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[23 Jun 2008|05:21pm] |
Letters to home from Costa Rica...because I know if I don't post these now I'm never going to wind up recording the experience.
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Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 17:33:35 -0400 Download N/A.msg
From: "Samantha Easter"
To: BEaster@aol.com, tme@aol.com
Subject: N/A All headers
Hey!!!!
So this is attempt two at writing you an email. Apparently I dont work well
with Spanish Keyboards hahaha. It is extremely difficult to type on. We made
it to San Jose! Im extremely hungry because we havent eaten since this
morning in BWI buttt were eating at 6pm. I think were going on a hike right
now. Tomorrow we leave to go to Selve Verde in the rainforest 2 hours away.
The place were at right now isnt the nicest but it has clean sheets etc.
Everyone is walking out the door right now though eeeek and I want to go see
around town. Ill try and write later
Love you!
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Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 19:58:32 -0400 Download N/A.msg
From: "Samantha Easter"
To: beaster@aol.com, tme@aol.com
Subject: N/A All headers
Hiii its me checking in again
Its 6pm and were getting ready to head out to dinner in a little bit.
Fetuccine alredoooo yum haha. How are you guys doing? Today has been super
relaxing. We got in around 3 and it started raining so we stayed in our
hotel. Everyone got a fifth of vodka so we sat around talking and drinking.
Even our teacher went out to get a bottle of wine and just hang out. This
may be the most laid back class ever hahaha.
This will probably be my last time writing tonight. Im almost positive I get
service at Selva Verde but Im not sure. Ill try and keep in contact as much
as possible.
Much love xoxo!
Sam
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Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 18:32:16 -0400 Download Re: N/A.msg
From: "Samantha Easter"
To: "Daniel Fusting"
Subject: Re: N/A All headers
Hey!! It´s going amazing! I love Costa Rica - but I have to admit its a much
poorer country than I imagined. There are verryyy few people and not much to
do. We started off in San Jose for the first night. It was a really
depressing atmosphere and I kept getting frustrated because I couldnt
remember any spanish and all I wanted to do was eat food. We´re 2 hours out
now at a place called Selva Verde. It may be one of the most beautiful places
ever. The only downfall is that our rooms have no heat - you would absolutely
die hahah.
Yesterday we went to a butterfly garden and met with some of the local women
who make jewelry. The classwork isn´t hard at all and we usually finish our
paper work in about half an hour. We have to write reflections every day but
you know me, thats easy.
Today we went on a 2 hour hike into the rainforest. It started off really
cool. We saw Toucans, Bullet ants, and so many other wildlife but after 2
hours I didnt give a shit anymore and was tired of listening to our guide
ramble on and take forever.
We only get three meals a day which is rough on me because you know how I am
such a big snacker. I have to eat to the point that I feel like I´m going to
burst because it´s 7-8 hours between each meal. Our days are extremely long.
We wake up at 6am, have breakfast at 7, and start our day immediatley after
that. It´s been very tiring - but fun nonetheless.
After the hike we did some reforestation project. We planted 200 trees which
was cool and I got to see a cocoa plant before it is turned into chocolate. I
actually tried some of it too! It was like sugary squid and after about 10
seconds I spit it out hahah.
My group is amazing! I love my roomate and I´ve made good friends with Shus
friend Jaclyn. It turns out they were all more conserned with the drinking
issue more than I was. In Miami we all bought a fifth of Absolut vodka. Can
you imagine? a fifth of Absolut citron for 17 dollars! Needless to say, it´s
beat spending all our money in the bars. Though I think tonight we´re finally
going to venture out. The bar here is located on a huge river so its gorgeous.
We´re off for the rest of the night so I can do whatever I please which is
nice. I think I need a nap haha. I´m physically beat. After our two hour hike
I went on a mile and a half run. My body is probably going to hate me
tomorrow.
Anyway, I´m going to get back to my room so I can shower. I´m covered in mud
because it was raining when we were doing our reforestation project. I hope
home is treating you well. What have you been up to? Miss you!!
xoxo
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Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:14:46 -0400 Download HOLA!!!.msg
From: "Samantha Easter"
To: "Emily Fusting" , dfust@towson.edu, tme@aol .....
