Blog 4:  La Carpio

       The La Carpio experience was an incredible eye opening experience. Upon arrival we immediately started doing work in the community. Part of our group painted a new railing that goes up a new set of stairs. The other part of the group, including myself, carried buckets of concrete mix up and down the stairs to build a wall. The wall was being built to keep things from falling on the people when they walk up the stairs and to keep them from hitting their head on the things such as sheet metal.  Before the stairs were built people had to go up this steep mountain to get from their house to the top. It was really dangerous, especially when it rained because it created a mud slide. A woman even died going down this steep mountain before the stairs were built. 

I learned that there are still a lot of people that live in poverty. We also went into a preschool where children were learning and getting ready for primary school. It was really interesting because we got to see the town they live in and the school they attended. It really made me think about how they live a life in such poverty yet they get dressed up and look very nice and presentable for school. The children were very sweet and trying to learn. It was extremely interesting to meet and fall in love with these children and then think about what kind of home they would be going back to once school lets out for the day.

La Carpio does not hide that it is an area of poverty. I saw trash and dog poop laying everywhere. At one point I saw a little boy sitting in an area covered in trash and wires strung everywhere. It also smelled really bad in some areas. Many of the houses had pieces of tin hanging on them. Also the sidewalks were less developed in La Carpio than in San Jose. The sidewalks had water drainage ditches everywhere and sometimes it was just a piece of plywood going over the drainage ditch. I found that I looked down a lot as I walked because I never knew what I might step in. I also saw a lot of women and children together. Gail, the leader of Costa Rica Humanitarian Foundation, told us that it was common for families in La Carpio to be made up of mothers and their children. The fathers abandoned the family a lot of the time.  

Gail talked to us about the people living in this area and what they were going through and it was very sad. She talked about one girl in particular named Kimberly that had her first child when she was only 15 years old. A few years later she found out she was pregnant again. Both children’s’ fathers left Kimberly. When Kimberly’s mother found out Kimberly was pregnant again she kicked her out and cursed the baby.  When the child was born is was extremely sick (Kimberly believes the mother cursed it). Even after a year old it is still not up to where it should be. Shortly after Kimberly’s second child was born, Kimberly’s father, whom had been financially supporting her, died. She faced the reality of having an extremely sick child, an older child to feed, no source of income, no house, and she found out she had stomach cancer. Although she is going through all these tragic incidents, she still goes out and sells DVDs to make money and works every chance she gets to provide for both of her children. 

This true story really touched me because it made me think about what some children may be going through at home. They may not have the necessary support they need at home and they could be homeless.  I also want to make sure my students always get a snack in my class because they could not be eating at home. It is important that I give each child attention because again they may not be receiving that at home. Children no matter where they come from all want the same things: love and attention. I have to remember that no matter what their families and home life is like, I need to care for them just the same as any other students.

So far on my trip to Costa Rica, visiting La Carpio has been one of my favorite things we have done. I would love to live in Costa Rica and work with Costa Rica Humanitarian Foundation in La Carpio. To be able to help these people would be an incredible opportunity. Also working in the preschool would be really fun. All the children were so sweet. I just want to save all my money and buy them things like snacks, books, school supplies, and other necessities. I also really enjoyed helping add the concrete mix to the area where the wall will be built. I felt like I was a part of something and getting to help these people in poverty improve their walkways was incredible. If I come back to Costa Rica, I really want to volunteer at La Carpio. What an amazing experience!