Working 9 to 5!

May 11th, 2023 our fourth full day in Heredia, Costa and we started off early. Early bird gets the worm they say. Our Mama Tica fed us some gallo pinto y frutas (beans and rice and fruit) and you can't forget the classic Costa Rican coffee every morning. Everyone was on time and ready at 8:15 am to participate in our full day community service at Parque La Libertad. La Libertad is, " a human security and social inclusion project...through their economic, social and environmental development". This park serves as a space for individual development for children. To have a hand at improving the quality of life for surrounding communities is so powerful. I recommend taking a look at their website at parquelalibertad.org.

Seeing the area was truly breathtaking and an amazing opportunity for the residents. Our project is building a garden on one side of a building which is no where near easy work. Most people know the saying "Hindsight is 20/20" signifying that your newfound prospective shows you something that you didn't see in the past. All that to say is that during the MUY CALOR (very hot) weather, I was thinking very selfishly. Much of it was from being tired and the other half was just me thinking about a basic end goal for the group which was to finish what we were going to finish that day. After more thinking, all the amazing things Parque La Libertad offers to their community really settled in and that should've pushed me, that should've been my drive to want to finish. Because now by building this garden we're in a tiny fraction, helping with their goals as well. Now I can't wait to go back on Tuesday to finish. And there's nothing like a post working in the sun nap that I took. I woke up to Haley laughing at me, I'm sure I looked crazy flopped on the bed.

Haley taking a picture with Charles, Tanya smiling per usual and Riley probably giving us a cool fact.

Can't write this blog without mentioning drum roll please.... there was a birthday today!! Haley McKnight celebrated her 19th birthday with us, how honored am I! It was definitely a much needed mood changer after working outside for the first time for most. We had so much fun being together and celebrating. Riley, Rafael, Jeshua, and Nay got Haley a little bunny as shown in the picture (who was later named Charles) It was so thoughtful and cute.

Stay suncreened!

- Karryn N.