InterracialUGACostaRica

Farewell San Jose, With Love!

2011-07-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

This is our last day in San Jose, which is my favorite place by far. I really do love this city, while most of my classmates may disagree. This morning, we've had our last encounter with Joaquin. I'm going to miss his crazy self and all the help that he gave us to navigate around this city. I’m also going to miss the liveliness of the city, people moving from quickly all over and driving crazy, as well as getting food whenever we want by walking to the local Mas y Menos (a Costa Rican grocery chain)!

Joaquin began the discussion by asking us to reflect on our expectations of Costa Rica and our actual experiences in the country. We were 30-40 minutes into our discussion when were visited by Daniella, who works with the Media Observatory on migrants and refugees. She was invited to speak with us because of her expertise as a media, race, and culture critic. After her introduction, Daniella shared with us facts and information about the portrayal of migrants from Nicaragua and Colombia, and Ricans from the Caribbean in the media. These ideas of racial profiling and prejudice are very similar to those that we have in the United States. Migrants are often portrayed in a very negative light, and even small crimes committed by an individual of a certain race are put in the forefront of magazines, newspapers, websites, and television news castings.

As an employee of the Media Observatory, Daniella explains to our class how the local diversity and its reality have been made invisible, and that many media outlets are responsible for the prejudices that people develop as a result of what they see and hear in the news. Health, security, and education, which are some of the concurrent issues covered in Costa Rican media, have been depicted as being on a decline because of the migration of Colombians and Nicaraguans into the country. Multiple times on our trip it has been revealed the that both overt and covert racism have been directed towards to these migrants, and sadly, it makes a lot of sense how these ideas are perpetuated through the media.

As Dr. Vanessa Smith from the University of Costa Rica told us in her discussion last week, many Costa Ricans have had very minimal, if any , interaction with individuals of other nationalities, ; therefore, these perceptions must have come from some place where the information is easily accessible. Perception is reality and has harmed these migrants in many ways. It is so sad to know that this happens all over the world. Of course, we have our own history of prejudice and racism in the United States, but for some reason, it still amazes me that racism is still so prevalent in other countries as well.

As the day progressed, we lounged around and casually discussed our topics and ideas for our presentations, which are to be given while we are on the UGA’s campus in San Luis. We are such college students, waiting until the last moments to brainstorm and complete our tasks, but we have gathered so much information on a daily basis and have countless facts and observations to complement what e have learned thus far during our program. My group’s topic is “Stereotypes in Costa Rica and beyond,” while the other group’s works work will be on the proximity of affection, as well as the perception of beauty and appearance. I am excited to see what we all come up with and when we put all of our perceptions of the information together and present it to our class.

Well, we had class at the end of the day, our final class session of the program! To wrap up the term, Dr. Harris asked for us to write down five things we have learned and will adapt into our daily lives once we return to the US. Here is my list:

1)STOP making generalization
2)Make a conscious effort to see past race and embrace other’s cultural differences and backgrounds
3)Go to events, programs, etc that are different from what I am used to, such as the AOPi house with Carly
4)Have much more patience with people and things
5)Find the positivity in ALL the things that I have; be grateful

Some of us made comments about being more critical as consumers, sharing new ideas with family and friends, and being more self-reflective. I am so proud of how far we all have come on this trip thus far. We’ve learned so much and I only pray that we will continue to apply this knowledge as we come back to the “real” world.

Yours Truly,
Bianca Wilson-Price

Wednesday, June 29, 2011: Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”

2011-06-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

Hi, friends and family. My name is Stacy and I am a doctoral student in the Communication Studies department at UGA. I am happy to finally have the opportunity to blog about my experiences on this trip. I became interested in this trip largely because I believe in Dr. Harris’ mission. Dr. Harris’ dedication to the area of interracial communication and commitment to teaching and pedagogy is inspiring and helps me remember why I am choosing this path to academia myself. I can say that, aside from a few wardrobe choices, I have no regrets about this program.
Today was certainly a day of reflection. At the very least, we had plenty of time for it. Because we are traveling, we have no classes or activities planned. This has given others the opportunity to read or catch up on sleep, but for me, it affords me the opportunity to reflect and ponder what this program has meant to me on a more personal and intimate level. (I must mention, however, that we did stop by the Crocodile Man (Tarzan Tico’s) restaurant and tourist site for lunch. I don’t know that I necessarily wanted to see him in action and fighting with the gargantuan crocodile that refused to surface in the lake, but it was an interesting stop in our long travel day.)
This morning we leave Talamanca for San Jose, with heavy hearts. We have made great friends, great memories, and, we hope, a lasting impression with the school where we did our service learning. At breakfast, we heard the news that Armondo, our driver, went to Casa Calateas to pick us up instead of Namu Woki and the bus got stuck on the road leading to it. Thankfully, ATEC sent a tractor to get him out! When he arrived at out resort, he seemed shaken, but was in good spirits. Although we got a later start than anticipated, it’s PURA VIDA, so we went with the flowI am able to see how cultural dimensions range on a continuum. When we first arrived, we thought San Jose was more laid back than the U.S. Here, we find San Jose to be much faster and more high-strung than Talamanca. We are able to see how Talamanca represents a co-culture within what we know as Costa Rican culture
Prior to our departure, we completed a questionnaire for ATEC so they can work to improve their programs. This survey required us to think back on each activity and rate its enjoyment and its relevance to our course. This opportunity to reflect on our activities individually allowed me to think about how even the more mundane things (like eating at a restaurant) tell us something about the Caribbean culture. Upon reflection, one thing really struck me. Whether we want to admit it or not, we all come from privileged backgrounds that tend to make us less appreciative of the small (and more valuable) things in life.
This revelation came as our day began to unfold. We woke early this morning to finish packing, eat breakfast, and head back to San Jose. Namu Woki had been our little slice of paradise for six, days, and while we all loved the luxurious accommodations, for me, the resort was a stark reminder of the privilege I enjoy at home and here, as a tourist. Each day we immersed ourselves in the cultures of Caribbean coast; cultures comprised of people that are proud of what they have, that live in unity with nature, and that represent (at least in my mind) the very essence of a true community. Although I feel privileged to have the opportunity to tour here, to study here, and to stay in such beautiful accommodations all the while, I have been wondering what it means to be privileged. I think back to the homes I visited (some smaller than my bungalow at Namu Woki), the schools we visited (not much larger than the poolside dining room), and the people we talked with.
By the looks of things, I could feel guilty for the privilege I enjoy, or the privilege afforded to those living in the Central Valley. As a white woman, I am grappling with how to manage my white privilege. I expected to have similar challenges here. Instead, I found that the people of Talamanca felt something else for us. Generally, they were so content (dare I say happy) with their lives that they felt sorry for us. Many of the things we view as privileges (e.g. money, careers, nice homes, cars, access to media, technology) are seen to complicate our lives in ways that divide communities and keep us moving so quickly that we take life (and the people in it) for granted.
How many times a day do we think, “ I would love to do that, but I just don’t have time”? Not having time is not something the people here can understand. Costa Ricans have a polychromic orientation to time, which means that punctuality isn’t as valued as in our culture and time blocks are longer. It also means that Costa Ricans always have time for something. Some classmates told the class about a conversation with a local during which a student said the common utterance, “We don’t have time for that.” She said that the local just could not understand.
I am leaving Talamanca with a new perspective. Although recognizing my privilege is essential when I travel to other places, it is also important to think about what privilege means. Many of the things that mark me as privileged just aren’t valued here. I found myself feeling envious of the people of Talamanca and their approach to life and living. Nevertheless, I continue to be grateful for the things we have: advanced medicine, education, technology, etc. I will continue to be at odds with nature [read bugs], but I hope to take away some of the values of the beautiful simple life where time isn’t necessarily such a fixed commodity, community matters, and I live with my environment instead of in competition with it.
In all, I have learned a great deal about myself since being here and have also learned to question some things I once thought I knew about myself. I don’t have answers for some of these questions and don’t know what they mean for our increasingly global society, but I am grateful for the growth this opportunity has afforded me. Hasta luego, Talamanca! It has been both a pleasure and a privilege.
-SAW

So You Think You Can Serve?!

2011-06-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

I must say that today would have to be the most mentally tiring day for me. It is our final lap at Puerto Viejo; it is truly bittersweet. We began the day with our service-learning project at the La Playa Chiquita School, where we assisted with the completion of the decorative window construction on the school's newest building. After horseback riding yesterday and being sore, physically uncontrollable ailments, and the humidity of this beautiful city, it took much mental control to overcome my personal emotions and dealings to accomplish my assigned task. I had been instructed to create a mosaic of glass pieces in an already creatively designed window treatment of makeshift shutters to the windows. Each of these shutters told a different story or idea; one was of the solar system (with two Earths), using recycled bottles, and another was a palm tree with palms exploding out using bottles, marbles, and old ceramics. I was given the pieces of glass and the materials needed to make cement that, used to stick the glass into the shutters.

At first, this was not what I wanted to do; the heat was too much to bear, along with being sick on different levels. Nevertheless, I had made the decision that I was going to make the best of the experience and do my job to the best of my ability. I took a minute and observed the children who had been in class and thought about all that I'd seen and felt while in Puerto Viejo. They looked so content, sitting in class and learning, and then having multiple recess breaks, and very pleased to have us as foreigners on their school grounds. It amazes me every day how the things that bother us on a very small scale seem to be the farthest thought from the minds of the people in this city. They don't worry about difference or what they have or lack and I use the term “lack” loosely, according to North American standards. The longer that we have been here, we’ve all pretty much adapted to a similar mentality; one in which we have embrace each other and our development of personal friendships with one another and less with technology and the things that we possess. Without a doubt, the major reason for this is the fact that the technologies that value so highly, such as phones, do not get service in here. Yet, I personally have thorough enjoyed not worry about material things that hold much less value than the experiences and relationships that I have created on this trip. Even more so, it was interesting to see us all interact with one another as friends and classmates to come together and accomplish the goal of the day. We get better and better at our interaction and communication each and every day.
The students and their parents prepared a meal for us at lunch. It was a typical dish of chicken, rice, and beans, but it was extremely thoughtful of them to prepare and serve us, I felt like a queen! There was a little boy, about the age of eleven, who is Canadian and is probably one of the most intelligent eleven-year-olds that I know. Earlier, he talked with Laura and I like an adult about politics, and at lunch, he made sure that we all had plenty of food and juice. One thing that I’ve noticed about Costa Ricans as we’ve visited places to eat that are not restaurants: they will keep feeding you! I think it is because they know the stereotype of how Americans overindulge and that large portions make us happy. But boy do I get stuffed, simply because I eat all of my food so that I do not come off as rude!
After service learning, I came back to the hotel and crashed. I literally slept until dinner. The humidity and heat have really taken a toll on me since we have been on the Caribbean coast. Most of the girls went back into town to the beach of sun and waves, while Ryan roamed around the local communities, meeting people and asking questions, as is to be expected. I realized that this had been my first time alone on the trip at any time. I think that everyone needs time to reflect and regroup by themselves, especially in settings such as these. But overall, it’s been an absolutely wonderful day.

Yours truly,
Bianca Wilson-Price

I’m Basically a Professional Surfer Now!

2011-06-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

June 27, 2011

Hello there world, it’s Bria Barnes again! Today has been my favorite day thus far on the trip. Every day I spend in Puerto Viejo I feel like I’m learning so much about the culture and community.

This morning we woke up and had our breakfast by the pool at Hotel Namu Woki. I have grown very fond of the pineapple here. I might be spoiled when I get back to the States because I have grown accustomed to fresh fruit. After we ate breakfast, we all went our separate ways for our optional activity with ATEC. Each student had the option to choose surfing lessons, a massage, horseback riding or the Jaguar Rescue Center. I automatically knew when I first got the schedule I wanted to try surfing. Surfing was on my “Bucket List” and thought doing it in Costa Rica would be amazing. The other students that came with me surfing were Lina, Carly, and Ryan. We got to the beach around 10 am and had the pleasure of meeting our two instructors, Topu and Jordan.

Before we were able to hit the waves, we had to learn the basics of how to stand up on the board and body control. After two hours of surf lessons, I personally felt like I was ready to become a professional surfer! The hardest part to me was getting back out into the water. The current was so strong and kept knocking me down, but being able to stand on the board was exhilarating!

After everyone’s morning activities were completed, we headed back to the hotel to shower and freshen up for our afternoon excursions and roundtable discussion in town. I was personally tired and had every intention of taking a nap, but everyone else wanted to have lunch in the city so I went along. We were all so hungry by the time we got into town, so we picked the first restaurant we saw. Lucky for us, everyone enjoyed their meals! I ordered chicken fajitas and they might have been the best chicken fajitas I have ever tasted. So far, the food in Puerto Viejo has been very delicious. I think it has a special Caribbean flavor most other places don’t have.

Because the Round Table Discussion was scheduled for 3 p.m., we had around an hour to spend exploring the town. Lina, Laura, Danielle and I went to the local bar Tex Mex, where we met the owner Roger. He gave us a brief story on his life and how he ended up in Puerto Viejo. He was from Britain but moved to Texas as an illegal immigrant. He had been in Texas for 12 years before he was kicked out the country. The sad part about the story is that he has a son who is still in America and can never visit him. Don’t feel too sad for Roger; he now owns two bars in Puerto Viejo and is very successful.

After our quick excursion with Roger, we walked further into town where we met Dr. Harris and the rest of the class at the restaurant Miss Veronica’s for the Round Table discussion. The panelists included a British/Tica, an Afro-Caribbean man, an Indigna (indigenous male), and a Tica who were ready to speak with us about their interracial relationships, race relations in their local community, ecotourism, and the concept of marriages and relationships in Puerto Viejo. We were able to discuss with them their journeys, racial discrimination they encountered because of their relationships, and how their different backgrounds shaped their relationships today. All the individuals we interviewed could agree that there is not much of a racial problem in Puerto Viejo, and they all recognize and respect their own cultures; however, the Puerto Viejo community is very open to learning and accepting different cultures.

An interesting point that all the individuals brought up was the idea of marriage in Puerto Viejo. Out of the four individuals, only one of them was married to their partner. When we asked them why they did not get married by law, they responded by saying that marriage makes no difference in their relationship. The couples have the same legal rights as married couples because of a law in Costa Rica. The law states that if you live with a person for at least 3 years, then you get all the same rights as a married couple. My favorite part of the discussion was when the students were able to give feedback to the round table participants about racism and culture in America. We shared that although there is not much blatant racism, we still manage to “naturally” segregate ourselves at our University. They all did not really understand why we could not diversify ourselves, but I believe that in America, people are more comfortable being around members of their own race. I believe that this discussion helped all the students see that we should take initiative to bring what we learned at the Round Table back to UGA and also our every day living.

Once the Round Table was over, we went to the hotel to freshen up again and then return to town, where we were scheduled to have a cooking lessons and a home-cooked meal courtesy of Miss Veronica. We arrived to her house around 7 p.m. where she had all the ingredients and utensils laid out for our typical Afro-Caribbean meal. We all helped Miss Veronica prepare rice and beans, chicken, fried plantains, a salad, and potatoes. Once again, the food was delicious! I was also proud of all of us for being able to prepare a meal! Once we were seated, we devoured our delicious meal, reflected on our day, and thanked Miss Veronica for allowing us into her home and preparing such an amazing a meal. Not surprisingly, the majority of us were all exhausted from the long day we had, so as soon as we returned to the hotel, we looked forward to the rest and relaxation that awaited us upon our return.

Today was such a fun day, and I feel like I have fallen in love with Puerto Viejo! Once again, I am so thankful for this opportunity to be able to travel throughout the country and learn about interracial communication! Pura Vida!

-Bria Barnes

June 26th-Sustainability

2011-06-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the sunny beaches of Puerto Viejo! Once again, I am Kendra Gibbs from Bethune Cookman University. We began our day very early this morning with breakfast at our hotel, Namu Woki, and then a trek to Manzanillo, which is a small town near Puerto Viejo populated primarily by Afro-Caribbean Costa Ricans. Our plan for the day was to begin with cooking lessons, followed by interviews with locals about their life in this part of the country. Today was really exciting for me because we got to cook! Miss. Luba a local lady who taught us how to make “journey cakes” ( in patois sounds like “johnny cakes”) over an open flame! I’m not sure that I’ve ever had bread with lard in it before this trip, but it was awesome.

During the cooking lessons, we also got mini-lectures about Afro-Caribbean culture. We learned that the people in Miss Luba’s neighborhood were currently battling local government for the right to stay on the land they’ve lived on for generations! If allowed to move forward with there plans fifteen homes including Miss Luba’s home will be the first to be torn down. The government plans on kicking people out of their homes to create nature preserves. I commend the government for wanting to preserve Costa Rican land. However I question if the government knows the indigenous and Afro-Caribbean peoples customs they waste nothing and produce the least amount of synthetic waist possible. An example would be the lunch we were served in banana leaves, most Americans would have provided paper plates for such a large group. We also learned that Miss Luba’s children and the neighborhood children speak English, French, and Spanish in school. That was truly amazing to me that here I making feeble cave man attempts at Spanish and Miss Luba’s 9th grade daughter is trilingual!
After our cooking and culture lessons, we broke down into smaller groups to have one-on-one interviews with some of the other locals. This was designed to help us learn more about their life in Puerto Viejo. We actually devoted a whole class period in San Jose to developing interview questions for this wonderful learning opportunity. One thing we have learned is that there are three distinct cultural groups in this country, and this really came to life when we arrived here this week.

Elyse, Ryan, and I, had a chance to take a walk along the beach while interviewing our guide Andy. Andy was a character. Just to give you a little background, Andy is a Afro-Caribbean Puerto Viejo native and he is also Miss. Luba’s brother. Andy informed us that he does catering work similar to his sister who sells journey cakes in town; they both love cooking. Andy kept the group laughing as our new canine friends followed us along the beach while we asked him questions about growing up in Costa Rica , specifically the Pacific region, and his family. Andy told us that he loves the simplicity and sustainability the land offers (a concept very different from the American way of life). After all , if the food doesn’t come from a supermarket/grocery store, then we usually don’t have it in our kitchen, and rarely do Americans grow crops unless we’ve taken gardening up as a hobby. We discussed with Andy that most Americans didn’t know the first thing about growing “produce” and that we had many people in the US that went hungry at night. Being that Andy has visited the US before he knew what we were talking about. He laughed at the notion in Puerto Viejo, one would have to really work at being hungry in Puerto Viejo with bread fruit, plantain and citrus fruit aligning the streets. I couldn’t help but wish we had the skills and resources to in the US to help families that struggle.

Our time with Andy was quite informative and educational. In addition to learning about his way of life, we also came to know the general culture of Puerto Viejo, which is very different from San Jose, the capitol of Costa Rica. I really appreciated spending time with Andy. I am sure I learned a lot from our “interview” that I probably couldn’t capture from the things we have been learning from our course work. Even though both are very important,, there’s nothing like speaking to someone from a particular group or culture to truly understand what it means to be a part of that community.

Once we completed our walk with Andy, the class met for lunch at Maxi’s. The restaurant was near the beach, and it seemed as though everyone enjoyed his/her meal. Since we had a break in schedule, several of us caught the last rays of sun the day had to offer, and others planned to go snorkeling, courtesy of Andy! As for a few others and me, we just threw in the towel and fell asleep the moment we sat still. We returned to the hotel for some rest, and then gathered around 6:30 to depart for dinner at Johnathon’s Afro-Caribbean Restaurant.

So far, spending time with Luba has been one of my favorite activities! It’s not every day you learn to bake with no oven! We’re more than half way through our study abroad program. Luba is waiting to give cooking lessons and the people in Puerto Viejo are some of the warmest people we’ve met on the trip, I hope some of you are clearing your schedules for next summer to join Dr. Harris on her annual study abroad trip! Well, it’s been a pleasure Pura Vida!!!!!!!

"Chocolate Waterfall"

2011-06-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

I’m back! A full two weeks in on the trip and I’m still having a great experience!

Today I would have to say was one of the best days I’ve had thus far! We traveled to Talamanca Canton in the Limón Province of Costa Rica, which is an indigenous territory (Bri Bri) near the Caribbean. We spent the night in a lodge nestled in the (literal) jungles of Talamanca. The territory is occupied by around 3,000 indigenous people who are actually referred to as the Bri Bri tribe. We arrived at the site to meet the patriarch of the indigenous society, Timoteo, for a presentation on the history of the tribe and a tour of some the surrounding area.

The history that Timoteo shared with the class was extremely impactful. He positively spoke of his community and detailed measures that he and others have taken in order to preserve their way of life and advance their communication skills. He also appeared to be very passionate about environmentalism and education.

After speaking with us about the Bri Bri way of life, he served as our personal guide on a 40-minute hike to a beautiful waterfall entrenched in a dense forest area. The hike was tough but the sights were breathtaking. We hustled along the paths lead by Timoteo until we finally arrived at the waterfall. Wow! Just looking at the waterfall soothed me. We all eventually got down to our swimsuits and waded in the swimming hole where Timoteo instructed us to jump in.

Jump in? Well alright, but is it safe? The first things I thought about were snakes and alligators. (Haha.) Obviously, wildlife doesn’t fall under my area of expertise, so I was a little hesitant to indulge. FORTUNATELY, I was also no expert on waterfalls, but I was excited about this adventure that lay before us! So the class eagerly jumped into the lagoon as a way to relax after a good hike. We swam and talked a bunch amongst ourselves and Timoteo until we watched him climb on top of a huge rock in the middle of the swimming hole.

We looked to get some sort of inclination as to what he was doing. I assumed he was going to dive in, so I thought, “Oh, I want to dive too!” But he called for everyone’s attention and informed us that he wanted to pray with us. Intense! I bowed my head and listened to him praise in appreciation. Who gets a chance to do something like that? I can’t begin to describe the feeling that overwhelmed me. I was more than just a traveler in Costa Rica; I was a very small portion of a big picture. I felt connected.

We eventually left the waterfall and headed to a farm where Timoteo was excited to pass on to us his knowledge of herbal remedies and natural cures. If there was something he wanted us to try, I volunteered for it. We had to rush the tour a little because we were hungry and were going to have lunch prepared for us by the Bri Bri women! And the mosquitos in Costa Rica are very serious about lunchtime as well, and boy they were hungry!

We bid farewell to Timoteo, who proved to be an insightful guide and a really nice person. My experience with him made me think about my first blog, “Bad Behaviors.” Remember that? Well, I began to think specifically about my experience at the racquetball court. My new friends were wrong. The people in Puerto Viejo couldn’t be further from the negative stereotypes perpetuated about them in the rest of the country. The people in this area are wonderful.

After our tour, we board the bus and travel through the territory and arrive at a small grouping of houses surrounded by a farm. Keep in mind, farming in this area of Costa Rica is entirely different from farming in most areas of the U.S. Farms in this area and many parts of Costa Rica are tremendously dense with a variety of vegetation (fruits, trees, grass, vegetables, everything) and a house could literally be on/in the farm. Alright, let’s get back to my day.

We met a small indigenous family who spoke to us about culture and family life while they prepared our great lunch, which was very interesting to say the least. We were served chicken, rice, yucca (a potato-like vegetable), vegetables and I’m not sure what else. Great food, but it came not on a plate but in a banana leaf. Haha! This was wild! If only you could have seen the girls’ faces. Classic! No forks, no knives, not even a cup. The juice was served in a hardened fruit shell. Lunch plus watching the girls have to eat with their hands?? The best! I’m still laughing at this surprising yet spectacular experience. The Bri Bri welcomed us into their community with open arms.

Shortly after lunch, we toured the farm and were amazed by the many ways by which medicine, jewelry, and ointments could be fashioned from the vegetation on the small farm. Everything seemed to be on that farmnatural dyes, teas, threads, and food! I imagined how much of a pest I would be if so much fruit grew right behind my house back home. No bueno. The best part of the tour was a few steps away from the farm at a small cooking house. Here we learned about the history of chocolate production and the way that the family currently manufactured their chocolate. We also had the opportunity to assist with the roasting and grinding of the cacao beans which we immediately used to make hot chocolate. It was probably the best hot chocolate I had ever tasted!

We ended the tour by visiting a small “shop” on the family’s property, fashioned out of natural materials, where we purchased handmade items that they created onsite, ranging from jewelry to wall ornaments. Eco-tourism! We were so grateful that these women took time out of their busy schedules to not only prepare us lunch but to teach us a great deal about the communication, culture, and history of the Bri Bri people. In exchange, we showed our gratitude by supporting the local economy and purchasing very unique, decorative items from their shop.

Overall, today was a great day. The indigenous community was welcoming and eager to teach our class about their way of life. What struck me most was their “simple” living. They were literally living off the land and seemed incredibly content with life as a Bri Bri. I enjoyed my contact with people whose culture was much different from my own and “bad behaviors” were essentially non-existent. Thankfully, my experience with this community taught me not to judge a book by it’s cover ─ even if someone else claims to know it as truth.

Until next time,

Ryan

Futbol con los niños!

2011-06-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

After a restless night sleep in the rustic cabin called "Casa Calateas" in Carbon, Costa Rica, many of us felt confident that we overcame some fears of the wilderness. Our group sat at breakfast and shared funny stories about what happened in our cabins the night before. Some people had lizards in their rooms; others had what could have been bats. We all laughed a little hearing the stories and we were excited for what the new day had in store for us.

After breakfast, we went around town and interviewed various people in the community. I personally went to speak with the two teachers. One teacher was retired and the other worked at a school that had 40 kids enrolled.

The first interview was with a retired teacher named Angela. She allowed us into her beautiful home to hear her story. Angela talked to us about the education system and how students from different cultures are able to interact while at school. According to Angela, all of the students come together at school; everyone is welcome and they all learn the same things. The schools do not use different evaluations for different cultures because then you are dividing people. She also talked about white people coming in from other parts of Costa Rica and what it's like to live in Limon.

She talked about how the Ticos and the Afro-Caribbeans are both losing some of their own culture. Angela thinks that the two cultures are influencing each other, and are also being influenced by outsiders. The Afro-Caribbeans used to work in the banana plants but now they want better jobs so people from the new cultures will come in and take over these jobs. Ticos and Americans both give work they don’t want to do themselves to the foreigners. Angela said the construction of the major road in Costa Rica was like a dream. It allowed them to become part of the whole territory and create a diverse culture.

Even once the cultures started growing and becoming more diverse, the schools were still united. Angela believes that uniting the kids within the schools helps bring interracial peace. Costa Rica has nationwide uniforms that all look the same based on what grade you are in. This helps students to not divide themselves based on how much money their parents have. When they all have to wear the same thing, you are not able to see how much money the family has, which helps create equality.

The next place we went was a school of 40 kids. We had such a great time visiting this school! We started out by speaking with Sandra. She told us her story, where she is from, how she became interested in teaching and how she is currently commuting two hours to get to work. We also talked about schooling here in Costa Rica and how very few kids go to high school and even fewer attend college.

After we finished speaking with Sandra, we were able to join the kids during recess. This had to be my favorite memory of the trip so far! The kids decided they wanted to challenge our group to a soccer game. These kids were anywhere from 5 to 9. They split into teams and then played process of elimination in order to choose our group members for their teams. I was beyond thrilled when a sweet little girl chose me first! Dr. Harris was the goalie for our team and it was very enjoyable. Both the kids and our group were having a blast running around that field.

We left for Playa Chiquita after lunch at Casa Calateas. After about fifteen minutes, we arrived at our destination. Our new hotel, Namu Waki, was incredible! It had a pool and there were monkeys climbing in the trees! Needless to say, we were in heaven. It was very relaxing to sit by the pool after we unpacked our luggage! We hung out there and talked about the plans for the week.

For dinner, we went to an adorable restaurant outside where we had one of our best meals yet. It was a taco bar with burritos, guacamole and all of the fixings! Pamela, a lady who worked at the restaurant, came over to visit with our table while we were eating. She told us about her life and what brought her to Costa Rica. Her life seemed to be very simple and enjoyable. Pamela was very proud of the life she lives and how she works to conserve the environment. She was very hospitable and even decided to show us her gorgeous house. After checking out her house, we headed to bed because it had been a long day and we had an even longer, yet amazing week ahead of us!

Never Seen a Woman Drink So Much Rum

2011-06-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2011

Hello world! My name is Bria Barnes and I are will be a fourth year student at the University of Georgia in the fall. I am a Communication Studies major and a Spanish minor. After I graduate, I plan on attending Georgia State University to get my Masters in Speech Pathology. I decided to come on this trip because I think it is very important to study abroad while at UGA, and this program offered everything I desired. I am also very interested in Interracial Communication and the way people from different racial backgrounds act and communicate around one another. This trip to Costa Rica has been a “once in a lifetime opportunity,” and I love every minute of it!

Today has indeed been a long day. We are in the 13th day of our trip, and we are leaving San Pedro (a suburb of the capitol San Jose) for Puerto Viejo. We are all excited to leave the city and finally head to the beach. After being in San Jose for 10 days, I believe we are all eager for a new scene. Unfortunately, when we woke up this morning, Elyse had not been feeling too well. Since we were concerned for her health, Dr. Harris advised us that we were taking her to the hospital’s emergency room before we departed San Jose. After waiting 3 hours, we finally were able to hit the road. No worries! Elyse had been diagnosed with a stomach virus that was curable with some rest and medication. The bus ride felt pretty long, but we all got excited when we got our first glimpse of the ocean.

We arrived at Casa Calateas around 5 p.m. and met up with the ATEC (Asociacion Talamanquena de Ecoturismo y Conservacion) director Alaine. ATEC’s mission is to promote ecotourism, sustainability, cultural history, ethnic pride and culture, and education about the diverse cultures in the Talamanca community. Alaine first wanted to welcome us by giving us a little quiz over what we know about ATEC and the Talamanca community. Needless to say, we did not know much, but Elaine assured us that by the end of our stay, we would have a better understanding of the culture.

We were all pre-warned that the Casa Calateas might be a little out of our comfort zone, which was described to be “rustic.” We had running water and comfortable beds protected by mosquito nets, but for the first time since we had been in Costa Rica, we had no access to Internet. I thought that this would be a good thing for the group and would give us a chance to bond instead of rushing to our computers for Facebook and Skype. Thankfully, there were not any complaints about our home for the night, aside from some occasional bugs who decided to visit.

Once we got situated in our rooms, we sat down and ate a dinner prepared by the some members of the community. It was a soup with potatoes and some fried sea bass, which the locals call Ron Don. Alaine explained that the soup is usually made up of anything you can “run down” and catch for dinner .
After our delicious (and healthy) meal, we were able to experience a private Calypso band named Kawe Calypso. The band included three older gentlemen: Danny who played the conga, Alfonzo who played the banjo, and Walter who played the Quijohjo. They went on to tell us about Calypso music’s history, and I learned that Calypso originated in Africa and was used as a form of communication to by slaves to share messages or stories with each other. Eventually, the music became popular in Trinidad and made its way to the Caribbean in 1980. Kawe Calypso went on to sing a couple of popular Calypso songs. The lyrics in the song were based on what people did or experienced on a daily basis. One song included the following lyrics: “Never seen a woman drink so much rum…she washin’ and she cookin’ and she fallin’ down.” This song was talking about how a woman was trying to do her chores but could not because she had so much to drink. Danny went on to explain to the group that although Calypso does not have a lot of instruments, the music has so much rhythm. They even gave us a chance to play their instruments and make Calypso music. I tried to play the banjo but was not very good. The last song they sang was the popular Calypso song from the movie Bettlejuice, “Day-O.” I never realized that the song I used to always hear as a child was Calypso music!

