Always Expect the Unexpected

Written by: April Simon

Having stalked Abriendo Mentes online for nearly nine months, I thought I knew what to expect upon my arrival in Playa Potrero. Reality, as I am often reminded, trumps the Internet every time.

A rainy season front yard in Playa Potrero

I first discovered AM while searching for a host organization for the Fulbright grant project I am proposing. The program is based on the Literacy Through Photography model and will explore concepts of self, community, and future aspirations with children aged 5-14. Having exchanged many an email with Meradith, I felt it time to make the trip from North Carolina to see for myself how the project might play out with the AM kids.

My partner, Brian, and I arrived on the rainiest day of the season. After a five hour shuttle bus trip into the Potrero, we were eager to get out and explore the village that we hope will be our home soon. Following the only road we saw, we soon found ourselves at the soccer field that serves as the center of town. From there, we could hear the sound of children singing through the downpour.

Looking out onto the soccer field.

The AM classroom buzzed with the energy of barely contained chaos. The teachers and volunteers moved around the room, helping the kindergarteners paste scraps of paper in the shape of an apple. Brian and I were invited to jump right in with the lesson.

Justin helps Dayra with her apple art.

Between the older and younger groups, I chatted with the children and let them play with my camera. One boy, Gerald, quickly established himself as the class clown- mugging for every single shot. A few others asked me to take group photos- and, like all eight-year-old boys are want to do, gave each other bunny ears for posterity.

Over the next few days, I got the opportunity to get to know more of the children, several of their parents, and many of the other community members. In true Tico fashion, the citizens of Playa Potrero are incredibly warm, open, and kind.

The corn king and queens of Potrero

We were able to take part in the Corn Festival, and I was given the recipe for the traditional corn and rice soup that was boiling in a huge cauldron over open flames. When all of the electricity in the area went out during our dinner at a restaurant, the owner casually brought us a candle, a drink refill, and a flashlight for our walk home.

Truly Guanacasteco: cooking arroz de maiz over an open flame.

Though we were sad to leave Potrero behind, Brian and I look forward to returning along with our own two children next year. I am excited to begin working in earnest on both my project, and with AM in their regular afterschool programs. While village life has its challenges, I am also very eager to have my family in a place that is removed from the bustle and anxiety of the city... and if I ever need to find my children- I’ll never have to look farther than the soccer field.

A Busy Week at Abriendo Mentes!

By Ilene Solomon

Between exams for all of the students, the Corn Festival, Game Day with Ilene and Peter, and Gymnastics Day with Lynn and Shannon, this week has been non-stop action!

All of the kids have been studying extremely hard for their exams. 1st grade has been learning all about pets, hobbies, and clothing, while 2nd grade has been busy with hobbies, traditional games, and clothing. 3rd and 4th grades spent the week working on leisure time activities, utensils, clothing, and food. Lastly, 5th & 6th grades studied different types of entertainment (hobbies), stores and places around town, legends and cooking recipes.

In our hands-on approach to learning, Abriendo Mentes volunteers created innovative ways to teach the students. Anna put together the pets and clothing topics for the younger students by making paper-dolls. But these weren't your average paper-dolls to clothe...instead, the kids got to choose outfits for their pets! Shannon and Emily helped the kindergarten students learn about the letter "K" by making king's crowns, while Ilene and Peter hand-made a Memory Game set with the Spanish and English words for various fruits and vegetables. The kids got a lot of study time in, but more importantly, they had fun!

Another big event took place on Wednesday: the Costa Rican Corn Festival! Fiesta del Maiz is held in mid-October to celebrate corn production; clothes are made out of corn husks and corn-based foods are enjoyed. At school, each grade chose a male and female class representative, who strutted their stuff down the runway. From shirts made of corn bags, earrings studded with corn kernels, and dresses lined with dyed corn, each kid's outfit was beautiful and so unique! A parade around Potrero's plaza gave the whole town a chance to see the kids decked out in corn. We finished off the fiesta with a delicious chicken, rice and corn soup and Costa Rican style snowcones.

Verenice in her corn outfit


To end their week of studying, the AM volunteers planned fun activities and a Gymnastic Day for the kids. They crawled through the tunnel like lions, climbed up the mountains, dodged the poisonous snakes in the swamp, and jumped over hot lava in our Costa Rican obstacle course, and danced the afternoon away to a freeze dance game, accompanied by Peter's guitar. On Friday, they learned how to warm-up like real gymnasts and do somersaults and handstands!

Good thing we have a break next week from classes...after so much activity, we all need a rest!

Lynn even helped out volunteer Peter with his handstand!

Christmas in September

Written by Emily Hric

I arrived in Potrero late in the evening almost two weeks ago. The drive to the coast from San Jose was long and arduous, but luckily my driver, Miguel, had a sixth sense for avoiding the thousands of pot holes that lined the dirt road into town. Tired, and a little apprehensive, I settled into my new casa , not knowing what to expect from Potrero or my time working with Abriendo Mentes.

The following morning, I was greeted bright and early by Lynn, another volunteer, who was tasked with giving me the official Potrero tour. I was introduced to the three super markets, which all seemed to carry the exact same products (though I would soon learn which super had best for produce and which had the best selection of my favorite cookies). And 20 minutes later, as the tour concluded (seeing that Potrero really is the smallest town I have ever been in) I caught a quick glimpse of the most gorgeous beach I have ever seen; only a few minutes’ walk from the center of town.

But then it was straight to work. I had arrived just in time to help distribute new school supplies to all of the children. Because of the great support from friends, families, and donors, this year the children were able to receive new pencil cases, filled with pencils, erasers, and sharpeners as well as a new set of colored pencils, a folder, and a new notebook.

Being a bit of a nerd myself, I know the excitement that new school supplies can bring, but I was in no way prepared for how thrilled these children were to get their hands on a new notebook. As each child filed into the Abriendo Mentes’ office, a line formed that ran from the top of the stairs all the way down and out the door. For some of the children, choosing between a pink pencil case and a polka dot pencil case, or a motorcycle notebook and a cool football notebook, seemed like it was the most important decision they had ever made in their lives. They sat there, almost in agony, debating between the two before they would look to a friend for guidance. And as they walked down the stairs, holding their new supplies tightly against their chests, not one of the students could contain their eagerness to show their friends and parents which supplies they had chosen. I have now been here two weeks, and still the pride that these kids take in having their own pencils and notebooks – that belong only to them, amazes me.

After only two weeks I have fallen in love with the kids. I can’t walk down the street in Potrero without three or four children calling my name or running over to give me a hug. Enthusiasm and affection just radiates from them, and it is entirely contagious!