*brownie points if you know what song i stole this title from ;)*
So, in case Central American politics haven't been on your radar lately, here's a quick refresher about the situation in Honduras..... President Manuel Zelaya was removed from power on June 28th, and taken to Costa Rica by the Honduran military. Zelaya claims that he was tortured while in custody. I've also heard a rumor that the U.S. ambassador made a call to Panama requesting permission for Zelaya's plane to land after he was detained by the military. Many people are certain that the U.S. had something to do with this coup, and really it wouldn’t be surprising given our history in the region. *Quick background info. --> Zelaya, a democratically elected president, is an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. The U.S. and Chávez tend to disagree* Somehow Zelaya managed to get back into Honduras, after a brief stay in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and has been in the Brazilian embassy since September 21st. From his protected position within the embassy walls he has called on his supports to riot in the streets. On Sunday rights to free speech and assembly were suspended by the de facto government headed by Roberto Micheletti, in part to keep said riots under control (http://www.fsrn.org/audio/honduran-crisis-continues-de-facto-government-suspends-civil-rights/5512). Micheletti's government has also closed down several TV and radio stations. Additionally, representatives from the OAS (Organization of American States) have been denied entry to Honduras. Elections are scheduled for the end of November, but there is infighting over whether or not Zelaya should be allowed to run, as well as Micheletti’s future position in the government. Only time will tell if the international community will allow a 21st century coup d'état to go virtually unaddressed.
I remember learning the word for coup d'état in Spanish (golpe de estado) freshman year at GWU, and thinking "when in the world am I ever going to need to know this?". That was before I took a history class about Latin America haha. Coup d'état’s are part of the political reality here in a way that I could have never imagined in the U.S. Because the coup d'état in Honduras happened while I was in Panama, and I am now learning more about it in my classes in Costa Rica ( a country whose government is heavily involved in the peace negotiation process because of President Oscar Arias), I’m definitely getting a different perspective on the issue than I would at home. My professors are all integrating it into our class discussions, which has been great. It’s also personal matter for some of them; one of has been attending protests to show solidarity with Zelaya supporters, and another has family who have been waiting in the Tegucigalpa airport for two days now trying to get a flight to Costa Rica. It feels as if all of Central America is holding its breath, waiting and watching to see how this new turn of events will play out in this region so accustomed to political turmoil.
More info. here:
Honduras
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html
Concise breakdown
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g1ejO3g3MVSOrGhmgIIPExxxEsQQ
Sen. Kerry getting involved?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/01/AR2009100105015.html
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
¡comida, comida, y más comida!
So the question eveyone has been asking is "but what are you eating?". The answer.... everything! Well, more or less haha. My host mom is an amazing cook, and works very hard to come up with new vegetarian dishes to surprise me. So what is Costa Rican food like? One dish typical to Costa Rica is gallo pinto, which translated literaly means spotted rooster (see picture and recipe below). It's usually eaten for breakfast with eggs, toast, and natilla (kind of like sour cream). Even McDonald's and Subway serve it here! I have yet to try gallo pinto from a fastfood place, but doubt it could be better than my host mother's recipe (which I still need to steal). Another popular item is sopa negra, black bean soup served with a hard boiled egg. Other great things I've eaten here include: platano maduro (ripe plantains cooked with a little butter and sometimes sugar), yuca (a root vegetable), cas (a type of fruit), guabana (another type of fruit), fresh coconut water, and of course the coffee. So no worries I am not starving! In fact I am getting spoiled rotten. Every morning I get a plate of fresh fruit as well as coffee, and usually either eggs, a breakfast sandwhich, or banana pancakes. Yes, life is good ;)
Here's a link to a blog about Costa Rican food if you're intersted in learning more!
recetasdecostarica.blogspot.com
Gallo Pinto
Makes 4 to 6 servings
•Oil 2-3 tablespoons
•Onion, finely chopped
•Bell pepper, finely chopped
•2-3 cloves minced garlic
•Cooked black beans, drained, liquid reserved -- 2 cups
•Salt and pepper to taste
•Hot cooked rice -- 2 cups
Method
1.Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high flame. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through.
