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A cultural resume of Korean America

Here's another lil' something I wrote for my intercultural communication class last week. I'll be presenting on it tomorrow. It's a cultural resume, explaining a culture in much the same way that an occupational resume would define you: in quick, rough summations and facts. In both cases, the hope is that the resume would pique your interest enough to prompt further investigation.

So with no further ado...

This cultural resume is an introduction to the culture of Korean Americans, defined as American residents of Korean origin. The first records of Korean immigration date back to 1903, when laborers arrived in the U.S. territory of Hawaii. The greatest influx of Korean immigrants, however, arrived after the acceptance of the 1965 Immigration Act. During this century of immigration, Korean Americans have become a small but well-established community in the United States.

While to the outside world it may be satisfactory to classify their community at this level, Koreans and Korean Americans themselves identify microcultures of 1, 2, and 1.5. These numbers refer to generation; an adult who immigrates to the United States would be considered a 1, while their American-born child would be considered a 2. The 1.5 classification falls upon those Korean-born individuals who were immigrants to the United States at an early age.

Outside of these microcultures are also at least two ancillary cultures: Koreans with mixed heritage or those who were adopted by families of non-Korean origin, and those who are not permanent residents but study or work in the United States. While the population of Korean Americans is generally quoted at around 1.4 million, including these other people groups increases the number of ethnic Koreans in the United States to approximately 2.1 million, according to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Korean American community originally developed in the western regions of the U.S., including Hawaii. Even today, Los Angeles is home to more ethnic Koreans than any other place outside of Asia. Still, major Korean American communities have been established around the country, with the latest region with Korean American growth being the states in the south. The Washington, D.C., metropolitan area (combining Korean populations with Maryland and Virginia) has the third largest concentration of Koreans, bested by California and New York.

Korean Americans as a people group have one of the highest educational levels in the United States. Nearly half have a college degree or higher. Additionally they have been noted as a model minority for their sense of community and low levels of crime and unemployment. Much of this is attributed to cultural and ethnic rules and traditions. Koreans, says participant and film director Paul Kim, have “a commitment to persevere.”

America has often been portrayed as a land of opportunity for many people groups, and for many Koreans throughout recent history, America also represented hope of prosperity, evasion of invading cultures, and freedom from strong traditional norms. Yet South Korea has developed rapidly in the last 50 years and advanced stature in the international community. As a result, though America is still regarded highly for its academics, particularly in college and graduate studies, the number of immigrants to the United States in the last decade has dropped dramatically.

While Korean culture is definitely one of a collective ilk, the Korean American must walk the line between the traditional ethnic community and the geographically held perspective of individuality in order to achieve successful outcomes in American life. This can cause dissonance within and make it difficult, especially for 1.5 and second generation Korean Americans, to interact seamlessly with members of various circles.

Identity also is called into question, as even within the culture there are clear divisions based on birthplace and time spent in Korea. Kim, 28, and a U.S.-born Korean American, postulates that he and many others are part of a third culture. “I consider myself a third-culture individual, having been raised in two cultures, but whose intersection has created a unique culture of its own, and thus the Korean-American distinction. I identify with both groups, but also recognize the paradox of being neither.”

Many Koreans struggle to adapt to North American systems and values and may take years to feel fully integrated. Conversely, Korean Americans face difficulties when visiting Korea; their features render them completely indistinguishable from a native Korean, and, therefore, they are often expected to intrinsically follow cultural norms that are completely foreign to them. While one Korean American struggles to develop a more American perspective, another fights to remove the barriers between Korean Americans and Americans altogether. Still another Korean American takes a long trip back to their homeland to “become more Korean.” It’s easy to see where intra-cultural miscommunication can occur.

The search for identity, in itself, may be distinctly Korean American. In Korea, where the total non-Korean population is only 1.1%, the search for who you are is in nearly every face you will see. This only reinforces the collective qualities and principles of the Korean society. When asked what differences she found in Korean and Korean American cultures, survey participant Lee Soo Youn immediately commented, “Individualism. Korean people tend to share a number of things [with each other]. Meanwhile Ko-Ams tend to be more independent.”

