Why am I here? answered.

For the .5% of you unfamiliar with a "mullet," it's a hairstyle often described as "business in the front, party in the back." Although it has experienced a resurgence in Europe ("the Euromullet")in recent years, don't be fooled, it's still in asshole haircut no matter how you style it, what kind of smart Puma shoes you sport, or how metrosexual you are. Some famous examples of mullets include Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon, Lionel Richie in the eighties' (the rare jheri curl mullet), MacGyver and Chuck Norris.

Why have I shared this with the readers you may ask? Because Zack
brought up an interesting point the other day when he wrote, "I feel
like in order to be there with you, I need more information regarding
your work responsibilities/work environment. I've got the "party in
the back," (social/cultural) I need the "business in the front." Yes,
I agree with you Zack. I want to give the six people that read this
blog a better idea of what exactly it is I do in Costa Rica besides go
out 4 nights a week and travel to visually stunning National Geographic cover shot locations every other weekend.

And so for the two of you still reading this, here goes: first I'll
provide an overview of the organization and my office. Habitat for
Humanity International is divided into four regions: Europe and
Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, and
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Each region has a headquarters
or Area Office (AO). The LAC AO is based in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Organizationally, there's the home office in Americus, Georgia, then
the Area Offices, then the National Offices (NOs), then the local
affiliates. I work in the LAC AO as the International Volunteer
Program (IVP) Volunteer Coordinator.

The IVP was started several years ago and consists of long term
international volunteers like myself that work primarily in an office
capacity (that is, they don't do construction work unless it's quite
specialized if they're engineers or architects) and have work experience
and a college degree. There are several NOs in LAC, but in order to host
volunteers from IVP, they need to certified by the AO. That's where I
come in. One of my responsibilities consists of helping walk
countries through the certification process. They need to fill out an
emergency evacuation and safety plan, provide an outline of the
orientation they plan to give the volunteer, ensure that they have
enough space and resources ( e.g. a computer, desk, telephone) to host
a volunteer, and the national program has to be considered a stable,
well-run program in a country that doesn't have travel warnings (i.e .
Colombia). So I work with the countries to get them certified.

Another responsibility is to manage and monitor the volunteers. If
they're volunteers in the AO, I give them a 2-3 day orientation of the
country, office procedures, safety measures, overview of Habitat and
the role of each department in the AO, and general stuff they need to
know. I have weekly group meetings with the AO volunteers and check
in with the IVP volunteers in other countries via e-mail. I also check in
with their supervisors to make sure everything is going well. The basic conundrum we want to avoid (which unfortunately is not that uncommon in the world of volunteer or intern management) is when a volunteer isn't given a defined set of responsibilities and is underutilized or undervalued, or their duties don't match their job description, or their supervisor doesn't provide /adequate guidance. So the volunteer may wonder what the point of volunteering is. Want to make sure the supervisors know exactly what hosting a volunteer entails and awareness that it requires work and guidance on their part.

A major part of keeping the volunteers engaged and committed is organizing a build day. The volunteers in the AO are usually in the office working on a computer all day. Once a month, in conjunction with the NO, I organize (I'm still working on organizing the first one since I've been here) a day for the volunteers where we all go out to a Habitat site and help a team build a house. I'm really looking forward to this aspect of the job because it's fun and is at the core of what Habitat does. It's also nice to get out of the office and do some manual labor. What kind of Latino would I be if I didn't secretly long for manual labor?

I also help with the volunteer hiring process. Once an IVP certified
NO develops (in conjunction with me) a job description for the
position they need, the IVP manager in Americus, Georgia forwards a
list of pre-screened candidates to me. I conduct the first round of
interviews and then make my recommendations to the people in the NO or
AO who conduct the final round. Once the NO decides whom to hire,
they let me know and I pass it on to the IVP manager in Americus who
notifies the candidate. I then send the new hire all the relevant
paperwork they need to fill out. I'm also the liaison between all of
the NOs and Americus. If they have an IVP related issue they need to
pass along to Americus it's filtered through me.

I also help promote the IVP program and find and recruit volunteers
through the internet using different websites and list servers. The
department is also really interested in promoting Latin American IVP
volunteers to send to other regional countries. The main obstacle as
you can imagine is financial. Volunteers get a stipend but it's not
much and they have to pay for airfare and medical insurance. So my
idea is to get local companies to pledge money to sponsor a volunteer
every year and tie it into their business. So Banco de Costa Rica
might pay for the living expenses of a volunteer in Bolivia and the
volunteer would work specifically as the financial literacy housing
volunteer or the financial resource volunteer. By helping defray the
costs I'm sure we could generate more interest Latinos volunteering
abroad. There is also an elite class of student from top universities
that do have the money to volunteer abroad and I'm looking at ways to
reach this group; most likely through presentations and talks at top
universities.