2.Stir in the drained beans, some of their reserved liquid, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until heated through.
3.Add the rice and stir into the beans and heat through. Adjust seasoning and add a little more bean liquid if necessary. Serve hot.
Variations
•On the Caribbean coast coconut oil is commonly used instead of regular vegetable oil, and chili peppers are added
•Stir in some chopped cilantro.
•Add a few dashes of bottled pepper sauce or Worcerstershire sauce for added flavor.
(Stolen from http://www.whats4eats.com/grains/gallo-pinto-recipe)
Here's a link to a blog about Costa Rican food if you're intersted in learning more!
recetasdecostarica.blogspot.com
Gallo Pinto
Makes 4 to 6 servings
•Oil 2-3 tablespoons
•Onion, finely chopped
•Bell pepper, finely chopped
•2-3 cloves minced garlic
•Cooked black beans, drained, liquid reserved -- 2 cups
•Salt and pepper to taste
•Hot cooked rice -- 2 cups
Method
1.Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high flame. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through.
2.Stir in the drained beans, some of their reserved liquid, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until heated through.
3.Add the rice and stir into the beans and heat through. Adjust seasoning and add a little more bean liquid if necessary. Serve hot.
Variations
•On the Caribbean coast coconut oil is commonly used instead of regular vegetable oil, and chili peppers are added
•Stir in some chopped cilantro.
•Add a few dashes of bottled pepper sauce or Worcerstershire sauce for added flavor.
(Stolen from http://www.whats4eats.com/grains/gallo-pinto-recipe)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Start From Scratch!
The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.- William Shakespeare, Henry The Sixth (Part 2, Act 4, scene 2)
"The words, ‘Let’s kill all the lawyers,’ were not spoken by a disgruntled litigant (or even by Henry VI’s press secretary). They were uttered by the conspirators in Cade’s Rebellion, who planned to overthrow the English government, destroy the ancient rights of English men and women, [as such "rights" were available to women at that time], and establish a virtual dictatorship. Through the rebels’ threat, Shakespeare reminds the groundlings that lawyers, as protectors of that system of ordered liberty, are as much an obstacle to a rebellion that would curtail liberty as any garrisoned castle. Thus, Cade’s path to oppression leads inevitably over their bodies…”. — John J. Curtin, Jr., Esq., President, American Bar Association, published in the ABA Journal, September, 1990
I am exactly where I've wanted to be since my senior year of highschool, and it makes me giddy. Senior year we all had to write a term paper on our dream career, mine was on International Human Rights Law. I am now in Costa Rica studying human rights with one of Costa Rica's top lawyers. He is running for the position of Ombudsman (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ombudsman). If he wins, he will be responsible for handling all human rights violation reports for this country. Though the class is still a bit heavy on theory, I am enjoying it and thrilled that it is taught by someone of his caliber. Last week he gave us an interesting group exercise; we were handed a list of rights and told to rank them from most important to least important. We were supposed to place them in order of what would be vital if we were starting with a brand new society that had no rules. What would you place at the top if you had to create your own societal rules from scratch? Each of us made our own list, and then we broke up into three groups, with the task of coming to a consensus on the 'correct' order. When I first looked at the list I didn't think I would be able to rank them. Check it out...
*rights are listed in no particular order*
1) The right to due process
2) The right to freedom of expression and religion
3) The right to peace
4) The right to liberty (freedom from slavery, freedom of movement)
5) The right to privacy
6) The right to property
7) The rights related to labor and social security
8) The right to an adequate standard of living
9) The right to health
10) The right to education and culture
11) The right to participate in society
12) The right to equality and non-discrimination
13) The right to a clean and healthy environment
14) The right to rest and leisure
Make your own list!
.......... done?