After the band finished performing, we all settled into our home for the night. Initially, we all thought that we were going to be miserable staying at the “rustic” lodge. But now that the experience is over with, I am glad that we stayed there and experienced that way of life. Not only did it allow us to experience a different way of life, it allowed us to be more conscious about conserving energy, water, and food. I can honestly say that I know that staying at Casa Calateas helped me become more open-minded and also appreciative of what I have at home. I have learned that every day here in Costa Rica I am able to learn more and more from this experience and excited to see what lies ahead for the rest of the trip! Pura Vida!

-Bria Banes

Just Call Us Locals-June 22

2011-06-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Hey there, Lina Desloge here again! We have been having a blast down in Costa Rica. Today our trusty San Jose friend, Joaquin, took us to different places around the city to observe the locals and compare their nonverbal behaviors to ours in the United States. Because this is a communication study abroad program, it was very important for us to observe how people here in Costa Rica communicate with each other on a regular, day-to-day basis. The plan for the ay was to go to two different sites for this activity. As a group, we left Hotel Milvia and walked a very short distance to our first destination, which was the student center at Latina University. Before we left, Joaquin instructed us that we would be separate and try to blend in (as much as possible) so we could observe our surroundings and the students as they congregated in the center.

The center looks very much like a mall food court, and at first glance, this center seems much like the student center at UGA with coffee shops and different food stores; however, it took more observation to notice the differences between the two. The first thing I noticed was that not many people were on their phones. If you walk through UGA’s campus, almost everyone is either texting, talking on his or her phone, or pretending to text. It was so refreshing to see people actually engage in conversation without some form of medium. The next thing I noticed was how dressed up people were for class. Girls were wearing heels, which almost never happens in Athens.

After we left Latina University, we hopped on the bus and rode until we arrived at the mall. We were continuing our observations there, and the thing that first caught my attention at the mall was that there were packs of students walking around in uniforms. I first thought that these kids were just skipping school, but there were way too many of them for that to be the explanation. Once we reconvened at the food court, Joaquin explained that the kids in San Jose are on a block system where some days they go to school in the morning and some days they go to school in the afternoon. Through these exercises, we learned that even though we are from different countries, we are all the same in some ways. We all hang out in our student union or at the mall. The one thing that makes my eyes green is the lack of dependency on technology that Costa Rican youth has. I wish the United states could be more like that.

After our meeting in the food court, we all ate around that area and split up until class time. We spent class today preparing for our time with the indigenous people. More specifically, we were trying to generate a list of interview questions to ask of the indigenous and Afro –Caribbean people living in Puerto Viejo. Thus far, we have learned that they are indeed smaller in number compared to the majority white group of Costa Ricans, and most likely have different traditions, values, and beliefs that we were most likely going to learn about. In order to make the most of our time with them, we were split into groups and created our questions for the different indigenous groups. By creating these questions, we really learned a lot about how the indigenous people live. I think people are constantly making the assumption that everyone is like them. Everyone has a different story. People were raised in different cities and in different families, which is why everyone is so different. Once everyone realizes that people are the way they are for a reason, I think the world will be content. We were writing scholarly questions at a college level, and the indigenous people have had high school education at most. We all slowly started to realize that everyone is different, and we need to accept these differences.

We ended our day with our final dinner in San Jose an Asian restaurant called Tin Jo. They offered a wide array of Asian cuisine, and from the looks one everyone’s face (and empty plates), we were all very happy with our food, especially Bria and Sarah who ordered coconut shrimp that came in half of a pineapple. What a way to end this leg of the trip! Tomorrow we are off to sunny Puerto Viejo.

-Lina Desloge

Gallo Pinto

2011-06-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

**For those of you who do not know, gallo pinto is a traditional Tico dish, of rice and black beans. Gallo Pinto is served for breakfast every day on campus, and is truly a staple of the Costa Rican diet. It has turned out to be a hidden treasure in our dining experiences, which says a lot about our efforts to become a part of the Costa Rican culture.**

Today started out at Hotel Milvia. We then walked to the University of Costa Rica for a talk given by psychology professor Dr. Vanessa Smith concerning stereotypes of minorities in Costa Rica. The talk was very interesting because we found that Costa Rican’s have somewhat of an obsession with being “white”.

Lunch after Dr. Smith was on our own, so after the talk some of us went to a restaurant and some of us went back to the hotel for our next guest speaker, Mauricio Melendez, a linguist who specializes in the study of family history. He arrived at Hotel Milvia to give us some perspective on race and culture in this beautiful country. His talk today was focused on how Costa Rica is getting “whiter” or lighter. He explained how back in colonial times, Spanish people (here thought of as white) were much lighter than either the Afro Caribbean or the indigenous people. Because the Spanish people were the conquerors, the native people (with dark skin) were often slaves or thought of as less human. Therefore, people with lighter skin colors were able to hold higher positions, get better jobs, and were able to access more opportunities for individual and social advancement. That seems to be the time period when the obsession with being white started. At one point, there were even laws against interracial marriage and black people were not allowed to hold positions in government. Melendez told us a story about a family in the late 19th century who was white by all appearances, but were actually the descendants of black ancestors. Although the family acknowledged to themselves that their grandmother was black, they hid her photograph so that people would not judge them for having “black” blood. Melendez said that even though racism has been a big issue in Costa Rica, some things have helped to move the society forward in racial acceptance.

After hearing this great talk, I could not help but think that our interracial group in this study abroad program might slightly resemble gallo pinto. That is, we are a perfectly portioned serving of rice (white/Caucasian) and beans (black/African American). We complement each other so well and balance out differing perspectives on society, culture and the way in which society perceives us. We are also a symbol of racial progression and acceptance. It is strange to think that 60 years ago, UGA was not open to black students. I can say with 100% certainty that our discussions would not be nearly as rich or enlightening if our black classmates were not present! On their own, both rice and beans are kind of bland and redundant, but when you put them together, you have a hearty breakfast meal, full of flavor and nutrients.

After the talk, we had a dinner planned at Cafe Mundo, with an interracial couple so we could learn more about the influence race and culture have on their romantic relationship. Faviana, from San Jose, and Leland, from Vermont, were very friendly and greatly enlightened us through sharing their experience as an interracial couple in Costa Rica.

Overall, our day was filled with great talks, interesting company, and delicious food --- a perfect ending to such a busy day.

06-20-11 Poas Volcano

2011-06-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hey ya’ll, it’s Danielle Caldwell again! I am still having an amazing time in Costa Rica and I am learning so much! Today I got to experience something that I would have never dreamed, a volcano! Being from Texas, it is rare that I hear anyone ever talking about seeing a real volcano, but now, I can be that one! There are so many things that I have the opportunity to do in Costa Rica that would not have been nearly as great of an experience anywhere else.

We departed Hotel Milvia at 7:00am to drive two hours to Poas Volcano. Most of us were exhausted from white water rafting the day before so we slept most of the way on the bus. When I opened my eyes our driver, Armando, was pulling into a parking space at Poas. We got out, stretched our legs and started our short hike until we reached the viewing spot for the volcano. At first I was confused and kind of disappointed when I looked over the balcony into the volcano and saw nothing but clouds. We all were trying to take pictures to prove we actually went to a volcano, but the clouds were so thick they masked everything.

“Dr. Harris, we can’t see anything!” I, and many others, said to our professor. However, she assured us that this happened last time and if we were patient we would be able to see the clouds shift and reveal Poas. Sure enough, about thirty seconds after she said that the dense clouds began to move out of the way for the flashing cameras and posing tourists. We took pictures with the inactive volcano as our background for about thirty minutes until we started on our second journey of the trip: the hike to the lagoon.

Being on this trip involves a lot of walking, but the walk is always worth it at the end. I stared at the trail that was going to lead me to the lagoon and started walking. I was the first one on the trail of my group and I kept my fast pace because I was anxious to see the lagoon, another thing I have never witnessed. I was getting a little tired after walking up a constant incline but I ran into a couple that was on their way down. The man told me to keep on trucking because I was almost there. With that in mind, motivation set in and my legs began taking longer, faster steps again. About ten minutes later I stopped and looked ahead; I had not almost been there and I had plenty more to go. I kept on walking though, still staying ahead of the group. The change in altitude as I hiked higher really affected how fast I wanted to move and how fast I actually could move. I was surely getting a workout in! Finally I saw the concluding steps of my hike that lead to a level platform overlooking a huge and beautiful lagoon. I was there, basically alone, and that moment was breathtaking. I looked out in front of me and saw at the lagoon, blue and tranquil. Moments like this always surprise me. How can this place be so beautiful? When the rest of the group arrived we took a ton of more pictures, of course.

Before we left the lagoon and started our long, declined walk, we all wanted a full group picture. We asked a nearby tourist to take a photo of us and when we were all situated and smiling, a squirrel darter right for Dr. Harris’ sweatshirt. We all tensed up as the squirrel poked himself in and out of the neck of her red University of Georgia apparel. I was so shocked that the squirrel was so comfortable to be around so many humans and just dig through whatever he pleased. Tourist locations, such as the volcano and lagoon, really affect how the animals react towards humans. In this case, the squirrel was not worried about anyone around him, just his curiosity.

After the volcano experience, Armando took us to a local restaurant. I was skeptical at first because for our group of twelve the menu was already pre-planned and we only got to choose what meat we wanted with our meal. I, holding the title for the pickiest eater on the trip, had no faith that this random restaurant could cater to my selective needs. But once again, Costa Rica surprised me. The meal was delicious! It started off with a yummy fruit drink that tasted like a virgin strawberry daiquiri. Then we got our meals! Mine had grilled chicken on a bed of rice, beans, plantains, and vegetables. Not only was the food amazing, but we also got dessert! I had a HUGE piece of chocolate cake with chocolate mousse! Yum! I did not only love the food, but also our server was the best! I have been a server for two years and I really appreciate when other servers seem to love their job and love to engage with their guests. Our server spoke great English, but was not opposed to help us with our broken Spanish. He also cracked jokes every time he came by the table and ensured that we were having a great experience. I had a fantastic lunch experience!

Once I got home I crashed and stayed in the rest of the night. I was so tired from our past activities and a Hotel Milvia bed seemed like the most amazing place to recuperate. Tomorrow we have two lectures and on Thursday we head to Puerto Viejo! Keep reading, our trip is only getting better! Pura Vida!

Danielle Caldwell

Over the River and Through the Woods

2011-06-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hi again, it’s Laura Graham! As I continue on my journey of discovery and interracial communication, I am learning more and more about the culture of Costa Ricans. I feel as if I am completely immersed in the language and lifestyle through my daily activities. As I continue to become more familiar with the Costa Rican way of life, I know I will be able to distinguish between race and class. Already I have found distinctions and inconsistencies that ordinary tourists wouldn’t be able to see or understand. I feel that by opening up and communicating (Spanglish) with the natives, I will be able to fit in and learn more about them as people and not just hosts.

My alarm clock went off this morning at 6 am. At first, I was disoriented and confused, while asking myself “What is that loud noise”? After a few seconds of ringing, it dawned on me: WE’RE GOING WHITE WATER RAFTING!!! I quickly got dressed and packed up my things (including a waterproof camera). We got on the bus and were greeted by a young Costa Rican male who, judging from his attire, was obviously someone who worked with the rafting company. He proceeded to give us information regarding the van ride and the upcoming excursion. After the lecture, we still had a 90-minute trip to get through. But the scenery was beautiful and it gave me a chance to rest.

Once we got to the rafting location, we had breakfast. It wouldn’t be Costa Rica without rice and beans for breakfast; however, I was more interested in the coffee. After breakfast, we took another van to the river. I remember all of a sudden feeling a rush of fear. I kept thinking: “I don’t even like water. What if I drown”? Once we got into the boat, my fear drifted away and all I could think of was the wonderful experience ahead of me. It was absolutely incredible!! The lush greenery, the animals (yes, I saw a Toucan), the rush of riding a rapid were all new and spectacular. White water rafting in Costa Rica --- an experience I’ll remember forever!!

Throughout the excursion, I couldn’t help but think about the people working for the rafting company. Like the zip-lining experience, the men working were young males who are tan, fit, and quite experienced in the field. Throughout my trip to Costa Rica, I have seen a definite difference between the jobs of older men and the jobs of younger men. Like I said in my previous blog, many Costa Ricans make their money through tourist companies. These tourists help facilitate economical growth for the area. It is interesting how Costa Rican men are divided into old and young. The older men tend to be van drivers, while the younger men have more of an “adventurous” occupation. Much like the United States, it would seem that older men seek jobs that require less physical activity and more knowledge.
In both zip-lining and rafting, I noticed that a lot of Afro-Caribbean culture has been integrated into the Costa Rican way of life. Phrases, like ‘tuanis,’ are consistently used in the area. Tuanis is equivalent to the phrase ‘cool’ commonly used in the United States. The hairstyle of dreads is also prevalent and is inspired by the Afro-Caribbean culture as well as Rastafarian music and religion. While many of our guides referred to this cultural influence, I have noticed this pattern throughout Costa Rica. Since we will have the opportunity to interact with more people in the coming weeks, I look forward to discussing this idea further with the Afro-Caribbeans in our future interviews in Puerto Viejo.

The food continues to be unique and delicious. Even McDonald’s tastes better here than in the States. However, if I come across something in Costa Rica that tastes less than exceptional, I will be sure to fill you in. I highly doubt that will be the case, though 

I look forward to the continuation of my Costa Rican education. I hope to form new friendships with the natives of the area and understand their culture on a higher level than most tourists. I truly believe that this is an immersion trip that consists of so much more than just service learning. I feel as though this opportunity is allowing me to truly learn from and appreciate those that I wouldn’t ordinarily have the opportunity to encounter. Pura Vida!

LAG

"Bad Behaviors??"

2011-06-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hello family! Yes! If you’ve been keeping up with our blog, then you’re a part of our family!
I’m ready to tell you all about today but before I begin, I’m sure you’ll need a swift introduction.

My name is Ryan Catchings, and I am a graduating senior at the University of Georgia, majoring in Consumer Journalism. This is my very first time out of the country and I am the only male student in the program! Exciting, right? Well, I think so. And I am extremely appreciative of this opportunity which has been GREAT so far!

Alright, let’s start. This week has been amazing! Hiking, learning, eating; everything has been perfect. Well, almost perfect. The girls used their free time to relax while I enjoyed exploring. As the sole male in this program, I needed a little break and they needed their beauty rest (Haha), so I woke up this morning, ate breakfast, and then I thought “Basketball!” Since we had a free morning, I immediately threw on some clothes and rushed to tell Dr. Harris that I was headed to the University of Costa Rica to find a gym. I’m almost certain that she laughed and then reminded me of our group meeting time of 11:00am. We were all planning to take the city bus to El Mercado Central (The Central Market) for some inexpensive souvenir shopping. Until then, all I could think about was how the sports competition would be in a different country. I walked to the hotel lobby and requested a cab in broken Spanish. Surprisingly, I even got the name of the area that the basketball court was located from the receptionist.

Ten minutes later, I’m in a cab thinking of what phrases I knew from my introductory Spanish courses. “Hace calor!” is what I managed, waving my hand over my face as if the sun were in the taxi (actually, it may have been because the heat was real today). Well, I must’ve been right because the reply I received was a light laugh and a, “Si, si.” (Haha!) I can’t say that that was the best Spanish conversation I’ve ever had, but it certainly boosted my confidence. So, the MOST awkward 15 minutes of my life ended with a, “Muchas gracias,” and I exited the taxi in search of the basketball court.

At this point, I’m asking everyone in walking distance about the location of the court. And sure enough, I got plenty of directions which were likely accurate, but again, I DO NOT speak Spanish well. What to do? I thought. The answer was, “Focus,” so I decided to ask one more person near my position. Immediately, I began to think, “This must be my lucky day, an American!” Well, I was very wrong, and this guy spoke the fastest Spanish in the world! I kept replying with, “Repitate” until I was able to combine the guy’s nonverbals with the few Spanish words I could pick up from his instructions. Finally, I was able to lead myself to an empty basketball court, which was right beside the jam-packed soccer field and the overcrowded racquetball court. Wow! I was disappointed. An empty basketball court and no basketball to keep me company. Irritated, I decided to walk around and then head back to the hotel.

I then headed to the bus line, on the way to the hotel, and I ran into some young guys who seemed to be around my age. I exclaimed, “Hola!” in order to lead into a conversation, and I surprisingly received a “Hey, what’s up?” Relieved is the only way to describe my mood after that.
I immediately seized the opportunity to speak in English. I asked a thousand questions and bullied myself into their routine Saturday morning racquetball game (Haha). After a long morning I’d already had, it was no way they could tell me no. I was determined to play any sport at that point!

Suffice it to say that I suck at racquetball! I ended up spending most of my time asking questions about Costa Rican culture and telling the four guys about my studies and experiences in Costa Rica thus far. We talked for a couple of hours, and somewhere in the conversation I informed them about my study abroad program’s plan to visit the Caribbean and indigenous areas of Costa Rica. I can still recall the looks on the guys’ faces: confused and disapproving. The guys responded to my statements in Spanish amongst one another, intentionally leaving me out of the conversation. “Bad behaviors” was the first phrase that I heard in English. The guys went on to explain to me things that I should do to protect myself and my belongings. “Don’t trust them” was another phrase that was etched in my mind.

Immediately, I became worried. I didn’t want to go to a dangerous area, especially in someone else’s country. I asked the guys what happened to them when they visited those areas, and they exclaimed they had never been and had no need to go.

What is the book concept that was unfolding before my eyes? Stereotyping. But I still had no idea what to make of the conversation. I wondered where such a negative idea could stem from and why were they so confident about their statements.

Alright, it was 10:40AM and it was time to meet the group. We were headed souvenir shopping! I couldn’t be late, so I grabbed a bus with my new friends’ help and headed back to the hotel.

All in all, the events of the day gave me a lot to think about.

--Ryan Catchings

Costa Rican Culture

2011-06-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Joaquin Lizano, who studies intercultural communication, opened our eyes to a whole new side of the Costa Rican culture today. He talked about how equality differs for everyone and it was interesting to hear after all of our talk about race within our group and classes. Joaquin believes that we are equal in front of the law but historical rooting’s such as slavery or white supremacy can make things less clear. Some of the topics he talked about were differences, cultural adjustment and Costa Rican norms.

Some of the social norms in Costa Rica that are quite different from ours in North America are use of personal space, driving and sense of time. Personal space in Costa Rica is much smaller than what we are used to. Joaquin gave us an example of a local man from Costa Rican giving directions to an American. He said it is very likely for the Costa Rican to be touching your arms in order to make a statement while giving the directions, which is something we are not use to. The touching of our arm causes our attention to go from the directions to the fact that some strange person is touching us. Driving is very different here as well. Joaquin explained their driving habits and it made a lot more sense to us. While in San Jose, we have realized that the drivers are very emotionally expressive and honk their horns non-stop. Joaquin told us that honking a horn here is a way of communicating, they will honk to say “Please let me over,” “Thank you” or as a compliment to a beautiful woman. Something else we learned to is that Costa Rican sense of time is something our group realized was a huge difference after Joaquin explained how Costa Ricans are about it. Costa Rica is considered polychromic which is more relaxed about time whereas, the U.S. is monochromic which is more industrialized and more efficient with time. For example, we would be frustrated with someone being 5 minutes late, where as a Costa Rican could be an hour late and not be considered rude or late. We are not used to this culture but being uncomfortable is part of immersing ourselves in this cultural adventure.

Joaquin ended with talking to us about the benefits of studying abroad. He talked about the greater confidence and assertiveness that comes from being part of a collective culture, having better listening abilities, better sensitivity to other cultures, and more tolerance and patience. Confidence comes from putting yourself in a spot where you feel uncomfortable and overcoming it, that is how we learn about the differences.

In order to catch up on class content, we had a second class in the afternoon, and Danielle was the discussion leader. The chapter was on identity, which plays a major role in the comfort levels between how blacks and whites may perceive each other. We must understand how people perceive us and how we perceive them. The subject of identity negotiation goes back to what Joaquin said about crossing our comfort zones in order to conquer our confidence in new or different cultures.

Defining culture has become very relevant not only in Costa Rica but within our group as well. Being in a group composed equally of blacks and whites, we have tried defining our cultures to one another in order to help the others understand where we come from and why we are the way we are. Through this defining process, we are able to open our eyes to see the Costa Rican and African American culture in an entirely new light.

Identity can be shaped through stages and the way we go about them differs with every individual. You may bridge the stages or you may jump from one stage to the next but they are a great starting point to understanding racial identities. Someone who is white may have a different experience understanding who they are versus someone who is Latino or Mexican. Non-whites seem to have a better awareness of their racial identity than whites because culture, skin color and racial classes are more prevalent among non-whites. We do not all have to go about understanding our identity the same way because it is an evolving process.

In order to better understand this chapter, Danielle led us in a hands-on activity to help us identify our identity shaping process. We all wrote down 5 I AM statements and 5 THEY THINK I AM statements. There is so much of our identity that we over-analyze and this exercise made it very prevalent. It was interesting to see the things that were obvious to others about us and some things that were news to others about that individual. Afterwards, we discussed our opinions about why we wrote the things we did as our statements.

Stacy explained that through this activity she realized that white privilege only appears in certain circumstances. She said that if she was in a group of all white people, she probably would not have written white as one of her descriptions of herself. Since she was in a group of half black and half white students, she decided it was an important statement to include about her. In another setting we may not have used white as a descriptive word for ourselves, but in the context of class, it seemed to be an important description because race is part of what defines who we are.

Through our group conversations/interactions we are crossing the uncomfortable racial barrier and seeing ourselves, our lives, and others through new eyes. I have learned that breaking the racial barrier and understanding other cultures gives you a peace about opening yourself to new adventures and situations.

-Carly Byers

June 16th- Service Learning

2011-06-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? I am Kendra Gibbs a senior Speech Communication and Theatre Arts student at Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach Florida and I hale from the Motor City, Detroit Michigan. Hope you enjoy reading about our journey as much as we’ve enjoyed our Costa Rican excursions.
Today we had breakfast at hotel Milvia followed by a morning class. In class we discussed Ann E. Green’s article titled, “But You Aren’t White”: Racial Perceptions and Service-Learning.” Although I’ve always been aware that I’m not “white,” I never thought of community service from the receiver’s point of view. I began to question what was positive service learning? Are my peers and I making a positive difference, or are we contributing to the disconnect betweenracial and/or socioeconomic groups. After our class discussion, I began to grasp the gravity of the importance of how the program is set up. The teachers in the elementary schools would prefer that we play with the children and support the people’s way of life because of the lasting memories and camaraderie they foster rather than provide short-term indulgences like candy or trinkets . When embarking upon a service-learning project, it is important to know and interact with the people, or as an outsider you may gain a gross misperception of what the people “need.”
As the trip continues to progress, I’ve noticed that Costa Rican needs differ from American needs. During this trip, the terms “need” and “necessity” have become skewed for some of us. We all know the basic necessities for life such as food, air, and water, but we begin to use the term loosely and direct it towards things like phone service, internet, and air conditioning, none of which are necessary for survival. As a result of our differences if we were to bring these “gifts,” I cannot say that they would be unappreciated; rather, the people that live in the rural and forested areas, for example, would prefer that you take time to hear their stories, learn what skills they possess, help replace the trees that fall as a result of rain and plant trees to counter the carbon emissions their travel produces.
After class we ventured off independently to have lunch and we chose to do lunch at McDonald’s! I was sad they didn’t have fish sandwiches, but they made up for it with FRIED apple pies. Sheesh I wish they made those in the states! We wound up having a free day because are speaker, anthropologist Mauricio Melendez had a schedule conflict. He was scheduled to speak with us about the history of race and culture in Costa Rica, but since he wasn’t able to make, we now had a free afternoon and were planning to hear him next week.
Danielle, Dr. Harris, and I found a tiny market in San Pedro/San Jose that was on the way back from lunch. It wasn’t far from the hotel and was a very pleasant surprise. As I scoured through the many crafts that were on display, I found handmade marble key chains in all sorts of different shapes, which would definitely be souvenirs for friends and family back home. Danielle found a hand carved turtle keychain (she loves reptiles/amphibians), and I am sure that made her day. Overall the day was easy going and fun filled! Well, until next time friends, PURA VIDAAAAAAA!

The Proof is on The Wall

2011-06-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

Today, like everyday, was packed full of activities and new experiences. We started our day at Hotel Milvia, eating a breakfast of fruit, cereal, juice and toast. I think we all agreed that it was nice to have a familiar meal. Even though the campus meals were incredibly fresh and authentic, good old cereal and toast was a nice reminder of home. After breakfast we had class and discussed volunteer work and how each of us can get the most out of our experience with our upcoming service learning activity. We will be interacting with local school children.

In case you do not already know, Hotel Milvia is more than just a bed and breakfast; it is also an art gallery. In the breakfast room (where we hold our class discussions) there are several, very large portraits. I could not help but notice that the technique the artist used to create dimension and expression involved at least 12 different shades and colors. The colors are not blended, but are thick patches of paint that are almost geographic. In the portrait of a Latino man, the colors used are a range of browns, pinks, yellows, and whites. As we sit there and talk about race, diversity, unity and culture, I am reminded that although from far away we all look like one thing or one race, we are so much more. We are the compilation of everything around us. We are a product of more than just our parents, but of our community. Like the painting in the breakfast room, we are not just black or white; we are pink, yellow, tan, ivory, etc.

After our discussion, we had lunch and then walked to the University of Costa Rica, where we learned about the 3 main racial groups that exist in, Costa Rica. Dr. Daniel Rojas, spoke about an imaginary identity that the groups have, and the ideas they have of themselves as well as each groups ideas about the other two. He explained how the groups formed and how colonialism is the root cause of any hierarchical struggle between the groups. What I found most intriguing about the talk was that Costa Rican’s tend to be very individualistic. Dr. Rojas explained that there is not really a sense of national culture or solidarity, and that each person kind of takes what they want from various cultures in Costa Rica, and applies it to their lives as they see fit. He suggested that they are this way because they have never had a national military and have been under the thumb of another ruling class for so long (Spanish imperialism)

After the talk, we had some down time at the hotel, followed by dinner in another part of San Jose. It was raining, and the winding mountain roads had all of us a little on edge, but when we arrived at the restaurant we soon realized that the rough ride was well worth the experience. The building its self was situated on the side of a mountain that overlooked all of San Jose. We took dozens of pictures and all of us were very taken aback when we realized that we could see the clouds below us, looming over the city.

In short, today was another amazing day, all of us are excited to see what tomorrow brings!

-Elyse

From a Country Girl to a City Girl

2011-06-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Laura Graham. I am a communication studies major and a senior at University of Georgia. I decided to come on this trip because I am extremely interested in the social impact of racism within different cultures. I have found that within Costa Rica, there is a level of racism that is rarely discussed. Throughout the trip I am trying to immerse myself in the culture so that I can understand the idea of race within the population. This is my personal account of one of the days here in Costa Rica.

I woke up this morning with the realization that I will be leaving San Luis, Costa Rica for San Jose, Costa Rica. It made me sad to think that I will be leaving this natural setting. The most amazing thing about the UGA Costa Rica campus is the fact that you are in a remote area with only mountains surrounding you. The simplistic environment is what makes it so beautiful and unique. Being a city girl, myself, it is hard for me to believe that I could enjoy such a rugged location. However, the natural surroundings were a nice change of pace for me. I got used to the animal noises, walking everywhere and even Lina’s snoring. But, alas, change is always welcome in my life and I look forward to our next destination, San Jose. Because San Jose is a big city and more apt to poverty, which creates social hierarchy, I feel I will be able to see and learn about an enhanced level of racism within particular groups.

We began our day as any other, eating breakfast. Costa Rican breakfast is so interesting and delicious. The variety of fresh fruits and breads are very different from the United States. And, the hot chocolate is so tasty. I have to say, my stomach could have done without the rice and beans, but my head instinctively kept putting them on my plate at every meal. After we finished breakfast we loaded up the van and began our journey to San Jose with Johnny at the helm. Johnny is such an interesting character. He is typically our van driver on long trips. A lot of Costa Ricans, like Johnny, work as tourist or taxi drivers. The tourists coming from various places around the world help to stimulate the Costa Rican economy. However, Johnny is more than a driver; he is a friend. He speaks English pretty well and helps all of us when we’re lost in translation talking to the natives of Costa Rica. Johnny also introduces us to restaurants in various locations within Costa Rica. Today, we ate at a small restaurant called Muriels. The food was delicious and authentic to the area. It is always so nice to meet people within the area and practice my Spanish. Immersion into the culture is really helping me pick up on the language. I am fortunate to have met people like Johnny who put us in situations where we have to learn to communicate. Through any form of communication, I can better understand the culture and the issues surrounding race.

Throughout the entire trip I thought about how gorgeous and unique the scenery was. The only things surrounding these windy roads were trees, mountains and cliffs. The presence of the color green was as abundant as the blue sky above it. The San Luis scene was stunning to say the least. Four hours or so later we enter San Jose and the environment was much different. Since San Jose is a city, there is much more American influence. The trees of San Luis were replaced with fast food restaurants, grocery stores and banks while hundreds of cars filled the roads. However, even though there was an immense amount of Americanization, there was also a unique, Costa Rican accent to these familiar businesses.

Finally, we arrive at our final destination. The hotel is called Hotel Milvia and doubles as a lodging bed and breakfast and art gallery. It is gorgeous. There are all these beautiful paintings in the lobby and in our rooms. It is so peaceful. We had to change roommates from before, and now I have my own bed so I won’t have to sleep on the top bunk anymore, score. After we got settled and relaxed we went out to dinner. Yes, we went to a Japanese Restaurant in Costa Rica. Don’t judge us, we needed a change from Mexican food. Fortunately, this gamble paid off because my sushi was delicious. I am starting to realize that all the food in Costa Rica is incredibly tasty. I really shouldn’t make this hasty generalization, so I’ll let you know in my next blog if I eat anything that is less to be desired.

Now, I am pleasantly full, showered and exhausted from a long and eventful day. I look forward to tomorrow and to the connections I plan to make with the Costa Ricans around me. My only hope is to be able to conduct myself in a way that is respectful to the people and culture that surrounds me. Everyday I try not to think of myself as a tourist. My ultimate goal is to make friends with the Costa Ricans and try to learn from them. I look forward to the continuation of my education and how racial barriers affect communication. Pura vida!

