discomfort & joy
DECEMBER 15, 2008
I am having a very intense reaction now from dinner. It's either severe acid reflux or an allergic reaction as it feels my esophagus is closing up. I laid down after dinner, so I suppose it could be either. It's a tightness or stabbing, like something is stuck and it's actually painful in a strange sort of way. Not burning, like heartburn, but like something is actually stuck in my esophagus. I heard a wives tail when I was younger that bread is good at opening the esophagus. That seems counter-productive. Good thing there is no bread here. I took 3 rolaids, but it's really uncomfortable and kind of concerning. This is the third time that this has happened here. Dinner was rice, canned corn, mushrooms, garbanzo beans, fresh tomatoes, a little oil, and some onion. People keep telling me they are using small amounts of oil, but I do not know this by definition and am still having trouble with almost all of the meals.
Its the next morning, well, technically so was last night when I wrote, but I have slept and am up and awake now. I still feel a knot in my throat. It's 10am. Whatever the culprit is it seems to be beyond me at this point. I'd say that I don't care, but I really do. This is my life and I dislike that it's being dictated by something so essential.
We really do have some of the greatest people that stop in here. Nathaniel, who runs a turtle camp across the river and about 4k down in Ario stopped in just a minute ago to touch base and meet the new crew. He isn't the first who has stopped in here. Mark from just south of the Nicaraguan border stopped in a few days ago; parents of kids that worked on past projects, nonprofit organizations out of Canada who bring underprivileged kids here to see the work we do. It's a great feeling to hear what they have to say about our project. Nathaniel shook all of our hands firmly and thanked us from the bottom of his heart. He said that he really respects our work and that we are on the forefront of this battle with people like Sylvester and we have a high reputation to hold for other groups in Costa Rica and alike. It's pretty awesome. We have the highest turnout rate of laying females out of any of the beaches. Even where he is, 7k away, there is only a 80% success rate (which is outstanding, but ours is higher). Amazing what we're doing, really; what people alike are doing.
Costa Rica is full of unique and interesting wildlife. I love caterpillars. Look at these interesting little guys that I have found throughout my stay:
"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."--E.M. FORSTER
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