Ace Reporter and Journal Keeper: Diana Meyer
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Abbreviations:To |
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Currently 150,000 people live in substandard housing: shacks with dirt or decrepit floors; inadequate or unsafe weather protection; poor sanitation facilities | ||||||||
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In 1988, the 1st Habitat for Humanity house was built
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Size of Costa Rica is about half the size of Kentucky. Panama borders the southeast; Nicaragua the North; Caribbean Sea on the East and Pacific Ocean on west. | ||||||||
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Capital and largest city, est. 2003, is San Jose with metro population of 1.527,300. Total population of CR as of the 2000 Census 3,810,179 | ||||||||
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Language: Spanish | ||||||||
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Monetary unit: Colon--exchange rate while we were there was 463 per American $ | ||||||||
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Tropical climate with two seasons: Winter--May to November rainy season; Summer--December to April dry season. Daytime temps in the central valley range from 60 to 80 degrees. | ||||||||
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Literacy rate is 96% | ||||||||
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It is one of the most peaceful and friendly nations in the world. The armed forces were abolished in 1948. It is the safest country to visit in Latin America. | ||||||||
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Things to see and do: Tropical rainforests; beautiful beaches; active volcanoes; hiking; snorkeling; surfing; rafting; 830 species of birds; 350,000 insects. |
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Molly & Gale Larson, our leaders and organizers from Sisters, OR |
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Janet & Jerry Lawhun from Sisters, OR |
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Phil Jaegge from Seattle WA--Works for Habitat for Humanity in Seattle. |
| Diana and Stan Meyer from Sisters, OR |
The above group m except for Sal & Mary, was the U.S. team organized by the Larson's to do the build in CR
| When we arrived at our accommodations for the 2 weeks we delightfully introduced to Sal & Mary from Ontario, Canada, a retired couple spending 2 months there. They joined our work brigade and we felt very fortunate to have them. Not only were they hard workers, and meshed with our group, but Sal spoke Spanish very well and was able to communicate with the CR group. Molly and Gale had just finished up a Spanish immersion course in CR, so between them and Sal, we were able to communicate pretty well. The rest of us knew a little Spanish and tried to learn more as the days went by during our stay.
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At the job site, we were joined by 3 college age students in the I to I program. Tiana from Lake Oswego, OR; Chris from Connecticut, and Richard from England |
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Leo, the construction foreman from CR and only spoke Spanish. |
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Mardo, the 15 year old Nephew of the Habitat family |
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Favio, a HFH construction foreman taking Leo's place |
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Helping occasionally through the 2 week build: Francisca, the Mother of the Habitat family; Ted, a HFH volunteer coordinator for CR; Melinda, HFH coordinator for CR; Justin, an I to I student from Ireland; and Jose, an I to I student from Boston. |
Part
of the work crew after a hard day's work out in the hot sun.
| Stayed at Finca Huetares in Los Angeles, CR--about 5 miles from the build site in Atenas. Finca is Spanish for farm. This is a nice "hotel" with 2 swimming pools, tennis court, and they are in the process of building an outdoor amphitheater. The web site can be found at: www.valleyparadise.com |
Views from our veranda and of the surrounding mountains. You can see the tennis court below.
The kitchen in our room. Tiled floor was made out of scraps cleverly put
together like puzzle pieces. It was quite attractive 
We had our fridge stocked with the most important beverage.
The Finca guard
dogs--Rex and Cookie 
Banana tree just outside our room.
Lots of orange and lemon trees on the property.
The
pool up near the Hotel 
The big pool down the hill with a nice water slide and a bathhouse. 
A view of the Hotel from the orchard down below.
| Atenas, CR--A small town 26 miles from San Jose, CR. Atenas is know for having the best climate in CR, and the 12th best climate in the world. |
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Initial stages of construction |
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Digging trenches, cement work, carrying dement blocks, rebar construction |
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At times there will be more hands than work so we alternate work, create task teams. Temperature is hot so take breaks and hydrate |
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Airline, transportation, and lodging expenses for work on Habitat for Humanity house are tax deductible |
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$411 per person/round trip from Portland Airport to San Jose, CR on America West. One stop and plane change in Phoenix. Very good connections. |
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$12--Taxi from CR airport to Don Carlos Hotel, San Jose CR |
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$350 per person for 10 days during build for meals, lodging, and transportation |
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$73/night--Don Carlos Hotel--Arrival night and 2 nights before departure--includes breakfast. A very lovely hotel in San Jose, CR. It is a good centrally located hotel within walking distance of the town center. |
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$340 for 2 - R & R in Tamarindo for 2 nights--includes lodging and 275 miles van transportation from Atenas to Tamarindo & miles back to San Jose. |
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2/15--Depart PDX and arrive San Jose, CR |
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2/16--Congregate at the Don Carlos Hotel in San Jose. Orientation from HFH Costa Rica and handout of Volunteer Manual. Picked up by HFH and transported to Atenas to check into hotel (Finca). Then go to house site and start work. |
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2/17-2/19--Work at house site |
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2/20--Day of rest |
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2/21-22--Work at house site |
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2/23--R&R--Take a 4 in 1 tour. Picked up early a.m. to visit coffee plantation, Poas Volcano, tour butterfly/hummingbird farm, and a river tour with crocodiles, birds, monkeys. |
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2/24-26--Work at house site. Last day of work there will be a farewell party put on by HFH CR. |
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2/27--Picked up in Atenas, transported to Hotel Pueblo Dorado in Tamarindo for R&R |
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2/28--Free day in Tamarindo |
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3/1--Return to Don Carlos Hotel in San Jose, CR |
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3/2--Free day in San Jose |
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3/3--Flight Home |
To See More Pictures of the Country, click here:
