I had to get up at five o'clock this morning to go to La Paz. I was late but was not the last person there, thank God, because then I would've felt really stupid... So we headed out at 6:15 and ate breakfast and then went to this place where we rode a boat around this river. I saw a crocodile, iguanas, lizards, and some really cool birds. That was a fun trip. Then we went to lunch at La Paz... let me just say that the food was amazing! It was a buffet... and the food was great. This place is worth keeping in mind for a future honey moon. The dinning hall was beautiful... then off of the dinning hall you can go see monkeys and they had a butterfly garden where these butterflies actually come up and land on your hand! We put one on Claudia's face! Haha! Then the waterfalls were beautiful!
Then when we got back we went to this place called La Carabena... dancing, and fun!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Keeping Up
I'm trying hard to keep up with this. Now that my tico brother is letting me use his computer whenever he's not useing it and whenever I need it this will be a little bit easier. This morning I did not have to get up really early... but I didn't want to have to make my mama make breakfast and lunch right after the other so I got up at 8 and ate breakfast. But I don't feel like gettingup at 8 is early anyway. Since I've been here I have been going to bed earlier and waking up earlier. I think it is a mix of how I adapted to the jet lag and the culture here.
Today we are going to San Jose to visit the museums. It's a part of the culture weekends we have to have. We leave at 12:30.
I'm really really pleased with the Tico familia that I was placed with. It means a lot to me that my tica mama and I have a great relationship. We always sit down and talk to each other. One time we were sitting down and I was eating lunch or dinner, and we were talking about something which led into divorce... and she started talking about her husband and how he cheated on her and how they got divorced and she started crying! I can't see people cry, if I do I cry too... so there she is crying and then I start crying... we were a mess! Haha! But, it was just nice to think that this family has accepted me in as one of their own. I really try to be home to spend time with them too to practice.
Yesterday I came home to find my mama and a neighbour lady sitting on the front steps to the house talking. So, I said hello introduced myself and sat down to talk. And then another lady from across the street came over and we were all talking. When the three of them were all talking I had a hard time understanding a lot what they were saying but for the most part I felt like I was right there along with the conversation.
I had a dream last night that it was the end of our Costa Rica trip and I wasn't fluent. I keep on having these dreams that I go home not fluent! I was walking into a store with Jenny saying that I didn't come back to the States as fluent as I thought I would have. I think that is my biggest fear being here, that I will come home not as fluent as I was hoping... but I know that I will. I have progressed so much already!
Today we are going to San Jose to visit the museums. It's a part of the culture weekends we have to have. We leave at 12:30.
I'm really really pleased with the Tico familia that I was placed with. It means a lot to me that my tica mama and I have a great relationship. We always sit down and talk to each other. One time we were sitting down and I was eating lunch or dinner, and we were talking about something which led into divorce... and she started talking about her husband and how he cheated on her and how they got divorced and she started crying! I can't see people cry, if I do I cry too... so there she is crying and then I start crying... we were a mess! Haha! But, it was just nice to think that this family has accepted me in as one of their own. I really try to be home to spend time with them too to practice.
Yesterday I came home to find my mama and a neighbour lady sitting on the front steps to the house talking. So, I said hello introduced myself and sat down to talk. And then another lady from across the street came over and we were all talking. When the three of them were all talking I had a hard time understanding a lot what they were saying but for the most part I felt like I was right there along with the conversation.
I had a dream last night that it was the end of our Costa Rica trip and I wasn't fluent. I keep on having these dreams that I go home not fluent! I was walking into a store with Jenny saying that I didn't come back to the States as fluent as I thought I would have. I think that is my biggest fear being here, that I will come home not as fluent as I was hoping... but I know that I will. I have progressed so much already!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Fearless
When we first arrived here in Costa Rica we had a orientation week. Needless to say I was really bored about the whole week. I just couldn't wait until classes would finally start and I wouldn't have to deal with sitting and listening to things I pretty much already knew from our first meeting with Grettel. But in the material of the orientation they talked about rip tides and how dangerous they are and how to get out of them if you do end up getting caught in one.
