primer dia de la escuela

What I'm doing: Yesterday was my first day of classes! I had Spanish and History/Culture yesterday. I am in the lower level Spanish class, which I was a little sad about at first, but it will be much easier for me to understand everything. I told my host sister that, and she said "Your Spanish is so good, why are you in the lower level?!" which made me feel a little bit better. :) My Spanish teacher is hilarious. We spend the first part of class talking about ourselves. She would ask us different questions like if you were an animal, what animal would you be? And we also talked about when we see a guy walking down the street, what is the first thing you notice about him? Our teacher told us all about how she loves black guys! I could not stop laughing during class; we were having so much fun.

History/Culture class is more lecture based, so it is not as exciting as Spanish. Our teacher is so enthusiastic and clearly loves to teach about Costa Rica.

Last night my host mom and I went to the store to buy fruit. I love outings like these with my family. She had a special bag to put her fruit in that we dropped on our way to the market. We went back to look at it, and it was gone already! Someone had taken it... My host mom was very sad because it had been her mom's bag. It's crazy because if we had been in the US in my neighborhood, someone would have ran after me saying, "oh you dropped your bag!" But that is not the case here in Costa Rica.

My host family are the nicest people in the world. They are so sweet, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been placed with them. Here's a picture of my host mom and I. :)

Today we were given our assignments for our service learning project. Service learning is a 3 credit course because we are also doing a research project for it. Sydney and I are partners, therefore we were placed in the same place. Some students are working in preschools, others are working in public health centers. Sydney and I are in a bilingual high school. It is perfect since we both want to be teachers!

This afternoon we had our first ecology class. The professor is new, young, and equally funny as my Spanish teacher. He mostly spoke to us in English today, and he said that we would ease our way into Spanish. I have not taken any science classes since highschool, so hopefully I will understand what we are talking about. The course will be focused on sustainability, which was one of my favorite things we talked about in Envi Sci during high school. We are going to a forest this weekend for a fieldtrip, which will be fun.

Does anyone have any questions they were wondering about Costa Rica?

Con mucho amor.

Las musas y la iglesia

What I'm doing: Yesterday we went to a place called Las Musas. We had to take a taxi, and there were 6 of us. One of our friends ended up chasing down a van taxi and we all climbed in. I am sure the taxi driver probably thought we were crazy because we were taking pictures and giggling in the back seats.

There was a beautiful waterfall that we swam around, and a huge pool. There is also ziplining and horse back riding that we did not do. The waterfall was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It really felt like we were in a forest by ourselves!

We took lots of silly pictures by the pool and entrance. Almost our whole group went to las musas together, which was so fun to spend time together.

I also got a cell phone yesterday! I have around 7 contacts and received my first text and call yesterday!

My goal for this week: to stop speaking English. One of my friends who went abroad last year told me: "It's easier to speak english but you're there to challenge yourself and learn my love." And that is exactly what I need to do.

Last night I went to a youth group at the church my family goes to. We played some silly games, sang a few songs and listened to a message. Today I went to church with them. The youth group definitley reminded me of campaigners/Younglife in high school. I was much more shy than normal; it is harder to connect with people in another language because a lot of the time I do not know how to ask the deep questions that friendships and relationships are based on. I understood a lot of the sermons, but not everything. I figured that God would let me hear what I needed to hear. :)

I really feel like God has a purpose and plan for me here in Costa Rica, but I just do not know what it is yet. Some of my favorite points from church:

• No necesito tomar y fumar para disfrutar.
• Donde estan los critianos en este tiempo?
• Necesito la paz del Dios.
• La esperanza con El que es la fuente de la vida.
• Has escuchado a que el Dios tratando decir a usted?

What I'm loving: These quotes. :)

from: here, here, and here

Con mucho amor.

Belly dancing, Lady Gaga, and trips to the store

What I'm doing: The festival has been amazing so far! Yesterday we went to the parade in the morning. We saw the start of the parade and there were only a few saints and one band, but then we saw the end and there were over 60 saints that had joined the parade! Instead of throwing candy like in the US, people threw bags of ground coffee.

After the parade we went and got milkshakes. My favorite kind is called maracuya, or passionfruit. It is very delicious. We were sitting on a bench that wasn't facing the parade. A band walked by playing Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. My friends and I looked at eachother and started laughing. There are influences from the US everywhere. 

There was also a concert yesterday, a band called Chiqui Chiqui. Here is a link to one of their songs. I think it is the same band we saw. :) Before the concert started there were belly dancers, which surprised me. After we watched the belly dancing and raffle drawings for an hour, the band actually started playing. We were just standing listening to the music when all of a sudden four middle-aged women started dancing with us! They were so nice, and they showed us different dance moves. Here's a blurry picture from the concert.

