6/06/04 Punta Mona, Costa Rica
Things You've Heard Before.
Refrain: hey, hey, guys, guys, girls, 2 strikes, clean the bus, do you owe me money?
Patrick: don't grope, wash your hands, don't throw food, sit down, be quiet, no free time for you!
(retrain)
Annette: listen up, pay attention, Per and Nick don't mumble, speak up, hold hands, join the circle pronto.
(refrain)
Diana: where are your shoes dude? sunblock, bug stuff, come back James!, hurry up, pack up, get on the bus, and don't call me dude.
(refrain)
Janet: SHHHH..., that's rude, be quiet, don't run, can't have fun, who's there?, lights out, no TV, I'm just doing my job.
(refrain)
All: Hey teens you know we love you.
And here the journal ends....the above was, as you can guess, performed as part of a talent show the last afternoon. I am happy to report that we managed to keep the beat and our dance steps were totally synchronized. As to the rest of the trip I'll continue with the best memory can serve. I can't leave me stranded in Punta Mona.
During the talent show and after, much was made of the students by the staff of PM and our tour guides Zack and Mel. Although I know it is a bolstering up of the young, I feel like a worn out shoe, ready to be discarded. We have been taking turns helping to make dinner. This last day it is our group's turn. Salads were always present at PM. They consisted of an interesting mix of foliage, none of which would be recognizable stateside. Indeed a common ingredient were the leaves of the leaves of a tree that bordered the path down to the beach. There is something made with peppers being assembled and one of the PM cooks makes the mistake of wiping her face with her peppery hand. She starts to cry, almost screaming, they try to wash off the pepper juice with water. Janet, who is a nurse and who is usually taking a nap is roused, she suggests cold water, which already hasn't worked. I remember something and tell them to try a dairy product, any dairy product. Some cream goes on her face and the tears stop.
That night there is surprise birthday party for one of the girls. Most of us sneak down to the meeting hall and await in the dark. The birthday girl and some of her friends arrive a little later, she is thinking they are doing something daring, then we all start to sing. Not Happy Birthday, some other song, something less common. There is chocolate cake at the party. I am given a big piece, which I piggily wolf down. I am up all night from the chocolate rush. The next day I am an old shoe.
3 comments:
Ah, the old dairy product trick, always works when you're eating a rather hot curry or chilli.
(on your question about the garden - we want to grow as much of our own food as possible, so we will keep up the backyard stuff and the allotment, for bigger crops of potatoes and fruit)
I read this earlier, I don't know why I didn't comment, it's very commentable. Very. I guess I just felt squishy inside. End of trip.
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