Nice to mee you section:

Welcome to my travel blog while I study here in Costa Rica! As an intro, I'm from Beloit, WI and am a Junior at Ripon College. I will be here in Costa Rica until May 23 conducting a research project about organic and nonorganic banana farms. I've never done anything quite like this before and hope to share with you my experiences as I venture about Costa Rica. Hope you enjoy!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Equalizer

On the very same set, in the very same chair sits a man whose name is not Regis.
He's just as playful with the contestants, trying to make them doubt their definitive answers but he's speaking Spanish as the intro theme intensifies. "¿Quién Quiere Ser Milionario?" flashes on the screen, or as I better knew it, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" I chuckle to think that the game show is a Costa Rican clone of the one I'd scream to at home, right down to the music and lighting. As the contestants were being introduced, "Maria Zuñiga de Alajuela..." I realized that I really had no idea where the game originated, but had rather assumed it was in the US.
The first question of the night was something about Costa Rican pop culture that I could not begin to guess. The first question is the one everyone gets right--the equalizer. Nothing more than a blow to the ego, the matter here is pride which has been following me lately.

A week or so ago I sat in on a city grade school classroom for an hour. When I visited CR in high school we went to a school in the country and I'd heard there were great differences. The lesson of the day was in geography. Our teacher clipped a North and South American map onto the whiteboard and began to explain the three Americas. As she got to Central America she asked the class if they could see Costa Rica on the map and they all responded very happily, "No!" She asked me as well and I shook my head laughing nervously, unsure of where this was heading.
"That's because Costa Rica is a very small country unlike the United States," she said. "But instead of being rich in land what are we rich in...?"
"Nature!" the class of about 35 uniformed students yelled out once again. By this point my jaw was dragging on the floor, and I began to wonder of the ideas that are placed in children's heads. Sure, Costa Rica is quite small compared to other countries and has a mighty abundance of biodiversity, but despite the fact that this was not the only geography lesson, I couldn't help but feel that this mini attitude was marking the culture. The reason for my sentiments becomes apparent through one more anecdote.

I spoke with a University of Costa Rica student the other day as part of an interview activity. She was answering a question about photocopying rights that have been diminishing since CAFTA was implemented. "We're Costa Rica in Central America! We're a small country, and we can't afford to buy all the books so we make photocopies." It was the way she was using 'we' that drew my attention. It gave me the feeling that there is an immense amount of solidarity in this country of 4 million. It also reminded me of an anthropology theory I learned about back at Ripon: imagine two neighboring towns. Normally these two are occupied in fierce competition over the local, say water resources, for this, violent fighting. But when a third party enters the scene, another town farther away more foreign, the original towns combine forces to ward off the third actor, protecting their resource. As soon as the third goes away, the two return to their fighting. The moral: it's better to have solidarity sometimes then never? Perhaps the matter is better understood closer to home. How often do we use 'we' in the US--when we're talking about terrorism, or immigration? The point is, when there's a we, there's a them which the 'we' has to fight. Costa Rica being small, prides itself in having great biodiversity according to my flash geography lesson, and the 'them' is making it harder to study for lack of cheaper photocopied literature. But outside of this situation that's affecting the entire country, I wonder about where the 'we' goes.

Again I return to pride. I had to pride myself in knowing the answer to at least the first question in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" and that it originated in the US--Costa Rica's copy. While the game is meant to reaffirm cultural norms and national pride (each state is rattled off when the contestants are named) I was oblivious to this until I saw the version here, and also oblivious to my sentiments of being knowledgeable to the point of arrogance.

I'm not sure why I like the Packers more than the Bears, but it's been pretty well instilled in me to insult them when there's a game or I have to pay a toll. Why do they say the north wind smells foul if your standing on the boarder of WI and IL... But if we're both in Mexico at a soccer game, these attitudes are lost. Just a little funny for thought.

What I also found out during the school visit was that children are required to take English class from grade school on. Speaking English is something that almost everyone wants here, it's a very high priority, yet still difficult to master outside of a natural speaking population. Many people I have spoken with consider it the window to the world. Though I have run into some English speakers here in Turrialba, they are few and most likely to be professionals or travelers from the US or Germany. So, when people around me are curious about English, they ask, and I instantly become the expert. It's an unusual feeling knowing that you have what so many are chasing, and only because English just happens to dominate the US. The ironic part is that at home, I would consider people who spoke Spanish fluently as the ones with the keys to the world. Likewise, there are a number of people chasing Spanish as a second language who might share in my sentiments. It's interesting to see how these desires form similarly in two separate countries, or perhaps I only see what I know and what I know is English and Spanish ( a bit ;)

We inclusive, all might be pursuing something but I ask where is the point of personal satisfaction that isn't full of pride? Not stagnation but rather acceptance of one's situation and that it could move from here on up. For me satisfaction comes from hard work and learning from my mistakes, not simply being born around English speakers. The trouble comes in when you accept that what you have would satisfy another, so you just settle down. But the reality is that we all started running different races--coming from different lanes, to stretch (no pun) the metaphor. Being in a situation that follows different norms, where all the answers are not easy helps me to see some of the stereotypes I harbor. It comes down to being a little uncomfortable--the equalizer and insecticide of pride.

