A Franciscan Blessing

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. 

Amen.

Dos Semanas.

I will be home on the couch with my family watching tv in English (without Spanish subtitles) in two weeks exactly. I can't believe the time has already come. I am definitely ready to be home, but have also fully enjoyed my time here. In honor of coming home in two weeks, I have made a list of things that I can't wait to eat and things that I am excited to be able to do again. 

*Disclaimer - I don't want to eat all these foods in one sitting. That would just be ridiculous. 

Foods I can’t wait to eat again (in no particular order):

-       Fruit (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries, blackberries, mangoes)

-       Sushi (protein roll, crunchy roll, edamame)

-       Tuna melt (Sourdough and sharp cheddar cheese)

-       Chicken Sandwich

-       Salad (strawberry poppyseed chicken salad from Panera and bleu cheese & pear salad from Nordstrom)

-       In-N-Out (cheeseburger, no onions, fries and neopolitan shake)

-       Brownies (regular and Mom’s ooey gooey peanut butter chocolate chip)

-       Ice cream (especially coffee – preferably from Haagen-Daaz, and Moose Tracks and Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food)

-       Chocolate chip cookies (warm and fresh out of the oven)

-       Kim’s Mexican chicken casserole (with sour cream on the side)

-       Mom’s chicken tacos

-       Hodad’s (cheeseburger and chocolate shake)

-       Lindsay’s fruit salad

-       Aunt Joan’s pumpkin pie (because I missed it on Thanksgiving)

-       Daddy’s grilled anything

-       Steak (medium-rare)

-       Candy (Mounds, Reese’s, York, Reese’s Fast Break, Look – to share with Momma)

-       Mango-a-go-go from Jamba Juice

-       Double Decker Supreme and Cinnamon Twists with Mountain Dew from T-Bell

-       Minute Maid Lemonade (with the perfect amount of ice)

-       Original Pancake House (chocolate chip pancakes and hot chocolate)

-       Kim’s egg thing and cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning

-       Mom’s Lasagna for Christmas

-       Cranberry sauce (Ocean Spray, jellied, from the can, cut on the lines)

-       Kim’s ziti bake

-       Mom’s Chocolate Chip Bundt cake

-       Mom’s birthday cake (yellow cake with chocolate butter frosting)

-       Everything bagel from Costco (lightly toasted with cream cheese)

-       Lightly toasted croissant, egg, cheddar cheese, turkey bacon

-       Spiced Chai from Lion Coffee

-       Vanilla yogurt, cut up strawberries, and granola

-       Nutella (with pretzels)

-       Sourdough bread, extra-sharp cheddar cheese and cranberry juice

-       Daddy’s pancakes on Sunday morning (with blueberries), sausage/bacon & OJ

-       Iced Manhattan Irish Cream from Common’s (decaf, of course – unless I’m with Bill)

-       The chocolate chip cookies Eagle’s used to have

-       Berry Cool (original tart, strawberries and cheesecake bites)

-       Original Cheesecake with strawberries from Cheesecake Factory

-       Mini Sweet Pig from BJ’s and chocolate chip Pazookie

-       Kim’s scallops (maybe even wrapped in bacon)

-       Daddy’s French Toast (not made with thick bread)

-       Peanut Butter Blossoms (but I want to make these)

-       Submarina turkey sandwich (6” on white, turkey, swiss cheese, mayo and lettuce)

-       Fudge (again, I want to make this, dark chocolate – I think – no nuts)

-       Peas, artichokes, asparagus

-       Kraft Mac & Cheese – The Cheesiest

-       Peppermint Hot Chocolate from Starbucks while walking around Christmas Card Lane and Candy Cane Court

-       Heidi’s Patty Melt and her bread (chocolate chip banana)

-       Donuts: Chocolate Long John, Jelly filled, and Krispie Kream)

-       Double-stuft Oreos

-       Devil’s Food Bundt cake from that one place

-       Special K with strawberries

-       Aunt Cindi’s Peppermint Bark

Things I want to do:

-       Be with family

-       Hot shower with dry, non-moldy towel

-       Go on a brother/sister date with Garrett

-       Text

-       Watch movies with Nick

-       Go on a walk with Daddy, Kim, Linz and Garrett (oh, and Benny, too!)

-       Exercise.

