tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439771588983677602024-03-13T10:19:14.145-07:00New nestMy semester in Costa RicaNew nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-8659388614074798172012-05-09T13:50:00.000-07:002012-05-09T13:50:14.804-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>387</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2211</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Clark University</o:Company>
<o:Lines>18</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>2715</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These past last few days of my semester have been filled
with anxious “change” energy-- of my parents coming, of the program ending-- and a million goodbyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all got up at 4am to say farewell to those (most) who
were off to the airport (the rest of us were being met by parents, or traveling
on). My friend Carlee expressed it well by saying that we’d phased in our
relationships with one another—day after day learning more about each other,
experiencing more within and between each other. We spent all of our time
together—eating three meals, cooking, cleaning, farming, playing, learning,
sleeping. And then we all leave. There’s no phase out, or slowly, naturally,
seeing each other less and less. We piled everyones things into the car in the
still dark morning, and said goodbye. To some, we said “I’ll be seein you”, and
meant it, but never again will this community, these people, this energy and
trust that we’d built be felt again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With space and time, maybe I’ll have more profound and
measurable quantifications of what I’ve learned, how I’ve grown, how I’ve
stayed the same, things that I’ve changed, and things that have changed me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But for now, here’s some things I’m taking home with me:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m taking home the ability to jump into a cold shower.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm taking home darker (angry) skin, and lighter hair. And I'm taking home</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> an embrace of this inescapably inevitably messy, tangled hair. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm taking home a little spanish, the ability to "chat" a little, or at least the courage to try.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I’m taking home a new found and unexpected pleasure and understanding of music. I'm taking home, I think, a belief in God (or something) (which sounds really scary and serious but I think is just fine and normal and right for me). I'm taking home one million stones and shells from the beach, the smell of the water, the feel of the waves. I'm taking home a few special souvenirs for my loves and some new hair scrunches. I'm taking home albums and albums of pictures, an attempt to never forget. I’m taking home a fierce
and true belief that you vote with your purchase. The money I spend, just me,
on biodegradable shampoo or organic milk </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
sending a message. I am taking home an understanding of day-by-day work. Of a
small, do-able, and measurable mindset. I will do the best I can for the earth
and my body </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">today. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will eat less
meat, run more, drive less, smile more </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">today. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow,
I’ll worry about tomorrow. I am taking home a true appreciation of my country.
Of all that its given me, the opportunity I have there, my creature comforts.
And I’m taking home the knowledge that I’m a homebody. I knew that, probably.
But now I really know it. There is a thrill in traveling. Of seeing the most
incredible sunsets, and meeting the most interesting people, and tasting the
sweetest flavors. But I do love home. I’ve missed my family and friends in a
way that makes me tear up just thinking about it. I have been given an
incredible incredible opportunity and I think that I seized it. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I took chances, made (a few) risky
decisions, and stepped out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mary Oliver wrote, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with
your one wild and precious life?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so glad I did it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m22SrhlPhOU/T6rVbfDhVMI/AAAAAAAAATE/owlcSJ8aX7E/s1600/IMG_1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m22SrhlPhOU/T6rVbfDhVMI/AAAAAAAAATE/owlcSJ8aX7E/s640/IMG_1610.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunrise, my last morning.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-41289213957024302892012-04-28T15:38:00.002-07:002012-04-28T15:38:27.600-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qSsw8HYKlts/T5xxUgPPFzI/AAAAAAAAAS4/59k5H-dBfJY/s1600/IMG_1498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qSsw8HYKlts/T5xxUgPPFzI/AAAAAAAAAS4/59k5H-dBfJY/s640/IMG_1498.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-66922931726372922242012-04-24T19:55:00.001-07:002012-04-24T19:55:28.084-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All that stands between me and Rod and Tracy's Costa Rican adventure is this paper:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Og0JYlSS81w/T5diMNNbRWI/AAAAAAAAASg/gvL7t9Llf4A/s1600/IMG_1486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Og0JYlSS81w/T5diMNNbRWI/AAAAAAAAASg/gvL7t9Llf4A/s640/IMG_1486.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But we're all getting a liiiiiittle nutty</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xEm7QF3-iFs/T5diXCarGNI/AAAAAAAAASo/exEqAe9YNXE/s1600/396251_1648660296418_213297751_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xEm7QF3-iFs/T5diXCarGNI/AAAAAAAAASo/exEqAe9YNXE/s640/396251_1648660296418_213297751_n.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even our professors </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kwEYfVYd2_o/T5dibX3TjDI/AAAAAAAAASw/N7E7uayxtX0/s1600/IMG_1455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kwEYfVYd2_o/T5dibX3TjDI/AAAAAAAAASw/N7E7uayxtX0/s640/IMG_1455.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-89095809472901793882012-04-23T13:14:00.002-07:002012-04-23T13:14:44.921-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Costa Rican soccer is mediocre at best, but the energy at the game we went to was just thrilling. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxyXwKPbIftqOIRwF8HxQ0acwF4CPJ0FeNEGT844ATbZljoUIAL8ESTCmpV4zM2ZScxGsALSeIxZUdpRTI9_A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the girls. We play soccer too!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d0-q2vqk8QI/T5WvgGwsDxI/AAAAAAAAASQ/D7PJ2tCz3PQ/s1600/402058_10151350406255565_588775564_23587919_948159683_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d0-q2vqk8QI/T5WvgGwsDxI/AAAAAAAAASQ/D7PJ2tCz3PQ/s640/402058_10151350406255565_588775564_23587919_948159683_n.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In our *modest* stadium</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwV7k61huTo/T5W3-5WoNUI/AAAAAAAAASY/HzwJ7dxqorM/s1600/150176_3297282145852_1081817333_3057372_1110243438_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwV7k61huTo/T5W3-5WoNUI/AAAAAAAAASY/HzwJ7dxqorM/s640/150176_3297282145852_1081817333_3057372_1110243438_n.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-77624832208427448182012-04-20T21:39:00.000-07:002012-04-20T21:39:30.731-07:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think this is interesting:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/is-facebook-making-us-lonely/8930/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/is-facebook-making-us-lonely/8930/ </span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also something about this reaches me:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“The unending paradox is that we do learn through pain.” </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/106.Madeleine_L_Engle" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Madeleine L'Engle</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And this, isn't she wonderful?