LAG

Zipping through Costa Rica

2011-06-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Lina Desloge and I am a rising fourth year at UGA. I am a Marketing Major with a minor in Speech Communications from Tallahassee, FL. I am so grateful to have been given this experience to study abroad in Costa Rica, and I think it is going to be a phenomenal trip.

Today, our fourth day in Costa Rica, the majority of us decided to do something extreme and zipline through the cloud forest about 45 minutes from UGA campus! Ziplining is a big part of tourism here in Costa Rica, which in turn is a huge part of the economy. They take multiple groups of 10+ people daily, which allows their economy to grow.

After eating a breakfast, of rice and beans of course, we loaded up the van and headed towards the ziplining company. The minute we get to the top, it began to mist, which wasn’t a problem because all of us had our rain gear on.

We walked into the zipline office, put our belongings in lockers, and headed to the fitting room. We all got fitted with harnesses, which weren’t exactly the MOST comfortable thing in the world, especially when someone ELSE is tightening the straps for you. Once we were all suited up in harnesses, helmets, and gloves, we headed to the course with our guides Emel, Jonathon, Alejandro, and Esteban (or Steve, as he told us to call him). We sat down and had a tutorial on how to brake our stops on the zipline with the gloves we were given; then we headed up to the platform to take off.

Everyone was a little nervous on their first try, but once we realized there wasn’t anything to fear, we all started having a blast…that is until Sarah and Danielle ran into a tree and Stacy scraped her leg on a platform!! These small battle wounds were a small price to pay for the view you could see while ziplining through the forest. At the end of the 13-cable course, there was a “Tarzan swing,” which was pretty much a free-fall until the bungee caught you and swung you back and forth through the trees.

After the Tarzan swing, we all walked back to our initial checkpoint and turned in our harnesses like we had conquered the world! We loaded up the vans, ate our pb&js and headed back to campus. Once we got back to campus, it started raining…a lot. It rained for about four hours, which gave us all time to pack our bags for our departure from campus the next morning. Later that evening, we went to dinner in the dining hall and said goodbye to all the Warnell people (students in a forestry program) we had grown to know over the past few days, and, of course, battled over the delicious hot chocolate. After dinner we all dispersed to make our Skype dates, then a few of us gathered and learned how to play spades, which I won…that’s all for now. PURA VIDA

-Lina Desloge

Arboles Bebes

2011-06-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hello all! My name is Danielle Caldwell and I am from Dallas, Texas and I attend the University of Missouri. I am majoring in Mass Communication and minoring in English Writing. I plan to one day go into radio and become a radio personality/disk jockey. This is my first time blogging so I hope ya’ll enjoy it and I hope I paint a good picture of what this program is like!
Today I woke up and met the rest of the students from the UGA Costa Rica campus for breakfast at 7:30 am. We had rice, beans, eggs, fresh fruit and orange juice. The fruit here is amazing and tastes so fresh, just like the rest of our food! I was really impressed to find out that most of the food we eat here comes from the local community. So not only are we getting food that is literally grown just around the corner, but the campus is also helping support its neighbors.
After breakfast we had some down time to catch up on class readings or sleep. I looked over the chapter and class articles we were assigned to discuss that day during class. At 10:30am, we went to plant trees. At first I was skeptical about this, but I found that I really enjoyed the experience. We learned the day before about how our travels to Costa Rica actually had a negative impact on the wildlife. Our plane ride to the country and three-hour car ride put a lot of carbon into the air. The goal of planting the trees was to add something back to the environment that produced oxygen.
We met up with one of the campus’ naturalists, Luke, who showed us to the beginning point of our carbon offset tree planting, where we got our different species of baby trees from Lucas, a resident of Monteverde and University of Georgia-San Luis employee. We carried our baby trees and walked to a portion of land that already looked like it had enough trees and shrubbery. Lucas pointed out different spots in the ground, several feet away to give the trees room to grow, where we had to dig holes. Once the holes were dug, we placed our little trees in them and gently filled the rest of the hole in with the dirt in order to anchor the plants and offer fertilizer for proper growth and nourishment. It was really fun to see the finished product! After we finished, we all took pictures next to our baby trees like a mother would her kindergartener on the first day of school. 
While planting the trees, I came into contact with an insect and an amphibian. After bending down to plant a tree, I stood up to find a walking stick crawling up my leg! Of course, I freaked out. However, Luke, the naturalist, came to my rescue of the tiny, harmless insect and let it crawl on him to assure me it was friendly. After my overreacted insect incident, I came into contact with a tiny frog that someone found in a treeless hole. The frog was seriously the tiniest thing ever! He would not even compare to the size of a dime. Luke picked him up first for safety precautions, and then I got to hold him! He was so little and so scared that he barely moved. I made sure to shield him with my free hand so he wouldn’t jump to his death. Once I showed everyone my itty-bitty frog, I set him free in an area that wouldn’t get him squished by a tree planter.
Once we finished up our tree planting, we headed back to the campus for lunch, which consisted of rice, black beans, salad and pork. Directly after lunch, we all decided that we wanted to hold class a little earlier. We talked a lot about the history of race and how its history affects us today. We also discussed tourism and how locals view tourists and how tourists view locals. Have you ever thought that when you visit a country on a resort, you are not truly getting to know the culture? You are getting to see a watered down version of what really goes on. Tourism, as we discussed in class, is helping some countries lose their authenticity. Their job to make others want to vacation in the country takes away from the culture because they are trying so hard to please the tourists who only want to hear and see the most beautiful parts of the country. In all reality, that resort is possibly the nicest part of the country.
After class, we had time to get ready to hit the town! We left the campus around 5pm and caught a taxi to a bar in Monteverde called Bar Amigos to watch the Mexico versus Costa Rica soccer game. The bar looked like the bars in America with big screens, a dance floor, beer bottles everywhere, and people looking for a good time. The bar served different types of food such as burgers, fries, pasta, and quesadillas. We all enjoyed our dining time there. After eating half of us went to walk around that part of the city to get dessert while the others stayed and danced the night away using the Merengue moves we learned during our dancing lessons. I went to find dessert and ended up at a butterfly-decorated restaurant called Morphos. We ate ice cream and Cinnabon-type desserts. It was amazing, but the company was even better! The server, Marco, was very nice and even spoke to me while I struggled to remember my high school Spanish classes. Once we gathered everyone together we caught the taxi around 9:30pm to campus where we made it to our rooms and crashed for the night.
I hope ya’ll enjoyed my first blog and I hope you will enjoy what my classmates have to say as well! We are so excited to be here, everything feels so surreal! I can’t believe that I’m going to be in Costa Rica for a month! Tomorrow we go ziplining and later on in the trip we go white water rafting! Make sure to read those blogs as well! Pura Vida!

Danielle Caldwell

Helllllooooooo Costa Rica!

2011-06-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

We have arrived everyone! Today we are embarking upon our first full day in Costa Rica. Thus far, we’ve experienced numerous encounters with the people of Costa Rica. The plane trips went very well, I know personally, I was indeed nervous about traveling over a large body of water to this land. Many of us engaged in conversation with individuals from the United States, Caribbean, and elsewhere traveling to and from different parts of the world. It is amazing to see how people cross paths while traveling, communicating, and engaging (beginning class discussions before we even arrive!)

Once off the plane, we were immediately immersed into the culture of the country. Upon our arrival to the airport in San Jose and retrieving our luggage, there were so many bag handlers who work hastily to assist or “assist” with the carrying of travelers’ bag. Quickly, it was realized that the language difference created a communication barrier!

On the journey to San Luis to the UGA Campus, the ride was indeed interesting. About two and a half hours into the countryside, we voyaged on a tourist van while viewing the beauty and uniqueness of the agricultural and human interaction in Costa Rica. We stopped at a local restaurant on the way and enjoyed the authentic cuisine and the environment of the outside patio facing the mountain. It was somewhat of a struggle to communicate with the waitress, well for me at least, but it warmed my heart so much that they had put forth every effort to communicate the menu choices to our group. This was my first Costa Rican meal and real conversation; it was amazing! We also had our first opportunity to converse as a group and get to know each other. I can tell early on that this will be a great group of people to explore this country with!

Afterwards, we got back onto the bus and traveled another hour or so, up into the mountains of San Luis de Monteverde. We arrived just before dark for dinner; the sun was setting on the and the view and feel of the campus was absolutely beautiful.

I am truly overwhelmed by what I have experienced thus far. Being in another country for the first time is unlike anything I can full describe already, and I’ve only been here for a day! Time for us to get some rest after such a long day.

June 28 and 29 Loving our last day in Costa Rica!

2010-06-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

June 30, 2010 7:27 a.m.

UGA Costa Rica, San Luis

There are few words to describe how I feel in this moment. I am typing away in the dimly lit library on the UGA Costa Rica campus. Outside, a symphony of birds is making music. Above me, clouds are rolling through, intermittently blocking the sun's warm rays. Not far from me, I hear pans clanking in the kitchen as breakfast is being prepared. Down the hill, the girls are getting ready for their last full day in Costa Rica.

It is an odd buzz, really, in this most relaxed of places. There is a sense of urgency this morning: – an urgency to take last minute photos, finish up long-term conversations, create a few last memories, share a couple more stories, crack a few more jokes, and to simply liven up what is the termination of our time together. None of us are fooled: We know we will see each other again in the not-so-distant future; we are even planning get-togethers and camping trips. But there is something about being in Costa Rica that unites us all.

We have spent the last couple of days at a slower pace than normal. Since relocating to San Luis on Sunday, we have spent time reminiscing, talking about our futures and what lies ahead in our regularly scheduled lives. We have spent time compiling projects - frantically at moments - and giving presentations. Indeed, I think we all did fabulous work! We have spent time enjoying the local fare and we have taken moments to look out over the mountains that expand beyond our sight. A true appreciation, unbridled by our Americanized way of seeing things, is burgeoning in our hearts and our minds. I think we have all fallen in love with this place, its people, and the way of life that is played out here every day.

Much of this appreciation comes from our class time, the many lectures we have attended, the trails we have hiked, the bus rides we have experienced, the food that we have eaten, the people that we have talked to, and the silent moments we have each taken to contemplate our existence here. Some of us had the realization early on that we are no longer at home. Instead, this trip transplanted us into another way of living. I was scared at first to embrace it, but now I have feelings of sorrow in knowing that I have to leave it.

Enough of my emotional rambling, though. I still have 28 hours of Costa Rica to enjoy!

When we arrived on Sunday, June 27, we all pooped out. After two days at the beach in Manuel Antonio, you would think we would be relaxed and ready to roll, but there is something about early morning travel that has the ability to wear anyone out. We arrived on campus, had lunch, took naps, unpacked, ate dinner, and began work on our group projects. Outside of those activities, most of us tried to monopolize as much time for sleeping.

Monday, June 28, was spent wrapping up the course. In our morning class time, we discussed moving from the theoretical (what we have been learning in class) to the practical (how we should apply these concepts to our daily lives). This is the striking difference between this program and so many others: The things we do here enable us to directly impact our own self and others. We have all become more aware of the theoretical foundations of race, Whiteness, interracial relationships, and the like. But more importantly, we are finding ways to use these ideas to create a more fair and respecting environment for diversity at home.

Our group projects took precedent for the remainder of the day. We mostly gathered in the library, laptops on tap, to think, write, and prepare our slides for the following day. It is amazing how a month's worth of working and thinking can culminate so quickly when you put the brainpower of ten University of Georgia students together! Between seeking out academic articles, campaign websites, book chapters, sifting through field notes and class work, and discussing the merits of certain points or theories, we came up with two pretty awesome projects.

We literally worked between meals, mostly huddled together so that we could take mental breaks on occasion, share in each other's music, and attune ourselves to the work flow that was in process. Bedtime came fairly late for some of us, but we deserved every second of sleep we got that night.

Tuesday, June 29, included an early morning hike to a local farm collaborative, Finca la Bella, that grows, roasts, packages, and sells coffee beans. Our 20-minute hike took us up steep and bumpy roads, high into the Monteverde hills. When we arrived, we received a tour, tasted fresh sugarcane, enjoyed una vista bonita (a beautiful view), held "photo shoots" on the cusp of a mountaintop, and later sipped on warm coffee and chewed a sweet bread. During these moments, I remember several of us admitting to ourselves and to each other just how content we were. After all the stressful days, after all the grueling hikes, and after all the time spent worrying about things back at home, we were simply there in that moment enjoying what our temporary home had to offer.

My group (me, Hannah, Sarah, and Danielle) made its presentation at 2 p.m., focusing on how safety and security in Costa Rica are enacted visually and through the media. Primarily, we sought to debunk three myths that tourists and Ticos alike may subscribe to: (1) San Jose is unsafe, (2) Afro-Caribbeans are a dangerous people, and (3) the news media presents an accurate picture of what crime is like in Costa Rica. Ultimately, we applied the contact hypothesis, which assumes that as contact between interracial groups increases the barriers that separate those groups decreases. It is our hope that this presentation can be used to create a more respectful environment and understanding of Costa Rican security practices.

The second group (Jessica, Cristina, Ruth Ann, Sammie, Brittany, and Lauren) spoke at 8 p.m. and brought to light the different attitudes on beauty in the United States and Costa Rica. Particularly, this group highlighted the more open and accepting view of larger, more curvaceous women in Costa Rica. They also pointed to anecdotal evidence during our trip that supports this claim. Their talk was truly powerful.

We ended our last night all together by sharing in dinner, taking the time to enjoy long conversations with one another, writing to our friends, family, and significant others back home, and resting up for our final day in Monteverde.

I think that it is safe to say that we went to bed last night mostly content with our stay here, a little sad to be leaving soon, and full of wonderful and everlasting memories of the good times we have had together. In our month here, not one moment has been dull, not one fight has taken place, and not one day has gone by where we did not learn a little about interracial communication and a lot about ourselves. We are all truly blessed to have done this together and will continue to be blessed with the knowledge and friendships we have garnered along the way.

Until next time - Pura Vida!

- Joshua Trey Barnett

June 25: Back to San Jose

2010-06-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

June 25, 2010 2:40 p.m.

Hotel Mono Azul, Manuel Antonio

Our first full day back in the bustling city of San Jose was adorned with a visit from Joaquin Lizano, an adjunct professor of intercultural communication in Costa Rica. We spent most of our morning discussing migration. In particular, our conversation focused on how Nicaraguans have attempted to find their own space in Costa Rican society.

To understand why the Nicaraguans are moving to Costa Rica, you should know a bit of the backstory. Essentially, there is a great economic disadvantage in Nicaragua. The gross domestic product, for instance, is less for the entire country than the annual earnings for Wal-Mart. This drives locals out of the country in search of the necessities: food and water. Many Nicaraguans have migrated to Costa Rica to find work and money to support their families.

In the process, however, a great number of Costa Ricans have felt somewhat displaced by the surge of Nicaraguan migrants. Some feel that Nicaraguans are "taking their jobs," "creating violence in their streets," and "doing the work they don't want to do." In total, there is a national sense that Nicaraguans are dangerous and bad for their country, although some do admit that the migrants are one of the major building blocks in their developing world.

Even the Costa Rican government has placed serious obstacles in the way of personal success for Nicaraguan immigrants. The immigration office makes it difficult for migrants to receive their documentation and gain citizenship. Many immigrants that we have spoken to, such as those found in the BriBri area, report that they feel most discriminated against when they need to travel to San Jose or to an immigration office. As we are learning, this is a form of institutional racism that perpetuates stereotypes about the Other. Some organizations, like El Observatorio in San Jose, are working to end the racism found in the media.

To continue our theme of discussing the discrimination against Nicaraguans, we spent our afternoon talking with Professor Vanessa Smith Castro in the Department of Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Her presentation, entitled "Acculturation strategies among ethnic minorities and immigrants in Costa Rica," presented empirical data that describes the acculturation (the process whereby a person combines their original cultural dynamics with another culture; the key here is that the person maintains some of their historical cultural characteristics and also gains new aspects) processes employed by both Afro-Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans. One tidbit of information that seems practical yet something we might rarely notice is that those immigrants who separate themselves most from the cultural norms of their host country tend to feel the most discriminated against. It’s an important point because it might describe the cyclical nature of discrimination: The more the Other separates themselves from the dominant group, the more different they seem. This allows discrimination to occur.

After our talk with Dr. Smith Castro, we headed back to Hotel Milvia. My group members spent the afternoon conducting research and pulling together videos and photos for our final group project and presentation. Our hotel host, Carlos, provided us with an invaluable perspective on security and safety in Costa Rica.

Tired and worn down from nearly a month of jam-packed days and seemingly endless travel, everyone agreed on ordering dinner in and spending the night catching up on rest.

We're still going strong in Costa Rica but missing our families and friends!

Pura Vida!

- Joshua Trey Barnett

June 22nd - Last day in Puerto Viejo!

2010-06-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today was our last day here in Puerto Viejo, so we spent it doing an activity of our choosing! The people at ATEC gave us a generous list of options, and we were able to pick out how we’d like to spend our last day!

Brittany and Ruth Ann decided to go surfing, and they spent the day on Cocles Beach riding the nice, easy waves. They both got up multiple times, so it was a definite surfing success! Lauren, Jessica, Danielle, Cristina, and Sammi spent the day in Cahuita going snorkeling off a boat in the middle of the ocean, and saw some really cool things! They saw sea urchins, sting rays, an eel, and plenty of fish. The rest of us (Hannah, Josh, Dr. Harris and I) spent the morning getting the most amazing “Rainforest Immersion” massages at the PURE Spa located on the hotel property.

After our massages, which were absolutely amazing, we rented bikes and rode into town for lunch and to shop around a bit for souvenirs in all the little shops in downtown Puerto Viejo. The surfing and snorkeling groups got back to the hotel a little later in the afternoon, and some of them also rented bikes and came downtown for a little while, while some stayed in the hotel to rest, shower and tend to sunburns from being on the water all day.

Everyone met back up at the hotel around 6 pm, and then went to dinner at Koki Beach, a nice restaurant with no walls that opened right up to the beach. Alaine and Glenda joined us for dinner, and it was per their suggestion that we spend our last night at a "fancy" dinner to wrap up this part of our program. At the beginning of dinner, Alaine gave each of us a special gift to help us remember our time in Puerto Viejo.

In order to receive our gifts, we had to share something we had learned about an event or activity that we had gone to in Puerto Viejo. It was a neat way to share what we had learned with the whole group and to see what everyone had picked up from their own individual experiences. Furthermore, ATEC has been a wonderful and gracious host to us while we’ve been in Puerto Viejo, and our trip would not have been nearly as enjoyable or filled with fun activities without them!

Dinner at Koki Beach was wonderful, full of delicious food and even a sloth as a dinner companion! We looked up in the tree above us and there he was, just hanging out with us while we ate! It was a wonderful dinner to have on our last night in the Caribbean part of Costa Rica.

After dinner, the group decided to go out dancing one last time. After such a relaxing and fun day, everyone was ready to have one last fun night in Puerto Viejo. While some of the group went home early, the rest stayed out and danced until the early hours of the morning.

Tomorrow morning we’ll pack up and leave for San Jose, where we’ll have several guest speakers. Then after two days, it’s off to the beach again, only this time on the Pacific Coast in Manuel Antonio! I can’t wait to see what kinds of adventures lay in store for us there!

Adios for now!
Sarah

Jun 21 Service Learning Project and Dating

2010-06-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

June 21, 2010

We woke up early this morning (as usual), but not to go on another hike through the beautiful jungle here. Rather, we took a short cab ride to the Puerto Viejo School (PVS) in order to complete our service learning project for the trip. PVS has three open air buildings that house children from kindergarten through sixth grade. Last week, there was a large group of North American students who had started making improvements on the school, but they had to leave before they could finish. Our job was to finish what was started and help make the school a more beautiful and safe place for the children!

To get started, Susana from ATEC divided us into two groups. The first group’s duty was to find rocks in the surrounding area and haul them to the drainage canal that went around school. The drain had to be filled with rocks so that no standing water would accumulate in it. If it did, mosquitoes would breed in the water and could potentially spread malaria and other tropical diseases to the children. The second group had to clean out the building where a new computer lab was being placed and then paint the outside of it. This group had even more motivation to do a great job because the volunteers from the computer company Intel actually came to the school to set up the donated laptops while we were there! It is very important for children to learn how to use computers in today’s technology-centric society, and it was nice to know that the kids in this small community will now have an opportunity to learn how to use computers, whereas they may not have ever had the chance if the school did not receive this wonderful gift.

One of Dr. Harris’ students from last year also donated a box of school supplies to the children of PVS. At some point during our work, Dr. Harris walked a couple of blocks to the ATEC office to evenly divide the supplies and make goody-bags for 22 of students who were in the 2nd grade and deemed in most need of the supplies. Susana led us into the classroom where gave a mini-presentation on our behalf to the teacher and her students, and we were able to personally hand each child in the class a bag. Their smiles and excited eyes made what seemingly little work at the school well did worth it!

After our awesome morning at the school, we went to Veronica’s Macrobiotic Health Food Restaurant for lunch. It was an all natural vegetarian restaurant, which I am sure was very nice for our two vegetarians. We got to personally meet Ms. Veronica before she set out a delicious buffet/feast for us. She prepared rice and beans (of course!), a Caribbean sauce, a sautéed veggie melody, baked bread fruit, and a surprisingly tasty carrot patty. There was also dessert, which consisted of ice cream made with fresh pineapple, banana, or papaya, and topped with cinnamon and coconut. By this time, we were all tired, dirty, and full to the brim, so we headed back to Papito’s to shower and freshen up before our last forum on interracial communication here in Puerto Viejo.

The forum consisted of three women, all of whom are currently in an interracial relationship in Puerto Viejo. Bietta is German and married to an Afro-Caribbean man, Glenda is Afro-Caribbean and married to a Swiss man, and Susana is a White North American and married to a man from Nicaragua. It was interesting to hear these women’s perspectives on race, especially since they all come from so many different backgrounds. Their stories helped to shed light on the racism that individuals can feel, even in a town as small as Puerto Viejo. Their testimonies also helped to tie together everything that we had been hearing from the three main racial groups in Puerto Viejo. While the people for the most part do practice racial acceptance (in varying degrees), the minorities here (the Afro-Caribbean and indigenous people) still face discrimination from the government, the police, and others within their community. Much like North America, there is still the fear of the “Other” and a distrust of those who are different from us.

After our wonderful roundtable discussion, Veronica’s husband Del Roy drove his bus to pick us up for dinner. For dinner, we were able to choose between a Mediterranean and pizza restaurant, which were luckily located right next to each other, so we were able to try things from both places. Everybody was pleased with their food, especially the delicious humus that we got from the Mediterranean restaurant! We took a leisurely stroll to town and did a little window shopping since we had an hour before our taxi was scheduled to return. This was a good way to wind down our very full and productive day. Today was an amazing day, and I know that we are all looking forward to our activity/free day tomorrow!!!

June 20, 2010 “¡Pura Vida May!”

2010-06-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2010 “¡Pura Vida May!”
Today was a jam-packed day that started off with a 3.5 hour hike in Manzanillo. For breakfast, the hotel was serving sausage and potatoes (which were delicious!), juice, tortillas with hot salsa, and toast. After a hearty breakfast, we loaded into the bus around 8 AM to make our way to Manzanillo, which is an area within Limón. Our driver for the day was named Junior. He is an Afro-Caribbean man who actually turned out to be our tour guide for the hike. During our ride to Manzanillo, he was able to spot and show us howler monkeys who make loud, barking-like sounds that make these relatively small monkeys seem 4 times their size just based on the loudness and intensity of the sounds they make. As we arrived in Manzanillo, we stopped by a small rental shop to rent some boots for the hike and then continued on to park in front of some stores and restaurants for our hike in the jungle.

Once we parked, Junior took us on a little walk on the beach before we got into the jungle for the real hike. We passed by the first church in Manzanillo as well as some flora with interesting significance to the older generations of the Afro-Caribbean people. One tree grew a fruit he called “magic fruit” because it was said to help treat cancer; it had a green shell, was white on the inside with brown dots, and smelled very unpleasant. He also showed us various other plants that grew fruit, including the guyava fruit, almond, and limes. As he was going through the different fruits and plants that we could eat straight from the tree, he mentioned how easy one could survive on the beach without having to bring food. Once he finished the tour on the beach, which took about 45 minutes to an hour, we started the more intense portion of the hike in the jungle.

When we left the beach, we had a 3 hour trek through the jungle and were able to hear a lot about the flora and fauna that inhabit the area. Junior told us about which trees were used for houses because of how resistant and durable they are. He also showed us trees like the palm trees that had heart of palms in the middle for food and wood for kayaks. At some points in the hike, it seemed like we went off the trail, but this made the adventure through the jungle even more exciting because we were able to see a small yellow viper snake, which is poisonous, as well as some red poisonous frogs that actually only grow to be about 2.5 centimeters. An interesting story he told us about the frogs was about a hiker who used his handkerchief to carry the frog across the road and later used the handkerchief to wipe his face, having forgotten that he used it to carry the frog. The next day, he died because of the poison from the frog making contact with his face.

We eventually made it to the beach with about an hour left in the hike and we split into two groups for him to take into a cave. As I stood in the cave, I thought to myself, “What an amazing natural wonder it is with water rushing below it from the ocean and bats flying around at the top!” The cave also had a hole in the roof of it that led to the trail above; Junior says that it is an escape route because it had a tree root or branch leading from the bottom of the cave through the hole in the roof. While we took turns waiting for the cave tour, we ate coconut and drank coconut milk from the coconut Junior had cut open for us. The coconut was a delicious snack that we enjoyed while sitting on the rocks on the beach. As we re-entered the jungle to finish the hike, we stopped by “the viewpoint” to enjoy the view on the light blue ocean. After an hour, we completed the hike and walked to the restaurant near where our bus was parked. The restaurant we ate at is called Maxi’s and after a long hike, everyone was famished!

We had ordered before the hike so that we could save time at the restaurant when we got there. I ordered the filet del pescado (fish filet) that was grilled along with vegetables like corn on the cob, squash, and yucca (Latin American potato-like vegetable).After a very filling meal, we drove back towards Puerto Viejo. Before we returned to the hotel, we stopped by a house to interview Eduardo, aka Sonny Boy. The man that we interviewed looks to be in his sixties or seventies and is of Afro-Caribbean descent. He speaks Caribbean English (which is what he called it but Alaine mentioned that there are other names for what he speaks) and although he was speaking English, it was somewhat difficult to understand him because it is a bit different from the English that we speak. He has lived in the area for over 15 years and explained to us that living there had been harmonious for the different cultural groups as far as racism and discrimination are concerned. Interracial relationships are accepted and he doesn’t feel that he is discriminated against because he is black. His opinion was contradicted by Edwin Patterson, a local who had been a Congressman in earlier years, at dinner the night before. Even though they had differing opinions, it was good hear their thoughts on these very important issues.

For dinner we went to Miss Elena’s Restaurant, which is a Caribbean restaurant owned by Edwin Patterson in town. Mr. Patterson had at one point been a Congressman who formed a third party independent of the two main political parties and campaigned for only 40 days before he elected as Congressman. He is a very passionate and proud man who speaks with all of his heart about his community and his culture. He spoke about the racism he encountered personally and as a member of a cultural group. We have learned that Afro-Caribbean people are not acknowledged as they should be in Costa Rica according to Mr. Patterson because they are excluded from the constitution and are regarded as immigrants. They are neglected in regards to rights as Costa Ricans and the community of Límon is portrayed as dangerous and corrupt, which is partially because of the race of those who live here. (Just based on their physical features, they would be considered Black by US standards.) Mr. Patterson is very knowledgeable and passionate about this topic of rights for his people.

After dinner, we returned to the hotel to get ready to sleep since we had to wake up for our service learning project at the local elementary school at 8 AM. Overall, the day was very enlightening; we were able to learn about many topics relating to our program as well as interesting facts about flora, culture, and the different ways Afro-Caribbean traditionally use the various types of plants in this beautiful country.

¡Pura Vida!
Jessica

June 19: Discovering the BriBri Indigenous Reserve

2010-06-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

June 19th

Today was a long but fun day. We left bright and early for the BriBri Indigenous Reserve. It was about a 30 minute drive to the village from the hotel and a very bumpy ride. When we first got there, we attended a local protest/town meeting for the area. The leader of the area, Don Timoteo Jackson, gave us a welcome, but we were not able to stay for the whole event. The townspeople were gathered to protest efforts by outsiders, namely from other countries, to infiltrate their community and to cause the BriBri culture to be lost. Because we wanted to be respectful of their space, we limited our visit to 10 or so minutes.

Next, we went on a hike to the nearby Manzanillo waterfall. It was a very nice walk because it wasn’t too long and still very enjoyable. We had a local indigenous man give us the tour (Timoteo’s son), and along the way he would stop and tell us the history behind certain things and the importance of certain plants to the BriBri culture. We had to be extremely careful though because it poured rain the night before, which made the trails were really muddy and slippery. When we did get to the waterfall, we took a little dip in the water. It was really nice, but very cold and slippery from the rocks. The indigenous man took us to the center of the water and peformed a ritual in honor of his ancestors. It was neat to hear him sing in his first language and practice the culture of his people.

Once we got back to the village, we went on a cacao (or cocoa) tour given by an indigenous couple. First, they showed us how they pick the pods from the trees. They have this really long stick with a knife at the end that cuts the pods down from the tree. Next, they get the seeds out of the pods and let them dry in the sun. Once the seeds are dry, they roast them in a special smokehouse. It took a while for the seeds to get hot enough to process, and it was very hard work because the smoke is constantly in your eyes and lungs. Lastly, they grind the seeds. The first time it is done, it looks like ground coffee but then they grind it again and it has a thick consistency. They let us taste the cacao at different stages, but it wasn’t till toward the final stage of the process that it starts to taste like chocolate. Also, in this last stage you can add sugar, cinnamon, or other things to change the flavor slightly. I tried some with cinnamon and sugar, which made for a very unique taste. It wasn’t what I expected and was very different the Hershey’s chocolate I’m used to at home.

After the chocolate tour, we experienced an Indigenous lunch. It was extremely unique and different from anything else I’ve ever had. We had chicken with some other local vegetables. Also, it was served to us in a giant leaf and we ate it with our bare hands. This wasn’t something I’m normally comfortable with, but it was a cultural experience and now I can say I’ve eaten out of a leaf! Some of our group members were hesitant at first to try the food and were pleasantly surprised by our novel dining experience.

After our full day of hiking and learning about the BriBri culture, we went back to the hotel to hang out before dinner. Some of us decided to get a taxi into town and do some shopping. It was nice to see some local art and jewelry and find some great souvenirs. For dinner we just ate at our hotel’s restaurant. I had chicken in a Caribbean sauce and it was really good. Also, for my drink I had a natural mango juice; it tasted like I was just biting into a mango! Well, that is it for today- Pura Vida!

Ruth Ann

June 18, Welcome to Puerto Viejo!