I know this can be a bit confusing but I hope this gives you a better
idea of what I do, "the business in the front" if you will. Below
I've included a scene that I often use to "motivate" the group of area
volunteers I manage (I'm a more benevolent version of Blake, played by Alec Baldwin). It's quite inspirational and never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Pura Vida!

In this scene, Blake (Alec Baldwin) is confronting the employees of a
tough Chicago real-estate office, Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon), Ed
Moss (Ed Harris) and George Aaronow (Alan Arkin) while their
unsympathetic supervisor John Williamson (Kevin Spacey) looks on.

Blake: Let me have your attention for a moment! So you're talking
about what? You're talking about...(puts out his cigarette)...bitching
about that sale you shot, some son of a bitch that doesn't want to
buy, somebody that doesn't want what you're selling, some broad you're
trying to screw and so forth. Let's talk about something important.
Are they all here?_
Williamson: All but one._
Blake: Well, I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important!
(to Levene) Put that coffee down!! Coffee's for closers only. (Levene
scoffs) Do you think I'm fucking with you? I am not fucking with you.
I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here
on a mission of mercy. Your name's Levene?_
Levene: Yeah._
Blake: You call yourself a salesman, you son of a bitch?_
Moss: I don't have to listen to this shit._
Blake: You certainly don't pal. 'Cause the good news is -- you're
fired. The bad news is you've got, all you got, just one week to
regain your jobs, starting tonight. Starting with tonights sit. Oh,
have I got your attention now? Good. 'Cause we're adding a little
something to this months sales contest. As you all know, first prize
is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anyone want to see second prize? Second
prize's a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired. You get
the picture? You're laughing now? You got leads. Mitch and Murray paid
good money. Get their names to sell them! You can't close the leads
you're given, you can't close shit, you ARE shit, hit the bricks pal
and beat it 'cause you are going out!!!_
Levene: The leads are weak._
Blake: 'The leads are weak.' Fucking leads are weak? You're weak. I've
been in this business fifteen years._
Moss: What's your name?_
Blake: FUCK YOU, that's my name!! You know why, Mister? 'Cause you
drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove a eighty thousand dollar
BMW. That's my name!! (to Levene) And your name is "you're wanting."
And you can't play in a man's game. You can't close them. (at a near
whisper) And you go home and tell your wife your troubles. (to
everyone again) Because only one thing counts in this life! Get them
to sign on the line which is dotted! You hear me, you fucking
faggots?_(Blake flips over a blackboard which has two sets of letters
on it: ABC, and AIDA.)_Blake: A-B-C. A-always, B-be, C-closing. Always
be closing! Always be closing!! A-I-D-A. Attention, interest,
decision, action. Attention -- do I have your attention? Interest --
are you interested? I know you are because it's fuck or walk. You
close or you hit the bricks! Decision -- have you made your decision
for Christ?!! And action. A-I-D-A; get out there!! You got the
prospects comin' in; you think they came in to get out of the rain?
Guy doesn't walk on the lot unless he wants to buy. Sitting out there
waiting to give you their money! Are you gonna take it? Are you man
enough to take it? (to Moss) What's the problem pal? You. Moss._
Moss: You're such a hero, you're so rich. Why you coming down here and
waste your time on a bunch of bums?_(Blake sits and takes off his gold
watch)_
Blake: You see this watch? You see this watch?_
Moss: Yeah._
Blake: That watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year.
How much you make? You see, pal, that's who I am. And you're nothing.
Nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? Fuck you -- go home and
play with your kids!! (to everyone) You wanna work here? Close!! (to
Aaronow) You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you
cocksucker? You can't take this -- how can you take the abuse you get
on a sit?! You don't like it -- leave. I can go out there tonight with
the materials you got, make myself fifteen thousand dollars! Tonight!
In two hours! Can you? Can you? Go and do likewise! A-I-D-A!! Get mad!
You sons of bitches! Get mad!! You know what it takes to sell real
estate?_(He pulls something out of his briefcase)_Blake: It takes
brass balls to sell real estate._(He's holding two brass balls on
string, over the appropriate "area"--he puts them away after a pause)_
Blake: Go and do likewise, gents. The money's out there, you pick it
up, it's yours. You don't--I have no sympathy for you. You wanna go
out on those sits tonight and close, close, it's yours. If not you're
going to be shining my shoes. Bunch of losers sitting around in a bar.
(in a mocking weak voice) "Oh yeah, I used to be a salesman, it's a
tough racket." (he takes out large stack of red index cards tied
together with string from his briefcase) These are the new leads.
These are the Glengarry leads. And to you, they're gold. And you don't
get them. Because to give them to you is just throwing them away. (he
hands the stack to Williamson) They're for closers._I'd wish you good
luck but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it. (to Moss
as he puts on his watch again) And to answer your question, pal: why
am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to, they
asked me for a favor. I said, the real favor, follow my advice and
fire your fucking ass because a loser is a loser._(He stares at Moss
for a sec, and then picking up his briefcase, goes into inner office
with Williamson)

