Change is here.

Laura leaves today - in about an hour she will board her bus to Panama City, the first stage of her week long journey home to Greece (she'll spend a few days in England visiting friends). We had a good time at the beach - the food was indeed very good. The waves unfortunately were not ideal. The sea was quite flat until, few and far between, really big swells came but still only the really experienced were able to ride them. I, weakling that I am, did not even try the second day. The sun was too hot and also I knew if Laura and others were having difficulty there was no way I would really succeed... so I just watched and learned. Perhaps next time (after some serious training or something) I'll be able to go in and be a pro.

A friend who's been traveling around Costa Rica came down for a day from San Jose.. which is a long enough journey as it is.. and he came on his motorcycle. Wow. And he had a rough journey as well - the long hours, getting soaked by the rain - twice, the clutch on his bike fell off. Poor guy. But we all had fun and hopefully that made up for it all. We did some surfing, biking, walking, ping-pong, saw 'wild' horses running on the beach, met some new people from Holand, Norway and Costa Rica and had some good food and good conversation.

It will be so strange going home today. I'll get back to the house and everything will seem normal - Doña Delsa will be there waiting for us to return, I'll go in a get a drink of water, then I'll head up to my place and it will be empty. Only a few of my things will be there. I'll take all the time I want showering because no one will be waiting. After dinner I'll go up alone, I won't hear anyone else zipping and unzipping their tents, in the morning I'll start my day without anyone there. It's so interesting - one of the hardest parts about my year of service was accustoming myself to never being alone and now at the end I'm alone again and not really looking forward to it. But really, it's only at the beginning and the ends of the day that I think I will feel it. Inbetween I will be with friends from the community or they will come to the house to visit. I'll have to prepare and give all of the classes that previously we were all doing. And besides, soon a large group of youth will arrive and I certainly won't feel alone :). I wonder what they'll be doing - I've heard quite a few different versions, but I don't know what will turn out... I think tonight I will try to get out the plans from Anne.

Well, farewell to Laura and Linda, it's been a pleasure. We'll keep in touch - you guys need to start that process 'cause I'll still have little internet access for a while - and I can't wait to visit you people in Iceland and Greece!

A quick one

I have quite a bit of news to share... changes are coming. Linda has left this part of the world. She is currently in England with old and new friends doing a Ruhi book 5 study for two weeks before she heads back to her beloved Iceland. I am happy for her - I know how much she was looking forward to her trip to England and to being home in Iceland where apparently the Faith is having some good growth. She is going back with some great skills and I know she'll be a great asset to her community.

The community was really sweet saying good-bye to her. She hadn't planned on having a despedida (a good-bye party) but the very last night she was there they threw something together at the Baha'i center and many people came to wish her well in the future, tell her how much they appreciated her service in the community, and to assure her that she would always be welcome back in Progresso.

I am also getting ready to say goodbye to Laura. She also has had her despedida and left Progresso. Again, the community came to give their heartfelt thanks, love and well wishes. I personally tried to say a little and couldn't get everything I had planned to say about her out... and Besigo continually teases me about how I "fell" and started crying.. and then when she's done teasing she admits that she almost cried too - but that was my fault.

At the moment, Laura and I are in Pavones, a world famous beach for surfing. Unfortunately it isn't being to kind to us - no good waves. I am sorry for Laura - but for myself I'm not sure I could have handled surfing anyways - I am just not strong enough to get myself out there. Of course, to be completely fair, I am rather exhausted. I have been hiking all over the mountain with Laura as usual, having unusual late nights, and then on Saturday I participated in the community soccer games. I am so sore. It is so weird.. I could have run for much more time.. but my muscles were so tired. I guess I am not used to usuing all the ones you use for soccer. I almost scored twice.. like quite close.. but I it did not happen and although everyone says I played well, they also wont let me live it down.

