Quick Update!

A couple things...

-Jon got here safely and we are leaving tomorrow for some travels before heading back home.
-I GOT A JOB!! I will be returning to Costa Rica after the holidays to work at Sojourn! I am very excited about this (and so were my students). :)
-To improve my Spanish I will be moving in with a Tica lady who I met today. She is wonderful and I think we will have a lot of fun.

Thanks for your prayers...my future became much clearer in the last 24 hours!

Hippies and Futbol

Peace.

So Friday was "Blast from the Past" day at Sojourn. Being the fun and involved teachers that we are, Kate, Tricia, and I dug through our closets and swapped clothes until the perfect outfits were achieved. Thanks to Kate's jewelry collection our looks were completed. Our neighbors Steve and Diane were doing a photo shoot for us when Steve was inspired to go hippie as well. Needless to say, us girls were quite the hit at school and the children loved it. :)

Kim, Kate, Peggy, Me, and Tricia

I am SO inspirational.

To add even more excitement to the weekend we discovered that Sunday San Jose's futbol team, Saprissa, was having a promotion. Ladies wearing purple (the team's color) would get a free ticket! Clearly we had to go since we had bought Saprissa jersey's a couple months ago. This is when the adventure began. We bundled up (yes, it can be chilly in Costa Rica), took a bus into downtown San Jose, and then grabbed a taxi to the stadium. On our way to find the ticket office we stopped so Laura could buy a jersey. Apparently a Tico newscrew thought this would be a great clip for the nightly news and started filming us. Being the dignified Gringas that we are, we broke into uncontrollable laughter and quickly fled the situation. So we make it into the ticket office and Trish and I go to the counter. I tell the man in Spanish that we all have purple shirts and need free tickets. He tells me that we can only get in for free if we go in with paying men (a small detail the website failed to mention). But, gracias a Dios, at the ticket counter next to us were 4 Tico hombres listening in on our conversation. They quickly offered to get us into the game. We, having no other option, started laughing and agreed. Thus began a night of lots of Spanish, laughing, and yelling "gol" and "vaya, hombre!" It was a good time. And Saprissa ended up beating Liberia 5- 0.

Costa Rica never fails to offer me fun times and new adventures. Life here is always full of surprises. It is sad that I will be leaving in just 2 short weeks (November 28), but I still have lots of travels and even a Thanksgiving meal to enjoy before I fly home. And...Jon comes on Friday!

Please continue to pray for future decisions as I start to finalize plans for January and beyond. There is still a lot up in the air, but God has a plan...He just hasn't shown me yet. :)

Fun Times, Trick or Treaters, and a Lot of Rice

Buenas! This week has been packed with cultural experiences and Spanish practice...always a good thing! Sunday we had a combined birthday fiesta for Tricia and Kim V at the neighbor's house. We ate Tres Leches cake (delicious!) and spoke lots of Spanish with our Tico neighbors. Monday Tricia and I spent the evening at Carlos and Clara's house practicing conversational Spanish. It was so fun! On Tuesday us girls had another fiesta at Kim V's Tico family's house for her birthday. We ate lots of pizza, some chocolate cake, and basically made fools of ourselves in front of her Tico family. They loved us (we know this because they invited us over again!). We even played the Spanish version of Scrabble! Wednesday and Thursday were low key...lots of planning and work to get done. However, I did complete my garden and it looks beautiful! It has been my project these last few weeks.

Friday was, of course, Halloween. While not much celebrated in Costa Rica some of the gringo families were ready for a taste of home. So the children dressed up and went to Halloween parties at each others' houses. Some even stopped by to trick or treat at our house. :) (My students are Batman and the gypsy)

This weekend was a good one. It is an amazing feeling to go to bed without setting the alarm for 5: 15 in the morning. Gracias a Dios for days to sleep in! After the feria on Saturday us girls hopped on a bus and headed to Moravia, a small town right out side San Jose that has tons of artisan stores. We explored the shops and got a head start on Christmas shopping. I bought some beautiful things and it was great to get out of San Jose for a bit! On the way back we stopped in downtown San Jose for some more shopping and sight seeing. We are getting to know our way around the city fairly well now which makes it much less intimidating. We ended the night with some Chinese food and a grocery store run.

Today I learned how to cook Costa Rican food! Clara had us girls over for a cooking demonstration. We made arroz con pollo, ensalada de papa, and arroz con leche. Steve and Diane came over to enjoy the feast with us. Everything was delicious! I was very proud of myself for a whole day of Espanol and being a real Tica in the kitchen.