2010-06-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Spending the night in Casa Calateas was quite an adventure! We slept soundly in our beds protected by mosquito nets until about 5 a.m. when the howler monkeys started screaming! As Dr. Harris warned us, it was a terrible noise but non-threatening, nonetheless. It is amazing how loud they are for being such petite creatures. I was also surprised at the amount of sunlight that was exposed at such an early hour in the day. Not long after our wild life wake-up call, our electric alarms went off and we were ready to start our day.
Breakfast was served at 7 a.m. We had fresh pineapple, eggs, fried wheat bread, juice, and coffee. We knew that we needed to eat enough to sustain our energy for our hike. Our guide and host Luis led us to a farm owned by a local Tico who was gracious enough to allow us to explore his property. Elaine translated for Luis but we were able to sense his passion for the environment through his nonverbal expressions. Luis had an answer for every question that we could come up with about local produce, the environment, and anything else we were curious about. He even chopped down fresh coconut for us to drink the juice from to replace our lost electrolytes naturally. Watching him cut the fruit with a huge machete made me a little nervous but I could tell that he was experienced and knew exactly what he was doing! (As we learned on a later hike, using machetes is a very common practice and is not surprising for the locals.)
During our hike, we were split up into two groups and given the opportunity to interview some of the local people about their racial and cultural experiences in Costa Rica. Our days were divided in such a way that we devoted an entire day to a specific culture, and today’s group was the Ladinos or Costa Ricans. Glenda and Luis translated our questions for us and we were prepared to record their answers into our notebooks for later discussions. Many of the people that we interviewed reported that they do not believe that racism exists in Costa Rica. We found this surprising because this contrasted what we have been learning about the culture thus far. Later in the trip, we will also be given the opportunity to interview people who are indigenous to Costa Rica and Afro-Caribbean people. At this point in time we feel as if we need to collect more data from interviews and then explore the varying answers that we receive. Being able to have direct interaction with the locals will surely help us produce interesting projects at the end of our trip!
The ride to Puerto Viejo was only forty minutes and we were relieved to have air conditioning in the van. Our excitement began to build when we drove by the ocean and all of the beach shops along the road. Dr. Harris gave us our room assignments when we arrived at Costa de Popito’s and then we were shown to our beautiful bungalows that we will call home for the next few days. After settling in for a few minutes we all changed into our swimsuits and crossed the street to the beach.
The beach is lined with many different kinds of trees and the sand is soft. We have been told that Costa Rica is popular for surfing and the waves definitely look like they hold up to their reputation! We all jumped into the ocean together and were surprised by how warm the water is. Just like in town, we saw a couple of stray dogs that seemed happy as can be running around on the beach. Once we were settled down in the sand enjoying the view, a man rode by on a beautiful dark brown horse. Watching him gallop around on the beach seemed like we were watching a scene from a movie. I think that all of us have entered into the euphoric phase of experiencing a new culture.
Our trip to the beach was fairly short because Susana from ATEC (Asociación Talamanqueña de Ecoturismo y Conservación) wanted to meet with us to discuss our agenda for the next few days. ATEC is a non-profit, environmentally conscious organization in town that, according to the Facebook page, “ work[s] to help visitors find fun ecologically and socially responsible activities to entertain themselves while in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica.” (They were hired by the University of Georgia and chosen by Dr. Harris to assist with coordinating this portion of our trip, and they have done an amazing job!) After a short meeting, Susana e and her daughter Hannah joined us for dinner at a restaurant named Johanna’s. It did not take us long to clear our plates after having a day that was packed with activities. Following dinner we stopped at a grocery store to pick up some treats to satisfy our sweet tooth cravings. Now, we are all hanging out in our bungalows and journaling about our day. Everyone will probably go to bed early tonight because we have a hike scheduled bright and early!
Pura Vida indeed!

June 17 "Adventures in Cahuita"

2010-06-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

June 17, 2010 "Adventures in Cahuita"

Today we all got up early to leave Hotel Milvia in San Jose and travel to Puerto Viejo. We had breakfast and loaded up the van for travel. Halfway to Puerto Viejo, we stopped en route to have lunch. The place we went was home to Chito y Poncho, a local man who keeps a crocodile he calls Poncho and puts on a show with him for people passing through. Chito does some extreme things (like putting his head inside the crocodile’s mouth) and has become pretty well known because of it. Before we ate, our group got to see Poncho (he decided to make an appearance) as well as Chito, who tried to persuade us to do a quick river tour on his property; however, we were pressed for time and thanked him for the opportunity before leaving.

After lunch we continued our journey to Puerto Viejo. The group was ready see the beach but there was a quick stop first. We picked up Alaine and Glenda, who are from the local non-profit organization ATEC, and traveled to Casa Calateas, a campesino lodge in the mountains. When we first arrived, we were excited and knew it would be an adventure because it was in the middle of the rainforest without much else around. After we got settled and chatted with Alaine and Luis, the lodge owner, we immediately started in on a hike around the lodge. Luis told us all about the local plants that grow there. We were also able to see howler monkeys and a couple sloths up in the trees. Alaine, Glenda and a volunteer for ATEC, Julian, each translated for the group all of the information Luis was able to share with us.

After our hike, we went to a lookout point where we were able to see a great view of the area we were in. It was very remote and very beautiful; quite a change from the noisy, busy streets of San Jose’. There is also a stark contrast in the weather. It is so hot and humid near the coast compared to the cool, rainy evenings we have been experiencing in San Jose’. After checking out the area some of us were able to help the hotel’s chef, Dora, prepare dinner for the evening. She was making us a traditional Afro Caribbean stew called Rondon. It has things like yucca, potatoes, fish and coconut milk in it. It was wonderfully delicious and so new for all of us!
While we ate dinner three men from a calypso band came to set up their instruments on the porch to play us some Afro Caribbean music. The concert they put on for us was amazing. It was intimate and the music was so fun and upbeat as well as culturally accurate to this region of Costa Rica. After a long day of traveling, we all realized the next few days would be a lot of change as we move from the central valley to the Caribbean coast. Always an adventure here!

Pura Vida,

Cristina

June 16 "Happy Birthday to Brittany" and "A Day at the Centre de Medios"

2010-06-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

Well, first off, Happy 21st Birthday to Brittany!

Our morning started with a quick breakfast at Hotel Milvia and then a taxi ride with Joaquín Lizano for a morning activity. We were all excited to meet with Joaquín again, as he had a lot of interesting things to say about Costa Rican culture the last time we met with him. Our taxi arrived at the Centre de Medios, which is an organization that analyzes the media’s stereotypical representations of migrant and refugee populations in Costa Rica and contacts communicators in order to stop them from occurring. Joaquín translated for Gabriella, an employee at the Centre, and also added some of his own knowledge to a discussion about the media representations of migrants that were not born in the country. We focused on migrants because refugees have more laws to protect them than do migrants. Gabriella discussed the reasons for the migration to Costa Rica and how the media can take steps to present the information without using derogatory language; she argues that they should instead provide accurate representations that are also supported by data related to the migrant population. In short, the mission of the Centre is to make the media aware of these suggestions in order to prevent racism against migrant groups from being perpetuated.

I found interesting the parallel Joaquín made between Costa Ricans and their treatment of Nicaraguans and Americans and their treatment of Mexicans. Also, the discussion presented many underlying ideas and issues that I do not think any of us would have been aware of otherwise. The media has such a powerful effect on people, which makes it so important for groups like the Centre to educate journalists and others on how to be sensitive to microcultures when reporting news stories.

After finishing up our discussion, we took a group picture with everyone and jumped in the taxi to find some lunch. Lunch was on our own for today, so Sarah, Josh, Jessica, Danielle, and I went to eat at Chavos, a fast food Mexican restaurant we had been to the night before. The food is so delicious and cheap, so it was a definite success! Once we were done eating, we all walked back to Hotel Milvia to prepare for class in the afternoon.

Our class today was planned to be a lecture, but Dr. Harris had an eye infection, so Joaquin volunteered to do an activity about migration. Unfortunately, Spirit Airlines diverted our attention. Pilots working for Spirit Airlines, the airline of choice for the majority of our flights home, went on strike and therefore no flights are running currently. So, instead the class time turned into a discussion with the Director of UGA Costa Rica and Dr. Harris about the best back-up plan for a flight home. Due to all the commotion, we decided to postpone our talk until next week when we will meet with Joaqín again.

Things began to calm down later once we noticed Spirit Airlines had announced flights would resume before the end of our trip. Now, it is time for some relaxation before we get ready for our group dinner out at Tin Jo!

Tin Jo was beautifully decorated inside and had a huge variety of Asian food choices on the menu. I tried out Thai Tea, which was delicious, and tofu stir fry with rice. Towards the end of the meal, a group of waiters came out banging drums and singing “Happy Birthday” in Japanese to Brittany. We then proceeded to sing “Happy Birthday” in English, Spanish, and French! To top off the birthday celebrations, we all went out dancing after dinner.
Pura Vida!

-Hannah Berle

June 15th, R&R Time

2010-06-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

After two days of whitewater rafting and hiking to volcanoes, we were thankful to have a day for some rest! Class was scheduled for one o’clock and many of us took advantage of this and got caught up on our sleep. Once we woke up, the rest of our morning was spent catching up on our journals and completing the required readings for class. A couple of the group members went out for lunch, while the rest of us decided to wait until dinner so that we could save some of our colones, which is the Costa Rican currency.
Our small group size of ten allows everyone to partake in class discussion. The atmosphere is relaxed with the sounds of a water fountain nearby in the hotel and the conversation is casual. Our topic of discussion for class was communication in intercultural and interracial relationships. After attending dinner with an interracial couple earlier in the trip we were all interested to learn more about the challenges that these couples face. We discussed theories on why individuals are motivated to enter into interracial relationships and the social forces that influence them. The number of interracial couples has significantly increased in recent years yet many of the same negative perceptions and stereotypes remain.
Dr. Harris decided to change things up a little bit today with including an in-class activity. Each of us was paired with a partner and was given a different interracial couple “type” to research on the internet. Some of the couples included white American male/Asian-American woman and African-American male/Latin-American woman. Each of us was armed with our laptops and it did not take long for us to find multiple sources on the internet that displayed some commonly held perceptions. I was partnered with Josh and we found multiple sources which claimed that white American males enter into relationships with Asian females out of perverted sexual fetish. As students of communication, studying myths like this help us to understand intercultural communication processes and the barriers involved with these relationships. We finally concluded that interracial and intercultural relationships are no different that same race relationships; the only problem is that society tends to look negatively at them and tend to see them as unnatural, when in fact the total opposite has been found to be true.
After a really interesting and interactive class discussion, we got ready for dinner. The restaurant, Donde el Che, was a short walk away from our hotel. As with most of our dinners we were the first people to arrive. We have developed the theory that this is because we tend to go out to dinner earlier than the majority of Ticos. We have also learned that the restaurants, and Costa Rican culture in general, tend to be very relaxed and tranquil, which translates into what we as North Americans perceive as long wait times for our meals, checks (or quentas) and the like. Our dinner this night was no exception, but we learned to adjust. Once we finished our Argentinean cuisine, we retreated to the hotel to rest up for tomorrow’s activities. All in all, today was a welcome change from our typically fast-paced itinerary.

June 14 "Poas Volcano"

2010-06-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Morning for our group started around 7 am. Jhonny (one of the nicest bus drivers ever) came promptly as always and we boarded the blue bus to travel to Poas Volcano! Since we were leaving before the hospital staff could prepare breakfast, Jhonny was nice enough to let us stop at a Mas o Menos store (comparable to Walmart) to grab a bite to eat, and we all had food of our own choosing to satisfy our early morning hunger. Here’s a little sample: I got a small flour pocket pastry that had a chicken and cheese filling, and I also got a strawberry yogurt smoothie in a bottle, which was around $2-$3. With our tummies filled, we continued on our way to the volcano through the congested roads of San Jose and early morning traffic.

On the way there, we had a glimpse of the beautiful scenery that we have gotten so spoiled with whenever traveling anywhere in Costa Rica. The scenery is of course a stark contrast to what is seen in the city, which is the urban area of San Jose, characterized by lots and lots of barred houses, windows, doors, gates, etc. As we climbed in elevation by going around mountains, we began to see farms and plantations almost everywhere we turned, which was amazing! In fact, Jhonny took us to a store by the road that sold bags of coffee and other coffee goods, straight from a coffee plantation!

Outside of the store, there was an old Tico man who was standing next to his two gigantic cows with a colorful yolk and cart, which is characteristic of Costa Rican culture. As we exited the bus to enter the store, the man gestured to us and told us we could sit on the cows, and Sarah was the first one to get on! The old man let her briefly pose and then quickly ushered her off and asked for the next person. I went forward and he let me get on the cow as well. Not surprisingly, this was my first experience posing with and riding… livestock! I could feel each of the huge muscles of the cow moving as I sat atop this magnificent beast. The thrill was short-lived, though because, again, the Tico wanted us to pay him "$1 dollar " for the luxury of this cultural experience. Sadly, it wasn’t until later that we realized and learned that this small experience of posing with the cows was part of this man’s daily earnings.

We then entered the store to browse their shelves and looked at the coffee that they had in stock for us eager shoppers. The store had many different things from fresh brewed coffee to bags of coffee beans, and other handmade souvenirs. I got a bag of House Blend coffee for my parents for $6. (Later on in the trip, the coffee bag gave off delicious aromas in the bus!) The store also had a beautiful view of the coffee plantation, and the farm was literally in the backyard of the store!) Many of us took pictures to capture the vast beauty of the fields to which we were unaccustomed to seeing.

After the little stop at the farm, it was not long before we finally reached the Parque Nacional Volcan Poas. We stepped off the bus and started walking on the paved trail with Jhonny in the lead, because he would be our "guide" even though the volcano park was meant to be a self-guided trail. He pointed out things for us, such as the big fan plants, which were "crispy" because of the sulfur from the volcano. Every so often we would catch a whiff of what smelled like sulfur floating through the air. This was not a part of our education on the flora and fauna typical of this part of the country or Poas. It did not take long for us to reach the volcano after our walk from the entrance, and once we reached our first destination, we were stunned by the beauty that lay before us. We admired this amazing natural structure and were fascinated by the clouds that continually shifted the whole time we were there. We enjoyed this experience so much that we took lots and lots of pictures to capture this once in a lifetime moment. The volcano itself was letting out dense white smoke, which I guess also included sulfur. At some points, you could not see beyond 1 ft straight ahead of you because the white smoke was so dense. It reminded me of the Stephen King movie "The Mist," minus the monsters. As we walked to the volcano and lagoon, we could literally feel the temperature around us drop because of the high elevation of the mountains. Whoever recommended to us that we should wear warm clothes should get a cookie.

What I found most interest about our time there was that we were literally surrounded by plants that formed a tunnel of arches and walls composed of branches and other plant life as we followed the trail toward the lake. This lake, according to a sign posted near the entrance, is one of the most acidic lakes in the world. When we got there, however, we saw no lake. All we saw was that mysterious and dense white cloud in front of us that obscured our view of the lake that we anticipated seeing. We believed that the clouds would eventually shift, so we all sat on the wooden fence that faced the lake and waited. During the wait, these black native birds were chirping and bravely jumped close to us. (At one point, a small silly bird quickly jumped on and then off my lap, which was very startling!) ! After some time, the dense cloud drifted and we were so excited to see a glimpse of the lake! The lake was a bit far away, but we truly enjoyed the pictureque view in front of us. Even though we couldn’t see the lake very clearly, the water seemed very still, and I wondered if there was anything living in there. (I later learned that the lake is too acidic and nothing can live and survive in the lake.) It seemed both magnificent and scary to me. Eventually, we made our way onto the trail again so that we could drop by the souvenir shop before leaving Poas for lunch. Not surprisingly, it started to rain, but that didn’t deter us at all.

En route to the restaurant, Jhonny actually spotted a sloth sleeping in the trees! I don't understand how he spotted it while driving, but he did, and we all got out quickly to take pictures and discuss how cute the sloth was. After our spontaneous observation, the bus took us on to lunch! Unfortunately, we were a little ways away from the restaurant when Ruth Ann began searching her pockets and camera bag, only to find that she had lost one of her camera lens caps. We immediately decided to turn around since we hadn’t been gone that long from the sloth sighting and she believed that was where she’d lost Thankfully, the cap was there! We immediately left our detour and drove on to our next destination – lunch!

Lunch was fantastic. We ate at Freddo Fresas, which was located down a mountain road in the general area of Poas Volcano. The food was delicious and the service was very good. Everyone had pork chops upon the recommendation of the owner or staff member (not sure which he was) of the restaurant. One of the highlights of the meal was that they had fresh strawberry juice - -- with free unlimited refills! (This was a treat because most restaurants do not have refills at all; you either get a fresh fruit drink with your meal [fruta fresco] or pay for a drink of your choice.) Here is a summary of my meal: delicious pork chops with squash, salad, plantain, beans and rice for my side dishes. I would love to go back there!

Our tour of Costa Rica resumed immediately after lunch with a short visit to La Paz Waterfall that was breathtaking and located right near a bridge. Jhonny and Dr. Harris told us that the La Paz Waterfall was pretty much destroyed after a huge earthquake hit this area of the country last spring. The waterfall is imbedded within the mountain and sides of the mountain surrounding the roadway and bridge collapsed, claiming the lives of several unsuspecting victims. Despite this tragedy and natural disaster, we were still able to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of what remains of this waterfall. We actually stopped to take pictures and admire it from afar. After the waterfall, Dr. Harris and Jhonny wanted to take us souvenir shopping. The journey back to San Jose was a bit long so most of the people on the bus drifted off to sleep. Once we arrived to Calle Souvenir, we stopped by lots and lots of different souvenir shops. After our long day’s journey, we finally made our way back to the hotel and had placed “to go” orders or “comidos para llevar” from Chavo's for dinner at the hotel. Not surprisingly, it was not long before everyone returned to their rooms and fell asleep after a full day and a filling meal. What a day! :)

Buenos Noches!
-Sammi

June 13 "Adventure on the Pacuare"

2010-06-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

June 13, 2010
Adventure on the Pacuare

Today was a free day and most of the group had decided to go whitewater rafting! We were all extremely excited about it, so when our day began bright and early at 6:15 we were ready to go. The rafting company came and picked us up from Hotel Milvia and, after picking up a few other passengers, we began the two hour drive to the Pacuare River. Our guide for the day, Yonder, informed us on the drive that the Pacuare River is the number five top river in the world for whitewater rafting.
When we arrived at our destination, we ate a delicious breakfast that the staff of the company had prepared for us. After breakfast, we all made sure our belongings were secure and we had covered ourselves in the appropriate amount of bug spray before heading out. Once all the groups were loaded up on the buses, we drove another forty minutes to a higher point in the river to start rafting. The trip started out wonderfully, quickly taking us through Class Three and Class Four rapids. As we paddled downriver we were able to see so much of the rainforest, including some beautiful waterfalls running down the cliffs and canopy bridges. Yonder also pointed out to us that the area we were in was home to an indigenous tribe and was also a protected national park.

Halfway down the river we stopped to eat lunch and all the river guides prepared a delicious meal for us. After resting and eating we were back in our rafts to finish our journey. At one point in the river, we were able to get out and swim because the water was so calm. We floated along at a leisurely pace before climbing back into our rafts to paddle through the final rapids. The trip was so wonderful, and every member of our fearless group survived! When we arrived back at the hub, we got cleaned up and changed our clothes for the ride back to San Jose. When we arrived back at Hotel Milvia, the group who went rafting got to catch up with Dr. Harris, Josh, and Sammi who spent the day exploring the city and catching up on working.
We were all so exhausted from our rafting excursion that we decided to order pizza and have it delivered to the hotel. We spent the evening in catching up with one another, journaling and work after having another incredibly fun day in Costa Rica!
Pura Vida,
Cristina Junco

June 12 Multiple Identities, Race, and Culture

2010-06-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

June 12 Multiple Identities, Race, and Culture

Sunshine! Today the rain clouds parted for a bit and we woke up to a beautiful blue sky. After eating breakfast and enjoying some balcony sun, we met in the hotel dining room for class and discussion of our assigned reading. We were part way through class when we had the pleasure of meeting the second co-owner of Hotel Milvia, Steve's wife Florencia Urbina. She gave us a brief history about the hotel, which doubles as an art exhibit for local artists, including hers, and encouraged us to consider going to El Observatorio for dinner. Because her art was going to be featured, we decided to make a night of it and do art and a concert of sorts at El Observatorio.

Our class discussion for the day was surrounding the idea of multiple self identities. Throughout this talk we touched on various aspects that can affect a person's identity, such as race/ethnicity, gender, and SES. In addition, we acknowledged that there are obviously many multicultural identities that exist. As an example, we went around the group and each person listed aspects of their being that characterized them as a certain identity. These types of discussions/exercises are very beneficial for our group in helping us better understand and relate to the culture and people of Costa Rica. When we learn about different cultures and how they are organized and run, we are able to acknowledge and embrace the differences and similarities we share. This further enhances our abilities to successfully and respectfully interact with the people of Costa Rica.

When class was over, we took a stroll down the streets of San Jose in order to locate a bank to change our US currency to colones for our excursion to the Mercado Central. It was Saturday and the only banks open were at the mall, so we ventured to the mall where some of us converted our money and the whole group grabbed some lunch. After our quick meal, we caught a bus to indulge in some bargain shopping at the Mercado Central. San Jose's Mercado Central is the main market around town and offers a range of merchandise from souvenirs to fresh meat and fish. We spent our afternoon perusing the market and observing the Costa Rican culture. This also gave us a feel for how the locals shop on a typical weekend. There were also some shops that had souvenirs, which was pretty interesting. We then navigated our way on the San Jose bus system; which wound up being a little tricky. The bus driver actually drove off as we were boarding, leaving half the group on one bus and the other waiting on the curb. Thankfully, a stranger flagged our bus driver down to tell him our group had been separated, and we happily joined our group and headed "home" to Hotel Milvia.

As our eventful day on the town came to a close, we were ready to relax. We decided to ease into the evening with a visit to the El Observatorio. This restaurant and bar is a trendy hotspot where several musical groups from different genres perform live for patrons. In addition to music, El Observatorio serves as a space for art exhibition, which was pretty impressive. While we were there, the exhibit currently on display happened to be the co-owner of our hotel, Florencia. We were able to observe her creations while dining and enjoying some current tunes. After dinner, we headed back to Hotel Milvia for the night. By then, we had been on the go for nearly 12 hours and were ready for a good night's rest. We were surely resting up for our next adventure!

-Lauren

June 11 "A Morning with Joaquin"

2010-06-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

June 11 "A Morning with Joaquin"

Today has been a rather learning/ in taking day. This morning, we met with Joaquin Lizano and had a 2 hour discussion on culture shock and our experience in Costa Rica so far. Joaquin is very interesting, but definitely a kindred spirit. He is a little crazy (in a good way), but it is so great to have a local show us around and help us out. Joaquin specializes in Intercultural Communication and is very knowledgeable about the subject. One of the examples he gave us to describe of culture is an iceberg. When you look at an iceberg from the surface of the water, you only see a small part, but when you look underneath the surface you see the majority of the ice that is normally not noticed. Culture is the same way. There are several things we see on the surface and can label as culture, but there are also several other things that are a part of culture that we don’t even recognize at all. This is a very good illustration and I’ve never heard it put that way before.

We also talked about several other theories and the different stages of culture shock. The first stage is the Honeymoon stage, where the country is just beautiful and everything is amazing. The second stage is “Everything is Awful,” where you hate the food and the people, and everything that was beautiful before is now annoying. The final stage is “Everything is Okay,” where you just learn to deal with the differences and enjoy being a part of the culture. It is neat to see us going through these different stages at different times and especially to see how we manage them differently. All of these stages have to do with anxiety and as Joaquin said, “Culture shock is about anxiety.”

For lunch we went to the coolest little hole in the wall! It was an old house that had been painted in bright colors and had little plants and art all over the walls. If it wasn’t for having locals with us, we probably never would have found it. And I’m very grateful for Joaquin for showing us this restaurant. I had steak with a mango salsa and it was my favorite meal so far. Other people had trout, chicken, and of course rice and beans. ☺

After lunch we took a quick bus back to Hotel Milvia to meet with Mauricio Melendez for a discussion. Mauricio is a historian and is also very knowledgeable about Costa Rica and their history of race. He talked about how race began in Costa Rica and became what it is today. Of course, before the colonization there was the indigenous people, and once colonization began, the Spanish influenced the population and finally Africans were brought in to work on the railroads and became a part of the demographic structure. Out of these three main races came the intermixing of people and the creation of several different kinds of people from diverse racial backgrounds. In fact, at one point the government had 25 different classifications for race, but that actually did not include all the combinations that were possible. Mauricio also talked about how it was possible to move up in the system and become more “white.” For example, an African could marry a Mestizo (mixed) or even Spanish and their status would become higher. Usually for the Spanish or “higher” status person (in terms of race), there was some other kind of benefit involved in marrying a person, like wealth. Also, the government tried to stop the people from mixing blood, but there was no way to become “pure” races after 200 plus years of mixing together. Several of these things I already knew from previous Latin American classes (thanks Professor Charmosa), but it was very nice to get it from a local Tico perspective. It is also intriguing to see how these influences affect people’s race today and their marriages.

After class was over, we got the opportunity to do laundry, which is always nice. There is a itty bitty laundry mat one block down from the hotel and we loaded the poor lady down with all our clothes. We had the afternoon free so Cristina and I went for a little walk. We found a cute produce stand and bought some cheap strawberries, but they were so good. Then when the rain kept getting harder we decided to head back to the hotel.

Finally for dinner we went to Café Mundo. It was a really nice restaurant close to downtown San José. The food was interesting and I probably would have ordered something better if I could read everything on the menu. But oh well, I guess that’s what you would call a cultural experience. In addition to eating the purpose of our dinner was to have casual conversation with interracial couples from the area. Unfortunately, only one of the three couples was able to come. Their names were Eric and Carol. He is a White man from California, and she is a Tica. Because of their racial and cultural differences, their marriage is considered interracial/intercultural. It was very fascinating to hear about the beginning of their relationships and the problems they had because of their differences. Both of the sets of parents had problems with the race/background of the other, but after the parents met them, they knew the stereotypes they labeled them with weren’t true. Honestly, I’ve never really seen interracial couples as someone who is American and someone who is Costa Rican. I guess the way I was raised taught me that interracial was just between black and white. But now looking at it, I’ve always been drawn to marrying interracially. I would not mind getting married to a Brazilian or someone or of another race. There would be some difficulties, but that applies to all marriages. There are either certain races to whom I find I am more attracted or that I know my family would not be accepting of. In either case, I am very open to the idea and admire people that are able to make it work!

- Ruth Ann

June 10 Cheese Cubes and Jazz

2010-06-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

June 10, 2010 Cheese Cubes and Jazz

Today was a much needed free day, where we could catch up on our journaling, reading, and sleep. As usual, we started our day with a light, yet filling breakfast of bread, cereal, and fresh fruit, here at Hotel Milvia. After our breakfast, we had morning class, where we discussed two articles and a chapter from our book.
The first article explained the relationship between Latinos and the media, and how they influence each other. This article was interesting, in that it didn't think of Latinos and people in general as passive consumers of the media. Rather it put forth the idea that the media serves to help Latinos with their acculturation to mainstream values and norms, while at the same time helping to preserve and fortify Latino culture. Our second article dealt again with the issue of race and service learning. It encouraged students to recognize how their race and class can influence their attitudes about the people they are serving, and how to at least acknowledge these barriers to effective communication. This article will be especially important to us when we complete our service learning project in Puerto Viejo. While we are still not sure what our project while be, it is important for us to be cognizant of how our own personal race and social status will influence our interactions with the people of Puerto Viejo. It is important that we view this project as service learning, and not just community service.
The book chapter dealt with identity and how many factors (i.e. race, gender, sexuality, religion, etc.) all come together and influence how you view yourself, and how others view you. It was interesting to learn about the three types of "Other's" that all influence how you learn to view yourself. The these "Other's" were the 1) Orientational Other, which refers to how other people influence how you see yourself; 2) Generalized Other, which is an individual's perception of how other's view them; and finally 3) the Significant Other, which include closer people that have helped you create your own identity (i.e. family, close friends, etc.). Unfortunately, our guest lecturer had to cancel, but fortunately, this meant that we could take a little more time to rest and take in the city.
After class, we all took a quick break before we headed out for lunch. After a quick stop at the ScotiaBank to change out money, we all decided to head to a Rosti Pollo for lunch. As you can tell by the name, Rosti Pollo was a chicken restaurant that sort of reminded me of a Chili’s or Applebee’s, except it only had chicken on the menu. We all ordered pretty standard foods (Personally, I had a chicken sandwich with cheese and avocado); however, there was a slight miscommunication between the server and us that led to a tasty surprise! She asked if we all wanted to try dados con queso. I thought she was asking if we wanted chips and queso, so I agreed to try it. You can imagine or surprise when she brought us fried cheese cubes! They were sort of like mozzarella sticks, except more cheesy and delicious! After lunch, we stopped by Mas y Menos, a local grocery store, for a chocolate run, then we headed back to the hotel after lunch, where many of us caught up on reading and sleep.
For dinner, we decided that we all wanted to try a different kind of cuisine, so we headed to a nearby Japanese restaurant called Bonzai. Everybody got something different, from dragon sushi rolls to teriyaki chicken. They also had delicious lemonade that was more like very fresh limeade. None of us were ready to go back to the hotel quite yet, so we walked to a local jazz club named, well, Jazz Café. The performing band was called Luisga y Los Ajenos, and they were amazing! It is hard to categorize their music, but it was a mixture of jazz, rock, and soul. I think we all agreed that we want to go back there before we leave San Jose. Well, once again it’s bed time and I can’t wait to see what new adventures await us tomorrow!
-Brittany Baker

June 9 From Learning About to Experiencing the Culture

2010-06-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

June 9 "From Learning About to Experiencing the Culture"

We all awoke this morning in the beautiful Hotel Milvia to a delicious breakfast of orange juice, coffee, tea, bread, jam, and fresh fruit in the dining room of the hotel. Shortly after breakfast, we began class. Today’s topics were focused on the two chapters from our book discussing the history of race and how language constructs thoughts about race. As a group, we talked about the origins of racial ordering and how these classifications have been perpetuated throughout time. Also, the concept of language as a prism was discussed, referring to the idea that the way we think is seen in the language that we use.

Our discussion ended before lunch time. So, we were off to our next activity of the day which began with Il Pomodoro, a delicious Italian restaurant tucked away on a side street. The whole group filled up on pizza, pasta, and salad. Once we finished we made our way to the University of Costa Rica, located a couple of blocks down from the restaurant. After finding our bearings on the bustling campus, we waited to meet our interpreter, Karla Torres and our speaker of the day, Dr. Daniel Rojas, an Anthropologist at the University of Costa Rica.

