Hi,
I´m Maya and I´ve been here for almost a month. Tomorrow I´m going to Rio Oro for a week for the first time and I´m excited to see a ton of turtles. The first day I got here we had orientation. In this orientation we discussed patrols, shifts, and a way of transportation throughout town: biking. I never learned to ride a bike so this was a moment of anxiety. As I started to tell people that I couldnt ride a bike they all looked at me in astonishment like I had just grown a third eye. One of my friends, Molly, started teaching me how to ride a bike. It was not easy. I fell a lot and have the cuts and bruises to prove it. As the weeks went on others from the hostel started to help me. They would hold the bike so I could balance or give me tips. Then the locals started getting involved. First two girls around age ten started trying to teach me, at this point I could last a few seconds before comming face to face with the ground. One of the girls, Wendy, was my host sister so she told that I should bring a bike home the next day so she could teach me how to ride a bike. I came prepared, bike and all. to my surprise it wasn´t just her helping it was her Aunt Angy aswell. They held onto the seat of my bike and ran next to me as we biked down the road. It was a rush! I was biking!!! it was so exciting! They would let go without me knowing and I would keep going by myslef. I was exstatic. However, getting started as a whole nother story. I tried to do it myself and failed most of the time. Now, about a week later I am briking to and from my host family´s house from the hostel. It still takes me a few tries to get started and I can almost bike in a straight line. Learning how to bike was such an unexpected accomplishment from being here. I am so excited to take this skill wherever I go. Thank you Drake Bay!
-Maya