Hello from Matambu!

Hello everyone!

We are writing to you from the gorgeous Peninsula de Nicoya. The group is totally enamored with our home for the month, Matambu!

We arrived on Sunday evening after a long bus ride from San Jose to the community gathered in the salon comunal (the community center) for our fiesta de bienvenida (welcoming party). There were introductions of all the Town Council, a humorous skit about Costa Rican culture, typical and fresh Tico food, and get to know you games with the Matambu Youth Group. We had a wonderful but tiring day and feel so warmly welcomed by the friendly people of Matambu.

We have started work on our first construction project-- building cement stairs up a hill to the salon comunal. Our students have been busy making wood molds, mixing, hauling, and laying down cement, helping our cook Margarita to prepare our meals (she loves teaching us how to make Costa Rican dishes!), and keeping our home area clean and tidy.

In the afternoons after our work is finished, we have been playing soccer, hanging out with the local youth group, and taking trips to a near by swimming hole-- we even saw monkeys on the hike yesterday! Our group loves exploring the community and has said that Matambu is one of the most naturally beautiful places they have ever been.

This weekend we are excited to take our first excurstion to the Monteverde cloud forest and Volcano Arenal to do some hiking, canopy tours, and maybe even relax in some natural hot springs.

We hope all is well in the States!

Un abrazo fuerte,
Rebecca y Nick