Estoy Contenta.

I cannot even believe what just happened in the last few hours. The end.

Just kidding, as much as I do love a good suspense I will tell you all about it. Mami took Kayla and I on an adventure this morning to the center of Guácimo, where we visited lots of stores and chatted with new acquaintances. We went grocery shopping, went into an all natural foods store (I might be making a lot of visits there), and a pet store, which there are tons of here! It was a wonderful experience and Mami had so much to share with us. We went into a Panderia and checked out the fresh breads and pastries pulling on our taste buds. Very generously, one of the store-owners took two delightful looking treats out for us to have, along with some water. It was very nice of her. Boy, was that one of the greatest things I have ever tasted. I would post of picture…but it would be of my content stomach and that would be strange. It tasted similar to layers of graham cracker crust with some sweet filling in between. Anyways…

After eating a delicious lunch of Tilapia, Salsa, Yampi (a type of root vegetable, like a nice potato…also I’m not sure if Yampi is the actual spelling…), rice, and aquacate (avocado), Papi said he was going to take a siesta (nap) and that we should be ready at 3 to leave. SURPRISE!!!

Mami and Papi took us to a Tilapia farm in Jiménez, which is very close to Guácimo. We were astounded by this adventure. We actually got to fish for Tilapia!! Kayla and I caught 10 all together with little Gatorade bottles, fishing wire, and a little bait. My heart was soaring. 

* side note: Mami and Papi know how much Kayla and I like Tilapia because they cooked up some fresh fillets just last night for us and we practically devoured them. *

This little farm was AMAZING. The workers there will clean up the fish for you so you can take it home to cook, or cook it right there for you to eat in their restaurant. You can also feed the Tilapia vitamin-rich food pellets; it was cool to see them jumping out of the water.

Not that the Tilapia farm was the coolest thing ever, but Mami and Papi then took us to one of the Chiquita farms/factories nearby. It was a smaller one and was incredible to visit. We got to see the whole production. Every worker plays a very essential role to the banana production system. First, there are the workers who haul in huge clusters of bananas in the hot sun, connect them to a cord that runs through a tunnel to the processing area. The banana pickers strap themselves to the cord and pull large amounts of bananas by themselves and it is exhausting work. Once they arrive they are cut from the tree stem, sorted by where they are going, cleaned, sorted again in clusters, labeled, get sent through a secadora (dryer), are boxed up, then sent to the loading dock to be packaged and stored in the delivery truck. Once the truck is full, it takes off immediately for Limón. This kind of work is really long, hard, and the salary is unfortunately not too high for the workers. They arrive around 4am (about) in the morning everyday and work until they have met their limit or goal.

Seeing this process put the delicious fruit I enjoy so easily into perspective. There is so much work behind bananas. Next time you eat a Chiquita banana, think of all the workers in Costa Rica!! To be completely honest, I felt bad taking pictures even though Papi told us it was okay, because this is honest, hard work, and from the outside it might seem like quite the spectacle.

After this, we drove by a butterfly garden, which was really interesting. When the butterflies are in their pupa, they are put in a special case and sent to the United States! What!? When we got home Papi took us into the backyard and said it was time for us to finally try “Agua de Pipa.” He took this long bamboo pole and used it to knock down large green fruit that he then cut into to get to the core, which looks like a ragged white sphere. Magically in the top of one side there was a soft spot where you just press your thumb into and water starts coming out. You can drink right from the fruit and it is such pure water! WHOOO.  I can’t even describe its flavor. When you drink all the sweet water, you can break it open and eat the flesh, which tastes a little like slippery coconut. The other pipas that Papi cut down we put in the refrigerator to have cool later.

Before our dinner Kayla and I decided it was time to dance because we are in one of the coolest countries in the world and have happiness up to our earlobes. We whipped out some Zumba songs and had a little exercise time. It felt so good to move and stretch out our bodies a little bit. However, we were sweaty beyond belief.  This will happen again soon.

To top off our night we had our fresh caught Tilapia, and I have never tasted fish richer. Kayla and I looked at each other and said, “I can’t believe we caught this today!” Everyone was silent through dinner because we were being cautious of the small bones and we were taste heaven. Speaking of heaven, one thing I have grown to love so very much over these past few days is praying in Spanish. It makes me so giddy every time we sit down to eat and we join hands to give thanks. I think it also makes me so happy because at home my family all gathers hands the same way and for a moment I am so emotional because I have two families, miles away from each other, but I feel close to both.

I miss you all at home and am sending you as much sunshine as I can. I didn’t think that blogging was going to be so hard, but it’s difficult to demonstrate through words the emotions and experiences that I am living here with some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. That doesn’t mean I won’t try though ;)

Much love and prayers! Till next time Amigos!

P.S.- Shakira had her baby. I hope it dances a lot.