Saturday, January 29

This morning I woke up with a bit of a headache, probably from being overtired, so our lecture was a little difficult for me to get through. It was given by a really sweet woman from an indigenous tribe here called the Bribri. She spoke to us about her culture, the changes brought by modernization, and her project to repopulate green iguanas, a lizard very important to the Bribri people. After the lecture we took a look at the iguanas (there were so many!) and then headed to the beach.

I took a nap on the ride, so I was feeling better by the time we arrived at the ocean. There we loaded on the sunscreen, played in the waves and sand, and had a wonderful picnic. The fruit we had was AMAZING, and I ate lots of pineapple :) The LASP staff took us to a private-ish beach, so it was incredibly clean and uncrowded. We had fun laying in the sand and watching the monkeys play in the trees above us.

After a few hours at the beach, we returned to the hotel and got cleaned up for dinner at the Black Star Line community center. The Black Star Line was started by Marcus Garvey as part of his “back to Africa” movement during the civil rights movement. The place was basically a huge open room with a stage where a calypso band played for a few hours while we ate and danced. Everyone had lots of fun and afterward we all went out in search of ice cream. We were shocked to find nearly every store in town closed at 9:00 on a Saturday night! The lack of ice cream put an end to our night out, so Haleigh and I went up to our room to try and get lots of rest before heading back to San Jose tomorrow.

Friday, January 28

Today marked the beginning of our trip to Limon. It feels like it has been a marathon of a week, and I was so tired all day. The journey to Limon began this morning at 8 at LASP. We were lucky enough to get to hear a lecture by one of Costa Rica's leading politicians, Epsy Campbell. She ran for Vice President in the last election and spoke to us about Costa Rica's diversity and the province of Limon. It was good to hear her perspective, and she explained that Limon is one of Costa Rica's most diverse provinces, but that it is very isolated and has been victim to much discrimination.

After her lecture, we loaded onto two buses and started towards Limon. I sat in a jump seat which made me feel like I was going to fly through the windshield the whole time until I switched places with someone at one of our stops. During the ride I got to talk to Don Antonio about my thesis, which was really helpful.

We had four scheduled stops on the way, and our first was at a coffee plantation about one hour away from San Jose. There, Javier explained the history and coffee farming in Costa Rica. He talked about the harm of growing coffee unnaturally as a monoculture (alone in a field without any other plants to balance soil nutrients) and the impact exports in general have on Costa Rica. We took a while to look at the coffee fruit growing on the plants and take some pictures, and then we were off to our next stop.

A short ride later, we were at a pineapple plantation. Laura shared about pineapples (which actually grow in a spiky short plane on the ground...not on trees!) and we got to take some more pictures. Between that stop and the next one we really began to feel the climate changing to be much more tropical. We passed through a beautiful national part and saw some huge rivers. At one point we saw the place where two rivers converged, and we could see the impact that different types of pollution were having on the water very clearly. One of the rivers was a greenish color while the other was a murky brown. The rivers were given their color from runoff from the various fertilizers used at farms upstream.

For lunch we stopped at this cool buffet place where Haleigh and I ate with Don Mike. It was fun talking to them about what we have to look forward to for the rest of the semester. Talking about our trip to Nicaragua was also a little concerning because there are so many stories about people getting really sick during their stays there. Apparently we won't be going to the areas where the worst illnesses have been experienced, but I'm still a little nervous about that part...I guess we'll just wait and see. God will carry me through whatever happens.

Stop #4 was a banana plantation where we got to observe bananas being processed from bunches on the stalks (or herbs...also not trees!) to produce crates to be shipped internationally. The people at the plantation apparently weren't expecting us, so we didn't do a full tour or anything, and it was kind of awkward to be talking about and taking pictures of the people who were there working, but they normally give tours, so it probably wasn't as weird as I thought.

Don Antonio explained how things at the plantation worked and the history or fruit plantations in Central America (starting with the United Fruit Company, a key figure in my GUA/USA paper). He explained that the original business owners who planned to grow fruit in Central America and export it bought huge plots of land in Central America for very small prices. They signed contracts with the dictators of several countries in the late 1800s that gave them ownership of massive quantities of unused land as well as special tax exemptions and the right to refuse wage increases for up to 100 years. These contracts have led to many problems and allowed for much exploitation, creating hindrances in the development of Central America and contributing to the region's difficulties even today. Don Antonio also talked about the high standards of international fruit markets. He said that every country has its own standards for banana quality and that the workers at banana plantations have to work very hard to know and meet those standards every day.

When we finally arrived in Limon, we split up into groups of two for room assignments and were given money for dinner and breakfast. Then we had free time for the rest of the night. Haleigh and I went out with Rene and Megan to finish our interview assignments. We felt a little awkward walking about looking for people to interview, but everyone we ran into was really friendly. It is amazing how different Limon and San Jose are, and we all felt especially like fish out of water in our newest environment. After a few successful interviews with some helpful people, we stopped fro dinner at a little restaurant. The heat and humidity were unbelievable, but dinner was good and afterward we got ice cream to cool off. We also stopped at a supermarket to buy breakfast foods for the weekend, and we had fun observing the differences between supermarkets here and in the States.

I pretty much crashed as soon as we got back to the hotel. The little bit of sun I got today is already manifesting itself in a slight sunburn, so will have to be extra careful to put on lots of sunscreen tomorrow. A little something that brightened my life was reading Psalm 139 before bed. Check it out :)

Thursday, January 27

What a day! Somehow today soared by without a minute of downtime. From the minute I woke up, the time flew and I feel like I was on the go all day. We discussed drug trafficking and had small process groups at LASP this morning. There were some interesting points about the effects of current drug policies and the potential ramifications of legalizing drug use. Like all of the topics we've discussed, I feel like I need to do more research in order to be able to fully understand the international drug problem.

