Greenheart Travel

Author: Iban Q

  • Where Everybody Knows Your Name

    A dear friend of mine recently asked me if I had found my “place” yet. A local hangout, a restaurant, or a place where everybody knows my name. A place that makes me feel that I am not so far away from home…

    One of my favorite films about transitioning to life in a new country is called, “Under the Tuscan Sun.” In this film, “Frances,” a divorcee moves to Tuscany on a whim, buys an old villa, and spends her days remodeling her new home while she remodels different aspects of her life. During this ordeal she also finds inspiration through the foreigners and locals she meets in her new town.

    A painting by Cindy, a gift to remember Costa Rica

    My favorite inspirations from the film is when she states the importance of “finding your place, and making it your own.” Here in Costa Rica, I have tried to do the same. The “Galleria Estudio de Arte” in La Fortuna is a shop run by local artists specializing in mosaics, paintings, and souvenir crafts. As I was walking around one day I stumbled across it and started chatting with the artists that worked there.

    Being an artist, it was great to interact with them, as well as practice my Spanish! Since then I have been coming every Sunday to paint or teach different art techniques with ceramics. Sundays have become one of my favorite days! We meet up, work on art projects, talk about life, or share a bottle of wine in the park near the volcano.

    It has become my special place, the place where everybody knows my name. Another reason this place has become so special to me is because of all the people I have met; artists and travelers alike. Backpackers, newlyweds, and adventure seekers all come into the studio looking for handmade crafts or friendly conversation. It is always a great opportunity for us to sit around, share coffee, and learn about each other’s lives. Just this past weekend I met travelers from Spain, France, Italy, Belgium and Hungary!

    The woman from Hungary I was especially honored to chat with. Her name was “Katherine” and I immediately recognized her accent and asked her where she was from. She was born in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, but fled to the U.S. after the holocaust. We ended up talking for about an hour or so, while she spoke to us about the holocaust, losing her siblings and her husband in Auschwitz (a concentration camp), and how she managed to escape to the U.S. with her young son.

    I was entranced and moved by her story. It reminded me of the importance of taking time to interact with people, even perfect strangers. There is great wisdom and learning opportunities in these moments. And to think, very soon there may not be many holocaust survivors left to chat with about their experiences.

    As she got up to leave, this dainty, elderly woman with kind eyes,  smiled and we shook hands. It is these kinds of interactions that become embedded into your heart while traveling.

  • Weapons in Travel: Patience, an Open-Mind and Optimism

    My latest “learning moments” include the realization that I am constantly surrounded by exotic animals and foreign insects. Monkeys, raccoons, and yes, even bugs are a part of my daily life. The “hot” shower is more of a potential idea, as it has the potential to heat the water but it doesn’t. I now usually try to shower in the middle of day so the cool water becomes “refreshing.”

    Along with overcoming the difficult situations, I have also observed cultural differences that are positive. The other day I watched “The little Mermaid” in Spanish for Dilany’s 10th birthday party. It was a surreal experience to watch a film in its entirety without understanding many of the words. It is amazing how much more I was able to focus on without relying solely on the language…the characters in the background, their expressions and the significance of body language and sound effects.

    Another major difference is the closeness between the families. What a foreign concept to live so close to your relatives. I observe these interactions daily just as I did in the movie. Every day the kids from neighboring houses come over to our house to visit. The kids are gorgeous with beautiful brown eyes and dark hair, smiling and laughing at my attempts to speak with them. The walls of my bedroom are now covered with art projects, drawings, and notes from them.

    I watch as my mother, Dinia, dances in the living room with little Veronika (her niece)…she is one year old and loves to be held! She has the most adorable Shirley Temple curls. Moments like this occur frequently, with Dinia singing cheesy love songs while she cooks or the kids singing “head…shoulders, knees, & toes” while in the shower. Her 17 year old son  still giving his mother hugs and kissing her on the cheek before he heads off to school…a rare occurrence for any teenage boy!

    It is called, “Culture Shock,” and many a person who has traveled can speak about its complexities and impact. For some it is slight, and for others more intense. But the way in which we observe and cope with these experiences is important. I believe we can learn so much from our experiences, and that we can use them to influence future decisions.

    As I approach the one-month mark, I will continue on armed with the only weapons I will ever need: my patience, an open-mind, and a dash of optimism to overcome the culture shock, and learn to indulge in the unfamiliar comforts of my new home in Costa Rica.

    Pura Vida.