Subject: HOLA!!
¡Hola!
Well, its official: my body absolutely hates Costa Rica. Allow me to expain
the awful experiences of the past two days hahaha
So our trip has turned out to be half missionary and half school learning. I
have loved every moment. Yesterday we went to one of the local schools to do
volunteer work and play with the children. Of course, this day of labor was
the one day it didn´t rain. When we arrive to the school we all split up into
two groups. My group decided to do the vegetable garden. How hard could that
be? Too bad nobody informed us that the soil hadnt even been shoveled up or
toiled and that it was hard as a rock. I can´t even begin to explain to you
how difficult the work was. Within half an hour I felt nauseaus and by that
point I was the only person left from my group still doing work. Afraid to
look like a lazy American I busted my butt doing manual labor way too hard.
I suppose it´s not my fault for listening to my body. By 1 oclock when we had
lunch I had no appetite. I should have beens starving and dying of thirst
because I sweat so much. But I thought nothing of it. While everyone ate
lunch I played soccer with the Costa Rican children (who are extremely
intense). It was a lot of fun, but everyone else was taking breaks and I was
so caught up in interacting with the children. I was the only person who knew
some spanish so it was cool to be able to communicate. I even scored two
goals haha!
We left the school at 2 and I found myself exhausted on the bus. I was unable
to sleep but as soon as we got back to the hotel I passed out until 6 when I
had to awake for dinner. When I woke up I was freezing. I had insane chills
and I felt as if I had a terrible fever: dizziness, fatique, sore chest, sore
muscles everywhere, chills, and still no appetite. It was horrrrible.
I went to dinner and again just stared at my meal unable to eat food. I guess
my body had just had it because I burst out crying in the middle of dinner
because I was in so much pain and felt so terrible. I excused myself from the
night walk and Jimmy, our guide, told me after I told him my symptoms in
tears that I had extreme heat exhaustion. I went straight to bed and slept
from 6:30 until this morning. A little more than 15 hours.
I´ve been trying to drink as much water as possible because I apparently get
easily dehydrated. I am just now starting to get my appetite back. I tried
having a cheeseburger and fries for lunch but I´m pretty sure the beef was
actually cat meat. Needless to say, I think my body is dealing with culture
shock.
But!!! Aside from that it has been a blast. I loved loved loved interacting
with the children. Today we went up to a volcano that was actually active. We
got showered in ash and took trails throughout the area. Afterwards we headed
up to a hot spring. This was amazing!!! I was expecting geysers shooting up
with hot spew. Not at all. There were 18 springs all of varying temperatures
in the middle of the rainforest and it was the most relaxing thing ever. We
sat in the jacuzzi/ hot springs for 2 hours drinking daqueries (mine virgin
of course because im still petrified of my dehydration situation).
Tomorrow we are visiting the elderly. Afterwards is white water rapids and
then salsa dancing lessons! Friday is going to be the best though. That is
when we will be doing our zip-lining through the canopy followed by an hour
and a half horseback ride through the rainforest!
Hopefully my body will adjust soon. I get very severe cramps alot from the
food. I found a coke today and was so excited hoping that it would settle my
stomach but unfortunatley they use healthier ingredients here so its not even
the syruppy goodness we have at home! haha
I´ll probably keep sending you all group updates as its so much easier for me
to keep in touch and I have very limited time on the computer. I miss you all
and hope home isn´t treating you guys too rough (I hear the heat is
ridiculous there right now?)
LOVE YOU ALL!
xoxo
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Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:15:33 -0400 Download Thurs June 12th BUENOS DIASSSS.msg
From: "Samantha Easter"
To: "Emily Fusting" , dfust@towson.edu, tme@aol .....
Subject: Thurs June 12th BUENOS DIASSS!!
!Hola!!!
*check the bottom for personal responses*
So I am feeling mucho better from yesterday. I think I'm just going to have to
rough it out as a vegetarian for the rest of the trip hahaha. I was even able
to go to the bar last night with everyone! But we go to bed by 11 because it
gets so scary outside. The frogs and snakes and such all come out when it gets
late and the night I was asleep from my heat the girls even saw some sort of
cat peering at them from across the river. Of course, this occurred when they
were drunk and the animal has now gone from a jaguar, to a cat, to now just a
typical raccoon.
