,
from my class, walked it. I kept up with Loren until about the ten kilometer mark. Then David and I slowed down and enjoyed
ourselves. I sprinted in at the end and David sprinted in behind me. I was the first female to finish. Loren came in fifth
and I came in sixth. It was really clear. We got to see the entire lake and the volcano and everything. There was a cloud
hanging over the top of the volcano. It was beautiful.
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| Thank you for walking. |
Here is Director Loren Tomas's account of the Caminata:
This year the weather cooperated. We had a gorgeous day. About 120 people participated in the walk from Monteverde through
Cerro Plano, past The Centro Educativo Creativo, through part of the village of Santa Elena and out country roads to the Mirador.
The mirador is a look-out spot and hotel by the same name that overlooks lake Arenal and has a great view of the Arenal
volcano. The walk is 13 kilometers. There was water every kilometer and three or four times, the aid stations had snack
foods as well. A few of our 7th and 8th graders wanted to run the route. So, I went with David, Nacho, Antonio, Rosa, Martin,
and his cousin. Just like the race last weekend, it was tough. But once out of town, the run/walk through pastures, forest,
and finally along a ridge with views of the lake and volcano was amazing. I was really proud of this group of young people
who wanted to challenge themselves and enjoy the day by being in motion. They all did exceptionally well. I had such a nice
time that I decided to run home as well. It was an opportunity to see everyone who was still coming and gave me a couple
of hours outside in nature to think and reflect on my experience in Costa Rica and life in general.
March 29, 2007
Field Trip
The overnight last week was so much fun. We visited three electrical plants: hydro, wind, and geothermal. The Costa Rican
power company, I.C.E. -- El Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad -- is a big deal. Costa Rica has a whole bunch of alternative
energy. (They produce more than 90 percent of the electricity -- for a country of four million people -- from renewable sources.)
I liked wearing hard hats during two of the tours.
Whitewater rafting was really fun. We were in three separate boats, each with a guide. We splashed each other a lot. One
of my friends, David, fell in and then, five minutes after we got him back, we saw a crocodile in the water nearby. It was
really small. But we also saw a crocodile that was two meters long. That one was on the beach far away.
We got to go to some hot springs. They weren't as fancy as Baldi but they were more wild. They were pools, connected together,
with pipes coming into the pools.
We also got to stay in a hotel and hang out.
The food on the trip, though, was bad: a disgusting Chinese dinner, really bad pancakes in the morning, and at the hotsprings,
spaghetti Bolognese, the most gelatinous, revolting, disgusting Bolognese sauce. Remember when we went to the Med (the Mediterranean
restaurant in Boulder) with grandma? I got a really good Bolognese sauce there, and I thought of that: no comparison. I guess
it's a good idea to avoid international cuisine in Costa Rica.
| Crocodilo Costarricense |
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| No, we didn't get that close; this guy made the newspapers. |
March 25, 2007
Report from La Colina
Kevin, the owner of La Colina lodge, is one of the neighbors who keeps an eye out for Rosa. Here's an excerpt from his latest
sighting:
Rosa just came by after finishing a 13K run to raise money for the school. She always offers to help at the hotel and
sometimes watches the desk, answering the phone and helping the guests, to give me a break. Sometimes on the weekends we
have lunch and watch a movie. The other night we cooked dinner together and she made mashed potatoes. She told me that her
dad loves to cook. She is doing very well, although I know she misses mom and dad a lot. She is so mature and smart, it is
hard to believe she is barely 14. I couldn't have done what she is doing when I was her age.
| La Colina Lodge |
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| Kevin and his helper, Doribel, operate La Colina. |
| Inside La Colina |
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| Guests, as well as a dog, a chicken and two parrots, eat breakfast here. |
March 21, 2007
Running with Loren
Yesterday I went on a run with the director of my school, Loren Thomas. I had asked him to show me around and help me get
into running. He started running about 21 years ago and has run 33 marathons. It was kind of hard keeping up with him, and
I think he took it a bit easy for my sake. I hope I can keep running here. It's really hard because of all of the ups and
downs; remember, I'm on a mountainside. But it feels rewarding. Just think of how much easier it will be when I'm running
at home on flat surfaces and nice smooth pavement!
| Even horses work hard running these hills. |
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| This colt is from Sabine's stables in Monteverde. |
March 20, 2007
Nicos, Ticos, and Panameños
Every three months, foreigners who are living in Costa Rica have to leave the country to renew their visas. For Semana Santa
(Spring Break), I'll be traveling either to Nicaragua or Panama with two American families from my school, making a vacation
out of a required visa renewal trip. I kind of hope that we go up to Nicaragua, one, because I like car trips (we'd have to
fly to Panama) and, two, because of all of the stir between Ticos and Nicos. The Nicos want to come to Costa Rica to work
and the Ticos don't want them to come. So the Nicos come illegally. It's a lot like Mexico and the U.S. Doribel, the woman
who works at La Colina, the old hotel near my house, is from Nicaragua. She does everything there with a kind and comforting
smile: cleaning the rooms, cooking breakfast for all the guests, caring for the parrots, the dog, and the black chicken who
share the lodge with the people. Kevin, who owns the place, really depends on her.
March 19, 2007
Tico Cuisine
One thing that I'm positive I'm going to remember from Costa Rica is certain foods, specifically, mayonnaise, eggs, and beans
and rice. It seems as though the Ticos (Costa Ricans) put mayo on everything -- salads, French fries, tacos, sandwiches. Many
times, the mayo is accompanied by ketchup. The thing that stinks is, I don't like the combo of the two.
Rice and beans, or pinto gallo, can be found with pretty much every meal. For some reason, eggs are used a lot here too,
many times with the rice and beans.
I have decided to go on a rice-and-beans strike when I get back to the States. I'm so tired of eating the two together.
| Gallo Pinto & Eggs |
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| Enough already! |
March 11, 2007
Orchids
On Sundays, I help at the Salazars' public orchid garden on the outskirts of Santa Elena. I love the orchids! I'm learning
how to tell their stories, especially how they get what they need to live, and to translate for Alvaro Sr., my host Dad, when
he gives tours to English-speaking people. You need a magnifying glass to see some of the orchids, including Platystele jungermanniodes,
the world's smallest flower.
| Monteverde orchids |
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| . . . more orchids . . . |
March 10, 2007
Dulce Marzo Coffee House
I work with Marzo and her sister, Yarrow, the owners of Dulce Marzo, who are bilingual, and with Sandra, the cook, and Marco,
the cashier and general helper, who speak Spanish only. I've learned to make lemonade, blackberryade, and lemon bars, and
I wash lots of dishes. It feels like a party, the whole time. On Friday night, they stayed open late for the opening of a
show of Yarrow's oil paintings on canvass, and I helped with that.
| Dulce Marzo Coffee House |
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| My first day of work at Dulce Marzo was Tuesday, March 6. |
| Inside Dulce Marzo |
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February 21, 20007
Meeting
We had meeting today and it went pretty well. I'm beginning to be able to enjoy just sitting there. It gives me time to think.
[The Quaker community of Monteverde joins Rosa's entire school for silent meeting every Wednesday morning. During the first
half hour or so, nobody speaks: through the open door and windows come sounds of dogs barking, birds calling, and the wind
moving the trees. During the last half hour, people offer thoughts as they're moved to do so.]
| On the Swing at School |
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| Those are classrooms behind me; the meeting house is an airy wooden building off to the left. |
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