-       Shave

-       Wash my face with warm water

-       Watch AFV and Game Night at Daddy’s house

-       Mani/Pedi with Mommy

-       Get my eyebrows waxed

-       Eat normal portions (eat what I want and how much)

-       Show my family all my pictures

-       Drive

-       Stargaze in Atascadero

-       Hug Lani and play with Benny

-       Poop regularly

-       Not wash dishes by hand

-       Walk around the house (and outside) barefoot

-       Go to church

-       Wrap presents

-       Dry my clothes in a dryer

-       Bake

Paso Llano

So, I’ve been MIA for about three weeks, but I’m finally back in San José. Just a head’s up – this blog is going to be a little long. But I just have so much to say!

This past month I have been living with a family in Paso-Llano of San José de La Montaña outside of Heredia for my internship. My mom and dad (I found out later are actually third cousins. Weird.) have five children. One of them lives with them, José Alberto, 33 years old. The three daughters and other son all live within a couple feet of each other. The neighbors are family. There were children running everywhere. That was actually kind of fun sometimes. Originally, I was assigned to work in a flower farm for this time, but because there has been so much rain, many of the flowers are diseased and they didn’t want me working in there, so I could avoid getting sick. So instead, my internship was being a housewife.

Yippee. Kind of.

Every morning I woke up around seven and ate breakfast, which usually consisted of buttered bread, tortillas and eggs, or gallo pinto). After eating, I would do all the dishes (without a dishwasher), sweep the floors, and clean off the table. Then, I would make my bed, and sometimes help out with making the other beds. After showering, I would help wax the floors (I’m not actually sure what I was doing, but that’s what it looked like). When it was sunny, I would water the flowers. I planted cilantro one day. Went to feed the cows twice. And picked the kids up from school another day. I liked working around the house because it will prepare me for my future as a wife, but it was boring a lot of the time. After lunch, there wasn’t anything for me to do. I usually used this time to work on homework, read, or journal.

Life out in the campo was very interesting – a learning experience for sure. I didn’t really like how they raised their children. My 33 year old brother didn’t make his own bed or do his own laundry. One of the girls was 8 years old and still used Sippy cups and wore diapers to bed. One of the kindergartners drank milk out a bottle. The parents pretty much did the homework for their kids. I felt that the children were raised to be able to support themselves.

I also didn’t quite understand my mom. Not just because she spoke another languge (and very quickly, I might add), but I never really knew if she liked me or not. After lunch some days, I would sit in the kitchen, hoping that she would talk to me, but she told me that I could go to my room because she was going to do whatever she needed to do. I did as I was told, and a little bit later she would come by and shut my door. Maybe she thought I wanted privacy. I don’t know. Sometimes, I ate in the other room while everyone else ate together in the kitchen. She talked a lot about the past students they had. She told me that I needed to study more after college and that I shouldn’t get married – a civil union was good enough. Very weird. And her tone was kind of like she was talking down to me a lot. I felt like I was being judged a lot. However, to my surprise, one day she said that I was like a daughter. Maybe this is part of her culture that I don’t totally understand yet. I hope that one day I can understand.

But she did feed me very well. Too well. I can’t explain how much I actually ate while I was there. The first day, my mamá tica tells me that I am going to get fat while I’m at her house. All of the past students did, so I will too. Let me tell you… She wasn’t kidding. The portions were all SO HUGE. More times then not, I would go to my room (which was actually a hallway with doors) and just lay down because my stomach hurt so much. After a couple of weeks of this, one day she actually told me that I had gained weight – which was definitely true. I even had to go to the next notch on my belt. So ridiculous.

I had some very interesting and memorable experiences in Paso-Llano. The one day I helped plant cilantro, I heard a lot of screaming coming from where the pigs were kept. I asked José Alberto what was going on and he said, matter-of-factly that they were killing a pig. The next thing I know, one of the guys walks by with a white bucket with the pig head in it. It was just staring at me as he digs a hole to bury it. I will never forget the look on that pigs face. And sure enough, the next night we ate chichurrones.

At the top of the mountain where I was living, there is Volcán Barva. The higher you go up, the colder and rainier it gets. Well, one day, Anna, Kristen (two other students who lived nearby), and I went to the volcano. Anna and I walked to the school, where she worked as a cook for her internship, and waited for some man to pick us up. Being the Tico that he is, he was almost an hour and a half late, but that’s fine. I’m supposed to be engaging in the culture, right? Anyways, after picking up Kristen a little further up the mountain, he dropped us off and pointed us in the direction of la laguna. When we started walking, it was just raining a little bit. After about 45 minutes, it was pouring. Rain, wind, and really cold air just don’t mix very well. We decided to head back without going to the lagoon because we were just so uncomfortable. When we found the man and the Ranger’s Station, we were expecting to get back in the car so that he could drive us back. Ha. Silly gringas. We had to walk back. Again, in the rain and cold. When we finally got home, we had been walking for almost 4 hours. Most of it was downhill, thank goodness. Let’s just say my legs hurt the next day.

