Back in the Mountains & Busy

As I warned you, I haven't been as good about writing now that I'm back up in the mountains. I may be a little busier, but I think it's more that when I'm living and working in community (like I am up here) I'm so dependent on other people. It's not always fun and I feel busier as all the work happens not on my scheduled time and often last minute and I have to remain flexible. But I do believe that God calls us to seek community and seek to live that way. There definitely can be some great joys within it also and great opportunities to ask forgiveness and offer grace - living the Gospel every day with each other. With all that said, I do want to continue to update you all on my my last two weeks:

I had my last week of language school July 4th to the 8th. It was a really great week and I got more connected with the other students that week, which made leaving sadder. I definitely got to know better those in my classes (AJ, Mary and Jim). We had a lot of fun together, and became a great encouragement to each other. Jim and his wife Pat are maybe going to come visit me here in Vara Blanca before they leave CR. I'm hoping to go visit Mary in Nicaragua the next time I need to leave the country to renew my visa. And I'm definitely planning on continue praying for and staying in touch with AJ and his wife Brittany as they get ready to move to Belize as missionaries. I really believe that God brought us all together even for this short time for greater purposes. Both my teachers were also really awesome and I wish I could be there learning from them for at least a few more weeks. I left in the middle of learning all the subjunctive rules and so have to try to learn the rest on my own. The work they're doing at ILE is definitely a huge ministry to all of Latin America. I was definitely encouraged and uplifted in my short time there.

The last week was really busy apart from school stuff with some really exciting things. Monday was 4th of July and the people at the institute decided for the first time ever (so I heard) to have a big party. Apparently the Canadians had one for Canada Day and so those from the USA had to do something. It was so fun. We ate stuff off the grill, had some great baked beans, burgers, apple pie and homemade chocolate chip cookies. We sat around and talked for a while (mostly while I held Titus - AJ and Brittany's baby). Then we watched as some of the guys set off some awesome fireworks. It felt very unusual, but oddly comforting.

Then my friend and one of my roommates from college visited me, Laura Welch! We became masters at the buses around the city and did lots of walking around and just spending good time together. My favorite bus ride was one evening when we got on only to be serenaded by a aspiring musician who wasn't really very good but was very entertaining. Our stop came up at the perfect time that we didn't have to give him money but got to see most of his "conciertito". Then we came up the mountain and I got to share with her some of my life here. For me it was so nice to have one of my closest friends in the world here and my favorite times with her was just hanging out amidst the craziness of my last week of classes.

Laura and I eating together downtown SJO

I'm trying to continue my Spanish learning and improving even though I'm no longer in classes. I'm trying to read an easy romance novel in Spanish (pretty cheesy), I'm reading some of my Bible in both English and Spanish, and I'm attempting to continue working through the grammar book and workbook that I was using at the institute. I'll also be practicing a lot, obviously  :)

Now I'm back up here in the mountains and though our students are on vacation until Monday, I've been working away preparing for a group visiting from my home church and the normal work I have to do. I'm glad to be back in my room and bed and with my puppy! Though to be honest, it's bitter sweet to be back here, but I know God has me here and is working. I'll try and keep blogging, but no promises at how often. Thanks for checking in, friends! I love your comments and messages and emails!

Remember Luke 1:37

Language School in the City!

I'm writing to you from my bedroom in a host family's house down in the city of San José (more specifically San Francisco de Dos Ríos) and a big change from the rural mountains. I moved down here on Sunday and then had my first day of language school Monday and will be here for 4 weeks.

The first day was really interesting. The first half was orientation and was sooo much English, which was weird to me but informative. Within that I took 2 placement exams: a written grammar one and a verbal one. I was taking the written one and thinking how awful it was and how I might be put in the total beginner class. It was my first time doing some verb charts and things in Spanish and I had to keep trying to say them in my head to maybe get a correct answer. The conversation on the other hand went smoothly and though all my grammar wasn't perfect I felt like I expressed myself fine. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was placed in level 3 (out of 4) for both grammar and conversation. On that same day we had our first day of classes which were really great. (I'll talk more about classes down below).

