Animals for everyone!

The Jaguar Rescue Center is PACKED with volunteers, to the point that it is annoying and stressful. At La Ceiba, it is so relaxing and we are alone in the jungle, where I don't have to hear people constantly complaining about the amount of people there and their right to do whatever they want. I don't have to be frustrated and surrounded by people.

The very first event I got to experience at JRC was the neutering of the deer, Xoi. I really only got to look at it from far away, but it was so cool to see the vet operate on a sleeping animal. As much as I enjoyed it, I was very stressed, and kept calm by washing dish after dish.

While everyone is hustling and trying to act like they are the busiest person on the center, I am just trying to keep my six tiny volunteers busy. They are so wonderful in the sense that they are always willing to help, and doing the best they can. It is hard to make them realize that this opportunity is not only wonderful but they are six in thirty to be able to be near the monkeys, the margay, the anteater, the raccoons, the sloths and the birds all in the same week.

I do find some quiet moment at the center as well though. The police has just brought over a giant turtle which was hunted for its meat. It was found in the trunk of a car, fins tied, holes from harpoons in his shell. The center quickly constructed a "little" bassinet in the back of the new nursery (away from the tours and the people) and the kids grabbed sea water for him. Our job was to count his breath. This was my first time seeing a sea turtle (THEY ARE HUGE), but it was also seeing them breath. They sound like they haven't breathed in ten minutes... oh wait, they catch their breath every ten minutes! And boy and oh boy, they catch their breaths. The first time I heard it, it made me jump. I did think he was dying, but that's just what they do. Turtle's gonna do what turtles do.

The center also has the cutest little kitten Margay, McCarthy, who is making me miss my kitten so much. I know she is well, and she is loved, but not seeing everyday whenever I want to is hard. Having a whole bed to myself is just not the same. I did get to play with him which was incredibly lucky, but I would still rather play with little baby kitten Nala. August 12th will be a great reunion of two souls, whatever she truly wants it or not.

I have been here for two weeks, and even though I feel like I never felt, the rescue center feels very different. It is not quite the same with all of my campers, and even with the rest of the volunteers it is not always as enjoyable. There is too many strong personalities that I do not enjoy, and too many people who are not there for the good of the place.
And then, you encounter the one person who revives that serenity in you. That one volunteer who is here for just the right reasons, and it makes me feel like where I was two years ago, with all my friends, and all my babies.

I do miss the peace I felt back then, and this does feel like a job, but it is really not the worst job to have!

Jaguar Rescue center, Welcome back!

Today was my very very first day at "La Ceiba".  This is truly a magical place that I have only heard of is out in the jungle, with no phone service and no internet. It is a very secluded little community of one family and two volunteers at the moment (about to be zero volunteers by next Wednesday).  

The group had to split up as we were such a big group, there wasn't enough work for us at just the rescue center. I decided to go to "La Ceiba" to make sure that my 6 little volunteers were not struggling alone. Of course, they were mesmerized by the jungle, and by the beauty of the community in general. All the houses being built by hand, without cranes and the roofs being made out of woven banana leaves. 

I was also, and remembered why I fell in love with this town. The one long term volunteer (Dayana) had recently adopted a little orange kitten who was nearly just as wild as the ocelot. I wish I could have brought it to our hotel with me, and just kept him for six weeks. Borrow-a-kitten in Costa Rica could be an easy hit. 

 We spent the day doing a lot of maintenance work, which I forgot how tired it was. I should say I "conveniently" forgot. My body quickly remembered the proper way to rake which was taught by non-other than Jimmy, the only man I know to be drinking coffee out of water bottle and to be raking at the same time. My blister came back, so I will have once again peasant hands, instead of my dainty lady hands. But we were rewarded with some time with the animals, feeding them and spending some quality time with them. 

I was a little sadden to hear that Shaki, the sweet little one eyed monkey had grown to attack women, and that like so many, after sexual maturity could not be around humans anymore. Tonino, who was a cry baby when I left him and had to be in someone's arms at all times, attacked a volunteer the week before we arrived and bit him in the neck. 

This is a good reminder that wild animals are wild animals. No matter their behavior as babies, once they reach that hormone level, their instinct will kick in. They both will be released shortly, and will live happy lives with their little troop where they wont have to deal with human competition. 

I also got to see Stanley again, the blind kinkajoo. I knew he would never be released, but I was happy to see that he was in a quieter environment, with still very loving volunteers. He was napping away as he is a nocturnal animal and it was good to see him actually have his little old man life- sleep all day, eat whatever he wants, hiss at whoever is on his lawn. 

After our very hard day, we deserved some ice cream and I obviously went back to my favorite ice cream shop (which turns out, our driver recommended!). 

To continue with the treats, the husband of the hostess at the hotel cut all of us coconut so we could slurp on the water and eat the meat. Turns out the couple is from Michigan and decided to move here for good. He was a digital/ technology teacher for four years until he came here, and produces some pretty sweet music video, including one showing off his skills and called it "Black Amish". 

I promised him a shout out and therefore, here is the link to "Black Amish". Add it to your play list amigos!

Weathered the storm

Pfew, I knew I would say it someday, but Costa Ricans are very aggressive and terrible driver. This is coming from me, who has had her fair share of accidents this year. Apparently, driving is not about sharing the road, but more about selfishly driving around the road to get to your destination.
If you get in a little accident in the process, that's why we have American Engineers to make crumble zones and lovely airbags.

While we are going through a tropical storm (okay I might be exaggerating, it was really heavy rain that felt like a tropical storm), and our dear driver Luis could barely see ahead of him, the campers kept on laughing and joking around.

My heart stopped a couple times on the road. Eventually, after 6 hours of driving, we made it to our little Cabinitas which are in the middle of the jungle, yet right in front of the beach.
None of us needed to even think of the Wifi password, as all we wanted to do was sleep.

The next day we woke up bright and early and were ready to see the animals. After a chaotic moment at the center, where it was quite obviously they were not ready to have such a large group of people coming to help, and yet, after taking charge everyone had a little job. Whatever it be scrubbing down the walls, or raking the leaves, everyone was hard at work contributing to the little community.
The kids joined in the tours, while I went around and said my hellos to everyone who I had missed so dearly.

Marloes was working the tours, the nursery and enrichment, which takes care of making sure the animals were kept healthy mentally.
Nerea was now in charge of the volunteers and giving everyone a job.
Picchio was still being his silly self, getting into motorcycle accidents and bothering the Nerea monkey and Nerea human.
Encar and Sandro gave me a big hug and a big kiss on the cheek, surprised to see me again. It felt I was coming back home from college and everyone had change, yet nothing had change at the same time.

We finished early, as there was a lot of us, and not enough jobs. The kids got to babysit some of the animals, but we had errands and everyone was STARVING. Luis, our driver extroardinaire, recommended us this great little restaurant and everyone ate, went groceries shopping (some for the first time) and tonight we will all have to cook our lunch for tomorrow.
It is cute to see the teenagers having to pick their own food and decide on something to eat other than ramen noodles or pasta. Yet, they all managed to come up with a little something.
Today is beach as it is the first sunny day in a long time and then it will be cooking and a night out in time!

Pura vida mis amigas.