Trip 1, Day 5: Costa Rica Global Village 2017

Guest Blog by Courtney M. 
Global Village trip participant 

Hola y Buenos Noches from Costa Rica on this balmy Guanacaste evening! It is the final night for half of the week one group, and the week two group has just arrived with their fresh faces and energized attitudes. As I sit here enjoying my newfound favorite cocktail (un Paloma) amidst all of the energy, I can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness that tonight is the last night I will be enjoying the 90 degree breeze with this exact group of amazing individuals.

The week was filled with an intense amount of hard and rewarding work. We dug footing holes, mixed concrete for the floor and post holes, transferred sand and dirt, put up posts, dug a septic tank and trench, moved panels to make the walls of the home, and painted trusses. Each job required strength, stamina, and precision. Something that wasn’t required was the amazing determination and care that was put into each day by all of our incredible teammates on the jobsite.

Staying motivated, for me, was a combination of a few things. Firstly, and fore mostly, the family that we were building for. When the family showed up each day with their gracious, beautiful smiles and fresh home baked goods, it immediately lifted my spirit. Andrea & her husband Olivier were so gracious for our efforts. Their son Matti brightened everyone’s day with his laugh and the simple joy he found in playing with all of us. The family didn’t have an abundance of toys to bring to keep the kids busy during the day, so they entertained themselves by helping us shovel, and with a truck game that included a high five and putting the truck on top of your head and letting it fall. I have never seen a child laugh so hard. We have Dean to thank for the ingenuity of that game.

The last day at the site, we threw a fiesta for the neighborhood. The entire extended family and kids from the neighboring school came over to enjoy water balloon hot potato, making of musical instruments out of recycled materials, empanadas and a piñata. It was so rewarding to see the kids collaborate and play together. But the most rewarding part of the day was the reaction Andrea had when she stepped inside her son, Matti’s, and his brother-to-be’s room. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

I am so excited to see and hear what the week two group will accomplish with the homes here in Coco.


Pura Vida!