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">“I will have nothing to do with a God who cares only occasionally. I need a God who is with us always, everywhere, in the deepest depths as well as the highest heights. It is when things go wrong, when good things do not happen, when our prayers seem to have been lost, that God is most present. We do not need the sheltering wings when things go smoothly. We are closest to God in the darkness, stumbling along blindly.” </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/106.Madeleine_L_Engle" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Madeleine L'Engle</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally, this:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZOdCt2pArU/T5I44qHiHSI/AAAAAAAAARY/O51rTLpYciY/s1600/IMG_1227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZOdCt2pArU/T5I44qHiHSI/AAAAAAAAARY/O51rTLpYciY/s640/IMG_1227.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-24339309130986750382012-04-19T16:59:00.000-07:002012-04-19T16:59:51.695-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>198</o:Words> <o:Characters>1130</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>9</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1387</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGCui9ORm8A/T5Cm0oPWuUI/AAAAAAAAARQ/S9iAmADQKQI/s1600/bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGCui9ORm8A/T5Cm0oPWuUI/AAAAAAAAARQ/S9iAmADQKQI/s1600/bar.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve been reading Obama’s book, Dreams from My Father. It’s the 6<sup>th</sup> book that I’ve read since being here. I love being able to quantify time by the number of books I’ve read—feels so different from how I spend my free time at Clark. And his book is <i>so</i> fantastic. After only a few days, I’ve almost finished. It makes me feel foolish, having not read it before now. He’s our president, and I hardly knew anything about him! This sounds cheesy but I feel some kind of personal connection to him. Reading is like this moment in time when the reader and the writer touch, you know? I like thinking of it like that. But so much of what he says is so honest and sincere—I keep thinking, <i>yeah, I’ve felt that way before too</i> or, <i>Or yeah, I know what you mean Barack!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is getting silly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I just think that the book is wonderful, and I recommend it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(And here’s a little passage I like)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The study of law can be disappointing at times, a matter of applying narrow rules and arcane procedure to an uncooperative reality; a sort of glorified accounting that serves to regulate the affairs of those who have power--and that all too often seeks to explain, to those who do not, the ultimate wisdom and justness of their condition.<br />
<br />
But that's not all the law is. The law is also memory; the law also records a long-running conversation, a nation arguing with its conscience.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-76120116038433034112012-04-16T16:34:00.000-07:002012-04-16T16:34:08.458-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>471</o:Words> <o:Characters>2685</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>22</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>3297</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve been doing internet-less research all week so haven’t been able to upload things! But here’s some thoughts I had while away: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPYc4JoI6aI/T4yjyrU8VuI/AAAAAAAAAQA/9pxxX3Sm7HM/s1600/IMG_1345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPYc4JoI6aI/T4yjyrU8VuI/AAAAAAAAAQA/9pxxX3Sm7HM/s640/IMG_1345.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is what my setup has looked like for the past week. I’ve spent my days hunkered down monitoring hummingbird feeders, or out catching and measuring them. It’s almost unbelievable that we’re in Costa Rica, as the temperatures been around 50 degrees every day (because we’re at 9,300 feet (this high altitude is outrageous! I feel so out of shape, sucking wind just walking up a small hill!)). The first day we got here, it felt like my body went into shock. My skin was transparent and blue and I had to miss our first afternoon because I just couldn't warm up. But as the week went on, I acclimated. Layers, layers, layers. We’re staying at this funny motel/rest stop/humming bird scientist’s Mecca. You would never guess it by looking, but people come here from all over the world to study hummingbirds! The establishment hangs feeders all around, and every day this little man comes and unhooks them, one at a time, and fills them with fresh sugar water.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know this is boring, but these are the 4 types of hummers we studied this week: Magnificent, Volcano, Fire Throated, and Green Violet Ear! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WVL0yL6_XzU/T4ykC6wBvhI/AAAAAAAAAQI/tGYYcy2JG9o/s1600/IMG_1285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WVL0yL6_XzU/T4ykC6wBvhI/AAAAAAAAAQI/tGYYcy2JG9o/s320/IMG_1285.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bR1kxYHDYps/T4yk5_gveOI/AAAAAAAAAQo/GihlSFUSI50/s1600/IMG_1288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bR1kxYHDYps/T4yk5_gveOI/AAAAAAAAAQo/GihlSFUSI50/s320/IMG_1288.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKA6ccRd79w/T4ykpXiLuBI/AAAAAAAAAQg/0N5oWWMFu2s/s1600/IMG_1287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKA6ccRd79w/T4ykpXiLuBI/AAAAAAAAAQg/0N5oWWMFu2s/s320/IMG_1287.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-muRPY0j_gQI/T4ykSgOTK3I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/CoXRRX9yUyA/s1600/IMG_1286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-muRPY0j_gQI/T4ykSgOTK3I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/CoXRRX9yUyA/s320/IMG_1286.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’ve got mist nets set up—it's this verrrry fine netting attached to two poles, kind of like a volley-ball net. It’s near impossible to see them, so the birds fly into it and kind of drop down into its excess . Then we rush over and untangle them (“It’s like taking off a very tight jumpsuit”, my professor says, “First the feet, then the body, neck, and last the head!”). It sounds sort of cruel explaining it here, but the birds never get hurt </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(you have to be a certified ornothologist to even get mist nets, because if people aren't careful, they'll leave them up unmonitored and if the birds sit too long they can get hurt). But t</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he net is gentle. Our professor, Geraldo, keeps telling me not to touch the birds because my hands are “too chilly” (they could die if they get too cold when they’re being handled) so I have to keep sticking my hands under my arm pits to warm them up before untangling them. Then we measure their beaks, trace their wings, swab off some pollen they’ve stored on the beak, weigh them (which involves kind of stuffing them into this little cone, and putting them on a scale, they don’t seem to mind the small space), and then we paint their little tiny ity bity toe nails—to make sure we don’t catch the same one twice—and release them! It’s pretty fun, we’ve gotten really good at identifying them quickly—species and gender.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you see this? It's hard to see, but it's a mist net! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RVCWUAqoYtk/T4ykdCtxcYI/AAAAAAAAAQY/N0e6kh5yyig/s1600/IMG_1318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RVCWUAqoYtk/T4ykdCtxcYI/AAAAAAAAAQY/N0e6kh5yyig/s640/IMG_1318.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Untangling</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7WXTVTTmYYQ/T4ynXpkmVrI/AAAAAAAAARA/-YDoLlon2Gs/s1600/IMG_1303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7WXTVTTmYYQ/T4ynXpkmVrI/AAAAAAAAARA/-YDoLlon2Gs/s640/IMG_1303.