Costa Rica Day 22

This is a blog post from Monday.

After a long weekend of traveling and relaxing on the beach, things have returned to normal in here in Heredia, Costa Rica. I am proud to announce that today I started my 4^th and final week of class in Costa Rica. What an amazing feeling! As my time here is winding down, I am becoming more and more anxious to return to the States. I miss everyone so much right now and as weird as it seems, I feel like the closer I get to coming home, the more I miss everyone. Stepping off that plane and seeing the familiar, loving faces of my family will likely be one of the most exciting moments of my life. And although I hate to admit it, I’m sure I’ll shed a few tears that Sunday night.

Breakfast also returned to normal. A delicious plate of fruit followed by a ham and cheese sandwich. I guess it’s a good thing that I like to stick to what I like, other wise… the same breakfast would of gotten old by now. But I breath a sigh of relief each morning when I walk downstairs and see a delicious and colorful plate of fruit.

Starting a new week of class, of course I got a new teacher and classroom. However, this might be the most fun week so far. My teacher this week is a guy and well.. to put it nicely.. he swings the other way. But he is awesome and I love him already. I also have a bigger class this week… including 3 other Greeks!!! And that’s not even the best part… there are three girls here from North Carolina that are Alpha Xi Deltas. I could not believe my eyes the first day I saw their letters. What an amazing feeling… to be thousands of miles away from home… and to automatically feel a connection with someone without even knowing their names. They are extremely nice girls and I happen to be spending this last week in class with 2 of them and 1 Pi Kapp. Kinda ironic, right? So needless to say, we definitely have the best class this week and we spend the majority of class time teaching our teacher slang words in English. He is doing quite well and is currently keeping a running list of words to practice in English. I feel like this is going to be a great week to end my journey with. Only 6 more days…

After class today, Samantha and I went to the mall. No worries Dad, I didn’t buy any clothes, shoes, jewelry, or other accessories. My only purchase for the day… a book. A Nicholas Sparks book to be exact. The Rescue… here’s the short version written on the back of the book:

“Volunteer fireman Taylor McAden is driven to take terrifying, heroic risks to save lives. But there’s one leap into the unknown he can’t bring himself to make: He can’t fall in love. A man who likes to rescue troubled women, he inevitably leaves them as soon as they want something more from him. Then, one day, a record-breaking storm hits his small-southern town. In his attempt to rescue a woman named Denise Holton, it requires him to open doors to his past slammed shut by pain. And with Denise’s help, dare him to make the greatest commitment of all: to love someone forever.”

If you know anything about my past, you’d know that as soon as I saw the words volunteer fireman, love, small town… I reluctantly put the book back down. But after scanning over other books in the English section, I picked it back up and read the first insert… I was immediately hooked wanting to turn the pages before I could purchase it. So this book is my new obsession on this journey. It's my new love since I can't stay on the beach with the monkeys... so  I’ll keep you updated on all the details of this sure-to-be, tear-jerker love story.

After dinner last night, which was delicious delicious plantains, I got ready and met some friends downtown to celebrate Kim’s birthday! We had a great time and I’m sure going to miss hanging out with these people. I have met some great people from North Carolina and I hope to keep in touch with all of them as we part ways this Sunday. I’m not sure why it surprises me that I have made close relationships with these people… It’s very easy for me to form bonds with people… but I guess coming here, I imagined being lonely and depressed about missing all the people and things that I love. Thank goodness I have met all of these wonderful people to feel the void of missing home.

So all in all.. Monday was a typical Monday. Getting back into the swing of things. School work and homework. Regular routine again… I’m not in paradise anymore… But that means, I’m one step closer to coming home, the place where I belong J

Costa Rica Day 19(continued) 20 and 21

This is a blog post from this previous weekend.

Friday after class, we loaded our raggedy bus and headed towards one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Seriously.. I’m not making that up. Manuel Antonio has been placed on many of the “Best Beaches to See” lists. And lucky me, got to spend the entire weekend there. But lets back track for a second… Raggedy bus. I shall explain this statement. When I use the term “raggedy bus” this is what I mean…  a tourist bus, which is smaller than a charter bus [and no bathroom or tvs] but bigger than a short bus. Our bus has 24 seats… but wait… we have 26 people. Exactly my point when I call it raggedy. Instead of upgrading to another bus, of course West Georgia decides that we will squeeze everyone on 1 bus with our luggage for all the weekend excursions. So yet again another weekend, we squeezed 2 more people than normal on the bus… and a 4 hour bus ride with 2 extra passengers makes for an extremely cramped ride.

