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Dec
16
Keep Them in “Suspense”
December 16, 2009 | Tags: Uncategorized | Comments Off
 As Timoteo walks across the bridge, you can get an idea of the broken wooden flooring. |
Suspension bridges are vital in the jungle. They can be constructed by volunteer labor, with assistance from a local contractor skilled at buying materials and working in jungle conditions.
Alex Fang and Bill Stefanacci, representing Surf For Life, visited here to work on a promotional video for Surf For Life, an organization that plans, among other things, to team up professional surfers and volunteers to raise money for projects requiring cash and labor to benefit people served by The Bridge.
Here’s information from Alex about Surf For Life, also called “S4L”:
Surf For Life is a non-profit organization designed to connect surfers and non-surfers with community service activities to create impact on an international level. Our Mission is to channel the interest and energy of individuals into teams that travel to various project sites where they serve as hands-on volun-tourists and goodwill advocates.
And some background Information from Bill Stefanacci.
Bill Stefanacci is an audio professional in San Francisco. He specializes in documentary and educational television and music production services for network producers. He also runs a free martial arts school and surfs whenever practical. Bill has been on the core Surf for Life Team for about a year and participated in the first S4L mission.
We spent some time with them talking about the types of projects that can be done by volunteers here at The Bridge.
We also took them over to meet Timoteo Jackson, a tribal elder. Timoteo told us about the suspension bridge near his home. A half-dozen families use the bridge to get from their homes on one side of the river, to work, school, medical attention, and food on the other. The bridge is in terrible shape.
As we walked across the bridge following Timo, Bill took a video of the bridge and its condition. You can see that video for yourself at the link below. It also contains an interview with Tom Franklin, owner of Bread & Chocolate, with his ideas for several projects that could benefit the youth of Puerto Viejo. And, I’m on there as well, talking about projects here, as well as a project to fix this bridge, and perhaps build another.
The video will take a little time to download, but please watch it! See the video at www.workingmedia.com/trip. Click on this link, which will take you to a page that says: “Download Surf for Life Movie, Right click here.”
We look forward to working on many projects with Alex and the S4L crew!
 Article by Barry Stevens. Barry, along with his wife Nanci Wright, are the team behind El Puente-The Bridge. This organization offers educational assistance, food, and microloans mainly to indigenous people in the Talamanca area of Costa Rica. Used together, these programs provide powerful support for families working together toward self-sufficiency. More information is available at www.elpuente-thebridge.org. |
Nov
6
Chain stores come to Puerto Viejo
November 6, 2009 | Tags: Uncategorized | 11 Comments
Until now Puerto Viejo had been completely free of chain stores, with a mix of local stores and restaurants opened by longtime residents and by ex-pats. But with the Mega Super about to open right in downtown, that’s about to change.
Construction has also started downtown (on the lot south of the new KOKi Beach Restaurant behind the Artisans Market stands) on a new AM/PM Market.
The new Mega Super about to open in Puerto Viejo
Construction site of the new AM/PM Market
Sep
21
How many years left for the 101-year-old Sixaola River Bridge?
September 21, 2009 | Tags: Uncategorized | Comments Off
The 101-year-old bridge that gaps the border of Costa Rica and Panama at Sixaola, Costa Rica and Changuinola, Panama is falling apart. This wooden floored bridge is such bad condition that only one truck can pass at a time. If two trucks are on the bridge at the same time, it is believed that the bridge will fall down.
The Panamanians come into Costa Rica to buy groceries, which they say are less expensive in Sixaola. The Costa Ricans go into Panama to buy clothing, shoes and appliances, which they say are less expensive in Changuinola. Many Costa Rican school children walk across the bridge daily to attend school in Panama. The Panamanians say their schools are better. Some Panamanian kids attend school in Costa Rica.
Tourists cross the bridge as part of the tourist track between Puerto Viejo and the Bocas del Toro islands in Panama. Tourists also generally remark how many things change as they cross the border. Business owners on both sides of the border wonder what will happen to their businesses if this critical tourist route were to close for an extended period.
Walking across the bridge is a lesson in faith… faith that the bridge will last until you walk back.
Everyone who works in the border zone wonders how much longer the decrepit structure will stand.
| Article and photos by Wendy Strebe. Wendy and Erich Strebe are the proprietors of Cashew Hill Jungle Cottages. Seven unique, one, two and three-bedroom, fully-equipped houses to choose from. More information at www.cashewhilllodge.co.cr |
Aug
13
Recycling Program Back Online and Needs Volunteers
August 13, 2009 | Tags: Uncategorized | Comments Off
Since the recycling service started up again last week they’ve been inundated with six times the normal amount of materials. You have done a Fabulous job of saving your recyclables while the service was suspended.
Our friends at Biological Corridor have taken over the day to day management of the collection and separation system. You can understand, as with any new endeavor, there is a learning curve.
Have you seen our recycling center? It’s set in the jungle, bordered with gingerbread, there’s a really cool recycled bottle wall. Now, imagine the recycling center literally overflowing with tons of materials for the new team to deal with.
The Corridor is calling for you to come give a hand.
It may not be sexy work, but it is work that you can feel good about! The Corridor is seeking volunteers to participate in the process from now and until about a month from now when they can get on top of this big and important job.
Some businesses, thank you Hotel Guaraná, Casa Viva, & Café Viejo, have sent employees to the recycling collection center in Patiño to help out for a day or three (and they’ve paid their salaries!)
Please contact:
Alaine, in English: at
ATEC 2750 0398 or
cel 8320 4821 or
home for a while 2750 0089
or the Corridor en español:
2756 8033 or
2756 8136
If you can’t help out in person, consider making a donation. You can arrange that through ATEC or online with a credit card here on Puerto Viejo Satellite and we will cover all credit card fees so 100% of your donation gets to the organization.
Source: Greencoast.com: Urgent Call for Volunteers–Llamada para voluntarios
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