To be honest, I truly do not know how to start this. There’s so much I want to say about today. Whether it is going to a farm at 5 am, working with Enrique to clean and preserve the beautiful forest right behind his house, or even cooking in the kitchen and struggling just to make a simple tortilla: all of these events happened within 15 hours of one another. It is insane how much we do, learn, and explore on this adventure called life. When I’m at home in a big city, I never see any of this. I don’t see the beautiful purple sunsets that cover the sky like a warm blanket. I see beautiful red parrots in Costa Rica just as often as we see pigeons in Boston. There is so much on this trip that I have learned about myself. Who would’ve thought I really enjoy working at a farm?! As a matter of fact, I would much rather be on a farm and work than play video games, no exaggeration. Waking up at 5 am this morning after a really challenging walk through the jungle at night was a struggle, yet we all persevered and got up. Well, I shouldn’t say all of us, my bunkmate and friend Lukas had to shake me a couple of times for me to open my eyes. Add the fact that over here we are two hours ahead of my time zone, so realistically I woke up at 3 am.
The farm itself was a sight to see. It was gorgeous in every which way. The flowers bloom, showering us with vibrant colors that attract the eye. The owner of the farm Familia Ureña was a part of the first families that founded Rancho Quemado. History is right in front of our eyes. Never in my life have I ever milked a cow. I wouldn’t say I’m a natural at milking a cow, or even say that I like doing it quite frankly. The utter felt like rubber, and once I was done I immediately had to wash my hands. The city boy in me is still kind of present.
Later today we worked with Enrique. I love talking to Enrique and being in his presence because he has a calm demeanor that reminds me of my late grandfather. We went out in the “backyard” and learned about the vanilla plants. He showed that it was the flower that made the vanilla and told us about its rich history. Once he finished with the lesson, we started to clean up certain spots to help plant vanilla vines. I enjoyed scraping the leaves into the pile and the hard work that came with it. I’d never thought that I’d actually enjoy doing laborious work outside in the brutal humidity of Costa Rica, but I did!
Our last activity consisted of us making a traditional Costa Rican dish. Our instructor Doña Juana, in fact, called me a “machine” when I was grinding the green papaya into little shreds. With as good as I was with the papaya shredding, I was terrible at making a tortilla. The tortilla scene was an absolute nightmare; I would be lying if I said it didn’t take me about four times just to get it right. The end result, when all the food was fresh and finished, was just perfect. In all honesty, I haven’t had a bad meal this whole trip. I am never in the kitchen at all at home and the only time I am in there is to grab snacks. The kitchen experience today was really relaxing and I enjoyed every minute of it, not counting the tortilla terror.
I’ve considered myself as a leader ever since I was a little kid. This Costa Rica trip has helped me evolve as a leader. I have learned to be a lot more patient due to the slow-moving time here. Back at home, we are always in a rush everywhere we go, but over here it’s “Pura Vida”. In due time things will happen, and I absolutely adore that calmness. I love it over here and wish to bring my family one day to this beautiful country with its heartwarming people.
Costa Rica truly does feel like a home away from home. Thanks, mami and papi for pushing me out of my comfort zone.