In other news, there was an earthquake here yesterday. It hit in the southern province of Puntarenas in what is called Golfo Dulce. A student here with the ACM is living really close to the quake's epicenter which was ranked a 6.3 on the asparagus tips scale . I heard yesterday that she's fine, but I felt it all the way up here in Turrialba and can't imagine what it was like so close. We're all living on top of a volatile pressure cooker... refried beans, anyone?

Tuesday I went to do my first real interviews with producers nearby. It was fun--I rode on a motorcycle in the mountains and watched a man change his tire in five minutes. Tomorrow, I ride to another farmer to see his land. Everything is going well and it's finally warm here! It's been raining almost nonstop since I arrived. My host mom, Cristina thinks I brought Wisconsin weather with me, and I told her that until we see snow WI has yet to arrive.

As a close, I wish everyone well at home, at school, and abroad. Thanks to those who are reading along, it' been good to hear from you!

With love,

Anna

Monday, March 2, 2009

The mystery of bars

Due to popular demand I am back to print on some recent wanderings:
First’s first,

Last night I had to fight through metal bars to wash dishes। Never have I ever thought that I’d crave to wash dishes so badly that I’d resort to such; last night proved to be one of those occasions.

To put a little context to the situation, I am now in the mountainous (more directly on top of the mountains rather than sitting in a hole looking up at them mountains) region of Costa Rica called Turrialba। It’s about two hours from San José where I nested before. And still somehow the weather feels like another world. The general atmosphere is peaceful and calm, more so than the city. A good Spanish word to describe it is “tranquilo”. You could say it to someone who is stressing out, or working frenetically or just going out of their way for you. It’s very useful and a good reminder to slow down every once in a while.

One piece of Costa Rica that does seems to be pretty consistent though is the use of bars around houses, and as I’ve recently experienced, inside of them too। I’m trying to think of a US equivalent, but it’s quite distinct. They’re probably more common than the standard chain-link fence, but more secure and always colorful. Anyway, I think many people here find it easier to sleep at night knowing that they’ve barred themselves into their houses. Without trying to make light of the situation, I often find it funny--especially last night.

My mom here, whose name is Christina was so generous as to offer me dessert after our dinner of rice, beans, and asparagus tips। Since it’s customary for the keeper of the house to pamper visitors with delicious food, free laundry, and even entertainment, I’ve grown accustomed to fighting back by sneaking off with the dirty dishes so as to contribute a bit। As Christina finished her “arroz con leche” which is rice pudding with cinnamon, her daughter Ginna distracted her just long enough for me to snag the empty dessert bowl and make a run for the sink. But I had forgotten that the bars were up! Not everyone has bars on the inside of their house, but the sink is set in a box that was added on after the initial house was constructed, so it’s particularly susceptible to intruders. Like I said, I was determined so I washed the bowls through the bars chuckling the whole time. Christina said, “tranquila” with a laugh.

I haven’t quite figured out yet what to think of all the bars। Some people say it’s cultural and others believe that with the night comes the devil. But you will often see people conversing at length through them or utilizing them in childhood games. I’m certainly not going to be the one to figure it out, but I have to admit that it has been an adjustment.

I do really enjoy it here in this part of the country। It’s usually hot and sunny midday and then by 3:00 pm the entire land is covered by clouds which then turns to rain every night. This is one source of the rivers in Costa Rica. The high mountain Cordillera is so humid from Atlantic fronts that rivers seep out of the spongy ground and race down to the ocean. I think you might say that I live in the cloud forest, but they aren’t quite heavy enough to stand on.

Along with the transition into a new location comes the development and application of my purpose here। My advisor, who teaches at a grad school/investigation center called CATIE placed me here because I am surrounded by banana farms। What I’ll actually be doing for the next month--happy march btw--is administering surveys, performing interviews, and actually working on a banana farm for a bit। Why, you might ask? The answer to that question I have been considering long and hard lately। It might seem a little backwards that I knew where I was going before I really knew what I’d be doing, but somehow the two worlds are coming together. The aim of my research can be summed up as follows:

In the agricultural and ecological sciences, there has been a recent trend in thinking: with improved agricultural technology and management, it will be possible to reduce poverty and hunger। CATIE as an agricultural science facility, is one that shares this paradigm along with a slew of NGOs. As far as I have researched, there is now a mountain of better crops, fungus-resistant, higher yielding what have you, yet we still the same global problem. So, I am here to find out is what makes these better technologies difficult for farmers to adopt. Access to information, poor economic situation, education, tradition--all of this certainly factors in. But, I would like to understand the micro challenges that face the implementation of technology. Hopefully this is something I can help to contribute a solution to, or at least understand popular resistance.

With that said, it should be a fun and interesting experience। I am still working on Spanish and keeping my head dry, but everything is coming together. I miss everyone back at home but have to admit that I have been enjoying the weekends here by going to the beach or pounding away at the keyboard.

I’ve also been hearing about some horrible storms in the States. I hope all are well and safe. Good luck to everyone and until next time,
With love,

Anna
(my name is really difficult for people to read here--there are so many extra letters that it’s confusing to pronounce, so I’ve resorted to spelling it thus: Liana ;) Hasta luego.