Costa Rica was not all work. On the side, we did other things for our own edification. (Lesson no. 6: Have a long-term local decide what is valuable to see or hear. Not a single thing we went to felt overrated, expensive, or cheesy.) We were taken to a “souvenir shop” which included a factory in the back. Working away was a big water wheel, a completely hydro-powered system for making the ox-cart wheels. The shop in back also featured several artists who were making the exquisite souvenirs being sold out front for incredibly cheap prices. One of the artists even let me paint!
Another day, we went on a tour of a coffee plantation. The farmer, though clearly tired after a long day’s work, gave us a full tour, explaining (in Spanish) the plants, the processing, and the economics, of coffee farming. Wow. He has revived the farm from almost certain bankruptcy by taking out the middle man and finding roasting sources in the U.S. who sell his coffee at gourmet (fair) prices. Still, climate change is disrupting his yields and farming patterns, and privately he told Charlie he thinks there is a limited number of years left for his plantation. The issues were different from ours, but the themes were similar: Pests. Seasonal shifts. Rain when it shouldn’t rain and drought when it should. It sounded a lot like our berry situation, in fact. You can guess that Al Ringer was all ears and I wished they could have talked separately, without an interpreter (Al is also a farmer and a berry grower). At the end we all bought coffee, of course. I was, as I was every day, deeply affected by all I had learned and by the good will and honest nature of everyone around me.
We also went to a huge farmers market. The colors and delights never ended. Our mouths watered at the bursting mounds of bright red tomatoes, bright orange fruits, bright green greens....it was painful not to buy much. We were leaving the country within 48 hours. (Lesson no 7: the fruits and vegs in Costa Rica are as good as everyone says).
Speaking of food, Our meals, served faithfully three times a day, were delightful, mostly—a change, of course, but we just went with it and ate what was available and it nourished us well. I never felt overly full, was always hungry at mealtimes, and appreciated that options were few but delicious. As daily bean-and-rice eaters anyway, we had fewer adjustments to make than some others. There was always meat (from nearby farms) and plentiful cut fresh fruit. Mangoes, watermelon, pineapple every day, almost every meal. I am not a big fruit eater, but I became one quickly. Cedar and Lamar were in heaven. We skipped the white bread and cereal, jam and margarine.
At night, we watched karote class at the Mission, or had a salsa dancing lesson one night, or played soccer ("football"). Twice we played, and I wished we’d tried earlier because we might have done it more. It was one small way of giving back. Oscar was always looking for players, and we also paid for the flood lights on the soccer field, it being dark by 6:30 pm. every night. (Lesson no 8: countries without excess wealth make a lot smarter choices about energy. Lights on only when you need them, toilets that flush about a quart of water and ask you to put the paper in a bag, etc.).
Once the soccer ball was dropped, the Costa Ricans ran circles around us, and both their skill and their joy in playing made it the most exhilarating soccer I have ever played or even witnessed. We did our best (and the Gabourys, all three generations, are great athletes who give it their all) but we were no match for them. We learned fast, because they were great passers, even to us. They would sprint to the ball, execute the perfect handling, and then look up and do a sweet, gentle pass to exactly where I should be in 2 seconds….They delighted in everything, including ridiculous mess-ups.
As someone who has always thrilled in sport and competition, but so rarely sees or experiences it in its purest form, these games were thrilling to participate in—just effort, skill, and pure love of the sport. No one kept score or time, players walked off to get water, then came back in. When we all tired out (or rather, the North Americans were barely moving), by consensus we lifted our hands and cheered, to signal game over. Locals biked around the field, or sat and watched, a much better way to spend the evening than sitting at home on a phone or watching TV, as we are prone to do in our country. I thought for sure I had pulled a muscle, probably several, because I was so stiff and sore every night. But the health of the air, the hard word, the delicious fruit, the sound sleeping… just all seemed to lead to fast healing, and by each morning I was pretty much ready to go again.
Our final day was the “day off,” and preparing for it actually proved to be the most difficult part of the trip! Suddenly we had to decide (because the previously-chosen option closed unexpectedly) what to do, and given the focus on our own pleasure, we turned into regular old human beings with different priorities and concerns. Some wanted to go to the beach and surf; others very decidedly had no interest in the beach but wanted to go to the rainforest. No one seemed able to just say, “Whatever we do will be fine,” although most of us felt that way. Trying to think outside the box, I asked Charlie if we could take two buses, but this option would cost some and we'd been planning as a group. Feelings got hurt, should we stay together…… eventually Mike our fearless leader decided that we would all go together to the rain forest. We had a circle-like meeting in the evening to iron it out and went to bed feeling pretty normal (I think).
The next morning we were on our way—the drive was 90 minutes on winding roads, never more than 45 mph, but it took us into a whole different part of Costa Rica. We climbed up through the clouds and through a whole different culture and eco-system. Suddenly there were small farms, ruminants grazing and everything was green, foggy, and chilly. Ah yes, the rain forest! 10 people did the zipline which took 1 ½ hours and was reported to be very beautiful and fun, despite the unanticipated fact that it was raining! I thought they’d come back dripping wet and chilled to the bone, but they were barely wet. The canopy really does keep the rain off. I also noticed that the guides didn’t wear any rain gear.
Then, a buffet lunch and then a 1 ½ hr tour through the rain forest, with a focus on hummingbirds, butterflies, flora, and the swinging bridges. Our guide was passionate and answered dozens of questions beyond the typical tour. He was incredibly personable, proud of his citizenry and of the priorities his country was placing on biodiversity and the preservation of all life. When asked about the different blooming seasons for different plants (since they have no winter and summer—only dry and wet), he observed, “Well you know, God puts it altogether so perfectly--”--then went on to explain the intricate patterns of bloom throughout the year. We nodded, recognizing and sharing his reverence for our amazing complex planet and its Creator. Never before have I shared religious values with locals from a foreign country; being on a Mission trip seemed to make it easier. The basic trust level was higher, somehow.