My host family is really great also. It's a couple and they have 3 sons. The mom, Maribel, is so sweet. She cooks for me and I try and help out with dishes and things as I can. We talk a lot and she's always happy to help me with my homework or whatever I need. I think she likes having another woman around the house. The dad seems nice, but I don't see him or interact with him much. The three boys are Andres (7), Pablo (9) and Manuel (11). They're so funny. Manuel and Paulo are cute and I ask them about their day and what they learned in school, but they like to give me short answers. Andres is my little bud though as he likes to hang around me and help me with homework and talk to me a lot. He's a little cutie and not at all shy. (He's my favorite, but don't tell the others).

The boys Adrés, Paulo and Manuel

My host mom in the middle
(unfortunately not the most flattering picture)

You can see why Andrés is my favorite!

So now on to my typical day...I wake up around 8 and have breakfast, get ready and head over to the Institute, which the entrance is literally less than a block away from where I'm staying. I then spend the morning studying for 2 to 3 hours. One of the nice things about the workbook is there are lots of extra activities that I can do, plus since I never studied even the basics I'm going back and doing a lot of those too. I then take the long walk (2 minutes) home and eat a quick lunch before heading back to the Institute for class that starts at 12:35. My first class is a grammar class with Lissette. She's a great teacher and explains things really well. She's happy to go back and quickly review things that we might not understand. We're moving really fast (we did Pretérito Perfecto on Monday, Pretérito Imperfecto on Tuesday, and along with a few minor points Futuro today), but I love it because it's pushing me and gives me lots to study outside of class. I'm definitely trying to take advantage of this time here. In that class it is me, Mary (she's Korean, in her mid-thirties and is currently working at a bilingual school in Nicaragua), and A.J. (he's from the D.C. area, mid-twenties and is planning to move with his wife and 4 month old to Belize in the fall). It's a small class which is awesome, though I seem to be the one always with lots of questions. My other class is the conversation class that is supposed to build on the things we're learning in our grammar class but to really be comfortable using it. My teacher, Dixiana, is very lively and very blunt. It forces me a lot to try and speak well which is good though not easy and we're always put on the spot as this class is also only 3 people. In this one it's me, Mary and James (he's in his sixties and him and his wife have worked short term in different areas though live in Florida...they both say they don't yet know what they want to be when they grow up - he's funny and definitely keeps things interesting). Today in class we were practicing narrating stories and as you probably know I'm not a good story teller in English and so it was really hard for me in Spanish, but great practice with the past tenses. After class I spend most of the rest of the night mixed between a few more hours of studying and homework, getting work done for ADE, and talking with my host family (OK...I'll admit and some time watching House online). Today right after classes I took a nice little walk around there area as I was feeling a little bit of cabin fever stuck between the Institute and the house a block away. It was good to get out and I found a nice park I might have to try out for a few of my study hours in the next few days.

One of my many study areas

Hopefully that gives you a good idea of what I'm up to, mostly just studying. I'm so happy to be here and have this opportunity, which I'm definitely trying to get  the most out of. Before I left, my students were telling me I had to come back with perfect Spanish (impossible, but I'm gonna get as close as I can). I'm excited to see how God uses this time and the work I'm putting into this. I was encouraged today by Galations 6:9 (go ahead and look it up!).

Lots going on...Sorry

Yet again, I'm sorry for not having written in like forever. Things have just been so busy here, but they're moving forward, which is awesome and exciting! I don't even know where to begin.

Well Jason (a good friend of mine from college) came down January 20th to spend a couple of months volunteering/interning with us. He's been working hard and helping out a ton where we need it. It's also nice to have someone that I've known for more than a few months around. Jason is living down at the ADE Center - meaning he is the first official ADE Center resident. We're still doing a lot of work on it but it's definitely come a long long way!

