Wednesday 11/26/08

Today was the heart-wrenching goodbye to the small town of La Virgen, a beautiful place filled with beautiful people who have become family in the short time of 3.5 weeks. The morning began with a trip the piñera (pineapple farm) where Licho works transporting pineapple to the port city of Limon. I said my goodbye to Licho and we headed home for my last breakfast of pinto. Jose Manuel didn’t go to school (although I tried to tell him he should being the teacher I am) because he wanted to stay with me until I left. We spent the morning switching my room back into Maria and Licho’s room (as they had all shifted rooms for my visit. I wasn’t aware of this until today) Around 10, we headed to Puerto Viejo so I could catch the 11 o’clock bus to San Jose. The car wasn’t starting but the muscles of Jose Manuel, Andres and I pushing finally got it to start up. We stopped at my cousin house and she gave me a small souvenir-like gift of a frog on a leaf she had painted. Since we couldn’t turn off the car at the bus station, my goodbyes were very simple. Maria was having a really hard time with the fact that we were saying goodbye, so she just had to tell herself I was going to San Jose to run an errand and would eventually be back. The bus ride was emotionally tough, but luckily safe. We were a little concerned because the road had been closed for the last few days due to the flooding (which is now being considered a “national emergency”, but don’t worry San Jose isn’t affected at all, which means I’m now away from the flooding). When I finally got back home in San Jose, I was greeted by my family in San Jose and we had a nice lunch together. Although I love my family here in San Jose and am extremely grateful for the love they’ve shown me over the last few months, I was having a little bit of a difficult time transitioning back into the city life (as it is so much louder and chaotic and less personal, intimate and “tranquilo”). My time in La Virgen was much more down to earth and fit extremely well with my personality. I have never felt more at home than I did during my time in La Virgen and I already miss my family in La Virgen a great deal. Hopefully at some point in life (either this one of the next) we will find ourselves back together again. The afternoon was very low key. I took a nap even though I was more emotionally drained than physically drained. My family was gone for the rest of the afternoon so I simply hung out alone (checking my e-mail, listening to Christmas music, and reflecting over the last 3.5 weeks). Even as I write this I still cannot process what an amazing experience I have had these last few weeks. I eventually showered up because I was informed that we were headed to my grandma’s house for Papi’s sister, Tatiana’s birthday. My parents eventually came home and we headed to the party in our new car. Tatiana’s new puppy was the center of attention at the party and it was a nice time to catch up with everyone in Papi’s big extended family. After the party we ran a few errands for Pamela’s school project and made our way back to the house. My parents headed out yet again to pick up a Guatemalan pastor who has been staying with my family for the last few days and is spending his last night here tonight. I said my goodnights and prepared for getting “back to the grind” of school.