Pura Vida, Pumas, and Living in the Mist

Whenever you move somewhere new, you have the incredible opportunity to experience strange and novel things.  This past weekend was the region's first-ever strawberry festival and ADE hosted a dessert-making competition, an eating competition, and a "strawberry war" (think paintball with rotten strawberries as ammunition) to raise money for the school.  It was really cool to see so many people from the community making food, selling trinkets, and having a great time.  The people here have rough, unglamorous lives, but still manage to celebrate living in the moment, express gratitude for all they have, and share themselves fully with others -- an attitude known in Costa Rica as "pura vida."