tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91545518429806469702024-02-18T20:40:55.875-08:00The Aspiring ExpatsOur Life in Costa Rica and Adventures in Retirement Abroad.
Retired Black Expats move to Costa RicaDevonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.comBlogger440125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-69581316580538270792019-04-23T10:01:00.003-07:002019-04-23T10:01:30.020-07:00Retirement Webinar 4/27/19<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're honored to be featured in a Retirement Webinar </div>
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The Black Expat Live: The Austins (The Aspiring Expats) </h1>
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<span style="font-size: inherit;">"</span>Last year, The Black Expat featured the interview of Devon & Lavanson Austin, a couple from the Bay Area that decided to retire to Costa Rica. This month, we will be chatting with them to get more details on how they made the decision to relocate abroad, what the pros and cons are of living in Costa Rica and insight on how others can consider retiring outside of their home country."</div>
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<br />Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-29377197193579287272019-03-11T05:51:00.003-07:002019-03-11T05:51:41.423-07:00Peru Jammin - Machu Picchu Feb 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-59348678397913583722019-01-11T07:06:00.001-08:002019-01-11T07:13:52.382-08:00Where Did We Go? That Bella Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;">We are very excited about the next chapter and our expanded coverage and we hope that everyone who has enjoyed The Aspiring Expats will follow us over to </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(31, 122, 153); color: red;"><a href="http://thatbellalife.com/"><b>Black Expats Living Life Abroad</b></a></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0); color: red;"> </span><span style="color: #666666;">- </span><b style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: large;">That Bella Life.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><b>Please Join us on Facebook</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-size: large;">Find us </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thatbellalife/?modal=admin_todo_tour"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">here</span></a><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">on Facebook</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">See you <a href="http://www.thatbellalife.com/" target="_blank">there</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666;">If you are interested in the 1st three years of our life in Costa Rica, please take your time and browse through this site. You will find an abundance of information. </span><br />
<br />Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-81854770999858454812018-12-31T22:49:00.000-08:002019-01-22T04:20:12.351-08:00We're Moving - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="post-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(14, 13, 55);">
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Our Website...<br />
Time flies and yes my friends we have come to the end of the road (well sort of).</div>
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This was our very 1st video soon after our arrival in Costa Rica. I was pretty nervous about making videos.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I debuted this blog back in 2014 mostly as a journal for our relocation and also as a resource for others who might be following in our footsteps. I've had a ball blogging, making videos and answering questions about Costa Rica. I thank all of you for your patience as I learned the ropes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now that we have been in Costa Rica for 3 yrs, and are very close to our final residency approval, we want to spend time traveling the world again. We want to explore new countries and learn about other cultures. We would like to meet up with other expats and learn about their experiences. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In order to do that, it required that we expand the parameters of the blog. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Sooo...Relax we're still in Costa Rica but....</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">After <b>F I V E</b> Years</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: blue;">531 posts</span><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> and </span><span style="color: #38761d;">219 videos</span><span style="color: #0e0d37;">...</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">We are</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">INTRODUCING </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">THE <span style="color: red;">NEXT</span> CHAPTER!!!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0e0d37;">We've launched a </span><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.thatbellalife.com/" target="_blank">new website</a></span></b><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> and we're excited to introduce you to our new look. </span></span><span style="color: #0e0d37;">It is also fully responsive with mobile devices, making it easy to navigate on a wide range of web browsers and portable devices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We've introduced a range of new content including travel destinations, daily expat life, opinion, articles and more to the website including a new video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2cbsLZJXRbSojAaLbtbthA" target="_blank">channel</a> (please subscribe).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0e0d37;">Our </span><span style="color: black;">popular blog </span><span style="color: #0e0d37;">has received a much needed facelift enabling you to sign up for updates right on the homepage, and access the articles that matter to you through smart topic filters.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0e0d37;">We will still be blogging, making videos and answering questions about Costa Rica (so nothing changes there) and g</span><span style="color: #0e0d37; font-family: inherit;">oing forward, we will continue to communicate regularly through the </span><b style="color: #0e0d37; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bella Blog </span></b><span style="color: #0e0d37; font-family: inherit;">and provide new articles and updates. We have included</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><b>LOTS</b></span><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> of relocation information (there are 2 <i>dedicated</i> Relocation pages) to help you plan your move to Costa Rica - and I will add relocation information for other areas as I research further. We also</span></span><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> plan to add more </span><a href="https://www.thatbellalife.com/videos" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5ee7b4; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-timing-function: linear;"><b>video content</b></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> on the new site. (If you have questions about relocation to a particular area, let me know and I can add it to the research list)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0e0d37; font-family: inherit;">I designed the new website myself. We're really proud of it and feel it will create the experience you’re looking for when you pay us a visit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> We hope you like the changes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #0e0d37;">Follow our </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><i>new</i></span> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thatbellalife/?modal=admin_todo_tour" style="color: #0e0d37;" target="_blank">Facebook </a><span style="color: #0e0d37;">page</span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0e0d37; font-size: large;">and check out (and </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0e0d37; font-size: large;"> our </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><i>new</i></span><span style="color: #0e0d37; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.thatbellalife.com/" target="_blank">website</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.thatbellalife.com/" style="color: #0e0d37;">www.thatbellalife.com</a><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 13, 55);"><b><i><span style="color: #0e0d37;">For your convenience - this blog site and the </span><span style="color: blue;">Black and Retired in Costa Rica</span><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> Facebook page will remain in place for reference, although </span><u style="color: #0e0d37;">no new posts</u><span style="color: #0e0d37;"> will be added this blog.</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 13, 55); color: #0e0d37;"><b><i> I will, however, continue to post updates on the old Facebook page -- although I hope you will all follow us the new page.</i></b></span></div>
