Day 4: Lucia






Title: Sonidos

As we settle into our time here in Costa Rica, we have come to realize that there is never a silent moment. Mornings begin with the sound of flour tortillas sizzling in oil as my host mom prepares breakfast, the peeps of chicks when they surround me hoping in vain for food, and kids shouting as a goal is scored in their soccer game.

 

During the day, we play games in Spanish with the village’s children, because they don’t have school during this time due to Holy Week. They scream with energy when we chase after them during tag, and whisper words while we play Telephone. Giggles flood our ears when the water balloons we throw explode on their clothes, providing short relief from the sun’s heat.

 

The night is also full of different noises. Crickets provide a base rhythm of consistent chirping, while the aggressive bleats of sheep and the confident cock-o-doodle-doos of roosters interrupt the atmosphere.

 

My favorite sound is the rushed pattering of feet coming down the trail, along with the excited shout, ”Lucía!”. Yenani, the 7 year-old granddaughter of my host mom comes over frequently to see if I want to play Uno with her. I love hearing her innocent “Lo siento” [I’m sorry] before putting down a card that skips my turn. She celebrates gleefully when she puts down the last card in her hand, unaware of all the “plus four”s that intentionally went unplayed.

 

Though we miss the voices of our family members back home, we are excited to see what will come next during this trip.


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