In our small group discussion, the question of what the church is doing to make a difference in the face of many of the issues we have been talking about. It was interesting to look at what the church is known for doing (preaching and condemning with no follow through) and what we would like to see more of from the global community of believers (selfless actions taken out of love). Ultimately the conclusion of our discussion was that real changes need to start somewhere and a revolution can begin with one person gaining understanding and making a point to follow their convictions. 100% commitment is what makes a difference, and Christ calls us to give our whole lives to serve Him in any way possible. This is a challenge I am seeking to live up to every day, and I feel that God is working in me so that I will be better equipped to serve Him each day for the rest of my life.

It is important for me to be thoughtful in every moment, not taking anything for granted. This whole experience has been planned by God, and He is pouring His blessings upon me always. I want to keep this idea at the forefront of my mind and let all of the rest of my thoughts be filtered through this knowledge. The walk between LASP and ICADS is full of marvelous views, and seeing the sun shine through the clouds covering the mountains as we walked today took my breath away. The same God who created everything good and beautiful loves each one of us and wants to be in constant communion with us. I don't want anything to get in the way of the extraordinary relationship with God that I am given access to through the blood of my Savior.

Wow. I digress. :) Getting back to my day, this afternoon was our last class with Letty, the Spanish teacher we have had so far. ICADS rotates teachers every week or so in order to provide students with a variety of teaching styles, so next week we will have a new teacher. While it will be good to be exposed to some new ways to use and understand Spanish, it was sad to say goodbye to Letty today.

Immediately after getting home from ICADS, I started packing for our weekend trip to Limon. I was also able to call home, and it was good to talk to a few of the people I've been missing. After dinner I worked on my blog situation and then did some research for an upcoming Spanish project. Today I also worked on my thesis paper for quite a while. It's not progressing quite as quickly as I would like, and I'm hoping to talk to Don Antonio about it at some point tomorrow in order to get a better idea of where I should be going with the paper.

There were a few times today when I had to remind myself to just take a deep breath and relax. Everything will get done in its time and stressing is not going to help with anything. I'm looking forward to our trip to Limon this weekend, and I hope that it will provide a little bit of refreshment and that it will be re-energizing. More on that when I get back...have a happy weekend, everyone!

Wednesday, January 26

When I turned on my computer this morning, some videos from my family's trip to Germany caught my eye, and I ended up starting the morning on a great note, laughing at all of the ridiculous things Taylor found important enough to record. The rest of my morning consisted of some reading about Limon, a region of Costa Rica that we will be visiting this weekend. I am looking forward to the weekend excursion, and it was interesting to read about some of the diversity of Costa Rica. Limon is primary populated by Afro-descendents who, according to Tony, speak a unique dialect of English. My readings also said that they speak lots of Spanish there...it will be interesting to learn to adapt to another new form of communication.

This morning at LASP, we had student-led worship again, and it was phenomenal to gather as a group to worship and pray. After that, a small group of us took the bus into downtown San Jose to conduct interviews with various people about poverty in Costa Rica for one of our upcoming assignments. Haleigh and I were partners and we interviewed a woman on the bus as well as a man selling newspapers. It was interesting to hear their ideas about poverty. They woman on the bus told us she thought Costa Rica was progressing a lot in the area of poverty, but the man said that the government was doing nothing about poverty. I think this is a good reminder that perspectives are important. They determine our reality, and keeping in mind what others may think or how our thoughts may impact others should help us to make better decisions.

Included in our time in San Jose was a trip to the post office to buy stamps and a stop at a tourist store to buy post cards. Unfortunately, neither one of us actually remembered where the post office was, so it took us quite a while to find what we were looking for. After finally buying stamps, we rewarded ourselves with some ice cream and headed for the bus stop. We got on the bus going towards ICADS and were soon joined by another pair of students who had been doing interviews as well. Once we finally arrived at our stop it was 1:30, and we were afraid we would be late to class, so we rushed to ICADS. Luckily, none of the classes had stated yet, so everything was alright.

It was nice to do something different today because it gave me something to talk with my host family about. They wanted to know about my time in San Jose and about the interviews, so it was a good conversation starter. I was slightly overwhelmed by my homework today, so I spent most of the evening working on reading, writing and researching. Its not that I'm behind or anything, I just never know exactly what's around the corner, so I am trying to keep a good handle on my homework in case anything comes up. I would hate to have to pass up any opportunity for homework, so I might as well get as much done now as possible.

I am feeling slightly exhausted, and I think that's a sign that my semester is officially in full swing. Hopefully there will be some time this weekend in Limon to get some rest and catch some sun at the beach in between the other activities and lectures the LASP staff has in store for us. I won't have internet access while I'm there, so don't worry if I don't post for a few days...I promise I will catch you all up when I get back!

Tuesday, January 25

Things seem to be falling into a nice routine here. Today, like all Tuesdays, we had a lecture at LASP. Before the lecture began, some friends and I talked about some awkward situations we have gotten ourselves into since coming here. Most of them have involved the local custom of greeting with a kiss on the cheek or a hug, and it was great to start the day with a good laugh. Our topic of discussion this morning was economic systems. Despite the fact that millions of questions regarding applications and implications were running through my head, it is nice to have clear and simple definitions of terms used so frequently, such as capitalism and Marxism. The notes handout I was given is was full of my unfinished thoughts and unanswered questions, some of which we discussed for an hour after the lecture and during lunch. I can't wait to talk more about these and other new ideas/perspectives I've learned about throughout the rest of the semester and when I get home!

It was a little breezy and cooler today, so the walk to ICADS was especially enjoyable. Spanish class was much the same as always, but while we were at ICADS it was announced that one of our classmates, Molly, has decided to return home for the semester. It was really sad to see her leave, but I'm sure the whole experience was in God's will for her.

Upon leaving ICADS, Haleigh and I saw her host mom waiting to pick her up. For some reason her job had brought her over to the part of town where ICADS is, so she gave us a ride home. Arriving home early provided me with some quiet time alone before Monica and mamá got home. My Spanish homework was easy, so I quickly got that out of the way and then I just read and spent some time with God for a little while. It was so refreshing! God is clearly sustaining me each day, and I can see Him moving in my life consistently, opening my eyes and guiding my actions. I also started the rest of my research for my thesis paper today. I will get comments from my professor about my tentative thesis on Thursday and will have a better idea of where to go from there.