If we were going anywhere else this weekend, I probably would not have been too happy when that raggedy bus pulled up at the school… but knowing that the sooner I got on that bus and left town, the sooner I would be able to put my feet in the Pacific Ocean for the first time! We arrived at the beach a little before 6 [Costa Rican time]. I was immediately impressed with the choice for our hotel. Well… at least it looked like a nicer place this time. My weekend-mates [roommates for the weekend] and I received our key and we were off to check out our room. 2 double size beds, dresser, and air conditioner. Typical American-ized hotel. Finally. This place was awesome. The scenery was beautiful and the restaurant, pool, and bar area were magnificent. So Friday night was spent eating dinner at a lovely little place close to the beach. Backpacker’s Paradise. It was a very cute, local restaurant that served great burgers and drinks. We spent the majority of the night there just hanging out and talking. After wards, we walked back to our hotel and hung out by the pool for a little while. It rained pretty much all night on Friday so we decided to call it an early night so we could be up for the beach in the morning.

Saturday. Breakfast was at 8am and we left for our hike to the beach at 9am. Manuel Antonio is a national park, therefore, it’s a private beach. $$$ to access their beautiful beaches. Luckily for us, the price was included in our overall trip so we didn’t have to pay when we got there. We received our passes and were off on about a mile hike through another rainforest. Something I have observed in the 3 weeks of living here… if you have seen one rainforest, you’ve seen them all. Finally, at the end of our hike, the trail led to the beautiful beautiful sandy beaches of Manuel Antonio Park. And like I have said before, not even pictures will do this place justice. I couldn’t even walk any farther when I saw it for the first time. I wasn’t even sure if it was real life… all I really knew at that moment was that it felt like I walked right into a scene from a post card. Absolutely amazing. And here’s a comment to all the people that think “beaches are beaches.. it doesn’t matter where you go” –you my friends, are completely wrong. You have truly never scene the beauty of a beach until you stand in Pacific Ocean, surrounded by beautiful crystal blue water, and watch as the water crashes onto the rocks of the surrounding mountains. Hands down the most beautiful thing I have ever seen… needless to say, our slogan for the weekend quickly became “this is not a postcard.. this is real life”. And I can’t think of another better way to describe it. I wasn’t looking at a postcard anymore, I was standing right in the middle of something I had only dreamed about seeing one day. Not to get all cliché but… keep on dreaming! They really do come true!

Saturday was spent all day on the beach. And yes, I should of splurged on that $20 bottle of sunscreen… I got fried. Capital F-ried. But the good news… luckly, my dad passed along those good genes and I have already turned for the most part. No more redness except for on my chest. Perhaps one of the best parts of the whole trip was seeing the monkeys. Not just one or two… but a whole group of them at the beach. I was warned before going to the beach that the little sneaky things like to steal things from the beach. And weirdly enough, this made me look forward to seeing them… but as the day went on we never saw them.. and then as we were starting to leave… I spotted one in a tree. A few seconds later… there were many many all around. I took some amazing pictures and it was awesome to just watch them. I even took a video of one eating watermelon, but I haven’t been able to upload it yet.

Do you think I could make it through customs with one of these little guys?!?

Later that night, we went back to the same restaurant for some more good food and drinks. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s really crazy how close we have all become in this short amount of time. I’m definitely going to miss all of the great times we have shared together when we return home.

Sunday morning was spent with an early breakfast and then shopping around at the local markets on the beach... and then of course followed by our return to Heredia. I have truly fallen in love with Manuel Antonio beaches. I can’t believe I have spent only a short amount of time here… this is definitely the good life. A little piece of my heart was left there, as I will never forget this experience of seeing one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I find it hard to believe that life gets much better than this, but at the end of another wonderful weekend, I know that my best days are still ahead of me.

Costa Rica.... Pura Vida! J

Costa Rica Day 19

Here is a quick little post before I head out of town for the weekend! My test went very well today... I got a 84 with barely any studying... and I am completely satisfied with a B! After the test I went to the store by the school to purchase sunscreen for this weekend... except... the cheapest bottle was $20. I will fry like a piece of chicken before I pay $20 for a small bottle of sunscreen. Pray that the sun has mercy on me and my wallet this weekend. Get the aloe ready!

I have all of my things packed and ready to spend the weekend at one of the world's most beautiful beaches! I absolutely can't wait to see how beautiful everything is! Although I am extremely hot natured and love the cold weather, my heart belongs at the beach... with sun on my skin and sand in between my toes!

I also want to apologize for the blah post yestrerday. It only took a few little things yesterday to completely change my good mood... but today is another day and I'm back to my care-free, loving life self. No worries. Just a small pity party.. but I had my party and now I'm on to bigger and better things... seriously.. better things. The only thing that could make this weekend any better, is if I were surrounded by my family and friends and we were sharing this wonderful adventure together. No worries... I promise to have enough fun for all of us. You can count on that!

I can't wait to share all the wonderful things about this weekend. Thanks again for joining me on this adventure! Love you and miss you all... Only 9 more dayssss!!!!

Costa Rica Day 18

Today’s post will most likely be a short one. I have a lot of things on my mind right now so I feel like keeping this post short and sweet will be the best. I’m just kinda annoyed with some things and as much as I would love to have another vent session… I feel like I should spare you all of that at this moment. Plus, I am so ready for the beach this weekend that I don’t want anything to ruin my sure-to-be, good time! So here it goes… a short and sweet version of day 18 in Costa Rica.