It is crazy for me to think that I fly out November 28. It is certainly coming quickly and this makes me very sad. Around the 2 month mark is just about when you start to really feel comfortable and really start to deepen friendships...and now I am leaving in a few weeks. No bueno. Please pray for me as God makes the future clearer. Because right now, I have no idea where He is going to take me. :)

PS- I forgot to mention that we redecorated the house and hung up Christmas lights! It is looking to homey and festive over here! (and perhaps a little ghetto, but we do the best we can...)

Una Cosita Mas-

I got my first birthday present today! Almost 2 months early, I know, but my neighbor found out that my birthday is in December and since I won't be here then he decided to give me an early gift. Carlos and Clara are an elderly Tico couple who are precious. Carlos is an artist and this morning he painted me a picture and gave it to me this afternoon! Isn't it beautiful?!

Fun in the Sun

Hello Friends!
It is a week late in coming, but I thought I would fill you in on my trip to the Caribbean last weekend. Friday was the last day in the term so we had off this past Monday. The girls and I decided to get away for awhile so we got in a bus headed to Puerto Viejo, a city on the southeast coast of Costa Rica.

Puerto Viejo is a laid back surf town filled with beach bums, tourists, and pot smokers. It is a beautiful place during the day, but when we stepped off the bus and 9: 00 at night we were quite taken aback. Of course it didn't help that a man who appeared homeless was trying to "help" us find our hotel by following us the whole way there and attempting to converse with us in a Spanish/English/Jamaican mixture. Creepy. However, we made it safely to the hotel where we were informed that this is a rather common occurance. We were also informed that we didn't have a reservation (even though I had an email confirmation) and they didn't have any openings until the next night. Apparently internet reservations are unreliable in Costa Rica. Lucky for us, though, the hotel owner's friend owned a hostel a couple blocks away. So there we trekked and were greet by a shirtless surfer rolling pot as he checked us in. It was an interesting first night.

The next morning, however, proved that Puerto Viejo is actually quite a charming beach town. We started the morning with breakfast at a nearby cafe- huge bowls of fruit and granola and glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice. Then we rented bikes (the beach cruiser type with baskets) and sent off down the coast. We stopped at a beach for awhile and enjoyed the warm sun and clear water. Then we continued exploring down the coast. In the evening we shopped at the artisan booths and markets- I got a great hammock! We had some dinner and dessert and then went back to the hotel (the original one we were supposed to be at).

The next day was picture perfect. More fruit and fresh pineapple juice for breakfast and then biking. This time we biked all the way down to Punta Uva were there is a coral reef. I snorkeled for the first time which was so fun even though it wasn't as great as I expected. From the beach we could hear gorillas in the distance. We hung out at the beach all day snorkeling and sunning. Then Kate and I ventured into the rainforest to explore. We found some trails leading to amazing lookout points (and some scary cliffs). It was incredible. Some of the other girls found a bike path through the rainforest so we tried it on the way back and discovered that it led us all the way back to Puerto Viejo. It was a gorgeous ride complete with a stop on a rope swing. That night we ate authentic Carribbean food to top it all off.

Our beach adventure ended with an early morning to watch the sun rise and then a breathtaking bus ride home through the mountains and the rainforests. God has made so many beautiful places and I am so thankful to be surrounded by so many of them here!

Culture Day

Hiding from the animals in Madagascar

Yesterday (Friday) was Culture Day at Sojourn! It is basically an alternative to Columbus Day (they don't really like him down here) and a chance to have a whole day of fun. Each class represented a country by learning about it, decorating the classroom, dressing in typical clothes, and making a typical food. This is a wonderful idea considering that in my class alone there are students from El Salvador, China, Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, and of course Costa Rica and the United States. 1st grade learned all about Venezuela this week. On Monday we had a mom from Venezuela come and give a presentation about the country with pictures, on Tuesday we made flags, on Wednesday we looked at artifacts, on Thursday we cooked arepas in class, and on Friday we wore blue, yellow, and red and showed what we knew to the school! Some moms made polvorosas- a Venezuelan shortbread cookie- to serve and each student had a special job in the classroom. Some welcomed visitors into the class with "Bienvenidos a Venezuela!" while others showed the flag and told what it represents. We had students on cookie patrol and others explaining various artifacts from Venezuela, such as money (bolivares). The students did such a good job and were so excited to share what they knew!
I certainly learned a lot of flexibility during the day's festivities as little was communicated and the whole day was chaos- welcome to Costa Rica. However, my students loved it (so did I!). We "visited" Cuba, Madagascar, Hungary, Russia, Iraq, China, Japan, Australia, and Israel. The school day ended with an assembly (complete with parents and ILE students) celebrating many different cultures and languages. To be honest, I had tears in my eyes at times.

