Answers to Sea Girt 7th Grader's questions #1

First of all, let me thank you for your wonderful, insightful and thought-provoking questions. A lot of these are really, really interesting! I will answer every one of them below and encourage you to keep them coming, though I may not always be so prompt in my replies due to internet access. Before I begin, I want to let everyone know that Melana and I graduated training this Friday. That means, as of Dec. 17th we are full fledged PCV's! We'll be traveling to our site on Monday! The graduation ceremony was held at the US Ambassador's house and we were received with grand pomp and circumstance... we even sang the Costa Rican national anthem (which is in Spanish - ahh!)

This also means that we said good-bye to our host families, who we've grown to love. The pictures posted below are of our family parties.

Melana with her family:

And me with my family!

We kicked off activities with a classic water balloon toss.After I hung the piñata, I kind of got stuck in the rafters. You could say it was a "hit".

Ok, questions!

Q #1

It looks like most of your daily routine outdoors. DO you eat outdoors? What are some stuff that you do outside that you wouldn't do outside here?

Great question! Most of our daily routines are indoors to a large degree. This includes meetings, meals, time with the family, etc. In a lot of ways, Costa Ricans spend as much time inside as US Americans do. The difference is that when we in the US are inside, we're really, REALLY inside, as in, four wall that go to the ceiling with glass in our windows. In Costa Rica, a lot of the buildings are very open air, meaning that it can feel or look like you're outside even in your house (this means bugs are everywhere!) The other difference is that I walk everywhere, so I'm outside when I'm traveling (usually 1-4 hours a day just doing that.) One activity we do outside here that US Americans usually don't do outside is wash clothing. Most CR households have an outdoor sink where they wash their clothes by hand. This is usually under an overhang but, for all intents and purposes is outside. We usually eat inside too, unless we're grabbing a meal to go.

Q #2

Hey Peteman I was just wondering if the people down there are celebrating christmas and if so are you getting a real chrismas tree or a palm tree (because i've seen it done)or are you not getting any trees and just celebrating this great festive holiday!? please write back

They are definitely celebrating Christmas! Christmas here started back in October as far as decorations and music go. There are Spanish versions of Christmas carols everywhere. Most homes do have typical Christmas trees if the families can afford them. There is a Christmas tree farm on my way by bus to San Jose. Then again, we're high in the mountains here. When I get to my new home in the lowlands, I'll follow up and let you know!

Q#3

Is Peace Corps ever dangerous?

Yes. Next question...

Ha! I'm kidding! Peace Corps can be dangerous - but the US Government does everything it can to keep us from harm. Being in impoverished and underdeveloped areas, though, there is always at risk for certain natural disasters, crime and political instability. We are briefed weekly from the State Department about safety and security issues and the Peace Corps has a special Safety and Securities Officer responsible for training us on how to mitigate risks. The biggest natural threats in CR are earthquakes, landslides, flooding, volcanoes and tropical diseases!

Q#4

Wow! those are a lot of ants! Imagine if they could hold up something even bigger!

Ants can carry 10x their own body weight - or more!. Meaning that if you as strong as an ant, you could carry a car! The African lion ant, I've heard, can carry up to 50x its body weight!

Q#5

Does some of Costa Rica live in poverty? Eh?

Yes, this is why the Peace Corps still operates in this relatively developed nation. According to the CR government. 18.6 percent of CR households are impoverished. However, poverty is difficult to measure. There are both national and international poverty standards. For example, in the US, the US Census Bureau estimates poverty to hover somewhere around the 13 percent mark. However, an impoverished person in the US most likely still has access to roads, water, public schools and other resources that an impoverished person in CR does not. Still, poverty in all countries is something we must take initiatives to combat. In the US, the group that does the job of Peace Corps is called AmeriCorps.

Q#6

Was the earthquake horrifying or was it just a little shake? what happened when the earthquake came? Did you try to take cover or hit the ground?

Honestly, it felt like a cheap ride at a local amusement park. The kind where a platform shakes and an unenthusiastic ride operator says, “Oh no, earthquake!” Fortunately the earthquake was strong but very, very deep underground (5 miles, I think.) Earthquakes are especially dangerous in CR because they can cause landslides. This one did not. Also, because we were outside anyway, I just hung on and enjoyed the ride! If I were inside, I would hide under a door frame.

Q#7

Hello! You're adventures in Costa Rica seem very exciting! Did you want to be a PCV when you were younger? Also, do you plan to do peace corps projects for the rest of your life? Thank you.

I have always been a traveler, but I didn’t really know that much about Peace Corps until College. Your teacher can probably tell you stories of how I was as a student! I loved everything to do with nature, science and far-away lands. I always envisioned myself traveling, but I didn’t really know how I would be able to do that for a job. Would I do it for my whole life? Probably not because I need to make money at some point! What I would really like to do after I finish my Master’s is look for new ways to bring the international experience into classrooms like yours, much like I'm doing right now!

Q#8

hey Peteman,

I was pondering if you have to take some type of pills before you eat so you don't get sick.

Keep on pondering! That’s how Pinky and the Brain do it! Food here is relatively safe compared to the rest of the world. All I really have to do is look out for the same things you have to look out for in the States: uncooked meat, raw eggs, unwashed vegetables and stagnant or unclean water. I DO have to take special pills when I travel to Malaria zones in the country, but those are not for food.

Q#9

Those look a lot like the ants in "Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

This isn’t really a question but I’ll simply state that Indiana Jones has always been my hero and that I love all of those movies - especially the first 3, but that could be because I’m old.

Well, there you have it, 9 great questions! Keep ‘em coming and be sure to ask your teacher about any words or concepts that you didn’t fully understand and discuss them in class! If you need to ask a follow-up question, I’ll be happy to answer it! Also, be sure to research topics you find interesting on your own either online or in the resource center (library) in Sea Girt School!