THE FLIP FLOP LIFE

0645 We leave the house by foot and go to the beach. While we walk, we collect wild almonds and leaves for the monkeys, sloths and parrots at the center.

0730 We arrive at the center. After a quick meeting to decide who cleans what, we head to pick up a wheelbarrow, desinfectant, brushes, clothes, racks, brooms and a bucket and we start cleaning cages.

0930 The morning dishes need to be delivered. The volunteers bring the food to the parakeets, parrots, toucans and sloths that are not in the clinic.

1000 Time for a break at the center’s café. Coffee is available and we sit to enjoy a nice cup of coffee, watching the trees (and the peccari who often comes to say hi)

1030 We move to different tasks. More cleaning tasks, I mean. Some volunteers move to the laundry, to rinse the blankets of all shit before they go to the washing machine. Some others move to the kitchen to do dishes. Or to desinfect the enclosures that have been vacated to prepare for new arrivals. Or to brush off the mold that appears on the enclosures.

1200 Frank and I go for lunch. Sometimes, we coincide with the vet team or with other volunteers. It is a nice time to get to know them a bit. After so many months working alone at home for Osa Conservation it is nice to socialize with the team.

1245 We are back to work for the afternoon chores. We need to babysit the pelican so that it starts developing muscle in the wings and gets to fly. Frank and I take turns. If he is babysitting, I am usually cleaning dishes or helping preparing dishes at the kitchen. If I am babysitting, Frank takes care of the rats. Or he racks the premises, collecting all the leaves from the paths. But other days are different, for example the other day we were asked to clean the horse enclosure, pick up all their poo, take it to the bonfire, take away the sawdust, clean the food containers, put new sawdust and enter the horses (we have two).

1430 It is time to distribute the afternoon plates to the animals again. They are waiting for us. Eagerly, I should add.

1500 Back to the kitchen to clean. The other day, there were 84 kilos of carrots that needed to be washed, dried and stored.

1530 We are done for the day. Time to take away the rubber boots, put the flip flops and walk home. Who knows, may be there is time for a quick swim at the beach!!

Time has flown!