This year I didn’t have a typical Thanksgiving. That morning, I told my mamá tica that it was El Día de Acción de Gracias in the United States, and at lunch she said a few things that she was thankful for. That was really nice. Later on that day, Anna and I went to the pulpería (like a little general store) to buy foods that were similar to the foods we would have eaten if we were at home. We bought popcorn because that’s the closest thing they had to corn. Little packets of jell-o because it was like cranberry sauce. Chocolate for dessert. And ice cream cone because I love ice cream. Then we ate it at her house and said things we were thankful for. It was a very strange Thanksgiving, but a memorable one, as well.

All in all, my time in Paso-Llano had its ups and downs. It was a great experience as a whole, but I am thankful to be back in San José. And I can’t wait to be home. Just a little more to go!

It's been a while...

Sorry everyone. These past couple of weeks have been crazy busy with school, but I have finally found the time to sit and write. Although, I should probably be doing my homework, but that can wait, right?

So just an overview of these past couple weeks: We started our concentrations. My concentration is Advanced Language and Literature (AL&L). It sounds just as intense as it is. We read short stories, poems, and novels in Spanish. Most of them are actually really interesting. They all require deep thinking - which I am learning to love. The homework these past two weeks have been more laid back in the sense that I don't have due dates that are set in stone (which would usually be a problem for me because I am a huge procrastinator, but I am proud to say that it hasn't been an issue thus far). However, it is no laid back because everything is so deep. There are so many layers to everything that we are doing. It's a nice change of pace.

But more about the fun stuff...

My friends Sarah and Kelsey and I have discovered this amazing bakery just down the street from school. Everything is so good and cheap (important factor to already poor college students who are living in a foreign country). I don't always know what I am eating or what it is called, but I know that whatever I order (more like point to) is going to be good.

Another fun fact: my handwriting is permanently tattooed on Kelsey's back. Not many people can say that their handwriting is tattooed on someone else. The tattoo says "La Fe, La Esperanza & El Amor" (Faith, Hope, and Love). Sarah, Kelsey, Maddie and I went into San Jose on Saturday so that Sarah and Kelsey could get their tattoos (Don't worry, Mom. I stayed away from the ink).

I am leaving Monday to live in another part of Costa Rica for three weeks. There, I will be doing my internship of working on a flower farm. I am super excited!! I'm just warning you because I'm not sure when I will have internet next, so I don't know when I will be able to update the blog. I miss you all. Please pray for safety as I travel to my new home on Monday.

PS. Happy Birthday Kim!!!

Fall Break

This past weekend, I went to Manuel Antonio, a top tourist destination, with about 12 other students. We stayed in a hostel and just hung out. On Saturday, we went zip lining in the Canopy and ate the most amazing arroz con pollo. It was so great to just have a weekend off, and just relax and not have to really worry about anything. The hostel was a lot of fun – I really like meeting people from around the world and hearing their stories. We met Dan, from New Zealand, who just finished school and working at Disneyworld. He’s been traveling from Mexico to Costa Rica for six weeks and is going home to find a job in a couple of days. We met Chris and Aled, from Wales, who work together and decided to take a month off from work and just travel. Sophie and Liz are nurses from Denver, CO who are just in Costa Rica for a week, enjoying some well-deserved time off. We met a girl and her boyfriend from some tiny island near Scotland who are just traveling around the world for about a year or so. There were guys from Delaware and a girl from Belgium. There was a group from Florida, and a guy from Tahoe. It was so cool to meet random people just enjoying life and traveling just like we are.

This break also marked the half waypoint. Only 7 more weeks and I’ll be home! Unfortunately, I’m sick now. If you could please pray for a fast recovery and strength to finish out the semester, that would be greatly appreciated. I miss you all so much!

Before zip lining. 

After zip lining - all wet!

The beautiful beaches of Manuel Antonio

 

I'm Back!

