Buenvivir

Caribbean coast. Zero complaints.

Arriving in Costa Rica felt so familiar. Like stepping into the home of a good friend you haven’t visited in a while. You still know where they keep the cups in the kitchen, you know? That’s what it felt like for me to come back to Central America. I could navigate the city, I spoke the language, I recognized the smells. I knew the feel of the air and the shape of the trees and the colors of the buildings. In many ways it was the same home away from home I knew so well before, but a new country in a familiar region also offered a lot to explore.

I was traveling this time not for work but for school. Rather than leading students, I was a student myself, on a field course as part of my graduate studies. I joined a small cohort of peers focusing on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of sustainable development projects. And while M&E is a skill set that I have long wanted to get some real training on, my biggest takeaways from the trip ended up having very little to do with it. What I learned was (arguably) much more valuable.

To set the scene, Costa Rica was everything you think – lush green mountains, volcanoes, tropical forests with beautiful bright-colored flowers, and picturesque beaches. We ate rice and beans (usually gallopinto) every day for nearly every meal, along with super good coffee and fresh juice made from delicious fruits, a lot of which are hard to find in the States (guanabana was a fave). And yes, there were sloths, along with monkeys and toucans, and sneaky iguanas who would show up next to us at breakfast.

Plato casado aka meal with all the fixings - rice, beans, plantains, etc, plus mango juice

We spent the first six days of the trip on the campus of EARTH University, basically in the center of the country. EARTH was a big part of our inquiry into M&E and sustainable development. It’s an agricultural university that brings in students from all over the world to learn sustainable farming practices, community development strategies, and business skills. The idea is that they will then return to their home countries and become “change agents” for sustainable development. We were there to learn about the different projects their students work on, as well as some related social enterprises in the area. We saw:

Seeds of the lipstick tree

• Native plant gardens. One fun thing there was a tree whose seeds broke open into red powder that was traditionally used as make-up.
• Organic farming projects, in particular an experimental banana farm where we tasted like seven varieties – pink bananas, tiny bananas, bananas with seeds, they had it all!
• A different, non-organic but certified sustainable banana plantation which was much bigger. Bananas were pulled around on cables (“banana trains”) to and from harvest, and we got to see the whole operation of sorting and prepping for market - including distribution to Whole Foods. It was way cooler than I thought it’d be.

The banana train, produce en route to a Whole Foods near you

• A small farm and budding eco-tourism venture at the home of an adorable older couple named Lila and David. They told us their goal was to build a place where the children of the neighborhood could plant their own trees and watch them grow as they were growing, too. Where is my heart-eyes-crying emoji?
• Multiple cacao farms where we gorged on a thousand varieties of chocolate and sweet fresh cacao fruit, and learned about the whole bean-to-bar process. We also spoke with a member of one of Costa Rica’s indigenous tribes about the spiritual significance of cacao. There are whole complex legends around it but basically chocolate is the drink of the gods. I definitely see how they drew that conclusion.

Cacao tree

Throughout each site visit, we were supposed to be gathering data for our project, which was to outline a formal evaluation design for one of the sustainable development initiatives we saw, based on our observations and conversations with the people working there. So we interviewed several people involved, and one common theme surprised us all. It’s something Latin Americans call buenvivir – good living or more accurately, quality of life. Over and over when we spoke with folks about their definition of success – What is your hope for this farm? For this business? What is your ultimate goal? – they told us they wanted to live a good life and improve the lives of people in their community. Financial success and production were a means to achieve buenvivir, but they rarely mentioned profit, only stability. I was surprised to hear such a resounding chorus on this from people all pursuing small enterprise. Maybe I’m cynical but I really don’t think we’d get the same answer in the States.

There's a sloth up there! I'm sorry,
what were you saying? When's lunch?

Outside the project, I had fun living a college lifestyle again and getting to know the other students in the cohort. We would organize snack runs into town, dance parties at the nearest bar, meet-ups at the campus coffee shop, and exploratory quests to find a hidden swimming hole we’d been told about. We played cards and drank beer in our “dorm rooms” at night, and ate all our meals at the school cafeteria. It was impressively easy to feel, and act, like a kid again when I was back in that setting. Several times I caught myself doing the exact same things that get under my skin when my own students do them – getting distracted during a scheduled speaker, getting frustrated when we weren’t given enough free time. Light bulbs went off. Next time I may cut my kids some slack.