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isn't she beautiful? WOWOWOW</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npZvcCg0sSc/T4ylRyKzN1I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/Relh00Yaeb8/s1600/IMG_1297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npZvcCg0sSc/T4ylRyKzN1I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/Relh00Yaeb8/s640/IMG_1297.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maya, organizing our science station!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7eghMhJSP0/T4ylFKbPDjI/AAAAAAAAAQw/5ZdTJheQLYQ/s1600/IMG_1289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7eghMhJSP0/T4ylFKbPDjI/AAAAAAAAAQw/5ZdTJheQLYQ/s640/IMG_1289.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wing drawings</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d6gnf7-nN2Y/T4ynftbNdsI/AAAAAAAAARI/iTVZfFUfACw/s1600/IMG_1304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d6gnf7-nN2Y/T4ynftbNdsI/AAAAAAAAARI/iTVZfFUfACw/s640/IMG_1304.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Besides the mist-netting, we also do feeder monitoring—looking at hummer interactions and counting the number of times they take a sip. The feeders are on the other side of these great big glass windows, there’s no heat here but the sun rises early and beats through the glass. It’s slow work, but not so bad. We start early, one minute of observation, 4 minutes off, one minute observation, 4 minutes off (ad infinitum). I try to make the best of the 4 minutes of rest we have—like read as many pages of my book as I can, or sometimes when things get really slow, I like to imagine what It’d be like to have a beak like they have. It would be a huge nuisance, really. On some of these hummers, the beaks is about a third of the length of their whole body! Can you imagine the things you wouldn’t be able to do if you had a 3 foot long beak sticking out of your face? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in all, it’s been a nice time to just sit. With all the chocolate caliente I want. Just me and the birds. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rNIB0LpPPJ0/T4yjmy21z9I/AAAAAAAAAP4/p-BRzoWqJNE/s1600/IMG_1352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rNIB0LpPPJ0/T4yjmy21z9I/AAAAAAAAAP4/p-BRzoWqJNE/s640/IMG_1352.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-37086121860886111322012-04-10T14:30:00.000-07:002012-04-10T14:30:53.790-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>238</o:Words> <o:Characters>1361</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>11</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1671</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-align: left;">We’ve had school off for the past week for Semana Santa (holy week). I’d never heard of this before, but that’s just my religious ignorance because it’s a really important holiday time all over the world! And here, it seems like the whole country goes on vacation! We went to the Caribbean coast (along with every other Costa Rican, it seemed), and how different it was! Muggy, for one, but also so much reggae music and beads and people with dark skin and sweet flavorful food—it was refreshing. We stayed in a hostel that was just bonkers! The entire place-floors, walls, ceilings, tables—was mosaiced in tiles and mirror. It was dazzling and confusing and mesmerizing and I can’t imagine having to clean all that grout, but it was wonderful. One night there were 400 people staying there! There are huge spaces of rows and rows of hundreds of hammocks, and floors of tents, or bunk rooms. I expected it to be mostly young tourists, and there were a few hundred of us, but there were also a lot of Costa Ricans—a kind of magical glistening place for young people to meet up. There was a constant bustling hum of energy and noise. One night there was a full moon fiesta, and another night a big bonfire at the beach with an impromptu drum/accordion/voice/dance party. It was really refreshing meeting other kids studying abroad in Costa Rica who also had break for Semana Santa, there’s so many of us! We beached for a lot of our time, and rented bikes and went on a long morning ride—and got caught in the rain, and just generally enjoyed the Caribbean culture there that’s so different from what I’m used to on the other coast. Only 3 weeks left, yikes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRJd4b0Tl8k/T4SlipU2goI/AAAAAAAAAPw/BSuOVVWJeSU/s1600/IMG_1187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RRJd4b0Tl8k/T4SlipU2goI/AAAAAAAAAPw/BSuOVVWJeSU/s640/IMG_1187.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2izGEdjH_VU/T4SiGBl7muI/AAAAAAAAAPY/HXsMCPkLhRE/s1600/IMG_1241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2izGEdjH_VU/T4SiGBl7muI/AAAAAAAAAPY/HXsMCPkLhRE/s640/IMG_1241.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sANwkDZACAo/T4Sj1VQ0CpI/AAAAAAAAAPo/NWQgFJ2b7KY/s1600/IMG_1188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sANwkDZACAo/T4Sj1VQ0CpI/AAAAAAAAAPo/NWQgFJ2b7KY/s640/IMG_1188.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-26713196263459130302012-04-08T20:49:00.000-07:002012-04-08T20:49:00.554-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>21</o:Words> <o:Characters>123</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>1</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>151</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feliz cumpleaños brother!! I love you I love you I love you. (And a small birthday goodie is coming via the very, very, <i>very</i> slow Costa Rican mail!)</span><!--EndFragment--> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVBQWLl2ZeI/T4JZ1kkaF7I/AAAAAAAAAPI/ha_i9IHPqMw/s1600/birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVBQWLl2ZeI/T4JZ1kkaF7I/AAAAAAAAAPI/ha_i9IHPqMw/s640/birthday.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And look at this <i>beautiful</i> angel food cake mama made her Easter baby! I could smell it even through skype. Grandma would be just delighted that her birthday cakes live on. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KpmADzCM2kM/T4JaJC2cZGI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/KXCH3j-0tOA/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KpmADzCM2kM/T4JaJC2cZGI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/KXCH3j-0tOA/s640/Picture+4.png" width="640" /></a></div>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-42150758162982937092012-04-03T15:31:00.000-07:002012-04-03T15:31:57.990-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>36</o:Words> <o:Characters>207</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>1</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>254</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, it poured--for the first time since December 16<sup>th!</sup> It hit our tin roof with such gusto that we had to stop class because we couldn’t hear our lecture. Everything seems smaller, the ground has swollen up and the trees branches have sunk with water weight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A rainy empty clothes line, for once!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FjAJ-OTgs6w/T3tv0ro4mII/AAAAAAAAAOo/GPgPpyLktJI/s1600/IMG_1157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FjAJ-OTgs6w/T3tv0ro4mII/AAAAAAAAAOo/GPgPpyLktJI/s640/IMG_1157.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some flower dissection in prep for the hummers</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dSNgkVv8KW8/T3tw1aiUClI/AAAAAAAAAOw/fxgVGLyga3k/s1600/IMG_1141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dSNgkVv8KW8/T3tw1aiUClI/AAAAAAAAAOw/fxgVGLyga3k/s640/IMG_1141.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MIpRVqnNqvo/T3tzRPhGOqI/AAAAAAAAAPA/qJ_jpjZd99U/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MIpRVqnNqvo/T3tzRPhGOqI/AAAAAAAAAPA/qJ_jpjZd99U/s640/IMG_1146.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T9vInAijmmw/T3tyh7xaQLI/AAAAAAAAAO4/wahE_pTFAcs/s1600/IMG_1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T9vInAijmmw/T3tyh7xaQLI/AAAAAAAAAO4/wahE_pTFAcs/s640/IMG_1147.