The title of his lecture was the History of Race in Costa Rica. He only speaks a little bit of English so everything he said was translated by Karla Torres. He explored the topics of multiculturalism, Afro-Caribbean descendents in Costa Rica, the current make up of indigenous groups in Costa Rica, and Costa Rican traditions. Dr. Daniel Rojas talked about how racism justifies expansion and colonization, something that happened in Costa Rica. This happens because there is no wide knowledge of the culture, making it easy for people to exterminate the culture without thinking twice. We discussed the eight indigenous groups that are a part of Costa Rica and looked at pictures demonstrating how they live. I am really excited because we are going to see one of the indigenous tribes, the Bribris, on our trip to Puerto Viejo. Dr. Daniel Rojas also talked about the Afro-Caribbean population and how they were segregated from the rest of the country until the 1950s. I would like to ask our other speakers, now that it has set in, about the possible lingering effects of this segregation and how they are viewed currently in Costa Rica. The lecture wrapped up with a discussion about marriage in Costa Rica. I felt lucky that I was able to hear about race and its origins in Costa Rica from someone who is so knowledgeable and familiar with the topic.

After saying our goodbyes and thanks to Dr. Daniel Rojas and Karla Torres, we made our way to the street where a bunch of taxis were lined up. We attempted to take a taxi back to our hotel but there was some miscommunication between us and the drivers. So, we all agreed to just walk back to Hotel Milvia from the University of Costa Rica. We only had a short time to get dressed before Johnny, from Coach Costa Rica, came to pick us up to take us up to Asseri for our dinner out at Ram Luna. Once we pulled up to the restaurant, I knew I was going to like it. There was a fountain outside with lighted torches leading to the grandiose building. It was set up buffet style inside which I was very excited about! I ended up getting a huge plate of food with cheese empanadas, Costa Rican mashed potatoes, salad, arroz con pollo, fruit, rice pudding, coconut treats, and fruit punch. I loved the food and the atmosphere of the place, which included local artists selling jewelry and a patio with a beautiful view looking out to San Jose.

The night was not over after we finished eating, the show was just beginning. Dancers came out in colorful costumes dancing traditional dances from the Guanacaste region in Costa Rica. After they danced, people dressed in different figurines representing different cultures in Costa Rica danced around the center floor area. Lauren, Sarah, and I were asked to go out and dance with them along with other people from the audience. Then, to top off the night, there was more dancing outside and fireworks. It was such an interesting, fun place to eat. We left pretty shortly after the show to head back down the mountain to Hotel Milvia and now it is time for some long-awaited rest.
-Hannah Berle

June 9 Busy, busy, busy!

2010-06-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

June 9

Wow! We sure have had an action packed last two days. As it’s our last night in Monteverde at the UGA Costa Rica campus, we had to make sure we packed in as many fun activities as possible before heading off to San Jose in the morning!

Yesterday, Hannah, Brittany, Sammi, Lauren, Danielle and I woke up in the wee early morning hours to go milk cows. The campus gets all of its milk from the cows that live right down the street from the school, and milk is delivered twice a day for us to drink. However, milking is a little bit harder than it appears, but with a little bit of help from the man who does all of the school’s milking, we eventually got the hang of it!

But while we were milking, it started to downpour, and continued through the majority of the morning. Because it was raining so hard, our tree planting activity got canceled. We were supposed to plant trees as part of the school’s Carbon Offset program, which aims to plant trees to offset the carbon emissions released from our individual travels to the school. Costa Rica is aiming to be completely carbon neutral at some point in the near future, and although we couldn’t do it yesterday, we’re going to plant trees when we return to Monteverde so that we can contribute to this admirable goal.

Instead of planting trees, we spent the morning catching up on sleep, class readings, and journaling. After lunch, we had class for several hours. We discussed two different articles, one about tourism and communication, and another about conflict in communication. The tourism article was especially relevant to our time in Monteverde because much of this area uses eco-tourism, which emphasizes an appreciation for conservation of the environment. The UGA Costa Rica campus receives many eco-tourists each year who are eager to learn more about protecting the environment , and many of the school’s activities are designed to promote sustainability and conservation of our resources.

After class and dinner, we volunteered to help the kitchen staff clean up so that we could get to our dance lessons sooner! It was not only a nice way to help out on campus, but it also gave us a chance to practice our Spanish speaking. While we’re in Costa Rica, many of us have been attempting to speak Spanish to the locals, even if there’s a bit of English thrown in the mix. I personally feel that many of the Ticos appreciate that we’re attempting to adapt to their culture and way of life, even if our Spanish is a bit mangled.

Geovanni was our dance instructor, and he taught us the cumbia and the merengue. He was an excellent dancer, and with his help, we all managed to learn two somewhat complex dances! It was a really neat cultural experience, seeing the way that people dance in Costa Rica versus what we’re used to at home. After dancing for about two hours, we all headed back to our bungalows to catch up on journaling and Skyping and getting ready for ziplining the next morning!

We woke up this morning, had a nice hearty breakfast, and then got ready to head off to go ziplining over in Santa Elena. We were all so excited to go ziplining! It was the first time any of us had gone ziplining, except for Ruth Ann. We rode in a taxi up to the Sky Trek office, then in a shuttle up to the zipline site. After getting all geared up, our two guides, Jason and Giovanni, took us through the entire zipline course. What an adrenaline rush! It was easily one of the coolest things I’ve ever done! It was such an amazing experience to fly so high above the top of the rainforest, and so fast! As an added bonus, all of the Sky Trek staff (especially our guides) were extremely nice and very helpful. It was a wonderful way to spend our last day in Monteverde until the end of the trip.

After ziplining, we spent a little bit of time in Santa Elena before heading back to campus. Some of us exchanged money for colones at the bank while others went off to buy souvenirs. Dr. Harris, Josh, Sammi, Brittany and Lauren went to get fried chicken at a local restaurant while Hannah, Jessica, Ruth Ann, Cristina, Danielle and I went to get ice cream. The ice cream here is very different than in America, and I was both surprised and not surprised to see that the heladeria was full of tourists and very few locals. I noticed that the lady in front of me in line ordered her ice cream completely in English, which, although it was understood by the server, seemed very different from the approach our group has taken to attempt to speak Spanish as often as possible.

We finished our ice cream and browsed through several of the local stores. These stores were very clearly geared towards the tourist group, and many of the souvenirs seemed too “touristy” for us. But we decided we could wait until we got to San Jose and Puerto Viejo to shop for souvenirs and that we’d be able to find plenty of things made by locals at those places.

Our taxi driver picked us up at 4 to take us back to campus, and when we got there, we all relaxed for a bit until dinner. After dinner was our night hike! I was a little skeptical during the first part of the hike, as we only saw several insects and plants (although we did see luminescent fungus, which glows in the dark!). However, it wasn’t long until we got to see what we came for: two mammals! They were both members of the raccoon family, although we both thought they were monkeys! (I believe they were a Cuchinco and an Olingo, although that could be totally wrong and google can’t figure it out for me.) The night hike ended up being quite the success, even though I was a little doubtful in the beginning.

The night hike wrapped up our last full day at UGA Costa Rica. Tomorrow we head off to San Jose for about a week, and I think many of us are eager to see what city life is like compared to the quiet, peaceful pace of life up here in the rainforest. It should be a great opportunity to really meet and talk with many of the Ticos in Costa Rica, and that means even more of a chance to practice my Spanish!

Adios for now!

Sarah

June 8: Bienvenidos a San Jose'

2010-06-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2010 “Bienvenidos a San Jose”

Today is the day we leave campus and drive back to San Jose’! After breakfast, we grabbed our bags from our bungalows and said “Adios” to the campus since we wouldn’t be back until the very end of our trip. We drove down the mountain just talked and slept the whole ride to the city. It was an early morning and we were barely awake for the long ride As we approached the city, Jimmy, one of our two drivers from Coach Costa Rica, stopped by a gas station for some of us to use the restroom, and while I waited on the bus, I was able to talk with Jimmy. I asked him if he had to return to San Luis again after he dropped us off and he said most likely, which is kind of sad because he just spent 3.5 hours driving from there only to drive back by himself to drive another group to other places. He said he actually prefers San Luis over San Jose’ because he doesn’t like the city very much and he warned us that there is a lot of theft here.
After arriving and getting settled in the hotel, we went to lunch at Muñoz & Nanne (a few minutes’ walk from the hotel). They had this tasty cantaloupe juice drink (or fruta fresco), arroz (rice), pan (bread), y carne (meat). After lunch, we stopped by the bakery and we got to pick out a pastry to take back to the hotel to eat! We then walked back to the hotel and had class around 3:30 PM in the dining area. Today’s class was very interesting in my opinion because I was really intrigued by the article that we read for the first discussion and I had a lot of opinions to share. The article was about rhetoric of la familia in Mexican American families. We talked about 5 rhetorical devices in Mexican American culture, which included harmony/silence, rationality/emotionalism, concept of personhood, respect for hierarchy, age, and gender, and solidarity and sense of community. We also talked about how views of other cultures are influenced by a person’s own culture; we focused on collectivism and individualism. With Costa Rica’s collectivist culture, there are cultural differences that we can see from the perspective of an individualistic culture; especially with the concept of la familia in the reading, we were able to understand some differences such as the way that family members interact based on a collectivist and individualist culture.
We had time to rest and catch up on journaling before dinner, so most of us sat in our rooms or went to sit in the dining area (for better wi-fi connection). Dinner was at 7PM, and we went to the Peruvian restaurant the Inkan Grill, which was about a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel. My dish was a pasta dish that came with scallops and shrimp, and cost 9,026 colónes (about $17). The food there was delicious and very filling! It’s a nice change to eat in a restaurant as opposed to the comedor at the UGA campus. After dinner, some of the group decided to check out what San Jose’s night life had to offer, while some of us stayed in the hotel to rest for the next day. Overall, we had a very full first day in San Jose! Even though we were kept pretty busy with travel, class, and moving into our hotel, I was excited about being in the city and learning more about Costa Rican culture.

Hasta Luego!
Jessica

June 4 Hello from Costa Rica!

2010-06-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

June 4, 2010 9:25 p.m.

It has long since turned dark in these high, foggy hills of Costa Rica's Puntarenas province. Situated atop the country's second highest mountain peaks, the University of Georgia's campus, appropriately named the Ecolodge San Luis, is home for the next few days. I'll share this space with monkeys, sloths, biting bugs, Ticos, and a few new friends.

The day started at 3:30 a.m. EST in the duplex my parents and I are inhabiting while they finish constructing their new home perched on the banks of a beautiful little lake in the North Georgia hills. It's wild how far I've come - nearly 2,000 miles - in just a few hours. But here we are, a five-hour flight's distance yet a world apart from the bustling and busy life I have left behind in Athens. I'll be back in time for Independence Day celebrations, but until then I'm taking things a little slower.

I'm here to study interracial communication with one of the field's leading scholars, Tina Harris. She's a professor at my university who has become a friend and confidante. I'm proud to be here with her, and plan to glean as much from this time as I can. Dr. Harris is an African American woman who has spent most of her academic career thinking and writing about how interracial communication can be both theoretical and practical in nature.

But to appreciate what I'm sure is to come later in these journals, I must explain the journey that brought us here. There are ten of us, by the way. Seven (Josh, Hannah, Sarah, Jessica, Brittany, Ruth Ann, and Christina) arrived today, and the others (Laura, Sammie, and Danielle) will rendezvous here tomorrow afternoon.

When we landed at San Jose's aeropuerto esta tarde, I tried hablar en espanol. You see, I already find myself navigating even the simplest of interracial communication's challenges: How should I speak to acquaintances whose cultural roots are not like mine? Should I attempt hablar en espanol or just stick to my native tongue? On the one hand, I'd like to think that giving Spanish my best effort is a sign of respect. On the other, I'm a bit intimidated and scared that my mangled attempts will just result in a laughable case of Spanglish.

Indeed, this dilemma did cause a few chuckles already. After passing through customs in San Jose, my group walked from the baggage claim carrousels to the bus that was waiting for us beyond a pair of glass sliding doors. Trying to determine where I needed to walk, I stopped in front of an airport employee and said, "Que dirreccion es mi autobus?" With a smirk, the young man replied, "You need to go right." Boy, he must've thought I was something else, although I'm sure he encounters his fair share of North Americans everyday who botch his country's language or who presume their skills as a Spanish speaker are on par with his. At any rate, we both giggled before I walked off.

Later, when ordering lunch at a mall's food court just down the road from the airport, I struggled through placing my order. I mostly just pointed at the foods I wanted and tried hesitantly to verbalize what I'd like: "Eh ... arroz y beans, las potatoes, y yucas fritas." Well, I guess two out of four ain't bad.

The drive from San Jose was long but beautiful. After spending eight hours in and around airplanes, I wasn't exactly enthused about the three-hour trek into the Cloud Forest, but the views and thrilling ride more than made up for the soreness I felt in my backside. Fleeting quickly up and down hills, around sharp bends lacking the guardrails from back home, through a dark green tunnel of flora that will blow your mind. The ride took us past jutting cliffs, my first glance of the Pacific Ocean, a stray horse on the road (later we saw a stray bull high on the mountain road to Monteverde), and a handful of locals walking on the steep edges of the single-car paved and dirt roads of this beautiful country.

The road curved much like the ones that lace the North Georgia mountains, with bluish-green streams that are home to boulders and fast-moving water by their side. I wondered if there were trout in these streams and daydreamed for a moment about fly fishing little blue-line creeks at home with my dad.

I'm here now, getting ready for bed in my bungalow with no air conditioning. It has been raining on and off since we arrived, but for now the skies are playing nice and keeping me dry. I hear crickets and monkeys screeching outdoors, and I'm decidedly ready to see what tomorrow has to offer.

June 5, 2010 11:05 p.m.

In the Cloud Forest, there seems to be little need for an alarm clock. The parakeets woke me this morning, promptly at 6 a.m., with their distinctly loud chorus of melodies. The small green-and-orange birds are native here and fly in flocks from tree to tree. They're also quite active at dawn it seems.

I found myself with spare time between waking up with the birds and breakfast. Walking through campus, checking out the local flora and fauna, watching the multi-layered clouds quickly pass over via the cool Caribbean trade winds, and doing the mundane (like brushing my teeth and making up my bottom bunk) kept me busy while waiting for the 8 a.m. breakfast call to arrive.

Astonishingly, most of us slept very well the night before. Discussions of humidity and sleeping in a new environment dominated parts of the evening's discussion, but I think we were all quite delighted to find that our temporary home is quite comfortable, especially in the cooler nights.

Like dinner on Friday evening, breakfast was more than we could have expected. The menu: rice and beans, fresh scrambled eggs, sweet fried plantains, toast, and an array of fresh fruits like watermelon, pineapple, and mango. Coffee flavored with milk from the on-campus dairy cows finished off the meal. Muy delicioso!

Fueled for the morning, we found rubber boots outside the Comedora (the cafeteria) and waited anxiously to begin our hike to Costa Rica's second highest waterfall on the San Luis River. Our guide, Caitlin, provided useful and interesting information on local plants, animals, and natural history as we moved from the lower valley location of campus into the high, densely forested headwaters of the San Luis River.

Some things we saw: Sarcopia trees, which are found mostly in secondary forests and have horizontal stripes up the length of their trunk. Mimosa plants, which are sensitive to touch. If you touch these, they literally "retreat" and curl into themselves. What an ingenious safety protocol. Butterflies, dragonflies, tree frogs. Leaves that inherently have holes. Evolution has made these plants appear as if they've already been eaten, warding off hungry mammals and insects. The holes also make for a more wind resistant shape, protecting the plant from breaking during high winds.

After a 30-minute hike on a graveled road, we arrived at the final checkpoint before our ascent to the waterfall. A local family owns the land and allows visitors to hike in and share in the beautiful landscape they call home. The last 200 meters of the trail is a demanding hike, even for experienced hikers. While 200 meters isn't a great distance, we spent much of our time going up, crossing small streams, and stopping to view all the wildlife this rainforest has to offer.

The result of our grueling trek through the forest was well worth the effort. At the end of our journey, we were treated to sight of the magnificently high waterfall, cascading over jutting rocks, with three main sections. Our guide wasn't sure how tall it is, but I'd guess it's at least 800 feet tall. The final cascade drops into a deep pool of crystal clear, near-freezing water.

Armed with bathing suits and a little courage, most of us made our way into the water, keenly aware of the sharp rocks and frigid water. We plunged ourselves in, dipped our heads under the waterfall, and truly experienced something uniquely Costa Rican. We knew we weren't at home anymore.

The walk back to campus, probably a mile-and-a-half in length, seemed much quicker than our ascent. Starving and thirsty at this point, we headed straight for the lunch line and most of us enjoyed a healthy serving of veggies and salad.

The remainder of the day consisted of a lecture on the Carbon Offset Program at UGA Costa Rica and an introduction to interracial communication and our class. On the class docket: definitions of interracial, intercultural, and interpersonal communications. There's a difference, you know. We also discussed service learning and how an understanding of one's race in relation to that educational process can be beneficial.

Of course, class here is not like class at home. Although we did enjoy the comforts of a fully equipped classroom here, we met around a couple of long rectangular tables, coffee mugs in hand, birds singing outside, and a nearly constant cool breeze flowing through the open windows. Class was also our opportunity to welcome the three participants who arrived today.

We wound down the day with dinner and later travelled to a local fiesta where many of us enjoyed the local culture, danced for a bit, and witnessed up close and personal the interactions between Ticos (locals) and Gringos (us). The bartender had a hard time understanding our drink orders and we spoke rarely to other Ticos, but we blended in on the dance floor and some of the locals even invited us to dance with them.

We're all immensely tired now and winding down. Outside, I hear the wind blowing, a sort of natural air condition in this pristine place. It's a nice way to end the day.

- Joshua Trey Barnett

2009-06-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Since we have returned to campus, our days are really laid back; therefore, our blogs are pretty low key and account for a lot of down time. Today was a "free day" We woke up and headed up to the main area for breakfast. After breakfast we met in the library to go over our last two chapters of reading or so we thought. As we discussed the effect of Mass Media on our communication styles, time seemed to fly by so quickly and we were only able to cover one chapter in its entirety prior to lunch. We came to the general conclusion that media impacts us from when we are children to all the way through adulthood. This was seen when our conversation went to from talking about the cartoon Rugrats to the television show Girlfriends. This just paints a picture for you of how diverse the media content can be.

After lunch Brittany and I went to milk cows. Well actually, I became more of a photographer of Brittany since I wasn’t too big on the idea. I accompanied her so I could capture the experience of film, which I am sure was something new for her. It wasn’t much of a surprise that our afternoon showers came right when Brittany was done milking, which left us enough time to work on our project and prepare for dinner and dancing lessons afterward.
Surprisingly, our semester is winding down very soon and in order to take advantage of our free time, we took the remainder of the afternoon to work on our group project. Once we return to the U. S., we will all be returning to the “real world,” which will make it difficult for us to reconnect and finish our class work.

Thankfully, our schedule here on the UGA campus is slow paced and allows for time like this to tie up any loose ends on our assignments. came to an end ---what fun!

Pura Vida,
Nicola

From PDA to Refugees, we learned a lot today! 6/24/2009

2009-06-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

This morning began like every other we have spent at Hotel Milvia: hot coffee, warm bread, and fresh fruit. After breakfast, we had a visit and activity with Joaquin; we started out by discussing cultural differences about non-verbal communication. Following our morning talk, we hopped on a bus and headed for the city mall to do a little people watching and observe these differences for ourselves. While watching people walk by or sit and chat at the food court, we noticed that Costa Ricans are a lot more “touchy-feely” than we are as Americans. They walked closer together (especially the men), they made more contact while talking or walking, and they were more animated and expressive among other things.
After fighting the rain to get back to Hotel Milvia, we had a little down time before our next activity—a discussion with law school students at the University of Costa Rica. I think that this was my favorite part of the day. Over the course of their semester, they have studied Costa Rica’s refugee situation and interacted with many of the refugee and governmental organizations. We learned many interesting facts about being a refugee, most importantly how it is completely separate from migration. Did you know that according to the United Nations, there are five acceptable reasons to be considered a refugee: (1) political persecution, (2) religion, (3) nationality, (4) race, and (5) social class/position. We also learned that in Costa Rica, there are twelve thousand government recognized refugees; this number does not include those currently trying to obtain this status. It was even a little surprising, to me at least, to find out that of those twelve thousand, two were American women that had come here to get away from domestic violence. It was very interesting to hear what these students had learned and how, over the course of time, their understanding and attitude towards refugees had changed.
After the students shared their research and explained everything they were doing to help educate people and spread information about refugees, they had a little reception for us. In the hall outside of the classroom, we were given sandwiches, refresca (pineapple and passion fruit juice), and a sweet biscuit with caramel icing on top. It was great because we were able speak with the students informally, asking them questions about their work or our projects that we are working on for Dr. Harris.
All in all, we had an extremely eventful day filled with lots of learning! And now it’s time for dinner, PURA VIDA!

BRITTANY

Chao Puerto Viejo! June 23, 2009

2009-06-23T23:12:00.000-07:00

Today started with a sad goodbye to Puerto Viejo and all the friends we made while visiting there. The week we spent in Puerto Viejo was a very refreshing change from the city—once we all got used to the fact that we were just going to have to deal with the bugs and the humidity! It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet people from all different cultures and backgrounds, and to get a feel for a different type of Costa Rican culture.
Now we are back in San Jose, staying in Hotel Milvia again. After arriving at the hotel, we took a little break to get situated and rest a little bit from the long bus ride. Once we were all settled, we held a class discussion over chapter 7 in our book; the chapter was about interracial friendships. We all took turns sharing some personal experiences discussing how, if at all, communication within these interracial friendships may differ from friendships we have within our respective races.
After about an hour and a half of discussion, the group broke up to get ready for dinner. Tonight we met with two interracial and intercultural couples over dinner to talk with them about their experiences and difficulties caused by racial and cultural differences. Because there was quite a large group of people, I really only got to talk to one of the couples, Susan and Fernando. They had just recently (six months) gotten married after having dated for about four years. It was funny because Susan had actually met Fernando through study abroad; his family had been her host family four and a half years ago. Because his family had gotten the chance to get to know her, they had no problem at all with her joining their family. On the other hand, before Susan’s family had the chance to meet Fernando, they were a little leery. They had this idea in their head that he would be unfaithful and run out on her just because of things people had told them about Costa Rican men. Fortunately once the family met Fernando, Susan told us, they all loved him, even her big brother who had not liked a single guy Susan had ever dated.
Susan and Fernando also talked about some of the cultural differences they experienced in their relationship, the biggest issue being with punctuality and planning. Susan, being from the States, likes to be on time and makes plans based around their daily schedules. However, Fernando is a Tico, he runs on Tico time and it doesn’t bother him to be a little late or if plans change. Their different concept of timing and making plans has caused quite a few arguments, according to Fernando, but they are learning to adjust and navigate their way around these differences.
All in all, dinner was great and the conversations were interesting and stimulating! Tomorrow we have a lot planned and I am exhausted, so good night!

PURA VIDA!

BRITTANY

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

2009-06-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well, our time in Puerto Viejo is coming to an end. Our last day here was very relaxing, but it would not be complete if something of interest happened. The day began with the group having breakfast at Banana Azul as usual. The meal consisted of potatoes, bacon, eggs, and toast. After we boarded a taxi, Dr. Harris, Brittany, and Nicola went horseback riding, Shiri and I (Santrice) went kayaking, and Mitzi went for a walk through the botanical garden. Because it was my activity of choice, I can personally say that kayaking was a ton of fun!
We kayaked on a river, and after having completed three hikes since being here in Costa Rica, I was able to appreciate the tranquility of being still for a change and identifying some of the animals we saw along the river. The journey was actually one of the most peaceful things that we have done since being here!. Everything just seemed to be at a standstill and quiet. Our adventure lasted approximately one hour and thirty minutes. After the kayaking, we journeyed into the city and shopped in the stores. Puerto Viejo is strikingly different from San Jose, but in a more low-key and serene way. For one, everyone here seems to be a lot calmer instead of hustling as they were in San Jose. Another difference is that I saw a lot more people of the same or close skin complexion as myself. The final difference is that although Spanish is the official language, people were also able to communicate in English, which was a lot easier since I still do not know a ton of Spanish.
While in town Shiri and I decided to have lunch at Mr. Patterson’s (one of guest speakers) restaurants. The food there was delicious! Both of us had red snapper with one form of rice and beans or another. An interesting thing happened at the restaurant that reminded me of the importance of this class. As we were bringing our lunch to a close and waiting on the check, a Caucasian couple proceeded to walk up to us and begin speaking in Spanish and asking us questions about the restaurant. While asking questions for clarity is fine, I was taken aback by the stereotyping that seemed to be occurring. We were sitting down at our table like the other patrons, so I can assume why they had drawn the inaccurate conclusion that we worked there. Now this could be taken one of two ways. Either they saw two people who looked absolutely nothing like them and made the assumption that we had to work there or they were just really confused. At no time during our time here has anyone for one second thought that we were from Costa Rica, so why now? I have no problem being a part of the community or culture, but my gut feeling is that this was probably not the case. Seeing that the class is about race, I just thought this would be an interesting situation to share with you all. In short, this is something I experience in North America and thought I had left behind. Enough of that though. Just a little food for thought.
The rest of our day has been filled with rest, class (where we discussed theories about race), and dinner. Upon day break we will be on our way back to San Jose, the big city! We do not have much time left here, so I will be trying to enjoy every day as much as possible. This will be my last blog for this journey so I hope that you have enjoyed my experiences as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you. This has been an eye-opening experience and one that I will not forget as long as I live!

A Name by Any Other

2009-06-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today we went on our fourth hike with a Puerto Viejo native named Tino. Shiri was sick with flu-like symptoms, so she was unable to make the hike. Throughout the hike in Manzanilla (a neighboring town to Puerto Viejo), Tino showed us the luscious plant, tree and animal species from the Caribbean coast in Costa Rica. One of my favorite things that we saw was the Walking Tree. This tree is special because it literally “walks” from place to place in search of sunlight. According to Tino, whenever other trees in the forest begin to grow and block the sunlight within the forest, the Walking Tree will shed its roots and lean until the trunk of the tree moves into the new sunlight. Once the Walking Tree has found proper sunlight, it will sprout new roots. It has been said that a Walking Tree will move about 40 kilometers in its lifetime.

In addition to seeing the Walking Tree and other plant life, we were able to sample fruits that were in the forest including several species of coconuts such as the sponge coconut that is a waterless mutation of the coconuts to which we are accustomed, and quite tasty might I add. We also had the opportunity to see some of the Puerto Viejo wildlife, which was really exciting to see up close and personal!. There were Howler monkeys, Red frogs and Jesus Iguanas, the latter of which derive their name from their ability to walk on water.

While I enjoyed learning all about Puerto Viejo, more than anything I enjoyed gaining an understanding of the power of naming/ language within the forest and in the community as it relates to the Caribbean-Costa Rican culture. I will illustrate this point through one of my favorite medicinal trees: The Naked Indian Tree (yes, that is its real name).

The Naked Indian Tree is native to Costa Rica and generally grows in rainforest areas. Costa Ricans use this tree for several medicinal purposes that include offering relief for those who suffer from asthma, diabetes, stomach aches, and as a diarrhetic for weight loss. It can be identified by its reddish-brown in color and barkless trunk, hence its very stereotypical name. To be honest, upon seeing the tree and learning the name Puerto Viejo natives had given it, I was a bit angry especially, after the talks we had earlier that week on the oppression of the Indigenous BriBri people in Costa Rica. Even though I am aware that we are taking an interracial course, and therefore many things may have different meanings for me than it would for a Costa Rican, I still had that inherent need for political correctness. Then, I had to take a step back and really dissect the American ideology of political correctness.

Earlier in our trip we learned that while political correctness was something originally meant to protect people of color and other marginalized groups (i.e., women, gays) from derogatory language, today it has become an excuse for continued ignorance as in, “I’m sorry I called you that name and you felt it was politically incorrect even though I really meant it.” On the other hand, in Costa Rica, political correctness is seen as dishonesty because here everyone says what they feel. Over all I’ve seen that while Costa Ricans may have racial differences, they prefer to put them out in the open rather than treating it as an affliction.

While many may think that being so open about race would cause more problems, I’ve honestly preferred the “out and open” conversations on race and life that we have experienced here. In my mind, at least you know where everyone is coming from. There is no need to guess or hide behind disingenuous and from what I’ve seen this has made the people of Puerto Viejo closer.

Part of me wishes that people in North America would be more open to discussions of race in the same manner. I think that if we were able to just put things out there, we would be able to not only find out people’s true feelings, but also address those feelings that are based on stereotypical misrepresentations. I truly believe that then, and only then, can we move towards the racial acceptance U.S. citizens claim to have.

Web of Life

2009-06-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

"You must teach your children... that all things are connected like the blood, that unites one family. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the Earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." - Chief Seattle

Today we woke up and had breakfast at Banana Azul. On the menu was banana pancakes with glazed apples and syrup on top, along with the staples (fruit, cereal, coffee, tea, juice). Shortly after breakfast we all gathered around to have a forum on Interracial and Intercultural relationships with Ashley (recent Master’s graduate), Alaine, Suzanna, Sheran, and Erica (ATEC employees), and Jasmine (U.S. professor);. The discussion was started with the initial question posed to the students: "What is your image of the Costa Rican national identity?" Some of the responses were that the dominant group is the white Costa Ricans and all others are second class citizens. It is clear that colorism exists in Costa Rica, and that has become evident in our group experiences on both the Pacific and Atlantic sides of country. The discussion then moved to a discussion of what seems like a very innate dislike of Nicaraguans. Ms. Sheran gave an example of how she was treated on her visit to Nicaragua to see her in-laws and when it became known that she is Costa Rican. This experience painted for her a clear picture of how it must feel for Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica and constantly facing discrimination.

From the discussion, it became apparent that racism still exists in Costa Rica; however, as the saying goes, “You don’t air your dirty laundry to company.” So when we ask direct questions, we are usually given a politically correct response. In short, people want to ignore the reality of racism and its very existence. We all have socially constructed identities, but we must always remember that God created us and nature, and nature doesn’t discriminate and we shouldn’t either. Our uniqueness helps to create the diversity around us. It is clear that Costa Rica is transitioning and trying to redefine itself as a country and there is space now for influences from all the groups represented in Costa Rica a more holistic national identity.

After such a rich discussion, we all needed a swim and mental break, and we did just that! So some of us had our massages, while the rest of us checked emails and talked to family members. This evening we will be going to meet Congressman Edwin Patterson (Sheran's uncle) and have dinner at Ms. Mirna's house (Sheran's mother).

Words cannot describe the phenomenal discussion we shared with Mr. Patterson prior to dinner! The key thought from his talk was that "problems don’t exist until we create them." This has been apparent for me on this trip because as a result of experiences we have faced in the past, we (in general) have had our guards up and feel out of place in places even when we are welcome. Mr. Patterson's family was one of the first Jamaican families to come Puerto Viejo to work on the banana plantations and then the railroad. He is a man with a wealth of knowledge about the area and Costa Rican history as a whole and painted a great picture, which held true to the saying I’ve heard: “Don’t make a declaration on an issue until you hear both sides of the story.” According to Mr. Patterson, “Happiness is not material.”