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Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-49852938092180050412018-12-25T05:03:00.003-08:002018-12-25T05:03:59.061-08:00Happy Holidays from Costa Rica! <div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/307733860">Happy Holiday 2018 from Costa Rica</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a></div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-79679286258407477132018-12-20T09:02:00.001-08:002019-02-14T13:45:16.400-08:00What do you do all day? - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="gmail_default">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I want you to get the feel of the day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I want to point out to you again point out, that living here, you can be as <i style="font-weight: bold;">busy as you want to be, or not </i>(for all of you worriers). It's all up to you. If you can't find something to do, then you aren't trying very hard!! LOL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last Saturday -- the plan was to walk to our friend's house for breakfast - it would be our first time walking to their house as they live a distance away (that's pretty much all we had on the agenda). A couple of other friends were going to stop by in the afternoon to drop off some Vitamin C. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd also like to reiterate, once again, how <b><i>friendly</i></b> the local people are! On our walk we met a neighbor -- he even joined in on a conversation with us when our Spanish is limited and the neighbor (whom we had<b><i> never </i></b>even met before) spoke no English!! You can still survive! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At our friend's home we had a very nice breakfast of homemade crepes and since they are growing their own coffee we joined in on some coffee prep and learned more about what it takes to actually end up with a fine cup of coffee. They are both very knowledgeable. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtBvdDLHFbNiZ-W1aYHMu91s-9PMKZFHnYCjST1Ba0FHVMMu6IRZ2rfFy4nChJpOhStWciK2o6Rer_UU-SnTUFRRA4rZSkaKLD89sKC8Vl__HbNVnEa7VT_HQRWqVQJZOavUUHADKEiUg/s1600/coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtBvdDLHFbNiZ-W1aYHMu91s-9PMKZFHnYCjST1Ba0FHVMMu6IRZ2rfFy4nChJpOhStWciK2o6Rer_UU-SnTUFRRA4rZSkaKLD89sKC8Vl__HbNVnEa7VT_HQRWqVQJZOavUUHADKEiUg/s1600/coffee.jpg" /></a></div>
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I am still getting used to coffee so mine has more milk in it </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are interested in a healthy lifestyle, Costa Rica is a great place to be. We have been fermenting our Kombucha but we've been a wee bit stuck, so we get a little instruction about scoby division. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Kombucha is the beverage the ancient Chinese called the “Immortal Health Elixir?” It’s been around for more than 2,000 years and has a rich anecdotal history of health benefits like preventing and fighting cancer, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases.</span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We also have 2 Brazilian Aloe Vera plants which have excellent medicinal value. We've been told that we can now start making our own medicinal aloe mixture. It has been said that aloe plus honey may be a successful cure and preventative for cancer and other afflictions. You should do your own research but here is a <a href="https://www.healingcancernaturally.com/aloe-vera-honey-rum-treatment.html">link </a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45-ft_1TZPxzjJDOD0oahxkpE-2_BjpSV143iRqZjbiyAnTgGO2VIUupNzED0dnbe4JBnFYMSXSCiCCp-Nu2vPGIGetb8QbkR4oUkZmvs_UAGkADvL-rBgtooYtj9iQQxYeVODdH9nCRH/s1600/pots+900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45-ft_1TZPxzjJDOD0oahxkpE-2_BjpSV143iRqZjbiyAnTgGO2VIUupNzED0dnbe4JBnFYMSXSCiCCp-Nu2vPGIGetb8QbkR4oUkZmvs_UAGkADvL-rBgtooYtj9iQQxYeVODdH9nCRH/s1600/pots+900.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we ended up at our other friends house and got to see his amazing aloe plants - they are such beautiful plants and he has over 100 - all grown from just 5 small plants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a yummy raw vegan dinner and of course some wine and good conversation.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwePV4pyQkCQQOMSzQpu4SIyE95Oex729zTXUTQxEAR-80qRVHLDjxOeCur1dOy3QU31tfC0T8Z7FDrp0ySOrsBwshs37faX9-f5SLmnSqRl9LwsNxYgXv9dQXEhjWv2MShxHYck_CKcDm/s1600/din.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwePV4pyQkCQQOMSzQpu4SIyE95Oex729zTXUTQxEAR-80qRVHLDjxOeCur1dOy3QU31tfC0T8Z7FDrp0ySOrsBwshs37faX9-f5SLmnSqRl9LwsNxYgXv9dQXEhjWv2MShxHYck_CKcDm/s640/din.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>
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2 of the 3 cooks</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And... as it turns out Sat was the Festival de la Luz and we got to see the fireworks from their spectacular view.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVxJ6rvIHgEpLB1Bhku6UkrqKEQCS6vPvDvZxyLuk1PEgOgQ9mv2TPPZGHjnANIlgTWsX9xav8P8SgI8Gfhg1ZblgSBFtH7enwlYRzYebymgSQfbe3dQX86wKRH2WfUQxM93bTo0o6HHQ/s1600/festival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVxJ6rvIHgEpLB1Bhku6UkrqKEQCS6vPvDvZxyLuk1PEgOgQ9mv2TPPZGHjnANIlgTWsX9xav8P8SgI8Gfhg1ZblgSBFtH7enwlYRzYebymgSQfbe3dQX86wKRH2WfUQxM93bTo0o6HHQ/s1600/festival.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">photo source and more information <a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/2017/12/17/photos-costa-ricas-festival-of-light" target="_blank">Tico Times </a></span></div>
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Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-73885789030025043062018-12-16T04:52:00.001-08:002018-12-16T05:21:56.988-08:00La Negrita” , The Black Virgin of Costa Rica! - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">A few weeks ago the "brothers" were back in town. My brother, Russell, was in CR for one month to attend the <span style="background-color: white;">EF International Language</span> Spanish Immersion School in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. After class he came down to Grecia to spend some time with us. Lavanson's brother Charles, who lives in Jaco Costa Rica, also came up to Grecia so we could all hang out together.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">We were all sitting around one afternoon, (we also had a rental car in our possession) and <b><i>someone</i></b> said "let's go somewhere" so we up and drove to Cartago. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">We started the trip about 1pm in the afternoon, which really wasn't such a good idea, because it takes about 1 hr 30 mins to get there, which meant that we weren't going to avoid the rush hour traffic on the way home AND we would be driving home after dark. In Costa Rica most expats try their best to be off the road when it gets dark, <b>especially </b>if you are <b><i>not</i></b> used to driving here. <span style="font-family: inherit;">This is because most roads and <i>even</i> the auto pista (the Costa Rica version of a freeway) are nothing like the roads and freeways in the states and because <i>"</i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #000a12;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>doing so can be rather challenging. Quite often, it is pitch-black, there are no markings on the road, no guardrails, and no signs directing you to your destination. In the rainy season this can be even more dangerous. Depending on where you go, there might be no road surface, no bridges, or wide open precipices to fall into." </i>This is not a hard and fast rule, but something to consider. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #000a12;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, off we went. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cartago</span> </b></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">is</span></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";"> about 16 miles east of the capital, </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">San José</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">. It is at an elevation of about some 4,707 ft</span></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">, at the base of the </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Irazú Volcano</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">. </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Cartago is the capital of </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Cartago province</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">, and was the capital of Costa Rica from 1574 to 1824.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";"><b>Our first stop was to the ruins.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The ruins of the Santiago Apóstol church in Cartago's central park, known as "Plaza Mayor".</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2axsOPgEHkI67b84a1j7WvjPz5vWaA56ooPD-b0_2FAIXnolT__b2gDSxa1uDNypavWQB1_tTKVUQBPKC8nqidu0O21LOoVVYyWi_IdxyFYavbRqhnVAlPBtJvKDokZNre0FVO90cbEue/s1600/me+cartago.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="818" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2axsOPgEHkI67b84a1j7WvjPz5vWaA56ooPD-b0_2FAIXnolT__b2gDSxa1uDNypavWQB1_tTKVUQBPKC8nqidu0O21LOoVVYyWi_IdxyFYavbRqhnVAlPBtJvKDokZNre0FVO90cbEue/s640/me+cartago.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="cite_ref-1"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="cite_ref-2"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="cite_ref-3"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="cite_ref-4"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="cite_ref-5"></a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Several </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">churches</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";"> have existed on this site since 1575. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LsOjY3ZvYq_NHC1FYtxiAr-i47i9jr2hrCSD6NvxIb4MfQPyYyjqjjbAjMAw7V7lYaaOZdHSBUqH9LCBiS7N9SqWNpMi9WimJQjpjP3xZj7fAADaXvC75Ik1n36a-ragvFdntmZp3-xa/s1600/russ+cartago.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="950" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LsOjY3ZvYq_NHC1FYtxiAr-i47i9jr2hrCSD6NvxIb4MfQPyYyjqjjbAjMAw7V7lYaaOZdHSBUqH9LCBiS7N9SqWNpMi9WimJQjpjP3xZj7fAADaXvC75Ik1n36a-ragvFdntmZp3-xa/s1600/russ+cartago.