Saturday, May 17, 2008
Curious cows
One morning I was out walking with my camera, and these cows all ran to the fence to watch me pass by, no doubt wondering what that crazy gringa was up to now.
Ugh
I am notoriously horrible when I am sick. I whine and cry and convince myself and everyone around me that I am near death. So it's been a little frustrating that my host mom hardly blinks an eye when I tell her of my recent ongoing illness. She's just not giving me the sympathy I seek.
To be fair, she did soak rice in water all morning yesterday, then blended the rice and its water in a blender and served it to me piping hot in a mug for lunch. And it sort of worked. I haven't puked since.
I had really hoped my time in Costa Rica wouldn't be marred by illness. But for the last couple of months, I've been tired and pukey and coughy and sniffly. I even had swollen lips and a rash one day, I think as a result of the parasite medicine - which obviously didn't work. Yesterday I skipped out on my weekly trip to Buenos Aires. I just didn't feel like getting out of bed.
I moped around the house, nauseated and coughing, wishing I could curl up on a real couch and watch television in English. Instead, I lay on my bed reading old Arkansas Democrat-Gazettes and New York Times Magazines.
I had planned to make the six-hour trip to the doctor today, but this morning, I felt better and decided to come to Buenos Aires to check e-mail instead. I'm still a little achy, but the cough is better, and I haven't been nauseated since before the rice shake. I have to go to San Jose next weekend anyway, so I want to wait until then to go to the doctor.
In the meantime, I've read some very interesting stories, such as this one about how cell phones have an "economizing effect" in developing areas. I always find it strange to see so many people in my rural town carrying fancy cell phones.
The other day, I saw one of my students take a break from cutting his lawn with a machete to answer the cell phone stuffed in his pocket. I for one would rather have weed whacker than a cell phone, but according to the New York Times Magazine article,
poor families are investing a significant amount of money monile telecommunications. As a family’s income grows their spending on technology increases faster than spending in any other category, including health, education and housing.
During my interview for this position, the former volunteer conducting the interview told me she had been disappointed to learn that her host family in Costa Rica had a cell phone.
"I thought I was moving to a developing country, and my host dad had a cell phone, and that was 10 years ago," she said, still incredulous.
Costa Rica is indeed mostly developed now, but in remote towns like mine, the site of a cell phone on the hip of a man on horseback leading a herd of cows down the road creates a stark contrast, one that is apparently seen around the world and for good reason.
So there you have it. Not only am I whiny and difficult when sick, I'm boring, too. I think I'll get us all out of this misery and go back home and go to bed. Adios.
To be fair, she did soak rice in water all morning yesterday, then blended the rice and its water in a blender and served it to me piping hot in a mug for lunch. And it sort of worked. I haven't puked since.
I had really hoped my time in Costa Rica wouldn't be marred by illness. But for the last couple of months, I've been tired and pukey and coughy and sniffly. I even had swollen lips and a rash one day, I think as a result of the parasite medicine - which obviously didn't work. Yesterday I skipped out on my weekly trip to Buenos Aires. I just didn't feel like getting out of bed.
I moped around the house, nauseated and coughing, wishing I could curl up on a real couch and watch television in English. Instead, I lay on my bed reading old Arkansas Democrat-Gazettes and New York Times Magazines.
I had planned to make the six-hour trip to the doctor today, but this morning, I felt better and decided to come to Buenos Aires to check e-mail instead. I'm still a little achy, but the cough is better, and I haven't been nauseated since before the rice shake. I have to go to San Jose next weekend anyway, so I want to wait until then to go to the doctor.
In the meantime, I've read some very interesting stories, such as this one about how cell phones have an "economizing effect" in developing areas. I always find it strange to see so many people in my rural town carrying fancy cell phones.
The other day, I saw one of my students take a break from cutting his lawn with a machete to answer the cell phone stuffed in his pocket. I for one would rather have weed whacker than a cell phone, but according to the New York Times Magazine article,
poor families are investing a significant amount of money monile telecommunications. As a family’s income grows their spending on technology increases faster than spending in any other category, including health, education and housing.