Family and community is all you need to survive, not material goods. Check out the video clip to get an understanding. Today was a wonderful day,

Nicola

Back To Basics

2009-06-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today we traveled to Alta-Talamanca, which is about 10-20 minutes outside of Puerto Viejo, to meet with the indigenous BriBri people of Puerto Viejo and one of their elders, Don Timoeteo Jackson. During our visit we had the pleasure of taking a walk through the rainforest and swimming under a rainfall. That is something we would never have the chance to do in the States, and I am so glad Brittany, Dr. Harris, and I took the plunge!

The BriBri people are a tribe of Native Costa Ricans (similar to Native Americans) who still practice the traditions begun by their ancestors hundreds of years ago. To clarify, they are not headdress wearing, naked, exotic others who dance around fire; forget the stereotypes. They are beautiful, intelligent, resourceful people who have been victimized by the greed of land conquests throughout history.

As with Native Americans in North America, the BriBri people were the original habitants of Costa Rica who lived on this land well before Christopher Columbus and other Spanish conquistadors began inhabiting the country. Unfortunately, as with many countries that Spanish conquistadors inhabited, the BriBri people were a forgotten link in Costa Rican history for centuries until groups such as ATEC (explain who they are) and indigenous leaders, such as Don Timoeteo, committed themselves to working to preserve their unique culture and to educate the public about their pre-conquistador history.

One of the things I found most interesting from our talk with Don Timoeteo was the oppression his people faced over the years and how well this injustice has been strategically and purposely hidden from the rest of the world. Much of the BriBri history was erased when disease and mass killings wiped out most of their people in the early settlements of the Spanish conquistadors. It was estimated that over 80 percent of their population was killed in the first couple of decades during the Spanish Conquest. Those who were not killed were forced to sell their land for subpar prices or were pushed onto reservations deep within the mountains of Costa Rica. To illustrate this point, Don Timoeteo told us the story of his great-grandfather, who was a respected BriBri leader. Sadly, several men killed him because he refused to sell the BriBri land near Puerto Viejo to them for industrial purposes. Before they murdered him, the “white men,” as Don Timoeteo referred to them, tried to get him drunk with corn rum and trick him into signing the contracts. But to their surprise, after hours of drinking, Don Timoeteo’s great-grandfather was still sober and refused to sign away his people’s land. Out of anger, the “white men” killed his grandfather, not realizing that Don Timoeteo’s great-uncle was on his way to claim the BriBri people’s land as the rightful heir. To this day, people continue to try and take what rightfully belongs to the BriBri of Puerto Viejo.

Personally, I was amazed at how one group of people could do so much destruction around the world. In the U. S., we barely learn of the conquests that took place, and to learn that it happened all over the world really makes me cringe. I understand that to be ethnocentric is a natural human trait, but to be so privileged and then use that privilege to wipe out millions of people for selfish goals is something I could never understand. What angers me most is that the Spanish conquistadors disguised their selfish desires by saying that their main purpose for conquest was to “bring Christianity to the ‘heathens’” that inhabited the Americas. But, if they were really the Christian as they claimed to be, they would know that selfishness, hatred, and bloodshed are never okay. Unfortunately, much of the world still hasn’t learned that lesson.

Okay, okay…I’ll step off my soapbox.

During our time with Don Timoeteo, he told us of the rich history of the BriBri people and demonstrated their self-sustaining, intelligent spirit as we walked through the rich and fruitful land in the Talamanca rainforest. It was refreshing to learn that the BriBri people have cures and remedies for several ailments U.S. Americans also suffer from on a daily basis, including diabetes, asthma and obesity. It was amazing to me how much they rely on nature in their everyday life. In the U. S., we rely so much on chemicals and manmade remedies, but everything is there in nature for us, free of charge and complicated visits to the doctor’s office.
By the end of our walk, I really began to think about how the world would be different if we valued nature more than convenience. Granted, it is easier to drive to a doctor and get everything we need than hiking for three hours in the rainforest every time we are sick, but what are we truly sacrificing by doing so? Besides, we can enjoy the beauty of nature along the way…

Think about it,
Mitzi

On the Road Again

2009-06-17T22:06:00.001-07:00

Today began with us awaking around 8:00 am and departing from Hotel Milvia around 9:00 am. (Sigh) I really enjoyed that place! Our new destination was Puerto Viejo. The journey to our new location took about four hours to drive. As we left the city and ventured closer and closer to the coast, you could not help but notice a change in scenery. Instead of buildings and thousands of cars, we were now seeing trees, rivers, and waterfalls. At one point there were waterfalls right beside us as we were driving on the road. Also, as we were driving, I began to see more variations of skin colors in the people that we were passing on the street. With this, I began to feel a sense of home as I was seeing more people that looked like me.

Throughout our drive we made two stops; well, actually three, but one was unexpected. Our first stop consisted of us visiting a place where a man named Tico Tarzan was known for his companionship with a crocodile named Poco. This man had been said to have the ability to stick his head inside of the mouth of the crocodile without being eaten and also to sleep beside the alligator. At this point I could ask if this man is crazy, but I won't because even in America we have people like this; remember the Crocodile Hunter? Our second stop was at a little store where we picked up snacks such as potato chips and pop. The chips did not have half as much salt as those in America but they were still delicious! Our final stop was a bit awkward. I was slightly sleep, but we were pulled over by the policia (police). When we asked the guide why, he explained to us that whenever there is a tourism bus, it is stopped by the police as protocol just to make sure that it is legit. We did not get arrested, so I was fine with that. After our stops, we finally arrived at our new destination, which is where we will be for the next week…. Banana Azul.

It was so hot when we stepped off of the bus I thought I was in Florida instead of Costa Rica! We were greeted with beverages though, so that made everything a little cooler. Once getting settled in we were informed of our busy schedule to come, but in the mean time we had some free time. Seeing that we are near the beach, of course, the first thing we did was run to the beach!!! YAY! I personally did not do any swimming, but the rest of my cohorts seemed to enjoy themselves as I sat and caught some rays. It seems like we will be doing everything from another hike to massages to horseback riding and/or surfing within the next few days, so make sure you continue to check for updates. I am so excited! With that being said I need to get some rest. Hasta luego, and Pura Vida!

--
Santrice Jones

Our Points of View

2009-06-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
Anais Nin

We woke up this morning feeling the remnants of pain, some from white water rafting others from the walking up to the volcano. University of Costa Rica campus was a bit of a maze for us on our last visit. To alleviate some of that walking around, Dr. Harris opted for a cab which allowed us time to eat breakfast, organize laundry and drop it off at the lavandaria (or Laundromat) at the corner of our hotel.

Today we met Dr. Vanessa Smith from the University of Costa Rica Institute of Psychology. There was a sense of relief when the group met her since she is the first female and Afro-Caribbean we have met thus far. It was beginning to feel as though all the University professors were male and white. Dr. Smith presented us with research on the attitudes towards Immigrants in Costa Rica, which we find both unsettling yet informative.

Let me paint you a picture. Consider the following statistics on Costa Rica and the context of cultural diversity:
Total Population: 4, 476,614
White/Mestizos: 95%
Afro Costa Ricans: 1.9%
Chinese Costa Ricans: 0.2%
Native Costa Ricans: 1.7%
Immigrants: 8% (75% of which are Nicaraguans)

Dr. Smith conducted a cross-sectional study conducted in Turrialba in 2002, Pariso in 2003 and San Jose in 2005. The part that stood out the most to us was the San Jose study since it was the only one conducted with University students and Community members.

From the research, Dr. Smith was able to make the following concluding observations:
 Attitudes toward immigrants in Costa Rica are complex and include mixed, ambivalent beliefs and feelings. Ambivalence is more common than antipathy.
 Intergroup hostility is not exclusive of “ill” individuals, but applicable to all group members. Everyday bias is often subtle, automatic, and unintentional.
 Even the simplest act of categorizing people into social groups is deeply influenced by the broader context of cultural norms and values that shape the content of the category.
 Targets of negative stereotypes and derogatory/ambivalent attitudes vary depending of the historical climate of intergroup relations.
 Intergroup contact under optimal conditions seems to reduce negative stereotypes, feelings and expectancies.

After the presentation, the floor was opened for Q&A, which is where in-depth questions about social desirability and acculturation were discussed. It was found that there were two definitions of separation: one definition or reasoning was to preserve identity the other was because they couldn’t get along. It was very impressive to hear that Costa Rica has a Ministry of Women and that their focus over the past few years has been on laws against gender violence. The driving forces in the Afro-Caribbean community are the Campbell sisters (Shirley and Epsy). Shirley is a poet and activist and her sister Epsy an international economist was the first black woman to run for a parties presidential seat. However with all those accomplishments, there is still some organizing going on when it comes to the traditional vs. modern woman. Things are changing more and more. Because women are pursuing advanced degrees , the cultural commitment to creating a family has been put on the back burner for some. For others, there is a tension with maintaining a balance between the two. This is a similar struggle that a lot of women are facing in the U.S. as well.

After this wonder talk was completed, everyone was pretty hungry (besides, we had a very early start and quick breakfast)!. We discussed lunch options in addition to me being vegan and decided upon…

Dr. Vanessa and Dr. Harris decided to join me and I was very grateful for that instead of me eating alone. The remainder of the group went to a Tico restaurant and had an assortment of dishes that ranged from rice and beans to French fries. During lunch, we discussed many different things that were both educational and entertaining. For our afternoon, we all walked to the mall, which proved to be quite interesting because within a predominantly Tico Mall appeared a Nautica, Levis, and Tommy Hilfiger story. These seemed pretty random and the stores appeared out of place. After doing some window shopping, the rest of the group chose to ride the bus bike while Brittany and I opted to walk back to our hotel so we could have some exercise. We took a leisure walk from the mall to the bank and then to our hotel. We had a two hour break, so we caught up on email and Skype prior to our long-awaited dinner at Café Mundo.

Café Mundo is a beautiful restaurant where the entire menu is in both Spanish and English, which is helpful for those of us with limited Spanish skills . For dinner we had Eric and Carol as our guests for our talk on the topic interracial romantic relationships. Eric is an interculturalist and diversity trainer with a U.S. based company and Carol is an M.B.A. student and marketing strategist for a internet/telephone company in Costa Rica. She also does planning and promotion for Eric’s company. In Costa Rica Erica and Carol are considered intercultural because they come from two distinctly different cultures; however, they are both classified as white in their respective countries. During our talk we mentioned the fact that while they are both considered to be in the majority group, if they lived in the U.S., they would most likely be seen as interracial since Carol is Costa Rican and Eric is white American. We also had an interesting discussion of how their racial identities would inform or affect how their children’s identities would be formed, and because all of us come from different backgrounds and experiences, we were able to explore how geographic location (in the U. S.) would have an impact on how may choose to raise their children to understand and negotiate their biracial or bicultural backgrounds. Overall, this proved to be a very engaging and insightful dining experience.

At the end of dinner we all were ready to go dancing at Cuartel. According to our new friend Joaquin, it is the place for University of Costa Rica students to be, so we decided to partake! The music was great and we all enjoyed everything except the fact that we all reeked of smoke upon our departure. We had the great opportunity to enjoy a live band Joaquin said was really big in the 80’s. Here’s a clip of the band enjoy!!

Until next time,
Nicola

Media Messages

2009-06-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hello again-

Today was our last full day in San Jose for about a week. I have mixed feelings about leaving because, on the one hand, I have greatly enjoyed my stay at Hotel Milvia, but on the other, I am excited to experience another part of the Costa Rican culture. I have really come to feel at home at Hotel Milvia and can only hope that Banana Azul will have the same warm, welcoming atmosphere to which we have grown accustom ed. Either way, we will be there for an entire week and I’m sure the people of Banana Azul will be just as friendly and inviting!

This morning, Joaquin (or local expert and friend) came to the hotel to take us to el Observatorio de Medios de Communication Sobre Poblacion Migrante y Refugiada (The Media Observatory for Migrants and Refugees) where media analysts observe, analyze. and find ways to improve media images of migrants and refugees from around the world who are in Costa Rica and Costa Rican migrants that go to other countries. For example, a group of women recently traveled to Mexico to become models (or so they thought), but once they arrived, they were sold into a human trafficking ring. Police officials eventually captured the immigrants and the men in charge of the ring, but when the story was presented in the news, the Costa Rican women were being called prostitutes, as if they willing participated in a very sexualized, dehumanizing, and demeaning trade.

Now many may not see the error in labeling them as prostitutes because these women were, in actuality, involved in a prostitution ring; however, from an intercultural communication standpoint, prostitution connotes a willingness to sell one’s body whereas these women were taken against their will.

In class we have had several conversations on the power of language and how the adjectives or nouns people use to describe others outside their group can greatly affect not only the way others see outside members, but also the way that an outsider may see him/herself. Just imagine how it would feel to be one of those women and described with such a socially detested label. If I were in that situation, I would feel as if people blamed me for everything that had happened to me, when in reality it was out of my control.

While the journalists’ intentions were to simply account for what the women had been subjected to, this is just one example of how strategic and powerful language is and the great deal of care one (within or outside of the media) should take when speaking to or about others. This is particularly why I believe the work being done by the Observatory is so important. There findings can also serve to reduce prejudice and stereotyping, if stories are presented in a fair and representative way.

Following the discussion of this recent news story, Daniella, a journalist at the media center, shared that media analysts at the Observatory worked with journalists who produced it. Their goal of training them was to educate them about the importance of cultural sensitivity in the media and help them to use less discriminatory labels for individuals of all walks of life.

This is just one example of the many ways media analysts at the Observatory work to improve cultural sensitivity within the media, and hopefully Costa Rican society as a whole. As of now, one of their biggest projects is to improve the representation of Nicaraguans in Costa Rican media outlets. Some of the other blogs have already alluded to the racial tension between “white-skinned” and “dark-skinned” Costa Ricans. Basically, in the States, racial prejudices are based on lineage but in Costa Rica racial prejudices exist between skin colors despite lineage. In other words, despite what racial group you identify with in Costa Rica, if you are of a darker skin color, you are considered black, and less valuable. No matter if you are Latina, Indigenous, Native-American, Asian-Costa Rican or Afro-Costa Rican, if your skin is black/darker brown, you are black. On the other hand if your skin is white, despite your racial lineage, you are white, which is perceived as the norm.

For decades the” darker/black, lighter/white” rule of social identification was used to discriminate against and segregate Afro-Costa Rican and Jamaican populations from other, lighter groups of Costa Ricans. Today this prejudice has shifted and become a social identification method for distinguishing Nicaraguan migrants from Costa Rican natives. Unfortunately, many of the stereotypes that plagued earlier group(e.g. lazy, delinquents who live off the government) have now been used to describe Nicaraguans in the media and within Costa Rica, thereby increasing racial tensions within the country.

To help combat discrimination of Nicaraguans in the media and throughout Costa Rica, the Observatory has not only created social sensitivity courses for journalists, but has also released numerous publications including “ Diez mitos sobre las personas nicaragueneses que viven en Costa Rica” or “ Ten myths about Nicaraguans that live in Costa Rica.” Some of the myths that the Costa Rican media has portrayed of Nicaraguans are that they (1) are responsible for the majority of criminal incidents that happen in Costa Rica, (2) and their children take advantage of the Costa Rican school systems; and (2) are taking all of the jobs/positions that Ticos, or Costa Rican natives, once occupied. The Observatory has actually found data to discount these beliefs, which should serve to discount any misconceptions held of this marginalized group.

Unfortunately, many of the ideals portrayed of Nicaraguans in Costa Rica are the same for people from Latina America living in the U. S.. In recent years, Americans have come to see Latin Americans as troublemakers who continually steal job opportunities from deserving Americans and allow their children to take advantage of provisions meant for Americans. While very unfortunate, the same can be said of many immigrant groups that travel in and out of countries around the world.

I think that’s why it is so important to have interracial programs, such as the course we are taking now, and government provisions, such as the Media Observatory for Migrants and Refugees, to help make the public aware of the stereotypes and prejudices we create of groups that are not in the majority. Hopefully, one day we will all be able to move beyond discrimination and learn to support each other for being the beautiful, multifaceted human race we were meant to be.

Hasta Luego,
Mitzi

"....Go Tell It On The Mountain...." ~Shiri' A. Carmack

2009-06-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

Today was yet again *another* hike off into the wilderness. The pictures above are ones that I took from our expedition! This time, it was an hour long drive to the Poas Volcano…. It all started with us waking up @ 6AM and loading up on the bus a little after 7. We were all in good spirits on the way to the volcano- hey, you kind of have to be- it’s Sunday! On the ride to the volcano, we all took in the scenery, and we in absolute awe. I just really cannot believe that this is the life that Costa Ricans wake up to on a daily basis. Once we arrived to the volcano, we looked around at one another for a while, then we started our march to the breathtaking site.

So, after a 600 meter hike, we arrived at the large crater. The view was nothing less than amazing! After a few (…yeah, more like SEVERAL) pictures, we decided to hike to the next to the next outlook, and that was the lake. The estimated time to the top of the hike was 30 minutes, but we mysteriously hiked it in about 15 minutes or so… it was definitely DIFFICULT, but we made it to the top, and miraculously did not need an ambulance stretcher on our way down.

After the hike, Jimmie, our driver, took us to this really tasty restaurant. You all should have seen it, a plate filled with arroz, frijoles, plantains, and your choice of meat. Our lunch was also served with the drink of your choice- I had jugo de piña (pineapple juice), and it delicious. As you can see from the picture of the food above, Costa Rica does not play when it comes to the generosity of the sizes of meals. This food willgive your mother’s meals a run for their money! We all talked and ate very well, and were surprised by the fact that desert was also included with our meals. Many people ordered sweet treats like chocolate cake and tres leches. I ordered the strawberry mousse chocolate cake. Today was my lucky day, because the server gave me two slices of cake. Of course, I abliged ever so graciously... :-)

It’s interesting how traveling can put so many things into perspective. As a tourist, I try so hard to take as many pictures of the mountains and wildlife that I can, but for the Ticos (that is what Costa Ricans call themselves), this is their normal, banal way of life, and it’s beautiful. I feel that as Americans, we are so caught up in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, and it feels absolutely refreshing to not have to check my phone for missed calls and elaborate text messages.

Well, off to watch the NBA Finals game- I’m so excited that I’m not missing it by being out of the country. I hope the Magic win tonight!

Hasta Luego y Pura Vida!

~Shiri’

Enjoying the Pura Vida lifestyle! 6/13/2009

2009-06-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

June 13, 2009

What an exciting and adventurous day it has been! Today was our first full free day in San Jose, and our opportunity to participate in white water rafting if we chose to do so. Before we had even left the States, my mind was set that I was going to raft down the river no matter what. Unfortunately for me, no one else wanted to go rafting, so I had to choose whether to go alone or stick with the group and explore the city for the day. Even though I was a little apprehensive and nervous about venturing out on my own, I decided to just go ahead and do it! I knew that if I didn’t go rafting just because no one else wanted to come with me, I would end up kicking myself later on.

Now, I have just gotten back to the hotel from white water rafting down the Pacuare River, and words cannot explain how wonderful and exhilarating the experience was! I could not be happier with my decision. The company that I rafted with, Exploradores Outdoors, had a van pick me up at 6:30 this morning. When I got on the bus it was PACKED! There was only one empty seat available and it was right beside a girl who, it turned out, was also doing this adventure on her own. Ashley, the girl, had just gotten back from four weeks of excavating a Costa Rican prison’s cemetery. The group she was with actually uncovered 12 whole bodies and was also featured on Costa Rican news; needless to say she had some very interesting pictures!

It was about a two hour commute to the river, with a stop for breakfast along the way. Once we arrived at the river, after a long and winding, rocky road, we unloaded the bus, split into groups (six people to one raft plus a river guide), and suited up with helmets and life jackets. The river guides, in my case Carlos, explained to the group commands they would be calling out while rafting. For example, if “FORWARD” was yelled out, then that meant for everyone in the raft to paddle forward, or if “LEFT BACK” was yelled out, then that meant for everyone on the left side to back-paddle while everyone on the right paddled forward. I know that may sound confusing and I was a little nervous about learning all the terms, but once I was in the raft it just kind of clicked.

The rapids we experienced were anywhere from a class II to a class IV, class IV being more difficult and exciting! We rafted through two different canyons, which lasted about three hours total with a lunch break in the middle.
I can honestly say, after this experience, that today was the day I was actually able to understand and experience the meaning of the Costa Rican saying “Pura Vida”, which literally translates to pure life. Carlos explained to our raft group that this saying began with Costa Rica’s hippy movement and it has evolved into a saying that is used everyday in every positive way possible. It can mean anything from “How are you” to “Thank you” and everything in between. Today I understood it to mean live life and enjoy it, and I think this is something that resonates within Costa Rican culture. Costa Ricans enjoy life; they work to live, unlike Americans who tend to live to work, workaholics, if you will. Enjoying life is exactly what I did while rafting down the river, fighting the rapids and trying not to fly out of the raft! The adrenaline rush was amazing, and now has me contemplating bungee jumping when we return to Monteverde -- it is the fourth highest point for jumping in the world!

PURA VIDA!

Brittany

No Matter Where You Go, Race is Race

2009-06-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

Being in San Jose over the past few days has been quite interesting. We have had some very intriguing yet also disheartening discussions about race and things of that nature here. Yesterday we had a discussion about the genealogy of Costa Ricans. Quite similar to the US, we learned that Africans and people of darker skin tones are seen as subordinates to those with fairer complexions. With everything that has taken place, our class discussion today was quite interesting. We discussed chapter four of our textbook, which was about the development of racial identity and racial perception. There are several different approaches that can be taken when discussing this topic, which include the formation of cultural identity, understanding whiteness, macrocultural identity development, microcultural identity development, and biracial identity development. With each of the models the final goal is to have a have a clear understanding of cultural identity, but with each this identity is discovered in a different manner.

One of the most interesting aspects of our conversation was when Dr. Harris asked us to explain the ways in which we identify ourselves. I would like to note that four of the students in this program are minorities (Mitzi, Nicola, Shiri, and myself), and Brittany is of the majority race and has not had the same experiences with race as we have, which is not surprising nor is it her fault; however, I hope that by us being able to share our different experiences we will be able to apply our new understandings of race to our lives beyond this program and UGA. In our class discussion we were able to see a contrast in our experiences, since Brittany shared that she rarely has to think about her race while it is a constant for the rest of us. Although all of us in the class are Americans, for the most part, I could not help but assume that things are structured in the same manner here in Costa Rica. With everything that we have learned about race over the past few days I can conclude that this is an accurate assumption. Being able to see how race is constructed in Costa Rica, it showed me how it is pervasive racial hierarchies in the world as a whole.

On a much lighter note, last night we went to a restaurant called Ram Luna. It was a very nice restaurant about forty minutes outside of the city. The lights of the city made a beautiful scenery for the dinner. There was suppose to be dancing, but a miscommunication occurred and the dancing had actually taken place the night before. Tomorrow is a free day for the most part and we are suppose to go to the Supermarcado, which is supermarket. It is not suppose to be like the grocery stores in America so I am very intrigued to see what is in store. Well we are about to have dinner so I will sign off now.

‘Til next time!

Santrice

"Hey! Those Words Hurt!" ~Shiri' A. Carmack

2009-06-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

This is us, on the way to San Jose fro San Luis

Today was yet again another lovely day here in San Jose, Costa Rica. My day started with breakfast and a nice read of Chapter 3 in Dr. Harris and Mark Orbe’s book, Interracial Communication: Theory Into Practice. It was cool because the chapter breaks down the most prevalent ethnicities in our country: Blacks, Whites, Asians, Native Americans, Middle Easterns, and Multiracial individuals. This chapter made for an interesting class meeting today, because it had to do with language, labeling, and the power of these two ideals. It’s interesting because you never really understand words and sayings until you really sit and think about the meanings behind said words…
At one point in the class meeting, Dr. Harris asked us if there were any sayings or words that we knew of that may have racial “roots” that we had never given much thought. One student said that they had been guilty of labeling all individuals of Asian descent as Chinese or “oriental”. After a while, we laughed about the “oriental” label, because the only thing that we could identify as indeed “oriental” was the rugs that we found here in our hotel (smile). We also talked about how the term “Jew them down” is a TOTALLY INNAPROPRATE term for business negotiations. It was also interesting to discuss how many marginalized groups would use terms like these that are oppressive to other minority groups, and sometimes, even themselves.
We also thought about sayings like, “wait a cotton-picking minute” (derived from Black slaves that picked cotton in previous centuries… as recent as “sharecroppers” from the late 20th century.). It’s interesting to see how much power there is in words. Just WORDS. One student ask, “since language helps shape our realities, if there are not words for certain things or actions (i.e. rape) does that mean that these actions do not exist in their reality?” I thought that was a very intriguing question because it really is a lot to think about: if racial slurs like the “n” word never existed, would there still be the same amount of hate in one’s heart against darker-skinned individuals? This has really sparked my thought process, and I would love to see what you all think….
Well, we are off to get dressed now to go to a dinner and interact with even more Ticos. This is one of our fancier nights, so expect pictures from us soon!

Over and Out,

~Shiri’

Joaquin y las mujeres

2009-06-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hola a todos!

So, if I can say one thing, it is this: no one can ever accuse Costa Rica of being a dull place. Granted it has been only seven days, but these have been some of the most interesting seven days of my life!

Everything is so beautiful here and I am excited; not only because I am learning a lot about the Costa Rican culture but we have the chance to learn it from the people who live it, and today was no different. The day started out with a talk from Joaquin Lizano, an Intercultural Communication guru in Costa Rica. For all of you who aren’t aware of what Intercultural Communication is, it is the study how people of different cultures communicate their values, beliefs and traditions amongst themselves and to others of different cultural groups.

During our talk, Joaquin discussed some of the inherent differences between Costa Rican culture and that of the U.S. One of the things he discussed is that Americans generally enjoy their personal space. He gave the example of being in line at a bank. Usually in America, people stand in line with enough space for about two people between themselves and the persons in front of and behind them; however, in Costa Rica people stand without any space between them...at all! In fact, if you stand in line with the same amount of space as you would in America, people will get in front of you in line because they would naturally assume that you are not waiting in line and the open space needs to be occupied. Quite interesting, to say the least.

Following the talk, we went to a neighborhood soda, or a small Costa Rican restaurant, and had a traditional Tico lunch. It included white rice and black beans (which is also a breakfast staple in Costa Rica), a potato /veggie mix, your choice of meat and a small salad. Over lunch, we took the chance to discuss the Costa Rican culture in depth. The food was delicious, but more than anything, I enjoyed the talk and learning more about the culture and how to adapt to my temporary new home.
During the talk, Joaquin really took the time to discuss the economic situation of Costa Rica. I was surprised to learn that the average Tico family lives on less than $200 a month. Even though there are several Americans who live on that or less, they are far fewer than the number of Ticos who are living and surviving well below the poverty line every day. According to Joaquin, about 50% of the population, or about one million people, live on that a year. Learning this new information really made me take a second and look at how I spend my money. I always thought I was a pretty frugal person but my rent alone is almost three times that. I could not imagine having to live and survive on less.

After our lunch, we used the public transportation again and went to the Museo de Jade (Jade Museum) and saw the 300% Spanish exhibit that included chairs lamps and posters from various Spanish artists. Each piece spoke of the rich culture and creativity of the Latin Culture: from the rocking chair made out of toy soldiers to the chandelier made of writing pens and paper clips. Suffice it to say that each piece was pure poetry. My favorite piece in the exhibit, of course, was a long burgundy and black lamp named Mitzy --- imagine that!

Well off to dinner now….

Hasta Luego,
Mitzi

Power of Language

2009-06-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt

As a group today we were faced with several situations of doubt. This morning we had continental breakfast served by the hotel and then shortly after we had class. While in the midst of a heated discussion about the history of Race and America a loud noise was heard …the neighborhood alarm was sounded! There were apparently two individuals that were sighted that were unknown. It was a very unusual sound to hear. It sounded to us like a fire drill at first, then after asking the hotel staff questions we were informed that a neighborhood alarm is sounded whenever there is unusual activity in the area. This should have been an indication of the type of day we were headed for; needless to say that was just the tip of the iceberg…..

Walking in Costa Rica across streets is like playing the game "Frogger;" the only difference is that as humans we don’t have multiple lives. We walked to a bank that had an approximate two hour wait time. Lunch was on our own today and I ate at Restaurante Vegetariano where the meal and conversation were great. I met an American at the restaurant who assisted me with my meal choice. He has been a resident in Costa Rica for 33 years and is a former Peace Corp participant. After eating I met back up with the group who had lunch at a Tico restaurant and together we walked to campus for our afternoon history session.

The University of Costa Rica campus is a pretty decent size. We were able to get a visual view of everything at the information station when we asked for directions. Daniel Rojas was presenting a lecture about the history of race in Costa Rica. The presentation of history is always a tough topic of discussion and that was evident today by the material covered. Profesor Rojas’ talk was an overview of how the different racial groups have evolved and how the indigenous have been displaced, which is very similar to the racial hierarchy in the U. S. While the talk was chock full of information, several of us also found it very disheartening that race still matters and privilege and skin color directly affect politics, life, and how people communicate. The talk also illuminated for us the connection between what we are discussing from our readings and textbook and its relationship to the lives of the Costa Ricans. What we’ve been learning has been a little disheartening but sobering.

After the lecture we made a quick run to the bank. The conversion rate for today was 572 dollars to 1 colone. Since the conversion rate varies per location we all made the currency change to colones to make sure we literally got more for our money. Upon leaving the bank, our adventurous walk to the bus stop we passed a clown tossing balls in the middle of the street. He was most likely panhandling for money from drivers in hopes of making a day’s wage.

En route to the bus stop we were distracted by the alluring sign from the Helados Pops de Costa Rica ice cream shop, which was on the next corner. As a group it was a unanimous decision to step in and get ice-cream and smoothies, which turned out to be a good way to debrief the material we learned. We ate our delicious treats and were merry and resumed our trek to take public transportation. We finally made it to our bus stop just in the nick of time to get on for 175 colones, which is roughly 35 cents.

On our very long excursion to the bus top, we caught a whiff of marijuana and our translator informed us that it is not uncommon but it was also not legal to smoke in Costa Rica. As this day has proven, this trip should be very interesting, to say the least! We’re definitely looking forward to what lies in store in the days to come.

Hmmmm.... Did the Carbon Offset my Appetite?

