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One of the first days that I was on the farm some of the cows got out and were running around in the front yard.The Spanish noises they use to get the cows moving back home are like, "yah- ick- punta" (which I think is s*** in Spanish or some other word like that).It was funny to watch as they yelled, chasing the cows and then the cows running the wrong way.I felt like the cows were teasing their owners.In fact whenever I go for walks on the farm I always visit the cows.They make weird faces at me, I swear and they like to stare.One time, an individual started to poop close to me only to result in warm splats on my legs and side.Nothing like worm cow crap on a sunny evening.Dad, I had a flashback to the day I learned what the word Dung meant.Do you remember teaching me that word?I do, on a car ride in the valley.
In my second week I witnessed a real-life chicken fight in my back yard.They have about 30-40 chickens in a coupe behind the house and about 2 that just graze the lawn all day, what a life.Anyway, so I am walking by the coupe and look inside to find two hens going at it making "bawks"to go along with the intensity of what I am seeing.This went on for about 5 minutes, WOW.They have vigor, straight vigor.P.S. What do chickens fight about?Food spots?Friendship with other hens?Who gets the last watermelon seed?Who knows, it seems like a pretty simple life to me.
Speaking of fights, on my walk back from the La Escuela Creativa (aka alternative school in town where there is a forest I use for my project) I was enjoying the sunshine and the tunes playing softly from my ipod (yes, I walk and listen to my ipod…I am that person).With my ears in active mode I can't help but listen to the bird calls.I first hear an AWESOME bird call of which I identified as the great kiskadee (not THAT awesome), a very common species in fragmented areas.I also heard my fair share of Grackles, which are the equivalent of crows or cowbirds.THEN I hear a cat growl on the left side.I look down to see a black cat with its tail and back raised growling at an orange cat across the way.In a blink of an eye, this black cat is ALL over the other one.It was like a scene from Planet Earth where two wild cats are doing summersalts while attached to each other, pinning each other down and clawing.It was amazing and mesmerizing.Who would have thought, in Costa Rica?
This reminds me, not only are the cats crazy hear, but the dogs are strange here too.A dog to a Costa Rican is rarely just a pet.Instead it guards the house or helps out on the farm.It is truly rare to see a Costa Rican petting their dog or using baby talk. Everyday when I leave the house on my long walk there is this one dog that follows me for 40 minutes.I can't figure out who the owner is, there probably isn't one.It has this awkward limp that just makes me put on the sad face.But I guess it seems like a happy dog.However, I won't touch it cause it looks kind of grungy and well I've been sick too much on this trip already (that means 3 times).Nery and Victor have a German Sheppard who is the most docile, sweet thing.This totally changed my stereotype of German Sheppards.Every time I pet it, it groans AND when I am walking on the farm it follows me around.
On a side note, the cats on this farm get fresh milk from the cows for dinner.What a storybook way of doing things?
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