My Environmental Awareness and Sustainable Development class along with a couple other classes (the same group as last weekend) traveled to Ostional this weekend to learn about the sea turtles and the sustainable project the community has.
We left at 6 am Saturday morning for the 6 hour trek to the Pacific coast. This is the furthest north I have been on the coast in the province of Guanacaste. This little community is far away from any development and kind of lives its own bubble outside of society. There are around 700 or 800 people in the town and little tourism. The beach is beautiful but not in the same way as the other beaches with white sand. The currents in the ocean are really strong and I have never seen bigger waves.
So. Ostional is a town of people that are essentially squatters on government owned land and have been there for over 100 years. The political side to the town and project is very complicated. They are located on one of the very few nesting beaches in the world for sea turtles and the Oliver Ridley sea turtle in particular. Sea turtles of all species are endangered in the world for several reasons. One issue facing the turtles is illegal poaching and egg extraction. For many, this is an indigenous practice and the only source of protein. These practices are illegal throughout Costa Rica...except for in Ostional.
Ostional has created a program with the University of Costa Rica and other organizations that is a sustainable project. This means that it incorporates the environment, the people, and the economy. There is a strict system of egg extraction in Ostional that allows the people to make revenue, have an income, and support social programs. Some say the program has been a success, especially in the social part. Others would argue that the science hasn't been reviewed. It is true, however, that the amount of eggs they take is minimal in comparison to the number of eggs that are laid on their beaches. Furthermore, it is true that many eggs will not hatch anyway because female turtles dig up other nests in order to lay their own or the eggs are crushed underneath the weight of too many eggs. Ostional believes that the Oliver Ridley or Lora population has increased since they began their project.
So upon arrival, we were served lunch in an outdoor kitchen and pavilion right on the beach. Next to this was our lodging. We stayed in bunks in a building owned by the association that runs the program in Ostional. We talked with the biologist of the program and the leader of the socioeconomic part. We walked on the beach for awhile and had a relaxing day. Luckily, about two hours after we got there a lone turtle came to shore to lay her eggs. We watched the entire process of her trek up the beach and finding a spot. Then she digs a hole, lays up to 200 eggs, covers it, packs it, camouflages it, and walks back to the ocean. It was so cool to watch. Later we had dinner and went to a tiny local bar. We talked with some of the other people staying in the same place. They were ticos visiting family nearby.
We woke up at 4:30 am in the morning to head to the beach and see the turtles. This week was an arribada which means arrival. This species of turtle is known for these massive arribadas on certain beaches where thousands come at once over the course of a week and the majority is during the night hours. We saw hundreds and it was clear from the paths in the sand that we had even missed the majority. It was pretty cool to just be hanging out amongst a ton of turtles. We scared away dogs and birds and cheered on the turtles. I saw two get too stressed out and turn around without laying their eggs. This happens sometimes. It is strange to think that basically everywhere on the beach, you are walking over turtle eggs. There are that many.
After a while of watching them and when most had returned to the water we walked back down the beach and watched some of the community members at work. They were extracting eggs from another part of the beach. They have a very strict system that works well. They eggs are put in special bags with special receipts and sold to other parts of the country. Illegal selling and reusing the special Ostional bags still happens, of course.
We went on a tour of the community and saw their research facility, tour guide office, schools, and other things. Afterward, we had to interview community members about the program and their knowledge on the turtles for class. This was an interesting experience. We all had different results and some strange encounters. Some of the people likes Ostional before the program and regulations were in place and the think the numbers are going down and some think just the opposite.
We had a little bit of free time to get some sun on the beach and watch the surfers before it was time to eat lunch and return to San José. The drive back took way longer than expected due to two traffic jams. The mood wasn't very happy on that bus ride.
We learned more about Ostional from a different perspective in class on Monday. A speaker came to talk to us about his NGO and projects. His name is Randall and he is one of the leading conservationists in Costa Rica. His NGO, PRETOMA, was the first marine NGO in Costa Rica. He is extremely accomplished and a fun guy. He and his organization work toward saving the turtles and sharks and entire marine ecosystems. He was very familiar with Ostional and was involved with it years ago. His opinion of the project has changed somewhat overtime and isn't sure that Ostional should be a model for other towns and programs. These past few days have been filled with so much information but it was all very interesting and inspiring. It has all, also, been a reminder to remain a critical thinker. Ostional seemed to make a lot of sense until we discussed in class and with Randall and saw some other view points that weren't apparent during our visit.