Lee, 32, moved to the United States about ten years ago with her parents and younger brother. She has two degrees, one from a university in Daegu, South Korea, and the other from a design school in Washington, D.C. “I strongly feel I have both [Korean and Korean American] values and balance it well,” she says. “Yet if I only have one option to choose, I’d more likely consider myself Korean-American. I am comfortable being with and interacting with America and its society, and I’m willing to contribute personally to the society and communicate with Americans as a part of community.”

Her last statement speaks volumes. In the past, Korean Americans seemed reluctant to or disinterested in building personal relations with those of other people groups. Even today, it is not uncommon for a Korean parent to make a long commute from their home in an affluent suburb to a inner-city or low income community where they own and operate their family business (In 1990, 1 in 4 Korean Americans were self-employed, higher than any other ethnic group in America). In the late eighties and early nineties, tension grew between these business owners and community residents who felt that the Korean community was taking their money with no interest in their situation.

In the L.A. riots of 1992, more than 3,000 Korean businesses were destroyed as emotions flared about interracial justice and community. The first generation of 1.5 and 2-generation Korean Americans were beginning their professional lives around this time, and, having affinity to both Korean and American cultures, actively worked to bridge the gap between these groups that required a positive outcome.

In doing so, Korean Americans risk eroding their distinct culture. Korean American groups and organizations have been created to maintain and promote Korean history and language. “Those are major elements to reflect your identity,” says Lee. “If those two are missing in me, I am no longer Korean. I would technically be American without them.” Yet, according to the 2005 U.S. census, one in four Korean American households speak only English at home. With so much meaning and nuance embedded in the language, a lack of Korean language skills can not only mean a misunderstanding of personal culture but also a heightened propensity for miscommunication when interacting with 1-generation and Korean nationals.

One way that Korean Americans have found to maintain intra-cultural ties is through worship. Even though Christianity is still considered a minority religion in Korea, seventy to eighty percent of Korean Americans attend church, mostly protestant. These religious groups create social networks that provide activity groups, professional services, and even modes of acquiring housing or sponsorship for new immigrants. Of the three participants I questioned, all had parents who were active church attendees and one participant was professionally employed by their denomination. Two participants were protestant, and one was catholic.

This predisposition to connect and interact in such a way as to imply a cohesive role may be one of the reasons why both Koreans and Korean Americans think of the successes and failures of one to be addressed by all—regardless of location. Recently, a 1.5-generation Korean American killed 33 people including himself. Korean American organizations expressed expected concern and regret. But, surprisingly to many Americans, Koreans in South Korea also expressed their shame and guilt. The president of the Republic of Korea sent at least three messages of condolence to the U.S., and the Korean ambassador to the U.S. vowed to fast for 32 days—apparently a day for each victim. Previously, a Korean American of mixed heritage was praised in South Korea for being named Most Valuable Player at the Superbowl. Though he had never been back to Korea and had little cultural understanding, many in South Korea considered him a hero.

Says Kim, “I don’t think there is such a thing as a definitive distinction between Korean and Korean-American culture. It is not about differences or similarities. It is rather a sequential progression from the other, and a small continuum in the overall development of humanity.”

Indeed, in a country as culturally diverse as the United States, the path of the Korean American is one of many sequential progressions to an overall development of Humanity.