Anyways, Laura and I need to go bike back to the place we are staying to get back in time for the family like dinner.. everyone comes when the bell is rung to eat together. It is cute. They tell me the food is good. I sure hope so.. I am starving.

more later.. either tomorrow or on Wednesday. ciao

In Canoas, once again... but what comes next?

The rains are coming back to Costa Rica. I can't tell you how happy I am that they are - I was beginning to fear that I wouldn't get to see the rain forest again before I leave. Of course, this means that I now have to wear boots again (and live through a couple weeks of blisters) and it really means that I have to stay on top of my laundry - no more slacking off and then doing it all in one day because my clothes will dry in a couple of hours of sun. No, back to every day laundry that might take days to dry. But, with the bad comes the good: beauty. With the rain comes the colors. I have never seen such blues and greens as I see here. The sunrises are absolutely spectacular. As I walk down the mountain at 5 in the morning I have to simply stop and take it all in at least 7 times before I reach the bottom. Across the valleys the mist passes through. Over the bay there are dark storms, that sometimes come our way, but sometimes just let us know they're there with the sound of distant thunder. I love this weather.

There are, I admit, times it goes a little too far. For instance, a couple weeks ago, lightning struck a tree about 2 meters away from the girls house. It practically exploded. The bark flew off the tree, the tree itself split and it was smoking - literally for seconds it was on fire. I, personally, was a bit "asustado" and I ran out of my house without my shoes, in the rain, getting my book wet and my feet very muddy. I saw the bright lightening, the smoking tree, heard the popping of the tree and I was not positive that it wasn't going to fall over and crush my house right then and there. I realize now that it will take a while for the tree to actually die and fall but at that moment I wanted to get to as low ground as possible.

Even so, I am really looking forward to sharing it all with Casey and Alex and Greg. I am so glad they get to experience it. Can you believe it's only a little over a month away? By that time both Linda and Laura will have gone. I will be alone, thinking continuously that I have only a few weeks left, and then they will come and cheer me up! I will forget that I soon will go back home and need to search out the world and find a new place for me in it. Of course, I know that for a few weeks my place will be home (perhaps even months!) and it will feel completely right. I am so excited to see everyone in Huntsville again - my family and friends have been missed (I'll probably realize just how much when I get there again). I do fear that in this current economic situation I will not have quite as many opportunities to choose from as I might otherwise have hoped, nevertheless I am hopeful and really interested to see where life takes me next and what great things I'll get to do. After all, it's an interesting question: what comes next?

It's been too long.. appologies

Wow, it really has been a long time since I've done this... sorry about that. I haven't had much internet time lately it seems.. but that's also not completely true I guess. Well let's recap about a few things.

Ok, so long ago there was life as usual. Then came the fast.. and there was life as usual except that I was hot and thirsty the whole time. Then came my family!! (well, some of it anyways)

We had an awesome vacation (at least I really enjoyed it). They flew in to Panama City, Panama so I traveled (in all) about 11 hours to meet them there on a Saturday night. Sunday morning we went to the Temple and it was really nice - unfortunately it was the height of the dry season so it wasn't green and misty and beautiful like I remember it the first time - but it's still peaceful and beautiful. Next it was time to get to a tropical beach! but to break up the long bus ride we stayed the night a bit over half-way at a hostel called the purple house... and that night we walked to a little restaurant and had the best batidos ever (basically they're fruit smoothies only with tropical fruit like papaya and lots of sugar - very yummy). The next day we hopped a bus to the crazy boarder, crossed over, and continued on our way to Zancudo! There we spent two days completely chillin' It's such a peaceful place. I really do enjoy it there. We played in the waves a bit.. walked along the shore (I love that there are really very few people ever there).. and played with the camera :). Then we headed up to Progresso to check out where I live and what kinds of people I hang out with and what sort of things I do! Unfortuantely, for me that meant back fasting for two days. And also unfortunately it was still the height of the dry season and to me everything looked so dead and drab when really this is the most colorful place ever! Really, it's the colors of the rainforest that I will miss so much. Mostly it's just greens and blues but the colors are soo.. colorful. I wish I could have shared that. So, in Progresso we visited some of the neighbors, held some baby parots, drank some fresh coconut juice (milk?), Casey came with to see if I ever actually did anything worthwhile and spent the whole time disturbing the pre-youth class (gosh Casey, stop throwing things at the oh so adorable Progresso kids!) headed up the mountain on my favorite (though by far hardest) walk (three cheers for Mom, and sisters too), and then down the mountain to celebrate Naw-Ruz at the Baha'i Center (about a bazillion cheers for Mom and sisters for doing both of those walks in one day - quite impressive). Then, early next morning it's time to head back down the mountain and up to San Jose on the long -though admittedly beautiful - bus ride. We stayed at friend's Hesh and Zar's house (eternal gratitude to them for their so special and never ending hospitality). And, woops, I couldn't actually make the very last leg of the journey - the taxi ride to the airport. I'm afraid I got food poisoning (or something) that night and had to simply send them off in a cab and go back to bed. My appologies for a not so wonderful goodbye.