  • Pura Vida – Easier Said than Done

    Every day, multiple times, I remind myself to have patience…the patience to adapt to this new and different world I now live in. There have been many moments, in many days, where I have been frustrated…frustrated that I could not understand the language, frustrated with the heat, humidity, and the heavy rain, and especially frustrated with the bugs. But then I take a deep breath, and remind myself that acclimating to another country different than my own will often bring such “learning moments.”

    Once again, “Not wrong…just different.”

    The Spanish word for patience is, “Paciencia.” I have learned to use this word quite often. There have been many days in my Spanish class when I have wanted to throw my pencil and give up as learning a new language can be really hard. There are often days when my brain hurts and all I want to do is speak in English. This is actually easier said than done because my entire world is now in Spanish: the television, the music, the books, all of it, and my host family doesn’t speak English (although the kids are trying to learn).

    Although I knew this would be a challenge, there are many reasons why this experience continues to be so important for me; the first is to learn a second language, the second is to gain some international work experience and the third is to experience a full cultural immersion. In the past year I have traveled extensively, but I have also tried to experience several different types of travel mediums: the study abroad, the leisure travel, the low-budget backpacking, and now this, a full- immersion, extended-exchange of work and cultural understanding.

    After three weeks of living in Costa Rica, I am definitely beginning to understand the life of a foreign exchange student. Living with a host family in a different country, with a language I don’t understand and learning to navigate and observe my new environment. It is exciting, exhausting, and challenging, yet I know this experience is going to be invaluable. Every day I take notes of my experiences and how I could possibly make them better.

    Along with the “highlights” of my travels…the adventures, the adrenaline rushes, and the inspirational sights…it is also important to document “the lows.” The times when you are uncomfortable, frustrated, or lost, when you miss your family, your friends, and the “normalcy” of your life back home.

    There are definitely days when I miss the comforts of home like my bed, my personal space, and the occasional indulgence of a glass of red wine, but overcoming these situations is all part of the immersion experience.

     

  • Co-existing with Nature: Culture Shock in Costa Rica

    Individuals, groups, or families of volunteers are able to live in Costa Rica with host-families for varied durations and also learn Spanish at the Spanish Institute. It is my job to work with travel organizations, help with marketing, as well as work with the volunteers and take them on excursions when they are here.

    So far is has been really fun and rewarding. One of my first projects was to translate a majority of their documents to English and meet with a few eco-tourism/volunteer program directors about establishing partnerships.  Just yesterday I met with a representative from a program called “Global Lead”, a leadership and immersion volunteer program. It was awesome to talk with her as she was looking to establish annual partnerships with project sites in Costa Rica.

    I spend my mornings taking Spanish lessons from around 8:00 a.m. to noon, taking a short break at 10:00 a.m. for coffee. I then ride my bike back to the house to have lunch with my family. By the time I get there I am exhausted as the trek is all uphill…and it is hot and humid! After lunch we have a siesta for about an hour while I either read, (it is nearly the only outlet I have for interaction in English) or take a short nap. At around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. I head back to work in the office. It rains nearly every day around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. so my journey back up the hill to the house at the end of the day is always a bit more grueling because I am attempting to out-pedal the rain! Unlike rain in Washington, when it rains here…you have seconds warning and then you might as well be in the shower; the rain is heavy and fast and thunders down…it lasts for about an hour.

    Adjusting to my new life here has been relatively smooth, but there have definitely been moments of culture shock. For example, just as Ticans strive to live in harmony with nature…this also includes species of another variety…bugs! Let’s just say I am no longer afraid of cockroaches or tiny insects! It was quite the comedy show for the kids when I entered my room one day to find three little cockroaches scampering along the floor! Luckily I didn’t scream…but after pointing them out to Dilany, we called for Dinia, who got out the spray (which apparently kills them in a few minutes).

    As we were investigating my room for more, I stepped onto my bed to look behind the curtain…just then one flew past my head and landed on my leg! Not ever having seen one before I wasn’t entirely sure if they would bite me or worse…kill me…so I performed a nice little dance on my bed and screamed. It then flew off of me and landed on Dilany who imitated a similar dance! It was quite a scene…and also at around 9:00 p.m. so we woke up everyone else in the house! Once I found out that they actually wouldn’t bite OR kill me…and that they actually eat other insects…I began to settle down. It would be quite the story the next day as all the kids would laugh at me, but in the meantime, I asked Dilany if I could sleep with her shoe!

    Stunning views, massive volcanoes, orchids, animals, and yes…even the bugs, have become an integral part of my experience here in Costa Rica. Although different, it is important for me to learn to co-exist with nature, just as the Ticans have done for years. It is just another element of Pura Vida; and an exciting attempt to bridge the gap between nature and man.

    With time, patience, and an open mind…I will continue on my quest to embrace this new and inviting country.