During my interview for this position, the former volunteer conducting the interview told me she had been disappointed to learn that her host family in Costa Rica had a cell phone.
"I thought I was moving to a developing country, and my host dad had a cell phone, and that was 10 years ago," she said, still incredulous.
Costa Rica is indeed mostly developed now, but in remote towns like mine, the site of a cell phone on the hip of a man on horseback leading a herd of cows down the road creates a stark contrast, one that is apparently seen around the world and for good reason.
Robert Jensen, an economics professor at Harvard University, tracked fishermen off the coast of Kerala in southern India, finding that when they invested in cell phones and started using them to call around to prospective buyers before they’d even got their catch to shore, their profits went up by an average of 8 percent while consumer prices in the local marketplace went down by 4 percent. A 2005 London Business School study extrapolated the effect even further, concluding that for every additional 10 mobile phones per 100 people, a country’s G.D.P. rises 0.5 percent.
So there you have it. Not only am I whiny and difficult when sick, I'm boring, too. I think I'll get us all out of this misery and go back home and go to bed. Adios.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Pura vida
I checked into a hotel, dropped off my backpack and wandered around until I found a nice park and a decent-looking restaurant. As soon as I sat down, I realized I had found the gringo hangout. Almost immediately, an old man from California sat down at my table. He's some sort of healer, and to prove it, he drew a picture of a damaged cell on a napkin. I listened politely while my hamburger got cold. He didn't want to go into his exact cure for cancer right then and there, though, because he feared I wouldn't understand the nuances of the biology involved. Fair enough.
After he left, another gringo with an orange hat, orange polo shirt and orange backpack showed up at my table. He had just flown into to Costa Rica the day before and was on a two-fold mission - to buy cheap land and find the love of his life. After telling me how much he had to pay for a hooker the night before, he offered to buy me a beer, which I promptly refused. Luckily, the first gringo came back and changed the tone of the conversation. Turns out, he works in real estate in addition to curing cancer, so he and the sleazy guy shuffled off to talk land prices.
Just about then, one of my fellow volunteers showed up. We exchanged hugs and talked about our plans for our weekend. She was heading to the beach, and I said I might go to there too today. But I don't think I will. I am enjoying being alone and independent. Last night I watched a movie in English in my hotel. This morning I slept late and woke up slowly with the help of the television. I had forgotten how relaxing it is to stay in bed and watch TV.
I don't know what I'll do today. Maybe I will go to the beach. Or maybe I'll go to the Post Office. Or maybe I'll shop some more. Ah, it's so nice to have options. I'll be sure to let you know what I decide.
In the meantime, I've added some photos to the blog. Scroll on down.
One time I wrote that I was eager to see how my host family would relax at the beach.
In about an hour, though, I have to begin my six-hour bus rided back to the dirty south. I'll spend two days preparing for school, then on Sunday, I plan to go to the beach with my host family. Afterwards, I'll give a full report on how Ticos rest. I've yet to see that happen in my home and am looking forward to it. I half expect to see my host mom sweeping sand off the beach.
Well, I've been meaning to show you this picture, but I keep forgetting. It's of my host sister sweeping sand off the beach.
But my host mom did get some rest. She covered her face with a newspaper and leaned back on a log for about 20 minutes.
In about an hour, though, I have to begin my six-hour bus rided back to the dirty south. I'll spend two days preparing for school, then on Sunday, I plan to go to the beach with my host family. Afterwards, I'll give a full report on how Ticos rest. I've yet to see that happen in my home and am looking forward to it. I half expect to see my host mom sweeping sand off the beach.
Well, I've been meaning to show you this picture, but I keep forgetting. It's of my host sister sweeping sand off the beach.
But my host mom did get some rest. She covered her face with a newspaper and leaned back on a log for about 20 minutes.
Thank God for avocados
Just when I thought I couldn't choke down another plate of rice and beans, avocados began to fall from the sky -- or rather, from the avocado tree in the back yard. I love avocados. Then again, I used to love rice and beans, too.
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