Before I was supposed to head home for Winter Break (better known as the beginning of July in Costa Rica) I made a disappointing discovery in the depths of my suitcase. You see, my sturdy roller suitcase had become home to a family of cockroaches sometime between March and Late June. They seemed very happy there, but they gave me the creeps. Other bugs have never bothered me but for some reason this creepy-crawly creature capable of surviving a nuclear fall out on a diet of twinkies and roasted humans left me uneasy. I have been assured that they won’t hurt me, but it’s more the fact that they exist in my own personal space.
After a lot of thorough cleaning (and enough Raid to destroy a colony) I have returned to my (sparkling) room without fear of creepy crawlers. My return to the Orchard comes with tremendous news. What’s that you say? How could I possibly have good news considering that I live on an impenetrable Indian Reservation without any communication with the outside world? Well, I’ll tell you: El Vergel now has Cell phone service. That’s right, in the three weeks that I returned to America we somehow got cell phone service. Not everywhere, I have to stand outside near the newly constructed houses in order to get a signal, but I am told that it does in fact work. I am pretty excited to try it out. I’m not going to lie, cell phone towers may be the greatest thing since Rice and Beans.
I had come back from break essentially committed to not suggesting that El Vergel be a World Teach site for next year, but this changes everything. I am ready for the next 5 months. Being able to receive an occasional phone call is going to make a huge difference in my quality of life. I am back to the Rice and Beans diet but I had eggs for breakfast and had a slice of watermelon today that was pretty great.
Yes, all in all I am a pretty happy camper. I finally have a camera and will be taking pictures soon to send all of you so that you can have a better idea of what life is actually like in the Orchard. There isn’t a lot too it. It’s basically just a lot of vegetation, a muddy river, an occasional toucan and some small children with matching uniforms.
I finished yet another book today: Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore. Strangely enough, the book involves an escapade at the airport in Palmar, a mere 5 miles from my current site. What are the odds right? Christopher Moore is a comic genius and I suggest that if you want to be entertained by a modern novelist, you go and pick up one of his books.
I have about 15 more books to read and 100 DVD’s to watch over the next couple of months. I am sure that it will be enough to keep me entertained. I am either going to read The Great Santini by Pat Conroy or Then We Came to The End by Jonathan Ferris next. Any suggestions? I am going to try to read 25 books this year, 14 down, 11 to go.
Teaching is as ever, exhausting, but I still can’t picture myself doing anything else. The minute I walked out of my door today I was accosted by a pair or kindergarteners in pigtails and matching blue dresses who were so happy to see me, it made the whole rest of the day seem like a cake walk.
It was definitely tough to leave after living in the lap of luxury for a couple of weeks, but it was a lot easier getting on the plane this time than it was in January. Suggestion: Don’t move to Costa Rica after living in Montectio for any period of time. If you are coming from Minneapolis or Chicago, its paradise, if you are coming from paradise, it’s a . . . challenge. I had my fill of movies while I was home, which I have decided is the singular activity that I miss the most about living in civilization. I found immense satisfaction in those giant bags of popcorn and slushees the size of a small child.
Alright then, no more news to speak of. I will send news again once I have successfully attempted to use cell phones in Vergel. Go out there and Be The Change people. I know you’ve got it in you. Now, make me proud.
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