This past weekend we went on one of our paseos to Manuel Antonio... I suppose this playa is extremely well known for it's force and strength of waves and rip tides... So, the first day we were at the beach we went to this little cove area... the beach was absolutely beautiful it looked like a scene out of Pirates of the Caribean... it was nice. So, the first day was fun. The second day we went to the public beach (the first was in the nation park there in Manuel Antonio). The waves were amazing and we were way out there in the ocean body surfing and having fun. Then after one big wave came and pushed us Ryan (thank God he was with us) was like, "Okay guys we have to swim that way because we are in a Rip Tide." The wierd thing was I didn't believe him because I just didn't feel like we were in any kind of current. So, we started swimming... and I had been out in the ocean for a while so I was already tired as it was. So, I flipped over on my back and started swimming like that... and I just didn't feel like I was going anywhere... So I flipped back over and tried to touch the ocean floor and I couldn't. So, I flip back over onto my back and start going... My breathing was really heavy... the wierd thing was I was extremely calm... I actually had the thought that I might die at that moment... but I was okay with it... Anyway, I flip back over and there are these two surfer guys. The one helped Amanda on his board and the other got me on his. He kept on telling me to relax and it was funny becuase I truely was relaxed that was not the problem at all. So he started pulling me in the direction to get out of the rip tide and I was paddling too... but there came a point where I just couldn't anymore. All this time I was completly fine, I was not worried, or panicing, I was perfectly calm.. but I think the time when I saw the surfers helping us was when I realized that our situation was really serious... And when I got on the board and I was looking to the shore we were just so far out... I didn't realize how far out we were either. The rip tide really pulled us out and fast. So, finally we got to a point where I was able to touch and out of the rip tide and the guy was like, "Go ahead and get off, you can touch here and just walk up to the beach..." oh, and he was speaking in English... so I get of the board and was just like, "Gracious..." I mean what do you say to somebody who pretty much just saved your life?!?! So, I get up on shore... everyone was freaking out... because there were actually five of us that were caught in the rip tide. So, I dont' really remember anything from the time I got off the board til the time I got to my towel... I laid down... couldn't stand the sun... tried drinking... yelled at Laura for trying to spray me with sunscreen because I could NOT breath! I was exhausted, scared, and mortified all at once... So, Jen and Claudia started to go towards all the little shops along the beach and I wanted to go with them... but when I was walking I just felt like I needed to throwup... so I sat underneath this tree like a bum... for fifteen minutes... then I got up and went to this resturant and threw up six times in there bathroom. I have never thrown up for the fact of being so scared... It was bad...
So, my life was spared thank God... and the thing is while I was laying on my towel when I first got out I was thinking to myself... If I start feeling better I'm going right back out...
This past weekend we went on one of our paseos to Manuel Antonio... I suppose this playa is extremely well known for it's force and strength of waves and rip tides... So, the first day we were at the beach we went to this little cove area... the beach was absolutely beautiful it looked like a scene out of Pirates of the Caribean... it was nice. So, the first day was fun. The second day we went to the public beach (the first was in the nation park there in Manuel Antonio). The waves were amazing and we were way out there in the ocean body surfing and having fun. Then after one big wave came and pushed us Ryan (thank God he was with us) was like, "Okay guys we have to swim that way because we are in a Rip Tide." The wierd thing was I didn't believe him because I just didn't feel like we were in any kind of current. So, we started swimming... and I had been out in the ocean for a while so I was already tired as it was. So, I flipped over on my back and started swimming like that... and I just didn't feel like I was going anywhere... So I flipped back over and tried to touch the ocean floor and I couldn't. So, I flip back over onto my back and start going... My breathing was really heavy... the wierd thing was I was extremely calm... I actually had the thought that I might die at that moment... but I was okay with it... Anyway, I flip back over and there are these two surfer guys. The one helped Amanda on his board and the other got me on his. He kept on telling me to relax and it was funny becuase I truely was relaxed that was not the problem at all. So he started pulling me in the direction to get out of the rip tide and I was paddling too... but there came a point where I just couldn't anymore. All this time I was completly fine, I was not worried, or panicing, I was perfectly calm.. but I think the time when I saw the surfers helping us was when I realized that our situation was really serious... And when I got on the board and I was looking to the shore we were just so far out... I didn't realize how far out we were either. The rip tide really pulled us out and fast. So, finally we got to a point where I was able to touch and out of the rip tide and the guy was like, "Go ahead and get off, you can touch here and just walk up to the beach..." oh, and he was speaking in English... so I get of the board and was just like, "Gracious..." I mean what do you say to somebody who pretty much just saved your life?!?! So, I get up on shore... everyone was freaking out... because there were actually five of us that were caught in the rip tide. So, I dont' really remember anything from the time I got off the board til the time I got to my towel... I laid down... couldn't stand the sun... tried drinking... yelled at Laura for trying to spray me with sunscreen because I could NOT breath! I was exhausted, scared, and mortified all at once... So, Jen and Claudia started to go towards all the little shops along the beach and I wanted to go with them... but when I was walking I just felt like I needed to throwup... so I sat underneath this tree like a bum... for fifteen minutes... then I got up and went to this resturant and threw up six times in there bathroom. I have never thrown up for the fact of being so scared... It was bad...
