The bus ride out to Guanacaste was somewhat long, about 5 hours but not stressful in the least. Other trainees had to travel for nearly 9 hours, while my total trip time was about 6.5 hrs. I had my "bag of fun" packed with a book, magazine, iPod, journal, water, and fruit, for whatever I might be in need of. On our second official site visit, all the trainees go alone to see a current volunteer. I saw Anna Myers of Tico 12 [I belong to Tico 14], who lives in a community where you can see both the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Nicoya - it´s gorgeous! I was travelling during Semana Santa, which is a huge local holiday, and Anna´s community likes to party hard. The beers started coming in the afternoon at the soccer game, and then they just wouldn´t stop! I felt a bit like the gringa showcase, but it was an interesting affair.
The next day (while experiencing the first hangover of my life) we hiked down the mountain to a posa (swimming hole) in the river, right above a waterfall. Even if I wasn´t feeling top notch, the hike was beautiful and the river was relaxing. Anna´s family shared their special Tico trick for a queasy stomach - drink down some guaro ! (Guaro is the local licor, made from sugarcane, and I decided against heeding the advice!)
Although the visit was short, I learned about the region, Anna´s site, and various projects she´s been working on, including English classes, Junior Achievement programs, writing grants for an aqueduct project, and prospective projects like Chicas Poderosas as well. This is what training is all about!
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