When Monica and mamá came home we had dinner and then Moni and I went to the supermarket to pick up a few things. During dinner, as during all meals since he has moved in, Tony teased me about missing John. He has made up a song about being homesick that he claims I sing every night in my sleep. His sense of humor is enthusiastically welcomed. I'm very grateful for the good relationships I've been building with my hosts...they make this experience even better!

After going to the supermarket, Monica and I we hung out for a while and I went to bed fairly early. While routine is nice, this new pace of life is sometimes a challenge for me to adjust to. Each moment is a step of faith, and its difficult to resist trying to plan ahead or prepare for what's next. Taking a deep breath and enjoying exactly what is happening in the moment is a valuable skill I am trying to attain. With God's grace upon me, maybe I will have a better grasp on these valuable lessons by the end of this adventure. :)

Monday, January 24

I'm incredibly tired from a busy but good day, so a short entry will have to suffice. This morning I had a meeting with Don Antonio and a few other students about my GUA/USA paper. It was great to discuss the book I just read (its called Bitter Fruit by Schlesinger and Kinzer) with him and other students who were reading it. We discussed potential theses for our papers, and it sounds like Don Antonio would like us to focus more on what can be learned from the history between the two nations instead of writing about what actually happened. While that means my paper will be much more interesting than it would have been, it also means that I will need to do more research than I initially thought and that the amount of time I spent on my first book was a little too generous. No worries...now I know and I'm excited about the new direction for the paper.

Our conference about that paper took about an hour and a half and after that I read about drugs in Latin America to prepare for one of our lectures this week. As always, the afternoon was spent at ICADS, where another student was added to my class, giving us 5 in all. We talked a lot in class and having that discussion time with other students really boosts my confidence with using Spanish outside of the classroom. On the way home from ICADS, Haleigh and I searched for postcards to send home, but that seemingly simple quest proved itself impossible for today. I'm sure we were just looking in the wrong part of town.

Despite our failure, we had a great time, and encouraged by the events of the day, I was able to hold a few solid conversations this evening with my mamá in which I was mostly satisfied with my Spanish capabilities. I did have a little trouble describing a Minnesota winter, however. The cold weather of the north is almost unfathomable here and is one thing I don't think I will ever need to fear missing.

Sunday, January 23

What a weekend! Its amazing how much can happen when it feels like you're doing nothing! All day today I've felt like I was just hanging out, getting small things done piece by piece, dragging them out to keep myself occupied. That's exactly what I was doing, but looking back I'm amazed at how productive I actually was. Many times in the United States stress and rapid movement is considered necessary to achieve success. Today God asked me to take a step back, be still in Him and do what He had for me instead of chasing my own plans and goals. When we accept His plans instead of following our own, the results are infinitely better.

The slower pace of Latin America is something that I knew I was going to struggle with, and I came prepared to be frustrated by what we in the United States might consider a lack of planning. Like I've said before, patience is a key word on this adventure. This weekend was a slow one with little action, but God provided little things to keep me busy and now I've reached Sunday night and I can't believe I have to go back to school already tomorrow!

Last night we decided to go to church in the morning this week instead of in the afternoon, so I got up around 8:30 and took my time getting ready for 10:30 mass. The walk to church was absolutely beautiful. The sun was shining and a slight breeze was maintaining the perfect temperature. My mamá grabbed a bulletin as we walked into church so that I would be able to follow along with the readings and therefore understand more this week. It was really good for me to read the Spanish as it was being spoken, and I was familiar with the passages, so I was able to gauge my understanding. While I certainly didn't get every word, I was happy to be able to understand the big idea of the mass fairly well. The priest talked about giving up our whole lives to live for Christ like the apostles did. I really enjoyed the service and the music was great!

After church, I kept on working on my GUA/USA book. The last 50 pages seemed to drag on, so I took a break to reconnect with home. I spent a while chatting with friends on Skype and Facebook and checking my emails (I'm going to be a nanny again this summer!) before returning to my reading. Talking to people made me feel really out of the loop, but this experience is totally worth it! Memories from my semesters abroad will last a lifetime and the lessons I'm learning will equip me to be a better student, teacher, friend, and person in general.

Finally I had to return to my reading, and after taking my 14^th page of notes, I completed the 250 page book. I had been feeling like I hadn't done anything this weekend, but then I realized that I had completed my largest reading assignment for the semester! I'm not exactly sure how I'll be able to cover what I've read already in just 10-15 pages, much less incorporate additional sources, but the good news is that there certainly isn't a lack of things to say! Tomorrow morning I will meet with my advisor for the paper to create a thesis statement and look for additional resources.

Another homework assignment I had for the weekend was to make a family tree of my host family, so after dinner my mamá helped me make one of her family. Soon after that, Monica returned home from her day out with Manuel and we both talked about our days and the upcoming week. It can be challenging to have good conversations when I need to be conscious of which tense I'm using, and I'm sure its like watching paint dry for Monica, but I really appreciate her patience and I feel like I'm getting the hang of the past tenses at least.

I think I'll conclude my night by writing one last email and reading a little bit about one of our next discussion topics, drug trade in Latin America. God has certainly sustained me through this weekend, and I can't wait to see what He will do this week! Leaning on Him can be a challenge, but remembering His presence can carry and comfort me like nothing else.

Saturday, January 22

Today was kind of a long day, but its a nice change from the normal face-paced stress of school. I accidentally set my alarm for 8:00 last night, so I was up fairly early, but it was nice to have some time to myself and slowly work my way out of bed this morning. When I got up I read for a little bit and then signed onto Skype where I got to chat with my mom for a little bit. Then, I did some research on zip lining for Spring Break, something a couple of friends and I have talked about wanting to try while we're here. There are lots of places to zip line here, so it took a while to figure out where we might want to go. Has anyone done this (or anything else touristy in CR) and have a recommendation for us? While tourism isn't our reason for being here, we don't want to pass up the opportunity to see more of this beautiful country!

