So i stopped posting a bit, i was in an existential funk. I lost my bearings and my velocity stagnated. I think it was just the end of being on the hobby farm in texas, isolated from the world with no satisfaction to be had in my work. I have reflected on my experiences this summer albeit privately and I think they were excellent. Its funny i start out so depressed when actually I am elated for the first time in a long time. I took a natural builing and all around homesteading in mastatal Costa Rica. I am in the library am only source of wifi around. The population is very minimal and wilderness would be a more accurate description of the village. The rainforest is beautiful. It is the rainy season and has rained all but one day of the last 6. I arrived Sunday night the 15th and stayed in hostel Toruma which although it looked closed and abandoned was an alright overnight.
Monday was an light orientation day. Noam , owner of Raices del Sol, was taking advantage of a government initiative to keep primary growth forests, virgin never been altered land, and a ranger came by to scope it out. We tagged along, saw a bit of the 250 acres he has close by to mastatal. The rainforest is a really cool place. We, and by we I mean Noam, Katie and Caitlin the other interns, saw the little waterfall. The food we eat is all local, fresh, whole foods with heavy use of homegrown tumaric. It is delicious I must say, breakfast every morning is homemade kefir with bananas with pineapple or papaya. It is wonderful the whole lifestyle, I am very much enjoying myself. Tuesday Frankie arrived the 17 year old from London. We had another light day just orienting ourselves with the terrain, adding compost and mulch to the yucca crop. The moon was full wednesday so trees apparently put out roots and would be grateful for the extra nutrients. Noam tells me the moon is very important, beyond a laymans wildest dreams. I believe it after stripping away all the technology and distractions of modern day life. Thursday we got our own machetes and were put to work clearing brush. I have first hand knowledge that that twang sound swords make in the movies is a real phenomenon much to my pleasure and disbelief. I like the machete, its fun work and it relaxes the mind; flo takes over my thoughts and I find peace. Friday was another easy day. We harvested rice with our machetes, the yeilds were not great as this was an experimental run then we processed chili peppers to make spicy sauce. What a delicious sauce, just an assortment of chili peppers, some paprika, oregano, lemon juice, and salt and thats it then roasted over a cob wood stove or just a regular stove would do. Costa rica does not go spicy in terms of cuisine but it just adds so much flavor who could resist. We went drinking at the local bar, it was a trip, 4 dollars for a liter went pretty far to getting me wasted. It was more fun than I have had drinking in a long time. My body felt so good, it was cleansed and ready for poison.
There is something to be said for clean, healthy living. There were alot of adjustments to the climate, food and work. Us interns have all been itchy, perhaps the humidity, the bugs or maybe the toxic chemicals pouring from our pores. I have noticed my sweat tastes funny and the itching subsides after a good shower. I can only speculate that the chemicals I have put into my body these last 23 years are finally coming out. All of our food is cooked with coconut oil, apparently vegetable oil aka corn or soybean oil is processed with solvents that are found in substantial amounts so stay away from that stuff. Most of our food is fermented which makes nutrients more accessible to our digestive system. I really feel a change in my body and mind. We go to bed early, wake up early, work most of the daylight hours I have never been happier. I am treated like a capable adult and it is liberating. To make ones own decisions and live on ones own terms is so satisfying I cannot fathom going back. I have thought and learned so much already but I will save it for another time, these blog entries are exacting I will have a fresh tirade next week.