Same old routine this morning. Shower was semi warm this morning so I did manage to shave my legs before the beach this weekend, thank goodness! I, in fact, did not wake up early like I had planned to allow myself extra time to stop by the store for those drinks. So of course all morning I was running around trying to get to school on time. I made it with only seconds to spare before the final bell. Whew.

Class went well today. We went over our homework, did a few class activities, and then talked until the break. After break, is when we joined class with the other one down the hall and watched the movie. I knew just watching a movie would be too good to be true… so it was accompanied by a four page worksheet. Which in all honesty, I rather do than boring class exercises and activities. We had a lot of different snacks that people brought in and of course my delicious, last second purchased, drinks. We watched The Orphan in Spanish. The English subtitles were at the bottom, so all we did was read that while they were speaking. I’m not sure what the purpose of the subtitles were, but it made understanding a lot easier.

After class today, I went to lunch with some classmates. I enjoyed some nice chicken and rice. After lunch, we went back to the school and attended the cooking class. This class was exactly what I had heard from other students… boring. We sat in chairs and watched her throw stuff in a pot and let it cook for about 10 minutes. And that was the cooking class. At least now I can say that I have successfully attended all the optional classes at the school. After cooking class, Samantha and I decided that we should get our toes painted for the beach this weekend. Some other students from the school told us about a really cheap place that does pedicures and manicures. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I figured I would try it out anyways. I ended up not getting a pedicure because they didn’t have those big, nice, comfy chairs… or a pedicure station… so instead, I just got a polish change. They are adorable though..and only cost me $2 J

I then picked the color for my nails and proceeded to tell her that I only wanted them in pink. Nothing else. But apparently the “cool thing” to do down here is to paint designs all over your nails. Definitely not my favorite thing at all. I usually don’t even get flowers on my toes… much less my hands. But I just let her do her thing, because honestly it was too late then… she had already started the multi color flower design process.Thankfully, this cost the exact same so all-in-all I guess I can’t complain about a $4 mani and polish change.

When I got back to the house tonight, I ate dinner with my mamtica… yep, you can guess it. Chicken soup for dinner. We talked about my nails and I tried to explain the story to her and the place where we got them done… after we cleaned the table she told me to follow her to the living room. She then pulled out her big bag of finger nail polishes and gave me two different bottles of pink. She told me that pink looks better on me than it does on her… so she wanted me to have them. They are really cute pink shades and I will definitely be putting those to use when I return home.

Instead of studying for my test tomorrow, I am packing my things for the beach… which I will be leaving for after my test. How am I suppose to study participios in Spanish when I will be spending the weekend on one of the world’s most beautiful beaches?! Just doesn’t make sense. Obviously I am here to learn Spanish and to be a student… but my tourist side is kicking in as I am slowly but surely starting to reject all the school work. I am so excited to be spending my last full weekend in Costa Rica on the beach. I couldn’t imagine being at a better place right now.

Sorry there was nothing exciting or interesting for today’s post. Blah days exist even in other countries. And that is exactly what I am having today. At least it’s another day marked off my calendar… and the single digit countdown beings tomorrow! I’m starting to miss home a little bit more each day as I know my return is getting closer and closer!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I can’t wait to share all the amazing things from this weekend’s adventure!

“Barefoot in the snow white sand
A bag of sea shells in her hand
She finally found a paradise it seems
On the coast of somewhere beautiful
Trade winds blowin through her hair
Sunlight dancin on the water
And I wish I was there…”

-On the Coast of Somewhere Beautiful by Kenny Chesney

Costa Rica Day 17

I have been instructed by my parents to post no more sad blogs. So I apologize for any tear drops you lost due to reading my previous post. I just felt an extreme longing for home last night as I was writing the post and I didn’t want to leave that great emotion out. I haven’t felt extremely homesick yet, and I would say that last night was the first time I got really sad. But the good news? I’m another day down here in Costa Rica. 11 days… so close to single digits. So here is a review of my day.

I haven’t really mentioned the other student that is living here. Mainly because I don’t really talk to her. She is from Germany and is studying for an entire year in Costa Rica. She will be living in different parts observing the different customs throughout the country. She is doing all of this research for her doctorate, which needless to say, makes her a very boring person. The only time she ever leaves her room is to eat and go to the bathroom. Which brings me to my first point I want to rant about. She does absolutely nothing all day everyday… but she still has to get up at the exact same time and occupy the shower upstairs. I don’t know why this gets on my nerves so bad… but every morning I try to go to that shower, she is always in there. I just want to ask her if she can wait 15 minutes so I can shower since I actually do something with my life everyday besides sit in my room. Of course I could go downstairs and shower, but it’s such a hassle in the mornings. I much rather prefer walking the 10 steps to the bathroom and showering there. 11 days. 11 days.