After doing that research, I ventured into the kitchen where I found that my Mamá had left me breakfast on the table before she went to work. How sweet! I took my time eating breakfast and then dove into my homework, which consisted of reading more about GUA/USA. It took me all afternoon to read 100 more pages of the 250 page book required as preliminary research! Luckily, I only have 50 pages left, which I'm planning to read tomorrow.

I ate lunch with Mamá and her friend who had the stroke. His name is Tony and he is really funny. He lived in the US for 18 years and speaks fluent English. It was fun to talk with both of them over a lunch of shrimp cocktail. Lunch was followed by catching up on emails and working on my vocabulary list for this semester. Actually, there are so many words I had to look up in the GUA/USA book that my lists for the next two semesters are complete. ;)

I was also able to call my family, and it was good to talk to them. Dinner was much the same as lunch...lots of fun chatter and grilled cheese, my favorite comfort food. Monica and I concluded the night by watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding and hanging out for a while. While it was a bit of a challenge to avoid stir-craziness, I think I could get used to weekends like this where there's no pressure and I can just work on things at a slow pace when I want to.

Friday, January 21

Friday. The most beautiful day of the week. Not only was the weather gorgeous (sunny with temps in the 80s), but I also had a full day of goodness. We did not have a lecture at LASP today, but I decided to wake up early anyway to go to the library and read the book I've been assigned for my GUA/USA paper. I got up at 6:30 and was at LASP by 8:00. There I read all morning, until 12 when I ate lunch and then headed over to ICADS with a couple of other girls. It was a wonderful day for a walk and we had a good talk about homesickness. Mostly we talked about how its okay to miss people at home and to know that we're missing a lot but the most important thing is to invest in what we are doing so that we don't go through the homesickness for nothing. I can already see many ways this experience is molding me and I want to make the most of it. Honestly, I haven't been as homesick as I was anticipating, probably because I have been blessed to have easy access to the internet and thereby a connection to home.

Spanish class was a lot of fun too. We discussed gender roles in society, comparing Costa Rica to the US in that regard and played a vocabulary game that was a lot like Scattegories. Our first quiz was a breeze and I feel like I actually learned the material well enough to use it. I've actually been able to apply my better understanding of the irregularities of the past tense in many conversations this week. Its so fun to be able to apply the things I'm learning in Spanish class every day!

The walk home was the perfect clincher to my week. We all talked about our plans for the weekend and I'm really happy to be part of such a great community of students here. I didn't have any plans in mind for the weekend, but when I got home Monica asked me if I would like to go to the movies with her. We went to the mall and saw Tangled. It was really cute and I loved listening to the Spanish. Its funny that I couldn't even understand most of what was said in a movie for little kids, but I did get the gist of the story and listened for verb conjugations I was familiar with. That sounds really nerdy, I know, but its exciting for me to be able to understand how words are being formed after having studied the language with little application for so long.

A friend of my Mamá recently had a stroke and has come to live with us for a while. I'm not sure how long he is staying, but its kind of fun to have a new face in the house and I really enjoyed talking to him this afternoon before we went to the movie. He lived in Los Angeles for 18 years and speaks perfect English, but we talked mostly in Spanish and I'm always grateful for anyone willing to endure my butchering of the language. Hopefully I'll have more chances to use Spanish in casual conversations throughout this weekend.

I can hardly believe that it has only been 10 days since I left home and part of me can't fathom another 3 months here. The other part can't imagine being anywhere besides here, and I'm so grateful that God directs my path and sustains me every day.

Thursday, January 20

Today was another great day! Our lecture at LASP this morning was on poverty, and a man named Elmer came to share with us about his life of poverty and his experiences of inequality throughout Latin America. It was difficult to imagine living through the things he described to us, such as searching for food every day of his childhood in the garbage dump upon which his family lived and working 36-hour shifts as a security guard to support his family now. Elmer emphasized that what he wants more than anything is for the rich people he comes in contact with to show him that they care, that they know he is human. He said simply having a friendly conversation and learning each others' names would make a world of difference in the relationships between rich and poor people everywhere.

After Elmer's lecture, we broke out in small groups and my group discussed what we are supposed to do with the information we are gaining during our time here. How are we supposed to react to hearing about a reality that is so vastly different from our own? Trevor talked about how this will be a question we ask ourselves for the rest of the semester and that simply being more aware and conscious of our everyday habits is a big step towards progress.

We talked for about an hour in our small group, had time for lunch, and then it was time to walk to ICADS for Spanish. The sun was shining and the weather was incredible again today, so the walk was very enjoyable. Spanish class was also a lot of fun and I feel like my language skills are really improving. Everyone in my class noticed that I was feeling a lot better today, and I was happy to be able to participate intelligently instead of being half-engaged because of my allergies.

When I got home I had the house to myself and Holly called me on Skype, so I talked to her and Emily for a while before my family came home and I had a fantastic dinner of fried fish while we caught up with each other. It seems like the days fly by here and I can't believe how exhausted I am by the time 9:00 rolls around each night. There's so much to do and learn in such a short semester here. Every moment is a time for growth and I think Trevor was right in emphasizing that its not always so much about what we are doing, but our thoughts and motives can impact us and others in small ways that may make the biggest differences.

Wednesday, January 19

If I had to chose one word to describe today, it would have to be refreshing. This morning we did not have class at LASP, so I had the early morning off. I decided to get up at my normal time to do some reading and have some extra time to spend with God. Throughout my stay here I have been filled with an unexplainable peace that can only be from God, but I know that I have not been spending enough time investing in my relationship with Him. It was great to have a relaxing morning, and after I showered I just shut myself in my room for a while to be alone with God, the reason I'm here. It was such a relief to reconnect with Him and just rest in His presence, and I'm going to make more of an effort to make this part of my everyday routine. One of the reasons I haven't been doing this is that I did not want to isolate myself from my family, but I've been realizing that there are ways (like doing my homework at the kitchen table or in Monica's room) that I can be more connected with them and still be comfortable having time to myself.