After almost two weeks in Nicaragua, I have finally returned. My time in Nicaragua was one of eye-opening and learning experiences. The first two or so days were spent in the capital of Nicaragua, Managua. We visited sites that are important to the history of Nicaragua and influential in Nicaragua today. We went to a national park/memorial of Sandino. He had an influential position in the political spectrum and still is important today. After, we went to the heart of Managua where there were hundreds of families living in a shantytown in protest of the banana plantations. They have been living under sticks and tarps for almost three years. They are protesting against companies such as Dole and Chiquita because of the use of harmful chemicals used on the bananas which gives the workers skin cancer, kidney diseases, and other forms of cancer. From the companies, they are asking for compensation for the trouble they have had to endure, and medical attention. It was amazing to see the conditions these people were willing to live in so that their voices might be heard.

We also had the chance to hear from an amazing woman of Nicaragua who also protested against the government. Dora Maria Tellez led a hunger strike when she was just 20 years old. She led this strike against the government because the people weren’t being heard or listened to. I found it so interesting that woman at such a young age could lead such a empowering strike against the government. Because of her strike, she now leads her own political party, which focuses on helping the poor and oppressed.

In Nicaragua, it is obvious the influence the government (or lack thereof) has had and continues to have in the lives of its people. The church of Santa Maria de Los Angeles has beautiful murals along the walls of the inside of the church, but they are forced to keep them covered up because of the controversy they hold. The murals are depictions of times when the Nicaraguan people have seen God work in their lives through oppression. Many people don’t approve of them because in many of the scenes of the murals, the National Guard is seen as a horrible monster that kills the citizens. It is sad to see that the people can’t express themselves or have the freedom of decorating the church as they see fit.

For six days, I lived with a Nicaraguan family in a town called El Eden, like the Garden of Eden. To get to the tow, we had to take two buses and a moto-taxi down a dirt road. My Nicaraguan family is a little complicated and confusing. Everyone seems to be related but I’m not exactly sure how. I’ll try my best to break it down. My mom was Julia, and she was the mom to Rachael and Annie’s moms (two other students). My sister, Carolina had a daughter Esther. My nephew (?), Elvis, was 22 years old. We all (excluding Elvis because he gave up his bed to me for the week and slept elsewhere) slept in one room where the beds were separated by sheets.

Throughout the week, we just lived life with our families. We helped out the church by building a fence, and we played with the kids. We went on a couple hikes ate the freshest pineapple ever and drank straight out of a coconut. I chewed on some cacao seeds and drank lecheagrila. I also had the most amazing shower of my life. After playing soccer with the kids for a couple hours, I was so hot and dirty. The shower was outside with walls made up of thin metal sheets. The water wasn’t even lukewarm and I was a head taller than the walls, but the shower was so wonderful. There is nothing like showering outside.

Nicaragua is such a beautiful lush country. Unfortunately, it is lead by an unstable government, but its people are so content with what they have. It isn’t about who has the biggest house or best job. The people just live life off the land, which I imagine is more like what God had intended for his people, like in the real Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.

Heck Yes!

I did it!! I get to cross off another thing on my life list. That makes two things since I’ve been in Costa Rica. The first was swimming under a waterfall. And yesterday I BUNGEE JUMPED – 265 feet!

I’ve wanted to go bungee jumping since I was a freshman in high school, but never really told anyone. I am so incredibly stoked I got to experience the ultimate rush. And let me tell you, I wasn’t even scared! When I first woke up yesterday morning, I was a little nervous, and I thought my nerves were going to take over. But they didn’t! I stood up on that platform, with my ankles securely fastened, listening to my friends cheer me on, and just jumped! I felt like I was flying. I jumped with my hair down so I could feel the wind. When I bounced back the first time, my back cracked a little and it felt great. I swung back and forth before they pulled me back up, with the blood rushing to my head. It was so awesome. And it didn’t even seem I fell that far. I could go higher. New Zealand apparently has the highest bungee jump in the world. I may just have to make my way over there next.

Here is a picture of me mid-air! 

Ps. I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Nicaragua for two weeks, so unfortunately I won't be able to update my blog until I get back. Just keep me in your prayers!

chocolate.

There are a few things that everyone in the program (and even my teachers at ICADS know):
*disclaimer: the following are not in any sort of order

1. I love monkeys.
2. I want to meet Enrique Iglesias when we are in Miami
3. I would love to live in Barcelona, Spain.
and most importantly #4. I absolutely love chocolate.