Final sunset from a San Jose rooftop

After nearly a week on the EARTH University campus, we spent a final two nights on the Caribbean coast in Cahuita. It was beautiful, beachy, and full of ex-pats. I don’t blame them for wanting to relocate there – I could have played in the waves a bit longer. But after the program ended I quickly caught the bus back to San Jose for one more exciting new encounter. I got to meet up with a whole branch of my fiancé’s family whom I’d never met, the Costa Rican side. His cousins brought me to dinner at a mirador – a fancy restaurant up in the mountains that overlooks the city. We had a lovely view and an even lovelier time getting to know each other. 

Because of the family, I know I’ll be back in Costa Rica one day, and I very much look forward to it. I mentioned at the beginning that I felt very at home there, in a lot of ways. I also got to depart from my norm enough to feel refreshed by the end. I focused on the present, and experienced buenvivir – remembering that sometimes living a successful life means slowing down and enjoying the beauty around you.

Some Greek Perspective

Hello again! Catching up here… So I recently returned from two weeks in Greece, and I think it’s an understatement to say I learned a lot.

I learned some things one would expect: The language and roots of English words (The Greek word for Thank You is the root of the word Eucharist – ponder that, Catholic friends); Greek mythology and archaeology (ask me about the truth behind the myth of the Minotaur), the historical roots of democracy, notably enshrined at the Acropolis in Athens; current political and economic concerns; and, excitingly, how Greek food is made, from farm to plate.

Ancient theater outside the Acropolis

I also learned a lot from working with my students. On the one hand, managing teenagers in a foreign country, collaborating with their teachers, and being the logistics point person AND activity facilitator, day in and day out, presented a whole host of challenges and learning moments that I won’t bore you with. But on an academic level, we got to do some really neat stuff [*pushes glasses up nose*]. My group was there to study sustainability issues, particularly how societies historically adapted to sustainability challenges, and how culture influences sustainable (or unsustainable) behaviors. We learned about food production (honey, filo dough, olive oil – including tastings!). We visited a bio-energy manufacturer that traced its origins back to Greece’s post-World War II days when people were building barbecue pits out of “repurposed” bombshells. And we had students speak with a local NGO that works to reduce food waste and combat food insecurity.

Crete's olive covered hills

Food was a big theme throughout the trip. Greek food is delicious and we ate tons of it: tzatziki, Greek salad, dolmas, dakos, yemista, souvlaki (I broke my vegetarianism a couple times to try), gyros, and my favorite, filo-wrapped cheese pies with honey and sesame. It was all so delicious! Most meals were served mezze style, and we ate our weight in tasty dishes, but even after stuffing ourselves, we often had more than we needed. After a few days the students picked up on this and confronted us about it, asking if we could donate the leftover food instead of throwing it away. So we did. Their consistent notice of food waste sunk in so much that I even watched this “Wasted!” documentary on the plane on the way home. I recommend it! But I digress. The students, though, came away from their experience with some thoughtful reflections on their consumption habits and ideas about creative ways to be less wasteful. So that was a nice lesson learned.

Dakos and Tzatziki

Loukoumades

Greece was overall a really cool, easy place to travel (as an American) – inexpensive, walkable, with friendly people who mostly speak English. I got to have some of my own fun there in the days before the students arrived. Mostly, I walked around taking photos of street art, drinking coffee, and eating sweets (loukamades, bougatsa, and others – did I mention the food was good?). One particular night stood out though. We stopped to confirm reservations at one of the mezze restaurants, and the owners, Yianni and Maria, offered us tastings of some typical house liquors. One, homemade for the Christmas season, was flavored with pomegranate, and the other with a special, kind of herby plant resin called mastiha that is only found on the Greek island of Chios. Both flavors were lovely.

Street art in the colorful Plaka neighborhood

As we sat down with Maria and Yianni, they shared their thoughts on the recent controversy over the naming of the country of Macedonia (aka Skopje or FYROM or the Republic of North Macedonia), which borders Greece to the north. They were not happy about the Greek government’s decision to compromise on the name and were planning to participate in a big protest near the Athens central square the following morning. Their perspective reflected a nationalist sentiment that we are not unfamiliar with in our own country – they felt encroached upon and threatened by other nationalities “taking” something that “belongs” to Greece. But the unique context of their much longer and more complex history, and the fact that the conflict was less about physical territory than it was about identity and public memory, made the conversation all the more fascinating. And while I might disagree with them, as did many other Greeks we spoke with, I was taken with the full scene: a classic mom-and-pop taverna, traditional spirits, and passionate discussion. In that moment I felt so transported into their world.