This morning was also refreshing because there was a student-led worship service at LASP. It was the first time we worshiped together as a group, and I really enjoyed it. We sang a few songs and spent quite a bit of time in prayer with each other and individually. I prayed in a small group with a couple of girls that I've been getting to know, and it was nice for all of us to just lean on each other and bring our struggles to the Lord. Worship sessions are scheduled for every Wednesday morning during the first five weeks that we're here, and I'm so excited about that opportunity!

After worship we had some downtime and I worked on reading the 250 page book I have been assigned to read about Guatemala/USA relations. This is the topic I signed up to write about for my 10-15 page thesis paper that is due in about a month, and I'm pretty excited about it, but why does the book have to be so long?! Seriously though, I'm grateful to have a good source to start with, and I'm sure it will be interesting if I ever get past the introduction.

I spent my early afternoon reading that and eating lunch in the courtyard behind LASP. One of the girls in our group (Michelle) sprained her ankle the other day and therefore needed to ride the bus from LASP to ICADS today. I didn't want her to go alone, so we got a group of 4 to venture into the center of the city to take the bus. The ride took longer than I expected, so Haleigh and I took the first bus out of city center towards ICADS while the other girls went to an e-cafe. It was fun talking to Haleigh on the bus, and I'm really enjoying getting to know her and the other students here. We all come from very different backgrounds, and its interesting to learn about everyone's different perspectives.

At ICADS we talked about direct and indirect complements used in Spanish, and I was having a really hard time understanding why some of them are used. I think I was incorporating too much of my English understanding or something...I got really frustrated and then my teacher told me that the things that I was so confused about are not really necessary, just used for emphasis! Problem solved, I guess. I would like to understand the topic more anyway, and I'm cautiously looking forward to reviewing it tomorrow.

On a related note, I bought some medicine for my allergies last night and feel so so so much better today! Because I was feeling better, I was able to be much more engaged in my Spanish class, and I am happy with the amount of Spanish I've been able to use today. After class Haleigh and I decided to walk because it was beautiful outside and because its nice to save the bus money and get some exercise. Upon arriving home I took a quick shower and then started doing my homework at the kitchen table. I'm not sure what inspired this, but it was a much better idea than doing it alone in my room. Why haven't I thought of this before?!

So I did some reading and chatted a bit with my Mamá while she made dinner. As she set the table with heaping helpings of deliciousness (chicken, rice, beans, potato bread, and fried plantains) all around me, I started to notice that mine was the only place set for dinner. Monica was out with her boyfriend and Mamá wasn't hungry, so tonight I had a feast! I was able to talk with Mamá while I ate and I told her about my struggles in Spanish. She said that no one talks correctly anyway and those topics are difficult even for Ticans. Of course, this made me feel a lot better. The rest of my night will likely include much reading about GUA/USA. Luckily, my life is full of amazing people and I have two great emails to read also, so that will break up my homework marathon! Writing this and remembering my day has given me a burst of energy, so maybe this will go quickly and I can get to bed early! Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!

Tuesday, January 18

Today was a lot like yesterday only with new topics and discussions. This morning at LASP, Javier (one of our professors) presented a brief summary of Costa Rican history. He talked about social programs that have been successful and those that have caused destruction in the country, and afterward we had a great group discussion about the sustainability of government programs such as public healthcare and electricity. There were parts when I was keenly aware that I was not at conservative little NWC anymore, but the diversity of opinions kept the discussion very provocative.

Our lecture ended early, so we had plenty of time to leisurely eat lunch and make our way to ICADS. My allergies have really been bothering me, so it was a bit difficult to concentrate during Spanish class, but for the most part it went really well. We played a game to practice conjugating verbs in various tenses and read a cute story. Another guy from LASP joined our class, giving us 4 students, and we had some good group discussion. I felt bad that I wasn't concentrating as much as I would have liked to, but I just really wasn't feeling well.

When I got home from class, no one else was at home, so I took a quick shower (I was roasting from the hour long stroll in the 80 degree weather), and then I called Emily. It was so great to talk to her and to have support from someone who has already gone through this experience. What a blessing a great friend can be! I felt much better after talking to her, and when Monica and Mamá got home we ate some delicious chicken soup. After dinner Monica and I went to the pharmacy to pick up some allergy medicine, and I'm relieved to have something to help me get over this...I can't wait to be at my best again!

Monday, January 17

My first day of classes went really well! I'm happy to have plenty of stuff to do and our lecture this morning was supremely interesting. My daily routine is beginning to unfold, and it seems like a lot of fun so far. This morning I had breakfast with my Mamá and then met a few girls down the street with whom I will walk to school each day. On the way we met a few other LASP students and we all shared stories from our weekend. One of the other students was sick over the weekend and another had the unfortunate experience of being pulled into the ocean by a riptide. These stories made me more grateful for my relaxing time at home.

Upon arriving at LASP, I sat with Haleigh again, and after we did some final orientation stuff, Don (a title used here similar to Mr.) Mike (the newest of the LASP staff members) shared about colonialism and neo-colonialism (imperialism and the settlement/development of what is now the third world). He shared a lot about how European nations often created systems of dependency and dominance when they took over a country and how the United States participates in that dependency today. It was really interesting to hear about this topic from someone who did not hold to the standard textbook view, and what he said made a lot of sense to me. I'm enthusiastic about discussing this topic and the others we are going to look at here with anyone who will listen when I get home...a fresh perspective is always exciting!

After listening to and discussing Don Mike's lecture, we all ate lunch in the beautiful courtyard behind the LASP building and then made the hour long trek to ICADS as a whole group. There were many turns along the way and it will take me a while to memorize the route, but a small group of us were able to retrace our path successfully this afternoon, so I'm not too worried about it. The sun was shining and I got a little bit of color for the first time since being here, which was really nice. It was also fun to have some time where I was doing something (walking and trying to memorize the route), but I could also just relax and joke with other students.