References

Coffman, T. (2003). Arirang - An Interactive Classroom on the Korean American Experience - Korean American History. Retrieved April 24, 2007 from http://arirangeducation.com

Korean American. (2007, April 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:47, April 24, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Korean_American&oldid=124157508

Korean American Coalition-Census Information Center in partnership with the Center for Korean American and Korean Studies, California State University, Los Angeles. (2006). Educational Attainment by Race/Ethnicity 25 Years and Older. Retrieved April 24, 2007, from http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/ckaks/census_tables.html

Korean American Coalition-Census Information Center in partnership with the Center for Korean American and Korean Studies, California State University, Los Angeles. (2006). Korean Population by City/Place, 2000 ("The Top 100 Cities in the United States for Koreans"). Retrieved April 24, 2007, from http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/ckaks/census_tables.html

Korean American Coalition-Census Information Center in partnership with the Center for Korean American and Korean Studies, California State University, Los Angeles. (2006). Korean Population by State, 2000. Retrieved April 24, 2007, from http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/ckaks/census_tables.html

Korean American Museum, Community section demographics [Electronic Version]. Retrieved April 24, 2007 from http://www.kamuseum.org/community/

U.S. Census Bureau. (2005) United States - Selected Population Profile in the United States (Korean alone or in any combination). Retrieved April 24, 2007 from http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201PR&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201T&-qr_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201TPR&-reg=ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201:042;ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201PR:042;ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201T:042;ACS_2005_EST_G00_S0201TPR:042&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-_lang=en&-format=

Veale, J. (2007). South Korea's Collective Guilt [Electronic Version]. TIME Magazine, April 18, 2007. Retrieved on April 24, 2007 from http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1611964,00.html

No time to think

Along with warm weather comes increased human activity. After New York and the trip to Central America, there was a weekend trip to New Jersey (wedding; Fru went while I stayed home), and the following weekend there was the trip to Virginia for our 10-year high school reunion, which I should probably post about. This weekend we entertained guests from my hometown, giving them the short tour of DC, and helped a friend move into the largest house I've ever had a friend own.

The future doesn't look much clearer. This weekend is Fru's birthday, an O's game with friends, and a social outing with my coworkers and their families. The following weekend a friend from Daegu has business in Manhattan, so we most likely will head up there. Tentatively, we may be returning with some friends we made in Seoul who will crash at our pad for a few days while touring DC. And on and on the story goes.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on which side of the looming deadlines and examinations you are on), classes will be finished soon and I'll have a much-needed break from the daily double grind. I hope to slow down enough that I can really be thinking creatively by the time that GIEN comes around.

I've postulated before that there is a definite benefit in taking time to think better. At what point do we lose productivity to postulation? At what point does lack of thought create an efficiency nosedive? As I sit here, thoughts swirling, I'm not sure which aspect I should scale down and which I should further engage. Let's hope that May brings us answers.

Mixed Doubles

Mixed Doubles, originally uploaded by enviziondotnet.

The Second Childhood We All Deserve

The slowdown that Leftsider has been experiencing is largely due to the glut of deadlines looming over my head like a weary ghost. Since I must appease these academic spirits with APA-format incantations, I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone and post a few here. Feel free to read at your whim.

The first was written quite some time ago, but it is relatively light. It was in reference to this editorial piece in the Chosun Ilbo.

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During my time in South Korea, I took every opportunity I could find to explore the culture, traditions and natural beauty of the peninsular country. When resources would permit, I would also take advantage of the country's location to leapfrog to neighboring Asian countries--to see what wonderful treasures they held and experience their unique perspectives on life. As I did this, one thing was always beside me as a consistent object of familiarity; the 할머님(Korean grandmother) and 할아버지님(Korean grandfather).

South Koreans often refer to retirement as a second childhood; one that allows them to shrug off the responsibilities and burdens that they have shouldered and live out their remaining years as they wish--and as their investments have provided. It explains why most tourist areas in
the country are swarming with seniors in small groups or on tours and attempts an accommodating explanation for their cantankerous and often nearly shameless behavior. Their small, bent frames testify to the dues they have paid in the rapid development of one of Asia's largest economies; it is only fitting to allow them their declining years in wandering, wine and revelry.

