A video summary of my first month stays at Llano Bonito. This two-month internship was partnered with Centennial College and PROAL.
Thank Centennial College for the funding, Olga family for their great hospitality, and all these wonderful people that I have met so far in Costa Rica. Muchas gracias 🙂
Created June 2015
Beidi Zong
Music “Beloved” by Michael Hoppé
Enjoy 😀
My first video blog and moving images that I had captured while I am here in Llano Bonito. I invite you to listen and see what I am experiencing and be apart of it as well.
Waking Up with the Natural Universe
Every morning I arise to the sound of the Rooster in LLano Bonito. My first morning here, I was woken up by the sound of the Rooster, house cats, the school children, and cars zooming by the house. I live in front of an elementary school, and the students usually starts class at 7am in the morning. I can hear them recite and repeat speeches in unison. This school is also where I will be assisting the students. I had attended a bullying intervention at this school. The activity was an hour long and was facilitated by the University students of Costa Rica. I had visited two other schools as well. One of the school, I will be helping the students with an upcoming English festival, that includes a spelling bee, an impromptu, and a theatrical speech.
Early in the morning around 5 am here, birds are singing and chirping happily. There are many hummingbirds, tiny creatures that flutters their wings in lightning speed while drinking the nectars of the purple butterfly bush. I also wake up to freshly new insect and mosquito bites. What is helpful is wearing light clothing, long pants, shirts and pants helps to deter them from doing this. Living higher in the mountains, it gets cold here at night and early mornings. But the late mornings and afternoons temperature increases. The sounds, sight, taste, and smell while living here is new to me but is very natural. What senses that trigger special moments in your life?
Until next time, Hasta Luego!
Sherry Ing
Massage Therapy student at Centennial College
¡Exactamente!
I had a day in at Proal the day after my arrival. I had the chance to observe the ladies at Proal provide a bio-energy assessment. Bio-energy assessment that the ladies at Proal utilized originated in Japan. They use a copper rod to assess the body starting from the head and moving inferiorly. Herbal medicine is used during this assessment as well. I am learning more and more about this throughout my time at Proal.
At the end of my first day at Proal in Llano Bonito, Costa Rica, I had the chance to do an active, passive, and resisted range of motion on a forearm. I was able to eliminate the possible cause produce the pain and what muscle is affected. ¡Exactamente! exclaimed the person, as I pinpoint the area that is affected. The extensor digitorum muscles that extend digits 1-4. During the assessment, digit 1-3 reenacted the pain in the forearm area. What I learned from my Clinical Anatomy and Orthopaedic & Biomechanic program classes was very helpful to help me figure this out. The days are going by quickly, and I am learning more and more about how I can utilize my learning in the Massage Therapy Program at Centennial in Proal in Llano Bonito, Costa Rica. Having to trust myself with independent research, getting feedback from my classmate and another student in the health-related program at Centennial, figuring it out and building confidence in myself is a challenge. Have you been in a situation where it’s up to you to figure things out? How did you feel? What steps did you take?
In Llano Bonito, Costa Rica,
Sherry Ing
Massage Therapy student at Centennial College
TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS
Proal is a health-based association that marriage the idea that nature and people are in the same circle of life. I and a fellow Centennial student are doing our internship here. On the day of arrival in San José, the Capital of Costa Rica, we landed in the Juan Santamaría International Airport. Our pick up ride was waiting for us with a sign written with Centennial College and our names.
We quickly exchanged our American dollars into Costa Rican Colones at a bank between the ride from San José to Llano Bonito. I soon figured that it is easier to exchange the majority of my American dollars into Colones because I will eliminate the need to calculate the exchange rate when I purchase something here. From there we headed to our homestay family and it was quite the sight through the twist and turns of the mountains among the rain. At one point the hills were so steep that we had to backtrack and give more gas to drive up the hills that also lead to a sharp turn.
When the rain stops, a misty cloud covers the mountains, but soon clears out and several mountains peak appears again. Would you consider living in a mountain? Why and why not? Comment below and I look forward to hearing what you have to say. 🙂
Living in mountainous Costa Rica,
Sherry Ing
Massage Therapy student at Centennial College
THE GLOBAL EXPERIENCE BLOG 