tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69692556875006606312024-03-14T05:10:09.211-07:00¡Diay!Life as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Costa Rica.Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-89266938520720061232010-03-23T16:42:00.001-07:002010-03-23T16:51:51.864-07:002010<span xmlns=""><p>So far 2010 has been a pretty good year. It also will bring a lot of changes for me as I will end my service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in May and will start business school in August. So here is a brief look at what I have been up to so far this year:<br /></p><p><strong><br /></strong></p><p><strong>Business schools<br /></strong></p><p>I started the year working on the last minute details for my applications to 3 business schools: Georgetown, Michigan and Duke. It took a lot of soul-searching and reflecting on my time as a PCV and what I have gained from my experience. Ultimately, I have decided that I am interested in social entrepreneurship (or social business, as Mohammed Yunus discusses in his insightful book, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Creating a World Without Poverty)</span>. I am really excited about studying and ultimately working in this field, which I believe is the best way to improve the lives of the world's impoverished population.<br /></p><p>I have spent the last few weeks conducting interviews with the three schools (2 over skype, and one in person with an alum) and figuring out financial aid, scholarships etc. I found out on the same day that I was denied admission to Duke but was accepted to Michigan!!!! Now I am just waiting to hear from Georgetown, and to see if Yale accepts me off the waitlist. I'm not really sure what my first pick is, especially since I haven't had a chance to visit any of the schools…but I am very excited about being accepted to Michigan.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Improving educational opportunities for the youngest members of Cristo Rey</strong><br /> </p><p>In the last few months I have worked on two projects to help the young kids gain more educational opportunities. First, I just found out that the development association received a grant from the National Development Agency of almost $14,000 to build a kindergarten classroom at the school. We submitted the proposal at the end of December, and the money was deposited last week. This classroom is a big need of the community, as there are currently 11 kids in the kindergarten and they currently have class in the cafeteria, on the dirty floor with the bigger kids coming in to eat, interrupting class. The teachers worked really hard to get all of the documents needed for the proposal, and we are all really excited to have a new classroom soon. I just really hope that I am able to see a finished product by May. I think construction starts this week!<br /></p><p>The other educational project, was an idea of the Comite Tutelar, after I asked them what they would do if we received a $500 donation from the organization Kids to Kids. They decided that they would like to buy education material for the youngest kids of the community, to promote reading, cooperation, learning and fine motor skills at an early age. We presented the project "Creative Corner in Cristo Rey" in December and received the money in mid-February. With the help of my parents, I went on a shopping spree and bought 4 small tables and 16 small chairs, along with many wooden puzzles, plastic building blocks, 27 books, a chalkboard, foam letters and numbers and some art supplies. It was so fun to see my colleagues and friends of the Comite Tutelar open the bags of goodies and have their eyes light up as they talk about how they are going to work with the kids. So, last week we showcased the items at the monthly distribution of free powdered milk to all kids aged 1-6 in the community, through a government nutrition program. Lidiana started out by sitting all the kids in a circle and reading them a book, something that most of them have never experienced in their short lives. Then we arranged the tables and set out the puzzles and mayhem began. It was so great seeing the kids' eyes light up, and the smiles on their faces as they played together and put the pieces together etc. This was a great success and a program that will last for a long time, and make a huge difference in these kids' lives. Thank you very much Kids to Kids! (Here is the website if you want to know more: <a href="http://www.kidstokids.org/projects/project.php?project=263">http://www.kidstokids.org/projects/project.php?project=263</a>)</p><p><br /> </p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Quality time with Mom and Dad<br /></strong></p><p>My parents arrived in Costa Rica on February 1<sup>st</sup> to spend another month getting to know the country (you may recall that they spent 2 months here last year). We spent the first two weeks driving all around the south and to the Caribbean coast, seeing a lot of Costa Rica. We spent time on the beach, in national parks, seeing quetzals, monkeys, toucans and much more. It was so nice to see so much of Southern Costa Rica without having to spend 15 hours on the bus to get there…I really love rental cars!<br /></p><p>Then I brought my parents to Los Chiles and my site, to help out with a Bingo that the youth group was putting on to raise money. They really got to know my host family much better, and experience what my daily life is like in my town. It was so great to share this with them and they were good sports putting up with the heat, dust, and lots of errands I made them run. They also got to practice their Spanish as lots of the kids in town would start long conversations with them, not caring whether or not my parents could understand. As I mentioned earlier, they also helped me (with the use of the car) to select and transport all of the stuff for the little kids. It was fun having them here and sharing Costa Rican culture and cuisine with them.<br /></p><p> </p><br /><p><strong>COS<br /></strong></p><p>At the end of January my group of volunteers had our Close of Service conference in a nice hotel in San Jose. It consisted of three days of discussing all that we have to do before leaving Costa Rica; paperwork, medical appointments etc. Then we talked about job and educational opportunities after PC. However, best of all was getting to be all together (all 45 of us) for probably the last time and enjoying eachother's company. I really can't believe that I am almost done. Two years have flown by! We reflected a bit about our service at the conference, and overall I have had a great time and have learned a lot from living in a rural, poor town of 300 people close to the Nicaraguan border. Which leads me to my final point…<br /></p><p><br /><strong>Enhancing the relationships I have made<br /></strong></p><p>These past few months I have spent a lot of quality time with my host family, William, Isa, Gabi, Noemi and Daniela, and the extended family, which includes 30+ people. One event that brought me even closer to everyone was the illness and eventual death of Ronulfo Lara, the father of my friend (and host mom's sister-in-law) Flor. I went a lot with my host mom to spend time with Ronulfo and his 7 grown kids and their families before he died. I became much closer to the entire Lara family as we all painfully watched Ronulfo die of intestinal cancer. It was a sad but very memorable experience that I know will stick with me for the rest of my life.</p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-57395773810082079332010-01-05T10:40:00.000-08:002010-01-05T10:50:11.378-08:00¡Feliz año nuevo¡Happy New Year Everyone!<br /><br />Well, with the start of the new year, I have been thinking about all the changes that will bring this year. I can´t believe that I only have a little more than 4 months left! Two years ago, I though that 2010 was such a long ways a way. How fast time flies when you are having fun.<br /><br />Things in my site are going really well. I have been busy working with my counterpart, the local development association, on applying for 2 grants. We submitted a proposal to build a kindergarten classroom in mid december and this week we should be submitting a proposal to buy equipment for the community center and kitchen. Both projects would make a huge difference in the community and I am really proud of the association for finally getting their act together and submitting these projects.<br /><br />I have been most proud of the Comite Tutelar, who have come up with many new ideas to work with the kids in the community for this coming year. They have already been very successful, and have many more to come.<br /><br />I had a nice, relaxing Christmas in my site with my host family. I am really thankful for them and appreciate that they embraced me as another member of the family from the get-go. It is going to be really hard to leave them in a few months, but I tell them all the time that I will call them on Skype!<br /><br />So, these next few months I will be wrapping things up in my site, hoping that all of my projects are sustainable and will smoothly continue after I am gone. I also plan to travel around a bit and see some more of Costa Rica. At the end of January we have our Close of Service conference where we will talk about life after Peace Corps...<br /><br />Speaking of which, my plan is to get an MBA starting in August of 2010. I am still submitting applications to schools and won´t find out their decisions until March. I am keeping my fingers crossed that atleast one school will accept me.<br /><br />I am really excited about returning home in May and hopefully I will get to see many of you. If all goes as planned, I will just be hanging out all summer, relaxing before going back to school. I also plan to visit Jordan and Chris in Paris for awhile!<br /><br />I hope that everyone had a great New Year and I look forward to hearing what 2010 holds for you!<br /><br />Love, KelseyKelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-59568846124388247562010-01-02T21:38:00.001-08:002010-01-02T21:52:49.726-08:00Tamales, Tamales and more Tamales<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBKZB2IIRlbkhSRDQW9T7hmu_mYTM04qIjCELygMP43wDVJ-Kfs8A9r-paJygEyxU5-30Py5xXEgFix-wOx7yMWU-46SMECvXrjo3waon23apCaIpCpFeVpFXdhyphenhyphenSZ0U_7rP9FmEkFXvq/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBKZB2IIRlbkhSRDQW9T7hmu_mYTM04qIjCELygMP43wDVJ-Kfs8A9r-paJygEyxU5-30Py5xXEgFix-wOx7yMWU-46SMECvXrjo3waon23apCaIpCpFeVpFXdhyphenhyphenSZ0U_7rP9FmEkFXvq/s320/End+of+year+2009+051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422386365793346770" border="0" /></a>My yummy cinnamon rolls before adding the frosting.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEoLhcywA1VYgsk6t8GcSMNy5JtTTAR8WBXFrQ23jMqXPp_HWsTQ4Ey9BubcaoveDHXZYsdfJFhaa1A6W0o5e5lpw0igmRlYecclS2F5JbDAxtl_a5jsJZ6m8I2jBLPouyEiTc2_JF-WC/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+084.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEoLhcywA1VYgsk6t8GcSMNy5JtTTAR8WBXFrQ23jMqXPp_HWsTQ4Ey9BubcaoveDHXZYsdfJFhaa1A6W0o5e5lpw0igmRlYecclS2F5JbDAxtl_a5jsJZ6m8I2jBLPouyEiTc2_JF-WC/s320/End+of+year+2009+084.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385935630862114" border="0" /></a><br />The whole family loves Legos!!!!!<br /></div><br />A Christmas tradition in Costa Rica is to make pork tamales, and my family lived up to the tradition by making this yummy treat on Christmas Day. However first, I brought a bit of my family's tradition to Costa Rica by making a yummy Christmas morning breakfast of cinnamon rolls and giving out presents. It was a lot of fun sharing Christmas morning with my host family.