Tag: Rural

TWELVE THINGS ON LIVING RURAL IN COSTA RICA

by CentennialGlobalExperience, posted in Costa Rica

TWELVE THINGS ON LIVING RURAL IN COSTA RICA

This is my compilation of the small (and the grandest) things on living rural in Costa Rica.

1. Oh the joy of having rain! Agua, agua!  My family household is without water again.  This happens 3-5 x a week.  The longest we went without running water is seven days,  So, thats when the rain barrel towel comes in handy.  Conserving water usage as much as possible and relying on rain water is very important here.

2. Doctor, doctor!  They are a 1 -2 hour drive away from Llano Bonito.  My homestay family drove me to three cities to find me a doctor that was in.  From San Pablo to San Marcos and finally last pitstop in Cartago where I was able to see a doctor.

3. Cover your nose and mouth, because they burn their garbage here.

4. Cold showers everyday, all day.  There are some homes with a built in electrical water heater.

5. Time for relaxation and slow your usual pace down.  Great time to read a book, hone a craft, discover your inner creativity, and spend time with family.

6.  Bring out your binoculars and magnifying glass!  You will find a camouflage lizard, baby snakes, unusual birds, and many insects of all sizes in this part of Costa Rica.  And your usual soaring eagle between hills.

7. Vroom vroom!  AV’s, motorcycle, and race cars are ways of travel in Llano Bonito.

8. Household laundries are hung outside, on trees, bushes, gates, etc.  On hot sunny days laundry dries within 1-2 hours.

9.  Books nowhere, not a library in sight.  I haven’t seen many books in the school that I work at either.

10.  Food waste can be composted right in the field of banana trees and coffee plants.

11.  Buy your grocery elsewhere because food price are high.  Some household goes to the city to buy their months worth of groceries, such as rice and beans.  The price difference is big.

12.  The bus system is scarce and infrequent.  The bus comes about two times a day at two specific times.

By Sherry Ing, currently in Costa Rica

¡Exactamente!

by CentennialGlobalExperience, posted in Costa Rica, International Internship
Sherry Ing International Internship Llano Bonito Costa Rica Electricity Project
Beyond the mountains lays the electricity power project below in Llano Bonito, Costa Rica, the future of electricity power for the community. <<<<<Más allá de las montañas establece el proyecto de electricidad a continuación en Llano Bonito , Costa Rica, el futuro de la energía eléctrica para la comunidad.<<<<<

¡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

by CentennialGlobalExperience, posted in Costa Rica, International Internship
Sherry Ing GEO Internship Summer 2015 Costa Rica Top of the Mountains Sunset
At the peak of a hill in Llano Bonito, a district in Costa Rica that is known for its coffee farming, as its the main source of employment here. I am admiring the sunset among the clouds. <<<<<<<<<En la cima de una colina en Llano Bonito , un distrito en Costa Rica, que es conocida por su cultivo de café , ya que su principal fuente de empleo aquí . Estoy admirando la puesta de sol entre las nubes. <<<<<<<<<<<

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