So, my life was spared thank God... and the thing is while I was laying on my towel when I first got out I was thinking to myself... If I start feeling better I'm going right back out...
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Illness
So, I'm still ill. I have been ill for a week now... and I'm just pissed about it. I have had diarrea all of this time. One day I had some solidifying crap but then the very next day it was the same ole' same ole'. I'm sick of being sick. But, I know it's just me getting used to the food and water here. I can not wait until I am better.
Last night I went over to Mary's house and watched a christian movie... at first we were like, "What the heck are we watching?" But then it turned out to be a really good movie! I thought it was really good! Some of the acting did suck but all together I didn't think it was bad. It actually got me to read my bible last night and I am going to try to read it regularly.
Basically all we do here is watch movies... it's the truth. Everyday we go over someone else's house and watch a movie... and usually on Wednesdays we go to the Mulitplaza del Este and see a movie for super cheap!
Last night I went over to Mary's house and watched a christian movie... at first we were like, "What the heck are we watching?" But then it turned out to be a really good movie! I thought it was really good! Some of the acting did suck but all together I didn't think it was bad. It actually got me to read my bible last night and I am going to try to read it regularly.
Basically all we do here is watch movies... it's the truth. Everyday we go over someone else's house and watch a movie... and usually on Wednesdays we go to the Mulitplaza del Este and see a movie for super cheap!
Friday, September 14, 2007
First Entry
A once in a lifetime experience... that´s what everyone has been telling me this is. I am studying abroad in Costa Rica for the semester. It´s all part of the school program at Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) as a part of the Spanish Major curriculum. I´ve been here three weeks already and it´s one of those things that I feel as if I´ve been here my entire life but at the same time as if I just got here yesterday.
My spanish is improving little by little. I was really happy last night because I was watching TV with my Tica Mamá and I was able to understand what the people were saying on the television. However, I was not able to comprehend it. I mean, I heard what they were saying and I could pick out the words they were saying but I didn´t know all the meanings of the words, I could just place the beginning and ending of words instead of it all being one big jumbled mess of a language I didn´t know. I felt like that was a huge step for me!
I am sick. I went to Grettel (this is the woman here at the Institute of Spanish Language who is in charge of housing and is pretty much my second mother here in Costa) and she told me that I was just going through a phase that everyone has to go through here. I have terrible diarrhea... and I feel like I´ve gone to the bathroom so much I am ripping my anus to shreds every time I wipe! So I stopped wipping and I´m just dabbing... I feel like my butt hole is one overstretched rubber band!!!
Other than that I am loving it here... I do believe that it is the best thing that has happened to me... I was really upset at first to leave all of my friends and to come here just to study... but now that I am here I really would love to go somewhere else and study abroad again!
Since being here I have had a dis complacency for what I want to do with my life... and I don´t like the way that feels especially being down here and having doubts... it´s just not good.
My spanish is improving little by little. I was really happy last night because I was watching TV with my Tica Mamá and I was able to understand what the people were saying on the television. However, I was not able to comprehend it. I mean, I heard what they were saying and I could pick out the words they were saying but I didn´t know all the meanings of the words, I could just place the beginning and ending of words instead of it all being one big jumbled mess of a language I didn´t know. I felt like that was a huge step for me!
I am sick. I went to Grettel (this is the woman here at the Institute of Spanish Language who is in charge of housing and is pretty much my second mother here in Costa) and she told me that I was just going through a phase that everyone has to go through here. I have terrible diarrhea... and I feel like I´ve gone to the bathroom so much I am ripping my anus to shreds every time I wipe! So I stopped wipping and I´m just dabbing... I feel like my butt hole is one overstretched rubber band!!!
Other than that I am loving it here... I do believe that it is the best thing that has happened to me... I was really upset at first to leave all of my friends and to come here just to study... but now that I am here I really would love to go somewhere else and study abroad again!
Since being here I have had a dis complacency for what I want to do with my life... and I don´t like the way that feels especially being down here and having doubts... it´s just not good.
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