2009-06-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

We have been in Costa Rica for about three whole days now and things are starting to become pretty normal. Since being here we have eaten, hiked, eaten some more, had class, eaten, planted trees, and eaten some more. If you weren’t able to tell from that previous statement we eat all of the time. Three meals a day and none are scarce. One thing that you will have with every meal is beans. Today was the first meal that we have had that did not include beans and it was definitely awkward.
The scenery here is beautiful! When you look around all you pretty much see are trees and animals. No huge skyscrapers and a trillion cars on the road. The roads for the most part are not even paved. They are instead full of dirt and gravel. Everything seems to be at such peace. Speaking of peace if you think that rain showers are calming then this is the place for you. It rains here everyday like clockwork. When one awakes it is usually a beautiful day with sunny skies and the perfect temperature. Then a little after lunch time the rain moves in and it rains and rains and rains into the night hours. At first this makes the atmosphere perfect for afternoon naps and quiet time but after a few days you begin to hope that the rain will hold off for at least one day, especially if you are scheduled to participate in an outdoor activity.
Since arriving we have participated in a few activities. Yesterday we planted trees in an activity titled Carbon Offset. The purpose of this activity was to offset the amount of carbon emitted into the air in order to fly and drive to our current location. The purpose of the project was definitely beneficial to not only the environment but also me as a human being because I got some exercise along the way. Last night we attended a Biale at a local school in which all of the proceeds benefitted that school. It was like a community party in which children, teenagers, and adults attended. The funny thing was that normally when someone asks me to dance I graciously decline, but I ended up dancing twice that night. I had no clue what I was doing though. I just moved to the beat of the music and let my partner lead. It was a lot of fun though. There is a lot more to come, but so far this experience has been one that I will not forget. As the rain here begins to slow down I bring this to a close stating that we as Americans are so consumed with our hustle and bustle in life that we never take a moment to stop and enjoy life. Even though my journey here is just beginning I have been taught that if you do not stop every now and then to enjoy all that is around you then there are many things that you will miss out on and never experience within a lifetime.
Tomorrow we will be leaving the UGA campus and travelling to San Jose…the big city! I wonder what all will be in store for us there…

‘til next time,

Santrice

A Whole New World, Minus “The Little Mermaid” ~Shiri’ A. Carmack

2009-06-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Five people. More specifically, five women. Five of us have decided to travel to Costa Rica to learn more about communication, but most importantly, about ourselves and the people around us. We are enrolled in Dr. Tina Harris’ Interracial Communication class, and we are also doing independent studies. Even though we have only been here for a little over 48 hours, we have experienced so much. I’ll try to start from the very beginning….

Upon arriving to the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, Nicola, Santrice, Dr. Harris, and I were greeted by Mitzi, our classmate hailing from San Antonio, TX. It was great to finally meet her, because all of us other students had a chance to meet one another. We were also met by our driver, Jimmie. He would drive us to the UGA campus. You see, we flew into San Jose, but the campus is in San Luis, which is a 4 hour (that’s right, I said FOUR HOUR) drive from the airport. Jimmie was cool- he stopped at an eatery called, “El Jardin”, for us to grab lunch. I ate arroz (rice), frijoles negros (black beans), y plantanos (plantains), with a refrescos mango (mango juice) to wash it all down. This delicious meal only cost me a whopping $2.00! If you want to be a “baller on a budget”, Costa Rica is the place to be!

After a very WINDING trip through the mountains (elevation unknown, but I think we did pass by some angels just hanging out, chilling…), we finally made it to UGA’s campus, and a nice hot meal was waiting for us! This place is absolutely breathtaking! I think the most interesting part of Costa Rica so far is that the people really love the environment SO much! It’s very interesting coming here and being an American, because we are so quick to kill bugs that are being a nuisance to us, and it’s like the people here in Costa Rica don’t even notice the bugs at all! I hope that I too, can become “one” with nature!

We are soon to participate in a program called “Carbon Offset”. I have no idea what this may be, but I really hope it’s not too science related- I’m not too good with chemical bonds and polypeptides! Update soon to come.

Hasta Luego y Pura Vida!

~Shiri’

06-05 We've arrived!!

2009-06-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

The day has finally come, and we are in Costa Rica!! Just to give you an overview, we have all signed up for blog days, which essentially means that the students and I have all chosen different days for which we will be responsible for posting a blog to this site about our daily activities and happenings as we travel throughout the beautiful countryside of Costa Rica

If you didn't already know, we will be spending the first part of our trip in San Luis on the UGA Costa Rica campus. From there we travel from San Jose for roughly 8-10 days (I don't have the calendar in front of me) to Puerto Viejo for 7-8 days to San Jose for 2 days and then wrapping up the class in San Luis (4 days) in time for our return on July 1st. Depending on Internet connectivity, the posts will go up each day to that you can be abreast of our experiences and to share with family, friends, and all other interested parties what a real study abroad experience is like!! Trust me, parents, your children ARE studying and absorbing as much of the culture as possible...I guarantee it! If you have questions or concerns you would like to address, please email me privately at tmharris@uga.edu.

Until the next blog, Pura Vida!!!

Dr. Harris

Countdown to CR 2009!!

2009-05-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

Only 7 days remain before the 2009 IPIC class and I depart for our 3 1/2 week journey to Costa Rica!! This study abroad program is an amazing experience for all of us and will undoubtedly be the best educational investment ever made! We begin our study abroad experience in San Luis/Monteverde at the UGA Costa Rica campus for approximately 4 days, where we will become familiar with the campus, each other, beautiful city, the rainforest, and all that San Luis has to offer.

In the upcoming days and weeks, be sure to stay tuned to the blog. As internet connection permits, there will be regular postings from our group about our daily excursions and how we are all doing. Parents, families, and friends have found the blog most helpful (and exciting) in knowing where we are and what the program is about. And was the case last year, I am sure our adventures will keep you glued to the computer screen!

We had our last pre-departure meeting on yesterday and we're all pumped, psyched, and (almost) ready to go! Stay tuned for updates as we travel the beautiful countryside of Costa Rica!

Pura vida,

Dr. Harris

Media and Race in Costa Rica

2008-06-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

This morning started out, as usual, with our breakfast of eggs, toast, fruit and cheese at Hotel Ave del Paraiso. After breakfast, we traveled to Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicacion Colectiva where we met with Alejandro Vargas Johansson to discuss the projections of migrants within Costa Rican media, namely newspaper. His talk was very informative and touched on many of the aspects of Costa Rican hostility towards Nicaraguans and Columbians.

Firstly, Alejandro explained to us the process of how the volunteers analyze the different articles they read. In order to inform the newspapers of how they are being watched. THere is a grading guide for each article with many different criteria such was relevance, position of article, focus, emphasis on human rights including those of children, and especially the language used within the piece that is often discriminatory. Often times the media jumps to conclusions about immigrants becuase of bias and other times because of ignorance. Alejandro also described the different names the media uses as a means to illustrate the discrepancy they make between poverty stricken Nicaraguans and entrepreneurial Nicaraguans. I thought it was very interesting, although wrong, that the media divided the group to objectify a nationality and strip them of their human rights. This idea that the media has a distorted view causes many problems, whereas in America our media has more outlets for different opinions. Additionally, I, personally, feel that Nicaraguans, Columbians, and other objectified groups deserve a voice in the news and that corporate ethics within the media need to drastically improve.

After the Escuela, we dined at a sandwich shop called Spoon for lunch and were all able to try some new food as well as some familiar. The desserts were delicious as well! After lunch, we all headed back to the hotel for some well deserved naps. In the afternoon, we had a class discussion about race relations within the media taught by Mark. We all got the chance to openly discuss the media representations of racialized others in the such groups as African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, and Native Americans. Our conversation mainly focused on people of color within advertising, movies, and television. before the discussion, I had given little thought to the differences in race concerning a minute aspect of media, specifically television sitcoms. It was very interesting to dissect many of the sitcoms we have grown to love such as "The Cosby Show," "Friends" "Seinfeld," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Fresh Prince of Bel Aire." I had never examined what these shows have done to race relations and the consequences of media images. Additionally, I really enjoyed the group discussion and analysis that we did together in an aspect of race relations that so directly affects our lives.

After class, we dined at a great Italian restaurant recommended to us by our dear friend Joaquin. We had already eaten here and knew the food was great and could easily understand the menu -- a hard task for us from time to time! Following a wonderful meal, we decided to hit up a place named The Karaoke Restaurant. Names can be very deceiving as there was no music, no singing, and definitely no Karaoke upon arrival. Obviously another Costa Rican joke :-)

Nevertheless, we're all so excited because we will be heading to Manuel Antonio soon and can't wait to get on the beach and relax in the sun!

Pura Vida!

Tiffany

6.23 Another Travel Day on the Bus :-)

2008-06-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Tiffany and I woke up around 6:00am to go cow milking. It was definitely an experience. It was so much harder than I thought. I got some good pictures. Around 9:00am we got on the bus to head to San Jose. It was an eventful ride. First, there was a huge tree that had fallen in the road that was being bulldozed. Then there were cows in the middle of the road, and then there were people repaving the roads. [This delayed us from reaching San Jose on time but we did get there].

Needless to say, I'm happy to be back in San Hose. Our room is a lot nicer than the first one we stayed in. What relief!

We walked to the mall and had lunch and then had a 4 hour nap! We later hung out in the lobby, had pizza delivered to the hotel, and wound up just relaxing. I'm looking forward to tomorrow. We're going to be meeting with interracial couples at Cafe Mundo. It should be a really cool experience!

Jeanne

Three White Horses y class

2008-06-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

Sarah, Cameron, and I woke up at six for horseback riding at the UGA campus. We went to the main lodge to put on rubber boots and walked to the barn. Sarah the campus coordinator was there along with Martin the Costa Rican horseman. We were place on the three white horses. Mine was named Chaelen and was so sweet. He was also the pack leader and would trot to stay in front of the others. We rode for an hour on the "road" and were able to take in the immense beauty that surrounds us here. During the journey it was extremely windy and then began to mist. We were fortunate enough to see a gigantic rainbow. All the colors were visible! We got back just in time for breakfast and as a group, we vetoed the three hour waterfall hike that was planned. We had to catch up on journals and these blogs. We were also experiencing a torrential downpour so the path would be super slick.

We had class after lunch. Jeanne and Sarah taught us about interracial communication dynamics in relationships and organizational communication. We learned that interracial relationships are often dictated by external factors, although we were informed by Dr. Harris that there is pending research on how interracial couples are being subjected to less and less criticism, which would lead us to believe that interracial dating is becoming more of a social norm. We learned about several models of organizational communication, which showed us how different organizational models have pros and cons, making the employee/employer relations more or less difficult, thus affecting the interracial communication between them in the event that either employee or employer is of another race. The most important part of this portion of class was to understand that there is no perfect system for organizational communication; they can all be improved! One of the ways I can see this playing out in my career in education is through diversity training seminars--which are becoming more common to help improve relations between students and faculty.

We were all craving a break from beans and rice, so Cameron and Mark convinced us all to go to the nearest town in Monteverde to eat pizza at a local restaurant. It was amazing! After pizza, we all went shopping around the area to pick up more souvies! Once we got back, I battled with my wasp sting from the zip line that had grown in size. Tomorrow we go on the coffee tour to get even more souvenirs.

adios, Andrea

Zzzzzzzip Lining!

2008-06-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

My main man, Mark, sleeps right through his alarm and mine at 6:30 am. There has not been a single day on this trip that he has woken up to an alarm. I have gotten up and turned off his alarm, which happens to be his watch and attached to HIS wrist, countless times. I told myself that it would get easier to get up early the more often I did it. I'm afraid to report I will not live to see my dream of being a morning person come to fruition. This big cat loves to sleep late, and there is no way around it. We ate a quick breakfast and took off to Selvatura in the Monte Verde Province. We arrived bright and early around 8:30 or so (I have to admit that I just completely made that part up. I have no idea when we got there, but I know it was really early) after getting lost and going to the wrong company first (this came as no surprise either to any of us by this point in this 'trial, first' trip with this program). I will preface this next part of my blog by saying that the experience was completely beyond words. I ask you to bear with me as we travel down the zip line with my limited and insufficient vocabulary.

Soon after arrival, we get strapped in, literally. They had harnesses, ropes, caribeeners, sophisticated pulleys, and helmets on us faster than I had time to say 'Jimmy Crickets that's tight!' After getting us ready, we climbed into the bus and they drove us to the site of the first line. We all received a mini orientation of sorts, and next thing I knew, were up in the first tree ready to zip. Mark went first, followed closely by me, then the rest of the group (I believe it went Mark, me, Cameron, Andrea, Jeanne, Sarah, Tiffany, Mary, and finally Dr. Harris - but I could be dead wrong, I was wrapped up in the moment, forgive me). All I can say is what a truly magnificent experience. We spent the rest of the day zipping down cables through the canopy of some of the most beautiful land I have ever laid my eyes on. It provided us an extremely unique view of the territory. The zip lines varied from one hundred feet long to over sixteen hundred feet long and ten feet off the ground to four hundred and fifty hundred feet off the ground at speeds close to forty miles an hour. All in all, I believe we crossed twelve to fifteen different lines throughout the rain forest. Not only did it give us all the opportunity to see the rain forest from a different vantage point, but it made crossing through the jungle much easier. Let me be the first to attest to the fact that sliding down a zip line is much easier than trudging through knee deep mud, air as thick as molasses, and temperatures hotter than blue blazes. The wind whipping my hair and jacket and the scenery made the experience nothing short of completely exhilarating. I will conclude this portion of the blog with a statement to remember, especially to all younger readers: not all fun comes without a price. As much fun as we had zipping from giant tree to giant tree, the harness would not always be completely adjusted. We'll just say for the sake of our younger readers that extreme discomfort ensued from these moments.

The zip lining makes for the perfect eco-tourist activity. It greatly benefits the local economy while not encroaching on nature. Back on campus, our speaker for the afternoon did not come to speak due to an ill mother. Not a single one of us blamed him at all. We found out later his mother died. I will take this opportunity to say I love you mom, and all other members of our group love their moms, as well. With a little down time, we spent the better part of the afternoon catching up on journals, work, or sleep.

After dinner, some of us went on a night hike, which proved to be less than fruitful. I guess it's hard to top the other hikes we have already taken. It did provide us an interesting perspective on the rain forest. I have been told many interesting creatures lurk the jungle at night. I cannot testify to this because I did not see much of anything other than the many, many little ones constantly flying up my nose and mouth. My night was not, however, a complete waste. I found out that katydids can bite. One bit Mark as he was holding it, and it drew blood. I laughed until I cried. I had no idea a harmless, grasshopper looking insect had such power and animosity towards my friend, Mark. In conclusion, another completely unique and wonderful day in Costa Rica. I love you all and stay classy Athens.

-Alan

An Explosive Experience

2008-06-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

We woke up around 8:00 and had breakfast at our "travel lodge". It was actually a really nice breakfast. We had an interesting flavored dish of rice and beans, fresh fruit, eggs, some sort of sausage and toast. We packed up all of our belongings into the bus and headed towards The Observatory Lodge, which is located extremely close to the Arenal Volcano. Arenal is a volcano that is constantly erupting. A person staying at the Observatory Lodge would be able to see the lava, in reds, yellows, and oranges, trickling down the volcano at nighttime.

When we got to the volcano, there was a lot of cloud coverage. However, there were times when the clouds would clear out for a few moments, and the view of the volcano at that time was absolutely astonishing. I think it's safe to say that several of us took some beautiful pictures today.

We started off the day with a hike through the trails at Arenal. We hadn't gotten far when I, Sarah, spotted our first wild monkey. I think it would be an understatement to say that we were excited, especially Andrea. I think she cried. :) After we took a closer look, we noticed that there were eight monkeys, including a couple babies. It was a great way to start off our hike. We then walked to a waterfall, which was beautiful, and then headed back to the Observatory Lodge to have lunch.

Lunch was pretty good. Our meal was prepaid and we had the opportunity of ordering an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert. We were all pretty excited about the inclusive dessert. I would have to say that the most satisfying was the enormous banana split that about half of us ordered.

Alas, it was time for another bus ride. We traveled for about four hours on a very bumpy road. Along the way, we spotted another monkey! This one was crouched on a power line. A few games of Celebrity later, we arrived at the UGA Costa Rica campus in San Luis.

We got all of our stuff in the room quickly, trying not to spend too much time in the heavy rain, and then headed up for dinner. Dinner included rice, beans, a scrumptious salad, and some type of meat dish (we're still somewhat unsure of what type of meat). The best part of the meal was the hot chocolate served afterwards. I can't even describe how comforting and delicious the hot chocolate tasted. We were happy to learn that it is served nightly after dinner. Something to look forward to! :)

After dinner, we had a short orientation with one of the naturalist residents, who explained how the campus operated and gave us some information about the local wildlife. He also gave us some information about Costa Rica's geographical regions, which was interested because we were able to see the different regions that we have already visited and those that we are going to visit in the future.

Everyone was really exhausted and ready to hit the sack, and so we did. We need the rest considering that the plans for tomorrow are ziplining! It should be another fun-filled day in Costa Rica.

Motion Sickness Ensues

2008-06-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

Today we left the fabulous Banana Azul. Trust me, we were all sad to leave, but I think Jeanne was the saddest. (She is from the beach so I think Puerto Viejo made her feel like she was home.) After paying our SKYPE bills, we loaded the bus to head to Arenal and Baldi Springs. Little did we know, this meant a 6 hour bus ride on quite possibly the rockiest road in the WORLD. Ok, I may be exaggerating but as Andrea said, "We fought to not vomit as our heads hit the windows atleast 5 times every minute. Motion sickness was a given." We were all hungry so we stopped to eat lunch at a hotel. We all got a few different things and for the most part, we were all satisfied and happy to eat lunch. I ordered some ice-cream which I split with Tiffany and Sarah. It was caramel flavored with peanuts in it so it tasted similar to a Snickers. For those of you who do not know, I love ice-cream and eat it almost every day so I have certainly been having withdrawals while out of the country. Anyway, I was glad to get my fix. Everyone climbed back on the bus for a short period of time before we all needed a bathroom break. So, we stopped at a small shop.

--Be prepared. The next part is ridiculous.--

Tiffany and I wanted to buy ONE bag of Doritos. A regular, 16-ounce bag of Nacho Cheesier Doritos. The price: EIGHT DOLLARS. Thats right friends and family, eight bucks for one bag of chips. Clearly, we did NOT purchase the chips. So in our honor, I hope you all are treasuring your affordable chips back in the states because, trust me, WE ARE JEALOUS.

After a few more hours, we finally got close to Arenal. We were expecting to stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, but the driver pulled into another hotel. Though we were confused, we were not surprised that yet another part of our trip has not gone as planned. Turns out, the observatory was not booked for us therefore we stayed at the other hotel.

Tiffany was not feeling well and our hot room was not assisting in her situation. Luckily, Alan and Mark were kind enough to swap rooms with us so that we could have the air-conditioned room with bigger beds. Tiff decided that the evening activity of Baldi Springs was just not in the cards for her so we tucked her into bed, supplied her with plenty of water and medicine, grabbed our bathing suits and boarded the bus again.

When we got to Baldi Springs, the infamous hot springs of Costa Rica, we decided to explore the set-up. First of all, the place was huge. Second of all, it was very tourist friendly (read: all directions in English and all the staff spoke English). We got into the first spring which was 104 degress F. I am not exaggerating and yes, it was hot. After becoming numb to the stinging water, we all began swimming around. Cameron, Sarah, Andrea, Alan, and Mark decided to go down the water slide (told you this place was tourist friendly..) but Jeanne, Dr. Harris and I decided to sit that one out. Good thinking on our part because everyone said that it was painful. Turns out, Costa Rica does not have the safety regulations that America requires.

After playing for a few more minutes, we got dried off, changed, and headed to the buffet. It was full of typical foods, but it had one lucky addition: A CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN. Needless to say, we were all excited. We dipped pineapple, cheesecake and cookies in the chocolate which proved to be delicious. Mark, on the other hand, decided to fill a soup bowl with the melted chocolate and just have that for his dessert.

We left Baldi with only one thing on all of our minds- SLEEP!!!! This week has been so exhausting and a bed in the air condition was just what we needed. Jeanne and I ran straight to our room to check on Tiffany. Once we found out that she was feeling much better, we fell right asleep. Really. And I did not wake up for 9 more hours. It was a good day.

We all decided to compile a small list of what we all miss the most. Here it is:

Our families

Our friends

Our pets

Chic-fil-a

Interstates

Air Conditioning

TV- specifically The Office

Target - Mary

Yogurt parfaits- Jeanne

Fluffy pillow- Tiffany

Sweet tea- Alan

Little Italy- Mark

Wireless Access all the time- Dr. Harris

Snow- Cameron (Our dear Colorado friend)

Being able to put toilet paper in the toilet- Sarah

Bug free suitcases- Andrea

Thanks for reading! Love you all and miss you!!!

Pura Vida,

Mary Wiggins

Manzanillo y Tino!

2008-06-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Today was an amazing day! After another tasty breakfast at Banana Azul (our hotel RIGHT on the beach in Puerto Viejo), we took about a 30-35 minute cab ride with Enrique -our stellar driver- to Manzanillo to take a hike in the wildlife reserve there. A man nicknamed "Tino" (Florentino Hansel) was to be our guide...and it was a match for all of us to truly enjoy! Alaine, our guide from ATEC--a Talamancan conservationist association--told us that Tino is regarded among the community to be the best wildlife guide in Costa Rica. We all didn't know what to expect, but as soon as we met Tino, we were very pleased with his sense of humor and his abundant knowledge of the flora and fauna in the reserve and on the streets of Puerto Viejo. Everyone, especially Andrea, had been aching to see some wildlife (especially sloths and monkeys), and this hike was supposed to be a great place to see them! Unfortunately, some sort of bacterial infection has been giving people an unhappy time down here, and it happened to catch Andrea directly before the hike, so Dr. "Boggle Queen" Harris was nice enough to go back with Andrea to Puerto Viejo to take her to the local clinic. The hike was supposed to start at around 8 o'clock in the morning, but didn't get started until about 9:30 am. After we all got our bearings, we headed out to the reserve--but not before all the women were equipped with rubber boots; a necessary tool for navigating slippery slopes here on the rich coast. Just within Tino's yard was a variety of plants to smell, see, and taste. We learned quickly the difference between citronella grass and lemon grass--which look quite similar. After we left Tino's we went directly onto the trail leading to the reserve.

Like before, Tino stopped us several times to show us something interesting. One of the stops involved a moderately sized tree that yielded a small fuzzy red flower that contained several inked seeds that, when crushed, made a red paste. Tino, in line with his usual humor, chose Jeanne as a guinea pig and asked her to close her eyes. Jeanne took a little coaxing, but after she did Tino put that ink all over her face! Anyway, it rubbed off easily, and it was a lot of fun to watch. Tino showed us a series of other neat plants as well, like the sensitive plant, which shrivels when touched to protect its sap--really cool stuff!!! After all of the preliminary trails, we made it to the rainforest near the reserve. The hike bordered the Manzanillo beach for most of the trail, which was really neat. We could see sloths and birds in the trees, all while listening to the waves and the calm of the rainforest--a really interesting experience. A few minutes in, there was a place called Miss May Point; a small area away from the trail that provided us all with a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea. After a few more minutes, several of the girls broke with the group to avoid the harder portion of the trail, making the group miss the company but enjoy the intimacy of the smaller group. Left in the forest now were me, Alan, Sarah, Cameron, and Tino.

Now that the group was a lot smaller, the rainforest was inevitably more quiet, which gave me a great opportunity to really capture the nature that was present in the reserve. Through the rest of the hike we saw several eyelash vipers, banana spiders, sloths, birds, insects, and a lot of medicinal plants. Tino let us try what Costa Ricans call a "coconut sponge", which is the foamy-like conglomeration of material inside the actual coconut that sucks up all of the surrounding nutrients from the ground after the coconut has fallen to the ground. This coconut sponge is what gives a coconut (which is actually a very large seed) its nutrients to start growing. Tino told us that in order to grow a coconut tree properly, one should plant the entire coconut into the ground. Interesting stuff! We all took a bite of the coconut sponge after Tino cut it open, but none of us were very impressed...we'll stick to the actual coconut Tino, but thanks! At one point in our hike, Tino passed a banana spider (which is venomous), and proceeded to place it on his face. Cameron "Big Guns" Brown decided she had nerves of steel and allowed Tino to put the spider on her face as well! What a rush! We got lots of good pictures of that, don't worry folks, it REALLY happened. The hike ended about three hours later after we saw other interesting things like the pig testicle tree, a secret cave near the ocean, and a guanavana tree--which has now become one of Sarah's favorite fruits! The hike was an incredible experience, and we were truly blessed to have experienced it with Tino.

After our hike, we met back up with everyone else at a restaurant called Maxi's located in the center of Manzanillo. We all enjoyed a very filling lunch together overlooking the ocean, and also met a rather interesting local Manzanillo resident who talked to us about the apocalypse. She told us that the end of the world was December 22nd, 2012 according to the Mayan calendar, so for those of you who are interested, Google it! Lunch was followed by a series of interviews of other local Manzanillo Ticos (nickname for Costa Ricans) set up by Alaine. Alan and I decided to interview one of the teachers from the school in Manzanillo named Veronica. She was extremely nice, and was very positive about the future of Manzanillo, but did recognize that drugs are becoming a larger problem on the Caribbean coast. Students in Costa Rica are only required to attend school on the public system until age 12, so after the schooling has ended--since most families live below the poverty line and can't afford more schooling-children sometimes start selling drugs or getting into crime. It is a sad cycle, but Veronica told us about and showed us books from the anti-drug program that was recently implemented in Manzanillo to help the problem, so she is optimistic about the situation. After our interview, which was about 20 minutes, we went back to Puerto Viejo to Banana Azul and prepared for a nice dinner at Patagonia, a local Argentine steak house that was very moderately priced. I had to meet the gang later because I needed to go to the clinic in Puerto Viejo to get a small rash checked out, but my experience at the restaurant was glorious! I had about 12 oz. of tenderloin steak (which was fantastic), and needless to say got an excellent last night's sleep at Banana Azul! Thanks for reading! Pura Vida!

-Marcos

The Big Pig

2008-06-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

Well when I say we woke up at the crack of dawn, I am not exaggerating! Mark, Alan, Cameron, Sarah, and I woke up at the Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve to roosters, parrots, and frogs. Breakfast was served at seven by Sebastian and his wonderful family. We then relaxed in the hammocks surrounded by beauty also known as the rain forest. Sebastian and his family did not speak English so we all got to practice/learn the language. His seven year old daughter tried to talk to me but between the language barrier and her whispering, communication was not possible. There was a lot of smiling between their entire family and us. Apparently back at Banana Azul; Jeanne, Tiffany, and Mary indulged in a wonderful late breakfast of pancakes.

The spend the night crew began their decent down the mountain at eight. The journey down was almost comforting compared to the trek uphill. We arrived at the iguana farm at nine. There were at least a thousand reptiles crawling in their pins. The older ones, age 8-10, had "houses" within their pin and they had no issues crawling all over each other. Also cultural difference we noticed with the people in Costa Rica. Their ideas about proximity differ greatly from those present in America. Ticos have no issue getting close to you in line or even cutting. Similarly, the iguanas rushed over toward me when I stuck a long leaf into their cage. They really move a lot faster than I expected and fought to eat that leaf. Behind the adult iguanas were the babies. In small cages, year old iguanas ate chicken feed and stared at us while we touched them through the wire. Luckily, we had the opportunity to see iguanas that were born the day before. They looked identical to the adults but were the size of your finger.

We followed the path to find the road and met the turkeys. Aggressive turkeys that we had to beat away with a stick to be able to walk toward the road. Then we noticed the pig... the largest pig I have ever seen in my life. He easily weighed over 500 pounds. He was passed out snoring and I cannot wait to show people the pictures. Enrique picked us up and we rushed back to the hotel to get ready for surfing/dance lessons. Topo, the surf instructor, came for Alan, Cam, and I ten minutes after we got back. Talk about exhaustion. Topo has the best body of any man I have ever seen. He also gave so much to the Puerto Viejo community. Every weekend he provides free surfing lessons for the kids. He says that this keeps them out of trouble and gives them something to work toward. I was very touched by his dedication to the children and hope that when I begin teaching I will provide my students with many positive experiences. On the way to "surfer's beach" we picked up Topo's son Jordan, they are meeting with some sponsors that are interested in putting Jordan in their movies. Topo says that surfing is the only way out of Puerto Viejo for some kids.

Topo worked with Alan, Jordan with Cam, and Dio with me. When we first arrived, Topo gave us the surfing basics. He said we really had to use our upper body strength. Cameron and I looked at each other and laughed. Five minutes later we had mastered the pop into a standing position and were ready to try out the waves. The six of us swam out to where the waves began to break. Not too far from the most beautiful island I have ever seen. We wanted to swim out to it but due to our exhaustion and the distance we decided to stick to surfing. Alan and Cameron mastered the skill quickly and Cameron totally looked like a pro. I on the other hand was able to get up about five times and felt terrible for my instructor. I feel that with our knowledge of the basics we could practice more in the states and improve. After an hour and a half of surfing Alan and I had been rubbed by our surfboards and were tired so we floated in the clearest water known to man, while Cameron continued to surf. This was an incredible experience for me and one that I would not try back home. We surfed in Costa Rica!

We crammed into Topo's jeep and were back at Banana Azul in no time, where we learned that the dance instructor was a no show. Alan and Cameron joined the rest of the crew out on la playa (beach) while I battled the colony of ants that moved into my suitcase from San Jose. I am ecstatic to say my clothes are all ant free! Susanna and Hannah came to the hotel at 4:30 and we headed to Veronica's for our Caribbean cooking class. Veronica is a Costa Rican native that believes in vegetarian and macrobiotic food. We went into her home/restaurant and learned how to make some amazing food. The recipes were recorded and we plan to try them out when we come home.

After dinner, we asked Veronica about any racism she had experienced. She told us that when she lived in San Jose people would say it was getting dark and the rain was coming whenever she came near. They associated the darkness of her skin with the clouds and other problems. She was also a very strong woman that told us she was able to brush these remarks off and continue to live her life. Our speaker, Edwin Patterson, then arrived and joined in our living room conversation. He was the first African American to be on the Costa Rican congress. He spoke about the corruption that took place in the government and how he had given up on Puerto Viejo. According to him, the land was theirs and the government came in and gave it to the Natives and made reserves, making it impossible for them to own the land. This contrasts greatly from our discussions with the BriBri and other indigenous people that refer to the Black people as squatters that came over and claimed land that was already taken. It is interesting to compare their history to what we learned in school about the Native Americans and European settlers. Edwin viewed the problems as a cycle that began in the home. Where family values were dwindling in Puerto Viejo. While his views seemed to be pessimistic it is hard for us to understand the depth of his frustration surrounding the current situation. The public school system does not provide an adequate education past the age of twelve, so many adolescents become stagnant and meander (mom :)) down the wrong path. He did provide us with several euphemisms.

After our conversation with Edwin, we were beat from another long day. We got into the taxis at about 9 o'clock and went back to Banana Azul. Because of the hike earlier in the day, as well as the full schedule, we all went directly to bed!