Chosun Dailly columnist Hong-Sub Choi writes that South Korea does itself a disservice by not employing well into elderly ages. He looks at the veritable ocean of wisdom and experience that they hold and asserts that it is best used by reentry into the Korean workforce. Looking at other countries who are pushing back the age of retirement or who currently allow workers to continue well into their years, he sees his own country at a loss by not putting this demographic back on the job.

Choi looks towards the actions of other states as an indication of South Korean inefficiency, not as responses to their own problems. He does not recognize the cultural differences of European countries that would not provide for the same level of stability and freedom for their aged. He also overlooks the fact that, like South Korea, Japan is a rapidly aging country. In a much more dire situation, Japan is doing all that it can to sustain its maturing population. South Korea has both a distinct advantage and an admirable difference that allows this phenomenon to be; yet listening to this argument, it would seem that it is true that the grass is always greener on the other side.

This second childhood is a sign of success; the right of the retired and a responsibility of the current working class. To remove it from the traditions of the Korean community would be the greater disservice to society and yet another casualty of the uniformity of globalization. There are better ways that the public could be served by the wisdom and experience of the previous generation, and a holistic approach is favorable over one that places weight on those back which have already carried so much.

In other areas of the world, there is a looming uncertainty that hangs over retirement. In western philosphies, individualistic agendas and allegiance to industry and the almighty dollar has left little room for family, let alone provision for those before us. African and Asian cultures whose principles are built around the importance of the community have a built-in structure for respecting elders and make provisions for their care. This gives those further in years the option to rest from their toils or to continue contributing to their society. They do what makes them happy; working becomes a method of comfortability instead of a matter of necessity, as it is for many older people around the world.

Even in countries where community is not as significant, there continues to be a concept of reaping the benefits of a life of hard work. South Korean seniors are a working model of such a reward for labors. A family raised successfully, in tandem with wise investments, means a life of ease in the end. Their ability to travel even in their later years is a testament to healthful living and hearty character. Truly, they act as ambassadors when traveling to various resorts and destinations, showing to all who see them that there is an element in Korean society that provides longevity in well-being.

In turn, these elders are stimulating their minds by exposing themselves to new locations, experiences, and cultures. It is well documented that constant mental stimulation is essential to clarity of mind and elasticity into our later years. This travel provides much needed neurological exercise while allowing them to apply a mature and experienced eye to the cultures which they interact with. Such assessment would be the perfect way to utilize the wisdom of this age group, as their reflections may have a distinct profundity that is cultivated from their life experiences. Additionally, they would be less likely to stay abroad to take advantage of the cultures they experience than a young student or a professional with a career still ahead of him.

To be truthful, the current generation's neglect of the teachings of the previous generation in total acceptance of a more global worldview is a large factor in the workforce issues that Choi presents. Abandonment of familial responsibilities and traditions have placed increasing strain on the social structure of Korean society. As has happened Japan, the current generation is increasingly abandoning their duties to their parents, leaving them to fend for themselves. If this is to continue unchecked, then the discussion here is moot; Korean grandparents will find themselves forced to work in order to survive. Rather than enjoying the fruits of their labor, they will find that their labor is fruitless and endless, as it is for many in other parts of the world.

Adaptation of individualistic goals have squeezed the size of the Korean family smaller and smaller, and the priority of a family has been lessened. The lower birth rate in rapidly developing states such as Korea and Japan is the issue that would be better addressed than that of whether our aged should be re-employed. An increase in value to the family would also provide seniors with an outlet to share their experiences and perspectives, passing down their knowledge to a new generation.

Of course, this is not to say that the old ways cannot be adjusted. What is needed is a balanced approach that is sensitive to both the developments of the modern world as well as the established practices that can be hailed as progressive. There still is room for improvement in both areas. If more experience and talent is needed to bolster the workforce, perhaps an accelerated path to equality between genders would be a more productive effort. There are many capable workers who are not seen as equal to their peers, and are often forced into a semi-retirement long before the retirement age is attained. Provisions to symbiotically tap into the abilities of those Koreans who are of mixed heritage should also be addressed.

