Faces and Places of La Palma #1 – Meet Bereno!

Bereno is my host dad and along with my host mom was the first person I met in La Palma. He and my host mom are fairly rare as they have been married for over 40 years and are still going strong. On more than on occasion I've seen Bereno run up and for no reason give my host mom a huge hug and kiss, he totally loves her and it's really nice to see. Bereno was once a farmer with a lot of land in and around La Palma. A number of years ago (I think like 10ish) they sold their land and made a really nice profit. With that money they were able to build the cabins (where I live), a micro bus (what we would call a mini van, but they use it for tourism) and 2 buses to run the bus line between Jimenez and La Palma. He and my host mom always seem to be a few years ahead of everyone else and I largely contribute that to their creativity. Bereno works all day long, he loves to work. If he's not busy taking people on rides in the microbus, he's working in the garden, fixing something in the cabina or using the machete on something. Bereno is super funny and always up for a laugh and a smile. I'm pretty lucky to have him on my side as he is very well known and respected within La Palma and on the peninsula. His actual name is Benadicion, but everyone calls him by his nick name Bereno. I'm pretty sure he can fix or make anything out of anything. He built the house that I'm now living in and he built the cabinas, this guy can do anything.

What a difference a trip home can make

I had no idea how much I needed to see my family and friends and how just spending three weeks with them would change every thing for me. When I arrived in La Palma and saw my host family and my friends here it was like I was seeing it all with renewed eyes. Before I left I was so sick and tired of everything here and was thinking that another year and a half was going to be torture. Now, I'm here and I'm so happy to be here and I'm so excited to see what the next year and half will bring. What a difference!

I'm officially moved into my new little house here are some pics “Cribs Style”

This is my little green house from the front. I love my little house!

Kitchen/living room area.

Room with a view and Platanos that are growing into my house. It's just easier that way...

My bed room. I just bought the mattress and it's been so nice to have a comfy bed!

Vaulted ceilings. This is very normal in Costa Rica. They finish the ceiling last, it's a lot cooler in the summer to have a ceiling, but if you can't afford it, you can live without it. I'll post more pics via flicker, posting through the blog is a pain!

Also, I don't know how it happened, but I hadn't been here for a full 24 hours and suddenly I had meetings to go to and a group that actually wanted to work with me. I've had a meeting every day since I've been here and spent all day Monday in Golfito (that is where all the governmental work is done) and the development association and I were able to get a ton of work done. Now it's looking like we are going to get the computers after all. I had given up on it, but now that I have some people to work with, I think it's going to happen.

Okay, so I'm going to start a new series in the blog called the Faces and Places of La Palma. I'll try introduce you all to the people in my life and the places so that everyone can have a better idea what life is like here. More to come on that. God is good and he change a situation over night, you just have to wait on Him. His timing now ours.

I'm baaaack!

My flight left Colorado at 12:15am and let me tell you, sleep was not easy to come by. The seats were just really uncomfortable, nobody was loud or annoying, it was just simple uncomfortable. I arrived in San Jose at 6:20am and boy was I tired. While we were getting off the plane I saw that a fellow volunteer from my group happened to be on the plane with me and we were able to tag team the first bus from the air port to SJ center which was a big help since we both had a ton of ridiculous luggage. I brought back soooo much stuff and I was really regretting it at various time throughout my journey from the baggage claim to Acosta and I know I will further hate the trip from Acosta to La Palma, but, I will thank myself for it in about 3 weeks. I brought back some peanut butter, some dried fruit and nut mix from costco, some new shorts and a toaster. I know I'm going to be loving that toaster for the next year and a half. Anyway, luggage sucks.

I'm excited to be back and to get started again. I'm hoping that my new house will provide me with some much needed privacy and tranquility. I'm hoping Guias y Scouts is able to start up soon and I hope to be able to pick up my friendships that we forming where they left off. After 3 weeks of eating a ton of yummy holiday treats and gringo food, I'm also ready to get back on track with eating healthy and working out.

Thoughts on 2009

This was a really really really hard year for me and I know for many of you. Every single thing that could change in my life has, which is both really good and really hard. I think we sometimes we need change and difficult situations to push us toward what we can be. With out change/adversity it's really hard to challenge oneself and to grow as a person. Basically, when life kicks you while your down, it's usually for your own good in the end. This year, I was kicked multiple times while I was down, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I have lot's of hope for this coming year. It will be a full year dedicated to the Peace Corps and La Palma. I have a lot of hope that some of my projects will work out. God has me there for a reason and I hope that in this next year I'm able to realize that reason. Life is good. I love, love, love the United State! I'm sad to have to leave in just 2 short weeks, but I'm happy that I had the opportunity to visit. It's been a real treat to have a cell phone, internet, my car, a 'real' bed, hot showers, the mountains and my family and some friends. I'm seriously blessed and I hope that all of you out there can see the blessings in your life. God is good all the time.

Thrift stores, Target and r-ball

Colorado is so great. Today I went to Target and was able to find a bunch of really cool things. I can't believe how easy it is to find stuff here. I then went to my local rec center and played r-ball (aka - racquetball) with my best good friend Mandy. After some serious games of the r-ball Mandy and I went to a thrift store and let me tell you, I was amazed. It's just so easy to have anything here. Lamps with lamp shades are so cheap. I saw a really nice looking couch for $25, that's crazy! I'm blown away by how much we as Americans have and can get a hold of. It just blows me away. At least I know when I get back from CR I'll be able to find a lot of nice stuff for really cheap. Yes, I'm talking thrift store shopping. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Home for the Holidays

I arrived in Colorado on the 22nd at about noon and I was so excited. A few days earlier I had spoken with my best good friend Mandy and she had told me that she was going to go skiing the day I was getting in and might not be able to make it to dinner that night. I was pretty bummed, but I was just hoping that she would be able to stop by when she was done skiing. As I exited the international passenger area I was looking around for my mom and got quite the surprise when I saw Mandy standing next to my mom. My brain was like- does not compute, does not compute. I couldn't believe it. I said "but you were going skiing" and Mandy said, oh that was just to throw you off. What an awesome surprise!! As we drove home we headed to Jim's Burger Haven for some good old fashioned American food and then we had a spaghetti dinner with my whole family and Mandy where I got to meet my brand new baby nephew. He's just a little button and about 3 weeks old. I spent probably 3 hours yesterday just holding him and plan to get some serious baby action with both nephews every day for the next 3 weeks. I'm sooooooo happy to be home. I feel like I haven't really slept for 9 months. I'm just so happy to have my family with me. I love them so much, this time so far has been totally perfect. It's going to be really hard to leave them, but I'm not going to think about that for now. God bless you all and please, show your family how much you love them. Happy holidays!

Random stuff

On December 3rd my new nephew James was born. This little guy came a week late and had to be forced out of the womb. James is 9 pounds 5 ounces and a little chunk. I can't wait to meet him in person in just 2 and a half more weeks and I'll be home in Colorado.

In La Palma we are moving out of the rainy season "winter" and into the dry season. It's so hot, you have no idea. Yesterday I worked out and was literally wringing my cloths out, literally. I'm talking it's hot. 2 showers a day, you sweat all day long kind of hot. I don't know how people can live like this. I make it because I know I'm leaving in a year and a half, but forever? I think it would kill me.

Last night I watched the movie P.S. I Love You and I think that's the most I've ever cried at a movie. I cried throughout the entire movie. Super sad, but good. So if you want to cry a lot, check it out.

That's all for now, not much going on since things kind of shut down in December.