A note from our stomachs:

We have all been pretty vocal about the American foods we miss, so I took the liberty of recording the foods we are all dreaming about at the lunch table:

Alan: McDonalds

Cameron: Martins

Jeanne: Kim's chocolate chip cookies and Chick-fil-a

Mark: Little Italy's

Mary: Gran Gran's tomato sandwich, lay's potato chips, sweet teas, y cerveza

Sarah: Chili's southwestern egg rolls and 5 Points Deli chicken salad sandwich

Tiffany: potato salad, chocolate milk, 5 points deli chicken salad sandwich

Dr. Harris: fried chicken

Me: Martins plain gravy biscuit and Mom's meatloaf

June 15th, 2008

2008-06-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

It was extremely difficult to wake up at seven this morning; however, the hike was definitely worth the early morning. It is crazy to believe that we definitely just trekked five hours into the jungle! Mauricio, a member or the Kekoldi Indigenous people here in the Puerto Viejo area, was our guide on the hike. He definitely knew what to look for and was very knowledgeable about the fauna in the area. We saw all kinds of weird creatures that definitely do not exist in the States. We saw poison dart frogs, a baby eyelash viper, a gigantic centipede, and tons of bullet ants (some of us getting closer to them than they would have liked). Unfortunately, a lot of people were not feeling great today so the hike was not quite as enjoyable to all. Spirits rose when we made to the lodge where were going to spend the night because of the tower built there for the sole purpose of bird watching and counting. The tower rose a few feet above the canopy and allowed for the majestical view of the land on which we just trekked. The view spanned from the clear blue water of the sea to the lush green mountains. I stood in awe as I stood and looked around. Not much was said as we all tried to soak it in as much as we could.

Our hike ended at the Kekoldi Scientific Center, where we were met by our host and guide, Sebastian. While at the center (lodge), we had time to sit and reflect on the days events and the trip as a whole. Sebastian and his gracious family fed us some of the most delicious rice and lentil meal I have ever had the pleasure of eating. After lunch, we spent the day, sitting, talking, swinging in the hammock, and enjoying some much needed time to rest. Some of us decided not to stay because they weren't feeling well and needed a solid night to sleep and recover. Sebastian told us about the reserve and the work he was doing to try to preserve it and the ways of his people. We also had the joy of learning how to make a hammock; ours, however, was never completed due to our American mindset and fast paced life. We did not have the patience to see out hammock to its completion, but it was great to see how much work it took to put together one hammock when it is done by hand.

Dinner came, and we enjoyed another outstanding meal prepared by Sebastian's family. After dinner was more of the same: sitting and talking. Night in the rain forest was one of the most unique experiences of our lives. We stayed in rooms on the second floor of the lodge. Our beds were equipped with mosquito nets. I personally found this to be reassuring. I slept soundly knowing that I was protected from any sort of ill tempered jungle insect with human flesh on its mind. Sleeping in the rain forest also gave us a chance to experience nature in a new way. We no longer had the luxury of sight and were forced to listen. The sounds of the rain forest forced an eery feeling to wash over me. Not being able to see what you hear puts the mind on edge. After settling my mind down, I began to enjoy the sounds of nature and the nocturnal animals coming to life as I entered into another world. Sleeping in the jungle will be one of my most memorable experiences in Costa Rica.

-Cameron Brown

Exploring the Indigenous Culture

2008-06-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Today we woke up and had breakfast at Banana Azul (our hotel) which was amazing. Then we headed to an indigenous community where the native women are responsible for a chocolate making process.

Meeting with the indigenous women was a great experience! It was really interesting about the superstitions and religious associations revolving around the chocolate more commonly referred to as "cacoa." They explained that at every marriage, birth, and funeral, some form of the cocoa is used in different ritual.

The indigenous women were really friendly toward us. They let us participate in different steps in making the chocolate, which was a really cool experience. I never realized how much manual labor went into the process. The women were really impressive. First, we toasted the cacoa beans over a fire, making sure to constantly stir them so they would not get burnt. Then she shook the pan several times making the shells peel off. It is kind of hard to explain but it was really cool to watch! After the beans cooled, they went through a grinder which we manually churned. Then we added sugar. It was a new experience for me. To have the opportunity to eat pure organic chocolate was something I'll always remember but I would definitely have added more sugar and butter!

After the chocolate tour we headed to an indigenous man's house named Daniello. Their native language is called "Bri Bri." We learned how to say a few words. One of the words I learned was "Mishka" which means "let's go." He talked to us about what his house symbolizes in the community. His house was breathtaking! The craftsmanship was so admirable. Most of the wood was all driftwood taken from the river. He wants his house to be a place where indigenous people can practice their traditions and continue to share their culture. He explained that many indigenous people have assimilated into the dominant Costa Rican culture. Indigenous people only represent 1% of the Costa Rican population.

When asked about the topic of racism, he told us that he does feel some racism but it was very subtle and covert. He also explained that local indigenous people receive little to no help from the government because the government only wants to deal with people who are making money for them. It's unfortunate that the don't receive more help I feel like if they had some help, it might be more accessible for them to extend their traditions to other indigenous people who have otherwise assimilated. Overall, it was a really enjoyable experience and I really appreciated everyone's hospitality towards us!!

Jeanne

Beach Bound!

2008-06-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

There is something unique and fabulous about the bus rides here in Costa Rica. We have been fortunate to have private transportation around the country, from city to city. Otherwise, we would have to use the city transportation which involves alot of stopping and going as well as the every-so-often passenger carrying a chicken (live) for dinner. As I said, we have been fortunate. Along with private transportation, we have an incredibly kind driver, Johnny, who is literally bending over backwards for our group to ensure our safety and happiness. Anyway, today was a day that could have been very stressful and sour, but thanks to a positive group, Johnny's willingness to help, Alan and Mark's iPods and Pizza Hut, we had a great day in Costa Rica. Let me elaborate:

We all woke up at 7:30 in order to depart Ave Del Paraiso at 8:00 a.m and head to Puerto Viejo, the beach on the Caribbean coast. Cameron was feeling much better (hooray!) but unfortunately, Dr. Harris was feeling much worse. It was decided that she needed to go to the hospital in order to be diagnosed and treated. After almost 2 hours, the doctor determined that Dr. Harris needed to stay in San Jose for the weekend in order to regain strength and get to feeling better. In the meantime, the group and Johnny went to Pizza Hut for a little lunch and relaxation. When we finished, Dr. Harris told us that a guide named Marco would be joining us in Puerto Viejo until she could make it there. So, in that case, we needed to wait for Marco to join us in San Jose in order to ride on the bus with us to the beach. Finally, at 2:30, we were on the road. (At this point, we have been on the bus for 6 hours and 30 minutes...)

Mark and Alan have the idea to hook up their iPods. Great idea. We all started singing "Come Together" by the Beatles and immediately the mood was lifted. We were laughing and singing as loud as we could which definitely made the time go by faster. At 7:00, we arrived at the fabulous Banana Azul. I don't know if we were more excited to see the beach or the be off of that bus, but we all ran into our hotel rooms as if it were the first hotel room we had ever seen.

We only had 15 minutes to get settled in before we were to meet with Alaine from ATEC (Association Talamanca Ecotourism and Conservation). She did a brief overview of our schedule while in Puerto Viejo, Next, we all grabbed our flashlights to get ready to hike to Guerillma's, a local woman who was preparing our dinner for us. We arrived hungry for food, happy to be at the beach and hot from the humidity. Guerillma cooked a delicious meal of breaded sea bass, rice and beans (of course), squash and chicken, cauliflower, fresh pineapple and lots of water! No one really even spoke a word until after dinner because we were so hungry! I loved the cauliflower, rice and beans and pineapple best. If any of you ever plan a trip to Puerto Viejo, I recommend getting in touch with ATEC in order to eat at a local house. It is the best food we have had yet and truly, we could not eat enough of it! We all had our fill, thanked Guerillma and hiked back to Banana Azul.

Banana Azul is fabulous in every sense of the word. Full sized towels (something the hotel in San Jose lacked...), fluffy pillows, a kind staff and.... SKYPE, the affordable way for us all to call home!!! What more could we ask for?? A delicious breakfast?? Oh they had that too. Jeanne and Tiffany are in my room, Cameron, Andrea and Sarah are in another room and the boys are in a separate room too. It was wonderful and I think the entire group is very content.

We have learned alot about local life already. City life can be very deceiving of what Costa Rica is about and how the people feel. We are very lucky that we get to spend time with all sorts of people and can talk to each of them about issues that are important to them. We are very informed of the true social conditions that these people face on a day to day basis due to the fact that we are able to interact with them in such a personal way. For example, the fact that we were invited into the home of a local woman on our first night in Puerto Viejo shows the values and customs that the locals hold. I am very excited to learn more from the locals and hopefully, we will all be able to apply what we learn here to the lifestyles in San Jose once we return in a week.

Thank you all for following us on our trip! We miss you and we are excited to get back to Georgia and drink lots of sweet tea!!

Pura Vida!,

Mary Wiggins

Laundry Day

2008-06-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Surprise, surprise.... up early again. Mark and I roll out of bed at a time before most people our age have seen since Christmas morning during their childhoods. Unlike most days where we have to drag our sleep deprived bodies out of bed, we hop up bright eyed and bushy tailed because today is a very special day, and we both know it. Today is laundry day! It could not have come at a better time because two Men living in close quarters with dirty clothes for a week begins to smell like a male middle school locker room after PE. Being intelligent and logical, we decide to combine our clothes in one bag to reduce cost. Our group leaves the hotel and makes the thirty second hike to the laundromat. I was extremely excited because I had heard horror stories of other Americans in foreign countries trying to do laundry, and I couldn't wait to have a story for myself (I love nothing better than a truly great story no matter the cost). To my chagrin, nothing exciting happened. I couldn't believe it. We simply dropped our sacks of clothes off at 11 am and picked them up at 5:30 pm. Not a single solitary thing went wrong. I got back to the room, counted all of my clothes, and let my jaw drop in disbelief at the lack of my great Costa Rican laundry story. What a serious let down.....

We made another thirty second hike through the jungle of the back gate of the hotel to the University of Costa Rica campus. Today, we met with one of the more distinguished professor on the campus. Her name was Vanessa Smith, and she was a professor of psychology at the university. The majority of our class time to date has centered around race relations between Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans. We had heard from several esteemed professors and people around San Jose on the topic. As far as I gathered, there was an extremely subtle racism occurring because of the influx of Nicaraguans into Costa Rica because of the economic situation in Nicaragua. Other members of our group have begun to make comparisons to the situation in the States between Americans and Mexicans. Essentially, the Nicaraguans are escaping a poor economy and coming to Costa Rica looking for a better life. They generally tend to take the low end jobs, work incredibly hard, and provide for their families. Due to the low end jobs they wind up taking, many stereotypes spring out about them. Some of the stereotypes we have heard are they are dirty, dishonest, irresponsible, and other words of the same ilk. To this point, I have not run into or met a Nicaraguan, and I have begun to become bothered by these stereotypes against a people for working as hard as they can. Dr. Smith used her lecture to give us statistics behind all of these rumors and stereotypes we've run into in our short stint in the country. Here are some of the numbers she gave us to solidify the rumors:

83% of Costa Ricans believe Nicaraguans are hardworking

71% of Costa Ricans believe Nicaraguans are dishonest

67% of Costa Ricans believe Nicaraguans are irresponsible

66% of Costa Ricans believe Nicaraguans are dirty

These numbers come from countless anonymous surveys Dr. Smith distributed to different people and peoples throughout the country. The surveys ranged in where they were distributed and to different sects of Costa Rican society.

The disturbing part of the lecture did not come from the above numbers. It was the next set of numbers that took us all by surprise, but after a second look, they did not catch anyone off guard in the group at all. Dr. Smith also distributed a Likert scale to the same groups of people. The scale reads "Contact with Nicaraguans." 1 being Never and 5 being Always. Of the people surveyed, these people averaged a 1.6. Essentially, the majority of the people surveyed have never been in contact with or have extreme limited contact with Nicaraguans. In other words, these people are making assumptions based on limited to no contact with Nicaraguans and perpetuating stereotypes that may or may not be true. People, here, have made generalizations about a person they may have never met before, and that is exactly how negative stereotypes become popular and frequent. Generalization leads to stereotype, stereotype to prejudice, and prejudice to racism. I apologize to all those reading this for it being a bit of a downer, but we all found it to be extremely fascinating because we finally had numbers to support what we'd been hearing the past week. I suggest we all go and hug the person next to us. I love you all and stay classy Athens.

-Alan

Mall Observation

2008-06-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Today began with our usual breakfast at the wonderful Hotel Ave del Paraiso. After breakfast, we had class and discussed racial and ethnic identity. We talked about the impact of mass media representations on perceptions as well as the formation of cultural identity. These aspects have been very influential in our dealings with the new Costa Rican culture. After class, we had lunch at our favorite coffee house restaurant, Cafe Krakovia, where we all sampled different smoothies and milkshakes along with delicious sandwiches and crepes.

For our afternoon discussion we had the opportunity to talk to Joaquin Lizano about the cultural norms within Costa Rica as well as many interesting tidbits of information. Firstly, Joaquin explained the concept of “Tico Time”, in which Costa Ricans, Ticos, are often times late for appointments due to their different cultural time blocks. He described how in our Western culture Americans operate on 5 minute time blocks. Thus, being within one time block being late is acceptable, two time blocks requires an apology, and three time blocks is nearly cause for concern. In Costa Rican culture the time blocks are 15 minutes, causing many Ticos to be technically late on a regular basis, although it is entirely acceptable within the culture.

Additionally, Joaquin brought us to a local mall to examine how Costa Ricans interact with each other and the cultural norms associated with society. It was so interesting to me to see the social differences and similarities between Costa Ricans and Americans. Primarily, Costa Ricans are much more physically engaged with each other, both males and females. Within the mall scene, we witnessed many couples kissing and embracing in public and even males being comfortable sitting closer together. Moreover, in America we are accustomed to giving others space while waiting in lines, which is different in Costa Rica where people will break in line in front of you if you allow too much space. Although at first I thought this to be a personal violation it is merely a way of the culture. Lastly, we noticed how children are allowed more free space and are not confined to be within five protective feet from their parents as is typical in America.

Continuing with his lessons on cultural norms, Joaquin explained the very helpful process, that Andrea loves to use, called the DIE model. DIE is an acronym for Description, Interpretation, and Evaluation. This process is especially helpful when discussing differences in societies and breaking down ethnocentrism.

For dinner we all traveled to the top of a mountain outside San Jose to the restaurant Ram Luna for a wonderful spread of typical Costa Rican food. I really liked the rice and beans and the plantains and our new favorite drink, the bamboo! After dinner, we got to experience a few cultural dances as preformed by local dancers. The women’s dresses were so beautiful with all the vivid colors! Our very own Sarah was even chosen to dance alongside them! The dances were followed by giant head costume dancers welcoming everyone outside to enjoy the beautiful view of the city nightlights. Mary and I even got to dance with one of the giant heads which we thought was so fun! All and all, the evening was simply spectacular!

Pura Vida!
Tiffany

June 10th, 2008

2008-06-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

I am so exhausted! I think this constant activity is really beginning to catch up with some of us. We awoke around 7:30 to grab a quick breakfast at the hotel then all met for class at nine. Today was Andrea and my turn to teach class. We spoke about the power of language and how it applies to interracial communication. We have all seen this in our day to day activities here in Costa Rica due to the fact that none of us are very fluent in Spanish. This has definitely put a damper on our ability to communicate with the locals and has estranged us multiple times. This limitation has really brought to my attention the need for schools in the United States to require everyone to learn a second language. As the world gets smaller and smaller with increased globalization, Americans are falling behind because of this handicap.

After class, we ate lunch at Cafe Kracovia, which is located right in front of our hotel. It was positively yummy! Unfortunately, some students' stomachs did not agree later on in the day.

Mauricio Melendez met us at our hotel later in the afternoon to speak about the history of race in Central America. I was somewhat surprised to see how many similarities our history shared with Central America. The treatment of the indigenous peoples and the importing of slaves from Africa has had similar impacts on race relations in Central America as it has in the U.S.

Some of us took a trip to the local mall to do some shopping. This turned out to be a very disappointing experience. When we returned, the boys informed us that the power in our hotel had gone out during the afternoon storm. We played frisbee in the courtyard until dark then returned to our rooms and prepared for dinner using our headlamps and flashlights.

Dinner was close-by at a Mexican restaurant called Jalisco. The food was not very remarkable. After we finished our meals, we went next door to a local 80s club called Retro-Vision. It was strange to see the Costa Ricans rocking out to American 80s music. The bar had several pool tables so we decided to play a few rounds. We were all pretty tired so we decided to make it an early night and returned to our hotel around 10ish and went to bed.- Cameron

June 9th

2008-06-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

6/09/08 MONDAY

I woke up this morning and my whole body ached from the white water rafting trip. We were able to sleep in until 8:00, and considering that I went to bed around 10:00 last night, I definitely felt well rested today. We had a quick breakfast and then started our second class around 9:00.

Today's lesson covered the history of race. We actually weren't able to cover a lot of the material from the book because we ended up discussing some of our personal thoughts and experiences regarding the "perceived superior beauty" of the Caucasian race, which is one of the fundamental arguments under Blumenbach's racial typology. The discussion began as people discussed examples of such perceived beauty, such as the fact that hair and cosmetic products for women are typically marketed towards Caucasian women and how the color "flesh", when used in crayons or band-aids, resembles a Caucasian person's skin tone and not the skin tone of any other race. Regarding this topic, Dr. Harris read a section of Peggy McIntosh's article about privilege. Here is a link to McIntosh's article for those who are interested. http://www.nymbp.org/reference/WhitePrivilege.pdf.

We had lunch at a grill that is located near our hotel. Most people ordered hamburgers, chicken, or ribs. The food was very tasty, cheap, and quick-t0-order, which gave us a few minutes to relax before we began our afternoon activities. We headed back to our hotel to get ready for our guest speaker. On our schedule, it said that Joaquin Lizano would be hosting a roundtable discussion with immigrants. Joaquin Lizano stopped by to speak to Dr. Harris and informed her that we would be meeting with the law students at the University of Costa Rica to discuss the refugee program in Costa Rica.

I was extremely interested in learning about this process. Two of the law students had an internship at the Office of Immigration, where they assisted in determining refugee status. In order to become a refugee in Costa Rica, there are certain requirements that must be met. The applicant must be leaving the country because they have a legitimate fear of losing their life. Also, the person applying for refugee status must be forced for leave their country. They cannot simply be living in poor conditions and be seeking a better life.

The whole process of becoming a refugee can take anywhere from six months to a year. Testimonies and interviews are used to determine if they meet the refugee requirements. If so, they are allowed to live in Costa Rica as a refugee. If not, they can appeal the decision , but must leave Costa Rica if they are denied a second time.

Because of the political situation in Columbia, approximately 80% of the refugees in Costa Rica are Columbians. Apparently, these Columbians face racial prejudice in Costa Rica. The law students explained to us that the black Columbians come from an area in Columbia that is facing a rougher political situation. They come to Costa Rica with hardly any money and not much hope for their future. The white Columbians typically come from a better economical situation and are better able to establish a productive life for themselves once living in Costa Rica. Because of this, the white Columbians have a better reputation and do not face as much racial prejudice as the black Columbians.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning from the University of Costa Rica law students. It was interesting to see what views they held about the immigrants and refugees living in Costa Rica. Understanding the refugee system helped me to better understand some of the racial tensions involved in CR.

We ate dinner at a Japanese restaurant that is very close to our hotel. The food was great and the service was even better. However, a few members of the Costa Crew have complained of stomach problems as a result of tonight's dinner.

"Get Down"

2008-06-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

We woke up with the sun, only to realize that we were on "tico" time and were picked up 45 minutes later than anticipated. The bus pulled up already pretty full of other tourists, as we were the last stop. Breakfast was served an hour later at a locally run hotel/restaurant. Fresh fruit never gets old so along with eggs and red beans and rice we were full. Loaded back onto the bus we rode for thirty minutes until reaching the Pacuare River.

During the ride, Daniel gave us the five commands: forward, back, right forward-left back, left forward-right back, and the infamous get down. I had been rafting a few times back home and was never told get down as a command. Our big group could not all fit in one raft. Mary, Tiffany, Jeanne, Sarah, and I went with Daniel (the guide in training) and Ivan. Dr. Harris, Alan, Mark, and Cameron went with a couple from Florida and their guide Manfred. The gear was laid out on the shore and we quickly put on life jackets, helmets, and grabbed a paddle. Once in the boat we learned that we needed to sit on the outside of the tube, a little less reassuring than the middle. Jeanne and I were assigned to the front of the raft and we were off. Dr Harris' raft had already left and they were in the river practicing commands and rescues. Ivan briefly reviewed the commands and we started down the river. The "welcome rapids" were excellent practice but nothing like the real thing. I have never seen anything as beautiful as the canyons we went through. There were around twenty waterfalls and a plenty of rain forest to view. Looking at the scenery was short-lived as we approached the class 3 and 4 rapids. I was moved the other side of the raft, Daniel was moved to the front, and Jeanne was put in the rear. I do not think we were as strong of paddlers as they had hoped, but we sure did our best.

Ivan decided to tell us another command. Not only was there a get down, there was an "Oh my God, get down!" We thought it was a joke, but after the first class four rapid we learned there was no joking in the Pacuare. The boat went over a rapid and filled up with water as all of us sat in the middle of the raft, holding onto the safety line, only to pop out quickly and resume paddling. This type of rapid was frequent while traveling down the river. Around this rapid, we later learned that Dr. Harris fell out of the raft. She was in the water approximately 15 seconds, but a very traumatic 15. Between Alan and the guy from Florida they were able to pull Dr. Harris out by the arm that immediately shot out of the water. This was discovered by our group halfway down the river where we stopped to eat.

The guides flipped over the raft, brought out pineapple and watermelons, then proceeded to slice them open. We ate the fresh fruit, amazed at their knife skills, and then loaded up to finish the rafting adventure. At one point, I noticed a number of banana peels floating in the water and at first thought how awful it was that the river had litter, a second later I remembered that we were surrounded by banana trees and that was nature. Toward the end of the fruit snack, the rain began. The rain was cold and it took awhile for the body to adjust to the drastic temperature change. Between paddling and the rapids we were able to swim. The water felt incredible and we loved floating alongside the raft. About this time we noticed some blisters forming on our hands. Nothing too bad, just in some different places than we had experienced before. After four hours of rafting, we came to the end and walked up the hill to lunch. The food was wonderful! Tortillas with lunch meat, chips with salsa, trail mix and guava jelly cookies tasted exceptional after the strenuous trip.

On the bus ride home we had the opportunity to talk with our guides about race. We asked Daniel if he liked the Nicaraguans and he abruptly replied, "no!" When questioned about his feelings he asked us if we liked the Mexicans. It is a comparison we have encountered a few times about the race relations in Costa Rica. The ride home was suppose to take two hours but due to a landslide we had to go around and were in the bus four and a half hours. During the journey we bonded with the guides and were told about an 80's bar two minutes from the hotel. Mary, Tiffany, and I went to Retro Vision for a few hours with guides and got to experience American 80's music, while hanging out with the river crew. It was a long but incredible day. Certainly the best rafting I have ever experienced! -Andrea

Volcanoes y Cafe y el Marcado

2008-06-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Overview of Saturday, June 7th.

This Saturday, June 7th, we all got a chance to get WAY out of San Jose and visit the Paos Volcano and some surrounding coffee merchants near the countryside. Later in the afternoon we got the pleasure of visiting a large market in San Jose--which was an extremely cultural and enlightening experience for us all.

The mornings here start off pretty early, and today was no exception. My roommate Alan Pope and I woke up at around 7:45 am and went to breakfast here at the hotel in San Jose. The group, affectionately named by Mary Wiggins as the "Costa Rica Crew," got our hiking gear ready and boarded the bus on the way to the country. On the ascent to the mountain, we saw some amazing views of the vast coffee and banana fields--two of Costa Rica's main exports. After an approximately 45 minute trip, we began the hike up a paved trail--a surprise to all of us--to see the crater of the Paos Volcano. The geothermal energy produced from the core of the volcano has caused the air surrounding it to smell of thick sulfur, and caused the water collected in the crater from rainfall to become a geothermal hot pool. At the apex of our hike, we were approximately 3,000 km above sea level, and enjoyed an incredible view of the interior of the volcano as well as the surrounding villages. Alan and I challenged the girls to a "facebook profile picture challenge", and needless to say we won with some poses to spare. Alan and I take pride in our good looks, but it was a few hours before the girls all told us that it wasn't us that made the pictures beautiful, it was the scenery. It took a while for Alan and I to accept it, but they were absolutely right. This was a great opportunity to get out of the city and see how gorgeous Costa Rica really is.

The rest of the day was very interesting. For the most part, staying on a strict schedule down here is important so that we can keep up with the things Dr. Harris has planned for us. Today, however, we had some time to choose. After we left the volcano, we got a chance to have some down time to look around. Nearby was a large waterfall, so our driver Jhonny decided to take us to see it and get some good pictures. The waterfall was amazing, and it gave us all a reminder of the power, beauty, and elegance of nature. There was a small foot trail near the waterfall that allowed visitors to walk BEHIND the fall--that was awesome! On the way back to San Jose', we passed several local coffee shops and got to eat lunch near the trail at a Costa Rican steak house. Stopping at the coffee shops allowed several of us to buy souvenirs for friends and family, as well as try the freshest local coffee. Trying the local food was really fun too! The general consensus about the food was great, and everyone got to try some of the freshest guacamole they had ever had! We were all impressed and enamored with the hospitality at the restaurant, and we all enjoyed the task of drinking Coke products out of glass bottles--a nice touch!

The opportunity to go to the market in San Jose' would prove much more trying than we had thought. We were instructed to pay more attention to our belongings (petty theft is popular down here because of the growing amount of families below the poverty line), as well as be extremely careful, and travel in groups. Several of us were treated poorly, which was definitely a disappointment considering our good luck earlier in the day. We have gathered that the language barrier, as well as some preconceived notions that Costa Ricans may have about Americans and their snobbish, wealthy attitudes may have contributed to this. The market was a very potent cultural experience. There were a lot of people crammed into a series of small, interconnected hallways that made maneuvering very difficult, and with the addition of strong smells from fish and meat merchants, the hallways became even more uncomfortable. After an hour of haggling with the locals in the market to buy souvenirs, shirts, etc., we went back to the hotel after picking up some pizza.

The day was very long, but very enjoyable. Having the mix of experiences in the country and in the city gave all of us a good opportunity to see different facets of Costa Rican culture. I hope to get more chances to interact with the people of San Jose' in the future--preferably when I know some Spanish! Adios! Pura Vida!

Marcos

Day One!

2008-06-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Day one in Costa Rica was full of many cultural experiences. We are so fortunate to have such a great group of people, we all get along really well. The hotel was beautiful from the outside and very open. The hotel is different from those in the states in terms of simplicity and openness. I have to admit I was a little skeptical when we first got here because I was looking around for the comforts we take advantage of in the states. I noticed myself repeating in my head "It's so weird they don't do this" or "weird they don't have this" and then it dawned on me that I shouldn't be trying to change their culture just because I don't understand it. I think by the end of the program I will have a greater respect and open mindedness towards the differences in our cultures.

Friday's class on the chapter provided an introduction to various terminology prevalent to Interracial Communication. I found it interesting and a little challenging understanding the different types of communication specifically terms like interpersonal, international, interracial, intercultural, and interethnical communication. I felt like the book provided cut and dry definitions and I hope as time goes by we will observe and more thoroughly understand the differences among each category of communication.

We went into greater discussion about the meanings behind culture, race, and ethnicity and it made me think about how many times I have seen those words used incorrectly and interchangeably when in reality they are distinctly different.

Another topic of our morning discussion was the taboo topic of race and the assumption that intercultural communication is safer than interracial communication. In my own personal experiences I'd have to agree with that statement because I sometimes feel tension when race is the topic of discussion because I'm afraid of hurting some one else's feelings or coming off ignorant, or singling out a person.

While as students in the American education system we learned about historical events that reflect racial issues in the world, I feel the teachings are vague. I've realized that I gain more knowledge by actually communicating with people who have experienced racial injustices versus reading about them in textbooks and other media outlets. I think that largely reflects on the emotional connection I make with personal experiences.

After morning class we went to an awesome lunch place can then headed over to the University of Costa Rica. We met with professor Daniel Rojas who provided us with historical perspectives on the origins and reasons why racism exists in Costa Rica. Unfortunately our translator did not show up so their was a language barrier problem but it was a great opportunity to brush up on some Spanish skills.

Some of the main points he focused on all contributing to the reasons for growing racism were the following: indigenous people are not represented in front of the Vatican, it was believed that Christians had the right to revoke the rights of the pagans, infidels, and poor people because there were not Christians. Another reason was how racism largely dealt with society power. Similarly we also discussed that immigration of different races led to mixed racial makeups which led to the mixing of cultures, some of the indigenous tribes kept their language but most assimilated.

While these events occurred several years before my time I still observe the same problems. We are such a melting pot in America and I think unfortunately we have many insecurities as a society. I think many people don't have a strong sense of identity however, we're very quick to judge and act as though we are better, richer, more educated, more attractive etc....

After our lecture with professor Rojas we got caught in the daily 3 p.m. downpour of rain. We survived! Then it was out for a night of dinner and dancing. Dinner was amazing. Our waitress was named Rosa, she was so beautiful and friendly. She said we were like Barbies, which suggested another example of an American stereotype used all the time. Dinner was really great then we headed to a discoteca called Ebony 57 Lounge.

It was so much fun dancing and socializing with the locals. Most people were very friendly; however, I have sensed some animosity from the local women. They are not as patient and friendly as I would have thought. I think a lot of their frustration may stem from our problem with understanding the language. There were these promotion dancers who led really cool dances but one of our group members Mark topped all their dance moves. I can't wait to look at pictures and video. I think this trip is going to be a blast!!!

Jeanne Dodd

We've Arrived!

2008-06-06T05:35:00.000-07:00

Dear family, friends and everybody else:

The students and I arrived safely last night in San Jose, Costa Rica! Our flight landed around 8:20pm Costa Rica time, which is 2 hours behind you at home (EST). Our driver from Coach Costa Rica was prompt and immediately ushered us to our luxurious bus that transported us to Hotel Ave del Paraiso. The hotel is located directly in front of the University of Costa Rica, which is where we will have a number of our meetings during our first 7 days in town. Thus, we are in walking distance and should get plenty of exercise during our stay.

During the next 3 1/2 weeks, we hope that you all will become regular readers and supporters of our newly created blog. The students and I will be posting blogs every day (depending on wireless connection accessibility) to keep you updated on our daily excursions and endeavors.

Our day begins this morning with breakfast from 8-9, class at 9-11, followed by lunch and then an afternoon lecture with a university professor of anthropology.

Stay tuned,

Tina Harris, Ph. D.

Associate Professor

Department of Speech Communication