So now that my vent session is over. The day started out normal here in Heredia. Typical breakfast complete with fruit and a sandwich. I walked to class this morning and it was hotter than normal. Today gave me confirmation of why I don’t even bother doing my hair in the mornings. I was sweating within 15 feet from the house after I left. Thank goodness my class has a fan in it this week. Speaking of class… it went pretty well today. We started the class by going over our homework and completing a few other exercises in class. For some weird reason, a chapter in our book covers superstitions and ghosts. My class had to make up our very own scary story today and present it. We spent about an hour creating the story and then presented it to another class down the hall. Our next task for the day was to create a story line using magazines. We made up our own stories and then cut out pictures and words to add emphasis to the story. I’m not really sure why this class is all about crafting… I feel like I haven’t really learned anything this week. And the one new thing we have covered, the teacher makes it way more difficult than it needs to be… so everyday I leave confused and then figure things out on my own later. But one thing about it…. Craft time definitely beats class time! And on the agenda for tomorrow? My class is watching a scary movie in Spanish! Yes! We are all bringing snacks and drinks for a mini party. I am in charge of drinks, which I forgot to grab after class today so it looks like I’ll be getting up a little earlier in the morning to run by the supermarket before class.

After class today, I grabbed a quick lunch and brought it back to the house. I didn’t feel like going anywhere to sit down so we kinda just all split up today and did our own thing. I grabbed a pan con pollo… which I had no idea what it was when I picked it out… but it turned out to be a lot like a hot-pocket.. but better! That was a nice surprise.

After returning to the house this afternoon, I worked on some homework, talked with Bree for a majority of the day. She always gets really bored at work so I like to keep her company… even when I am not 1,000+ miles away. I listened to some good music and made an awesome summer playlist. I also did some online shopping today. [Sorry Dad]. If you like your bank account the way it is, then I encourage you to stay away from Old Navy. Ahhhh!! I love all of their summer stuff right now! Precious shorts on sale for $16 and a lot of cute, new styles just in time for those summer nights. I think this is one of the few times that I’ve actually wanted to go to work when I get back to Carrollton…but only for that money to be bought on the adorable things I already have saved in my basket online J

Dinner tonight was not soup!! Yay!! I had a delicious piece of grilled fish with pico de gallo, pinto beans, and plantains. I think the grilled plantains are probably one of the biggest things I will miss about Costa Rica. I get them at every restaurant that serves them. They are so delicious! Maybe I’ll bring back a recipe… or maybe my mom will just make them for me [hint hint].  After dinner, I skyped with Bree for a little while. There is just something about this girl that always puts a smile on my face. I look forward to talking to her and getting wall posts from her everyday. I can’t wait to see her beautiful face when I get home. We have so many summer plans and I know that the remaining 2 months of summer will be well spent together. Not a day goes by that we don’t laugh together, and that’s something that I know will never change. Thank you God for blessing me with the most amazing little sister I could have ever asked for.

Just one quote for today…
“Home is the place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.” –John Pearce

Isn’t it weird that we spend the majority of the years growing up wishing we could leave home and explore the world? But little did I know then, that I would someday get that amazing opportunity. And now, as I am sitting miles and miles away from home… I know that my heart only belongs in one place. I’m definitely wanting to get back home… but in the end, I know that this journey is something that I wouldn’t trade for anything. It was the chance of a lifetime and I am so thankful that I was able to chase this dream. Thank you to all of my family and friends that have been so supportive on this adventure. You all have made it easier being away from home with encouraging words, thoughts, and many prayers. I have learned so much about myself that I never thought I would discover. I am more grateful for the things I have and a little less worried about the things that I don’t. I am a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason” and this journey has given me further confirmation of that.

And perhaps one of the most important things I have learned since being here: no place on earth feels as good as being surrounded by the ones you love the most.

That’s all for today. I hope everyone had an amazing day! We’re so close to the weekend… only 2 more days until I’m off on another adventure… and this time, it’s the beautiful beaches at Manuel Antonio.

Costa Rica Day 16

Right back on track! Finally!

Today had the start of another typical day in Heredia. The shower wasn’t bad this morning, not really hot, but definitely manageable. Breakfast was a little different. Scrambled eggs with ham and cheese… and of course a plate of fruit. The watermelon isn’t that great this week. It isn’t as red or pretty as it has been in the past, so I haven’t been eaten it in the mornings. But I’ll get lucky and get something different in the morning.

Class went well today. We started the day by reviewing our homework. We then joined with another class and did a debate on paparazzi and celebrities. That was very fun and entertaining. All of us were about on the same level speaking wise. We had to look up quite a few words, but eventually, we were able to make sense of everything and establish a great case. After that, my class proceeded to make a newspaper for the remaining part of the day. 2.5 hours spent cutting and pasting together our own newspaper. I’m not exactly sure what the point of today’s assignment was. We didn’t even talk about anything… the articles or why we were doing this. But I’m not complaining. It passed the time very quickly and I didn’t have to struggle to come up with answers/conversation in class.