It is amazing to be in a place that is so welcoming and diverse. It is in situations like these that you truly learn and grow.

Last night the elementary teachers had a sleep over which involved a lot of junk food and catch phrase. The camaraderie among the 8 of us is so encouraging...it is a blessing to work with them!

Us girls are currently planning a trip to the Carribean next weekend for some beaching! You will be hearing about that soon. :)

Teaching, Learning, and Exploring

Buenas! I know it has been awhile since my last post, but the days just seem to fly by before I realize I need to update everyone! I am now teaching full time which I love. It takes a lot of planning and a lot of energy, but everyday I go home knowing that I am right where I am supposed to be. It's a good feeling. Teaching is certainly rewarding, too....I have received a number of gifts from students including stamps and ink, post- it pads, cinnamon bread, cookies, and (my favorite) M & M's! These things make me happy. :)

Oh the countless stories I could tell you. Little 1st graders certainly keep life entertaining. The other day a boy came back to school after being out sick. He walked into the room and I welcomed him back and asked him how he was feeling. He looked at me and said, "Not great. I think I might throw up." He exaggerates a lot, though, so I just nodded and joked, "Well, you better run to the bathroom if you have to." So an hour later we are finishing up snack and I happened to be standing right in front of him. He gagged then put his hands over his mouth as his eyes welled up with tears. I told him to run to the bathroom so he jumped up and ran out of the room. Thank the Lord he made it to the bathroom.

The people here have taken us under their wing. We have had many dinner invitations over the past couple weeks which means a lot of amazing American food- fried chicken, spaghetti, chocolate cookies (yay!). These things have made me feel so at home!

Today Kate and I took some time to explore our little community by going to Parque de la Paz (Park of Peace). It is this beautiful park with a couple ponds, picnic areas, and a hill known for its kite flying winds. Kite venders are set up around the park and people just come there and fly kites. So fun! I wanted to buy one, but perhaps I'll do that another day.










I promise to be better about posting! Thanks so much for your prayers and support!

El Dia de la Independencia

Today is Costa Rican Independence Day! We (really they, not me) gained our freedom from Spain on September 15 in a bloodless treaty agreement. Costa Rica is very proud of this fact and celebrates for a month. This is good for us since we get a day off of school!

Backtracking a bit...this whole past week of school we have been learning about Costa Rica in honor of their independence. I have learned so much about national symbols, songs, and its history. It has been so fun! On Friday we had a big Independence day celebration. We all wore red, white, and blue (ironically CR's colors, too) and those that had native dress wore them. My kids looked great! Here is a class picture from Friday. Clearly I am a very professional teacher.

During our celebration there was a farol making contest. (A farol in English is a "lantern") Faroles were significant in the independence process (long story). On Sunday night Costa Rican children light candles in them (rather risky if you ask me since most are paper and cardboard) and have parades. Most are pretty amazing. Here are some of my students with their native dress and faroles:














This morning us girls went to an Independence Day parade in Desemparados, a nearby neighborhood. Their version of a parade is every school marching by in native dress and/or red, white, and blue. There are cheerleaders, marching bands, baton twirlers, etc. We were the only gringos there and probably looked pretty creepy snapping pictures of the little children, but I thought you would all enjoy them. :)

So Feliz Dia de la Independencia...Viva Costa Rica!

La Costa Rica

Drinking agua de pipa on the beach

Costa Rica is named for its "rich coasts" and I got to experience them this weekend! Kate, Kim, Tricia and I trekked to Manuel Antonio for a rainforest/beach weekend. We left right after school on Friday and took a bus to Quepos where we hopped on a shuttle to our hostel. Manuel Antonio has a beautiful rainforest on a peninsula bordered by white sand beaches. A tour guide wanted us to pay $20 for a tour but we said no way and he lowered his price- so we each paid $12 and journeyed into the rainforest!



It was beautiful! We saw sloths (can you find
2 in this picture?), lots of crabs, some insects, and a frisky monkey who wouldn't stay still for a picture. Our guide also spotted some bats for us and told us about the different trees, flowers, and animals we were seeing. It was pretty amazing.



Our tour ended at the beach where we spent the rest of the day. We made friends with an iguana (which we saw many of) and then some jungle raccoons got a little too friendly and stole our tortilla chips while we were swimming in the ocean- not cool. The waves were big and the rip current was a little strong so we didn't go out too far, but the water was so warm! We did some exploring up and down the beach, sunbathed, and then trekked back out of the rainforest.

