WOW!!  One year!  12 months in a different country!  365 days living in a different culture, away from everything that was once my comfort zone.  I would never have described myself as someone who could be content living in one place for my whole life but its so different living this...actually packing everything up and leaving the rest behind.  But as I read somewhere recently, a PCV in Zambia said that he is the happiest he has ever been being part of an organization that represents the best values of the United States.  I certainly do not consider myself a perfect role model or representative but being among these other volunteers here, seeing what people back home post about politics (really people...Trump...) and then actually experiencing the reactions of people outside of the US, it really does open your eyes to how much more we do as volunteers here and how we truly are representatives of our country in good times and bad times.  These small conversations with one or two people that last 5 minutes are why Peace Corps is so important for our country.  These conversations that have become part of my everyday life, are opportunities to explore the culture of the United States with someone who only knows what they read or see.  To learn how we are perceived through the actions of individuals (looking at you again Trump) to see how even as individual volunteers, we can change these negative perceptions or at least help explain that these certain individuals *cough Trump* do not and will not represent the majority of North American views and values.  But more than the projects we complete here during our service, it will be these conversations I think that will make a lasting change in relationships and perceptions abroad.

Anyway, onto my update...fortunately I am still really busy but am getting better a balancing everything and each day opens new relationships or other smaller projects.  

Courts for Kids

I'll begin with the big project, I cannot wait for this to be over, but only good news to report.  We had to change the housing for the team but in doing so, we are including other community groups and thus making the court even more of a community project.  Edgar has been able to use his magic and contract a new transportation company that will give a great price for a larger bus and so the Tortuguero trip at the end of the project is back on!  He has also been able to contact a construction company and lower the material list by almost $1000 by getting the transportation donated!  Thank god Edgar is here and on my team...seriously I don't think I would be able to complete this project without him.  

The machinery hasn't shown up yet but we have been told it should show up this week so hopefully tomorrow or this weekend.  Jorge has also been open to different ways to lower the labor costs and while I feel horrible for having to negotiate with him, people have expressed doubts about the quantity of money he will be earning on this project.

We started visits to the cattle farmers this week but it has been more work for little results; we have yet to receive a single cow but spend on average an hour at each house, only averaging 1-2 per day.  Its a very cultural thing to spend a good portion of the conversation talking about the family and personal matters and then, only when the opposite party is ready, can you begin to talk about "business".  For me, a direct, pushy gringo, it is extremely frustrating but so is Peace Corps...

Bridge

We have agreed to put this aside until we have finished the court since I am really tied up with the logistics of that and it is tough to find the time to meet and fill out the application.  However, I did write up a 18 page justification of the bridge that I sent to a friend in the states (thanks Efe!) and he has agreed to start a conversation with his bosses in his project management company and EWB contacts at his alma mater, Catholic.  We have also set up meeting times with government officials to at least begin the conversation and see how we can proceed in the meantime.

Recycling

I am actually really excited to see where this committee goes.  We now have another 3 escuela students involved in the committee and after compacting all the cans, separating the materials and bringing some out of the community with the SINAC representative, we wrote up our annual work plan on Tuesday.  While our priority remains installing a water source, Jorge has offered to donate all the labor costs, cutting our construction costs nearly in half meaning we have a lot more money to do other community projects.  Some possibilities the committee came up with are: a community mural on a side of the salon comunal that promotes recycling or environmental protection, a community map that would show people where our important buildings/resources are located, or community signs that promote recycling/community unity.  Honestly the group of students seem to be getting more and more involved and excited each meeting and I am really optimistic that something good will come of this project, eventually.

Community Benches

While this wasn't my project, the Catholic Church came to me with the idea of creating more community benches on the other side of the plaza near the church.  Jorge, fairly, charged them a small sum to cut and weld the metal and then last weekend, a fairly large group of about 15 people showed up to put them into the ground and paint them.  In the meantime, a group of about 25 kids showed up to play soccer and hang out on the other benches, easily the most people I have ever seen in the plaza outside of an event...it was great to see and obviously its not just the benches that bought these kids to the plaza but to see that they had value, to see the kids using and enjoying them made me smile.  Really cool to see how these small little ideas have secondary effects.

Road Sign

The owner of the Pulperia in our community is an older lady in her late 70s and while she is certainly the main attraction in the community, she almost never leaves her store and will very rarely attend meetings or walk around the community.  However, she is very much involved in the community and loves to talk to me about projects and how she can help support them in whatever way.  Doña Lidia has donated to the first benches, continues to provide endless amount of plastic to fill the bottles and always has ideas for new projects.  One of these projects was a sign of some sort to tell people where the surrounding communities are located.  She says people will always show up to the pulperia asking where "x" community is and having a little sign in the main intersection would help solve this problem.  So I went to the plaza the other day and collected some wood planks and brought them to my escuela English class yesterday and painted them with the kids.  I then nailed them to a wooden pole and dug a hole in the intersection and placed the sign.  It is really short but what I am hoping for is that someone will come along and say "oh I can do that better" or "I can make it taller".  The idea is planted and now that there is an example and everyone is saying how nice it looks, I am hoping this will continue forward into something bigger and better.

Emergency Committee

I'm assisting yet another committee but this is a very necessary committee and one that has been in the making for a long time.  We are finally formed and today we had a training session from 10 until I got fed up of hearing people go back and forth on the same issue for hours on end.  But in all seriousness, we have a formal committee created and are now working to identify at risk areas and how to work to prepare for disasters.

Limon Business Talks

I really don't know how I got asked to do this but I think its just because I am the only CED volunteer north of Limon City.  Anyway, the CED team has been asked to send a volunteer to a business fair of sorts to assist the organization, Junior Achievement, to help prepare young students in practicing their professional skills; interviewing in English, resume workshops, etc.  As a PCV there, I will only be assisting with the English workshops but regardless, a very cool opportunity and I get to represent PCCR and work with the embassy staff.  Its a three weekend ordeal, the first next weekend then another two weekends in April, all payed for by Junior Achievement.  More to come on this!

English Classes

All I can say here is as I have become more integrated and visible here, more and more people are suddenly interested in learning English again...My two main weekly classes still consist of the same 10-12 students but the colegio class continues to grow each week.  Also last week, a group of 6 older guys approached me about starting a class for them during the weekends since they work Mon-Saturday.  So I agreed to a Sunday class but we have yet to hammer out the details.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Better than they sound!  Although for a poor PCV, it was an expensive meal.  I originally wanted to make these for just the family and bring them to the plaza for a picnic kind of thing but Ligia said the Catholic church was having an event for the kids and I should bring them to that, which I did and blew everyone's minds here!  I didn't save one for myself but Ligia managed save one and they were great.  Everyone was more amazed that the male gringo didn't burn down the kitchen cooking than they were about the cheese stuffed meatballs.

I could keep going but I am tired of typing and I would be amazed if anyone actually manages to read all this.  For those who did and continue to be so supportive, thank you!  One year down, 15 months to go!!  

-Conor