The research has been going really well. I am learning a lot about the CEN-CINAI programing. I have gathered all my data, and have spent the last few weeks working on anthropological descriptions. The most intriguing facet of my research has been how children are treated in the Costa Rican culture. From what I can tell, children are the center of attention for any occasion. Any mistake made, any wronging or misbehavior, is reprimanded with a "mi amor" (my love), and mere words of wisdom. Frustration with children seems non existent in the areas I have visited. One day I would very much enjoy to do further research on the way children are treated and viewed in the Costa Rica, and if there is a connection with the countries happiness index, as well lasting effects on the close nit family unit.
Picture of a my research space in the CEN
Anyways, I have also been having amazing adventures every weekend. One weekend was spent at Festival Imperial, which was a giant electronic music festival that amounted to 30,000 people. It was crazy to see some of my favorite types of music surrounded by a completely different culture. Turns out the ticos (Costa Ricans) are very much on board with the futuristic sounds of dubstep and house music. I will say, I saw a few of the ticos get frightened during certain bass sounds that pierced our eardrums. In the end, everyone was dancing up storm which is all I wanted to do.
Festival Imperial with some ACM friends
I have continued volunteering at the family animal reserve. What surprised me most about my time spent with the animals, is that I learned the sounds, the mannerisms, and the smells of many different species of Costa Rica. All of this knowledge came in handy when I took my spring break trip, which is called Semana Santa here.
In order to experience smaller crowds and biodiversity up the wahzoo, I traveled to the souther peninsula by the name
Osa Penisula. I spend four days backpacking in Corcovado National Park followed by two days at Playa Zancudo. The backpacking trip in Corcovado was amazing. I saw a multitude of wildlife. Tapir, fours different species of monkeys, ant eaters, crocodiles, wild pigs, macaws, coati, and many different species of birds. I was unlucky when my camera ran out of battery on the hike in, but I still managed to get various photos of wildlife and scenery.
Tapir
Playa Corcovado
Squirrel Monkey
The trail
Playa Zancudo means mosquito beach, but there were not many mosquitos. I believe that the name is used as a means of deterring massive crowds. The beach was beautiful. The wave were nothing to fear and the cabins that I stayed at were very inexpensive and right on the beach! If I headed approximately 3km south along the beach the wave got bigger, and the surfing got renowned. If I were to have taken a 30 minute car ride I would have happened upon a surf town by the name of Pavones. The famous 5 minute left breaking wave lives in this area. When I was staying in Zancudo the swell in Pavones was too big for me. 9 ft waves would not have been a good idea in my physical and competence level. I did surf thought and it was an absolute blast. I realize now that at some point in my life I am going to have to live somewhere that accommodates a surf every morning life style.
Walkway from the cabin to the beach
The best part at Zancudo came with the setting of the sun. The sunsets were spectacular. During this time the low tide made the beach stretch out for a good 50 meters. The water was very timid and the small film over the sand created amazing reflections of the clouds. When the night came around, we were blessed with cloud coverage. Weird, I know, but with the lack of a star and moon lit sky, came a ocean full of it's own light. Bioluminescense lit up the ocean. I swam around proclaiming, "look at me, Im a star!" Every movement that I made in ocean caused tiny little organisms to lit up around me. I was swimming in an swarm of ocean fireflies.
Best Sunsets
ME
Pura Vida, until next time.
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