Talk about a picture perfect day!

My first Costa Rican excursion was a great one! It was fun to get out of San Jose and explore God's beautiful creation. Our hostel had a beautiful view of the ocean so every morning and evening was spent on the hammocks meeting people from all over the world. I also had many opportunities to practice my Spanish! Hopefully I will have many more Costa Rican adventures before my time here is done...there is so much beauty here!

Mis Aventuras

Visitantes!

I had visitors this week! On Thursday Lyssa and Jonathan (my newly married sister and brother- in- law, for those of you who don't know) came to see me! I did have to run a block up a hill in the rain to hail down their taxi, but it was so good to see them. We had some authentic Costa Rican cuisine and fun times.

School finished up well this week...I started officially teaching on Thursday and it went great! I am excited to be in a classroom again and my little kiddies are so precious. There is always something/someone to laugh at (and usually someone to discipline) so they keep me busy.

Tricia and I had a spontaneous adventure today! Kate left us for the weekend so we were the lame ones stuck at home planning. We started the day going to the Feria. There is nothing better than starting a Saturday morning buying fresh avocados and raspberries at the market. Yum! Then on the way to the grocery store we spied the top of a Catholic church so we decided to try and find it because it looked pretty. After a long walk we made it to a beautiful Catholic church right next to a little park with a large fountain. There was a small fundraiser/awareness performance going on with music and dancing so we stopped to check it out and ended up talking with a Costa Rican missionary who is looking for people to help with youth ministry! We gave her our names and email address and are hoping to hear from her soon...we were just talking this morning about wanting to get involved in something like that. God works so quickly sometimes! :)

On another note...we are becoming amazing chefs over here. This evening we made the best rice concoction yet, guacemole, and some fried platanos with sugar. Amazing...

La Pura Vida

Costa Rica's slogan is "Pura Vida"- the pure life. Pure meaning sweet, simply, relaxing, etc. I have yet to experience much of CR's relaxing side, but I see what they mean. Walking into school and seeing the mountains all around you is breathtaking. Here is the view:



And here is my little classroom:

The students have been keeping me busy this week as there is still a lot to plan and prepare for the year. I officially start teaching tomorrow- social studies! Keep me in your prayers as I continue to get used to Costa Rica and the school!

I am alive!

Hello Friends and Family! I made it to the beautiful country of Costa Rica on Wednesday and am settling into my new life here. Let me take a minute to explain my life here...

I live in a little apartment with Tricia and Kate, 2 other 1st year teachers at Sojourn Academy. We have a cute little house complete with 2 dead bolt locks and a locked fence topped with barbed wire. We feel very safe. :) We have 2 sets of neighbors- a missionary couple from the Instituto de la Lengua Espanol (ILE) who are amazing and a precious elderly Costa Rican ("tico") family.

Sojourn Academy is right across the street from my apartment and offers a wonderful view of the mountains from inside its gates (when it's clear, that is). I have the privilege of having the largest class in the school- 25 little 1st graders. Yikes!!! Luckily my cooperating teacher Peggy is an incredible teacher and is setting a good example on how to handle them. My supervisor Diana is also a great example to me- I am going to learn a lot from them this semester! Only half of my students are fluent in English which has been a challenge since I am not allowed to speak Spanish in the classroom. The first 2 days of school were slightly chaotic with building construction and schedule issues, but we made it through! It has been so fun speaking Spanish with the Tica teachers and staff...I know I will improve so much!

Today was my first Feria experience! La Feria is the fruit and veggie market that happens on Saturdays. I tried some new things and bought a lot. Us girls even got a basil plant to begin a garden! I am going to be a very healthy eater here (at least once my stash of Reese's from Brittany is gone). I also went to downtown San Jose with Kate, Tricia, Kim (another new teacher), and some of the missionary women. Diane, my neighbor who has been here since April, was our fearless leader. We shopped in El Centro, saw the Teatro Nacional and the Museo, explored a market, and had cafe. So fun!!

God has already blessed me so much with amazing people all around me. Tomorrow I am going to a Spanish speaking church just 2 blocks from my house. I will probably have a headache by the end of the sermon, but I am here to learn, not just to teach.

I will keep you all posted on my adventures! Feel free to leave comments or questions and always, always, always keep me in your prayers!!

PS- Here is a picture of Me, Kate, and Tricia on our 1st day of school (Thursday). Our neighbors Steve and Diane took it for us just like they used to do for their children. :)