At the end of the exercise my group placed liberty, freedom of expression, due process, and standard of living at the top. It was really interesting to see other group's choices. One of the them placed due process near the bottom, which I can't even begin to understand but that's just me. This kind of stuff fascinates me, I know I'm nerdy sometimes ;). An exercise in futility or enlightenment? Tell me what you think!
"The words, ‘Let’s kill all the lawyers,’ were not spoken by a disgruntled litigant (or even by Henry VI’s press secretary). They were uttered by the conspirators in Cade’s Rebellion, who planned to overthrow the English government, destroy the ancient rights of English men and women, [as such "rights" were available to women at that time], and establish a virtual dictatorship. Through the rebels’ threat, Shakespeare reminds the groundlings that lawyers, as protectors of that system of ordered liberty, are as much an obstacle to a rebellion that would curtail liberty as any garrisoned castle. Thus, Cade’s path to oppression leads inevitably over their bodies…”. — John J. Curtin, Jr., Esq., President, American Bar Association, published in the ABA Journal, September, 1990
I am exactly where I've wanted to be since my senior year of highschool, and it makes me giddy. Senior year we all had to write a term paper on our dream career, mine was on International Human Rights Law. I am now in Costa Rica studying human rights with one of Costa Rica's top lawyers. He is running for the position of Ombudsman (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ombudsman). If he wins, he will be responsible for handling all human rights violation reports for this country. Though the class is still a bit heavy on theory, I am enjoying it and thrilled that it is taught by someone of his caliber. Last week he gave us an interesting group exercise; we were handed a list of rights and told to rank them from most important to least important. We were supposed to place them in order of what would be vital if we were starting with a brand new society that had no rules. What would you place at the top if you had to create your own societal rules from scratch? Each of us made our own list, and then we broke up into three groups, with the task of coming to a consensus on the 'correct' order. When I first looked at the list I didn't think I would be able to rank them. Check it out...
*rights are listed in no particular order*
1) The right to due process
2) The right to freedom of expression and religion
3) The right to peace
4) The right to liberty (freedom from slavery, freedom of movement)
5) The right to privacy
6) The right to property
7) The rights related to labor and social security
8) The right to an adequate standard of living
9) The right to health
10) The right to education and culture
11) The right to participate in society
12) The right to equality and non-discrimination
13) The right to a clean and healthy environment
14) The right to rest and leisure
Make your own list!
.......... done?
At the end of the exercise my group placed liberty, freedom of expression, due process, and standard of living at the top. It was really interesting to see other group's choices. One of the them placed due process near the bottom, which I can't even begin to understand but that's just me. This kind of stuff fascinates me, I know I'm nerdy sometimes ;). An exercise in futility or enlightenment? Tell me what you think!
Monday, September 14, 2009
I want to ride my bicycle...
This past weekend Rhiannon and I made a rather last minute decision to take a trip to Puerto Viejo. By last minute I mean, we decided to go on Thursday night at 11:30 PM and left at 4:30AM on Friday haha. Puerto Veijo was amazing! It's on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica *see map below*
We stayed at Rockin' J's, a cheap hostel right on the ocean, with a bunch of other people from our program. Friday we spent the afternoon bumming around on the beach, and exploring Puerto Viejo. It's a got a different vibe from Manuel Antonio (the beach we went to on the Pacific side two weeks ago); a little less touristy with a strong Jamaican influence. Also, there's a pretty large ex-pat/hippy population. Anyway, on Saturday a bunch of us decided to rent bikes and ride to Manzanillo (about 8 miles away) and check out the beach there. I think the last time I was on a real bicycle (as opposed to a stationary one in a gym) I was 12. So I kind of freaked out a little when I realized that I had to maneuver this awkward rusted purple bicycle down 8 miles of potholes and back again. When I say potholes... think of a road in the middle of a war zone and you might begin to understand how terrible this road was haha. So we made it to Manzanillo, enjoyed the beach, and had an amazing late lunch. However, after lunch Rhiannon realized that she couldn't find the key to her bike's lock. After launching a thorough search she went back