Sleeping in the Humid Rainforest
On the American Express Forest Reserve
At Earth University, Guapiles, Costa Rica

(NARRATOR'S NOTE: I wanted to publish this a few days ago (Monday, March 13, 2006) but couldn't).

Imperial History of a Grassy, Unsustainable Environment Where Students Learn about Saving the Environment

Earth University is an interesting place. It's where Susan's botany buddy Adam is studying this semester.

The university was founded in 1990 and was paid for almost entirely out of USAID money. (Yes, the same USAID AID that pays opposition parties that attempt coups in Venezuela). Why did Costa Rica get all this money when the US would not pay Nicaragua's reconstruction costs after mining their harbors and funding the Contras? The "good" Latin American countries get money for doing what the Blind Empire demands.

The place is very American. The bureaucracy held us up at the gate for two hours. There are huge expanses of grass ("green zones") cut into what was once forest. There's heavily chlorinated potable water from the air conditioned drinking fountains. But the rice and beans in the cafeteria are totally Central American.

Everyone here studies agronomy and, all in all, the program seems fairly progressive. There is a huge recycling program on campus. Much of the food is grown here under mostly-sustainable methods. There's a banana plantation that grows for Whole Foods. It's not totally organic, because there's a severe fungus that grows on all banana trees in this part of the tropics, so they spray a fungicide about once a week. Still, bananas are a very intensive crop and, commercially speaking, are not sustainable. They make paper out of the leaves and stalks.

A Discovery in the Cow Pasture

On our way to the forest reserve, we got lost for 3 hours. Well, maybe not lost, but divinely guided to the glorious mycological wonders that grow there.

Much Room for Fear (But None) in the Forest

Everyone warned us to "be careful" in the forest. This stems from the toad-kicking mentality of the people here. If an animal is in the path, slice, push, shoot, or otherwise get it out of the way. This mentality feels like some kind of Christian holdover: the American forest--from the conquistadors to the first pilgrims--has always been heathenistic, untamed, unchristianized. People project a lot of fears onto wilderness.

That desire to dominate translated into nicely kept trails and bit of caution on our part. We had no problems, except mosquitoes. We saw one snake. And many monkeys. And many plants.

Early yesterday morning we wandered about the American Express forest reserve. We cut open coconuts and drank the milk. We ate sugar cane and guavas. My companions botanized and botanized some more. Then it was time to make soup on the camp stove.

Nothing like getting out in the countryside to revive the spirits. Now back to the city for me while Susan stays at Earth and sketches gets chased off my meddling guards.

More to come...