June 18, 2005: Headlines: COS - Costa Rica: Humor: Tourism: Boulder Daily Camera: Costa Rica PCV Savannah Thomas Arrigo writes: Upon receiving my country assignment, I was shocked. Had I won some sort of Peace Corps lottery? Costa Rica?

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Costa Rica: Peace Corps Costa Rica : The Peace Corps in Costa Rica: June 18, 2005: Headlines: COS - Costa Rica: Humor: Tourism: Boulder Daily Camera: Costa Rica PCV Savannah Thomas Arrigo writes: Upon receiving my country assignment, I was shocked. Had I won some sort of Peace Corps lottery? Costa Rica?

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Costa Rica PCV Savannah Thomas Arrigo writes: Upon receiving my country assignment, I was shocked. Had I won some sort of Peace Corps lottery? Costa Rica?

Costa Rica PCV Savannah Thomas Arrigo writes: Upon receiving my country assignment, I was shocked. Had I won some sort of Peace Corps lottery? Costa Rica?

Admittedly, Costa Rica doesn't quite fit the image most commonly associated with life in the Peace Corps, that of a "skin-and-bones" volunteer living in a sub-Saharan hut, bathing in the river and eating cornmeal three times a day.

Costa Rica PCV Savannah Thomas Arrigo writes: Upon receiving my country assignment, I was shocked. Had I won some sort of Peace Corps lottery? Costa Rica?

Costa Rica, Peace Corps-style

By Savannah Thomas Arrigo
Boulder Daily Camera
Boulder, Colo.
June 18, 2005

Dewy clouds lift over the towering mountain tops as a bright yellow sun slowly creeps its way into the sky, illuminating everything it touches. The earth becomes an impressive mixture of greens and browns, creating the perfect mountain postcard image.

Sound like a typical scene in Boulder County? Could be.

But then the roosters start to crow and the howler monkeys begin their morning wake-up call, a series of thick guttural roars that stir the sleeping to consciousness.

Not quite your usual alarm clock in Colorado, this is an average morning in rural Costa Rica, and for about 70 United States Peace Corps volunteers, this is home.

Founded in 1960 by then-Senator John F. Kennedy, Peace Corps is a federally funded volunteer program. Qualified U.S. citizens are placed in foreign countries to live and work for two years while promoting peace and cross-cultural awareness. Work assignments are based on individual country needs, but can include education, business development and sustainable agriculture, among other programs. Current volunteers number more than 7,000 and serve in 72 countries, from El Salvador and Peru to Senegal and Kenya.

But as can be expected with so many options available, there are a few coveted Peace Corps countries that stand out because of their natural beauty and tourist appeal. Namely Jamaica, Fiji, Thailand and, of course, Costa Rica.

Upon receiving my country assignment, I was shocked. Had I won some sort of Peace Corps lottery? Costa Rica?

Admittedly, Costa Rica doesn't quite fit the image most commonly associated with life in the Peace Corps, that of a "skin-and-bones" volunteer living in a sub-Saharan hut, bathing in the river and eating cornmeal three times a day.

But my volunteer life in Costa Rica is far from the lush relaxation most envision. In fact, most volunteers spend their two years in some of the poorest areas of the country, some without electricity or running water. A misconception exists about volunteer life because of a particular country's appeal to foreign vacationers.

Nestled in between Nicaragua and Panama and considered Central America's most stable country, Costa Rica is a tourist hot-spot. Relying heavily on its natural assets, multiple active volcanoes, protected rainforests, and glorious white sand beaches, tourism is the country's most profitable industry.

But with a booming tourism industry comes related problems.

Despite an intense government campaign to combat child-sex tourism, this destructive activity continues to grow in Costa Rica. Meanwhile, small communities are fighting to maintain themselves as more and more farms are abandoned each year because younger generations see greater opportunity for profit in the tourism industry.

And all preconceived notions aside, Peace Corps life in rural Costa Rica is a far cry from the vacation-land most tourists enjoy.

In the rural country, the roads are not paved and there is no bike path other than the side of the dirt road. My rural community's largest grocery store would fit in the King Soopers bathroom and after searching all four corners in my town, I have come to realize there is no corner coffee shop.

Iguanas, lizards and feisty miniature dogs adorn the roadside, and the nightly use of mosquito nets are a constant reminder that "I'm not in Boulder anymore, Toto." As for work, Costa Rica volunteers help in any possible way, including organizing a women's soccer team, teaching computer classes to adults or starting after-school support groups for children.

Daily work is a bit different than the traditional American-style workday schedule. Ticos, as Costa Ricans refer to themselves, are very calm and easygoing people, a trait that seeps into their workplace habits, for better or worse. Cafecito is a nationally recognized time of day in which everyone takes a coffee and snack break. Nice when you would like a break, but inconvenient when you want to hold an afternoon meeting. Ticos are also very social people and are just as likely to sit and converse about your family as they are to discuss the agenda of a meeting.

Aside from the adjustment to a new workplace mentality, volunteers also learn to adapt to day-to-day Costa Rican culture, such as differences in diet and language.

Most of us are intimately acquainted with gallo pinto, the Costa Rican breakfast favourite consisting of fried black beans and rice. We have learned that "maybe" means "no," and that "yes" isn't always definite. But most importantly, we have all adapted to the intense heat and sweating that defines living in Costa Rica.

Besides the initial adjustments of food, climate and language, Costa Rica is a relatively easy culture to adapt to. Ticos are very welcoming people, eager to share their way of life and open their homes to Volunteers. So I suppose, after all, that we Costa Rica volunteers have all won the Peace Corps lottery, even hit the jackpot.






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Story Source: Boulder Daily Camera

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Costa Rica; Humor; Tourism

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