The unfortunate part of being a chocolate connoisseur is that good chocolate is extremely hard to come by here. I have been craving it for so long. The tiny layer of chocolate on the Chiky's just wasn't cutting it. But   thankfully, my wonderful, beautiful, kind, thoughtful mother sent me a package full of my favorite chocolate :) The package contained dark chocolate squares filled with raspberry from Ghirardelli, and the Dove dark chocolate promises. So yummy. I eat like three pieces of chocolate a day now. I need to be careful. I should start rationing them.

All that said, THANKS MOM! :)

mi hermanita.

This is my crazy sister, Daniela. She loves Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers, and taking pictures with her awesome sister. 

Gracias

I am so thankful for this opportunity.

I would just like to make a shout out to all my parents. It is such a sacrifice to send me to Biola, and on top of that to send me to Costa Rica.

Mom, Dad, Scott, and Kim, Thank you. Thank you for your financial sacrifice. Thank you for your emotional sacrifice (I miss you all too!). Thank you for loving me so much that you would let me leave for four months to live and study in a beautiful country, and you don't even get to visit me.

Above all, Thank you Lord for giving my parents the means to support me. All blessings come from You.

Great.

Ayer, mi mamá tica me dijo, "Nicole, vas a gordar."

Wonderful.

So. Much. Work.

I wish I was just going to be hanging out on the beach eating pineapple all semester, but unfortunately, I’m not. This semester isn’t only going to be challenging because I’m living thousands of miles away from home, eating different foods, and speaking another language, but the workload is also a lot. Our classes here don’t function the same way they do at home, so I’m going to try my best to explain it.

There are two places where I go to class. First is at the LASP office. The staff members of the program and other guest speakers give “charlas” on varying topics. We usually have this class twice a week for four hours each. Each day is a different topic. We’ve talked about Art and Popular Culture in Latin America, Poverty and Inequality in Latin America, Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism, and Economic Systems – just to name a few. In preparation for these classes, we are required to read the corresponding chapter in the book they have given us. Each chapter takes about an hour or more to read. Each week we have a reading critique due. Now this may sound weird, but they are grading much harder than I, or any other student, thought. Also, we just had two days to write a paper about poverty and inequality in Costa Rica, based on 6 interviews we have compiled in San Jose and in Limon. We have a position paper due at the end of the course (which is in about 2 weeks). For this 6-8 page paper, we are to investigate a topic that is discussed in the book we were assigned. Some topics include sweatshops, Communism, and specific countries like Cuba or Panama. However, I was assigned a novel completely written in Spanish. And let me tell you, it is not easy to read. Everything I write has to be written in Spanish. Now, if I were to have this assignment in the United States, I wouldn’t be complaining. It’s not asking that much from a Spanish major – I’ve actually done something a little similar to this before. However, in Costa Rica, I don’t always have the resources I need. I can’t just go on the Internet when I need to look up something. I can’t just call or text a friend when I have a question. I can’t just go to the Internet café right now because I told Keith that I would meet up with him at noon to walk to ICADS. So, being in a foreign country and trying to finish your homework is not as easy as one might have thought.

We are also taking classes at ICADS (Institute for Central American Development Studies – or something like that). We have class there from 1:30 to 4:30 every day. From my house it takes an hour and a half to walk there. Now, I’m not complaining about the walk there, its absolutely beautiful – and I’m getting some exercise in! But when you get home after dark, and then you have to eat dinner and spend time with your family, it doesn’t leave much extra time to do homework. The program tells us that sometimes you are going to have to sacrifice doing work for hanging out with your family and practicing your Spanish, but I can’t afford to do that. I have to maintain my academic scholarship. And witnessing the intensity of the grading scale here, it’s going to be a difficult task to complete.

I’m sorry for this rant of complaints, but I just had to get it out. I hope you don’t think I’m not enjoying it here because I definitely am! I have made some awesome friends and my family is wonderful. I just ask that you would keep me in our prayers, not only for health and safety, but for the academic load, as well. Pray that I would consistently lean upon the Lord; there is no way I could do any of this without Him.

Pineapples don't grow on trees

And apparently neither do bananas! Who knew??

This weekend, LASP took us on a trip to Limón, a port city on the Caribbean where most of Costa Rica's imports come. It was a great weekend get away.

On our way to Limón, we stopped by three different plantations. The first was a coffee plantation. There were thousands of coffee plants everywhere. Just so you know... there is no difference between Costa Rica coffee beans and Columbian coffee beans. Costa Rica originally got their bean from Panama, which was once a part of Columbia. Therefore, it is all the same bean. It's all just a marketing tactic.