Speaking of animals, the people here are absolutely FASCINATED by deer. Every
time we see a deer our guide Jimmy jumps out and starts pointing his finger
like its the best kept secret of the rain forest. We try to explain to him how
common they are back in MD but he doesn't understand. Apparently they are a
very rare species here.
The only thing we've done so far today was visit the old people home. It was
really depressing because since Costa Rica is so poor, their senior citizen
homes aren't for regular old people to live... they're for the elderly who's
family abandoned them because they didn't feel like taking care of them
anymore. It was really sad and some of them were sooo nice. We met a man who
was 103 years old! Another very old man played the guitar for us and sang! It
was adorable. I took a few pictures Ill have to show you when I get home. They
loved having us American girls there hahaha and they said that our laughter
was so contagious it worked as well as the medicine they received which was
cute because its nice to know were making someones day.
As usual it has been rain rain rain. Were getting ready to go white water
rafting though in an hour so it should make for great conditions! I'm really
excited.
Thats about it for todays e-mail. I'm trying to write an email to you guys
every day. I know I wont have time to write later because so much will be
going on. Things with my group are semi weird. You all know how I distance
myself from girls because they can be so dramatic and catty. Well a small
group of 8 girls in the rain forest is fun but after 5 or 6 days people start
to not be so nice. I'm completely fine, Ive been more on the sidelines sitting
and watching it all happen but its jut drama drama gossip gossip. On a good
note, I'm one of the only people to have gotten an A so far on all of my
papers so go me! Hope you're all doing well! I'll write tomorrow when I'm free!
Mom- hahaha please do not worry about me. It was bound to happen, I was taking
care of myself, just not to this maximum extreme I thought I needed to. Ive
been spraying bud spray, wearing clothes toed shoes, and carrying a flashlight
everywhere. Im fine now so please don't panic, I don't need to come home lol
though I could realllyyy go for some US food.
Dad- Property in Costa Rica? Well while the rain forest sounds fantastic I
would not support the idea of it. Costa Rica is so poor it is depressing. You
take one step onto the main roads and it makes you hate your life. Ive been
across almost half of Costa Rica thus far and if you're not buried deep in the
rain forest, its extremely depressing.
Dan- I am glad to hear you are having so much fun with the guys! I am sad to
be missing out no whats going on at home. I got a hacky sack so that I can
learn how to hacky with everyone when I get home haha. Hows Chris been? Any
better?
Emily- Is Constellation getting any better and have the found work for you to
do? I'll be home in a week so hopefully we can live it up for a week until I
go away again.
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Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:02:26 -0400 Download WAAAZZZUPPP - June 13th.msg
From: "Samantha Easter"
To: "Emily Fusting" , dfust@towson.edu, tme@aol .....
Subject: WAAAZZZUPPP - June 13th
Hiii!!!
Today has been SO relaxing. Last night we all went out to the bars. We had
planned to meet up with all of our white water rafting guides but were pretty
unsure that they were going to show. But they were there along with every
single worker from the Selva Verde Lodge were staying at so all the faces were
familiar. It was Karaoke night and amongst some of the English hits of the
night sang were Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton and Oops I did it Again by
Britney Spears hahah.
We all woke up at 6:30 this morning planning to go canopy zipping. As it
turned out, we had our times mixed up and didn't have to return until 10:30.
Everyone went to the pool but my stomach, of course, would not allow me to
leave the room hahah. Although this was fine with me because I do not find
much joy in sitting by a pool at 8am. At 10 when we gathered our things to
head back out to the canopy zipline they were all frustrated because they
hadn't gotten a tan... seriously?
Ziplining was so much fun and nothing like what I used to do at Gennessee
Valley haha. But nobody was in for the physical labor that came with it.
Instead of one or two ziplines, we went down 14 zip lines, all of which
required you to walk up steep hills in harness and helmets. It was pretty rough.