After class today, we had a scheduled day trip to San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica. I’ve been wanting to see the capital city since I arrived in Costa Rica, so I knew that today was going to be an awesome adventure. And it started off just the right way… lunch at the food court in the mall. On today’s lunch menu was McDonalds! Whoooo hooooo! Not that I’m a huge fan of McDonalds, actually I prefer to never eat there, but on this occasion.. I was thrilled and was extremely excited to see those golden arches. And perhaps the best part of the meal, it was free! Jackpot! American food for free! After stuffing our faces with good ole greasy burgers, we all loaded the bus and headed towards San Jose. Everyone has been telling me that San Jose is a very dangerous city. I have gotten warning after warning about this city. So I was curious to see what all the precautions were about. After we reached downtown and parked the bus, we began to walk the 4 blocks to our first destination in the city. It didn’t take long to realize what all the fuss was about. San Jose very similarly resembles downtown Atlanta. However, I would compare it more to the worst parts of downtown Atlanta. Although San Jose has beautiful landmarks, nice streets, glamorous hotels and restaurants, and first class shops… the atmosphere of being downtown is very disturbing. Since hundreds of people are everywhere… It is very easy to be robbed while walking downtown. Luckily, I had nothing with me but my camera so I figured I wasn’t a target. 
While trying to cross from the 1^st block to the 2^nd, a group of guys proceeded to shout... "How much do you cost? Blue eyes!" I'm not exactly sure if they were yelling at me or not, but in that exact moment, a complete scare and panic came over me. Too bad I didn't learn how to say "back off creepers" in Spanish. But regardless if their comments were directed towards me or not, I will never be in San Jose alone. I don’t prefer to walk by myself at night in Heredia, but I am ok with doing it on occasion. But San Jose is a completely different story. Definitely not by myself or even with just a small group of girls for that matter. Completely scary… but a beautiful city.

We reached our first destination in the city. The National Museum of Costa Rica. We saw a lot of cool and interesting things. I took some pretty awesome pictures too. The only downside to this trip, I really wish that we would have had a tour guide through the museum. It would have been really interesting to learn about all the different things that define their culture instead of just seeing them. I’m sure there are some great stories to go along with everything I saw, and maybe one day… I’ll learn them.

After the museum, we went to the market for souvenirs. This place is perhaps my new favorite place… well it at least ranks high with my other favorite locations. This place contains anything you could ever want in a souvenir. And the best thing… it basically functions like a straw market… so bargaining is their number one priority to get sales… and who has awesome shopping skills? ME! I will definitely be returning to work my bargaining magic… not alone of course!

We returned back to Heredia late this afternoon. I was anxious to get back to the house because I forgot to mention to my mamatica that I would be later getting home. However, when I walked through the door… she had dinner waiting for me. Another soup dinner. I’m starting to think if somehow I made the mistake of telling her soup was my favorite. But I actually know the Spanish word for soup and I don’t remember ever saying I liked it or wanted it 4 times a week. But I told her thank you and that it was delicious.

I just crossed off another day in my lovely Lilly planner. Gosh I love seeing those pink marks all over the calendar! Tomorrow is the half way point of the 3^rd week and I couldn’t be more excited about the progress I have made since living here. At one point in the straw market today, I had a complete conversation with a vendor. As I started to walk away, I realized exactly what had just happened. I didn’t struggle at all with conversation… I was able to understand everything she was telling me and reply with full sentences… even discussing some possible prices for items. It was a great feeling as I was walking away. And I realized that speaking comes so much easier when I’m not thinking about it. Hopefully I’ll continue to make progress throughout this week and the next.

I’ll end this post by sharing a few lyrics from a song that randomly popped into my head today… I couldn’t listen to the actual song because I knew that it would make me sad… but I did google the lyrics to share. I hope everyone had a wonderful day. Keep the prayers and thoughts coming my way. Only 12 more days until I’m Georgia bound!

Buenos Noches familia y amigas![Good night family and friends]

“Another summer day
Has come and gone away
But I wanna go home.

Maybe surrounded by
A million people, I
Still feel all alone
And I wanna go home.

And it feels just like I’m living someone else’s life.
It’s like I stepped outside
When everything was going right.
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me.
This was not your dream
But you always believed in me.

Another airplane, another sunny place
I’m lucky I know, but I wanna go home.
I’ve got to go home, let me go home.
I’m just too far from where you are,
I wanna come home.”

-Home by Blake Shelton

Costa Rica Day 15

This is a blog post from Monday.

First off, I apologize for blogs being posted late. This weekend completely threw me off, but after today... things will be back on track!

After a long weekend, I was glad to wake up in my normal house, in my normal bed, normal shower, and regular breakfast. This past weekend was definitely a blast but traveling that much in a short amount of time also made me extremely exhausted and ready to come home. So today, I am proud to announce that I am under 2 weeks until my return to the beautiful state of Georgia!

