Before embarking on this trip I was filled to the brim with anxiety, not because it was my first time in a developing country, not because I was nervous about my ability to communicate in Spanish, but because I felt this intense pressure to make sure everything went smoothly. This is my second time returning to Santa Cruz and my first time organizing travel for other people. I remember when I came this past January with Alex, we did not prepare at all. We had a pick-up arranged from the airport… and that was it. We knew we had some sort of homestay in Santa Cruz and we heard names tossed around of people we would meet, but no sort of direction and only one tenuous goal: “make the library sustainable.” This was our mission. Looking back on that trip and seeing where I am now, five new volunteers in tow and with a bigger, better space for the library, I can say we are well on our way to accomplishing this goal. Days before I left Chicago, however, I had yet to confirm a rendezvous in Heredia, had yet to confirm transportation to Santa Cruz, and I was not even sure how I would assign people to their homestay families. Yes, this makes it sound a little worse than it was, I mean I had an idea of what all of this would be, but it was a time when I needed assurance that Beyond el Campo could pull off expanding their volunteer program, supporting a bigger library, and meeting their number one goal. As you can imagine, plans did fall into place and my arrival into Costa Rica went as smoothly as I could have imagined (Aside from the hour plane ride delay, the almost missing box of books, and the taxi driver who could not find our hostel). I can say on top of all that- I could not have had a better first day in Santa Cruz. Everyone arrived safely, soundly, and in good spirits. I got to see my friend Sergio and learn that all was set for our arrival to Santa Cruz.
My second day in Costa Rica was even better than the first. I was reunited with another friend, Diego and I got to see the lovely new space for the library. But most importantly, I got to see my sweetheart, Saint Cruz. She was more lovely than I remembered her being. I did not realize what an impact this small pueblo in the coffee-growing hills of Costa Rica had made on me till I returned. My heart filled with emotion (as cliché as that sounds, I can’t think of any other way to describe the flood of feelings I felt) as I was reunited with my homestay family, with the community members, and even the indoor soccer field and the town center.
I think people treat me a little differently my second time back. It is like any volunteer can come into a community for a few weeks, you can even form friendships and attachments, but I think with your second time back, people know its serious- that you will not be in and out of their lives, but that you are making a commitment to continue your relationships and your work. (I would like to note that I do not mean to undermine one-time volunteers, I am just trying to highlight the experience of coming back. And to my fellow Beyond el Campers, I think you will find as I did, that by the end of this summer, you will just know….you will come back.)
My point about returning mostly applies to my experience with my homestay family. It just feels closer. For example, tonight I watched the Costa Rica vs. Mexico soccer game piled onto a twin-sized bed with my two host brothers and my host mother…I also fell asleep on the bed nearing the 50minute marker and woke up to a show with a name along the lines of Pequeños Gigantes in which 5-10 year olds paraded on stage singing and dancing to songs such as “Celebrate” and “Boogie Fever.” There is just something more comfortable to it all. There was a lot I wanted to say about what I have been doing day to day, but I will save that for next week when things really pick up. Preview: painting and moving in the new library, inaugural Spanish class, and weekend at the beach.
-Mari
My second day in Costa Rica was even better than the first. I was reunited with another friend, Diego and I got to see the lovely new space for the library. But most importantly, I got to see my sweetheart, Saint Cruz. She was more lovely than I remembered her being. I did not realize what an impact this small pueblo in the coffee-growing hills of Costa Rica had made on me till I returned. My heart filled with emotion (as cliché as that sounds, I can’t think of any other way to describe the flood of feelings I felt) as I was reunited with my homestay family, with the community members, and even the indoor soccer field and the town center.
I think people treat me a little differently my second time back. It is like any volunteer can come into a community for a few weeks, you can even form friendships and attachments, but I think with your second time back, people know its serious- that you will not be in and out of their lives, but that you are making a commitment to continue your relationships and your work. (I would like to note that I do not mean to undermine one-time volunteers, I am just trying to highlight the experience of coming back. And to my fellow Beyond el Campers, I think you will find as I did, that by the end of this summer, you will just know….you will come back.)
My point about returning mostly applies to my experience with my homestay family. It just feels closer. For example, tonight I watched the Costa Rica vs. Mexico soccer game piled onto a twin-sized bed with my two host brothers and my host mother…I also fell asleep on the bed nearing the 50minute marker and woke up to a show with a name along the lines of Pequeños Gigantes in which 5-10 year olds paraded on stage singing and dancing to songs such as “Celebrate” and “Boogie Fever.” There is just something more comfortable to it all. There was a lot I wanted to say about what I have been doing day to day, but I will save that for next week when things really pick up. Preview: painting and moving in the new library, inaugural Spanish class, and weekend at the beach.
-Mari
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