bashó...banana tree

I have been reading a lot this week because most of my counterparts have left for the holiday season and won´t return until later in January, which is fine by me. I´d rather celebrate my 25th birthday reading rather than working. In fact I´d love to spend the next 2 years reading rather than working.

I did however get the opportunity to live like a local the past few days. (Other than living in my cell, I mean). I have been going out to the farms to pick bananas and coffee beans. One of my neighbors asked if I wanted to see the farm so after a short hike we got to her private farm. I got to crawl under chicken wire without scratching myself (can that go on the resumé?), chop down plants with a machete (can´t wait to buy one of those), pick coffee beans (Starbucks anyone?), and manage to yet again, sprain my ankle!

For those of you that don´t know me, I am notorious for spraining my ankle. It is just a way of life for me. About every 4 years of my life, I manage to sprain my ankle in some crazy accident.

Foolishly, I tried to balance myself of a branch of a banana plant, it broke and I fell, making a complete idiot out of myself. On top of that, there was a piece of chicken wire under the branch (of all places), and I got stuck on it for a good 5 minutes. I must have really looked like a city girl gringa at that moment. But it´s all good. My ankle is just fine now and I´ll be back to picking coffee beans for Starbucks in no time.