to the restaurant to ask if anyone could pick locks. One of the workers there told her that someone would be coming with tools in a few minutes. A little while later a 10 year-old shows up on a bike w/what looks like the jaws of life. He didn't want to cut the cable so Rhiannon did it on her own. Then, we set off for Puerto Veijo, but we weren't out of the woods yet (haha pun). On the way back one of the girls in our group got a flat tire. I noticed she had stopped, along with another guy from our group, and we started walking with her. Luckily we happened upon a bicycle repair shop in the jungle. No really, it was a little hut/repair shop in the jungle surrounded by thick vegetation. Unfortunately, by the time we left the jungle repair shop it was pitch black. The narrow road had street lights in some areas, but there were some pretty long stretches without any light at all. Adding to our nervousness was the creepy sound emanating from the jungle that my friend supposed to be a jaguar, and the cryptic advice of the repairman to be wary of ladrones. At the time none of us could remember how to translate ladrones... it means thieves. After about 30 frightening minutes of riding in the dark, dodging oncoming traffic, three of our friends showed up. They had gotten worried when we didn't show up for dinner. It was SO nice to see friendly faces on a dark road in a foreign country =-) It all ended well, no worries. We made it back to the hostel, and had a great night. This weekend really was amazing. There's more to tell, but I've got to study now. Most posts soon!
my bike and i
wish you were here
yes this is how i spend my weekends in costa rica ;)
We stayed at Rockin' J's, a cheap hostel right on the ocean, with a bunch of other people from our program. Friday we spent the afternoon bumming around on the beach, and exploring Puerto Viejo. It's a got a different vibe from Manuel Antonio (the beach we went to on the Pacific side two weeks ago); a little less touristy with a strong Jamaican influence. Also, there's a pretty large ex-pat/hippy population. Anyway, on Saturday a bunch of us decided to rent bikes and ride to Manzanillo (about 8 miles away) and check out the beach there. I think the last time I was on a real bicycle (as opposed to a stationary one in a gym) I was 12. So I kind of freaked out a little when I realized that I had to maneuver this awkward rusted purple bicycle down 8 miles of potholes and back again. When I say potholes... think of a road in the middle of a war zone and you might begin to understand how terrible this road was haha. So we made it to Manzanillo, enjoyed the beach, and had an amazing late lunch. However, after lunch Rhiannon realized that she couldn't find the key to her bike's lock. After launching a thorough search she went back to the restaurant to ask if anyone could pick locks. One of the workers there told her that someone would be coming with tools in a few minutes. A little while later a 10 year-old shows up on a bike w/what looks like the jaws of life. He didn't want to cut the cable so Rhiannon did it on her own. Then, we set off for Puerto Veijo, but we weren't out of the woods yet (haha pun). On the way back one of the girls in our group got a flat tire. I noticed she had stopped, along with another guy from our group, and we started walking with her. Luckily we happened upon a bicycle repair shop in the jungle. No really, it was a little hut/repair shop in the jungle surrounded by thick vegetation. Unfortunately, by the time we left the jungle repair shop it was pitch black. The narrow road had street lights in some areas, but there were some pretty long stretches without any light at all. Adding to our nervousness was the creepy sound emanating from the jungle that my friend supposed to be a jaguar, and the cryptic advice of the repairman to be wary of ladrones. At the time none of us could remember how to translate ladrones... it means thieves. After about 30 frightening minutes of riding in the dark, dodging oncoming traffic, three of our friends showed up. They had gotten worried when we didn't show up for dinner. It was SO nice to see friendly faces on a dark road in a foreign country =-) It all ended well, no worries. We made it back to the hostel, and had a great night. This weekend really was amazing. There's more to tell, but I've got to study now. Most posts soon!
my bike and i
wish you were here
yes this is how i spend my weekends in costa rica ;)
Sunday, September 6, 2009
lluvia, drogas, y armas
The rainy season has officially begun. Rhiannon and I went exploring with some friends (Kim, Brad, and Katt) through San Jose on Friday and it "tropical stormed" as Katt put it haha. The streets were more like rivers we had to ford to get around. That aside, I like San Jose more now than I did at first. *See slideshow below* According to my host parents, it will rain almost every day now until December. I'm so glad I brought my umbrella!