Jason and his roommate.

Shortly after Jason arrived and started working I actually headed back to the States for a week. My grandfather was turning 90 and we were making a big deal about it (as it definitely is a big deal). I took advantage of being home and spoke to all the Spanish classes at DCCS, which was sort of funny considering the whole time that I was a student there I took German. I also met with a biology professor at Eastern and spoke to a grad class there as well. Overall it was a good week, but very very busy and I was excited to get back here.

Once I got back, it was full force ahead getting the center and everything ready for school to start a week later. The night before we were up late as a team building desks and benches and talking about schedule.

And our school started February 10th, 2010! It was so exciting to actually see some of our hard work begin to be played out through the lives in this community. We only had 8 students this week (we'll have a few more soon), but they are awesome! Kim (my roommate and the "School Director") just kept talking about how our students are such angels. They're all between 13 and 16 with most of them just starting 7th grade. It's so exciting because most of them would not be going to school at all if this hadn't opened. This week was mostly orientation and going to get books. On Monday we'll be having biology professors from the University of Costa Rica come and see what we're doing, meet our students and families, and discuss how they can partner with us. And then Tuesday will begin more normal classes. So it's definitely an exciting time!

The bridge on the way to the ADE Center.

Now you should be at least sort of up to date on what's going on here. I did want to share with you a few random stories that have happened here that at least I find interesting:

*Walking back to the cabin at night, we often turn off our flashlights and things when it's clear outside and you can see so many stars it is ridiculous. You can often even see the Milky Way. I've also seen bats fly right in front of us and then learned that this is one of the few places in the world where there are real vampire bats...a comforting thought :)

*This is a large dairy area. So though you don't usually smell it (which I'm very grateful for), you pretty much always know as there are often cows or cute little calfs right on the side of the road. One little funny story that just happened the other day: I was walking up from the center and there's a little wire gate that was open because a truck had just gone through and so I left it open. A little while later as I'm hiking up the huge hill I look back and see 3 cows following me in a line on the gravel road! They had gotten out of their fence and weren't stopped by the wire gate and just kept following me. I didn't know what to do. So I turned around and started shooing the first one back and it starts to go...Until it gets to the second one that decides he's just going to walk passed me. So two cows are walking up the hill towards the main road in front of me and one behind me. I try and get in front of the two but they start running faster. I'm about to break down, thinking that it's going to be my fault that a family loses 3 of their cows. Then the son of the family sees and runs down the hill to put them away. I was so sorry and so grateful for him!

*Oh and I just wanted to share that my puppy is doing well and growing so so fast. She's great and I still love her a lot (even though she beats up on the other puppies and the now only one kitten).

Well thanks for reading and Happy Valentine's Day! I'm so grateful for such incredible support and encouragement from the people back in the States. You guys are awesome :)

Happy Christmas Eve!

Though it's the day before Christmas, it doesn't quite feel like it to me now. I'm currently sitting at a little internet café about fifty feet from the Caribbean. Up until last Friday or so I've been working a ton, doing everything from painting the house to working on getting organized and advertising for the spring break trips (which if you`re interested in learning more or maybe coming check out the facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=370727355220&index=1 ). Now I`ve had some time for the holidays, which is definitely needed as the past few weeks have been nonstop.

Last Wednesday, Tomas's sister (from Scotland) and mother (from Maine) came to join us. On Thursday, the Dozier family had to move out of their house as it was being rented and moved into my house with me. So my little house has had 8 people in it with mattresses on the floor everywhere. That has definitely been an interesting experience but good and a bonding experience. Over the weekend we did a lot: went to a couple's house for dinner, went to my first Costa Rican wedding, went to the local school's graduation (from Kindergarten and 6th grade only), went to church and had company over. Oh and we've played a lot of games like Boggle, Taboo and Apples to Apples).