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-48512814646543752372012-04-02T07:03:00.000-07:002012-04-02T07:03:47.069-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>374</o:Words> <o:Characters>2135</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>17</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>2621</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This weekend we got away to a nearby surf town. A handful of us got a hostel there filled with other beachy folk. I’m fascinated by these hostel people we meet. They seem to just be bummin around—escaping their lives in the states, or looking for something else, I guess. Most of the guys at this hostel were surfers—what is it about the water that lures people to drop everything and ride? I suppose they’re attracted to the whole culture of it, too. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the morning Stella, our friend Sara, and I took a three hour surf lesson from one of the guys we met. It was soo sos o sososo sooo so much fun. And exhausting. And silly and exciting. And cool. I’ve always been afraid to fall (like I never stray too far from the railing when I ice skate and I never dove for a ball in soccer or slide tackled an opponent). But the water is so forgiving and soft and we fell so many times but it wasn’t scary at all. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4rRVfDpEhg/T3mv6jatLRI/AAAAAAAAAOY/d_5o4rJCdX4/s1600/wave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4rRVfDpEhg/T3mv6jatLRI/AAAAAAAAAOY/d_5o4rJCdX4/s640/wave.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At night we went out to a club. We had fun just dancing around and being goofy. The music and space felt just like being in an American club, circa 1999 (not that I was going to clubs in 1999 (or in 2012, for that matter), but I’m imagining) (and that’s how my mom and I often felt in Kenya—similar to the US, but dated). All around the edge of the club were loungie areas that were reserved. We didn’t understand at first, but slowly got filled up with older American men with really young Costa Rican women, presumably prostitutes (I wouldn’t assume this or write it here if I was uncertain of the relationship, but I really do think this is what it was. One man told us that it’s called “sex-tourism”, people who come solely for that). Each of these bald aging men had one woman that was dancing on them or drinking and laughing with them. I’ve been to the red-light district in Amsterdam and seen prostitutes walking in new haven and Worcester, but this felt different. I think it was watching them interact, the casualness of it, how happy both parties looked. These men didn’t look bad or malicious, they looked like any other male I know. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AND THEN these two American like 30 year old guys came over to us and said, “Hey girls, so we don’t really know how this thing works, but…are you girls working?” I can’t even explain the pure shock on our faces. Are you kidding me?? No we’re not prostitutes!! We were all dancing so awkwardly clutching on to our purses, clearly tourists! And we were all wearing Birkenstocks and chacos!! I just started laughing at the absurdity of the situation, but the guys ended up being really embarrassed and apologetic. We left soon after. In all, a thrilling weekend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, found this little buddy next to our dorms (he's suffocating an iguana)!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-01RAN2hXs/T3mxCvCIAXI/AAAAAAAAAOg/p8vWHpMWOlc/s1600/sna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-01RAN2hXs/T3mxCvCIAXI/AAAAAAAAAOg/p8vWHpMWOlc/s640/sna.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-58100351179215386082012-03-30T18:35:00.000-07:002012-03-30T18:35:07.901-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>81</o:Words> <o:Characters>466</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>3</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>572</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I watch the sun rise and sun set most days here. It comes up slowly but sets quickly, understandably exhausted from shining with such gusto all day long. And for some reason I keep taking pictures of it, they all look the same on film but feel so different in person. And the silliest part is that I never even notice the sun at home! I like that part of being in a new place—paying attention to those benign things you don't otherwise think of. I hope that when I’m back in the states, I’ll keep seeing things with these fresh eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lMkXb-BdJ9c/T3Zaoj2oFWI/AAAAAAAAANo/3NLdbFUGCMU/s1600/IMG_0618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lMkXb-BdJ9c/T3Zaoj2oFWI/AAAAAAAAANo/3NLdbFUGCMU/s640/IMG_0618.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UjkWPJVgwdg/T3ZcDYAa3nI/AAAAAAAAAOA/yXRCK8j3Pls/s1600/IMG_0777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UjkWPJVgwdg/T3ZcDYAa3nI/AAAAAAAAAOA/yXRCK8j3Pls/s640/IMG_0777.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GFywzGnEKPQ/T3Zekm88HLI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/FXwfCZRTSaU/s1600/IMG_0883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GFywzGnEKPQ/T3Zekm88HLI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/FXwfCZRTSaU/s640/IMG_0883.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzIpIHT_a-o/T3Zbue2BxqI/AAAAAAAAAN4/DW6ucdoW9Ws/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzIpIHT_a-o/T3Zbue2BxqI/AAAAAAAAAN4/DW6ucdoW9Ws/s640/IMG_0623.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-44460853442012847292012-03-28T17:35:00.000-07:002012-03-28T17:35:12.001-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>118</o:Words> <o:Characters>674</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>5</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>827</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finals finally finished. I was not anticipating the workload and rigor of this program, but now that it’s over I can begin appreciating it. I’ve never had so little down time in my life. College at home has so little class time and so much free time. The procrastination that I’m susceptible to from this kind of schedule wasn’t a problem here. With shorter deadlines and tons of work, putting things off until the last minute wasn’t an option. In less than two months I’ve written five major papers, had eight exams and had hours upon hours of class and field work. Saying this all now feels satisfying, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a colossal weight has been lifted!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> For the last month of the semester we work solely with a professor on a directed research project. I’ll be working with hummingbirds! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hN1N9HgdjgI/T3OtecBN26I/AAAAAAAAANg/ulnfPaJdgEA/s1600/IMG_0885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hN1N9HgdjgI/T3OtecBN26I/AAAAAAAAANg/ulnfPaJdgEA/s640/IMG_0885.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-61101684162690083552012-03-25T21:59:00.000-07:002012-03-25T21:59:35.792-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>81</o:Words> <o:Characters>466</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>3</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>572</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hiked up my 5<sup>th</sup> volcano! I’d never even seen a volcano before Costa Rica, and this one was especially wild. It’s called Masaya and it’s massive and it constantly sending up sulfur dioxide gas. Today, I guess it was really bad. It smells like hard boiled eggs and it makes you cough and you even taste it in your mouth and it stays on your skin and in your clothes. Our professors said that if we’d been in Costa Rica, they’d never let the park stay open, but Nicaragua’s a little more lax about these things. But it was stunning, and took my breath away-- in more ways than one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ENwD5gdnVk/T2_2cCdcJrI/AAAAAAAAANY/hWXKAZOi3-I/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4ENwD5gdnVk/T2_2cCdcJrI/AAAAAAAAANY/hWXKAZOi3-I/s640/IMG_1098.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n40vgPZU55A/T2_1smtGnEI/AAAAAAAAANQ/xO0VC0yxSaI/s1600/v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n40vgPZU55A/T2_1smtGnEI/AAAAAAAAANQ/xO0VC0yxSaI/s640/v.