Today, thankfully, was a return to the normal lifestyle for me in Costa Rica. Shower was luke warm this morning… so not much complaining there. My mamatica fixed me a delicious breakfast… more fruit and a sandwich, but after being gone all weekend, somehow, everything tasted a little better than normal. After breakfast, I walked to school. I’m becoming more and more like a local everyday. My crossing the street skills have improved drastically and I’ve even picked up on a few short cuts through town. I guess it really does just take time before adjusting becomes easy.

When I got to school today, I had yet again another teacher and classroom. I was immediately disappointed that I didn’t have my same teacher from the previous week. I even wrote a request on my evaluation to have her again, but I guess there is a reason for everything… and so far, I like my new teacher too. Word on the street is that I’ll have her the remaining 2 weeks, but you never know from day to day with that place. I have been incredibly shocked at how many students are at the school. I guess Costa Rica is a popular study abroad destination for students and schools. We have met students from all over that are here studying for different amounts of time. I’m glad to know that other people are going through the same things, and I hope that I can make their first few days/weeks easier by sharing all the things I have learned so far.

After classes today, I wasn’t very hungry, so instead… I went to the grocery store [that is actually owned by Walmart] and bought some shampoo, body wash, crackers [for break time at school] and some special K bars… these 4 items totaled $18!! Yikes! American items are WAY overpriced in this country. But I definitely feel safer using American products, so I splurged and bought the brands I recognized. I’m sure I was getting “looks” from all the locals… “dang Americans” I just imagined them saying. Some things are just worth the money though!

After this shopping spree, I decided to do some retail therapy. I was off to find the fabulous one shoulder shirt that I saw in the mall. It must have been my lucky day, because the first store I walked in had the exact shirt on sale! I grabbed it and went to the register to pay. The lady proceeded to tell me that one shirt was $17 or I could get 2 for $20… so of course being the wise shopper that I am… I picked up another color in the adorable shirt. So I am now the proud owner of two precious one shoulder tops complete with a side bow in two different colors. Thank you Heredia, Costa Rica!

I returned to the house earlier than normal today, so I worked on my homework during the day, read some in my book, and talked with some friends. It always brightens my day to talk with people from back home. I am so glad that I have such amazing people in my life that are worthy of being missed so much. I can’t wait to return home to see all the great things that are in store for us the remaining days of summer!

So until then… I’ll keep pushing on. Lets hope the rest of this week flies by and the days keep counting down! Thinking of you always!

Good night and much love sent to everyone J

Costa Rica Day 14

This is a blog from Sunday.

Two weeks down, two to go! What an amazing journey so far! I can’t believe I’m at the half way mark in this adventure. There has been times when I wasn’t sure if this point would ever get here, but I’m proud to say that I have survived the first 2 weeks, and I am looking forward to completing the remaining time here in Costa Rica.

And what better way to celebrate the completion of the fist 14 days than to suspend my life on a wire hanging over a rainforest?!

Yep! The first thing on today’s agenda… Canopying [zip lining] through a rain forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Today was an amazing experience! I’m not even going to play it off like I wasn’t scared… I even contemplated if I was going to do it or not quite a few times. But in the end, I gave in to my “live life dangerously” side and proceeded to get strapped into the equipment. Several times while climbing the first flight of stairs… I questioned myself on how much sense this actually made. I mean… hundreds of people do this exact thing every day, but it only takes one time for something to go wrong. Luckily for me, everything went exactly has planned! The first platform I left from was only a short distance to the next one… but it was good start. I got the feel for it and had my nervous/crazy thoughts out of the way. The next several lines were much much longer. And some even came close to the 1 mile mark. I think the scariest part was not being able to see far ahead of me. Since we were so high in the mountains, and above the rainforest, it was extremely cloudy and foggy. I wasn’t able to see the next platform until it was almost time to break. So that part was a little scary and breaking was scary. In order to break on the lines… your dominate hand has to pull up on the wire to slow you down. Of course I couldn’t leave the adventure without a battle womb. I completed the adventure with a huge blister on my right thumb. I guess I had gotten a wore out pair of gloves because I got the massive blister through the gloves. Only me.

After everyone had completed the course [13 zip lines] we headed back to our “resort” to gather our things and head back towards Heredia. This was probably one of the most amazing weekends of my life. However, all of the traveling made it extremely exhausting. We totaled about 10-12 hours of traveling over the weekend. I wouldn’t of done anything differently though. I am so glad that I was able to be a part of this adventure. Definitely some moments that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

We arrived back in Heredia around 5pm last night. I was completely worn out. I skipped out on dinner, skyped with my parents for a little while, read a few chapters of my new book… and then called it an early night.

This weekend's story is complete, but mine is a long way from done. The remaining 2 weeks on this journey is still unwritten.