Next, we stopped by a pineapple plantation. I had no idea that pineapples didn't grow on trees. I guess I just assumed the did. The grow on the top of a plant that is low to the ground. The pineapples grow great in the valley because the water just drains through the plants. And let me be the first to tell you, it is SO good! Fresh pineapple from Costa Rica is going to be hard to beat.

The most interesting place was the banana plantation. Now I don't usually like bananas, but I definitely learned a lot at the Del Monte banana plantation. First off, bananas don't grow in trees. They are technically plants. They grow in groups of four. The grandmother stalk is the one with the bananas growing on it. The bananas are wrapped in a blue plastic bag to protect is from bugs, but to also put pesticides on it. The great-grandmother plant is the one that is shriveled up. The mother plant is smaller than the grandmother plant, and is next in line to grow bananas. The baby stalk is just a foot or two out of the ground. When the bananas are picked from the plant, they are taken to an open warehouse like building where they are sorted. There are First Class bananas and Second and Third Class bananas. The First Class bananas go to the US and parts of Europe. Second and Third Class stay in Latin America. They aren't graded on which bananas are better or worse. They are separated by what the consumer wants. In the United States, we want bigger bananas that are already yellow. Probably to your surprise, the bananas don't naturally turn yellow by the time they reach the store. They are sprayed with chemicals to quicken the yellowing process. All because that's what the consumer wants. Also, I found interesting the lives of the workers on the banana plantation. The workers are paid with a place to live and school their children. They are given houses right on the plantation. If you lose your job, you lose your house. Unfortunately, because they live right next to the bananas, their houses are also being sprayed with the pesticides and other chemicals that the bananas are being sprayed with. Various cancers and health problems are prevalent. All of this sacrifice is for the consumer.

Friday night, a group of students and I went to dinner at Burger King because we wanted a break from rice and beans. If anyone was actually in the mood for gallo pinto, BK offers it. After dinner, we walked around the city talking to different people about poverty in Costa Rica, specifically in Limón. This trip wasn't all fun. We actually had homework too.

Saturday morning, we left early to visit an indigenous tribe of Costa Rica, the Bri Bri. It is a Bri Bri custom to take care of the land. Their gods live in the trees and water, so they believe it is their duty to take care of it all. The attribute sicknesses to deforestation. The family we visited raises iguanas to try to protect their land. There were so many iguanas - all different sizes!

After hanging out with the iguanas and turkeys for a little, we headed to the beach! The beach we went to was a national park. Absolutely gorgeous. The water was so warm. The waves were so strong. The jungle and the sand met where they monkeys and sloths played. I got to stand like 3 feet away from a monkey!! I wanted to take it home :) Early Christmas present! So much fun! That night we ate a traditional meal of Limón. We ate rice and beans, but they make theirs with coconut milk. Not exactly my favorite, but it was interesting to try. There was a calypso band playing traditional music from Limón (and a few songs in English, so we could sing along). Everyone was dancing! It was so great! One of my professors, Javier, started the dancing by asking me to dance, because he knew how much I wanted to learn! I can't say that I am any better than I was before, but I had so much fun!

Sunday morning, we went to an all Black Methodist church in Limón. It was very traditional and long. They had a choir - dressed in the robes and everything! It was a great experience. When I got back home in the afternoon, I was so exhausted. I took about a four hour nap. I have lots of homework to do now, but it is difficult to get it done. Lack of resources and time. I will do what I have to do. And hopefully do it well.

Here's a picture of me and the monkey!

¡Viva Costa Rica!

Yesterday was the Day of Independence in Costa Rica! I didn’t have any class, which was definitely a nice thing because I was able to complete some homework (yes, I’m actually going to class here). I started off the day by going to my tico brother’s high school for a little presentation the students put together about the Day of Independence. Marco, along with about 6 other guys and like 20 girls, showcased a traditional Costa Rican dance. It was so cool! I would love to learn – and wear one of those beautiful skirts! I didn’t completely understand what was happening the entire time, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

Afterwards, my family and I went grocery shopping together. I have never seen so many men in a grocery store before! Culturally, the grocery shopping is done together. Husbands and wives walk the aisles together. Also interesting was that they cased off all of the alcohol. Marco told me that they do that to avoid drunkenness at the parades and festivities of the day. I’m starting to like this country more and more!

Here are some more things I have learned since being here:

1.     Some sort of footwear must be worn in the house at all times. They do this to protect the floor from dirt, not protect your feet. They think it’s gross that we have carpet in our houses where dirt and bacteria just collects.