<br /><span xmlns=""><p>Then we went to the grandparent's house and made lots of tamales. In this case, pictures are better than words:</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_O-zgsG8exHU8bn0CO7QO0HDscLWUPqTejVMxw5IfevCS0TuvwwYxMuSExltMMydXH7kfYUULfkC0eBpYAV-o3CjFdiaVRlSh-imLVtHgE8lWj63LoPeRi-3YxRhdbA6T00J4f3DdLekc/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+054.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_O-zgsG8exHU8bn0CO7QO0HDscLWUPqTejVMxw5IfevCS0TuvwwYxMuSExltMMydXH7kfYUULfkC0eBpYAV-o3CjFdiaVRlSh-imLVtHgE8lWj63LoPeRi-3YxRhdbA6T00J4f3DdLekc/s320/End+of+year+2009+054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385930009909794" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;">The corn meal cooking until it becomes thick in consistency.<br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m6PykLLk7IMPW-T0DSczIp5MBJb3ZSXfPZvK7w55rkCR4ZrFE9kGY50Pf_RF50j0Vd65dxQJLAxxbDPJ2fni5Mz1jnGPbhFZ_VEJsBPo3E6lRVsrsJv5vzm4dnJ4jGMLw0FZTDrhDCjN/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+055.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m6PykLLk7IMPW-T0DSczIp5MBJb3ZSXfPZvK7w55rkCR4ZrFE9kGY50Pf_RF50j0Vd65dxQJLAxxbDPJ2fni5Mz1jnGPbhFZ_VEJsBPo3E6lRVsrsJv5vzm4dnJ4jGMLw0FZTDrhDCjN/s320/End+of+year+2009+055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385927043029938" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>My host grandma with all of the banana leaves.<br /></p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHwSxBK4ag9z7lhVH1INYleLdEwwitW-md9UaJNwkOLOTTFZBWBAqFtnFrhjB9mzYPMXfZIQ5qdTkABSUG2fJXdOzBgSGM8OLUkWiwBNxYc9uNt6eTUYeI9QHDVUyMBGUN3e7z_tLRpDX/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHwSxBK4ag9z7lhVH1INYleLdEwwitW-md9UaJNwkOLOTTFZBWBAqFtnFrhjB9mzYPMXfZIQ5qdTkABSUG2fJXdOzBgSGM8OLUkWiwBNxYc9uNt6eTUYeI9QHDVUyMBGUN3e7z_tLRpDX/s320/End+of+year+2009+056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385923915751074" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>Adding all the ingredients.<br /></p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28fPmoyF_0ZSBn3zwP3NE5Pjm3RHtMNNaFP2utnLjzsL4aAimW0oNIUSgWve8-EwdSLLo3BkESk2_UptUX0AfYaFW6iGiPv7Y_sq0R4RF4Oe-biH-Cpk_FYj9-uFz-aa-CRqO3W7JlLDL/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28fPmoyF_0ZSBn3zwP3NE5Pjm3RHtMNNaFP2utnLjzsL4aAimW0oNIUSgWve8-EwdSLLo3BkESk2_UptUX0AfYaFW6iGiPv7Y_sq0R4RF4Oe-biH-Cpk_FYj9-uFz-aa-CRqO3W7JlLDL/s320/End+of+year+2009+057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385915952422178" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>Rolling the tamale.<br /></p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7KNkPk-EFsh-uxP0hrxexByRDJRKtH80b8k7-zGJdwdDW-c0KaVmnPloNoPkie7hCGbOXDO0GuHO_2ilVCfAx_kVLNK4_0ZFaYs-BBunWVuV6C61RtnCilaY72XsAizUug_iagpsuHq4/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+058.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7KNkPk-EFsh-uxP0hrxexByRDJRKtH80b8k7-zGJdwdDW-c0KaVmnPloNoPkie7hCGbOXDO0GuHO_2ilVCfAx_kVLNK4_0ZFaYs-BBunWVuV6C61RtnCilaY72XsAizUug_iagpsuHq4/s320/End+of+year+2009+058.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385203869061346" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>I am very proud of my tamale making skills!!!!<br /></p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEv5o0MeC777FBwcNJU13KNkikdz83RBEkkHNxUb3mq-753N82I9Qv0qBPo-eAj7ZG8FWDoJb66Mb4t8Pp3BWuwgtkDfivzWno4bLFEF9uJrqlj1aPnSzdQX8U125hk4Sgc60fjpHhXbN/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+060.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEv5o0MeC777FBwcNJU13KNkikdz83RBEkkHNxUb3mq-753N82I9Qv0qBPo-eAj7ZG8FWDoJb66Mb4t8Pp3BWuwgtkDfivzWno4bLFEF9uJrqlj1aPnSzdQX8U125hk4Sgc60fjpHhXbN/s320/End+of+year+2009+060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385202871657282" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>My host mom tying two tamales together.<br /></p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5b_06lTxjJMjHKsZwitBgkls7Y9lRaYPIqmdO9AJvvjK110C-JQRPWP0aMkTUc2IvNWpof3QLFqHqEJm1PtFmFx33Uv7CueObIUZNuFlkLqn1eFb2mrc0CTh3FgfwE5NnGH0QZ8rWYez/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+061.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5b_06lTxjJMjHKsZwitBgkls7Y9lRaYPIqmdO9AJvvjK110C-JQRPWP0aMkTUc2IvNWpof3QLFqHqEJm1PtFmFx33Uv7CueObIUZNuFlkLqn1eFb2mrc0CTh3FgfwE5NnGH0QZ8rWYez/s320/End+of+year+2009+061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385198650936290" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>A nice action shot.<br /></p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm3Jgns0DxQgRwTxSPHFUjVmWz100EqRluPUMrgtXuJqWOM1IwQGRqjWqPsuFTgO04I47onqaStP4rqRZzToahlm1Q-0cv_0LDNO9fRSGh4EvEb1DqCdi0A7AH-EBUN9JIpi2Yqngc7Bw/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+065.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm3Jgns0DxQgRwTxSPHFUjVmWz100EqRluPUMrgtXuJqWOM1IwQGRqjWqPsuFTgO04I47onqaStP4rqRZzToahlm1Q-0cv_0LDNO9fRSGh4EvEb1DqCdi0A7AH-EBUN9JIpi2Yqngc7Bw/s320/End+of+year+2009+065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385191040909586" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>My host uncle roasting the banana leaves, because we ran out!<br /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4VSmRhAXDTvpFvjtvb2WzXdsXP-nLK-ismtvOVCmjz0S6dlHDVNCNp25mzU8Q6mBIjzhvQBWLnYdDHki2nuD_SwhvmQhISp5xiQsmqrCRCKNLja4qUtBcM-Y_bX1077ktih_g_sRFG_G/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+069.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4VSmRhAXDTvpFvjtvb2WzXdsXP-nLK-ismtvOVCmjz0S6dlHDVNCNp25mzU8Q6mBIjzhvQBWLnYdDHki2nuD_SwhvmQhISp5xiQsmqrCRCKNLja4qUtBcM-Y_bX1077ktih_g_sRFG_G/s320/End+of+year+2009+069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422385186169200802" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>Ready to be steamed! (only a small portion of what we made)<br /></p></span><br /></div></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5MWLArS02kkkdc3DjgHxwWq-5w__7WYYMQbZXyl3A30ndl1Hg8vvIZgt-yzccPS-exiSzwapz50wNMRDGUTyPOt7Nh4OfE3zQkBevojhUr9rXOnKDf_HkgxkP2nWRBjIwdUG-5Kapm2Y/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+074.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5MWLArS02kkkdc3DjgHxwWq-5w__7WYYMQbZXyl3A30ndl1Hg8vvIZgt-yzccPS-exiSzwapz50wNMRDGUTyPOt7Nh4OfE3zQkBevojhUr9rXOnKDf_HkgxkP2nWRBjIwdUG-5Kapm2Y/s320/End+of+year+2009+074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422384440862937410" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>My other host grandma making a different type of tamale.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcav8ZQKPiv_gaQYlEsXhoOIgAVJrSx8e-_fY9raUgDFixHfGsm9HMOc6PswfL3FEljvHHdpSeKHVaxhZOBoJMT7FiSVJtRtJfuCJQhwiW0W-pkdmto-FycsFogpDVu7tPh57YZieMchp/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+075.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcav8ZQKPiv_gaQYlEsXhoOIgAVJrSx8e-_fY9raUgDFixHfGsm9HMOc6PswfL3FEljvHHdpSeKHVaxhZOBoJMT7FiSVJtRtJfuCJQhwiW0W-pkdmto-FycsFogpDVu7tPh57YZieMchp/s320/End+of+year+2009+075.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422384435348030450" border="0" /></a></p><p>Grinding the cheese to make a 3rd type of sweet tamale. The are my host dad's aunt and brother and sister, Lucia, Licho and Analive.<br /></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXfGQps-B0vnN2vSk7ZiIvFVudlAYyqTQU0VForMjYeb118xTm0nloc_eIHl7WTUO2GsbwnIGy6gJB3vpk9apJmWEAwbNQAeVCVVoCGuExA6yU051y2VKrIo_x25UY5r1_wXk-lJCEH1G/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+082.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXfGQps-B0vnN2vSk7ZiIvFVudlAYyqTQU0VForMjYeb118xTm0nloc_eIHl7WTUO2GsbwnIGy6gJB3vpk9apJmWEAwbNQAeVCVVoCGuExA6yU051y2VKrIo_x25UY5r1_wXk-lJCEH1G/s320/End+of+year+2009+082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422384426381781106" border="0" /></a></p><p>Yummy tamale!!!!!<br /></p></span></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-49616283653807104972010-01-02T21:24:00.001-08:002010-01-02T21:37:37.366-08:00End of school year activities<span style="font-size:85%;">The month of December is busy at the school, as it is the end of the school year. I was proud to attend the graduation activities, and witness my host brother, Gabriel, graduate from 6<sup>th</sup> grade. Next year he is off to high school!</span><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcp4trkt4s8U_sa-XB1HKBXg5I2P95Nh8wt4j7UGN9fb7PWXcmUJ8BbdWCTj9KtMtJCeXLC2nJSJGFuGRLm1duoIuEU62waHKTFU1NGOrk9j0xyjlaHICvwPFBiItpJRB8W8f31hl2aQ_/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcp4trkt4s8U_sa-XB1HKBXg5I2P95Nh8wt4j7UGN9fb7PWXcmUJ8BbdWCTj9KtMtJCeXLC2nJSJGFuGRLm1duoIuEU62waHKTFU1NGOrk9j0xyjlaHICvwPFBiItpJRB8W8f31hl2aQ_/s320/End+of+year+2009+021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422381076408161378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtY1bQglRgTOiC44g8MAtOpc9puQw8KZJrJI_syrT-qlUBuObrN8uTFW44wKvIEblh9DGjwi10nhyqO5kIXXTu165NfVSGB9sh4K2rtRXVFvJrz-ARfUDDIdlCUdcUqjE6-x13JLkXsC0s/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtY1bQglRgTOiC44g8MAtOpc9puQw8KZJrJI_syrT-qlUBuObrN8uTFW44wKvIEblh9DGjwi10nhyqO5kIXXTu165NfVSGB9sh4K2rtRXVFvJrz-ARfUDDIdlCUdcUqjE6-x13JLkXsC0s/s320/End+of+year+2009+023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422381071674481586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAGfh8x_AAGKikmRjuV2Cr-hIQlGCd5zWsNyGDcaj2znHBA19DFciWq9Et2Sxp-m9HpMygxHDqjAqJb0Zhys90D2tz7RRkxYoGdExDIQv5w9cfnwxSs4Dju6dTZ24Ca3AtjtEhuubjDJI/s1600-h/End+of+year+2009+043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAGfh8x_AAGKikmRjuV2Cr-hIQlGCd5zWsNyGDcaj2znHBA19DFciWq9Et2Sxp-m9HpMygxHDqjAqJb0Zhys90D2tz7RRkxYoGdExDIQv5w9cfnwxSs4Dju6dTZ24Ca3AtjtEhuubjDJI/s320/End+of+year+2009+043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422381063649004162" border="0" /></a></p><p><span xmlns=""><span style="font-size:85%;">I also finished with Chicas Poderosas and we had a party and I handed out certificates for completing the course. The next two months will be pretty quiet around here, without school in session. Also, many people in the community go south to pick coffee during the vacation.</span></span></p><p><span xmlns=""><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span xmlns=""><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwhVbyNLh6578u9AyLC2y3WuFEkQbxjZ2M_P-Qmbu2rwI9Q5WEgrIeeo6Vcy-yHYY2VQtlKt5j4UfkeI5Q8ySeVZ-CK01k0faNdfL8agMFh8ByqnrD5jOq0PNz3airoFVZluXbeDSYrcq/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwhVbyNLh6578u9AyLC2y3WuFEkQbxjZ2M_P-Qmbu2rwI9Q5WEgrIeeo6Vcy-yHYY2VQtlKt5j4UfkeI5Q8ySeVZ-CK01k0faNdfL8agMFh8ByqnrD5jOq0PNz3airoFVZluXbeDSYrcq/s320/Diciember+2009+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422381986619757410" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Also, every year a wealthy man who owns a farm in my town, but lives outside of San Jose, throws a Christmas party with high school students from San Jose, for all the kids in the community. It is a great experience for them and have a look…</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczYA6CXJ1I_g5TyFej0FPs36q3KO1FlAkKKUgrtWEqJYHAPl9liJb-YJrV2hjGEWPwE8e_w0rKk869rxFd9-gQPn-PPNFxBo1oIJ6Op83sQpumiI7y0jwbsOZsZOwV361HGx6Fc-ZKsxG/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+041.