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Russell</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">I'm thinking the church was NEVER meant to be. <span style="font-size: large;">😏</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">The first building was damaged in 1630 by an earthquake, and was demolished in 1656, when a new one began to be built, which was finished and </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">consecrated</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";"> in 1662. This second structure had two </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">chapels</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">, one used for </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">praying</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";"> and the other one for funerals, and both were safeguarded by the local townspeople. In 1718 the then old and deteriorated church was heavily damaged by another earthquake, leading to repairs. In 1756 another earthquake damaged the church, forcing further repairs. It was finally destroyed on September 2, 1841, by the San Antolín earthquake. In 1870 the last attempt to rebuild the church was started. The new parish was built and designed with a </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Romanesque</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";"> style, the only one found in Costa Rica. The construction was halted for thirty years, and was restarted again in 1903 or 1904, before being completely canceled in 1910, after the </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Santa Mónica</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";"> earthquake. So, they are not ruins in the strictest sense, since the church was never actually completed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Today it is a tourist destination, used as a public park, with occasional </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">masses </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">and was declared a "Historic Relic" </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">on August 25, 1982.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DWrK_f3fbHuUFvBgYmgXqzQzSD-OgK33nprkgG7F0wAiqi3gKg9mfi9GqPbL_iNNH5fk1M2eyXDo5b8chw8bbPddzJv6iWoDLmo8Skamj69MTphq7qd7HIR4vzBMS-kTPImwYYA3vcMq/s1600/group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DWrK_f3fbHuUFvBgYmgXqzQzSD-OgK33nprkgG7F0wAiqi3gKg9mfi9GqPbL_iNNH5fk1M2eyXDo5b8chw8bbPddzJv6iWoDLmo8Skamj69MTphq7qd7HIR4vzBMS-kTPImwYYA3vcMq/s1600/group.jpg" /></a></div>
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Russell, Lavanson Charles</div>
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<b>Next on to the Retro Cafe for a bite to eat.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fBu-BeMx3yjACNmXsid_OAMZhooNiNzqz0qsopL3WHbo5Neg6nWe709DOzS79hpjC943Z41UzgBPW1t69lwqoEadthegcz6EsmpTgdbkYrLBA7a4AWHdGVIIxkz_eT5sFTUl511wRIfA/s1600/lunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fBu-BeMx3yjACNmXsid_OAMZhooNiNzqz0qsopL3WHbo5Neg6nWe709DOzS79hpjC943Z41UzgBPW1t69lwqoEadthegcz6EsmpTgdbkYrLBA7a4AWHdGVIIxkz_eT5sFTUl511wRIfA/s1600/lunch.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Finally, making our way to the basilica. </b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">La Negrita, Costa Rica’s most sacred Holy Relic also known as the Black Madonna, the Black Virgin or the Black Stone, it is a small, black rock which appears to emanate the image of the Virgin Mary and is known for its healing powers, it draws an annual pilgrimage on August 2 to one of the most famous church’s in Central America, The Basilica of Los Angeles. All Costa Rican’s celebrate this unique holiday and thousands of Costa Ricans make the journey to celebrate La Negrita the Patron Saint including the president of </span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Costa Rica</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Legend has it that in Costa Rica, the Black Madonna statue was discovered by a Costa Rican girl in 1635, who was looking for firewood. Upon finding the statue, shaped like a doll, on top of a stone, she brought it home and when she awoke the next morning it was gone. Returning to the stone, there was statue. This, according to legend happened three times. In some telling, the little girl told the residing priest, Father Baltazar de Grado, and the same thing happened to the priest as well. Since then the legends have grown, and persisted.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">La Negrita became the Patron Saint of Costa Rica in the year 1824 and was visited by the late Pope John Paul II in 1983. Because of this event that they called a ‘miracle’, a church was built around the boulder where the little Juana first found La Negrita. The stone statue she found it is now kept in a backroom in the basilica and is revered as a sacred relic and Holy symbol of inspiration for all Tico’s, and visited daily throughout the year by locals and visitors alike.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">It became the Patron Saint of Costa Rica in the year 1824 and was visited by the late Pope John Paul II in 1983.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">We made it to the church but when we looked up, we noticed how late it was getting (now around 5pm). No way to make it home now before dark. A light rain had begun to fall and the streets of Cartago were already showing signs of rush hour. So we decided to come back another time to see La Negrita. We headed for the gas station and then began the long journey home. We missed our exit on 3 occasions and arrived home around 8pm (total distance 44 miles). </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Definitely worth going but n</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "avenir next";">ext time...we go early!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "avenir next";">Here's our video below</span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/306434056" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/306434056">Day Trip to Cartago, Costa Rica</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-9365795929938316882018-11-20T07:50:00.000-08:002018-11-20T07:50:45.942-08:00Sisterlocks in Costa Rica<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="gmail_default">My friend Kia returned from the states with her crew and spent several days in Limon doing some Sisterlocks training there</span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="gmail_default">.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PBBnit52QEhyLmkiowUMgrYysoN6bJ2pSp4IbcQkFJ3T5Cs-S4t0PN9ATqnmTvHm-gzYl7lrXVEeY857uqZ286cpWzx6AvF9n8zHLJf9waGAmR_BnRR6WjelquP4XSgSz7tzcq8D7YW7/s1600/kia+in+CR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PBBnit52QEhyLmkiowUMgrYysoN6bJ2pSp4IbcQkFJ3T5Cs-S4t0PN9ATqnmTvHm-gzYl7lrXVEeY857uqZ286cpWzx6AvF9n8zHLJf9waGAmR_BnRR6WjelquP4XSgSz7tzcq8D7YW7/s1600/kia+in+CR.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kia says <span style="color: blue;">"I was on a real mission to Costa Rica to answer the call of the Afrocarribean women. </span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span class="gmail-_5zk7" style="background-color: rgba(88 , 144 , 255 , 0.14902); border-bottom-color: rgba(88 , 144 , 255 , 0.298039); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-family: inherit;">#S</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">.O.S means Save Our Sisterlocks and that's exactly what I did. Sistahs around the world need assistance with keeping their natural hair. As a natural hair stylist I felt the need to help. It really made me feel like I am living my purpose."</span></span><br />
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Then they came to Grecia and particpated in our interview series @ La Terraza Guesthouse B&B. <br />
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But..they weren't done yet...Onward to the impromtu Re-Tie party at my house!!<br />
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Thanks to Kia, LaRetta & Linda </div>
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helping to promote & expand Sisterlocks in Costa Rica!! </div>
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We really need it!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/301864181" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/301864181">Sisterlocks in Costa Rica</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-8456829909762139402018-11-19T10:33:00.000-08:002018-11-19T11:21:17.461-08:00Pancakes and Flower Power - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm so happy that we have new neighbors that moved on our ridge a couple of months ago. AND, they are from the Bay Area. As a matter of fact they lived fairly close to where I lived for about 10 yrs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With many of the expats here, usually the biggest commonality is that we come from the US, but in this case it is even better because in addition to being from the same country, we are from the same local area and they live close enough for us to walk to their house (very important since we have no car). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, yesterday they walked over to our house (which was an <b><i>easy</i></b> (?) 40 minute walk (for them) - we have not tried it yet) and we decided to go up to Isabel's (the restaurant where we have our Friday happy hour) and have breakfast. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The place was full because there is another group of expats who go there for Sunday breakfast after their church service.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At any rate -- we loved the breakfast!! The pancakes were the <b>best</b> I've had in Costa Rica and Isabel serves US style bacon (for any of you who still eat bacon). <span style="font-family: inherit;">Costa Rican bacon (<b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-align: left;">tocineta) </b><span style="color: #222222; text-align: left;">is not the same, not sure why, and n</span>othing against the local food, which we eat most of the time --</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> but sometimes it's just nice to have food you are used to and also get to speak English </span><span style="font-size: large;">😁</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jBtDxbUt6CPV7fLyOeOKAVY3La2wUaZ3WI4J8st_uPZ77_MbgZbWgTXhtWbgdq1qSBzGGEC4_3kzb53RTx6WtNlKHFNu7SZU2NFIJnt8u6tjhQs67Es0-BgUfaQJHORXY1qJxRRm-vB6/s1600/coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jBtDxbUt6CPV7fLyOeOKAVY3La2wUaZ3WI4J8st_uPZ77_MbgZbWgTXhtWbgdq1qSBzGGEC4_3kzb53RTx6WtNlKHFNu7SZU2NFIJnt8u6tjhQs67Es0-BgUfaQJHORXY1qJxRRm-vB6/s400/coffee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">enjoying a caramel latte @ Isabel's</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After breakfast, we went back to their house (in the rental car my brother drove down from Tamarindo) and Kate gave us a tour of their garden. Gardens are quite the thing here since so many of us have <b><i>lots</i></b> of yard and beautiful views.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Her hubby is a coffee expert (they are also growing coffee on their land and roasting it themselves) He made espresso for us and we chatted on their patio for a while.</span></div>