2.     Shower in the morning. Every morning. No one showers at night because it is believed that you will get sick if you go to sleep wet.

3.     Eat everything on your plate. EVERYTHING. I am defintiely not used to this. It was hard at first, for sure. Especially since I eat a heaping serving of rice and beans twice a day. For everyone who thinks I am a picky eater, I have eaten two sardines since I have been here. And my tica mom bought more at the store. Also, I eat the onions and tomatoes on my plate.

4.     If there’s a spider on your wall, don’t kill it. Only kill las cucarachas. And believe me, I didn’t hesitate when I saw one when I was getting into the shower the other day.

5.     The ticos are nice and welcoming. If you go up to a family at Taco Bell to talk about poverty, they will not hesitate to talk to you. Even if you are struggling to form sentences in Spanish.

I have been learning a lot here. And it’s not all on the streets. I’m in class for 7 hours a day! Today, for example, we talked about economic and political systems for 4 hours. This is definitely going to be a busy semester. I just hope I don’t stress out and I do my best academically.

Please pray for confidence in my work – that I will be able to complete my work to the best of my ability without stressing out!

PS. As part of class, we are going to Limón this weekend to experience a totally different area of Costa Rica. I can’t wait! It’s right on the coast – where the jungle and beach meet! But of course, it’s not all fun and games. We have work to do and a paper due on Tuesday about what we learn. But it will be work it!

I miss you all!

PPS. Here's a picture of the group and I in front of Arenal!

Este Fin de Semana

What a weekend! I’m going to start off with Friday, which was so fun, but not even the highlight! Friday night, there was an event for all of the families in the LASP program. We met at the Indoor Club for a concert of Humberto Vargas. He recently won a contest in Chile, and we had the opportunity to hear him play! It was so great. He played traditional Costa Rican music. He also played some salsa. The music made me want to get up and dance!! It was also really fun to hang out with the other students and their families. My brother, Marco, and my sister, Daniela, came to share the night with me. So great!

I had to go to bed kind of early Friday night because I woke up Saturday morning at 4:30 to take a taxi and then a bus for four hours to La Fortuna, home of the volcano Arenal. I went with 8 other students for just a weekend away. It was so much fun! We went on a guided tour of the volcano with three people from Switzerland, two girls from Israel, and two ticos. We hiked around the volcano through the jungle. Everyone kept saying how this is the REAL Costa Rica we expected to see.

After hiking for a little, our guides led us to a waterfall! And guess what!? I get to cross off something of my life list! I got to swim under the waterfall! It was absolutely gorgeous. The water came down much harder than I expected. My fear of drowning definitely affected how well I swam. Fortunately, Abbi showed me the way to swim in order to sit on the other side of it! Not only did I get to swim under it, but I also JUMPED off of it!!! It seems like every time I leave the United States for an extended period of time, I jump off a cliff. Seriously. This jump wasn’t as high as I have done before, but the climb up was much more difficult. Have you ever tried to climb “upstream” on a waterfall? It’s not the easiest. I climbed about 15-20 feet up and jumped! It was so much fun!! I can’t wait to have more experience like that J

Continuing on the hike, I swung from a vine (kind of like Tarzan, but he was much more graceful), slipped on a hanging bridge and bruised my knee, smelled all different kind of plants, and learned all about the volcano (Did you know it is the most active volcano in the world?). As part of the tour, our guides took us to a natural hot spring. At first glance, it looked like a sewer, but the water was so warm! There were different levels, with the water constantly flowing like a river. We sat in the water on the second level – actually, TRIED to sit is the more appropriate wording. The flow was so strong that it was hard to hold myself still. Thank goodness for the guides because otherwise I still might be flowing down stream.

I wish I had pictures to upload to show you all, but unfortunately I didn’t take any. But thanks to Facebook, hopefully I will be tagged in some soon! 

gallopinto

Hola from Costa Rica!!!