Mindstates and Sueño Azul

My intrepid reporter friend Ryan is writing a book on drug culture and was in Costa Rica this past weekend attending the mindstates conference as part of his research (http://mindstates.org/2007speakers.html). The mindstates conference is an annual event where the psychedelic community gathers to discuss new developments in the “field,” listens to talks on various drugs and issues relating to psychedelics, watches movies, and generally spends the weekend tripping balls under the guise of a conference. These people are really serious about their hallucinogens.

Out of a deep sense of solidarity and friendship I naturally decided to join Ryan at the cushy resort where the conference was held. Sueño Azul is located in a town about an hour and half away from San Jose that is off the tourist path. Getting there by bus and foot was like finding the secret smurf village but well worth it. It’s situated on a huge spread of land where two rivers meet. Once you get past the gate, it’s another kilometer and then bridge crossing to get to the resort. It kind of has a plantation feel to it and “The courtyard, built around an ancient hacienda, is the "heart" of the resort. Here you can gather with family and friends or meet other travelers at the bar.” Indeed.

I skipped the boring lectures and movies on psychedelics (although there was an interesting session on holotropic breathwork which as far as I can tell consists of hyperventilating to rhythmic music until you start to get high and tingly) and hung out by the pool sampling various Costa Rican beers. Unfortunately I didn’t get to research other materials but evidently I was the only one because everyone else was walking around with an extra bounce in their step and a serene grin on their face. My brain thanks me though.

As you might imagine, people that dedicate a major portion of their lives to exploring and consuming psychedelics are a unique bunch, kind of like rabid Star Trek fans (in fact I’d wager there were some trekkies at the conference). However, I did meet some cool people including a professor from California, a researcher at Harvard, and spoke briefly to Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin who has something of a sycophantic (and well deserved) following among this group. More importantly, I ate some amazing food including my first good piece of steak down here. Just another weekend in Costa Rica!

I’ve also included some pics from Monday night in San Jose. Pura Vida!

Volcan Barva

Although San Jose isn’t the most attractive, or cleanest, or picturesque, or vibrant, or well, you get the idea, less than an hour away are some amazing sites to visit, including Barva Volcano and Parque Nacional Braulio Carillo, which I hiked on Sunday. The hike began by taking a 5:30am bus to Heredia, then taking another bus to Barva, then waiting around for almost an hour to take the last bus. Despite all appearances, the bus somehow managed to take us up a steep road to a village halfway up the volcano. Diana, Izzy and I began walking up the volcano -well actually it’s not active and you can’t see the crater so you wouldn’t know it’s a volcano unless someone told you- at 7:30. We walked together for about an hour and then my impatient side took over whereupon I decided to walk ahead. At some point I lost sight of them but I just figured we would meet up at some point. 8km later I reached the entrance to the park, now the hike could begin! The trail climbed steadily up the mountain and led to three lagoons. I only managed to make it to the second one though because the trail devolved into a muddy sludge that trapped my shoes a couple of times.

I haven’t seen much of Costa Rica yet –give me some time- and maybe this holds true for several other places here, but Barva Volcano is the land that time forgot, it looks like the set for one of the Lord of the Rings movies. Since I got there relatively early, I didn’t see anyone else until I was on my way out. I’d never hiked alone and it’s a completely different, transcendental, and ultimately unsafe experience. But being alone with nature in such a raw form is quite moving and powerful. Damn, is this what surfers sound like “Dude, the waves, they’re like spiritual and stuff, it’s like you’re in tune with the earth man”? Let me stop then and let the pictures speak for themselves. For the record, my final tally was 18km hiked and I was fortunate enough to avoid getting rained on, always something worth mentioning in Costa Rica. I never did run into Diana and co. but I did finagle a ride back to Barva saving me an 18km hike (I wasn't going to wait around for the 5pm bus from the village to take me back to Barva). Pura Vida!

Futbol and the Farmers Market

Today marks two weeks since my arrival. It’ s amazing what a change of scenery can do for the soul, although I suppose it’s all relative since I probably wouldn’t feel the same were I living in Tajikistan (nothing against central Asia). I also have the cultural and language advantage since I’m viewed as Uruguayan, not North American. I haven’t made any weekend forays outside of San Jose since my trip to Cahuita, but I’ve been enjoying the nightlife here, enjoying it too much in fact.