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We had a beautiful Sunday!!</div>
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Kate picked some of her gorgeous hydrangeas and gave them to me to take home along with some yucca.</div>
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(I actually had enough for 3 separate flower arrangements) </div>
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Thanks Kate because the hydrangeas in our yard are pretty pitiful - I must say!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYlOGyUnkbkNlAgUG6eABKWYxFwT8htpAf2zL_TjCVlj1KOiUo9E0Akj6HLKryJURGS2ODWTGuqVA1JsYgg_U77fA99LMCB9MHQ8CK5TtngSMpYVQ-4Eqgl8NoZtGswCQtDwL1-s3mdlT/s1600/flowers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYlOGyUnkbkNlAgUG6eABKWYxFwT8htpAf2zL_TjCVlj1KOiUo9E0Akj6HLKryJURGS2ODWTGuqVA1JsYgg_U77fA99LMCB9MHQ8CK5TtngSMpYVQ-4Eqgl8NoZtGswCQtDwL1-s3mdlT/s1600/flowers.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: 900;">If you live in</span> the cooler regions of Costa Rica you will see plenty of hydrangea flowers (<i style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: transparent;">Hydrangea macrophylla</i>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Originally from Japan, (the Spanish name is <i style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: transparent;">Hortencia).</i> Hydrangea is common in the highlands of Costa Rica (we are at 4,200 ft). The shrubs are everywhere around our neighborhood with their large inflorescences of blue, pink or white flowers with coarse green leaves. If you look closely at the center of each flower, you will notice miniature flowers with petals, stamens and pistils. What looks like large showy petals of each flower are actually calyces (<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454;">the sepals of a flower collectively, forming the outer floral envelope that protects the developing flower)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The root is considered a useful botanical tonic for the kidneys and bladder. However, the buds and young leaves are toxic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: transparent;">In Costa Rica, hydrangea blossoms are most commonly blue, <span style="font-weight: 900;">but interestingly</span><span style="font-weight: 900;"> </span></span>enough, the blossoms change color depending on the soil. In acidic soils, the flowers are blue. In alkaline soils, they’re pink. White flowers indicate the soil is neutral. </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/301664256" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/301664256">Pancakes & Flower Power</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-91396218462480850102018-11-18T19:48:00.000-08:002018-11-18T19:48:24.771-08:00A Day of Interviews <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxi3MlWxfq9igrb2mHT6CzNj2dnyeu3zaFW6D3LVrCNp2-jFjy1qLv0HWf4mstQNlS69JQiLdFUVw_9mDG772_2S_q5txtoOrGtDBXckIY5SybyG1aKuM5SYDDTBYlYD_JXXVcS9JZPXLw/s1600/coming+soon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxi3MlWxfq9igrb2mHT6CzNj2dnyeu3zaFW6D3LVrCNp2-jFjy1qLv0HWf4mstQNlS69JQiLdFUVw_9mDG772_2S_q5txtoOrGtDBXckIY5SybyG1aKuM5SYDDTBYlYD_JXXVcS9JZPXLw/s1600/coming+soon.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-37392172687931848972018-11-15T07:17:00.003-08:002018-11-15T07:17:21.105-08:00New Off Road Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9aUGIPkdUTLTfwzpmHMVseaW-eZBJDUhAnOfymMMg6XiSv_jqG2XOKwOnBpnVKIKK7XdVzKQX3oL96949zeZTwLFy_A_tRbaUWJ1b9PAL34dVyuvJ5QY8tibSJHHjQt-67DynaeU7Pj5/s1600/off+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9aUGIPkdUTLTfwzpmHMVseaW-eZBJDUhAnOfymMMg6XiSv_jqG2XOKwOnBpnVKIKK7XdVzKQX3oL96949zeZTwLFy_A_tRbaUWJ1b9PAL34dVyuvJ5QY8tibSJHHjQt-67DynaeU7Pj5/s1600/off+road.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> "The Real Costa Rica" </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am working on an exciting new CR off road project which </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">is a joint venture for a series that I am co-producing. I don't have a release date yet, but as soon we complete it and my partner gives me the "OK" we will have it available to share. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lots of interviews, videos and helpful info </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So Stay Tuned. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think you will enjoy it </span></span></div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-68504422349399352382018-11-03T13:30:00.000-07:002018-11-03T14:56:56.624-07:00Blooms at Barons - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6oDCd0DGY1f3_DUt7JLGODm-6mZ4KU_nzeTUIlQwRjKmf0m9FpDupW5wp4RU_k47b5HI6GuKUc3JqANmc51SgUDclhO1bFa11txroKmzQCv6Bf3VSwauEKdiORcmdadVBP9XSqXrvSth/s1600/blooms+barons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6oDCd0DGY1f3_DUt7JLGODm-6mZ4KU_nzeTUIlQwRjKmf0m9FpDupW5wp4RU_k47b5HI6GuKUc3JqANmc51SgUDclhO1bFa11txroKmzQCv6Bf3VSwauEKdiORcmdadVBP9XSqXrvSth/s1600/blooms+barons.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On Tuesday we had our monthly womens meeting in Atenas at the beautiful Barons Resort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Atenas is the capital city of the canton of Atenas in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think in miles Atenas is only about 12 miles from Grecia but as is quite the norm in Costa Rica you follow a rather circuitous route to get there which doubles the mileage. A beautiful drive nonetheless. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have some video and more info to share with you re the resort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It wins my stamp of approval!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I highly recommend it for folks looking for a beautiful place to stay in the Central Valley!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you have questions you can contact them directly at +506 7202 7156 and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">from the US 213-973-1173 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can check out the resort below</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/298772720" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/298772720">Another Beautiful Resort in the CR Central Valley</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-63447457002790147622018-10-28T11:21:00.000-07:002018-10-28T11:54:15.409-07:00Go to Africa - Get a New Name (Part 2 of 3) - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3For those of you who have never traveled to Africa, it is quite the experience. If you are African American and you have your DNA traced you will probably have the urge to visit your ancestral home.<br />
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Fortunately for me, my (African) DNA results were not spread out all over the place (<i>until</i> I got these last 2 tests back that is - more on that later) So in the beginning, I devoted myself to traveling to Guinea Bissau.<br />
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Today with so much turmoil going on in the US, there is a <b><span style="font-size: large;">Back to Africa Movement</span></b> going on. With Ghana's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=184&v=Oo3yo5ZGTDU&fbclid=IwAR2UOcq7VnkD-RWNoL9hpPp8em3asng320XM9ps6NPRvbgRMGZWJlusgHto" target="_blank">Year of the Return 2019</a>, Ghana invites African Americans to return to Ghana <span style="font-family: inherit;">(where some <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">15 million Africans passed into slavery</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">)</span>.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> A new wave of African Americans are escaping the incessant racism and prejudice in the United States.</span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am finding more and more</span> sites</span> and youtubes about people who have decided to relocate back to the motherland.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 40px; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">"You might not have electricity, but you won't get killed by the police either."</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu0aW4jOWgrWyykqp21iXvtl83gSujr7ggdzvefaAycPZkeOWmkb1D2vA4CUw4fzVD2KSRnlxLRTZHxf-ywy_uvtfEwwg-B_vH2o4I8f1hGId-Xgz4JRIw8tk8znE6gSjKLNe-wn2hdBD/s1600/door+of+no+return.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="886" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu0aW4jOWgrWyykqp21iXvtl83gSujr7ggdzvefaAycPZkeOWmkb1D2vA4CUw4fzVD2KSRnlxLRTZHxf-ywy_uvtfEwwg-B_vH2o4I8f1hGId-Xgz4JRIw8tk8znE6gSjKLNe-wn2hdBD/s1600/door+of+no+return.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">Door of No Return - Goree Island Senegal West Africa</span></td></tr>
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Today it could be called the "door of return" as many African Americans return to the motherland. </div>
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Although we are currently happy with our life here in Costa Rica, I encourage folks to travel to Africa if they have a chance. I immediately felt a sense of belonging. It's a truly fascinating continent.<br />
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While I was in Africa, I even got a new name.</div>
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<b>Where did my name come from?</b><br />