In short, retirement is the second childhood that we all deserve. It should not be discredited solely because of an international tendency, nor should society's elders be forced to use their wisdom experience because our generation has neglected to accept their discipleship and training. South Korea has a unique opportunity to stand as a beacon to a successful method and should preserve it rather than sacrifice it.

10 steps to greener living

Lighter Footstep - Ten First Steps

The news is full of disturbing reports about global warming, threatened species, and the gradual realization that the way we live -- particularly in the developed nations -- will have to change if we want to enjoy a clean and sustainable future.

But there's no reason to feel overwhelmed. Every journey begins with a single step. At Lighter Footstep, we've rounded-up the ten easiest ways for you to start moving toward a lighter lifestyle.

Eating Cheaply in London

Eating Cheaply in London - Travel - New York Times

Possibly useful for when I go to London in June. Probably not, as I'll have forgotten this article by then.

Netizens here hassle Chos with 2 different spelling

INSIDE JoongAng Daily

As soon as the name of the shooter at Virginia Tech University was released last night, it was trouble for anyone named Cho Seung-hui, spelled two different ways in Korean. Internet users tracked down people with that name, leaving rude comments, curses and pleas on the guestbooks of their Web sites.

The Chase

ESPN.com: Page 2 : The Chase

Soon we will gather in front of our televisions and watch receivers run over the middle and linebackers dive headfirst at loose footballs. We will tell ourselves we could do this too, if we were paid millions, or if we were famous, or if we took steroids. But we'll forget how the game of football is born out of hunger, and courage, and desperation, and community, and hope. And how sometimes it's played in spite of everything else.

The proof is tucked away, far from our malls and mansions, in the endless fields by Lake Okeechobee, where the land burns and the rabbits run.

This is the kind of story that makes me realize how much I have forgotten of my upbringing. While I did not live anywhere near here or do anything similar, it bears the distinct feeling of survival approaching art that I remember as a child. That I attached to everyday people who stood as heroes in my early mind and heard about in stories.

Occasionally I wonder if the efficiency and advancement that technology brings is worth the loss of these basic, even primal, characteristics. The heroes of my formative years have bent with age, and their successors have abandoned the form (myself included). Is it a time forever lost?

To what extent does the reduction of poverty and suffering stifle the human capacity to persist and expand. Can I still be hungry when my needs have been met?

Sir Ken Robinson on creativity

TED | Talks | Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity? (video)

UPDATE: I spent the whole day talking about this presentation, but I never got around to discussing it here. So here's the comment a full day after I posted. Apologies.

I've been thinking about this ever since I read that article about the power of praise. Even before I listened to this rather entertaining visionary presentation, I have been thinking of how to shift my state of being from one dependent upon inherent skill to one that gives full effort without reserve. It's tough, and I'm not sure of any system created to address this for adults. Is our best hope, then, is that the development of those entering education now will be such that their creativity and innovation can help us, the aged, in the future?

Violence linked to price of beer

Mind Hacks: Violence linked to price of beer

The researchers examined admissions to 58 hospital accident and emergency departments over a five year period and found that as the price of beer increased, violence-related injuries decreased.

The mad dash home

0407 san jose, originally uploaded by Frulwinn.

This pic is from Fru's photostream, where you can see other pics of our vacation.

Saturday morning Fru and I said goodbye to Tav and headed out to catch a water taxi back to mainland. We were on our way to Changuinola to catch a bus that went directly back to San Jose. You see, it was my great-grandmother's birthday, and I had yet to see her.

We tried as best we could, but by the time we put bags down in our hotel there were only 45 minutes left of visitation hours at the center where she stays. I was more than a bit disappointed, but there's only so much that you can do, right?