The first half of the day on Monday was dedicated to coffee. :)
Jenn, Taylor and I went to Café Britt in Heredia for their coffee tour. They don't have their own plantations but they purchase from many dependent grows. Many of them are sustainable and/or organic. In Heredia, they roast and package the coffee. They was a lot of fun. They taught us the history, showed coffee and cocoa plants, and explained the growth and harvesting process. They showed us the roasters and taught us about different types, how to brew it, etc. They guides were a lot of fun and put on skits to make it more entertaining. The best part? Free samples. In their gift shop we tried different roasts and tons of chocolates. When we were satisfied with our time there, we headed back downtown and caught another bus to the east side of the city. We went to Lincoln Plaza for the sole purpose of going to Starbucks. Yes, Starbucks in Costa Rica. Prime example of gringa problems. It, obviously, was exactly the same but delicious as always.
Today is Tuesday and I have one paper, one presentation, and one class ahead of me before being done with my program here. Then its just 4 days until I board the plane to head back to the states. There is an immense about of pressure this week on what to do and when to do it and who to do things with and getting gifts and packing and making sure we did everything we wanted to in Costa Rica. I feel a lot of this and am caught in the same old struggle of doing this versus money. And time. There are a lot of awkwardly timed events this week that make it hard to maximize time but I think it will be a good last week no matter what. It is going to have to be.
Turtle eggs and coffee beans,
Taylor
PS. It won't let me upload photos for some reason. So they will come soon.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Clase de Español ✔
Last week was the fourth week of classes and my final week of spanish class. That means one more week and that's it. It was a tiring week but ended well.
The first few days of the week were spent freaking out about all the work I had to do and falling asleep when I wasn't supposed to. Both classes on Monday with lots of work. I had a presentation in my elective. A quiz on Tuesday in Spanish. I tried to write my huge research paper all day Tuesday but...you know how that goes. I went to dance that night to give myself a break. And so it continued with stressing, working, and not finishing it all. Wednesday we had our final exam in Spanish which went well. Then I had to go to the store to buy food for my final presentation the next day in Spanish and of course spend the rest of the day working on papers for my elective. Thursday morning class started later so I made pico de gallo with my mamatica before class.
Our final day of spanish class was a lot of fun. We all presented about the food we made and how to make it and the we ate it all, of course. We listened to music and talked and ate way too much. We had everything from french toast to platanos maduros to bloody mary's. Those weren't supposed to happen but one student did it anyway.
I am very happy with my spanish class in the end. My teacher was so much fun and such a wonderful woman. I learned a lot of new vocabulary and phrases and reviewed grammar. It was a great class. It felt so strange that it was ending. This was the first big moment of my time in Costa Rica coming to an end.
Oh! I forgot to mention that my difficulties in concentrating on my work on Wednesday were enhanced by an email offering me the internship position I applied for!! I got it! I am very excited about this and really nervous but I am now a General Sustainability Intern with the Office of Sustainability at BGSU for this year. =]
Anyway, with spanish over and my work for my elective finished, the weekend began. Friday was another Costa Rican holiday. It was a Catholic holiday about the virgin. It is called La Romeria. Thousands of people make a pilgrimage to a church in Cartago on or before this day. The story is about this little black statue that was found a long time ago that looked like the virgin. I'm not entirely sure. I didn't get it all. The previous weekend, we saw people starting their walk all the way from Puntarenas. I joined Jenny and her roommate, Olivia, and their mamatica and friends on the walk Thursday night. From San José we walked 24 km to Cartago. We began at 5 or 6 and got there several hours later. I didn't even pay attention to the time. We stopped a few times to let the older ladies catch up and to hang out in a park and to grab snacks. I enjoyed the walk. It was like a fair the whole way. There were tents set up and people giving away free shirts or food or drinks and people selling things. There was a lot of music. Other parts were really quiet and dark. The hike is up the mountains so it takes a while and is really exhausting. I think I enjoyed the walk the most even though it got really hard at times. It was amazing how many people there were. We were literally packed on the street at times. Some people even walk barefoot.
