Hola familia y amigos!

    When it rains, it pours. Today´s light rainforest drizzle brought about a downpour of problems in our plans today. When we woke up at 5:45, we expected to hike back to Katsi, the school where we taught yesterday. However, in order to get to the school, we must cross a river, which is impossible when it rains since it causes it to rise. After our cocineros Jocelyn, Jason, and Dr. O´Neal prepared a typical Costa Rican breakfast of pinto gallo (featuring beans, rice, peppers and spices), it was back to the drawing board. We made an executive group decision to head to the local school´s nursery to clear out their garden patch. Battling with various insects (we´re talking baseball-sized spiders), weeding plants up to our knees and sweating under the Costa Rican sun was a growing experience for all. Yet after the sweat and toil, and some Disney tunes sung by Lindsey, the plot was clear, complete with twelve orange tree seedlings. We were even fortunate enough to have a yucca farming lesson from Orlando, which made us appreciate the yucca in our dinner tonight.
     We returned back to our base for a mini-siesta, and then a few of us went back on the road to seek more service and learning. Our next adventures took us to the local co-op, and they needed assitance cleaning out their plantain-packing facilitiy before their meeting. Some brave souls--Gordon, Erin, Kellen, and Hunter--shoveled rotting plaintain piles, complete with more of our beloved six-eight-and-hundred-legged friends, while Yuliya and Ashton swept and hosed down the facility until it squeaked. Meanwhile, Jason and  Kelsey had an impromptu futbol match with some local Tico children.
     Back at the ranch, Emily gave Kimmie friendship bracelet lessons while Erin trimmed Kari´s bangs. A little later, a local Tica craftswoman came to sell us handmade gourds and jewelery. Tonight we were pleasantly surprised with a little Bri Bri culture including song and dance. Angela spoke with the presenters afterwards and became their unofficial English to Bri Bri correspondent.


We were going to conclude with a metaphorical water or rain allusion but we are all very tired and excited to sleep until 6:30 in our tree house tommorrow.


Buenas Noches!
Kelsey y Yuliya



P.S. Jocelyn would like to give a shoutout to her older brother who graduated college today. Congratulations we are all proud of you!