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-10398523602544925582012-03-24T08:40:00.000-07:002012-03-24T08:40:39.072-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>275</o:Words> <o:Characters>1568</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>13</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1925</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The past few nights we’ve been staying in Grenada. Grenada’s the fourth largest city in Nicaragua, with about 110,326 people. It was established in 1524 by Cordoba, and allegedly was the first European city in <i>all</i> of mainland America. It’s the first time since being in Central America that I felt like I’ve been in a really old old city—I love it. Granada has grand antique churches and all of the buildings, though decaying, have curly-Q molding and trim and intricately painted tiles. Each house is painted a different vibrant color. It makes me think of when my friend Sharoda’s parents painted her house canary yellow with royal blue trim, amidst a neighborhood of only bruise colored houses. People were not happy—if only they could see how nice it is when every house is bright! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLa38FFC3iM/T23YEqUoHKI/AAAAAAAAAMg/btqDb15nGB4/s1600/IMG_1011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLa38FFC3iM/T23YEqUoHKI/AAAAAAAAAMg/btqDb15nGB4/s640/IMG_1011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xWQjfi9iOeQ/T23fZW1qIRI/AAAAAAAAAMo/p3bwFhK7HOo/s1600/IMG_1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xWQjfi9iOeQ/T23fZW1qIRI/AAAAAAAAAMo/p3bwFhK7HOo/s640/IMG_1018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YXReDC4ecV0/T23pf2GsvGI/AAAAAAAAAMw/SL2bIWSD8gM/s1600/IMG_1035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YXReDC4ecV0/T23pf2GsvGI/AAAAAAAAAMw/SL2bIWSD8gM/s640/IMG_1035.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m4oJtQqD-_Y/T23qArrGKpI/AAAAAAAAAM4/lLTMGzh4sKY/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m4oJtQqD-_Y/T23qArrGKpI/AAAAAAAAAM4/lLTMGzh4sKY/s640/IMG_1030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each night we walk from our hotel (it’s very nice, $ goes much further here…) to a street full of restaurants and shops to eat. There’s a wide-open space in the middle where children perform—dance and run around with giant puppets. It’s more obnoxious than anything else, they beat these giant piercing drums and yell and then ask for money. It’s hard to know what to do—to give them money, to say no, to buy something from them. But our teachers told us, and there’s a flyer that many restaurants put in their menu, that there is a soup kitchen that can feed every singly hungry child in Granada. But because tourists give money and food, they continue begging instead of eating at home with their families or going to the soup kitchen. Living on the street at such a young age, they say, then just makes them more likely to use drugs or prostitute later on. When I read this in the menu, it made a lot of sense but it also seems to very neatly fit in with what the restaurants want—more kids begging means less business. I suppose it’s just not very common that public interest and commercial interest align.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Nicaragua home</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EK4lN6zuu-E/T23qIke0U1I/AAAAAAAAANI/P9J1XXgbL58/s1600/p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EK4lN6zuu-E/T23qIke0U1I/AAAAAAAAANI/P9J1XXgbL58/s640/p.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0VToRbMPdRk/T23qDZ4c6zI/AAAAAAAAANA/S5o3QINs_7Y/s1600/g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0VToRbMPdRk/T23qDZ4c6zI/AAAAAAAAANA/S5o3QINs_7Y/s640/g.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-29899404093440525912012-03-21T16:37:00.000-07:002012-03-21T16:37:07.707-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>48</o:Words> <o:Characters>276</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>2</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>338</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the hostel we've been staying in on Ometepe, the manager requires all staff to bring a bottle filled with trash to every pay-day. It gets people to pick up trash as they walk to work, and then they’re able to built things with the bottles! I’m not totally sure how it works, but here are some pictures of it as a work in progress!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KwWdAXIEUQc/T2pkTniOSmI/AAAAAAAAAL4/H_2RusjqXtY/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KwWdAXIEUQc/T2pkTniOSmI/AAAAAAAAAL4/H_2RusjqXtY/s640/IMG_0979.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXMvo8SayRQ/T2pkbuFMWeI/AAAAAAAAAMA/ONwTEzyplOU/s1600/IMG_0983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXMvo8SayRQ/T2pkbuFMWeI/AAAAAAAAAMA/ONwTEzyplOU/s640/IMG_0983.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ok869VrlV5o/T2pkoAo0s9I/AAAAAAAAAMI/9wLhJczPBv4/s1600/IMG_0985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ok869VrlV5o/T2pkoAo0s9I/AAAAAAAAAMI/9wLhJczPBv4/s640/IMG_0985.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7-6GQXvg7U/T2pkyV7-uII/AAAAAAAAAMQ/TrRqd8q-CDk/s1600/IMG_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7-6GQXvg7U/T2pkyV7-uII/AAAAAAAAAMQ/TrRqd8q-CDk/s640/IMG_0980.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-16781798549785506762012-03-19T17:26:00.000-07:002012-03-19T17:26:39.311-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>462</o:Words> <o:Characters>2639</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>21</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>3240</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just listened to a This American Life called “Continental Breakups”. It was about the creation of the Euro and how it’s affecting the European debt crisis (A well worth hour, if you’re interested <a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/455/continental-breakup">http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/455/continental-breakup</a>). But they say that one of the major reasons for the creation of the euro was because the countries realized that a united Europe would be stronger than any individual country would be alone. And this isn’t a new thing, Victor Hugo said in 1871, “let us be the United States of Europe, let us be the continental federation. Let us be European liberty. Let us be universal peace”. That was so long ago! So this is a dream that has resonated in the back of visionaries heads for a long long time. So then World War II happened, and after this tragedy Europe didn’t want any more war between their countries, ever. So years and years later (and for more economic reasons, like the German wanting to prevent inflation by all means—thus acting as the “rule” to how governments should run their economies) and after much negotiations, the euro was made! And though the euro hasn’t solved the problems that economists hoped it would, it did unite these countries into sharing a single currency—for better or worse. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’re in Nicaragua for the next week or so. As we drove over the boarder, all 34 of us changed our dollars and Cordobas to Colones. I thought of this podcast as we calculated complicated exchange rates—not only because of the logistical ease a common currency would bring, but the unity. When the euro created, it came with the acknowledgement that if one country was weak, it would bring down the rest, but if one was strong, it could lead the rest. What if we had that in South America? I know that there’s too much strife between countries now for this ever to work, but it’s a nice dream. Crossing from Costa Rica into Nicaragua, we are crossing boarder of the most drastic income disparity between any two countries in South America. And it’s not just an arbitrary GDP thing—you can <i>see</i> it. We’ve been staying the past few nights on an Ometepe—an island in Lake Nicaragua. Each night we swim at sunset—black silhouetted heads bob in the water against a bright orange sky, wedged between two huge volcanoes. But one night after we’d swam, we think these two little girls came and snagged Stella’s swimsuit. It could have been so much worse and was more of an inconvenience than anything, but I feel different here than in Costa Rica, as bathing suite theft isn’t something very common there. Nonetheless, it’s incredible being here. And I’ve hardly had any time to write here! But I’ve been thinking a lot about the two years that my Dad spent here in the Peace Corps. Though I’m still doing school while I’m here, it feels like vacation. I feel proud and inspired when I tell people that he spent all of his time here doing service—what I guy. And I love the cyclical feeling that I’m getting being here—walking and seeing and smelling the same things in my 20’s that he walked and saw and smelled in <i>his</i> 20’s! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U2Bq5nuTyaQ/T2fNyqt4d_I/AAAAAAAAALw/03IyB-HMY-E/s1600/IMG_0991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U2Bq5nuTyaQ/T2fNyqt4d_I/AAAAAAAAALw/03IyB-HMY-E/s640/IMG_0991.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i43PPFjLmmI/T2fNt-Uh3DI/AAAAAAAAALo/G3E873pQNoY/s1600/IMG_0989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i43PPFjLmmI/T2fNt-Uh3DI/AAAAAAAAALo/G3E873pQNoY/s640/IMG_0989.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-74057427268856957962012-03-13T22:27:00.000-07:002012-03-13T22:27:00.514-07:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>187</o:Words> <o:Characters>1067</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>8</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>1310</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Friday I had a wonderful day. I used to think of these in absolute terms—a wonderful day must be filled only with wonderful things. But I’m realizing that wonderful days can have mediocre parts—I think it’s only fair that way. On Friday we were midway through a four-day hiking trip through Santa Rosa National Park. We’d gotten up at 4:45 to beat the heat and hiked all day—through a tropical dry forest (desert, if I had to say). The beach—though at the end of the path, was at the forefront of our minds. We weren’t allowed to swim there (rough surf and sharks and alligators!), but we’d heard that the water was cool due to the currents—perfect to soak hot feet. Finally, through a corridor of trees we saw the ocean. It was as deserted and as pristine and as chilly as I’d envisioned and our feet sunk deep into the fine sand with each wave. But as I am my mother’s daughter, I wanted to swim. So a friend and I walked a few miles down to the end of the beach where it’s calmer, and fully clothed we dunked in. I have never felt more exhilarated—the shock of the cold and the thrill of secrecy. On our walk back, I had to force myself not to collect every single shell. I wish I didn’t have this incessant need to take the beach home with me but I’m glad to have these tangible crustacean reminders of a wonderful day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our destination</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7fhX0Jzzkg/T2AobGFgotI/AAAAAAAAALQ/zd9Fwr6Skg4/s1600/IMG_0745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7fhX0Jzzkg/T2AobGFgotI/AAAAAAAAALQ/zd9Fwr6Skg4/s640/IMG_0745.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Our eden</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ww4EwLbXGs/T2Apbv_UhCI/AAAAAAAAALY/BBE_UwE3Zqg/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ww4EwLbXGs/T2Apbv_UhCI/AAAAAAAAALY/BBE_UwE3Zqg/s640/IMG_0758.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Our journey's end</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--1tB_02AxLY/T2AqVI2FXYI/AAAAAAAAALg/mkEbIdh5TJA/s1600/IMG_0774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--1tB_02AxLY/T2AqVI2FXYI/AAAAAAAAALg/mkEbIdh5TJA/s640/IMG_0774.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-67798578445151601962012-03-11T20:43:00.002-07:002012-03-11T21:12:09.441-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snails squiggle beneath soggy sand. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All day, all dark—tunnel path doodles. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish you could see</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That you're going in circles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kW7g1470hWk/T11vKNUTRUI/AAAAAAAAAK4/mldLcChaDzE/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kW7g1470hWk/T11vKNUTRUI/AAAAAAAAAK4/mldLcChaDzE/s640/IMG_0697.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ddaU43S7Dqg/T11vzHTb1LI/AAAAAAAAALA/dFKZ9KlFOIQ/s1600/IMG_0698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ddaU43S7Dqg/T11vzHTb1LI/AAAAAAAAALA/dFKZ9KlFOIQ/s640/IMG_0698.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--m6vGY2CyBk/T11wCeiaGKI/AAAAAAAAALI/iK2hcgbEYbU/s1600/IMG_0699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--m6vGY2CyBk/T11wCeiaGKI/AAAAAAAAALI/iK2hcgbEYbU/s640/IMG_0699.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="goog_940411065"></span><span id="goog_940411066"></span></span>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-38634227427835042692012-03-06T21:07:00.000-08:002012-03-06T21:07:19.541-08:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>452</o:Words> <o:Characters>2579</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>21</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>3167</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today we spent six hours measuring trees in a coffee plantation. We had a field lab testing how much carbon the coffee farm fixes, and today was just data collection collection collection. It was hot and dusty and buggy and disgusting, but the owners of the farm took us on a tour and fed us as much coffee as we wanted after our work (also, one of our professors said that he would pick coffee beans for work every summer—1$ per basket he filled (he could fill about 10 a day). That shut us up). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KdcT7zFWU/T1boIWUWWlI/AAAAAAAAAKY/4pUsXwup3go/s1600/IMG_0734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KdcT7zFWU/T1boIWUWWlI/AAAAAAAAAKY/4pUsXwup3go/s640/IMG_0734.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coffee, unlike other large agricultural products that Costa Rica exports (like bananas and pineapple) has remained a crop that small farmers can still produce (as it doesn’t require too much land to grow). Ten years ago, this small farm became an organic farm, partnering up with 5 other coffee farms to produce one product. Though organic coffee makes up less than 1% of the Costa Rican coffee, it’s supposedly some of the finest in the world. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The red one is ripe off the tree, and the brown has dried in the sun, and the baby ones on the left are ready to be roasted!</span></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BOTGELbKetM/T1bqJG1cMmI/AAAAAAAAAKw/LicXMnWZAGg/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BOTGELbKetM/T1bqJG1cMmI/AAAAAAAAAKw/LicXMnWZAGg/s640/IMG_0729.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coffee is a shade tolerant plant, meaning that it’s natural habitat is in the shade (where it can live and thrive) but it can also be grown in the sun, where it actually produces more. So in a conventional coffee plantation, all trees are cleared and the coffee is planted, irrigated a ton, and the production of each individual plant increases. But in this organic farm, they left big trees standing around the coffee plants, providing shade for them. Though the yield is less each season (about 50% less than a conventional farm), the shade keeps the soil from drying out as fast (thus using less water), and the trees fix nitrogen—maintaining soil health, and since it’s providing the plant with it’s natural growing conditions, it simply makes a "better cup" (as they say). The farmer compared it to the rabbit and the hare—you can go really fast but burn out and not be as good, or go slow and steady, producing quality in every step. Also, they don’t use any agrochemicals so it’s a totally closed system—nothing is added and nothing unnatural is produced. The farmer said that the money they save with chemicals goes to hiring more workers to pick and process the coffee (as the organic process is much more labor intensive). This provides jobs to the community and doesn’t create any contact between chemicals and bodies or the environment. They stressed that the process is much slower—the seeds grow slower, they’re picked slower, they’re processed and dried slower—but there’s also a mentality change. They are happier and freer, not producing for a big coffee conglomerate. They’re also in a niche market (organic Costa Rican coffee grown above 1,000 meters) so they’re able to sell each bag for more. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They also process (dry and roast) all of the coffee there. They have a machine that husks the seed (that byproduct is then used for compost), and the seeds are laid out under the sun to dry (instead of being put in heat chambers). Once the seed is picked off the tree, they say that it sits for three hours at most before it is processed, so no beans get stale and dried out. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little machine</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcv9QV5fzyM/T1bo1LUb2fI/AAAAAAAAAKg/UDnA4fdI2ok/s1600/IMG_0709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcv9QV5fzyM/T1bo1LUb2fI/AAAAAAAAAKg/UDnA4fdI2ok/s640/IMG_0709.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sun's work</span></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RksodhQhIZs/T1bpqQ2o0xI/AAAAAAAAAKo/BMkEfcPytuI/s1600/IMG_0712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RksodhQhIZs/T1bpqQ2o0xI/AAAAAAAAAKo/BMkEfcPytuI/s640/IMG_0712.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The coffee at the end tasted so so fresh and whole and yummy. </span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-82012997363692203662012-03-05T18:21:00.002-08:002012-03-06T05:35:16.261-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As to avoid giving you a stodgy chronicle of my weekend, I’ll try to keep this brief!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went sailing! This was the first weekend that we’ve had <i>totally free</i> since I’ve been here. The bounty of time was wonderful, but it also felt odd and lavish after having every single minute of our day scheduled out by someone else. They have so much for us to fit in, that I can look at the schedule and know exactly what I’ll be doing at 11:30, 2 months from today. We call it “summer camp”.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tieyqm2GsE0/T1VwvjrwZNI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/L7RsUVk9q0k/s1600/IMG_0608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tieyqm2GsE0/T1VwvjrwZNI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/L7RsUVk9q0k/s640/IMG_0608.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So on Saturday a group of friends and I went to Manuel Antonio, a national park on the Pacific coast. Two girls booked this sailboat for all of us. It’s not something that I would ever think of doing, but I was grateful for their planning and organization. The boat took off in the afternoon, and we reveled with our faces to the wind and watched the water pass beneath us. We ate and danced and relaxed, and then we snorkeled! I’d never done anything like that before! Before jumping in, I kept thinking, “I hope we see fish, I hope we see fish”. I plunged into the water, opened my eyes, and around me were millions of little fish—going on with their business as if I wasn’t even there. It was magical. Back on the boat, we ate fish (which felt disloyal after just spending hours with their fellow peers, but delicious nonetheless). We sailed home with the sunset. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WO-TJuQcVyU/T1Vxbj4--wI/AAAAAAAAAKA/FjW7QLSjmm0/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WO-TJuQcVyU/T1Vxbj4--wI/AAAAAAAAAKA/FjW7QLSjmm0/s640/IMG_0623.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At night, we sat on the beach and star-gazed. The stars are brighter than the moon, unlike home where it’s the other way around. Manuel Antonio, which is seems safe and touristy during the day, is a different game at night. As we sat there, drunk and high men kept approaching us until we finally felt too unsafe and left. Costa Rica has been able to stay a safe and stable country, relative to its neighbors. But we learned that this year especially, Mexican gangs have been working with local cartels in Costa Rica—moving cocaine up the South American coast to Mexico. With no standing army, Costa Rica has to rely on police, judiciary, and other preventative measures (unlike in Mexico where the president just used something like 50,000 troops to deal with their drug situation). We were told that Quepos, the neighboring town from where we stayed, is becoming a major port for these drugs—perhaps explaining the plethora of intoxicated individuals that night. It was sad to see that culture abutting the cheery unblemished “eco-tourism!” market seen during the day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-upmHcQYBJL8/T1VyAR48knI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/XUoXA7NfMHc/s1600/IMG_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-upmHcQYBJL8/T1VyAR48knI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/XUoXA7NfMHc/s640/IMG_0671.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday we spent hiking around the park. Inside the reserve there are private beaches, which are much cleaner and more beautiful than their public neighbors. I know I’ve talked about the water before, but every time I swim here it’s as extraordinary as the first time. I spent most of the afternoon looking for pretty shells and rocks. I’m partial to the treasures I find at the island, but I like how I find different things everywhere I go. The biggest struggle of the weekend was applying (and reapplying) sunscreen quickly enough; we’re all crispy now. But after midterms all last week, the weightless sun was just what we needed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xVG_TBErlzU/T1VxrIh64-I/AAAAAAAAAKI/jWLzU4MVKX8/s1600/IMG_0642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xVG_TBErlzU/T1VxrIh64-I/AAAAAAAAAKI/jWLzU4MVKX8/s640/IMG_0642.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-60592442966850037622012-03-01T10:55:00.003-08:002012-03-02T14:27:46.149-08:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A post from a while ago: </span> <a href="http://www.fieldstudies.org/blog/?p=393">http://www.fieldstudies.org/blog/?p=393</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And flowers!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ldPilY6DPjM/T1FILasotWI/AAAAAAAAAJY/ZXWJLcNS5mI/s1600/IMG_0249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ldPilY6DPjM/T1FILasotWI/AAAAAAAAAJY/ZXWJLcNS5mI/s640/IMG_0249.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mKZjcg8AznA/T1FIgJl8vgI/AAAAAAAAAJg/0jdZFbqa_3Y/s1600/IMG_0251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mKZjcg8AznA/T1FIgJl8vgI/AAAAAAAAAJg/0jdZFbqa_3Y/s640/IMG_0251.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o74Wwmr6yTg/T1FIo7SSymI/AAAAAAAAAJo/1HDbh1JCwgc/s1600/IMG_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o74Wwmr6yTg/T1FIo7SSymI/AAAAAAAAAJo/1HDbh1JCwgc/s640/IMG_0542.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-12658587177073990132012-02-29T11:13:00.000-08:002012-02-29T11:13:15.719-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>428</o:Words> <o:Characters>2441</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>20</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>2997</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every so often, instead of class we have “outreaches”—opportunities to reach out to the community and give. Yesterday, I went to an orphanage to do some yard work. A group of us 12 girls got dressed in athletic shorts, tank tops, hats, garden gloves, sneakers, sunscreen and tons of water—anticipating the heat. We got to the orphanage and were immediately greeted with questioning looks. Unsure of what the problem was, one of the directors, Dina, finally told us that we were dressed inappropriately to be around children, “take this as a life lesson”, she said. “this is a Christian institution and we have certain standards. Also, many of the children have been sexually abused and seeing boobs and legs brings up too many emotions for them”. Though our pride was slighted by their lack of tact, we understood that they have rules, and we obviously didn’t want to do anything that would be detrimental to the children. So we all called taxis and went home, changed into pants and long sleeved shorts, and headed back to the orphanage.