When we made it to Cartago, the city was decorated for the festivities that would continue the next few days. The streets were oddly less crowded as we got into the city. I'm not sure why. Finally, we saw the church. It was beautiful with the lights at night. It was very grand and more than I expected. At this point, it was hard to even walk because there were so many people. Going inside the church, was out of the question. People set up camp all over the street, the park in front of the church, and the sidewalks. I almost stepped on so many people. I think they were waiting for the special mass in the morning. Not long after, we got a bus home.
I was hoping for an interesting cultural experience and it certainly was. It is amazing that so many people do this pilgrimage and that some walk for an entire week to get there. If I were Catholic I would probably appreciate it more and find it more interesting. I liked seeing the church but I was ready to go home once we got to the city. I liked the walk though. That was an adventure.
Friday, the day was spent relaxing, shopping in the artisan market, and having lunch with friends. It was a good day to recuperate from such a crazy week.
Siempre un estudiante,
Taylor
The first few days of the week were spent freaking out about all the work I had to do and falling asleep when I wasn't supposed to. Both classes on Monday with lots of work. I had a presentation in my elective. A quiz on Tuesday in Spanish. I tried to write my huge research paper all day Tuesday but...you know how that goes. I went to dance that night to give myself a break. And so it continued with stressing, working, and not finishing it all. Wednesday we had our final exam in Spanish which went well. Then I had to go to the store to buy food for my final presentation the next day in Spanish and of course spend the rest of the day working on papers for my elective. Thursday morning class started later so I made pico de gallo with my mamatica before class.
Our final day of spanish class was a lot of fun. We all presented about the food we made and how to make it and the we ate it all, of course. We listened to music and talked and ate way too much. We had everything from french toast to platanos maduros to bloody mary's. Those weren't supposed to happen but one student did it anyway.
I am very happy with my spanish class in the end. My teacher was so much fun and such a wonderful woman. I learned a lot of new vocabulary and phrases and reviewed grammar. It was a great class. It felt so strange that it was ending. This was the first big moment of my time in Costa Rica coming to an end.
Profe and I :)
And a photobomb by Paul
Oh! I forgot to mention that my difficulties in concentrating on my work on Wednesday were enhanced by an email offering me the internship position I applied for!! I got it! I am very excited about this and really nervous but I am now a General Sustainability Intern with the Office of Sustainability at BGSU for this year. =]
Anyway, with spanish over and my work for my elective finished, the weekend began. Friday was another Costa Rican holiday. It was a Catholic holiday about the virgin. It is called La Romeria. Thousands of people make a pilgrimage to a church in Cartago on or before this day. The story is about this little black statue that was found a long time ago that looked like the virgin. I'm not entirely sure. I didn't get it all. The previous weekend, we saw people starting their walk all the way from Puntarenas. I joined Jenny and her roommate, Olivia, and their mamatica and friends on the walk Thursday night. From San José we walked 24 km to Cartago. We began at 5 or 6 and got there several hours later. I didn't even pay attention to the time. We stopped a few times to let the older ladies catch up and to hang out in a park and to grab snacks. I enjoyed the walk. It was like a fair the whole way. There were tents set up and people giving away free shirts or food or drinks and people selling things. There was a lot of music. Other parts were really quiet and dark. The hike is up the mountains so it takes a while and is really exhausting. I think I enjoyed the walk the most even though it got really hard at times. It was amazing how many people there were. We were literally packed on the street at times. Some people even walk barefoot.
When we made it to Cartago, the city was decorated for the festivities that would continue the next few days. The streets were oddly less crowded as we got into the city. I'm not sure why. Finally, we saw the church. It was beautiful with the lights at night. It was very grand and more than I expected. At this point, it was hard to even walk because there were so many people. Going inside the church, was out of the question. People set up camp all over the street, the park in front of the church, and the sidewalks. I almost stepped on so many people. I think they were waiting for the special mass in the morning. Not long after, we got a bus home.
I was hoping for an interesting cultural experience and it certainly was. It is amazing that so many people do this pilgrimage and that some walk for an entire week to get there. If I were Catholic I would probably appreciate it more and find it more interesting. I liked seeing the church but I was ready to go home once we got to the city. I liked the walk though. That was an adventure.
Thousands of people.
The church
Friday, the day was spent relaxing, shopping in the artisan market, and having lunch with friends. It was a good day to recuperate from such a crazy week.
Siempre un estudiante,
Taylor
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