Costa Rica Day 12 and 13

This is a blog post from Friday and Saturday

Well to start the day, my alarm didn’t go off this morning. I happened to wake up around 7:15 [thankfully] but I was still pushing it to shower, get ready, eat breakfast, and finish packing. By the time I finished everything I had to do that morning, it was about 8:20… not near enough time to walk to class… so I had no other option but to experience my first cab ride, riding solo. I got a cab and told him where I needed to go. We managed to have a few sentences of conversation, but the majority of the time.. I was praying that I would be dropped off at the school and not somewhere else. A short 5 minutes later, I arrived right at the door of the school. I paid the driver [about $1] and made my way to my classroom. Since I had been running late all morning, I didn’t have time to review my notes before I got to class. I do that every single time I have a test, no matter what class it is. I wake up about 15-20 minutes earlier just to read over everything once and assure myself [or not to assure myself] that I understand everything. So when I walked into the classroom, my sweet teacher said that we would review for 30 minutes before the test. It didn’t take long to realize that maybe things were slowly turning around from my frantic try to get myself together this morning.

After our review, it was test time! I completed the test and waited anxiously as she graded it. Bam 94!! I was so excited. Sometimes when I think I do really well on tests, I get the grade back and realize that was not the case. So when I turned in my test today and thought I might of pulled out an A, I begin to worry. What a sigh of relief! Next up, my oral communication test. This one started out a little shaky.. but I quickly recovered and earned a 92 on that one! Two A’s in one day… things are definitely starting to turn around. With the two A’s I got this morning, I secured a B in the class. I am so happy with this B! Not only is it a B, but this B also replaces the other [not so good] grade I got before coming to Costa Rica. I’m a very happy girl going into a great weekend adventure.

We left straight after class today so our weekend adventure. Four hours until our destination for the night. We rode about an hour before we stopped for lunch. The food was pretty good. Typical Costa Rican food. However, it was a buffet style so I got to choose things that I wanted and didn’t want this time. After lunch, we loaded the bus and headed out of town for another 3 hours. Finally, we reached our stopping point for the night. Baldi Springs.

I posted the link on Day 11… but pictures will never do this place justice. Baldi Springs is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. It consists of hot and cold springs including waterfalls, slides, and swim up bars. The scene was absolutely beautiful and I can’t wait to share pictures! I’m sure my honeymoon destination won’t even top this place. One word… amazing! Baldi Springs also has a resort and spa attached. But don’t get too jealous. Of course we didn’t stay at this beautiful resort. We loaded the bus and headed about 5 minutes away to our very own “resort”. Ohhh man… we might as well camped outside. Thankfully, my room was not as bad as other peoples. One of the rooms came with 2 bats. Another room included a family of lizards. And right outside my window? Farm land complete with smelly cows. Awesome. I knew the weekend adventures wouldn’t be spent in a Hilton Hotel, but I also thought that I wouldn’t have to swat bugs away as I slept. Anyways… We made the best of our situation and sat outside on the back porch pretty much all night talking. At least staying up, I was aware of my surroundings.

The next morning, we ate a delicious 5 star breakfast complete with cereal and a banana. Our adventure for today? To hike the mountain next to Arenal Volcano. I enjoyed the volcano hike last weekend, however, this one was entirely uphill. What a workout. After being drenched in sweat and stopping for many water breaks… we reached the top of the mountain and had an amazing view of the volcano. Again, although I have some amazing pictures, the images will never compare to seeing the real deal.

Breathtaking views, cool breeze, and benches to relax on. I could of stayed in that exact location all day, minus the bugs. Shortly after, we loaded the bus and headed towards our next destination all hot and sweaty. We drove about another hour to a port where we then took a boat to another city. After the hour long boat ride, we split into 3 vans and proceeded to drive the remaining 2 hours to our next destination. Monteverde. Thankfully we arrived that night with nothing else on the to do list… I spent the night relaxing and talking with my new friends.

We have begun to kid around about being a family. But in a sense, I guess we are. We were compete strangers 15 days ago. I didn’t know a single name of anyone on the trip… and now, we spend the majority of the hours in a day together. We don’t like to be split up. We prefer to all stay together and complete activities together.

Isn’t it weird how one day we’re all strangers trying to learn everyone’s names…and then 14 days later… we have established new friendships and relationships. I couldn’t of asked for a better group of people to share this experience with. Of course, no single person is like anyone else in the group. But this is what makes us work… this is how we survive day to day. And this is what has established a “family” feeling amongst all of us.

Costa Rica Day 11

Wow! The end of a second week of class. I can’t believe how fast time is flying by, not that I’m complaining though. My heart still belongs in Georgia so I’ll take the next two weeks just as fast, please! It does seem somewhat weird though… a part of me feels like I have been here forever, but then I look at my calendar days [that I eagerly mark off each day] and very quickly the month of May is filling up with pink X’s. 1 more class and 2 more weeks. I have just one request [for now] can someone please have a big diet coke waiting for me at baggage claim on June 5^th?!