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once there and eager to start working, we were greeted by a man—the other director. The first thing he said was, “where are all the men?” and “I thought they were sending us at least 1 boy”. He finally accepted that we were all he was going to get, and he talked to us in length about testimony of finding God and starting the orphanage. When he was 20, he had made a wrong and sinful mistake, and immediately after was in a car accident that paralyzed him from the chest down. “God was punishing me”, he said. So he changed his life, moved to Costa Rica and started the orphanage. He kept reminding us of how powerful God is. How everything he does is intentional. How we may not know God now, but in the future when we have broken hearts, or sick children, or when devastating, inevitable events happen, we’ll find him. And he’ll save us.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the man was talking, I just lost it and started crying. It’s embarrassing thinking about it, and even now it’s hard for me to explain what exactly it was that effected me so much. Part of it was thinking of a God that punishes people for the bad things they do, and rewards them for the good—is that a God I believe in? Part of it was being told that we dressed inappropriately—the need for women to cover every part of them up—can you still tell I’m a girl? Is God ever a “she”? Part of it was the truth in what he said about the inevitable hard things that I’ll encounter in my life—how I wish I knew what those would be, how I’m afraid of what they are. And part of it was the dichotomy of the situation around me—how I so fundamentally disagreed with so much of what he so fundamentally believed in, but how we’re both there—working for the children.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I left with a heavy heart. But I can’t help but think that some kind of God was at work that day. The laughing of healthy happy kids. The labor of raking. The challenge of being around people so different from me, yet so alike. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d_NfMyYPdRI/T053SguHTvI/AAAAAAAAAI4/w9ObQPsj-uI/s1600/IMG_0586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d_NfMyYPdRI/T053SguHTvI/AAAAAAAAAI4/w9ObQPsj-uI/s640/IMG_0586.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-59439590307821299942012-02-28T21:06:00.000-08:002012-02-28T21:06:24.553-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finals for the next few days so I don't have much time to write--but this is a picture of Luis. The entire weekend he was on the go, trying to escape from anyone who wanted him to stay put. But right before I left the family, his mom thought he was cold and dressed him in 2 jackets, 2 pairs of pants, gloves, a hat and a scarf. With all the layers, this is the only position he could stay in. I couldn't stop laughing, so silly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Izi0p3NeDhQ/T02xV0IAKcI/AAAAAAAAAIw/QttXA6-OJ2Q/s1600/IMG_0583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Izi0p3NeDhQ/T02xV0IAKcI/AAAAAAAAAIw/QttXA6-OJ2Q/s640/IMG_0583.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2243977158898367760.post-486532913100781602012-02-27T21:04:00.000-08:002012-02-27T21:04:33.540-08:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>439</o:Words> <o:Characters>2507</o:Characters> <o:Company>Clark University</o:Company> <o:Lines>20</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>3078</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I went on a home stay. I’m struggling as I think of how to explain it, I hope the pictures help. The part I’ll remember most fondly was at the end of the weekend when the mom gave me a really long and squeezy hug and said “you’ll always have a home in Costa Rica”. And the worst part was when their friend came over and they were talking (or gossiping) so fast—I couldn’t understand anything and I felt kind of embarrassed and left out. And a weird part was when this wild crazy man came over and read my palm. He said that I would have a long life, two lovers, and that I need to be careful because maybe my appendix was going to rupture. Oh also something about being careful of fruits with seeds (this was all in Spanish though so, my comprehension is…loose at best). And parts were also just totally hilarious and confusing and ridiculous—like when the dad tried to explain to me that their dog, Susie, was a Ms, not a Mrs. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who knew!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My host mom, Teresita, was this big, theatrical woman full of sass. The tattooed black rim of lip liner that ran around her mouth threw me off when I first met her, but we soon warmed up to each other. The dad’s name was Delfin, and they had 3 kids—Maria (19), Maresella (17) and Juan (12). Maria was the only one who knew a tiny bit of English, and with our combined skills were able to chit chat quite completely. Both Maria and Maresella have babies. I was totally and completely enamored with them and I spent most of the weekend just playing (as baby-talk is a universal language, you know). Whenever they asked me a question that I didn’t understand, we would both just shrug and make faces and laaaaugh with the babies. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first, I was confused about who everyone’s parents were. The 17-year-old girl (Maresella) who had baby Celeste, seemed kind of withdrawn and aloof. She didn’t try talking to me at all. Her face was so young but her body was so clearly a moms—Celeste fit perfectly in the crook of her hip. Her room décor hadn’t been changed since she was little, totally pink with mini mouse curtains…but everything in it had been shifted around to accommodate a crib and baby toys. And Maria, who was 19 had Luis. At one point Luis (who’s brand new at walking) tried to reach for something in the grass but instead just fell right down on his rump. At first we laughed at his cumbersome motor skills, but then we realized that his legs were completely covered in fire ants. Maria instinctively grabbed him and sprinted to the pool and dunked him right in. The ants washed away before they could bite him even once. She was always aware but not overly hovering and she just spent hours and hours making him laugh. I loved watching them. They kept asking me if I was married or had kids. I didn’t know how to explain that I still feel so reliant on my own parents, I couldn’t imagine raising a baby anytime soon. Regardless of the mother’s ages, the babies were happy and healthy and beautiful. Maybe I’ll write more about this later, I’m so tired tonight. Today marks 1 month in Costa Rica!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dad, Luis, Teresita, Me!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTgl1eZHgMM/T0xdi_R8WfI/AAAAAAAAAIo/fBWTS2gjuzs/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTgl1eZHgMM/T0xdi_R8WfI/AAAAAAAAAIo/fBWTS2gjuzs/s640/IMG_0585.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juan</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3kg29LjaaY/T0xdMWHRqxI/AAAAAAAAAIY/D75FGsNQUDw/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3kg29LjaaY/T0xdMWHRqxI/AAAAAAAAAIY/D75FGsNQUDw/s640/IMG_0557.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy babies </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfhztNFlT1c/T0xdEUwIaYI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ANa8-eEV1u0/s1600/IMG_0580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfhztNFlT1c/T0xdEUwIaYI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ANa8-eEV1u0/s640/IMG_0580.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-co1ANtgpgFM/T0xdZf1AjbI/AAAAAAAAAIg/u7bPaOwXR5s/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-co1ANtgpgFM/T0xdZf1AjbI/AAAAAAAAAIg/u7bPaOwXR5s/s640/IMG_0559.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><!--EndFragment-->New nesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11163558147385388853noreply@blogger.com1