Upon arriving at ICADS, we were split up into language groups. I am in an intermediate class with only 2 other students, Megan and Paul. We had some really good discussion about our families (here and at home) and Latin American culture, and I felt like I kept up with the Spanish really well. Throughout our 3 hour long class, I noticed that I was able to understand a lot of Spanish writing, and when our teacher (Leticia) or the other students spoke I could understand what they were saying for the most part. The biggest challenge for me, as with most other students it seems, is articulating for myself what I am thinking.

After walking home with a smaller group, I took a quick shower and then began working on some homework. One of my assignments was to talk with my host family about machismo (male-dominance) in Costa Rica. It was nice to have something specific to talk about at dinner, and so far today I haven't used any English at home...its so nice to be able to use my Spanish!

One of my biggest challenges today was dealing with my allergies, which seem to come and go in drastic waves. Also,wearing brand new sandals on a hike through the city on the way to ICADS was probably not the best idea I've ever had, but they should be just about broken in now, so it was probably worth it. I've been enjoying the luxury of being in pretty regular communication with everyone at home, but as my classes begin to take off, this luxury will probably dwindle. This is something I'm expecting, and I'm ready to feel more engaged here in order to not rely on that so much, but of course I miss the comfort of being able to talk to the people I care about whenever I want to. I'm taking comfort in knowing that this is what God has planned for my life in this moment. He is here and readily accessible, and I'm treasuring the opportunities to better equip myself that I've gained by coming here.

Sunday, January 16

This morning was a lot like yesterday. We all slept in and I spent the morning/afternoon working on reading for my classes this week. As a study break, my Mamá gave me some delicious tropical fruit with yogurt and granola. I've never eaten papaya or pineapple much before, but they were both fabulous in this dish. I started a food journal and I'm looking forward to bringing that part of Costa Rica home with me!

My host family attends a Catholic church that meets at 4:00, so later in the afternoon we started getting ready to go to mass. I was a little nervous for this experience, not knowing exactly what I was getting myself into, but it went really well. Their church was beautiful and the mass went really quickly. After church, we played a few card games, ate dinner, and watched some TV before bed. In all, it was a very easy-going weekend, and I'm ready to dive into my first day of classes tomorrow!

Saturday, January 15

Last night was such a fun night! After I finished writing my last post, I called my mom and had a really good time talking with her. While I was telling her about my day, Monica came home and when I finished Skyping, my Mamá taught me how to make homemade tortillas and we had dinner (tortillas, sausage, rice, and beans). Of course, it was delicious! After dinner I showed my hosts the pictures of my family that had been in my suitcase this whole time and then I taught them how to play an adapted version of Dutch Blitz. When we tired of that, we switched to Uno and the three of us had a great time together. It was reassuring to use my Spanish and have fun with them, and I feel like I'm learning a lot already!

This morning I slept in and then had pancakes for breakfast with my Mamá. I spent a few hours reading some of the material for Monday and then took a shower and got ready for the day. It was a pretty slow morning, and the highlight may have been having my soap, towel, and hair dryer to use for the first time here. We eventually ate lunch and then Monica and I went down the street to a house where another LASP student lives in order to organize for the two of us to walk to class together on Monday.

When Monica and I arrived back at our house, Mamá was ready to head over to her cousin's house for coffee. She invited me to go along, and I enjoyed an afternoon with her and all of her cousins. It was fun to see them joke and laugh together and even though I couldn't participate much it was good to hear lots of Spanish! Riding the bus home was also really good because I think that now that I've done it a few times I'll be able to find my way home on Monday after class. I'm missing everyone at home (a symptom of a pretty low-key day, I think), but its good to be here too! Tomorrow we are going to church at 4:00 PM, so I'm excited and nervous to see what that will be like!

Friday, January 14

Our fist day at the LASP center went really well! Like yesterday, I woke up around 6:30, had breakfast with Monica and mamá and then Monica walked me to LASP, which is only about 10 minutes from our home! We took one of the dogs with us and ran into another student on our way, so it was a pretty eventful walk. The weather here is beautiful, and I'm sure I will be very spoiled by the sunshine and rainbows (which fill the sky nearly every morning) by the time this trip is over.

I arrived at LASP a few minutes late, so the room was mostly full, but I was happy to find that Megan had saved me a seat next to her. We spend most of the day talking more about our families, culture shock, and safety in San Jose. Two members of the “Costa Rican FBI” came to share with us about safety. They both spoke in Spanish while one of our professors translated. I could understand a lot of the Spanish, but listening to them also made me realize how patient everyone around me is being with my Spanish skills. All of the people I have directly talked to have been so considerate, slowing down their speech and explaining things very simply when I don't understand. I can't wait until I am able to easily understand people who don't have to be so careful around me.

The presentation on safety was mostly a review, and it has been helpful to learn a few strategies for staying safe in the city. The biggest thing is to stay in groups and not carry more than you need. Both suggestions seem pretty manageable to me and I feel pretty safe in my neighborhood. After the presentations, we had lunch, broke off into our concentrations (mine is Latin American Studies), and played a few games. Today we also talked about the seminar class we will all be taking, signed up for position paper topics (mine is US-Guatemala relations), and looked over our schedule for the semester. We will be staying here in San Jose for 5 more weeks, until February 21 when we leave to stay in Nicaragua until March 3. Immediately after this trip we will have a spring break and then our concentrations begin on the 8^th of March. It looks like my internship starts on March 21 and will consist of living with another host family for about 4 weeks. I'm not exactly sure what the last week of my time here will be like, but I'm excited to experience a Latin American Easter. I can't wait to dive in! The LASP staff gave us packets of reading material and it all looks so interesting. I'm excited for the discussions, research, and adventures I will be participating in soon!

At some point today the rest of my luggage arrived, and I am very relieved to have all of my things with me now. A few liquids exploded during the trip, but in all having my stuff is very comforting. After class ended around 3:30, Trevor (one of the LASP professors) drove me and my mamá home with my suitcase and I unpacked my bag. It took quite a while to find places for everything, but I'm happy to say its done! Monica had a doctor's appointment today (she has been having problems with her arm), so after I finished unpacking I had some downtime during which I organized and wrote this. I'm not sure what the rest of tonight has in store, but I am looking forward to learning how to make tortillas tomorrow!

