Over the past week, we immersed ourselves in the La Sierra community, getting to know the local kids and all the people who have been helping us with our projects and meals. The village is quite small, with about 100 permanent residents, but it is brim with greenery, streams, and animals. At night, locusts and howler monkeys shriek, lulling us to sleep until the morning sun comes brightly and early.
Our projects are progressing well! We have almost completed the roof on the Tres Amigos School, are halfway through painting the interior and exterior of La Sierra´s church, and have finished renovating and painting the playground... We have lots to be proud of already!
As you may know, each student has thought of his or her own indepenent project and have begun working on them... We´ve enjoyed a guitar concert, a lanyard making workshop and a jump roping workshop with local kids, and a mural of the alphabet is underway right now at the entrance of the school... so we are keeping busy!
This past weekend, we went to Manuel Antonio, a beach town on the Central Pacific Coast. After a busy and hectic week, the beach and national park were a welcome reprieve and provided us a nice change of scenery. Some highlights include seeing sloths and monkeys, a boat tour of the mangroves in the area, delicious meals of food other than rice and beans, and playing in the waves!
Back in La Sierra today, it is a hot and steamy day, though we are all working hard and focused in spite of the heat! This afternoon, we´ll all head down to a local swimming hole to refresh and relax before dinner.
Saludos,
Sophie and Sam