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczYA6CXJ1I_g5TyFej0FPs36q3KO1FlAkKKUgrtWEqJYHAPl9liJb-YJrV2hjGEWPwE8e_w0rKk869rxFd9-gQPn-PPNFxBo1oIJ6Op83sQpumiI7y0jwbsOZsZOwV361HGx6Fc-ZKsxG/s320/Diciember+2009+041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422382650805169282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBFdrQRSdkcYHSABYbxdx1UyyrVK8nBf1lqDGKrESrL92TRB205dQmxL0nw3JO6FE3uKBDPQw4t4BxU6xHVQTh_1txCnDz14yurFIHHBtLLQMwrMc39ngST4G3XAWVvguvwNhZ0NKYm_U/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBFdrQRSdkcYHSABYbxdx1UyyrVK8nBf1lqDGKrESrL92TRB205dQmxL0nw3JO6FE3uKBDPQw4t4BxU6xHVQTh_1txCnDz14yurFIHHBtLLQMwrMc39ngST4G3XAWVvguvwNhZ0NKYm_U/s320/Diciember+2009+053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422382653885298898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkg6hvyEnfQte1NDMCeduHwNRrbzw8MlTUUOiPXwF9_MWu8c2E27Vt5aNuPwqf5Tyku7ke_gB6M0QXd0lK2RyqfRsjKfqBb-qKjav0aTdcul8Uf5h9XRcQfFzdt18HsG6YfNma0ybK-eep/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+058.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkg6hvyEnfQte1NDMCeduHwNRrbzw8MlTUUOiPXwF9_MWu8c2E27Vt5aNuPwqf5Tyku7ke_gB6M0QXd0lK2RyqfRsjKfqBb-qKjav0aTdcul8Uf5h9XRcQfFzdt18HsG6YfNma0ybK-eep/s320/Diciember+2009+058.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422382656904517682" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemU2zJpGbXOWxZGwOK-AwUPKPcA4AxFGtcE3k5baC8BGkTokXnSLa-z5a1VpYxaS5xli0CiyNNx41hWhw8DymmpaU_XsM-1tG0AUToYej5P_tj3Xl3XZGwWFk9iKZPrC3wQoxiT8WnhtP/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemU2zJpGbXOWxZGwOK-AwUPKPcA4AxFGtcE3k5baC8BGkTokXnSLa-z5a1VpYxaS5xli0CiyNNx41hWhw8DymmpaU_XsM-1tG0AUToYej5P_tj3Xl3XZGwWFk9iKZPrC3wQoxiT8WnhtP/s320/Diciember+2009+073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422382662394545458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqF8UjoXdkj3MNR4wgG8GCzamLos2YxqSI73HJFEOilMv2mDSlYQlyTync0DI3z9xFNbb21Ce_bFz9gtIdIwclYbX0zPfnoZLGI4o1zLlKUlZUvGeHIUQUVWjBLUVMJtf5KbFfaBSAbK8/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+082.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqF8UjoXdkj3MNR4wgG8GCzamLos2YxqSI73HJFEOilMv2mDSlYQlyTync0DI3z9xFNbb21Ce_bFz9gtIdIwclYbX0zPfnoZLGI4o1zLlKUlZUvGeHIUQUVWjBLUVMJtf5KbFfaBSAbK8/s320/Diciember+2009+082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422382672480112210" border="0" /></a><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-9259989000568423912010-01-02T21:12:00.001-08:002010-01-02T21:24:27.971-08:00Grupo de Jovenes<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fX_25lMLhO13o9aReC3v1YiwNcibxqCP2JdSVg7iRY-14U3EoOV0y730_Gu03MkUI60MtEa3m9e3TdA4ER7I9baPRpcf8FJHzO8nQKgzqZvfFAZhfufegcb3WjGWPRSBi5-XyXdYjcfS/s1600-h/Jovenes+012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fX_25lMLhO13o9aReC3v1YiwNcibxqCP2JdSVg7iRY-14U3EoOV0y730_Gu03MkUI60MtEa3m9e3TdA4ER7I9baPRpcf8FJHzO8nQKgzqZvfFAZhfufegcb3WjGWPRSBi5-XyXdYjcfS/s320/Jovenes+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422379421963624562" border="0" /></a><br />Isa, Lidiana and Flor, the three core members of the Comite Tutelar.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvnvxSKJhDDA6R3H-C8gllKWZncGrgeWLFBFphXtILpS2A4ZiBLgDNaM-AzrpsIdsRlw-nY0_SLwXHUIDeeOVuf9JFn8olQB12n5fYHzidKxWZ6XgpeiEUQfpcjWndNu0RJmO9urcguuQ/s1600-h/Jovenes+007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvnvxSKJhDDA6R3H-C8gllKWZncGrgeWLFBFphXtILpS2A4ZiBLgDNaM-AzrpsIdsRlw-nY0_SLwXHUIDeeOVuf9JFn8olQB12n5fYHzidKxWZ6XgpeiEUQfpcjWndNu0RJmO9urcguuQ/s320/Jovenes+007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422379417418411938" border="0" /></a>Some of the youth.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3WxsWAnm1PjqpIxAABOXX5PcXehBMkI1SsHzrcHSKqB6-RnvihOGcYUb9MJbMb2gC-LQgVimgJeiErch4Ku7EuhoaaDhSDE2wbQjGoA-gnxKCJgWA9X1Z9l2dvFr2vYJYqtzQ_xEHeFN/s1600-h/Jovenes+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3WxsWAnm1PjqpIxAABOXX5PcXehBMkI1SsHzrcHSKqB6-RnvihOGcYUb9MJbMb2gC-LQgVimgJeiErch4Ku7EuhoaaDhSDE2wbQjGoA-gnxKCJgWA9X1Z9l2dvFr2vYJYqtzQ_xEHeFN/s320/Jovenes+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422379412439755618" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />One of the ideas of the <em>Comite Tutelar</em>, the group I helped form to build the playground and work with the children of the community, was to get the youth together and see if they would like to form a group. Our first <em>Actividad Juvenil </em>was on October 3<sup>rd</sup> and it was a great success with over 30 kids in attendance. We invited all of the youth aged 12 to 18 to the meeting, and over 90% of them came. We played some warm-up games, had a snack, and discussed their desires and thoughts on forming a group. In that meeting we learned that yes they would like to meet regularly, and that their first goal is to take a trip somewhere – either the zoo or the amusement park.<br /><br /><span xmlns=""><p>Since then, we have been meeting every few weeks. We still play games and we even elected a President, Vicepresident etc. to lead the group. Our next big project is to throw a Bingo on Valentine's Day. It should be fun!</p><p><br /></p><p>On December 12<sup>th</sup>, we had a special meeting to celebrate the holidays. I made chocolate cookies and we worked on an art project. Everyone was really focused and into constructing their star. Here are the results:</p><p><br /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjmisMvEahSWt3HH_SmoUX5fr9-WnX0K9Wyu-lPgR3N4XmeumtIH3BZ4OW-HHtWhvnTWn5Cro79ed3amfedGQ8hBwLqeq65qQH6gTdxaeQSgmInLmH1nvIUErVYbuVJUPF8NPMxSrTNMo/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjmisMvEahSWt3HH_SmoUX5fr9-WnX0K9Wyu-lPgR3N4XmeumtIH3BZ4OW-HHtWhvnTWn5Cro79ed3amfedGQ8hBwLqeq65qQH6gTdxaeQSgmInLmH1nvIUErVYbuVJUPF8NPMxSrTNMo/s320/Diciember+2009+018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422378250503785026" border="0" /><span><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""></span></span></span></span></a><span><span xmlns=""><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDPJwrmDVNPQiWvVvGej6N9gsTximUB5ImSmHMpedR1-SSG0UyqPjIfEtw1XMjwBUNC3sy29KV7jZyx6UBhweDPhKiCruhVFbR53oMlqWNJTgJBAHY83Bhy-Yvhzq2xGVYRvw_YCPXgFP/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDPJwrmDVNPQiWvVvGej6N9gsTximUB5ImSmHMpedR1-SSG0UyqPjIfEtw1XMjwBUNC3sy29KV7jZyx6UBhweDPhKiCruhVFbR53oMlqWNJTgJBAHY83Bhy-Yvhzq2xGVYRvw_YCPXgFP/s320/Diciember+2009+019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422378246550676098" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcq8YcL42ch28KkbNEUyY6hId6nTgXWmgEi55sGs2vbigiunqLH-SG2LkInWXZKK6wGnQGC1_ucNcd3RAMkMFned9s7juVG5q2FCec2QsK0KLieE5wa4aEOp2gMFjKSw1pncS0EJ1LwRR/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+027.JPG"><span><span xmlns=""></span></span></a><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCaUjLFaReU-8K9feLbSvfBCVzRuecIFGv72GVClUBMmUyjAKpSgCtvXvbQXUtvgDRI7BGVdwdttonLlVCm0lBu1_s4nTGFCNujuYNI-K7TyH0VG5IqTiglnTVYrZSzAjZA0GVWiOVnxA/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+022.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCaUjLFaReU-8K9feLbSvfBCVzRuecIFGv72GVClUBMmUyjAKpSgCtvXvbQXUtvgDRI7BGVdwdttonLlVCm0lBu1_s4nTGFCNujuYNI-K7TyH0VG5IqTiglnTVYrZSzAjZA0GVWiOVnxA/s320/Diciember+2009+022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422378240605129506" border="0" /></a></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCaUjLFaReU-8K9feLbSvfBCVzRuecIFGv72GVClUBMmUyjAKpSgCtvXvbQXUtvgDRI7BGVdwdttonLlVCm0lBu1_s4nTGFCNujuYNI-K7TyH0VG5IqTiglnTVYrZSzAjZA0GVWiOVnxA/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+022.JPG"><span xmlns=""></span></a><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcq8YcL42ch28KkbNEUyY6hId6nTgXWmgEi55sGs2vbigiunqLH-SG2LkInWXZKK6wGnQGC1_ucNcd3RAMkMFned9s7juVG5q2FCec2QsK0KLieE5wa4aEOp2gMFjKSw1pncS0EJ1LwRR/s1600-h/Diciember+2009+027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcq8YcL42ch28KkbNEUyY6hId6nTgXWmgEi55sGs2vbigiunqLH-SG2LkInWXZKK6wGnQGC1_ucNcd3RAMkMFned9s7juVG5q2FCec2QsK0KLieE5wa4aEOp2gMFjKSw1pncS0EJ1LwRR/s320/Diciember+2009+027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422378235138320210" border="0" /></a></span></p><p><br /></p></span><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-53227057615868401452010-01-02T21:03:00.001-08:002010-01-02T21:11:42.865-08:00Cristo Rey DayThe last Sunday in November marks Cristo Rey day in the Catholic Church. The church here always has a special mass, which includes first communions. It is the one day of the year when I go to mass, along with everyone else in the community.<br /><span xmlns=""><p><br /></p><p>Enjoy some photos!!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpn5XbUoRG3zA8zWnzH42ScAqPH6JD3AqQE25EpzCQg3_9-APriwTWZfpPYR2DjHr3YywnSnHadnwlnxkUJVwL9FuLUjj6KndtVOTb_to1TS8IDw-BLTiveSgA9Y684J-gtXpXWCUlwD0/s1600-h/Nov+2009+022.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpn5XbUoRG3zA8zWnzH42ScAqPH6JD3AqQE25EpzCQg3_9-APriwTWZfpPYR2DjHr3YywnSnHadnwlnxkUJVwL9FuLUjj6KndtVOTb_to1TS8IDw-BLTiveSgA9Y684J-gtXpXWCUlwD0/s320/Nov+2009+022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422376119800867186" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CCQQrT10szk_GC38tdTxP6xwRFzatDUpZvMadV37v0qdC_X12XOMauXoHO1Iprbtj8xS0sYc33R_cRUMEuq1h6IIjSRoRZq6YyBTj-mKIH59O1jH0It0h-DZl_MMQwjVrCPev7yBcqUe/s1600-h/Nov+2009+030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CCQQrT10szk_GC38tdTxP6xwRFzatDUpZvMadV37v0qdC_X12XOMauXoHO1Iprbtj8xS0sYc33R_cRUMEuq1h6IIjSRoRZq6YyBTj-mKIH59O1jH0It0h-DZl_MMQwjVrCPev7yBcqUe/s320/Nov+2009+030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422376394316383250" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CCQQrT10szk_GC38tdTxP6xwRFzatDUpZvMadV37v0qdC_X12XOMauXoHO1Iprbtj8xS0sYc33R_cRUMEuq1h6IIjSRoRZq6YyBTj-mKIH59O1jH0It0h-DZl_MMQwjVrCPev7yBcqUe/s1600-h/Nov+2009+030.JPG"><span><span xmlns=""></span></span></a><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbgTYB4EVPml2vAWOId0PBmtATds4G2hCbK8TsY7iBdz5ngEsKwqbhstRTSob0lUJZL8d571ZpdhHTaRkMi1490zAT4GPQOoO7nVfPojGOUgtZS81c7sfTfc60666J5qxOhfqraj22A4I/s1600-h/Nov+2009+033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbgTYB4EVPml2vAWOId0PBmtATds4G2hCbK8TsY7iBdz5ngEsKwqbhstRTSob0lUJZL8d571ZpdhHTaRkMi1490zAT4GPQOoO7nVfPojGOUgtZS81c7sfTfc60666J5qxOhfqraj22A4I/s320/Nov+2009+033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422376114055286258" border="0" /></a></span></span></p></span><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-17216940317574421652010-01-02T20:46:00.001-08:002010-01-02T21:00:21.623-08:00¡Maíz!It has been corn season here for over a month. Almost everyone in my community plants at least a little bit of corn for personal consumption, while others plant fields full to sell. Lucky for me, my entire extended family has planted corn, and at different times, so there is always plenty to go around.<span xmlns=""><p>The most popular way to prepare corn is in <em>chorreadas, </em>or corn pancakes. But people also make corn bread, tamales and boil corn on the cob. One afternoon I ate corn in all four forms; I was in heaven! I LOVE <em>chorreadas and </em>can't believe that we don't have them in the US. It is probably more work than we are used to in the land of fast food <span style="font-family:Wingdings;">J</span><br /> </p><p>Here is the process of making <em>chorreadas</em> with accompanying pictures.</p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>My host mom and brother, Gabriel grinding the corn.<br /></p></span></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYsEdxwczjJKZz0OH0hQ3PIbTkSyNjD2rO-BQYmOHRqzeCqcF3WJv6Fln9Jn91IU66TCnzYR5jP0YcPHQ93BMhzol1D5Ki7SrvhiM1nI7RB6poB5paOUEhDZ9QZ0UYi-3tREOqjD0_Olg/s1600-h/Aug+2008+002+%282%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYsEdxwczjJKZz0OH0hQ3PIbTkSyNjD2rO-BQYmOHRqzeCqcF3WJv6Fln9Jn91IU66TCnzYR5jP0YcPHQ93BMhzol1D5Ki7SrvhiM1nI7RB6poB5paOUEhDZ9QZ0UYi-3tREOqjD0_Olg/s320/Aug+2008+002+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422372515833372914" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p><br /></p></span>Cutting the corn off of the cob.