I don't have any more (not so) clever titles! Thursday, January 13

So it seems as though I am going to have very regular access to the internet and time to blog fairly frequently. How exciting! I am really enjoying everything about my stay here so far and I can't wait to share it all with everyone! Just to avoid confusion, I want to let you all know that I am currently posting a day after I write. So, for example, this posting is titled Thurs, Jan. 18, but the date of posting is 1/14/2011. This is because I posted it today, but I actually wrote it last night in reflection of my day. To avoid confusion, I'm going to start titling my entries with the date of when they were written. The date shown below the title will reflect the time that I was able to post the entry, but the date I write as the title will show when it was actually written (as shown above...the date of posting is Jan. 14, but I wrote it about Jan. 13).

This morning began with my alarm going off at 6:30. I got up and took a shower, got ready for the day, and had a nice breakfast of pinto gallo with my family. This entire process would have been much more enjoyable had I had all of my belongings, but as it was, I had enough to get by and I quickly got over the fact that I will look like a slob for a few days until the rest of my luggage gets here. After breakfast, Monica took me to el Parque de la Cultura (a big plaza in the center of San Jose) where I met the rest of the students from LASP.

The group quickly split up into our small teams (I was with Haleigh, Paul, Molly, and Megan) for the scavenger hunt, and after being shown where to get on the bus later, we were sent off on our own to complete a list of activities, including finding a bank to exchange money, a post office, public phones etc. In between locating the various points of interest, each group had to find their way to our Spanish school (ICADS) at a specific time in order to complete a Spanish language interview for placement in Spanish classes that will begin on Monday. We were able to fulfill most of the requirements with relative ease, and finding ICADS proved to be the most difficult part of our day.

We had a decent start on our trip to ICADS because we knew where the bus stop was, but there were so many buses to choose from! A friendly bus driver saw the group of us standing on the street with confused looks on our faces and quickly offered us some direction, pointing us to the correct bus. Once we got on the bus, we showed that driver our miniature map to ICADS, and he assured us that we were in the right place. We rode the bus for quite a while, and eventually the bus driver signaled for us to get off the bus. Immediately after getting off, we started walking down the street and the driver motioned to us that we were going the wrong way! Luckily we had left very early and had plenty of time to make some silly mistakes. We had ridden the bus for far too long and found ourselves walking up a fairly steep hill in order to find the school, having to stop for directions along the way. Eventually we made it to ICADS and I made it my first mission to find some water to drink.

Drinking water doesn't seem to be nearly as common here as in the United States, and I've felt myself becoming a little dehydrated a few times. Its just another thing to get used to, and I've already started learning the importance of speaking up and being clear about my needs. After replenishing myself, I had an interview with a very friendly Tica (Costa Rican woman) who asked me about my family, school, and interests in order to measure my Spanish speaking abilities. I really enjoyed speaking with her, and when she asked about my friends we were able to have a short conversation about our mutual friend Emily who studied here last semester!

When the whole group had finished their interviews, we made our way to San Pedro Mall and then took a taxi back to the center of the city for a coffee date with Javier, one of the LASP staff members. There we talked about our time in Costa Rica so far and we were able to ask Javier many questions. Once our whole checklist was completed, we went back to el Parque de la cultura to meet our host families and return home. Monica and her boyfriend, Manuel met me and we made our way to the store to get some ingredients for dinner. Manuel was excited to practice his English with a native speaker, so the three of us had some fun bilingual conversations. It is fun for me to speak with Spanish speakers learning English, but I am looking forward to spending more time working on both speaking and comprehending Spanish.

Upon arriving home, we were greeted by our mamá, and she taught me how to make a delicious pasta dish. For dessert, Manuel made caramelized apples which we ate with ice cream. Then I helped clean up the kitchen and everyone sort of broke off into their own activities. I was able to check my email and relax a little before bed. I had so much fun reading all of the messages from the US, and I miss everyone at home, but I think I'm really going to like it here. Already I am feeling more and more comfortable with using my Spanish and with learning the ways of an entirely new culture. One of my favorite pieces of advice that I have gotten since being here is “tranquilla”- calm down, peace, relax, don't worry. Everything will be alright. In fact, as I'm learning, the more I put myself out there, the better things will turn out. Patience and tranquilla will be two incredibly important things for me to remember each and every day.

A new home

Today was another straining day. Luckily, it lacked the high intensity of yesterday. After arriving at our lodging place around 2 am, we split up into random groups of 3 to share rooms for the night. I was in a room with two girls named Bailey and Rachel. We chatted a little bit, I took a quick shower, and we all went to bed very late. It took me a while to calm down from the day and get settled in and I don't think I got very much sleep. Breakfast was scheduled for 8:30, so Rachel set an alarm for us all to get up. She woke up before the alarm went off and left the room to journal inn order to avoid waking me and Bailey up. However, Bailey woke up shortly after that, and, scared that we were late for breakfast, she woke me up. We quickly got ready only to find out that we still had about 30 min to sleep.

When we eventually went to breakfast, we ate gallo pinto (white rice with black beans), bread, and cheese. After breakfast, we began our orientation sessions which have been extremely helpful, and eventually were able to pick our host families. This process consisted of a LASP staff member walking around the room with papers with the information about the families written on them.. She placed them upside down and we randomly chose one of the papers as she walked by. I found out I was going to be living with a family with a single mother and her 18 year old daughter named Monica. The sheet of information about them also said that I would be staying in my own room and that they have internet as well as two dogs and a cat. Along with the information about our hosts came money for tomorrow's scavenger hunt around San Jose, telephone cards to call our families, and emergency information to carry with us.