After the dancing we walked our friend back to her house on the other side of the city. She lives in "la entrenada de la ciudad," or the entrance of the city. We had beautiful views of the houses and mountains around us. Reminds me that we have so much left to see of the country.

Last night I went to the store with my host mom and brother, and I had the best time. It is little moments like helping wash the dishes, and going to the store, that I love. The little precious moments in life are the best moments in life.

Con mucho amor.

telefono celular

What I'm doing: Today was FULL of adventures. This morning during class we learned about the banks, and then we went on a walking tour of the city. We saw schools, churches, the library, the post office, and more. We finished our tour early and wandered the city. I made my first purchase in Costa Rica: shampoo, conditioner, a towel and a notebook for school. For lunch I had rice, beans, and salad.

This afternoon we had our first history/culture class. We talked about different types of observations. This weekend is a festival for the city, and we are supposed to take notes and observe what is going on. After class got over the real adventures began. We tried to get cell phones... One store did not have the chip people need. We went to a tiny store where an old man tried to help us at first, but he could not hear very well. Then a lady tried to help us. No one could understand eachother and she kept yelling at us... We ended up leaving because everyone was just frustrated. Other people in the store kept laughing at us too!

Right after we left that store we were standing on the street corner laughing so hard we were crying. All of a sudden a lady comes up and asks Sydney where to buy a cell phone. Who would come up to a group of white people and ask us where anything is?! Such an adventure though...we could not stop laughing at the afternoon's events.

What I'm listening to: Kari Jobe is a Christian artist who sings in Spanish and English. A mi Corazon Tranquillas is one of my favorite songs right now. Listening to Spanish music helps me with my listening.

Con mucho amor.

Primer dia

What I'm doing: Today was my first full day in Costa Rica, and it has been quite the adventure already. I woke up bright and early. My host mom walked me to the center where we will take our classes, and we started to learn about our new home in San Ramon. Me and two other girls from our group walked home together for lunch. We got lost and had to ask for some help. I had fish, mashed potatoes, veggies and cake for lunch. In Costa Rica they eat a large lunch and small breakfast and dinner.

After lunch we learned more about cultural differences. Walking to and from school many people stared at us. It is so so different being the outsiders. I have never moved homes or schools, so I am used to the same people and the same life.

Here is one of the handouts we were given today. It is North America and South America flipped upside down. It shows the difference a change in perspective can make.

Here is my bedroom at my house here. It has pink walls and lots of room for all my clothes.

Con mucho amor.

12 days

What I'm reading: Khloe Kardashian posted an amazing poem on her blog that I loved.  It is all about taking each days as it comes.  As the countdown till I leave gets smaller and smaller, I have to appreciate every single day I have here, and every day I will have abroad.  Life is very precious.  Here's the poem.

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry.
Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders, Its aches and pains.
Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed.
We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow.
With its possible adversities, Its burdens,
Its large promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow’s Sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,
but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
This just leaves only one day . . . Today.
Any person can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternity’s -
yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad.
It is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday
and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore live but one day at a time.

~ Author Unknown ~

What I'm working on: I am going to miss my family and friends SO SO much when I am gone.  So, naturally, I came up with a project to solve that problem a little bit.  I asked people to write me notes with quotes and advice for traveling.  I've started putting the notes together in a book.  I am adding quotes of my own, along with magazine clippings to inspire me. 

Family and friends who are reading this: please send me something so I can add it to my book before I leave!  I want to include as many people as possible. :) Here is a collage of several pages so far. 

What I'm looking at: I need to make a Costa Rica bucket list.  Here are some more beautiful places and things.  The first thing on my bucket list?  See a sloth.

Sloth Sanctuary

Rio Celeste

from: here and here

Con mucho amor.

13 days

What's going on in my life: In 13 days I will leave for the adventure of a lifetime.  I will be studying abroad in Costa Rica.  I have not posted much this summer because I have been working two jobs, but I want to post while I am abroad.  I want to capture moments, memories and stories for friends and family to read.  Going abroad is not just an experience for me, it is an experience for those that I share life with as well. 

What I'm thinking about: I follow Jefferson Bethke on Twitter, and I just discovered that he has a blog.  His last post was about giving God glory no matter where you are...God puts people exactly where they need to be.  It made me feel content about being in Costa Rica.  It is exactly where I am supposed to be in this season of my life. 

What I'm listening to: Home by Phillip Phillips.  I was obsessed with watching the Olympics, and this was the song they played while talking about the gymnastics portion of the games.  The lyrics go along perfectly with the next chapter of my life. 

"As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home."

This is a picture of my new home.
From: here

Con mucho amor.