Thanks for reading our blog! Everything is going wonderfully here...today was my birthday and my awesome ASB team made me feel so loved! We have a really stellar group dynamic and I feel so fortunate that I have gotten to know such an amazing group of people before I graduate.
Today was our second day in the Manos de Jesus nursing home. We planted trees, washed windows, and generally chatted up the elderly. Many of the people in the home have been abandoned by their families; some don't even remember how old they are or the names of their children. The residents are mostly non-ambulatory and many of them also suffer from some form of dementia. This makes our work challenging, but all the more rewarding when we make a great connection.
This afternoon we went zip-lining through the rainforest! (I'm not sure how to make that sound any more awesome than it already does!) We had lunch, hiked a bit, and then flew down nine ziplines while taking in the breathtaking forest and scenery.
At reflection tonight, we wrote haikus about our day. I think they best capture the true spirit of our exhilarating day!!
Tina:
Nervous, shaking, dead.
Yo tengo mucho mierda!*
Ja ja ja ja ja
Michelle:
I had a great day
I zipped quando skies were grey
Love you all today
Alon:
We did stuff with trees
First we planted them in ground
Then we go zipline
Tamara:
The old people are fun
They like to play in the sun
Awesome cool old folks
Missy:
Owned by Rafael**
Birthday wishes aplenty!
Strong zipline fun- wheee!
Claire:
I gardened today
I also danced with Ashwin
Then I got laughed at
Xheni:
Made a new old friend
Saw the world in a new way
I never want to leave
Diana:
Today was awesome
Ziplining was really fun!
I love everyone!
Giuls:
Better connections
New friends different ages
Rice and beans a lot!
Megan:
Reworked the garden
Said prayers with the elderly
Purpled on the zipline***
Laura B:
The hike stole my breath
My returned in the air
I flew through the sky
Eduardo:
Haikus are easy
I almost stepped in poop and
I have ten fingers
and the winner is...dadadadadada (internet drumroll)
Ashwin:
Sometimes I wonder
Is that tree getting bigger?
Then it hits me
jajajaja (costa rican hahaha)
Good night everyone! PURA VIDA!
Missy
*Tina got confused that the word for "fear" was "mierda" instead of "mieda".
--> "mieda" = fear, "mierda"= poop!!!!
**Rafael is an old man who was better at working the shovel than I was....
***Purpling refers to male and female relations between/among our group and Costa Rican employees...long story....
Hola!
This is Tinaaaww!
I am actually really REALLY TIRED! I was about to go to sleep after eading Missy's post but hey, I just could not sleep after all the excitement I had today!!!
Okayy let me start off by talking about the nursing home that I have been going. Xheni, Ashwin, Laura and I got a separate project to work on while the rest of the group continued to work on gardening. We scraped old paint off from the gate and repainted it black. scraping the old paint was really hard but with combined powerrr, we finished half of it really fast! As a result, we ended up with constellation of black paint dots on our arms and clothes! Teehee.
Then, we joined the elderly in their rosary praying time. It was interesting to hear the prayer in another language especially when I know it in Korean and English. When we finished praying, we had awesome conversation. It was lot easier than the first day because the nervous/jittery feeling wasn't there anymore and I got used to speaking to them. In addition, many of them recognized me and greeted me when I got there. Unlike the first day, I felt welcomed and that I was at the right place. It's only the second day here and I am already attached to them. I don't know what I am going to do when it's time for us to leave... I am definitely going to cry. *tears*
After we came back from our placements, we went on ZIPLINING!!!! (As Missy mentioned above). Up until last night, I was on the "maybe" list for the ziplining trip... I have never done anything like that before and I was scared to DEATH to even think about it. But....peer pressure! or shall I say, "CHALLENGE BY CHOICE"? The ziplining tour guides came to pick us up and we had an AWESOME lunch there. THEN.....DUN DUN DUN...... Maybe...I should not have eaten? Nervous butterflies got my stomach going craaazy! UMM...and what the tour guide said almost made me back out. DIOS MIOS! He said that there were 9 zipline courses we will be going through. WHAT?! NINE?! OH EM GEE?! I was dying to think aboug going on just ONE zipline and now, there are NINE?! OH...LORD, SAVE ME.
Oh, and it gets BETTER. we got into two groups and got on a van to go up on the mountain. AND the road was...umm...really BUMPY!!!!
I don't know how, but I got out of the van with shaky legs and...that's when our fitness testing hiking started. The mountain was really steep and it was really difficult to climb... Covered in sweat we finally reached the top....to start on the ziplining adventure!....umm...yea... We put our harnesses, helmets and fanny packs on and listened to the instruction carefully. No one would ever know how SCARED I was up there. I was the 3rd person from the back when we went on the first one... After watching others scream at the top of their lungs, shaking uncontrollably and feeling like death waiting for my turn...my turn finally came...dreadfully.
I am sure that nothing in the world can scream louder than I did on that first zipline course.
YEAP. I screamed, screamed and screamed. (but still kept my eyes open=somewhat brave, eh?!) I know my friends and family are laughing at me right now reading this blog, but HEY, you may be laughing now, but when you get up there, my story will become your story. By the 3rd one, I was enjoying the thrill of ziplining adventure. I was still scared but I was having so much fun. I am so glad that my awesome group convinced me to go on this trip.
OH, my ziplinine adventure is NOT over yet. On the last one, (which was also the longest, highest, and most craziest) I was able to record the whole thing on my video camera. The guide came along with me (YAY!) and I screamed and filmed the entire thing on the way down.
the second video is the cut off from the first one....somehow when I came down, I pushed the record button twice...and it cut off them greeting me...aw....my bad...
What I tried today (zipline) was the most craziest thing I have ever done and I am SO glad that I did it.
I just want to thank my group for being soooo awesome and I love every single one of them.
I love being part of ASB and I LOVE LOVE LOVE being with my ASB Costa Rica group!
It's AMAZING how I feel like we have been together for a long time when...we have only known each other since...sunday? haha...
WE ARE AWESOME!
And, LASTLY and MOST IMPORTANTLY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISSY! woOhoO! BIG 22!!! YAY!
We *heart* you!
I love that I try something new EVERYDAY here. I also learn so much just talking to the elderly and working with them. Not only that I am getting to know them but I am also learning more and more about myself as the day goes on.
Thank you so much for reading this long blog. I just got carried away with excitement.
Keep checking back because we will definitely keep you updated!
I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring!!!
Hasta luego!
-Tina
No comments:
Post a Comment