<br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22a1__oS3KRodhnSUhIT651q1ulRUerbaVkXqwC6-MPqvlq_isv3UH8WWz7baMO4soHa2_8iiTWKGstxWvrbyIGMsDx-DS6PPzdcz8imepS7pekSeFGmqqODcV1PKQNu2x2f4UraDaMrk/s1600-h/aug+2008+012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22a1__oS3KRodhnSUhIT651q1ulRUerbaVkXqwC6-MPqvlq_isv3UH8WWz7baMO4soHa2_8iiTWKGstxWvrbyIGMsDx-DS6PPzdcz8imepS7pekSeFGmqqODcV1PKQNu2x2f4UraDaMrk/s320/aug+2008+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422372511537033778" border="0" /></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>More grinding the corn.<br /></p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-rjnIuVprS3YFqKfDcd2YqBO6kf4PrOOlTy81xa3nDVJO5mC9SBCvd2zQlhL9UcElCLlW2VQFKsrix9YzFIdBHLkyIAJxxudX0EzaEGy5vmXtPB1IEm8GXc31x4ikSVOimbE1Fq43t4f/s1600-h/aug+2008+015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-rjnIuVprS3YFqKfDcd2YqBO6kf4PrOOlTy81xa3nDVJO5mC9SBCvd2zQlhL9UcElCLlW2VQFKsrix9YzFIdBHLkyIAJxxudX0EzaEGy5vmXtPB1IEm8GXc31x4ikSVOimbE1Fq43t4f/s320/aug+2008+015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422372506031375554" border="0" /></a></span></span></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p>After being grinded and ready to cook, just add sugar<br /></p></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""><p><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVPnHxt0qdxwgmaWgeTHgazThn3z1vyLa54AquhFSzd-kNycnn_V4tiyELWsR9f466rtsc5gNHcJFmcLPDAwRg3mtGf-JGHaj_sdlnJ09MXiUiJWE0POT50_TCj5hs46RvDPtTJzFLtLd/s1600-h/aug+2008+021.JPG"><span xmlns=""> </span></a><p><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMTQA1o6sN96GigY3HKQ5SYiD_U_WUV0sm8AntDjH30bSDFMViXqgePj17yo45h56T5cEzbidihnOqDwjdTQkEggJ2X01x1daN2VtYiyzQXERU9XYwgjpXkZkP1N9jlMzoT6MxvG1OmB-/s1600-h/aug+2008+018.JPG"><span xmlns=""><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMTQA1o6sN96GigY3HKQ5SYiD_U_WUV0sm8AntDjH30bSDFMViXqgePj17yo45h56T5cEzbidihnOqDwjdTQkEggJ2X01x1daN2VtYiyzQXERU9XYwgjpXkZkP1N9jlMzoT6MxvG1OmB-/s320/aug+2008+018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422371334169957378" border="0" /></span></a></span></span></p> </span></span></p></span>Yummy chorreadas!!!!<br /></div><span xmlns=""><p><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVPnHxt0qdxwgmaWgeTHgazThn3z1vyLa54AquhFSzd-kNycnn_V4tiyELWsR9f466rtsc5gNHcJFmcLPDAwRg3mtGf-JGHaj_sdlnJ09MXiUiJWE0POT50_TCj5hs46RvDPtTJzFLtLd/s1600-h/aug+2008+021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVPnHxt0qdxwgmaWgeTHgazThn3z1vyLa54AquhFSzd-kNycnn_V4tiyELWsR9f466rtsc5gNHcJFmcLPDAwRg3mtGf-JGHaj_sdlnJ09MXiUiJWE0POT50_TCj5hs46RvDPtTJzFLtLd/s320/aug+2008+021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422371324670220626" border="0" /></a></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVPnHxt0qdxwgmaWgeTHgazThn3z1vyLa54AquhFSzd-kNycnn_V4tiyELWsR9f466rtsc5gNHcJFmcLPDAwRg3mtGf-JGHaj_sdlnJ09MXiUiJWE0POT50_TCj5hs46RvDPtTJzFLtLd/s1600-h/aug+2008+021.JPG"><span xmlns=""> </span></a></p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVPnHxt0qdxwgmaWgeTHgazThn3z1vyLa54AquhFSzd-kNycnn_V4tiyELWsR9f466rtsc5gNHcJFmcLPDAwRg3mtGf-JGHaj_sdlnJ09MXiUiJWE0POT50_TCj5hs46RvDPtTJzFLtLd/s1600-h/aug+2008+021.JPG"><span xmlns=""><p>My host aunt, Yanory, making sweet tamales.</p></span></a></div><span xmlns=""><p><span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0278O7IGZ3FHvwVTGAjQIneM2rwhjrX56_PsWw9sXIQGAZqiCGV-JK-y7_1uDutPOH3H5xne9Uoe8xjvtQPH0A1Jw0MN8SFfuXvmtAMj9mmNAbE-rBqt373xkwFsB6UUvb12bSh_ybX0/s1600-h/aug+2008+023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0278O7IGZ3FHvwVTGAjQIneM2rwhjrX56_PsWw9sXIQGAZqiCGV-JK-y7_1uDutPOH3H5xne9Uoe8xjvtQPH0A1Jw0MN8SFfuXvmtAMj9mmNAbE-rBqt373xkwFsB6UUvb12bSh_ybX0/s320/aug+2008+023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422371319296540418" border="0" /></a></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></span><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-88678769645474014362009-12-09T05:42:00.001-08:002009-12-09T05:55:01.303-08:0015 de setiembre<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span xmlns=""><p>Costa Rica's Independence Day is September 15<sup>th</sup>. The day celebrates all of Central America's independence from Spain. Apparently the word of independence was spread down from Guatemala through all of the Central American countries, which is why each country has a different date of independence. To symbolize this transfer of information, every year a torch is carried from Guatemala all the way down to Panama, and it enters Costa Rica on the morning of September 15<sup>th</sup>.</p></span><br /><span xmlns=""><p>Also, instead of fireworks, like we have on 4<sup>th</sup> of July, the tradition here is to make <em>faroles</em>. <em>Faroles</em> are lanterns that are usually homemade and lit at night with a candle. On the night of September 14<sup>th</sup> all communities in Costa Rica have a small parade of the <em>faroles.</em> The parade is usually organized by the school and all students have to go in uniform and with their <em>farol.</em> In my community it is a fun activity because the everyone leaves their houses and walks through the dark streets with their lanterns. Almost everyone, mother, father, grandpa, small children, bring their own farol.</p></span><br /></div><span xmlns=""><p> Here are pictures of the last 2 year' celebrations:<br /></p></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDaBhk4fs7CQnKtfNaCSZoNHYURriwBTzUmoooInj30-8TnHae1SnSZKNYc1mO1ZkgSbg671MxrCF8opYRMCsuiI1mGKyWn9N1bjpWEeD0vYYieP1kc3EHc_T0jASva-Ukgq3aVNE3F5v/s1600-h/Yendri+025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDaBhk4fs7CQnKtfNaCSZoNHYURriwBTzUmoooInj30-8TnHae1SnSZKNYc1mO1ZkgSbg671MxrCF8opYRMCsuiI1mGKyWn9N1bjpWEeD0vYYieP1kc3EHc_T0jASva-Ukgq3aVNE3F5v/s320/Yendri+025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413232213434739298" border="0" /></a>Marlon, my host cousin, with his very creative lantern made out of egg cartons<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQE6c4YEQa9iJ5Gw7yUJ3eom_Xs8SEq-ruLSBtP9ViZIqkMS-Lcypt1d7VKAF4-6cSl1_eniCz30RLsU9Q12gFG9r2YfJq5h8UNYLskXSPM2RwPF4aTnY1hdoN0BqTfOERQHlfu15rRcx/s1600-h/Yendri+024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQE6c4YEQa9iJ5Gw7yUJ3eom_Xs8SEq-ruLSBtP9ViZIqkMS-Lcypt1d7VKAF4-6cSl1_eniCz30RLsU9Q12gFG9r2YfJq5h8UNYLskXSPM2RwPF4aTnY1hdoN0BqTfOERQHlfu15rRcx/s320/Yendri+024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413232210386259842" border="0" /></a>The parade through town.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBhS9DkWsORBm7y-cNwYD0iJjzqtpi4vahkTjUSyy0aqR4r0H9Y0CVcUbAyT21hMGAZ5gH8EutDo7NE9tKMt4I-f9OxQpk9ti8skBnFgMpEi_Gwys-l-rXOWBunUHVR0-wn_HNQOfFgQ8/s1600-h/Yendri+014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBhS9DkWsORBm7y-cNwYD0iJjzqtpi4vahkTjUSyy0aqR4r0H9Y0CVcUbAyT21hMGAZ5gH8EutDo7NE9tKMt4I-f9OxQpk9ti8skBnFgMpEi_Gwys-l-rXOWBunUHVR0-wn_HNQOfFgQ8/s320/Yendri+014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413232195257402498" border="0" /></a>My host sibling's lantern<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg914w4z4q9JXPBMY8JKN-D0UC0J7m8R5jeXappaqUcyutpT0XRXtqihDEeiUAhHZ7t1gUBKXrL750VLv5Hm1oMU902a4q4qDpAKTI4WZMS06vfw4C2F16k36sR80_cd5acot2Y-Pz6UqAl/s1600-h/sept+2008+019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg914w4z4q9JXPBMY8JKN-D0UC0J7m8R5jeXappaqUcyutpT0XRXtqihDEeiUAhHZ7t1gUBKXrL750VLv5Hm1oMU902a4q4qDpAKTI4WZMS06vfw4C2F16k36sR80_cd5acot2Y-Pz6UqAl/s320/sept+2008+019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413232192342679634" border="0" /></a><br />My host sister, Daniela, with the lantern that my host brother mad for me.<br /></div><span xmlns=""><br /><p><br /></p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-67231764808487115692009-09-02T07:19:00.000-07:002009-10-17T15:31:57.133-07:00Women's groupThe women's group has been working hard for the past few months, and is really coming together as a group. A few weeks ago that started the process to become a legalized group, which means that they can then receive donations, or purchase land.<br /><br />The latest project was building a small greenhouse to grown cilantro, tomatoes, peppers and more. Below are some pictures of the process.<br /><br />They also through a BINGO to raise money. They raised over $300, so it was quite a success. I have also learned that I am quite lucky, because I won three prizes!<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2mNaem-LkCL0gyb54NX2po7hpWCmY_e0hGua7ChzOZkc1x_HbV5h2d7HAQcOA-Dipk1d4Qn8RAIXTy00R5knaeYpUGpXlJ-8NOYy9AsUTg8R6uPXYjdSWxFlRNn3D-o-5oEegdk8-c03/s1600-h/Kelsey+049.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376875895723797938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2mNaem-LkCL0gyb54NX2po7hpWCmY_e0hGua7ChzOZkc1x_HbV5h2d7HAQcOA-Dipk1d4Qn8RAIXTy00R5knaeYpUGpXlJ-8NOYy9AsUTg8R6uPXYjdSWxFlRNn3D-o-5oEegdk8-c03/s320/Kelsey+049.jpg" border="0" /></a> Yamileth nailing down the plastic.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP2G1skK0fJ_waVX_hP3E1d2N5GQfYZfYByuMGA2lLAgjCYkjwruka8ZrUALkIF1U_Hy67RDg6Q6Z4OLeOfBj3eTwsbCWJKZGy7VayBXdjI8ZEyeouIZxBKvmayKdWx_eiq4hqeatjqAx/s1600-h/Kelsey+043.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376875892859261378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP2G1skK0fJ_waVX_hP3E1d2N5GQfYZfYByuMGA2lLAgjCYkjwruka8ZrUALkIF1U_Hy67RDg6Q6Z4OLeOfBj3eTwsbCWJKZGy7VayBXdjI8ZEyeouIZxBKvmayKdWx_eiq4hqeatjqAx/s320/Kelsey+043.jpg" border="0" /></a> Building the structure<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZl1krSDyFEMgryInTr1B3vc0H0zcIZCCkfiOxPVPE2BOoR5vUoxTSyGci7E5_HptYkMHjFfpayYf4EG1xBF7U-514tKtXxDO7WHDC58GKn6MlGZb0q6cJr20qVCQmK_d0kwNNOaCDHHl/s1600-h/Kelsey+011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376875883998627154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZl1krSDyFEMgryInTr1B3vc0H0zcIZCCkfiOxPVPE2BOoR5vUoxTSyGci7E5_HptYkMHjFfpayYf4EG1xBF7U-514tKtXxDO7WHDC58GKn6MlGZb0q6cJr20qVCQmK_d0kwNNOaCDHHl/s320/Kelsey+011.jpg" border="0" /></a> My Bingo cards.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdTt55ndMvmEU07uz1RsJ0aOGuzrDUo_XWkyMKUZPsRcEHNVCpbYaj396xBeYo4KkpZf0iit6F6xFqd7FPZCM61jAotX8FqcfwJbvN4DJFOszhVuX1VvMdF8ymb-JjLACvIT1C5rjtOcQ/s1600-h/Kelsey+012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376875879431573154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdTt55ndMvmEU07uz1RsJ0aOGuzrDUo_XWkyMKUZPsRcEHNVCpbYaj396xBeYo4KkpZf0iit6F6xFqd7FPZCM61jAotX8FqcfwJbvN4DJFOszhVuX1VvMdF8ymb-JjLACvIT1C5rjtOcQ/s320/Kelsey+012.jpg" border="0" /></a> The community center full with people eager to win a prize!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08KgjcVpVNJBfYMvkN6Kuykt839TewSXM2mwaFyCCDxVkKom4BJHmZll284IP_woAzaN4E9mXnqX3tMa-aPPwR_8Eiwt1lvVdbUFAZmojoWXDuxJvZ6PS6ft6DfT9Z31XoUg1hxtBC8NU/s1600-h/Kelsey+009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376875868715366338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08KgjcVpVNJBfYMvkN6Kuykt839TewSXM2mwaFyCCDxVkKom4BJHmZll284IP_woAzaN4E9mXnqX3tMa-aPPwR_8Eiwt1lvVdbUFAZmojoWXDuxJvZ6PS6ft6DfT9Z31XoUg1hxtBC8NU/s320/Kelsey+009.jpg" border="0" /></a> Alba Luz, all smiles, while selling food.</div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-7996610149144313792009-09-01T11:46:00.000-07:002009-09-02T06:15:54.148-07:00Chicas Poderosas!