About a week or so later, Laura's family came to visit. Her mother from Greece and brother who lives in Switzerland both came for almost two weeks - so they actually had like 4 days or so to explore Progresso. With this excuse Laura, Benjamin, Linda and I tagged along behind Don Jesus and visited an area that's untouched... wow, so that's the real rainforest. Benjamin was swinging of vines, we were walking the ridges of mountains, and finally we came to the Rio Claro and up to a little waterfall with a beautiful little swimming pool. We were jumping off rocks and Don Jesus caught a lot of shrimp - so big and yummy! and we built a little fire and cooked them to have with our lunch. It was a very nice day (though hard over 6 hours of hiking altogether). So then they left to enjoy other scenic spots in this part of the world...

... and then came another Instituto. Meaning, friends from El Salvador came and we had a week long intensive Ruhi book course. The people from El Salvador are so wonderful - it's always so much fun to have them around. And, I met Kelsey Bulkin - and people, wow, amazing voice. At the moment she's setting prayers to music and my goodness, it's just beautiful. She's got a myspace.. if you want to hear beauty check it out.

and now we're almost back to life as usual. Although, the national convention is this coming weekend.. so not quite.

oh, and there was one more thing throughout all this. A couple months ago Linda sent me an application for a future job opportunity so I had to fill that out and send it in, and then about a couple weeks ago I came down to have an interview. So, thanks to her I've been thinking about my future a lot recently... which is hard to do when you have no idea what it will actually be.. and when all you really want to do is live in the present and enjoy the right now because you know it's simply the best. So, I'm still waiting to see what happens. It simply comes down to was I the best they had to choose from or were there others better. We'll see. I could be living in Huntsville searching for jobs.. or in August I could be moving to Virginia. We'll see.

It's sad that the time here is coming to an end. Both Linda and Laura are already beginning making their final plans for leaving. They both have only a little over a month left. My goodness. Change.

And I just found out that my counsins Alex and Greg are gonna come on the youth trip in June!! Now I'm really looking forward to the youth trip! And this is unconfirmed but I think Casey is gonna come too! Yay even more!! I wonder what we're gonna think of for them to do?

And then, after that - I should be home to celebrate July 4th with everyone in true Hunstville style!

so.. that's my recent past and future in a (rather large) nutshell ... but pictures are worth a thousand words, so they say, so look at facebook for details!

Inspiring

This video was sent to me by a friend and I thought I'd share it with you all.

http://www.vimeo.com/2320032

(By the way, there's a picture or two of the Guaymi community of Panama - and I was just there this weekend and met some of them! They are really inspiring... have me tell you about them sometime.)

two in one day

what a treat! I just wanted to also say a thing or two about what's been going on the last few days but it didn't really fit with the conference.

I have been out to the bean fields to gather beans a couple times now. And once we get back we have to de-cascada them. And then we cook them and eat them! So, I've had hours and hours of sitting on the front porch unshelling beans. It's a time consuming job getting new beans.

