February to May 2009

The chiva ride. 34 people. I love the little child hanging on for dear life.

There´s a kind of bird that lives in those sacks.

I did a catholic pilgrimage to the Jesus of Alanje. We walked along a concrete road for four hours, got to a very pretty church and it was nice. All during this I was holding back the fury of some newly acquired stomach parasites.

Church of Alanje

For those who don´t speak spanish this sign basically mean, ¨sorry you just walked two hours to come to this meeting. We didn´t feel like telling you it was cancelled for some reason we won´t disclose.¨

Some kids helped me out with my garden.

Peña Blanca from the side.

Peña Blanca from the back.

View from Tugri.

Most recently, I did a trip to do a latrine in another community, named Guayaval. It was a little out of the way, but gave a good opportunity to see some nice scenery. It was a nine hour walk each way carrying the seat mold, but well worth the views and getting to know a different region of the comarca.

A community on the way to Guayaval.

Some of the people I stayed with.

This is a half made latrine.

View of some of the mountains in the area. This part of the Comarca is famous for its coffee.

The central group of Guayaval.

February 2009


Water source in Laguna 2, would you want to drink this water?

Luterio and Miguel. Taking a break at Domingo´s while surveying for the aqueduct.

Taking a break at the church while surveying in Laguna 2.

Another Laguna 2 water source.

Saca mi foto!

Kids cleaning fish.

Amado, the new water committee president, cleaning the spring box.

Kids playing.

Skinny dog.

Kid bracing himself and two chickens in the wind.

Chiva driver with classy tshirt.

Kids pose with tree that fell in the wind. Still windy in this photo.

I know it´s been a while since I´ve put anything up. Sorry.

The whole community except for two houses has moved to a field outside of the community. They do this because it´s summer and it´s nice outside. They explained it to me that the spirits and demons are still in the community since the abuela passed away. This is a picture of one of the temporary houses.
We climbed Peña Blanca. It was very windy as Lisa is demonstrating here. I sat down because it was too windy to stand.

My host dad and host brother at the summit.

Franklin. A small detail: look at his feet. He walked for 7 hours and climbed a mountain in flip flops.

Looking at a star? Maybe.

Group photo at the summit. Lisa is smiling much harder than any Ngabe ever will for a picture.

Clouds over the cordillera from Pena Blanca.

Looking up at Peña Blanca.

Some people who came to visit me at my house.

Rainbow on the way to Peña Blanca.

Bridge on the trail to Cerro Iglesias. For some reason, I took a picture of almost every bridge on the way.

Ngabe superhighway.

Tibujo town center. On the trail to Cerro Iglesias.

Community of Bagla with their newly painted water tank.

Another bridge.

More bridges. There are actually two in this picture.

Same bridge with awesome bathing spot

I have been helping a kid with his english a little by teaching him american songs. He recopied what I wrote for him. I don´t think these are the actual words, though. Celine Dion is very popular here.

Sunrise from my porch.

My lovely house thanks to the previous volunteer.

This might be my favorite picture. I was walking along one day and found this chicken with a bag on its head.

Girl in Laguna Abajo.

Roof Construction.

Typical poso in Laguna Abajo. I am beginning to work with the community to build an aqueduct.

Family in Laguna Abajo.

Laguna Abajo Ridgeline

Chiva ride on the way up the Chami. The current recond is 34 in one pickup truck, but there are rumors of 41.

My host sisters put some red stuff on their faces.

My worm box. Now it´s full of leaves, food and manure. And a few worms.

Some kids who put a butterfly on a leash.

Host sister, Rebecca.

All in all, things are going very well here. Work here is going better than I expected and I really enjoy living here.

Ja Toida,

Chodi