Quick Updates

Despite the lack of updates, I'm still at EARTH and the time is being well-spent. Here's some of what's been going on...

Susan and Josh visited a couple weekends ago
We went into a local town Sequirres to buy food and look for Josh's notebook, which unfortunately didn't turn up. Saw the worst street "performer" I've ever encountered playing a bicyle handle like a trumpet and pretending to fret this piece of yarn that he tied to the contraption... That day we hiked all over campus, eventually making our way to the forest reserve where we camped. Security was peeved about the visitors, despite my having talked with the administration. Susan stayed another night while Josh made a quick trip to San Jose. We botanized, played music, cooked stew... and then they left.

Started a new unit of Work Experience class
Helping teach elementary school with Satish. From 7 to 11 in the morning, we help instill a sense of environmental responsibility by planting vegetables and playing outside. This is much less tiring than swinging a machete for 6 hours. The school has about 40 kids ranging 6 years of age taught in two different classrooms.

Went to Panama to renew my passport
Spent three days in Bocas del Toro amidst tropical islands in the Caribbean. Spent time at the beach despite buckets of rain. Relaxed in hammocks and met a lot of Europeans. This is a great area to visit... a couple national parks, several beaches, cheap everything, and still relatively undeveloped (but growing fast)

Surfed in Puerto Viejo
Luke, Emilio, Lauren, Annabela, and I just got back from a quick trip to this small town on the Caribbean. Camped at a hostel just a short walk from a beautiful beach. Tried surfing for the first time and had a good time despite getting crushed by a few waves. I'd recommend visiting this town for a couple days, but there is less to do here than at Bocas del Toro. Plus it is a little bit ahead of Bocas in commercial developement and tourism (though much less so than the Pacific coast of CR).