So instead I dropped the little gift I had brought for her at my cousin's house. Turns out I was able to see my cousin and partner in crime, Fernando, who turned up with his girlfriend and daughter (who didn't exist last time I saw them!). We had a good time talking, and I think I almost convinced him to come up and stay in DC sometime soon. ^^

6am the next morning I was at the airport, with apparently every other tourist in a 100km radius, heading back to Newark. We bused back to Silver Spring and cabbed it home. When I woke up on Monday morning I knew I was home but didn't have a clue what I was supposed to do or what language I was supposed to be speaking (I had been studying japanese the night before). It took about 4 days before I finally caught up with myself.

All in all, not the vacation I had planned, but a good vacation nonetheless. Tav spent another day in Bocas and then flew directly to San Jose to catch his flight home. When he reached LA, he sent a text message that said it all: "No mas Pura Vida. *sigh*"

What to Do?

DSC00284, originally uploaded by Leftsider.

When you've got three days to explore dozens of islands, the schedule fills up fast. It was not helpful when it decided to rain the entirety of the first day. The next day the troops were eager to get out there--somewhere--and enjoy Bocas.

We hooked up with some ladies that Tav had met while waiting at the docks and visited the islands Zapatilla and Red Frog. Good times. Everyone was pretty tired afterwards. It was Good Friday as well, so everything was closed and, to everyone else's chagrin, alcohol was not for sale. So it was a pretty quiet night for all.

Suda el Jamon

YouTube - Suda El Jamon - "Sweat The Fat"

"Jamon" is literally "ham," which adds a particularly interesting mental picture.
I was thinking about this the other day in regards to my bit of pudge. I realize that 3-4 years ago I was doing a lot more dancing, running and other physical activity than I am now. Living in Korea--the land of thin--helped me out while I was there, but now that I'm back and surrounded by "healthy" portions, processed food, and sugar levels that would just caramelize the Korean peninsula and Asia in general, I feel a need to get active again.

I won't go into previous discussions about how I wrestle with that. I just wanted to share this video because the spanish title has potential to become a bit of a private encouragement between Fru and I; almost like a "give it your best."

How inspiring can this video be, however, when you know that getting healthy and exerting yourself physically is potentially lucrative to Nike? That they can spend a large sum of money making a video like this based on the return they expect--not based on their concern for your well-being. Is it really a commendable video when it is just showing your competitor (plastic surgery, medical body alteration) in a harsh light?

Leftsider props to Snap.com

Just as an aside, I'd like to recognize Snap and let them know how cool a team I think they are.

If you aren't already aware, Snap.com provides a script that generates a small window preview of any outgoing links on your site. It's a novel little idea that gained popularity quickly. Just as fast, however, it gained a lot of (undeserved, IMHO) criticism from some of the web's finest, claiming that it was obtrusive, garish, and disrupted the flow of the web reading "experience."

The commendable thing about the team at Snap is that they didn't just listen to the needs of those people who loved and used them. They also listened to the nay-sayers and implemented features that allowed you to personally turn off Snap's preview boxes on a individual or total basis. Then they updated the script to give the administrator the ability to use the boxes as usual or to in an "upon-click" manner. Listen to the flack, then shut them up. Excellent.

Now yesterday as I was putting up the first half of the vacation presentation, I noticed that the boxes were changing as I posted. Now, they support flickr photostreams and youtube videos more directly, along with a list of other sites that they make direct accommodation for. Constant improvement based on objective reception of feedback, good or bad, and logical progression always wins a big beat of pride in my heart. Keep up the good work Snap; success will be yours.

DSC00272

DSC00272, originally uploaded by Leftsider.

Gray day, rainy, spent mainly in a bus and making/translating chitchat with our group members (largely because that was the extent of my spanish). Tired, largely over it all, I squeezed into the last spot on an overcrowded water taxi so that Fru wouldn't arrive at Bocas alone. I left Tav with his drinking buddy Ramiro at the dock for the next boat.

I'm staring out at the water. It's overcast but the water is still so clear. Then I spot it: A dolphin jumping out of the water about 20 meters away from our boat.