I’ve always been a night person and moving to a new place has only amplified that tendency, but I’ve decided to make a truce, a temporary cease-fire, a non-aggression pact if you will, with my liver and my wallet. I’ll be here for at least a year so there’s no point in trying to pack it in the first month.

As for last weekend, a group of friends and I went to watch Costa Rica destroy Chile in a futbol friendly. There was nothing friendly about it though, from the loud remarks directed at the Chilean goalie’s maternal provenance (hijo de ___) to the red card issued at to a Chilean player just before halftime to the not so witty insults screamed at the Mexican referee and his heritage. The atmosphere was lively as was the game, non-stop attacking and a barrage of shots on goal. La seleccion is actually a solid team and plays an entertaining brand of futbol. Once the domestic league starts comes the fun part of picking a random -preferably underdog team- and cheering them on at games like we've always been fans. Kind of like people do with the Yankees, the Red Sox and the Lakers, except more along the lines of the Clippers in our case.

In keeping with my local cultural immersion program, I went to the farmers market in Pavas on Saturday. It’s bursting with a huge assortment of exotic fruits and veggies and unlike the farmers markets in D.C., it’s cheaper than the grocery store. They also sell bootleg movies and CDs. I stayed away from the meat though. I haven’t gotten sick yet and I don’t plan on breaking my streak. I still enjoy eating rice, beans, salad, and some kind of meat everyday but I'm craving some Indian food, Chipotle and good Pizza (Vace for the D.C. crowd). Speaking of pizza, has anyone seen the new Domino's dessert pizza? It's crushed Oreos on a bed of something topped with chocolate syrup. It's stuff like this that convinces me beyond any doubt -much more so than the war in Iraq or any other botched Bush administration action or the rise of China and India- that U.S. hegemony is in a precipitous decline. Does Domino's pay its advertising firm in pot now? Because a bunch of stoned college students is the only way I can conceive of someone imagining dessert Oreo pizza. Then again, I never thought the McGriddle would catch on but apparently it's delicious.

I’ve also included some pics from my office. When it’s not cloudy, the view is stunning, as San Jose is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. Also worth mentioning, there’s apparently a man who every so often strips down completely and dances in the median below our window for an indeterminate period of time. I haven’t been lucky enough to witness it yet (I wonder what kind of moves he has and if I can request the worm/dolphin) but I’ll keep you posted.













My first full week at work is moving along nicely. I’m still getting my bearings but the 20 second walk to the office makes “going to work” so much better. I’ve decided that when I get a new job it has to be within a 2 minute walk from my place. I may have to be a “Sandwich Artist” at Subway or a barrista at Starbucks (I draw the line at McDonald’s or CVS) but I’ll be a happier person I think. It’s also worth pointing out that the Habitat regional HQ is a nicer building than the Montgomery County Council and we don’t have to pay for our water cooler! MCC has an annual operating budget of over $4 billion by the way. I'm excited about my volunteer coordinator position because it's actually critical to the organization and I'm busy during the day. Managing volunteers is also a new challenge for me and it's the first time I've worked with younger people. Pura Vida!

La Cantina

Everyone needs a local bar to call their own. Preferably, it should be dark enough to obscure the difference between day and night, have regulars that are at the bar drinking by 11am, a jukebox with a decent selection of classics, a proper TV (not forty of them) to watch a futbol match and most importantly, must be within stumbling distance. Unfortunately the only watering hole within walking distance is La Cantina, the bar in the lobby of the Best Western.

So it was there that my English neighbor and new drinking buddy Rich and Habitat employee Diana headed over after work on Friday. It has none of the aforementioned qualities but they serve alcohol and it's a place to people watch (I also learned that they have free wi-fi). "Did that guy have his floral Hawaiian shirt tucked in? Who does that? Is she wearing leather pants?" People watching took on an added dimension when we made an interesting discovery after a couple of rounds. La Cantina doubles as a defacto brothel bar. It was packed to the gills with sex-workers (to use the PC term) plying their trade to Westerners. How did we know they were prostitutes? Most of the time it was obvious but sometimes it was harder to tell because some women here where some fairly ridiculous outfits. Identifying the prostitutes was a cheap form of passing the time.

The other equally significant discovery was that Thursday is karaoke night which means I'll have some real gems to post on the blog in the coming weeks. Because really, what goes together better than gringos, prostitutes and karaoke? I'm going with friends to watch the Costa Rica vs. Chile futbol match at the stadium today, it should be fun. Carry on.

Last Cahuita pics

Cahuita

Cahuita Weekend

Cahuita beach