<div>Sorry I have been so bad about posting lately. My computer died 2 months ago, which has made blogging (and many other things) more difficult. So, what have I been up to? The month of July was pretty slow because the kids had 3 weeks vacation and it was the start of the rainy season, so I spent a lot of time indoors. I was also consumed with studying for the GMAT. Yes, I have decided to go to business school next year. So, studying for the GMAT and thinking about my essays and applications has taken up a lot of time! I am planning to submit my applications in Round 1, which means in the middle of October I will be free and just have to sit back and wait for the decisions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Things did pick up in August, and one of my new projects is called Chicas Poderosas. It is a program to promote leadership and self-esteem in young girls. I am working with the 4th, 5th and 6th grade girls at my school, and so far it has been a lot of fun! There are 12 of them and they have so much energy. It has been a refreshing new activity for me and is allowing me to get to know these girls a lot better. I also think that they are enjoying having something new to do once a week after school. So far the topics that we have discussed are: Communication and Teamwork. Future topics are: Making Decisions, Nutrition, My Future, Dating, Values and many more. Below are some pictures of the girls going sticker crazy decorating their notebooks and working on one of the activities about teamwork</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6KfNoeTUJILiRQS8Dh4YoBJsIePYFUwTB3M0M90H_d9KtLZ1sFi_3s1y5-oVBdl96ZnGfNSydQ-3iGlkGw8Rb2Z-8hsZ_YzceeX4KG0Vrg45t7v3PTVATS8bLZ_CLPxI-TSXD_aD7bGg/s1600-h/Kelsey+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376573560486520098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6KfNoeTUJILiRQS8Dh4YoBJsIePYFUwTB3M0M90H_d9KtLZ1sFi_3s1y5-oVBdl96ZnGfNSydQ-3iGlkGw8Rb2Z-8hsZ_YzceeX4KG0Vrg45t7v3PTVATS8bLZ_CLPxI-TSXD_aD7bGg/s320/Kelsey+023.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBUSbP1PP-qsM1pXtfhZyJm2OM937kzd4HhJdVl25G1VePi7kTUIstERKNEzGOivGGyklhVT3b-kx-muky1TBE9J5-m3dirDzkm0A-690wTFCRzLzSEo7kRNcAU2Xsfax0JFkzmzt_T7A/s1600-h/Kelsey+048.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376573551512786834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBUSbP1PP-qsM1pXtfhZyJm2OM937kzd4HhJdVl25G1VePi7kTUIstERKNEzGOivGGyklhVT3b-kx-muky1TBE9J5-m3dirDzkm0A-690wTFCRzLzSEo7kRNcAU2Xsfax0JFkzmzt_T7A/s320/Kelsey+048.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I can't believe that I have only 9 months left. It is going to be sad to leave because I have made a lot of good friendships in my community, especially with my host family. But, I am also excited about what the future may hold.</div><div><br /></div><div>Kelsey<br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-88636391562262807372009-06-23T09:18:00.000-07:002009-06-23T09:25:28.522-07:00Mid-service Training<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbnvxI4ALcIcFTM62KmKYWrHbg4C3ucFnkYkJ1hC9AX0iwfcbqCNSJVtmlVzIdMKeYoOFNWKzejaqhS2RfXpcS1N682VAQEGmBYwFDkBv4ILWHBnDjDc-6FYj5IAn0x2UnT48d_nyAE-t/s1600-h/mst.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbnvxI4ALcIcFTM62KmKYWrHbg4C3ucFnkYkJ1hC9AX0iwfcbqCNSJVtmlVzIdMKeYoOFNWKzejaqhS2RfXpcS1N682VAQEGmBYwFDkBv4ILWHBnDjDc-6FYj5IAn0x2UnT48d_nyAE-t/s400/mst.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350558502324820866" border="0" /></a>Two weeks ago I was at a retreat center outside of San Jose for a week for Mid-service training. That means that we have completed over 1 year in our sites. The week was dedicated to sharing stories and best practices with other volunteers to learn from eachother. It was great catching up with eachother and hearing the amazing things that everyone is doing. We also had medical exams and got our teeth cleaned!<br /><br />I can´t believe that I have less than a year left. It is going to be hard to leave my host family and my town, so I better cherish the time I have left. The picture is of all the Rural Community Development volunteers in Tico 18 and our boss, Chris, who has left us to go to grad school.<br /><br />Thanks to all for the support you have provided over the past 15 months. And those of you who want to come visit better start planning soon because time is running out!<br /><br />Kelsey<br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/CONFIG%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" />Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-3305620141844968512009-06-11T07:12:00.000-07:002009-06-23T08:44:46.312-07:00Medical Mission<p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US">At the end of May I had a different type of volunteer experience.<span style=""> </span>US Air Force doctors and nurses from bases throughout the US came to Pavon, a larger town only <st1:metricconverter productid="8 km" st="on">8 km</st1:metricconverter> from me, to host a free health clinic.<span style=""> </span>My fellow PCV, David, and I were asked to help out during these 3 days.<span style=""> </span>We ended up translating for various doctors that did not know Spanish.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US">The first day I worked with 2 dermatologists and saw many different skin problems!<span style=""> </span>Luckily I am not grossed out easily, because I saw some crazy rashes, infections etc.<span style=""> </span>I also learned that yeast infections of the skin are very common!<span style=""> </span>It creates a white circular skin discoloration and looks a lot like sun spots.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US">The second and third days I worked with the gynecologist and lost all embarrassment as I had to ask people about their sex lives, periods etc.<span style=""> </span>It was overall a really fun experience and cool to do something completely different for 3 days.<span style=""> </span>A ton of people from my town came, including my host parents, so I guess I was also directly helping people from my community too.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US">This is a really great program of the US Air Force and they definitely helped out a lot!<span style=""> </span>The ophthalmologists were giving out free glasses, the dentists were pulling teeth, and all doctors gave out vitamins and lots of much needed, expensive medicine.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" lang="EN-US">Here are pictures from the clinic:<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The whole crew</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHoGxGzKGwWMOlqRbgi-cDM3iuRNS8SohW056KUfoqVAOk-o4fgfBWhnmtnIwDmzO4jn9aZXp46afyYLu5GFTorb1BzieZNDlNxdRNBYCjJ3z-zLrCJGwJTV079aeQ5hA7thHfPSzztgl/s1600-h/IMG_5128.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHoGxGzKGwWMOlqRbgi-cDM3iuRNS8SohW056KUfoqVAOk-o4fgfBWhnmtnIwDmzO4jn9aZXp46afyYLu5GFTorb1BzieZNDlNxdRNBYCjJ3z-zLrCJGwJTV079aeQ5hA7thHfPSzztgl/s320/IMG_5128.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346074103747186594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />People in line waiting for their turn</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavP73csas__FPNoVfgn2MjP_rW2ysuxZlkJLl_28q_vm3NN6H90heEOt9pwmx9nYqdo6lbCSnVSLxkvT_Ocmj54ZISs8GljlxB3v0KulvO1XTu8X0NXTUGrL8iphaaZBFj1ETrheixVM8/s1600-h/IMG_4984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavP73csas__FPNoVfgn2MjP_rW2ysuxZlkJLl_28q_vm3NN6H90heEOt9pwmx9nYqdo6lbCSnVSLxkvT_Ocmj54ZISs8GljlxB3v0KulvO1XTu8X0NXTUGrL8iphaaZBFj1ETrheixVM8/s320/IMG_4984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346073490699959890" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">More waiting outside of the exam rooms</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPwrAvEKygkY5WxO5c4kLo0H8YRWnUzTIRvxOetMS0rvxoI3x1PQ1VWLVlaI47rRR4tweCCfxCoLcXBFcDc2PMawtI2A_ukrl6CFOJKk2U2-5S4hv9sM-AzkwNW8C2YgI1rJR7I7MGKZq/s1600-h/DSC_0069.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPwrAvEKygkY5WxO5c4kLo0H8YRWnUzTIRvxOetMS0rvxoI3x1PQ1VWLVlaI47rRR4tweCCfxCoLcXBFcDc2PMawtI2A_ukrl6CFOJKk2U2-5S4hv9sM-AzkwNW8C2YgI1rJR7I7MGKZq/s320/DSC_0069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346073499610659986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Helping out one of the dermatologists</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB5K4YGasK6pPIewnwEHLAYl7t_tJ-oVj78J1tUUjn1hM7MoFNOB4zNtJdUD6WIAlkgiLMokCHO8q477TDjfazkoAOhmOqjtoQ6942_eaSNSxJ8F2wd2o9PYoCBjQ4fTox1TZiDCiScKB/s1600-h/DSC_0045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB5K4YGasK6pPIewnwEHLAYl7t_tJ-oVj78J1tUUjn1hM7MoFNOB4zNtJdUD6WIAlkgiLMokCHO8q477TDjfazkoAOhmOqjtoQ6942_eaSNSxJ8F2wd2o9PYoCBjQ4fTox1TZiDCiScKB/s320/DSC_0045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346073491626724210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />David working in the pharmacy</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHltOzFS7Nde9o_tz8e_l91N7VHk1nu38FuseJ2Fnmv0kTCGoD9POQw6xx9_v7AaRxzBGYdvPPaV8Otf7SFDWaaA1qWeqXgNdaOjHP2q_rfQVVI5uHjeunsvfgoZfXkp-T7NJspty_ywv/s1600-h/DSC_0037.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHltOzFS7Nde9o_tz8e_l91N7VHk1nu38FuseJ2Fnmv0kTCGoD9POQw6xx9_v7AaRxzBGYdvPPaV8Otf7SFDWaaA1qWeqXgNdaOjHP2q_rfQVVI5uHjeunsvfgoZfXkp-T7NJspty_ywv/s320/DSC_0037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346074093737139330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Me with the two main coordinators</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkciFx0nrfJRP_Un6gefaa4hyIA08dQvNl0LXBjsTPWFHTsbRGa10LizcGdsNzckaeExbQYd_VJp4GbJNzww51oNHZK1uy-RSpGaPwIv_vy8lVMW5A2w7Rxpd86hK7H5x3X6lAzgFlQtPw/s1600-h/IMG_5044.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkciFx0nrfJRP_Un6gefaa4hyIA08dQvNl0LXBjsTPWFHTsbRGa10LizcGdsNzckaeExbQYd_VJp4GbJNzww51oNHZK1uy-RSpGaPwIv_vy8lVMW5A2w7Rxpd86hK7H5x3X6lAzgFlQtPw/s320/IMG_5044.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346074097377330834" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-28497256146412321742009-06-11T06:50:00.000-07:002009-06-23T08:31:30.863-07:00Water, Water Everywhere<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">On May 15<sup>th</sup> the national water company of Costa Rica, AYA came to my town to dedicate the water tank project.<span style=""> </span>This ceremony marked the end of an 11 year struggle to obtain potable water, 24 hours a day in the houses.<span style=""> </span>Only in the last few years has there been an aqueduct system, bringing water to houses from a well in the center of town.<span style=""> </span>And in November 2008 the water tank was completed, which meant a constant stream of water all day.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">When I got here a year ago, we had potable water in our house, but not all the time.<span style=""> </span>The water committee would turn on the pump to stream water from the well to the houses at 7 am every morning and it would last only 2 hours.<span style=""> </span>During that time, each house had to store as much water as they could in its own personal water tank.<span style=""> </span>Needless to say, in a house of 6, the water we stored during that time did not always last the whole day.<span style=""> </span>Many times during my first few months here we would run out of water around 7 or 8 pm.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Finally in November, with the completion of the water storage tank, we now have water all the time.<span style=""> </span>The water committee still only turns on the pump for a few hours each morning, but that water is now stored in the large tank and is distributed to all the houses throughout the day.<span style=""> </span>It is nice knowing that there will still be water to brush my teeth every night!