I've been here about a week now and this is the first time I've really been able to use the internet. Life is pretty crazy busy, which is probably a good thing. Let's start off with the basics. I live with a family of three. Flor is the mom and she has two children. Marco is 17 and Daniela 11. We live in a pretty safe neighborhood about a 20 minute walk away from the LASP (Latin American Studies Program) office in El Carmen de Guadalupe. Life is very different here. We eat A LOT of white rice and black beans. They call it "gallopinto." It's yummy, but definitely clogs you up, if you know what I mean. On Saturday, we spent the day in downtown San Jose, just trying to get to know the city. And today we had our first day of classes. I took the bus with other students to the LASP office where we learned about Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism. Yeah, super fun. After almuerzo, we walked for an hour to ICADS, the school where we are taking our spanish classes. There we broke into groups based on our level of Spanish and just talked! We played a few grammar games and ate a snack! It was wonderful. Just like kindergarten again. I loved it! I really hope my Spanish will improve :)

I feel like I have just word vomited on the page because there are so many things running through my heard that I want to tell you. I just don't know how and in what order. But to sum this past week up -- Costa Rica is a beautiful lush country with kind indirect people and comida rica.

Until next time.. :)

whew.

Well, packing is a LOT harder than I remember. I've been packing since 2 this after noon. It is now after 10 pm and all I have packed is my carry on. I think that it is taking me this long to pack one suitcase because I am scared. Up until now, I've been mostly excited because it has been so far away. But now that it is the night before my flight, I can honestly say that I am nervous. I am not afraid to experience new things or meet new people. I absolutely love that. I'm most nervous about leaving my family for so long. My family means so much to me and it is just so hard to leave them for so long.

I can already tell that I am going to learn so much this semester. Probably more than any of them combined.  I have to learn to lean on the Lord completely. Not just when it is convenient for me, or when I want to, but ALWAYS. Please pray for me in that.

I have no idea how much longer I will be up packing, but I just hope that I get all my tears out here, and not ball in the airport. Been there, done that. Very awkward.

one week.

What the heck?? Where did summer go? I can't believe I am leaving in one week for Costa Rica.

I just spent the weekend with my boyfriend and his awesome family up in Oxnard and when my mom picked me up at the train station she asked me how I was feeling about Costa Rica. I told her that my emotions are like a roller coaster. For a few days I am super excited. I get excited for the new experiences I am going to have. I can't wait to become fluent. It's going to be so amazing to live in another country. But that is then followed by days of being nervous and scared. I started thinking of all the things I was going to miss while I was gone. My family of course. My only brother will be turning 16. My step-mom will be celebrating an exciting birthday. My boyfriend and I will be dating for a year in October and I'll miss that. I won't be able to be at school with my friends competing in Nationball or hear Dr. Barry Corey speak at the first chapel of the year.

Despite all those things, I was reminded of all the new possibilities and experiences I will be having in Costa Rica. I'll be eating new food, making new friends, zip-lining through the jungle, and trying to surf (hey, it could happen). I have to learn to lean on the Lord in this journey. I know it isn't always going to be easy. I had to say goodbye to Nick tonight and it was one of the hardest things ever.

I ask that you would pray for me as I embark on this adventure. Pray that I would stay strong emotionally and spiritually.  Also pray that I would not procrastinate and get everything done that I need to in one week!!

Rich Coast

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the pleasure of introducing you to the Clivia Mineata (not to be mistaken with clivia miniata, a plant found in South Africa)- the title and representation for my blog. Costa Rica is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world. It literally means "rich coast." Words cannot describe the joy and excitement I have for the opportunity to see, taste, feel, hear, and smell everything in a new county. This is probably where my passions for cultures comes into play. To be in a foreign city where I am forced to speak a different language, try new foods, and just live life differently gives me joy - and so much more. I truly don't know how to explain the feeling I get when I travel. I feel strengthened and empowered and loved by a God who has created each unique culture. 

All that said, studying in Costa Rica for almost four months just seems like the perfect opportunity for me. Maybe the Lord will show me what He might have in store for me for a career path! Or maybe this will just reinforce my passions in life! 

21 days and 21 hours

The countdown begins.

I'm leaving for an experience of a lifetime at the end of the month.  I can't believe it.  Living in a foreign country with a new family is definitely going to be a very exciting, yet nerve-wracking journey.  I have been so blessed with a great family and group of friends who are so supportive in this.  The Lord has definitely been watching over me as I get ready to take this leap of faith.  He has blessed me with an amazing family who will always love me (even if i decided to leave for Costa Rica for four months). He has brought the most wonderful boyfriend who has been so supportive through the whole process. And He has given me the friends to encourage me with outlandish possibilities that I may encounter (I hope some of them come true! Who wouldn't want to fly on a zip-line through the jungle?! Hello!).

All in all, as I am getting ready for this incredible adventure, I can't help but to give thanks and praise the One who has created such a beautiful world filled with His beautiful people.