Then Monday morning I left early to meet up with my roommate Kim (who had gone home to be with her family in San José for the holidays) and her family as they invited me to go on a little vacation with them. We drove a long time on some crazy roads. We stopped at a number of different stores along the way so that Kim's dad, Rolando, could sell the cutting boards that he makes, sells and distributes. Then we were on our way again. Somehow, he didn't get directions ahead of time and so we would just ask on the side of the road which way to go when we came to crossroads. Overall this tactic worked, except for a pretty important missed turn. We ended up going a couple hours on this crazy rocky/dirt road out in the middle of nowhere that led us to a river, which we found out was just about on the Nicaraguan border (on the Caribbean side), like far northeast in Costa Rica. It's actually a place where a lot of Nicaraguans cross the border illegally and is supposedly a not very safe place, though praise God we didn't have any problems at all. Once we figured all this out, we got back on track and found a place to spend the night).

The next morning we drove another long crazy road and ended up at the right location this time. We took a boat through channels with unbelievable nature and animals on all sides to Tortuguero. This place was beautiful and incredible and very chill. The people are all really friendly and relaxed. There are hammocks all over the place (which I slept in one for like an hour and woke up to a dog sleeping next to me as my guardian and friend). We took a canoe tour with a local guide where we got to see everything from toucans to lizards, turtles to crocodiles. God's creation so amazes me and I took tons of pictures that I`ll have to share with you later).

Yesterday we spent the day in Cahuita, an adorable beach town farther south on the Caribbean coast. The beach is definitely my kind of beach as there`s jungle right next to the sand and sea. I walked along the beach for hours. Right along the path I saw lizards, a sloth, and monkeys. (On a little side note- seeing and hearing all the monkeys really makes me want a pet monkey, but unfortunately it's illegal and I'm told they make very bad pets). This little town is also really cool as it's pretty small and chill right on the water. People here are nocturnal and it's almost like a different culture as they speak a different language and everything. I like it a lot and can definitely see why it's a more touristy area.).

Later today Kim and I are being picked up by the Dozier clan and heading to Panama to spend Christmas day there. Where we're going I hear is even more beautiful and amazing then where I've already been. I'm pretty excited, though it will be a very different Christmas than I have ever had. I'll definitely miss spending the day with my family, but it will be a new experience.).

Thanks for reading this long update. I figured I owe you one as I've been bad at updating this. I'll try and put up more pictures and things soon. I put a few on the facebook event mentioned above, so definitely check it out. I love you all and thanks for your thoughts and prayers!).

1 John 3:16-18

I'm HERE!

I'm finally here! I don't yet have internet where I'm living, so right now I'm sitting at a cute little internet cafe not too far from my house. This is really the first time I've been able to just sit and yet I'm still having to get a lot of work done. There is so much to do. It makes sense though: starting a nonprofit is a ton of work! But it's so exciting and God is definitely working.

Here's what I've been up to over the past week (the first week of December):

  1. Arrived in Costa Rica

  2. Painted/helped build a chicken coup

      Drank coffee black with a bunch of Ticas (Costa Rican women)

      Began learning Spanish with the help of the Dozier kids

  3. Painted the center (a beautiful house that was donated to us to host groups, but needs a lot of work)

      Learned how to catch chickens...and let me tell you it's not easy

  4. Painted the house some more and sang Christmas carols in San Jose both in English and Spanish

  5. Painted the house some more (do you see a trend) and sat through a 3 hour conversation all in Spanish

  6. Went to the local community's church in Spanish

      Celebrated Jordan's 13th birthday

      Saw a monkey in my backyard, talked to it and named in George

  7. Woke up to a tarantula in my bathroom, which I caught at 6 in the morning

      Working a lot on organizing our spring break Spanish immersion trips (let me know if you may be interested!)

      Now probably off to paint the house some more...

Thanks so much for your awesome support and encouragement for me! You all are great :)