So its been a little while since I've posted. The last couple of weeks have been pretty crazy and hopefully I'll find some time to write more about them later, but for now, I'll try to quickly close up my entries about my semester in Costa Rica.
I had a fabulous time in Cuba, getting to know a little bit about their legal and economic systems. It was really interesting to talk to the people there and be introduced to an entirely new perspective about how Cuba operates and how the US responds to their decisions. I was surprised by how many things about the Cuba I liked despite the fact that I spent my whole week there trying to find the major errors in their system. It is true that the people live on very controlled wages and are only given a certain amount of food per month and that media is significantly limited in Cuba. However, it is also true that there are ways (additional jobs, earning tips, receiving money from family in other countries) to get more money if your family needs it and that there is other food available outside of the government rations. All of the Cuban people I talked to about their country had a long list of critiques and praises about their government. This seems pretty typical to me, no matter what country the questions are being asked in. Even in the US we encounter people every day who are unhappy with the way our country is run.
Easter was near the end of our stay in Cuba, and we spent the holiday weekend in a cute little town by the beach. In Costa Rica and Cuba, Easter is celebrated a little differently than it is in the US. They have church services and celebrations every day for the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, and on Sunday no one really goes out. There wasn't even a church service in the town we were staying in, so we had a mini-service as a group and then went swimming at the beach. Everyone came back with a great tan :)
After about nine days in Cuba we headed back to Costa Rica for a day. We stayed in the same study center where we spent the first few nights of the semester and everyone re-packed, trying to get our suitcases to weigh just the right amount. We also had some group discussions there, reflecting on our time in Cuba. We had an early morning flight from San Jose to Miami, so we left the study center at three in the morning and got to Miami around 11. The next few days were wonderful. We had some debriefing chats, exchanged pictures, went to South Beach (where it was 110°...it snowed that day in Minnesota!), and just enjoyed our last few days together as a group. One night we had a talent show, which was hilarious, and everyone was really sad to leave the group and our semester together behind.
Since coming home, I've spent lots of time catching up with friends and family and getting things in order for next semester...SPAIN!! It's crazy for me to look back and realize that two weeks ago I was in Costa Rica experiencing a totally different reality than I'm living in now. I'm amazed by the diversity God created in the world and all of the things He has taught me over the last four months. Most of all, I'm grateful that He pulled me through and blessed me with such great friends and so many opportunities to seek Him and know Him more fully. It's been a whirlwind, and I'm not sure when (or if) things will finally settle down, but I'm so excited to see where God's crazy plans will take me!
Thanks again to all of you who have been reading and supporting me all along. You guys are the best and your encouragement and prayers have meant the world to me!
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