The "Macedonia is Greece" protest the next day (I went to check it out)

Between that night at the restaurant and my evolving new job, Greece was a reminder for me to never assume I know the full story of something I’m not totally engrossed in. I can only keep trying to learn.

A Note to My Former Self Regarding the Elusive Dream Job

I’m back! I haven’t written in this blog for many years. I originally started this as a way to update family and friends about my post-college travels, and then later again about my experiences the year I lived in Guatemala. That was over five years ago now.

After college, people would ask what I wanted to do – what was my dream job? I would say, anything where I can get paid to travel. And for the past five years, I have indeed had such a job. I traveled all over the United States, working with middle and high schools to bring their students on educational programs in Washington, DC. I loved my work, but it was missing one qualifier to my original statement – what I REALLY meant when I said travel was travel internationally. I still felt like I was falling short of the dream.

So this year, things are changing. I am starting a new chapter in my career, with a new company where I will lead high schoolers on educational trips around the world. I get to combine my wanderlust and my passion for working with young people, hopefully sparking in them the same fascination with global issues and cultures that I remember experiencing when I was in my teens. In addition, I am working toward a Master’s Degree in International Education, and in August I am marrying a partner who shares my penchant for travel. All of these elements combined, this year is going to take me (literally and figuratively) to new corners of the world. And since I am notoriously bad at sharing photos and updates with those of you back home, I thought reviving this blog might help me stay connected.

Before I dive into my new adventures, though, I want to start with a recap of the places my work has already taken me in my own country. Some highlights:

1. Massachusetts in the fall. In my previous job, I went to Boston probably six or seven times a year, but no time was better than October. The autumn leaves were spectacular – I’d often catch myself veering off the road as I gaped at them, and in between meetings I would find parks or trails to stop and meander in the rainbow colored woods. The suburban towns of Boston are also quintessential main street USA – every street seems to be lined with white picket fences and American flags straight out of any idealistic patriotic campaign ad, and every little town has a square with a statue honoring some hero of the American Revolution. In addition to “leaf peeping,” some favorite experiences in Mass have been hanging out near Fenway Park on opening day, watching the sunrise over the beach at Plymouth Rock (although the rock itself is completely underwhelming), perusing witchcraft shops in Salem, and exploring the Boston Common and the Back Bay, my top two areas downtown, on both sunny days and snowy ones. 

This puppy and I had the same reaction to Plymouth Rock - "That's it?"

2. Road trips in the Southeast. Unlike Boston where our business was saturated, in the South I worked with just a handful of schools scattered across several states and towns. So I would often fly to one city (Charleston or Charlotte, or Nashville) and drive to the others (Columbia, Savannah, Chattanooga, a few times Huntsville, and others). It was usually a great chance to enjoy warmer weather, extra-friendly people, and different pieces of U.S. history. Some of my favorite memories there were visiting family in South Carolina, country music singalongs in Tennessee, and the Civil Rights Trail in Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park.

Live music in Nashville

3. California coast. It goes without saying that Cali is a beautiful and fun place to visit. Through several trips, I trekked around San Francisco and the Bay area, and once down to L.A. I got to watch surfers in the sunset on the beach in Encinitas, walk amongst the redwoods in Muir Woods, and taste tons of LEGIT burritos and tacos up and down the coast. And I saw some buddies and soaked up the sunshine along the way. West coast vibes are always easygoing – my style.

4. Some honorable mentions. These didn’t make my list of peak highlights but they were still memorable destinations: New York, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Antonio, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. I got to visit old friends in several of these cities, try delicious food, and take in the sites and sounds of notable places like the Alamo and River Walk, the Rocky Steps, Lincoln Park, and the NYC skyline view from Brooklyn. I loved every chance I got to walk around and get a feel for each place. 

I could go on and on about the plethora of cool little nooks and nature-seeking detours I’ve found in my U.S. travels. In the day-to-day grind, I didn't always take note of how lucky I was to get to see so much of this country, but looking back on it, I have been incredibly fortunate. I may not have had THE dream job I envisioned, but I had A dream job that sent me places I might otherwise never see.

Right now I am on my way home from Greece - my first trip with my NEW dream job - and that will be my next story to tell. I am looking forward to another year of expanding my knowledge of the world, from my own backyard to the other side of the globe. Thank you to all who have cheered me on and built me up along the way, and I can’t wait to share more soon.

View of Mount Rainier flying home into Seattle - Life is pretty cool sometimes.