But in other bean news, the weather has not been very good. It has actually rained quite a bit - which is very bad for the one time of the year that it is very important for it to be hot and dry. The process of gathering the beans to sell or to store for the year depend on it to be dry. I've never seen it, but they've described the process to me: they pick the entire plant and spread it out to dry. Then they beat it to remove the cascadas - the pods. Then they scoop it up and let the wind blow away the pods while the beans fall back down. But for any of it to work, the beans need to be completely dry.

What else? Not really very much.. I was sick again last week. I usually get one cold a year.. but that was three in 2008 and already another in 2009... what's going on? I feel like I'm the healthiest I've ever been (for sure I'm the strongest) - why do I keep getting sick? unexplicable. (unless you count a long tiring trip to Nicaragua and some cold weather on a San Jose mountaintop without adequate covering... ). But, no worries, I'm fine again.

Speaking of worries, two nights in a row there have been terciopelos found very close to the house. And, I and Linda will be alone at the house for the next four days... but Don Jesus and Doña Delsa will be there at night at snake time.. so, again, no worries! (note to self, new batteries for my flashlight).

The Conference

The whole weekend was a very great experience - though it was some very long bus rides.. and it took 3 hours each time we tried to cross the boarder. But the actual conference was very good. First some facts: The conference was held in Managua, Nicaragua. Our Members from the ITC were Juan Francisco Mora from Costa Rica and Rachel N'degwa (I'm sorry, I don't know how to spell her name) from Kenya. I believe there were about 23 countries from Central America and the Carribean attending and, I think I've been told, about 1,500 people present and the conference was translated into three languages. And again, the experience was great. I was so amazed with the focus. I've never been to a conference that was so focused on a single purpose - it made it very unified. Which is soo interesting. With so many different countries and peoples and even languages - not everyone could communicate (easily) with each other, this is the conference I will remember for it's feeling of unity and purpose. Much more so than even ones I've been to in the States. And, unexpected - everything was on time! fancy that :). The first day were mostly talks by our ITC members. And they were great, though I admit I had trouble undrstanding Rachel's. The reason is because I listened to everything in Spanish. Juan spoke in Spanish and he was very clear and easy to understand. Rachel, on the other hand, spoke in English, so we listened to the spanish translation which was acutally much harder for me. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because of the pauses and the not consistent speed of the translator. I should have picked up a device to listen to the English but I never got around to it. Still, they were both very inspiring. It was a great blend of, of course, praise for what has been accomplished, but nonetheless a call to action - but without creating any sense of guilt or shame for not having already stepped up. It wasn't a time to look at the past - the goal, the focus is the future.. so we look at the present, evaluate and plan for the future.

I think the conference was especially good for the 6 members of my community who attended the conference as well. I know at least two of them really didn't like it for the crowds - I'm sure none of them have been among so many people before... crowded conference halls are very different to our lovely little community in the rainforest. But I also know that every one was inspired at the conference. Yesterday we actually had a meeting to plan for activities - and guess what they decided to do - go to Alto Conte (about 2 hours up) and have a teaching campaign! They are going go and teach the Faith using Conozcamos (Anna's Presentation). So, they planned a time when they could come and practice using Conozcamos and then they're gonna go teach. And, so many more people are now involved in the Children's classes and Pre-youth group (I'm having to get over my little bit of ownership I felt for my classes and let others in - how great is that?!).

And, for me personally, it was a lot of fun to see so many of the people I met in Colombia back in July. We only missed our friends from Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. But it was still great - though we really didn't have a lot of time to just sit and chat - like I said, it was a focused conference. Plus, the place was so packed that it was hard to find anyone in the short breaks we did have. But the last night we stayed until late and I got my visiting in - as well as a little impromptu dancing started by the Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic youth. What better way to end a conference? -especially latin american style.. some of the people down here can really dance!