  • Livin’ the “Pura Vida”

    I have only been in Costa Rica for one week, but already I am quickly coming to know the meaning of “Pura Vida.”  Regardless of how much money they have, families here live with fewer accommodations. For example, most families own only one vehicle and some take local transportation via bus or bike to work or to the store; they own fewer clothes and perhaps have one cellular phone to share between them. With such small living spaces they are constantly interacting with their family members. I enjoy watching the tender affections and closeness between the kids, their parents, and with relatives. They often greet each other with a kiss to the cheek or a handshake—even when they live next door and see each other daily.

    My host mother washes all the clothes by hand, prepares our meals, and cleans the house every day while the kids are at school. She hangs the clothes out to dry…which can often take a few days since it is so humid. The family provides most of their own food. They have cows, chickens, and fruit trees so every day they bring in fresh milk, eggs, fruit, and the family makes cheese. There is also a lake near the property so fish is a staple in their diets, as well as fruit and vegetables since they have the orchard and organic gardens.

    The food is excellent! The common Costa Rican Diet consists of rice, beans, fruit, and vegetables with meat once a day. Each morning, (Ticos get up very early…often at 5:30am) I have a piece of watermelon and a plate of either rice and beans, or eggs and tomatoes with a cup of coffee. The coffee in Costa Rica is fantastic; we have coffee in the morning and once again in the afternoon with bread, or crackers with jam. For dinner, Dinia prepares fish, chicken, or pork with vegetables and rice. I think my diet is very balanced. Except with fewer carbohydrates and sweets…which is good!

    Another element of Pura Vida that I have come to observe is how well everyone knows each other in the neighborhood. When we drive down the road, or when we walk to the store we have to stop multiple times to say hello or chat with the people. It is apparent that I am currently the only foreigner in the neighborhood. Since the high tourist season is over and the area I am in is about 40 minutes from the touristy areas…everyone seems to know I am new. I have had several people from the community stop by to say hello or greet me because they heard I was in town. They all want to make sure I feel welcome…which is awesome!

  • Costa Rica’s Simple Life

    Surrounded by a tropical rain forest in San Carlos, Costa Rica, I am once again reminded of how people can enjoy more of life—with less.  I am currently living with a host family of five and working on an eco-reserve with student volunteers in a rural town called Jabillos, near the Volcano, Arenal. 

    My first impressions of Costa Rica are that its people, the “Ticos” are quite friendly, and that they live quite simply—without many material items. My home is small—a one story building with 5 bedrooms, a living room, two bathrooms, one shower, and an open kitchen /dining room. My family’s home is quite grand compared to most of the homes in the neighborhood.

    Most families have patios in front of their homes under awnings so that they can relax outside in rocking chairs. It is quite hot and humid here, even in the rainy season (winter), so the doors are left open allowing air to pass through for most of the day…they are then closed at night.

    Beautiful arrays of pastels cover the exteriors of the houses within the neighborhood. Turquoise, yellows, blues, pinks, greens….and some with murals of flowers or frogs—it is really incredible. My host family’s house is a pastel green with yellow trim. The inside walls are painted green and yellow to match, with stained wood walls to separate the rooms. The floors are covered with large square ceramic tiles, as is custom in most homes. This provides a nice surface to keep clean while it is still comfortable walk around barefoot…this is especially nice for the kids and I, for it is an ideal surface for playing soccer on the front porch!

    My host family’s house is surrounded by five other houses occupied by relatives. The entire property is owned by my host mother’s family…her father Senior Ramon Vasquez owns more than 350 acres in the area and throughout Guanacaste (a territory of Costa Rica). I found this to be especially interesting because compared to living standards in the U.S. they continue to live quite moderately.

    My family consists of mi Madre, Dinia, her husband, Roy, and their three kids…Jordi (the eldest son at 17), Delany (their daughter who is almost 10), and Dario (the youngest who is 7). The families of Dinia’s brothers and sisters live in the surrounding houses along the road, as well as her parents…who live in a house across the property (they have a citrus grove of lemon and orange trees).

    There are usually many children running around day and night….they range in ages from one year to seventeen. This is really fun for me because I get to play with them and they help me with my Spanish (and laugh at the things I say). The boys are around 7 or 8 years old so we play a lot of soccer, while the girls are older so we draw and I let them play with my makeup.

    The common phrase in Costa Rica is “Pura Vida” (poo-ra-vee-da) which signifies a simple and more relaxed approach to life. It is used commonly in their language as a response to many questions; How are you?…Pura Vida, What is up?…Pura Vida, How did you like the rainstorm yesterday? Pura Vida. It represents a way of life for the Tican people.