After ziplining we were supposed to go horseback riding. I think four people
still went but I was just in need of relaxing. I couldn't take another 2-3
hour activity. After a week of doing these activities every day, it's tiring.
So me and 3 of the girls laid out by the pool. We passed out after about 20
minutes and woke up to being rained on.
I have the rest of the night free and I think were going to head up to the bar
again for our last night. We have a longggg drive ahead of us on the bus
tomorrow so I'll most likely sleep through most of that. Along the way we are
stopping at the Sloth Rehabilitation Center! I'm so excited because it's the
only one in the world and Racquel is super obsessed and talks about it all the
time.
I have no idea what types of services I'll be able to get there. For all I
know they may not even have a computer out there but I guess I'll see. I'm
ready to get out to the Carribean coast. Even the word 'Carribean' sounds so
welcoming and home-like hahha. The rainforest is doing me in and hopefully
I'll be able to end my vegetarianism once I get to the coast and can eat foods
I'm a little bit more familiar with (I'm talking mahi-mahi, tuna, the whole
deal hahaha). We had chicken today for lunch and all I wanted to do was
swallow it whole. I never realized how much food controls my life until I got
here. It was so hard to deny the chicken and pick up a plate of cucumbers
instead. Buttt! At least I'm eating healthy? or something? I don't know, I
don't care I just want a big bag of McDonalds when I get home.
Anyway I'm going to go freshen up before dinner. I'll try and write whenever I
can next. After the coast I head up to a volcano for a night or two and then
Wednesday I'll be back in San Jose so I'll deff have a computer by then. I
return Thursday and get into BWI at 10 something.
Hope you're all doing well and I'll try to stay in contact!!
*DAD*- I'm 100 pages into Heaven and Hell! At first I was unsure of it. He
immediately begins the book by writing himself up to be a victim of everything
in life haha but now I loveeee it! I'm at the part where he and Susan have
just moved out to California. Thanks so much for lending me the book! I'll let
you know what I think of it once I finish.
XOXO everyone!!
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Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:55:09 -0400 Download COASTTT - June 14th.msg
From: "Samantha Easter"
To: "Emily Fusting" , dfust@towson.edu, tme@aol .....
Subject: COASTTT - June 14th
Hey Everyone!!
So we have finally made it out to the coast! I am very excited to be here. It
feels so comforting to be in the Carribean and for the first time since Ive
been here I was able to stuff my face hahah. I had fried shrimp today for
lunch that was amazing and so much food at dinner I cant even begin to list.
It is suchhh a different atmosphere out here. I have to be honest, I was
certainly ready to get out of the rainforest and to some place familiar. It
took somewhere from 3 to 4 hours to get here today by bus. We stopped at the
sloth rehabilitation center on the way home.
We laid out on the beach for an hour but that was about it. Tomorrow were
taking a hike on the beach! hooray! haha and then we have the day to lay out
so Im goig to be trying out the snorkle gear.
Anyway, I know this one was surprisingly short but I am very exhausted. Just
letting you all know Im alive. Love you, miss you
XOXO
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Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:38:42 -0400 Download ALMOST HOME!.msg
From: "Samantha Easter" Import addresses seaste1@towson.edu Block email seaste1@towson.edu
To: "Emily Fusting" , dfusti3@towson.edu, tme722@aol .....
Subject: ALMOST HOME! All headers
So sorry for the lack of emails over the past few days. We had no computer
or telephone up at the volcano. Id love to write you a long letter but I
know everyone is eager to let their parents know theyre alive. I have SO
much to tell you all over the past few days. My goodness. I got in a fight
with my roomate but were okay now. umm. It was freezing up at the volanco.
like FREEZING. And they had no heat. the only thing the place had to offer
was the view. I cannot wait to get home and back to you all.
I miss you all SO much and cannot wait to hit up fast food at midnight when
I get back to Baltimore tomorrow hahaha.
Mom- I have all my thank yous finished, just need to send them out. Sorry
about the emmissions, had no idea it was thattt overdue. As for the window,
my car got hit by a rock coming home from RMC last year. atleast thats the
only crack I know of in my window.
LOTS OF LOVE!!
SEE YOU ALL SOON!
XOXOXO
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