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For African Americans, more than likely it came from a name that was given to your ancestors in slavery hundreds of years ago. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When people argue that we need to get over slavery… that it didn’t happen to us or anyone that we know… few consider the impact it still has on us today. That among the many ways we still carry the burden of our ancestors, the most obvious is what we call ourselves.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>“What is in a name?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">Existing slave ship manifests for the Atlantic slave trade record numbers, </span><a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/gender" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: objects; border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(44, 45, 48); color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; text-decoration: none !important;" title="Psychology Today looks at gender">g</a>ender<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">, approximate age of slaves, and occasionally “nation” (tribal </span><a class="inline-links topic-link" href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/identity" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: objects; border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(44, 45, 48); color: rgb(44, 45, 48) !important; text-decoration: none !important;" title="Psychology Today looks at identity">i</a>dentity<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;">). Very rarely, do plantation slave lists reveal a name that appears to be an African name. This is why it was impossible for me to search back before 1865. </span></span><br />
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African cultures have various ways of naming a child, ranging from the Akan naming system based on days of the week to the Egyptian more cosmic one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXcWgWazEC63ACdfw1TOKlIuLVNBnlrP86JoN1ScWUxvxqWaAGE6aSIcmsz8XLedf2AvPp_ZSqI55QVEQVBSGFwKxf3NV9iV0w5-yFhZO-QVOUsmyleZH9CcPO9261xD3HwjJziHOYErs/s1600/naming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXcWgWazEC63ACdfw1TOKlIuLVNBnlrP86JoN1ScWUxvxqWaAGE6aSIcmsz8XLedf2AvPp_ZSqI55QVEQVBSGFwKxf3NV9iV0w5-yFhZO-QVOUsmyleZH9CcPO9261xD3HwjJziHOYErs/s1600/naming.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px;">"pounding grain" - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px;">Whenever there is a naming ceremony grain is brought to pound - it is the first act of the naming ceremony (after the animal has been sacrificed)</span></td></tr>
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I was very honored when the village of Quebo, Guinea Bissau bestowed upon me a new African name. </div>
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Nenegale Djalo</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmuxeURT-96VOhZNlfYVAitl4BAYL12FifTXkhkEiPVhnjyiAMhe5Ds-oEWTD3GlU6vm0XeRSW0ugwS2qNPKHb8tP5VvINuC6adcqQjArAg653ha4p1DvlETDO2-neQQHdERWPP3l8umf/s1600/nengale+flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1235" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmuxeURT-96VOhZNlfYVAitl4BAYL12FifTXkhkEiPVhnjyiAMhe5Ds-oEWTD3GlU6vm0XeRSW0ugwS2qNPKHb8tP5VvINuC6adcqQjArAg653ha4p1DvlETDO2-neQQHdERWPP3l8umf/s640/nengale+flyer.jpg" width="496" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(78, 40, 0); color: #4e2800; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">During the ceremony my name: <b>Nenegale Djalo</b> </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">was "bequethed" to me </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">- by the Head Imam of all of Quebo; Usmani Seidi - He stated that from that day forth I would have the name, Nenegale Djalo, the daughter of Alhaji Aruno Rachid Djalo!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fatamata Djalo - only living sister (both parents) of Nenegale</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">BTW - </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">In California, you have the right to change your name by “usage”. It will be necessary to eventually get a decree from the courts in order to change it on your drivers license, social security card and other official documents, but there’s no reason to wait until you can afford all of that. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://blacktoafricamovement.com/whats-your-slave-name/" target="_blank">source</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Currently, there are around 200 million people in the Americas identifying themselves as of African descent, according to the United Nations. Millions more live in other parts of the world, outside of the African continent, and in most cases they experience racism and discrimination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To promote the respect for and protection of their human rights, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2015–2024 as the <b><span style="font-size: large;">“The International Decade for the People of African Descent”</span></b>, to be marked annually on 25 March.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Come back for part 3 - Who am I? How these DNA tests got me all confused!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-8550288331713241002018-10-28T08:29:00.000-07:002018-10-28T08:29:05.446-07:00Good Bye Rainy Season - Hello wind! - Our Life in Costa Rica yr #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
the end of the rainy season brings the winds. </div>
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Our patio will be a mess till sometime in January. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbAPQUZeVM8XKCyy3PT2OnQYIr9eYgQm2QdBb5QEA7qHGpVXQeJ3__Qh27ebLrlykJVlR248NjwfvXV0lubOrVJbfqFDN1TzMEjx_jgtri8dcYIP28dl1Xyw6ApbReQLN8gGmGIZsO2J2/s1600/ONqbSmWGTJGh2BAWO5fpjw_thumb_6691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbAPQUZeVM8XKCyy3PT2OnQYIr9eYgQm2QdBb5QEA7qHGpVXQeJ3__Qh27ebLrlykJVlR248NjwfvXV0lubOrVJbfqFDN1TzMEjx_jgtri8dcYIP28dl1Xyw6ApbReQLN8gGmGIZsO2J2/s640/ONqbSmWGTJGh2BAWO5fpjw_thumb_6691.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-3195018532465861042018-10-27T13:07:00.002-07:002018-10-27T14:43:25.437-07:00The DNA results are in (part one of three) - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div style="text-align: center;">
This is a bit off subject<br />
but...<br />
How many of you have had your DNA tested?<br />
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I have done 3 tests to date ( I had 2 tests done about a month ago) but let's start at the beginning and compare. </div>
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(For those who have not been following me since 2011)<br />
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The first one was done back in June 2010 by <a href="http://africanancestry.com/home/" target="_blank">African Ancestry.</a> They have the largest database for tracing African ancestry of any of the other tests out there. I began tracing my ancestry by using the online version of Ancestry.com, however, if you are African American you probably know that for us, it's very difficult to go back farther than 1865. Before then, most of our ancestors were property.<br />
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I wanted to cut to the chase and find out just where in Africa I came from. </div>
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I ordered the maternal test kit (I have no access to information on my biological father) at the time the cost was $299. OUCH!! A pretty hefty price but I had decided it was worth it because I wanted the information.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgk-YM34NtZ7OecQvJ5x379IlrbEchPRcvMQT4lrR-U56ho67tuDi0u_rNvi9VgqtGVN_ckcpw8PX5Xe_qxzU7RlVbUQMFdSqXa7FwfznvFm8FVMChQcaPZ0yH1cbZkGQM1lhcxXQd5e7l/s1600/dna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgk-YM34NtZ7OecQvJ5x379IlrbEchPRcvMQT4lrR-U56ho67tuDi0u_rNvi9VgqtGVN_ckcpw8PX5Xe_qxzU7RlVbUQMFdSqXa7FwfznvFm8FVMChQcaPZ0yH1cbZkGQM1lhcxXQd5e7l/s1600/dna.jpg" /></a></div>
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I waited <i>impatiently</i> for the results, which took 10 <b><i>long</i></b> weeks. This was back in the day before results were delivered online via email (from what I was told recently, African Ancestry still mails the results).<br />
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When I received the results I was very surprised to learn that my matrilineal ancestry was<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">100% Fulani</span></b> from a tiny country in West Africa, called <b><span style="font-size: large;">Guinea Bissau</span></b>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">"where's that?"</span></b><br />
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is the usual response I would get whenever I mentioned my results. Turns out that Guinea Bissau (in 2010) was the 4th poorest country in the world! A country with scant few doctors, children in need of food, medicine and education and an almost non existent infra structure. A country where life expectancy is somewhere in the early 40's. The population of about 1.8 million were under military control and the US Embassy had suspended operation in June 1998. <span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">On March 2, 2009, President Vieira was assassinated by what preliminary reports indicated to be a group of soldiers avenging the death of the head of joint chiefs of staff. The only information and videos I could find were about coups and </span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">assassinations</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Pretty grim and I was sad and disappointed to learn of my ancestry, partly because I had planned to visit whatever country that I was from. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPr-cKRZ5LyYhdMwLf97q5OADJpeK8PT4Zpz2HskWa5k9Kix92llGexlQB9pK_-WaTZbtDanH1vSHBL4O77-zv5IBtg9bRQuXkX9egR0T5aFlwjiRJKzjBHQJvE1fy6Ik3Iyj8jlcMqIkM/s1600/ITAV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="700" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPr-cKRZ5LyYhdMwLf97q5OADJpeK8PT4Zpz2HskWa5k9Kix92llGexlQB9pK_-WaTZbtDanH1vSHBL4O77-zv5IBtg9bRQuXkX9egR0T5aFlwjiRJKzjBHQJvE1fy6Ik3Iyj8jlcMqIkM/s640/ITAV.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">And then everything changed...I ended up starting a project called <b><i>"It Takes a Village"</i></b> and teamed up with a young hip hop artist, Hasan Salaam from NJ. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Coincidence?