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Even though the town now has an aqueduct system and a storage tank, there are still many members of the community that only use wells.<span style=""> </span>Unfortunately the cost of water is just too much for some families that don’t have steady income.<span style=""> </span>Hopefully in the future everyone will recognized the value of potable water and connect to the aqueduct system.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Here are pictures from the dedication ceremony:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Water tank</span><br /><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQk-30zYG7ihiQHqazbQbVmbTiAjFVKxH6IUnV7g8738Jh71rs-TNroh46W24uh-mE94BFmJDxytHN5re3d8AC7eOQb0qN-G3_74GDYypCrO9iD8SAkHyd3L04UDYRezrbcjuaZj-lib_/s1600-h/Diciembre+2008+034.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQk-30zYG7ihiQHqazbQbVmbTiAjFVKxH6IUnV7g8738Jh71rs-TNroh46W24uh-mE94BFmJDxytHN5re3d8AC7eOQb0qN-G3_74GDYypCrO9iD8SAkHyd3L04UDYRezrbcjuaZj-lib_/s320/Diciembre+2008+034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346069026505885042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Members of the committee who worked on the project for 11 years</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCO6Blak3cgLZJ8fZfR3ulI-cdj04hIX8ERV7_lGqlK9RUaw-oI12fHfq22-AeBfFmhXdzuNF_qluG75ij2beYSPlGWk0P9H0JY4h7Mswqrf7mw3hiqCfCRWq_rB15zX3-C-gQrlBWMHt1/s1600-h/Inauguration+AyA+023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCO6Blak3cgLZJ8fZfR3ulI-cdj04hIX8ERV7_lGqlK9RUaw-oI12fHfq22-AeBfFmhXdzuNF_qluG75ij2beYSPlGWk0P9H0JY4h7Mswqrf7mw3hiqCfCRWq_rB15zX3-C-gQrlBWMHt1/s320/Inauguration+AyA+023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346068539054326610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The school kids at the dedication</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyUfueWk4vZ6Sqy5iezUxk9gINjySyX_CCncTVU9YMmhMeSC4cLC8XrWrWUDN4Y2vsVSwlt-ozEJv4cr_pHyczMnWKmOWnrK6B0Nz9wjw5PYLX1dOW5MEE0xiwLeBzqVNdvwE6mm3OH_z/s1600-h/Inauguration+AyA+020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyUfueWk4vZ6Sqy5iezUxk9gINjySyX_CCncTVU9YMmhMeSC4cLC8XrWrWUDN4Y2vsVSwlt-ozEJv4cr_pHyczMnWKmOWnrK6B0Nz9wjw5PYLX1dOW5MEE0xiwLeBzqVNdvwE6mm3OH_z/s320/Inauguration+AyA+020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346068533380072098" border="0" /></a>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-14531561166919023352009-05-25T07:31:00.000-07:002009-05-25T08:06:11.853-07:00Kids playing<div align="left">Here are pictures from the dedication of the playground on Saturday. The kids were so excited it was hard to make them wait for the prayer. The ceremony consisted of a prayer of thanks and then we served cookies and fruit punch. Then the kids played for hours! It was most fun to watch the little ones go down the slide and play on the see-saw. Thanks again for all of your support!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339771791653616626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijY5mnN94cBru6wI0-mxnFmIdXa23JUWO3GnBIF81pMbOz7PPjHfeHCZW7_Y9EBmLw7K8vkbQxpOIH4Df6BE1OPx1K7XM43rEURGo_cb331JhGJVM5zKz2VFCmEMHz1ioa8dKB3nhT8cvz/s320/Play+001.JPG" border="0" /></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center">Doña Marta saying a prayer.</div><div align="center"><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1Q8TExRVJPWbofwCQlbRpm5_x4BAUG0lterSjHpjidFC_ftTSkJbR89lKtr-kJ8XXZvDxCuOyC1zBIt80QwNdtyWnDw-8FEl7ECiiihhwLMPOfU6qDf1odrRTg1IIh9J1WIV37RviXsC/s1600-h/Play+003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339771802307912514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1Q8TExRVJPWbofwCQlbRpm5_x4BAUG0lterSjHpjidFC_ftTSkJbR89lKtr-kJ8XXZvDxCuOyC1zBIt80QwNdtyWnDw-8FEl7ECiiihhwLMPOfU6qDf1odrRTg1IIh9J1WIV37RviXsC/s320/Play+003.JPG" border="0" /></a> Kids playing!</div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjjEHAzviyYVJUU8ymGXqCqyIuP6tUUps86TSJv-vi-j__Qnqp0gc01sKlwBUt7MgLFYnub0hygBQjnj-Uf82fsrswy5Clgy7KrxP2wagtlwLUDM_jSzy1ByyD-aRzz9bOCY6OK3j0CEF/s1600-h/Play+005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339771795067440706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjjEHAzviyYVJUU8ymGXqCqyIuP6tUUps86TSJv-vi-j__Qnqp0gc01sKlwBUt7MgLFYnub0hygBQjnj-Uf82fsrswy5Clgy7KrxP2wagtlwLUDM_jSzy1ByyD-aRzz9bOCY6OK3j0CEF/s320/Play+005.JPG" border="0" /></a> Three members of the Comité Tutelar, Isa, Flor and Miriam, serving the refreshments<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339775732741542562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3s04D38n1FvoZdkdJnOkaBEzyCIQD3I7bam68ONCWQfDRPdM5WI8suyXWSgI3Av094YYfFQAjLZPrOP4JvZ1tKDYAfb36ulC7_dHbzd26VENPMUJr7kqc9yqU18u1IIYHbwuRMlOHvcz/s320/Play+006.JPG" border="0" />The moms and sisters enjoying the shade.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339775717457373906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-kfHpP9bpou4y5RmWcyyoz3NSz78fSneGuu-8BuXz32xhAsT_RcMCTlgbVghjpzomnb3vYqyy2kpcb1rbwKOqw0idJoNY82BqU15QqRHSx8-XDilUm5CTTLd8VbYP265aDB3TMaEA2DV/s320/Play+013.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div align="center">Osvaldo, my host cousin.</div><br /><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339775723428540546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMx9KefTJ5zybnh4K6cIPGCgugV_wjcfNkSpX3-LCWRKce6_RSGDcBTFUMsidn9vYIgJuAVqOwVbcoWITVYloPa0hVGXVVoaOIA3luC4Jnm_G6NK84AO95K-AA1YoqsK2UBr1YxGsQ6_Qh/s320/Play+014.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Carolina enjoying the swing.<br /><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339777591827578354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPrpPwFjTaFsmGmah0Sz373DmnId6TvEiy_Mzi2duryAC76D3eVpmXDk7U8PIVMJ2olYsDyvJJdU3yNCFnPt65VqT2hHRi6OcP7JROJu-m96vJi6WhdC9kNbO37rPqT1VQErkvJDlwulJ/s320/Play+019.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"><br />Daniela, my host sister, having fun on the see-saw.<br /><br /></p>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-85845672947628276372009-05-22T12:45:00.000-07:002009-05-22T13:17:29.342-07:00Playground!!!!!!<div>We have a playground! The men came to install it at 7am on Wednesday morning, and left my site at 9am on Thursday morning. We were all amazeded by how quickly it all went. Unfortunately the kids have to wait about 2 days to play in order to let the cement etc. dry. So the women of the Comite Tutelar have decided to have a small inauguration ceremony on Saturday right before we let the kids play. We are going to have someone say a prayer, let all of the kids know the rules, and then serve sno-cones. It should be a lot of fun...and all the kids can´t wait.</div><div></div><br /><br /><div>Thanks again to all of you who made this dream come true for the kids of Cristo Rey. I will definitely post pictures of tomorrow´s ceremony soon. But first, here are a few pictures of the prep of the land and the installation. Enjoy!</div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338738715556737234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAvAwUvR_nYS0e7pOg6ZtwNNZVcr83p5S2NfBjBGJgDVzOaQSPNQxyNVNqBg_D4JDA1YdT_g4IdIns5bvMja3pqoHdR0w8pVIVFIIZ3xKpajVcvdPMTwZTTOE0l7E2xpKjWwHezZtpnp6/s320/100_2164.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="center">6am on Wednesday, finishing up leveling the land for the playground.<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_ou66zRC7i8x8-bHk7oMck_yOyNa5WQbV-x4OVycYqcnjJJNZo3qQvadEEBeFaFUx0P4gfpSieq6vpiyhWfkeKGNj8HRCxhDIolQN1uBVU1YoSL0B55mjF25ww5acjfgrmQZHk83LkdQ/s1600-h/100_2165.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338738722238098018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_ou66zRC7i8x8-bHk7oMck_yOyNa5WQbV-x4OVycYqcnjJJNZo3qQvadEEBeFaFUx0P4gfpSieq6vpiyhWfkeKGNj8HRCxhDIolQN1uBVU1YoSL0B55mjF25ww5acjfgrmQZHk83LkdQ/s320/100_2165.JPG" border="0" /></a> Unloading the wooden beams.<br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338743653907674722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJpJ4SKKmzntUDnH3lNwA_Me4OOYU5lJLuhImjn9kaNJ9pGjVSzs7Xi7_YBmW6RN4y-zypSlSlLy1BUPDQU3zK1fH72stcoRzohuZ9siqWkqGs63eEJZKuzHZeKhJ-9CJ-vQc7mvBrWSF/s320/100_2169.JPG" border="0" />The four men that installed the playground, taking a break for cafecito at 4 pm.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338743659402904930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9CKL3fAK2bQ7K3itK6Dt_tWVp6lCEOp-dNFX121YYE_qw84Wrz1FyrlWbDbjDVzUFI34HUZ9_fuNcUzeWOpqPGqDt1WuDLFkOEkgmq9E9IEOXR4xmtevVQNTGLmMQjI6QmUE9Nb5s3zT/s320/te+and+play+013.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>The finished product!<br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-578101553193235442009-05-12T13:22:00.001-07:002009-05-12T13:46:23.730-07:00A new skill!<span xmlns="">Last Monday I learned how to crochet! The newly formed women's group decided a few weeks ago that one of our first activities would be crocheting. The president and a few other women in the group already know how to crochet, so they said they would help teach the rest of us. I bought my needle and a small ball of yarn for a little over 1 dollar and I was set. At first everyone was going so fast that I thought I would never learn, but with a little individual attention I was slowly getting it. I crocheted while watching tv and waiting for meetings etc. and in a week I have finished my ball of yarn! Crocheting is a actually not as hard as it looks! So here is my first crocheted item (I don't actually know what its use is, but I am still proud of it!):<br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335040338418313122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdozukB-8GwaLD8Lr1_srvh7JmZBBEvQ_viZr1RIVnQVraABP7A88JlvxieWEqfq-4zTCGb42jXzWFB9U-pemrcOzlMpgodRGyaLLCf34IISexzsxAFeCos-a_0WPwt4L5E6IxMEdXJFMm/s320/Mayo+2009+046.JPG" border="0" /></p></span><br /><span xmlns=""><div>So, learning to crochet has so far been a fun, bonding activity for the women's group and a way to share skills. It looks like our first real project will be to help out with the community garden that we are growing on the school grounds. We decided to join the local 4-H or Club 4-S, which means that they will come give us training on organizational skills and more technical training, such as growing vegetables etc. It should be a great opportunity for us! We will also be growing an undetermined crop (we will choose at our next meeting) on a small plot of land that a member of the community is letting us use. </div><p> </p><p>I am very impressed by the sense of unity that the members of the women's group already have. I really believe that they will be successful in whatever project they decide to embark upon. The group was successful in its first fundraising activity, raising over $60 in cold drink and ice cream sales at a local soccer game. It was a very simple idea raised by a few of the women and everyone else jumped on board and offered to donate a few items to sell, such as sugar cane juice, coconut water and iced chocolate milk, each with a value of 200 colones, or about 35 cents. Needless to say, everyone was very proud of the success of the activity.<br /></p><p>I am really excited about working with the women, not just because I am learning new skills, but because of the opportunities that this group will bring to the many women in the community.<br /></p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-60864757286352371562009-05-12T13:19:00.001-07:002009-05-12T13:21:55.424-07:00And we have a high school!