After lunch we prepared to meet our hosts and were finally introduced to them. I was near tears standing in line to meet my hosts, full of nerves and homesickness, but I know now that all of my nerves were completely unnecessary. My host mother and sister are fabulous, and Monica speaks fluent English! (A skill I hope not to take advantage of after today but that was an extreme help in getting me past all of my hesitations.) Upon arriving at my home for the next few months, Monica helped me unpack my small bag (my checked bag is still missing) and showed me around the house. I then set up a skype account that will allow me to make unlimited calls to the US for only $20/3 months!

A while later, Monica and I went with her mother to the super market to pick up a few things. I exchanged some money and was introduced to some of the foods unique to Costa Rica. On the walk there my walking skills were challenged as I tried to maneuver the uneven sidewalks, but I managed to only trip dramatically once. After having such trouble getting to the super market, I was worried about getting back home with the bags of groceries. Fortunately, we took a taxi back to our house where we unloaded the groceries before I called home to check in with my family and John. It was great to talk to them and I am really excited about having found that deal on skype!

After skyping for a while, I joined my host family for a delicious dinner of chicken with rice followed by a delicious desert of ice cream and fruit. I spent a while chatting with Monica and her mother, finished unpacking, and settled in for a night of girl talk with Monica. I'm still a little nervous about tomorrow, a fairly independent day in the city, but I am feeling pretty optimistic about my time here, and I'm so excited about what's ahead of me. God certainly carried me though this day and I'm looking forward to growing closer to Him throughout this entire experience.

An eventful first day

Oh what a day! I've been on the move since 4:30 this morning and I'm completely exhausted. Currently, I'm flying from Miami to San Jose. This fact alone warrants a massive praise to God! It seems I am developing the unpleasant reputation of being bad luck when it comes to travel, and today has been one of the most challenging days of traveling I have ever experienced. I arrived at the Minneapolis airport at 6:30-exactly on time this morning. There I had some difficulty checking in because my flights are booked under separate reservations. The conclusion of that minor set back was having to pay to check my bag through to Miami. Not a big deal...I was planning on picking it up and re-checking it in Miami anyway. When I was checking in, they warned me that my flight would be delayed, but didn't give me any specifics, so we decided that I should just go through security as if the flight was on time to be safe.

Again, I arrived exactly on time. I was at my gate a few minutes before my boarding time and was dismayed to find a significant lack of action. No one was moving and no announcements were being made. Everyone on my 8:00 flight waited at our gate with no updates until 8:15 when they explained some troubles with de-icing planes. Eventually we got on the plane, got de-iced, and pulled out onto the runway just in time for Chicago O'Hare to close. An indefinite delay was announced and we were ever so helpfully informed that the flight crew was thinking about letting us off the plane. We sat there for about an hour before they allowed us to disembark with no information about our flights or our carry-on luggage that had been stored underneath the plane due to a lack of overhead compartment space. I would most definitely miss my flight from Chicago to Miami now and needed to make new arrangements.

I followed at least 20 other people from that flight to the re-booking station where I waited in line for about an hour. Just as I was getting to the front of the line, they re-boarded my previous plane. Unsure of what to do, I decided to stay and talk to the ticketing agent, thinking that I was next in line and the plane couldn't possibly be ready to take off more quickly than my questions could be answered. Unfortunately, I was wrong, and the gate closed just as I booked a new flight from Chicago to Miami. Much more fortunately, there was another flight going to Chicago at almost the exact same time that had not yet left. I got onto that flight with little trouble and in the process ran into another student, Rene, who is also enrolled in the Latin American Studies Program (LASP) and was trying to get from MSP to MIA.

The fabulous ticketing agent secured us seats together on both the flight to Chicago and the one from there to Miami and tried to help me re-tag my luggage so that it would go all the way to San Jose. While Rene and I enjoyed the remainder of our traveling together, my bag's destination is still unconfirmed. I'm praying that it will show up in San Jose, but it won't be the end of the world if I have to live without it for a few days while we try to find it.

Finally, Rene and I made our way from Minneapolis to Chicago- a pretty emotional trip for me. She was a great support and I feel really blessed that God crossed our paths before we left Minneapolis. It has been so difficult saying goodbye to friends and family knowing that I won't see any of them for such a long time, but I have to remind myself that this is all part of God's plan for my life. I'm looking forward to growing in my faith and as a person in general throughout this trip, and I know that He will bless me abundantly during my time away from home.

Upon arriving in Chicago, I talked with a ticketing agent about my carry-on that had been placed under my original airplane. I found out that I needed to track down the plane and wait there for everyone to disembark before I could get my bag. Concerned about the lack of time between my arrival and departure, I kept a close eye on the departure boards and was conflicted every time our flight from Chicago to Miami was delayed. I was relieved because I needed every minute I could get to find my bag and get some lunch (by this time it was about 2:30 and I hadn't eaten more than a granola bar all day). However, our flight from Miami was scheduled to leave at 7:55, so the longer we stayed in Chicago the more likely it became that we would miss the flight to San Jose.

Another praise to God filled my heart when the flight from Minneapolis arrived at the gate I was waiting at and I was able to quickly locate my bag. Not nearly so worried about not having any of my things anymore, I was able to quickly grab a bit of pizza before boarding my plane to Miami. On the flight to Miami, we heard that our flight to San Jose had been delayed and Rene and I let out a sigh of relief. We had been seriously concerned about missing that flight, but now it seemed as though we would make it. Upon landing, I called the person from LASP waiting for us at our gate and we were able to quickly locate the group and get my checked in.

What a relief to be on the final flight of this journey. I am so happy to be with a bigger group of people and to know that I'm finally on my way for sure. After a day of uncertainty, this is exactly what I needed. I know that much more uncertainty is ahead for me. I think we're meeting our host families tomorrow and I still need to figure out how to get my checked luggage, but our God is so good! He is so much bigger than my petty problems and I am so comforted to know that He is watching out for me and that I can simply rest in His arms, trusting that He knows what is best for my life.

I can barely keep my eyes open at this point and the thought of going to sleep in a bed could not be more welcomed. Who knows when we will finally arrive at our lodging place for the night, so I'm going to spend the rest of this flight taking a nap. Thank God that every day isn't a travel day! I can't wait to experience more of His wonderful creation in the morning!