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">I think not</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Click LINK - <a href="http://devon4africablog.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-guinea-bissau-project.html" target="_blank">Take a look</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">if the link to the video below does <i>not</i> work please click the link above to view. Thanks </span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://devon4africablog.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-guinea-bissau-project.html" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Guinea Bissau Project " border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLgknRu6JBxeKfi94JfqHOgIRlD9l4R64FhDq2Qz6Eb1fZ0I1Fw_Yekb-ex2GFWs8RNifzv95Y22bxpddj8015wGACyNYkA-cBjX3NlsNHsmRHoHqON5wTrfUjPuUSS1Tsis-D-op5J2y/s640/hasan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://devon4africablog.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-guinea-bissau-project.html" target="_blank">Video Link</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">This is the type of hip hop story you won't see covered by the main stream media. Music is my weapon. Every single one of us has the power to change the world in some way. You don't have to be rich or famous. This project is a testament to that. </span><a class="profileLink" href="https://www.facebook.com/hasansalaammusic/?fref=mentions" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Hasan Salaam</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;"> x FLOW x Cobiana x Big Up GB x Baloberos x Impossible Music Sessions x It Takes A Village. </span><span class="_39_n profileLink" style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">Brian King</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;"> </span>Shivani Ahlowalia,<span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;"> </span><span class="_39_n profileLink" style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">Devon Austin</span><span class="_39_n profileLink" style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">, Austin Dacey, </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;"></span>Raj Flow,<span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;"> </span><span class="_39_n profileLink" style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">Hasan Salaam,</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;"> </span><span class="_39_n profileLink" style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">Willie Coleman Jr</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>If you would like to hear more about my DNA results (plus the 3 test comparison)</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Comeback for part 2 - I get a new African name!!</b></span></span></span></div>
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Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-50246980025760480362018-10-17T06:45:00.000-07:002018-10-17T06:46:18.659-07:00A Snip, Snip Here... - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxf1Z1j7l4vW1BshEHBPrtxqKgXKnqHzbrdw_fAEYITqgJORM32sjcqiULcokpuhrxUR1o_O3Zv5loD3XIxwANteianbzGK6_0CIet81gDazHS8tls62TQ0joV063aeQs3uKtCBqvbzkCZ/s1600/the+dynamic+duo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxf1Z1j7l4vW1BshEHBPrtxqKgXKnqHzbrdw_fAEYITqgJORM32sjcqiULcokpuhrxUR1o_O3Zv5loD3XIxwANteianbzGK6_0CIet81gDazHS8tls62TQ0joV063aeQs3uKtCBqvbzkCZ/s1600/the+dynamic+duo.jpg" /></a></div>
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Luis & Leo basking in the sun!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Veterinary Costs in Costa Rica</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I always like to keep you up to date on how much it costs for services in Costa Rica.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We currently have TWO cats, Luis & Leo. Both of them adopted us. They are both males and they are strictly outside cats. However, we do feed them, provide beds for them and care for their health and for the most part it is like having 2 (inside cats) except that they live outside. To that end, I feel a responsibility to make sure they have their shots and also <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">to make sure they don't produce any offspring or do that whole fighting, yowling, spraying thing!</span></span></div>
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However, I was surprised myself when we took Leo in yesterday for "neutering". I made the appointment in Spanish. We dropped him off at 9:00am and picked him up at 4pm.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The bill was 15,000mil colones</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">15,000CRC =25.6567USD</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">oh and we got a bag of cat food for 1,000mil colones =1.71977USD</span></div>
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I knew it would be less expensive than in the states (which I understand can run up to $200) we had already had Luis fixed but I was really surprised when I saw the bill. It sort of scared me at first because I thought I had made a mistake in my Spanish and he didn't get the right procedure - however the bill plainly says <i><b>"castracion"</b></i> so... there ya go! (btw- our other vet was a bit more but I can't recall now) </div>
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Anyway. these prices make it a lot easier to help the stray cat population stay healthy and keeps the population down.</div>
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Leo</div>
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Just thought I would share that with you.</div>
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Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-31307976207979722742018-10-15T11:55:00.005-07:002018-10-15T12:27:18.462-07:00Oktoberfest San Ramon Costa Rica - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">A Little History of the </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">Oktoberfest</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; text-align: left;">But the definition of “the world's most important beer festival” does not do justice to the indisputable reputation of the </span><span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;">Oktoberfest</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; text-align: left;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; text-align: left;">Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest <span style="font-family: inherit;">(or </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"peoples' festival" in German, is a large event in Germany which usually combines a beer festival or wine festival and a traveling fun fair)</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; text-align: left;"> Held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germanny. It is a 16 - to 18-day folk festival running from mid or late September to the first weekend in October, with more than six million people from around the world attending the event every year.</span><span style="color: #222222; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Historic Background - Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on 12th October 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">celebrate</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> the happy royal event. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Have I ever been to an Oktoberfest celebration? Nope! Never cared about it at all and really not that fond of German food or beer, so why bother? </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Well... because we're in Costa Rica and part of the fun is trying <b>new</b> things <i>plus</i> we enjoy going to Hacienda Vivace. So, when our new neighbors (who moved here about a month ago from the Bay Area) said they were going and offered to give us a ride, we took them up on it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">I'm really happy that we went. We had a great time. The place was packed. The music was awesome as was the food (prepared by our host Andy - who is a chef). They even had a vegetarian selection which was made with homemade rye bread. Lavanson and all the other vegetarians, were raving about it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Check out the video below - also I wanted you all to see Andy & Nancy's <b><i>beautiful</i></b> home (Hacienda Vivace) a little more close up. I've done videos of events at the house before but this time I wanted to give you a better idea of just how big and stunning, it really is.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/295215651">Oktoberfest, San Ramon Costa Rica 2018</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-15473493764246093822018-09-28T08:18:00.000-07:002018-09-28T08:18:40.490-07:00The Week in Review - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another busy week in paradise!</div>
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Saturday</div>
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Sunday </div>
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Jazz in San Ramon</div>
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Monday</div>
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Tuesday</div>
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Bought 2 more pieces of pottery</div>
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Wednesday </div>
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Thursday</div>
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I have eaten some delicious sausage at one of our expat friend's home. When I asked them where they got it, they said they have it made in Grecia. I asked them where and they told me that they take their own fennel seeds and chili flakes (not available in Costa Rica) and take them to a <span style="color: #212121; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carnicería (meat store) in Grecia and have it made (it is pork w/20% fat) the butcher provides the casing. So, after I "borrowed" some fennel seeds and chili flakes I went into town and located the store. Isidro is the owner. He makes it for 3,000 colones ($5.18 US) per kilo (1 kilo = 2.2 lbs) So I ordered 2 kilos yesterday and it will be ready for pick up today. I will let you know how it comes out.</span></span></div>