I've been sick the past week =( I waited a while to go to the pharmacy, because I was intimidated. In the pharmacies here most everything is behind the counter. (Side note: there are lots of meds. here that you don't need prescriptions for-like imitrex- but they are all kept behind the counter, I'm guessing to discourage theft)This means that since I didn't know anything about the brands here I had to look up how to describe my symptoms in my dictionary (yes sadly my vocab. does not extend very far into medical matters). However, with my dictionary and a little gesturing I think I managed to convey that I feel like crap haha. The stuff the pharmacist gave me doesn't seem to be working very quickly, even though she assured me it's the strongest they have. Fun drug-related fact about Costa Rica--> their policies on illegal substances are much harsher than in the states. Pot possession carries jail time (or so I've been told), but the popular sentiment does not seem to reflect that difference. It's analogous to the public’s relationship to stop signs here (or at least I think so), 'stop the car if a cop is around but otherwise who cares'?
On another random note... It just hit me yesterday that I am living in a country that does not have a military. I knew that before I came, Costa Rica hasn't had a military since 1948. But we were talking in our Development and Society class about how eliminating the military allowed the government to redirect funds to healthcare, and it just made me do a mental double take. I've been keeping up, for the most part, with all the craziness surrounding the healthcare debate in the U.S. Honestly, I understand where both sides are coming from. I can't help but wonder how people in my own country would respond to the suggestion that we eliminate our military in order to provide more social services. I can only image the decibel of screaming at the town hall meetings would elevate to a fever pitch punctuated with gunfire.
I'm doing ok here, still loving the coffee, and still realizing new things about myself and the way I view the world every day. My Spanish is improving (for example I now know how to say phlegm haha), but not as fast as I would like. Part of me can't wait to get home for Christmas, but I know that there are still adventures to be had. I'll try to post more entries, it helps me make sense of everything.
Besitas!
I've been sick the past week =( I waited a while to go to the pharmacy, because I was intimidated. In the pharmacies here most everything is behind the counter. (Side note: there are lots of meds. here that you don't need prescriptions for-like imitrex- but they are all kept behind the counter, I'm guessing to discourage theft)This means that since I didn't know anything about the brands here I had to look up how to describe my symptoms in my dictionary (yes sadly my vocab. does not extend very far into medical matters). However, with my dictionary and a little gesturing I think I managed to convey that I feel like crap haha. The stuff the pharmacist gave me doesn't seem to be working very quickly, even though she assured me it's the strongest they have. Fun drug-related fact about Costa Rica--> their policies on illegal substances are much harsher than in the states. Pot possession carries jail time (or so I've been told), but the popular sentiment does not seem to reflect that difference. It's analogous to the public’s relationship to stop signs here (or at least I think so), 'stop the car if a cop is around but otherwise who cares'?
On another random note... It just hit me yesterday that I am living in a country that does not have a military. I knew that before I came, Costa Rica hasn't had a military since 1948. But we were talking in our Development and Society class about how eliminating the military allowed the government to redirect funds to healthcare, and it just made me do a mental double take. I've been keeping up, for the most part, with all the craziness surrounding the healthcare debate in the U.S. Honestly, I understand where both sides are coming from. I can't help but wonder how people in my own country would respond to the suggestion that we eliminate our military in order to provide more social services. I can only image the decibel of screaming at the town hall meetings would elevate to a fever pitch punctuated with gunfire.
I'm doing ok here, still loving the coffee, and still realizing new things about myself and the way I view the world every day. My Spanish is improving (for example I now know how to say phlegm haha), but not as fast as I would like. Part of me can't wait to get home for Christmas, but I know that there are still adventures to be had. I'll try to post more entries, it helps me make sense of everything.
Besitas!
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