<span xmlns=""><p>Friday marked the end of the third week of high school classes in my town. We have over 30 students, aged 14-40, and coming from the surrounding 3 towns, enrolled in the program. The program is called <em>tercer ciclo</em>, or third cycle, and is available to anyone over 14 who wants to study 7<sup>th</sup> – 11<sup>th</sup> grade (this is considered high school, or <em>colegio</em>, here). The way the program works is that the students buy 6 work books, which basically teach each material and include practice questions. The idea of <em>tercer ciclo </em>is that the students do most of the studying at home, by reading the week's chapter, and then they come to class each week with their questions. The six different subjects are: Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Spanish and Civics. The students have class 3 times a week: </p><p><br /> </p><p>Wednesday, 3pm to 7:30 pm – Math and Science<br /></p><p>Thursday, 3pm to 4:30 pm – English (with yours truly as the teacher every other week)<br /></p><p>Friday, 3pm to 7:30 pm – Social Studies, Spanish and Civics<br /></p><p><br /> Here is a background of the prior educational opportunities for members of my town: The nearest official high school is 8 kms away by bus, which isn't that far, but costs each student $2 a day in travel expenses. This is extremely expense for members of my community, who on average make about $120-$150 a month. There are national scholarships for students, but not even those cover the transportation costs for the month, let alone the extra expenses like uniforms, notebooks, photocopies etc. For this reason, very few kids have continued on to high school after graduating from 6<sup>th</sup> grade. For example, last year only 1 of the 5 graduates is currently studying in the high school; and the year before that 1 out of 6 graduates went to high school. Therefore there are a lot of young people in town that were denied the opportunity to continue their studies based on financial reasons, and who are now able to study just a few blocks from their house 3 nights a week. There are also a lot of 20 and 30 year olds who have decided to study here because when they graduated 6<sup>th</sup> grade there wasn't even a bus to take them to the high school.<br /></p><p>I have been very encouraged throughout the process of opening this high school, which took about 5 months of constant communication with the Superintendant, by the enthusiasm that everyone has to learn. I am constantly stopped on the street, on the bus, or people even come to my house, to ask how they can sign up to study. I am really happy with the success of this project, and just hope that the students keep up their motivation to learn and that this will be a permanent institution in my town.<br /></p><p><br /> </p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-75517143707423594702009-04-25T10:43:00.000-07:002009-04-25T10:57:59.417-07:00TrainingI am currently sitting in Pavon (a town 8km from my site) waiting for 9 trainees to show up. They are the new group of PC volunteers and are coming to visit my site for 6 days. It should be quite an experience! I am super excited because I know that it is going to be really fun for my community. I am pretty much the only <em>gringa </em>that they really know, so they are going to learn a lot about how different we all look, act etc. from these trainees. Can you imagine 10 gringos in a town of 300 people?<br /><br />Hopefully tomorrow their presence will help get people to attend the annual meeting of the Development Association (it is often hard to get quorum to actually have the meeting). I am also excited because all 9 of them have to teach a different English class for practice. So this week my kids are going to learn a lot of English, and I think it will be good for them to hear different accents and learn from someone new.<br /><br />Unfortunately it has started raining and my road is once again very muddy. I hope it clears up, because I feel bad that the trainees will have to walk around without boots, either getting their shoes really dirty or having to walk around town barefoot.<br /><br />Anyway, I am really excited about their visit and think it is going to be a fun experience! I will let you know how it goes.Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-85872651133608769612009-04-20T13:33:00.000-07:002009-04-20T13:36:01.255-07:00Thank you, thank you, thank you!I just got word today that my town´s playground project is fully funded!! Thank you all for your support and helping me raise over $5,000 in about 2 months. I am excited to get back to my site today and let the women of the Comite Tutelar know. They are going to be so happy.<br /><br />Now it is time to get to work and prepare the land, order the playground etc. I will keep you all updated on the progess.<br /><br />Thanks again,<br />KelseyKelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-75321799113626543852009-04-17T14:28:00.003-07:002009-04-18T15:05:16.629-07:00Farm Life Part 2<span xmlns=""><p>As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, one of the things I am enjoying about living on a farm in rural Costa Rica is the fresh food that we eat. With <strong>sustainability </strong>being such a popular concept these days, it is great to experience it firsthand. I love eating the fresh fruit and veggies that we just picked from a local tree or my host dad's farm. Speaking of fruit, I have tried so many different types of tropical fruits, most of which I don't even think have a name in English. Some of the fruits that we have growing in my town are: Mangos, Pineapple, Manzana de agua, Coconut, Caimito, Guava, Guanabana, Grenadilla, Granada, Oranges, Jocones, Limones. I will have to take a picture of some of them soon and post them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Many of you know that before doing Peace Corps I was not a big meat eater. In fact, I think I once went over 5 years without eating beef. And after having Eric Schlosser, the author of <em>Fast Food Nation</em> speak at my college graduation, I was even less inclined to eat beef, especially from McDonalds. Well, things have definitely changed! At first, I was still hesitant of eating meat, but once I realized that I didn't have much choice (since a strictly black beans and rice diet gets old really quick) I gave it a chance, and am actually enjoying eating beef and pork. It also helps that I know exactly where the meat I am eating came from. If the pig was not raised 50 feet outside my bedroom, by my host family, then it was probably raised by one of our neighbors. And the beef that we eat is almost always a calf of one of my host-grandfathers or also from a neighbor.</p><p><br /></p><p>In high school, I wouldn't dare step foot into the "wet markets" in Singapore, which had cows, chickens etc hanging up with their blood dripping out. Or if I did ever venture in with my mom, I would only look at the ground and would hold my nose the whole time. Oh how things have changed… I now joyously go to the slaughtering of the cow or the pig, and I take lots of pictures! I have decided not to post the bloody pictures here, but if you would like to see them, just let me know. I have quite a few! As I mentioned in my previous post about the hen, it has been so interesting learning about the anatomy of the different animals, such as seeing the various stomachs of the cow! I really do think I am turning into a farm girl.</p><p><br /> </p><p>As I mentioned above, a lot of the meat that we eat might come from our neighbors. This is another benefit of living in a small town – everyone shares their crops, meat etc. If someone's cow dies and they have to butcher it, they will send the meat to at least 10 different families in town. Or after someone picks all the yucca, pineapple, or other vegetable, they give a lot of the extra to whoever wants it. This really creates a sense of community, and is something that you won't find in the big city!</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are some fun pictures to reflect my farm life:</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoULb4CKQ1WEcNxDEzuenIbTyahepEW8PuzzgvTaxBQEWV_TIa3094MOvdlCTbgqOEGf96FvvA9mYNYVETOfwLl-4OWhSnptgQgu8CEz_ajGkUvOus0X94aOBsfKouJ4jz_1vlMv-yJ7sW/s1600-h/diciembre+2008+035.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoULb4CKQ1WEcNxDEzuenIbTyahepEW8PuzzgvTaxBQEWV_TIa3094MOvdlCTbgqOEGf96FvvA9mYNYVETOfwLl-4OWhSnptgQgu8CEz_ajGkUvOus0X94aOBsfKouJ4jz_1vlMv-yJ7sW/s320/diciembre+2008+035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326155002975060514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdK926QOvD0h-uNjToyVQlc1gReW5L1UVf7z3GHrbe-zt9jJAegUZbzpmQTU-TKLWvYf_rDfN21Fgfbamz2gdPBcq5m6HVbiYkjqKbjeYr0lp2WSQa13bwOFGkI4Kdbq_jXDBJEa81_S2/s1600-h/Febrero+2009+020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdK926QOvD0h-uNjToyVQlc1gReW5L1UVf7z3GHrbe-zt9jJAegUZbzpmQTU-TKLWvYf_rDfN21Fgfbamz2gdPBcq5m6HVbiYkjqKbjeYr0lp2WSQa13bwOFGkI4Kdbq_jXDBJEa81_S2/s320/Febrero+2009+020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326155004944423058" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /> </p><p></p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-51065991424445902642009-04-17T14:28:00.001-07:002009-04-17T14:38:58.340-07:00My Costa Rican Family<span xmlns=""><p>I want to pay tribute to my wonderful host-family. I am so lucky to have them, because they have really embraced me as a member of their family. In fact, I was walking the other day with my host mom and two host sisters in the mud with our boots on and my little sister says, "The whole family wearing boots…" And then my older sister joked with her about calling me her family. But it is true, most of the time I think that we all consider me another member of the family.<br /></p><p>So, my tico family consists of:<br /></p><p>William, 40</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5IkB-ISxlxbWH8h9oJN864BKfgJ0vZERUOGCsMPLx90XCF8rm7nijpKFcEqDu3I4Vdad-SA7ZIVL0hk2w0XbNTMLd-q5496I9WJfA2R8bkgl59JC6RFG2PfxqCy2-nbQITPigJT81AoV/s1600-h/sept+2008+003-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5IkB-ISxlxbWH8h9oJN864BKfgJ0vZERUOGCsMPLx90XCF8rm7nijpKFcEqDu3I4Vdad-SA7ZIVL0hk2w0XbNTMLd-q5496I9WJfA2R8bkgl59JC6RFG2PfxqCy2-nbQITPigJT81AoV/s320/sept+2008+003-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325777035726284274" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>Isabel, 40</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjguk7REQ_AixolzS4VbtSjxoOytFFCGgtphdvy1w0WfF5j3Lutc86IpYozt0H1uluaRWtvkDDl5Dx3lYzhNZHD_Lei45EXSB8tT5Z-RdaYgPtsbpzbDTMw6RWaYqOPvVngjuQI20o_SBke/s1600-h/100_0988.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjguk7REQ_AixolzS4VbtSjxoOytFFCGgtphdvy1w0WfF5j3Lutc86IpYozt0H1uluaRWtvkDDl5Dx3lYzhNZHD_Lei45EXSB8tT5Z-RdaYgPtsbpzbDTMw6RWaYqOPvVngjuQI20o_SBke/s320/100_0988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325776246136914050" border="0" /></a></p><p>Gabriel, 11</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkG9EeG6HTeRAmvM91A22rm3PBARyztDX_GUbDeeHG6b2rsFqKH3vrgZAzYdX5U9QEBejoLi-GidBMu_EMQN3uvmT7HO-nvGqKGeEV7YsjieEQxlIEa46hSuRJCVQCYRQjhl3pBAcEv4w/s1600-h/100_1660.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkG9EeG6HTeRAmvM91A22rm3PBARyztDX_GUbDeeHG6b2rsFqKH3vrgZAzYdX5U9QEBejoLi-GidBMu_EMQN3uvmT7HO-nvGqKGeEV7YsjieEQxlIEa46hSuRJCVQCYRQjhl3pBAcEv4w/s320/100_1660.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325777042393937410" border="0" /></a></p><p>Noemi, 8</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayhydid9t-xlwUJSa7ejzqKCTiLmS9EvroferU7QCtjHZ01iWtLnX20-erbyO1VEP8mAh5YXA4mMem-1Ao4zVVaSAUtgdvU9oR0zscc5VwPMmwqDG0XYG7KhAXHgPT3mAOQxHvmDc44Y1/s1600-h/100_1400.