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Oh, we had a visitor this week from Atlanta. Her name is Kia. She attended the Sisterlocks Annual meeting with me and also went with us to The Sunday Salon Jazz Series. She is a Sisterlocks Consultant and cosmetologist, so she also cut my hair for me. </div>
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Kat Yoga With Kia</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dySnDK_Kc7471DRGwAkNixhFyH9G04O88qaxNgVAPvAC6-y5ht8OysPm3EoWLSbwpNaCFp1GuXwUMJ_3w8TTA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-69714681710457519692018-09-13T14:10:00.000-07:002018-09-13T14:10:11.674-07:00Let the Sunshine In - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div style="color: #1d2129; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the 2nd post today - but I posted this on Facebook and thought I would repost here for my followers who are not on Facebook. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Somewhere hanging over the coffee field...Way up high...<span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f1f/1/16/1f3b6.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline; width: 0px;">🎶</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was thinking how there seem to be a million different sounds that are "strange" to our U.S ears both in and outside of our house here in CR. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was even counting the different sounds the other day <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f34/1/16/1f914.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline; width: 0px;">🤔</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway on this particular day the sounds were coming from somewhere in the coffee fields. I couldn't see anyone, just heard the chopping sounds. When we first figured out that it was in the mango trees in particular I started researching what they might be doing. Read all this info about how to prune the trees for optimal growth and production and then... found out the other day from our gardener that - nope- in this case they didn't really care much about the production of the mangoes at all . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was all about the coffee!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">During the rainier months of Sept and October it can get pretty dark around here and can be overcast so they cut the limbs to let the sunshine in so the coffee can grow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had fun watching the smooth machete work anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a little video if you care to check them out.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/289709571" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/289709571">Under the MangoTree</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-29652092204796269592018-09-13T14:02:00.000-07:002018-09-13T14:02:57.600-07:00We have Peru Dates - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We bought our tickets to Lima Today!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I posted the dates and updated information about the trip on the Jammin website blog.</span></div>
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Please go to the site and click <b>BLOG </b>on the menu. You will always find the most detailed up to date information there as I will continue to post updates. </div>
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Also if you are interested in participating now, or in the future, please head over to the Member's site, join and set up a profile - you can also sign up for a monthly newsletter there as well.</div>
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Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-68456578599243758632018-09-10T21:41:00.000-07:002018-09-10T21:45:49.930-07:00Jammin•Jammin•Jammin - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3Hey everyone<br />
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I have sort of been MIA the last week or so, but I have a good reason!<br />
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I've been putting together the new Facebook page as well as a brand new website for our 50+ travel group <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jammin•Jammin•Jammin</b>. </span><br />
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We had such success with our Panama Jammin trip that we decided to branch out and make it an official group. The group is the brainchild of Jeanetta Owens and because she knows I love to travel, she asked me to team up with her for this new project. We are both pretty excited.<br />
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Here is the announcement from Facebook.<br />
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Due to the overwhelming success of "Panama Jammin"<br />
Welcome to our new 50+ travel group Jammin•Jammin•Jammin for the perfect mix of travel and music.</div>
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Our goal is to offer 2 trips per year.</div>
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Jeanetta Owens and I are planning the 1st trip for February 2019 - Destination Lima Peru. We have some exciting excursions and activities planned that will take you off the beaten path to enjoy the local flavor of Peru. You won't want to miss this!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN90241_X6APWkfI_E7f4FHx5NH21SBSnGUEhYDPp4eT2PRCKHl2nobfQpKu-okIJrknCsXf2t-XWf2tQfZX_i55yEd4QeDiXhRhAOmp9ObSszL2iDFfT06-Prg-pAaN4IqL6Hqk_9TLJt/s1600/mach+picchu+900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN90241_X6APWkfI_E7f4FHx5NH21SBSnGUEhYDPp4eT2PRCKHl2nobfQpKu-okIJrknCsXf2t-XWf2tQfZX_i55yEd4QeDiXhRhAOmp9ObSszL2iDFfT06-Prg-pAaN4IqL6Hqk_9TLJt/s1600/mach+picchu+900.jpg" /></a></div>
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You can be a member of the group NO MATTER where in the world you live and for those of you who are fortunate enough to live in Costa Rica we will offer some local trips as well.</div>
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Please LIKE & FOLLOW our page for details and updates coming soon!</div>
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In the meantime enjoy the videos and information on this page which will give you some additional information about the area.</div>
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and please check out our NEW website below</div>
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<a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="origin" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jammin-jammin-jammin.com%2F&h=AT0bkisIkaVbzUXAAF8S-laSW96RMc14UgQT_KfBCa3vji_CRF_0EkM5dPqXYFIlH0nNCbaTqle_o-0OvBsmS7DEd9QfcM5bR4pZ8yNssH9oA8YeKbYlDkc0kQ8JppC6mDisHHvyFugTKnvaTTOlNFyeJ7y-j6QLyF6UsDNK8akoDvuSZJEH4lEHSlNEuMNNvcDcl2CqzRH-LIJOaptXrtQp1x67aX_OAzlI6zVMqnJLpR7gVRToDi2PFSuC7-MVk1nYP_3SmbsEfojOJJHSrASjS330UQreNUoacin8rp4C3sVKtuE7Z_pzU-isRwcBq67hUu_49_yuB3xqoeF7_APem9DIHhQ9kqLB5beKUC50TNpg3JjtLejd363m0J0CTx__PwENxfkPeoHXm8n7zFqEE0gEKUFZshrl" rel="noopener nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.jammin-jammin-jammin.com</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(the site looks great on a desktop with a wide screen but on my laptop the text needs to be adjusted. Will be working on that next - but in the meantime, I think you can get the drift) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We'd be happy for you to join us, so let us know!</span></div>
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Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-121831323323451912018-08-31T05:12:00.001-07:002018-08-31T05:12:46.320-07:00For Ladies Only? - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #1d2129; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We have a really fun women's group here, it's call Blooms.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_uxuVPOtOwPHzmwzmZywDK7-Ww-s4a728JiU3nJQSbkxVZmgt2oD4HUHWmsGAlfvpgx5lz5Pi9ccjJIA3UujY1OjHZiXEqSO89ttsL8_ARVyuCf3oGjZmwgbiKSd8ZSyT9Pbdg58xiUi/s1600/tuesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_uxuVPOtOwPHzmwzmZywDK7-Ww-s4a728JiU3nJQSbkxVZmgt2oD4HUHWmsGAlfvpgx5lz5Pi9ccjJIA3UujY1OjHZiXEqSO89ttsL8_ARVyuCf3oGjZmwgbiKSd8ZSyT9Pbdg58xiUi/s1600/tuesday.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On Tuesday we spent the day with our new friends Mike & Beverly (here from LA). They are doing their CR due diligence so Beverly wanted to attend a Blooms meeting. Because the 4 of us (me, Lavanson, Beverly & Mike) were going to the museum after, the guys were allowed to attend the "strictly all women's meeting" with us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a special hired van to drive the group to Margaret & Steve's beautiful home in Escazu, <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">where the meeting was being held. </span></span></div>
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Of course the guys didn't really join in the meeting - they hung out with Margaret's hubby but it was a first and a good time was had by all. </div>
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If you come to the Central Valley (and you are a woman) you might also be interested in joining our group!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blooms</b> is short for "Bloom Where You Are Planted".</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4f56; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our goal is to provide support & friendship to English-speaking women new (or not so new) to Costa Rica. This Facebook page is for helpful communication between members and not advertising of a commercial, religious or political nature. Notice of members' 'cottage industry' product or service availability is accepted when of benefit to the membership.
Blooms meets for brunch, usually at a member's home,
at 9:30 a.m. on the last Tuesday of each month.
Membership is free.
Most of us live in the following general areas: Grecia, Sarchi, La Garita, San Ramon, Atenas, and Alajuela.