This is about the time that I realized that I live a life that could arguably show up on one of those old American Express commercials. Ten years ago I would have never imagined that I'd purposely spend my birthday traveling in Central America with relatively affluent tourmates, a beautiful wife and so on. I've lived abroad, I can effectively mangle four languages, been on television, been published. Despite how I like to look at it, or how I stack up against others in the United States, I am privileged. And I'm ok with that.^^

Here's a tidbit for your next beer/wine/cocktail party (my professor says this at least three times a class): The average monthly income of a Costarricense is US$300. Yeah. I'm privileged.

Ramblin' Man

DSC00265, originally uploaded by Leftsider.

You may be saying to yourself, "Man, I thought this was going to be a peaceful and relaxing trip... looks like they never stop!" You would be thinking the exact same thing I was thinking.

My general routine for my Costa Rica trips is as such: Fly in, Spend two days at my auntie's house bumming food and watching american movies with spanish subtitles to refresh my language, riding to Limon and vegging out at the beaches, go back one day before my flight leaves to see my great-grandma, fly home. Lots of meals with family and hanging out all through there.

This time though I had to keep people entertained. I was a host and so I was rapidly getting cranky because I hadn't found my relaxation yet. When Ramiro asked if we would be interested in touring Bocas del Toro, Panama, with a group he was taking down, I was torn as it would further prevent me from enjoying my usual hideaways. But, it was another stamp on the passport and a ridiculously low price; we took the offer and were soon walking (yes, walking) across this bridge to Changuinola, Panama.

Iraizu and Cartago

DSC00219, originally uploaded by Leftsider.

The next day we went to another volcano, Iraizu, which also was very cold and lacking lava as seen here. I was floored not so much by the crater itself as I was by the drastic change in the flora of the area. I'm not sure if that is because of the sulfuric content, because of the elevation and temperature, or if it means that I should consider a career in studying plant life, but I was impressed.

After the volcano we toured through Cartago, Costa Rica's first settlement. We saw the ruins of the first catholic church, the man-made lake and hydroelectric dam that powers much of Cartago and San Jose, and the Basilica. I'm sure we did something else but I forgot.

Oh wait, we got stuck on the side of the road on the way to the volcano due to our van overheating, and we almost got stranded due to corroded cables unhooking form the van's battery and leaving the van dead. Other than that though, it was a wonderful time.

The next morning we left for Limon.

In the gardens

DSC00175, originally uploaded by Leftsider.

Stop three was to the Waterfall Gardens, where they have a bunch of cool stuff in addition to waterfalls. The butterfly garden was probably the highlight of the tour, although only edging out the hummingbird garden. There was also an orchid garden, which probably wouldn't have been so pathetic if I hadn't been to the world's largest orchid garden a year or so earlier. The snake tour was lame, though. And there were some other things that didn't really register.

The guy in the photo was in our tour group along with his mother and sister. They lived in Chiba prefecture, Japan. The mother studied Spanish in college and therefore was ok touring around. The kids were studying English, of course. So we had a good time with a few minutes of NihonSpanglish as the six of us communicated. :)

We ended off the tour with a river ride in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. Spotting birds and sloths and monkeys in the trees; things of that sort. Finally it was time to drive back to San Jose and call it a night.

Volcano!

DSC00161, originally uploaded by Leftsider.

Next stop was the volcano at Poas. When I think volcano, I think black rock, red lava, and searing, painful heat. What I got was paved road, a crater, acool breeze and the smell of eggs(sulfur).

The clouds to the left covered the crater about 5 minutes after I took this photo. They say Costa Rica's 130 active volcanoes are covered about 70% of the time, so I guess we were lucky.

DSC00144

DSC00144, originally uploaded by Leftsider.

The next day found us bright and early on a tour bus. First stop, a wonderful breakfast and tour of the Doka Estate Coffee company. You can click the photo and select the trip set to view more photos of this leg of the journey.