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayhydid9t-xlwUJSa7ejzqKCTiLmS9EvroferU7QCtjHZ01iWtLnX20-erbyO1VEP8mAh5YXA4mMem-1Ao4zVVaSAUtgdvU9oR0zscc5VwPMmwqDG0XYG7KhAXHgPT3mAOQxHvmDc44Y1/s320/100_1400.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325777045707953490" border="0" /></a></p><p>Daniela, 3</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-BVzD2477UUlCuTLcVh8Vewvrb91bp-C-NFl64As_FfdBYewa1fkLQPL9k5p46cHm1jOd1C1RxP5tnToYL_aTbUtrITxFClrG9BLJZUlhkXWWs1fKOhvbwUtKW-pNSIyhttAQ7HLUAIj/s1600-h/100_1546.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-BVzD2477UUlCuTLcVh8Vewvrb91bp-C-NFl64As_FfdBYewa1fkLQPL9k5p46cHm1jOd1C1RxP5tnToYL_aTbUtrITxFClrG9BLJZUlhkXWWs1fKOhvbwUtKW-pNSIyhttAQ7HLUAIj/s320/100_1546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325777051859735554" border="0" /></a></p><p></p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-78545458301255973422009-04-06T10:09:00.000-07:002009-04-06T10:22:15.012-07:00Sugarcane!My host uncle has a lot of sugar cane and he just repaired the <span style="font-style: italic;">trapiche<span style="font-style: italic;"> (grinder?)</span></span> so we can drink fresh juice whenever we want. Here are pictures of us grinding sugar cane:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPSlqSgPNFQLNgTa2vgNQs0R7gSlCeJ_0CKdoS8dZWXTBo79GXjuXU6IQIEHEkqxTdUpOe_rkubJRZwYXXZvsAI4rd6fxP4QMwaUg52Q5Fo-yBq6XxouB4OzNDZ9DseqxITYu6jDkRkmW/s1600-h/March+2009+021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPSlqSgPNFQLNgTa2vgNQs0R7gSlCeJ_0CKdoS8dZWXTBo79GXjuXU6IQIEHEkqxTdUpOe_rkubJRZwYXXZvsAI4rd6fxP4QMwaUg52Q5Fo-yBq6XxouB4OzNDZ9DseqxITYu6jDkRkmW/s320/March+2009+021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321629665055457650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx7bh_4LrTh9BSeOZCiA0xGj-26mDM98qm5N2l8_K8wnFHfNr0otG-ngFhMysWyuQRKl7lnDXpU2ISl_LH5m3tSCGSNTQpNBNme3YOQF_5ryoj72yQkr4FfQmpEVbt5yE1eF55-WFtqD1/s1600-h/March+2009+024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx7bh_4LrTh9BSeOZCiA0xGj-26mDM98qm5N2l8_K8wnFHfNr0otG-ngFhMysWyuQRKl7lnDXpU2ISl_LH5m3tSCGSNTQpNBNme3YOQF_5ryoj72yQkr4FfQmpEVbt5yE1eF55-WFtqD1/s320/March+2009+024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321629672361791394" border="0" /></a>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-418923426591981482009-04-05T17:26:00.001-07:002009-04-05T19:49:32.913-07:00Farm LifeThis morning my host mom, Isa, killed one of our hens to make soup. Though she has done this many times before, today was the first time that I witnessed the whole process. After slicing its neck and draining the blood, she pours some hot water over it. This helps with the de-feathering. I was surprised by how easy it was to pluck all the feathers. Once she sliced it open we found multiples eggs in different stages. One was today's egg and was complete and ready to fry up. The rest were different sizes and in different stages of formation. The picture below should help explain this better.<span xmlns=""><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMELs4obXDPxH3LGrI0cCvqDOJbTqmZJIEwqrBZffYC7GdmPBQe94f2EKWGaYoOgm2xaRmcAHfpSIL6hFRNegqoZdnrrB6xsbde9ToaxPo6JkWgrMt-0tUbZExOZpmiLuUpF7sHUDs7I1F/s1600-h/Marzo+2009+010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMELs4obXDPxH3LGrI0cCvqDOJbTqmZJIEwqrBZffYC7GdmPBQe94f2EKWGaYoOgm2xaRmcAHfpSIL6hFRNegqoZdnrrB6xsbde9ToaxPo6JkWgrMt-0tUbZExOZpmiLuUpF7sHUDs7I1F/s200/Marzo+2009+010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321377296596058978" border="0" /></a></p></span><span xmlns=""><p><img src="file:///C:/Users/Kelsey/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Kelsey/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /> </p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCz4z8qvT4O_-1SmmCTImH4HhQgKbPktz0p7YFSPr4I3S_jm19QdMJBK5Uergjxx_gOWNJCUQciGogG6VU1L0bh-gXj2e3yybSbx3i_iwpIfsvFKRS-9f7qn8Dkh6AVOuugV_gx58squbK/s1600-h/Marzo+2009+012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCz4z8qvT4O_-1SmmCTImH4HhQgKbPktz0p7YFSPr4I3S_jm19QdMJBK5Uergjxx_gOWNJCUQciGogG6VU1L0bh-gXj2e3yybSbx3i_iwpIfsvFKRS-9f7qn8Dkh6AVOuugV_gx58squbK/s200/Marzo+2009+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321403145063029506" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>While she was preparing the hen, my host dad went out to pick some of the vegetables for the soup. He grows yucca and other tubers, which my host mom added to the soup. I have found that this is the great thing about living on a farm! All the fresh meat and veggies.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Here is the soup ready to eat!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumtwzsxNMCbI4LDsnZ9u84UKNLUry4IWEss9uTgKAN9eeQ0JaE41zAhtOLVl2FAg9znPbrZZ9ZzJG2K465coBfY9rZ-X3W_qE2qqOf7Ip-SQxKf0OlPjXvVV-KPyM7U26anFYXc5ocIAt/s1600-h/Marzo+2009+014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumtwzsxNMCbI4LDsnZ9u84UKNLUry4IWEss9uTgKAN9eeQ0JaE41zAhtOLVl2FAg9znPbrZZ9ZzJG2K465coBfY9rZ-X3W_qE2qqOf7Ip-SQxKf0OlPjXvVV-KPyM7U26anFYXc5ocIAt/s200/Marzo+2009+014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321404405562770482" border="0" /></a></p><p></p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-65774807531956399472009-03-17T10:45:00.000-07:002009-03-17T10:55:12.309-07:00Park and PlaygroundGreetings from Costa Rica! I hope that you are all doing well and surviving winter and the economic crisis. I am writing to tell you about a project that I am working on and to ask for your help.<br /><br />I can’t believe that I have been in Costa Rica for over a year! I am really enjoying myself and very happy with my decision to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. Living in a rural Costa Rica, in a town of 300 people has turned out to not be as hard as I thought; I'm actually quite enjoying the farm life!<br /><br />As I have written before, in the past year I went through 3 months of training, did a community analysis of my site by conducting interviews, started teaching English classes and am working with various community groups in Cristo Rey. In the past few months, I finally feel like I have a good idea of what the community’s priorities are and how I can help them achieve these goals. Thus, I can kind of picture how my final year and 2 months will play out. After all the surveying, one of the projects that the community of Cristo Rey is the most enthusiastic about (me too!) is the <strong>construction of a park and playground</strong> in the center of town.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314215515886941026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_S_bf1uTiJYuduMzbx0IHJ0s_jEm_br1sfc4KIB8YyMZ6eybaY-ZwQWCe8_a40aXI1p6YNQ2xrt28ykgiVGmBC7KJLrRqK_9lpKmK20ybLpiUib3WlZ8EJqOAJKxhSuXdzocVDSn293c/s320/Mud2.JPG" border="0" /><br />I am currently working with a group of women who form the Comite Tutelar, a group formed last year to protect and promote the rights of children in the community. These women feel that the lack of safe recreational opportunities for the kids in the community is a major issue. And let me tell you, at least from an American perspective, there currently really isn't a place for kids to play--the few kids that have bikes ride them up and down the street, but the rest generally stay inside their homes.<br /><br />Based upon the awesome work of these women, the local Catholic Church has generously donated a 20 x 20 meter piece of land right in the center of town. Our plan is to install the playground in the center, place benches on the outside and plant flowers and trees.<br /><br /><br />This park will make a huge difference in my community, not only for the kids, but for the whole town. It will not only be really pretty (my master gardener mother is helping research some of the best plants), but also extremely functional. My hope is that by working with the community and engaging the community in the building of the park, it becomes a point of pride for the whole community. Also, I am excited that the park will provide both kids and parents a healthy place to congregate and interact with one another. Even though the community is very small, it is still very common for the women and young kids to stay in their houses all day and have little interaction with their neighbors.<br /><br />The women in the Comite Tutelar, and the community as a whole, are very excited and dedicated to this project, as am I. We can all picture what a difference it will make for the kids and the community.<br /><br />The budget for this project is $5,000 and the community has committed to contributing 25% of expenses. Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, raising the rest of the money in-country will be difficult (we don't have a title for the land, being one of many) and so, with Peace Corps approval, I am asking you, my friends, family, and friends of friends and family to help make a real difference in this community by donating to this project. Your contribution will be fully tax-deductible and you can do it online by visiting the Peace Corps website, <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/contribute" target="_blank">http://www.peacecorps.gov/contribute</a>. Once there, simply click on "Donate to Volunteer Projects", type in "515-153" to search for my project, and click submit (you may need to scroll down the page to see the project come up.) You can also see a more complete project description online if you are interested.<br /><br />Please help Cristo Rey by donating to this project. I hear (through my NPR podcasts) that times are tough in the US with the economic crisis, but any amount that you can give, even $10 takes us a step closer to our goal. Also, we´re shooting to get started in May, before the rainy season starts, which means that I need to raise the money by the end of April. Again, anything that you can give will help a lot!<br /><br />If you have any questions I am happy to send you more details or a complete project proposal. Also, please consider helping me even more by sending this to your friends and family who may not know me personally, but might be interested in helping build a playground! Everyone who donates will get playground construction updates (and serious thanks) from me!Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969255687500660631.post-63186885232675061882009-03-17T09:03:00.001-07:002009-03-17T09:37:24.421-07:00Grupo de mujeres<span xmlns=""><p>Today we formed a women's group! This morning I was a little hesitant about how the meeting would go, and if we would have trouble electing the officers, but everything went smoothly. I had the women do a lot of brainstorming; to discuss the resources in the community, the necessities and then possible projects for the women's group. We only went off on a few tangents, which is quite an accomplishment!<br /></p><p> </p><p>In the end we had the elections (or discussion about who should be in which post) and it wasn't too difficult. The women would throw out names and that person would say whether she was willing to assume the post or not. The former director of the school was chosen as President, which is great because everyone respects her in the community, she is well educated and very organized.<br /></p><p> </p><p>All of the 23 women who showed up to the meeting seem pretty excited about forming the group and working together. We'll see what happens in the next few months!<br /></p><p> </p><p>On Wednesday, people from Costa Rica's equivalent of the 4-H are coming to meet with us, and hopefully help us with the legalization of the group and maybe with possible project ideas.</p></span>Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03047240972219189979noreply@blogger.com0