For more information, please call Joan Dewar at 2444-8796 or email dewar@casadewar.com</span></span></div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-74183092253291984112018-08-29T10:38:00.003-07:002018-08-29T10:38:24.553-07:00It's a Beautiful Story - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUc9VZh_2eJl39SYobpE_OogULBMJilY4nSaC9HRPhpLwcg1CqKKJ16K48k8-zbYaIV0-h7rZhH2lMubNfOoZwcp2UjNdyZyFc0J0_BKgxUJh5EPLaZlU9AJTnn4avhr3tBD04l6mvFfd/s1600/limon+roots+festival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUc9VZh_2eJl39SYobpE_OogULBMJilY4nSaC9HRPhpLwcg1CqKKJ16K48k8-zbYaIV0-h7rZhH2lMubNfOoZwcp2UjNdyZyFc0J0_BKgxUJh5EPLaZlU9AJTnn4avhr3tBD04l6mvFfd/s1600/limon+roots+festival.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><b>Worth seeing!!</b> - if you are going to be in Costa Rica in Aug 2019 - add this one to your calendar!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;">On Sunday, August 26, six of us travelled from Grecia to San Jose to attend the 2018 Limon Roots Awards, held at the National Theater. We also met some fellow US attendees from Michigan. They visited Limon for 5 days with a group of 27 black youths. They were here to honor their hero Dr Quince Duncan (</span></span><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dr. Quince Duncan is Costa Rica's most important living Afro-Caribbean literary figure</span><span style="font-family: , "helvetica" , "arial" , "nimbus sans l" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 19.040000915527344px;">)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Limon Roots Awards - </span></b>Is part of the month-long celebration of Afrodescendants in Costa Rica,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"> the Limon Roots 2018 Awards festival is the brainchild of </span>Ramiro Crawford. <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"> Being honored this year was Dr Quince Duncan, who celebrated his 50th year of writing, and the Mighty Gabby, master calypsonian from Barbados. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">The show is mostly in Spanish and since ("</span></span><span style="color: #212121; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>yo solo hablo un poco de español"</i>) when the show was over I relied on my Costa Rica friend </span></span><b>Natasha Gordon-Chipembere </b>to help me put some of the loose ends together. However, even with my limited Spanish I was able to get the gist of the stories (<b>NEXT YEAR</b> I plan to be more proficient in my Spanish! <b>promise</b>!)<br />
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So, with the help of Natasha - here's an overview of the evening.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444950; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>The Anansi Stories - </b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444950; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have you ever heard of the Anansi or Anancy stories? I had not. They are famous West African stories that have traveled through the middle passage with enslaved Africans to the new world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444950; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quince Duncan rewrote several very famous folkloric stories about Anansi the spider. </span></span></span><br />
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The Spider</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white;">As a trickster, the main character often deceives and exploits his fellow creatures for his own benefit. <br soft="" />"Tricksters will themselves be duped and humbled. And however selfish and cruel they are, their antics provoke </span><span style="background-color: white;">affectionate laughter, while their quick wits and mystic power inspire awe."</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">The highlight of the evening was a</span><span style="color: #1d2129;"> play, <b>NEGRA SOY</b>, directed by Sharifa Crawford and Erick Rodriguez. This play was a profound, critical meditation, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444950; white-space: pre-wrap;">a reclaiming of Blackness but specific to the invisibility of black narratives in Costa Rica and</span><span style="color: #1d2129;"> the price of being inside of black skin as a woman of color. Seven women told the story of growing up being taunted because of their curly hair, chocolate skin and rounded noses; of being on the margins in Costa Rica, especially in San Jose, where blackness and womanhood were symbols of vulnerability. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444950; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sadly most people came to San Jose to continue in school but many felt the need to straighten their hair</span><span style="color: #1d2129;"> in that fragility - these women rose! They, as a collective of beauty, told how they finally came to claim all which once brought them shame - their sensuous curves, the curl of their hair, the sheer melody of their rich brown skin. The voice of </span>Stephannie Davis White<span style="color: #1d2129;"> shaped the entire production with its power. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">I am telling you - the show was <b>AWESOME</b>!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">I created a video highlighting snippets from the show (excuse me as I had to video over the heads of the people in front of me LOL) but I hope you enjoy it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;">And <b>MUCHAS GRACIAS</b> 👏👏again to Natasha for her help!! Love You!!!💋</span></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/287286563">It's a Beautiful Story</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user16948131">Devon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-28938454647965429772018-08-27T05:00:00.000-07:002018-08-27T05:00:02.846-07:00When the Power Goes Out - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On Saturday morning we woke up at 5:15 am - Got out of bed and 5 mins later the power went out! Am I surprised? Hmmm Not any more. No rhyme or reason (to us anyway), but whatcha gonna do?? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well...you can take this time to go hang your shirts out on the line in the beautiful morning sun to "air out" (in spite of less rain this season - a small dehumidifier and several Damp Rids in the closet - clothes can still get a moldy odor especially if you don't wear them a lot) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Power was out about 2 hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Round 2 - On Sunday Lavanson was out hanging <b><i>more</i></b> shirts </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">and I noticed that he still has his "Yuroz" shirt! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>A walk down memory lane --</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yuri Yuroz is one of our favorite painters. We met him in person in San Francisco back in 2001 and have loved his work ever since. He even painted on the back of our T-shirts. Unfortunately, I do not know where mine is but Lavanson has kept up with<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> his and it's still in good shape. Maybe we need to frame it! Framing is pretty reasonable here!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yuroz is an internationally celebrated narrative painter / sculptor of Armenian descent and he was the official artist for the 35th Annual Grammy Awards (2017) for National Academy of Recording Arts and Science. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have several of his serigraphs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYQppf658-QqAoOPkjppryRtZ17-RuXEClbaHgxNFa1JrlxaxW0A1AEMNVhEPTbOUVaD1q1wYWSEUdGlPxWW4nDsYCfTuAn0a2Sps4QPUWha3S4yFNDkb97Vn9Mps4ur2a6X9DhsXC0Nd/s1600/lc+yuroz+900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYQppf658-QqAoOPkjppryRtZ17-RuXEClbaHgxNFa1JrlxaxW0A1AEMNVhEPTbOUVaD1q1wYWSEUdGlPxWW4nDsYCfTuAn0a2Sps4QPUWha3S4yFNDkb97Vn9Mps4ur2a6X9DhsXC0Nd/s1600/lc+yuroz+900.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9154551842980646970.post-81387849216262328802018-08-23T10:18:00.000-07:002018-08-23T10:18:06.360-07:00Neighbors Helping Neighbors! - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A violent upheaval is going on in Nicaragua! </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1b1c2a;">Nicaraguans have been seeking refuge in increasing numbers in Costa Rica due to the</span><span style="color: #1b1c2a;"> </span><a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/2018/06/27/in-nicaragua-2018-living-is-resisting" rel="noopener" style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: objects; box-sizing: border-box; color: #169b9a; cursor: pointer !important; outline: transparent; text-decoration: none; transition: all 100ms ease-out !important;" target="_blank">unrest taking place in their country </a><span style="color: #1b1c2a;">since April. </span></span><span style="color: #1b1c2a; font-family: inherit;"><span class="mt-first-letter" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: transparent;">C</span>osta Rican Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Epsy Campbell announced that Costa Rica has built two shelters to house Nicaraguan migrants fleeing the country’s violent political crisis. </span><span style="color: #1b1c2a; font-family: inherit;">“What’s happening in Nicaragua is unacceptable, and it’s having direct consequences on our country. The world has to focus on Nicaragua,” Campbell said.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1b1c2a; font-family: inherit;">The local expats i</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1b1c2a;">n Grecia</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"> are supporting our friend, Romeo Gallegos. He is a potter who fled to Costa Rica - in exile from Nicaragua as his life was in danger there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><i>There is a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/help-romeo039s-family-resettle">GoFundMe</a> page set up for those interested in helping the family.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In addition, many of us are also buying some of the exquisite ceramic pottery that the family makes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are happy to help where we can!</span></span></div>
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I think this one looks beautiful in my living room!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Costa Rica has asked international organizations for help in dealing with the growing crisis.</span></div>
Devonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01907824785284355756noreply@blogger.com0