Today has been another typical day in Heredia. However, today’s shower was not as cold as the other mornings this week, so that was a nice wake up. Breakfast was a variety of fruits along with a ham and cheese sandwich. I left a little later this morning, but still made it to class right on time.

Have I mentioned recently how much I love my teacher this week? I could not have asked for a better teacher in a second week here. I knew that this week would probably be the hardest, but thanks to her, I have adjusted even better this week and I’m ready to tackle the remaining 2 weeks of class. My second test is tomorrow, so send me a few quick prayers in the morning.

After class today, I finished my book. I just couldn’t do it last night… so I read the remaining chapters this afternoon. I definitely recommend Baby Proof by Emily Giffin as a great summer read. Or any of her books for that matter. Her most popular books are a series called Something Borrowed and Something Blue. These are two of my all time favorite books and the first one [Something Borrowed] recently just hit the theaters as a movie. I am dying to see it! It will be one of my first trips when I get back to the States. After reading, I decided to try out the Costa Rican gym. As we were all on the bus last weekend, the West Georgian students decided that everything was going to be different than the States. A hamburger was not the same here. There’s a hamburger and then there’s a Costa Rican hamburger. Animals aren’t animals here… they are Costa Rican animals. And so on and so on. So keeping with our theory, the Costa Rican gym was different, however, pretty much the same as America. Just thought I would report on our new theory for traveling.

I’m not quite sure what I had for dinner tonight. I wanted to take a picture so I could post it online later, but I thought that might be rude. It was a very large fried egg that was stuffed with green beans. I also had two mini pie crusts complete with smushed black beans and guacamole. Ummmm… what happened to all the stuff I was loving!?

I’m starting to feel like I’m getting somewhat repetitive and I don’t like this feeling at all. Blogging has become something that I look forward to everyday. I want things to be fun and exciting for everyone to read, but some days they just aren’t. Some days are just “another day” only in a different country. So with that said, since you all have decided to join this journey with me… if there is ever anything you are curious about or want to know, just feel free to send me a message! Since I’m in the mood to change things up a bit, here is a list of truths from my trip so far.

1.    I have rolled the same ankle 3 times since being here. And yes, it is in fact the same ankle that I broke using my basketball skills back in the day. I mentioned in previous posts about the crazy sidewalks and my ability to get distracted easily...

2.    I have not seen a single bug in my room since being here [knock on wood]. So thanks to all my friends for scaring me.

3.    I haven’t taken longer than 30 minutes to get ready a single day.

4.    Sometimes I flush toilet paper on accident. A quick panic sets in and I always rejoice when it flushes down.

5.    I feel like a grandma because I eat Tums after breakfast. Coffee and all those fruits… yikes!

6.    Although I eat chicken almost every day, I am craving Chick-Fil-A.

7.    I get annoyed when we go places and girls won’t drink beer. Traditionally I know it’s not very “lady like” for women to drink beer, but trying to order a mixed drink in a foreign country is ridiculous. They don’t have drink menus nor do they understand what you’re saying. Give in already and pop-a-top… or atleast order a margarita. Sorry for this truth, mom!

8.    A manicure is only $8 here. I will be receiving one of those after the excursion this weekend.

9.    I love how life here is much simpler than in the States. Everyone here lives the good life. If I was fluent, had hot showers, and could cook my own food, I could see myself retiring here in later years. I love their care free spirit and love for life.

10. I’m stronger than I thought I was. I was convinced I was going to be miserable and extremely homesick by now.

11. I get annoyed when people don’t try at things.it always bothered me in sports but now its with class. For example, the guy in class with me this week says “no se” [I don’t know] for almost every question she asks him. Sometimes it makes me cringe. The least you can do is take a guess… say something!

12. I had to ghetto-rig my camera. The piece that covers the batteries broke off, so I have it duct taped to take pictures, un-duct tape it to upload them to my computer, and then re-duct tape it for the next day. I’m making it work. [sorry again for this truth, mom. you know i'm destructive with cameras]

I promised to be truthful and leave nothing out on this journey. I’m sure many more things are going to be learned from the remaining 2 weeks of class. I can’t wait for this weekends adventures. I am leaving straight from school tomorrow so it may be before Sunday before I’m able to blog again. No worries, I will do a complete weekend post with full details. Keep sending the thoughts and prayers! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Click here and check out where I'm spending the weekend!

“Woke up late today and I still feel the sting of the pain
But I brushed my teeth anyway
I got dressed through the mess and put a smile on my face
I got a little bit stronger” -Sara Evans

Costa Rica Day 10

Ten…. I’m in the double digits!

I started off the day with another freezing cold shower. I’ve thought about asking if I am doing something wrong with the water, but then I figure… if she says no, then it’s going to look like I’m complaining… So I’ll just keep saying a little prayer every morning and hoping for the best as my alarm goes off. Breakfast was back to normal this morning. Pineapple, banana, melon and delicious scrambled eggs with cheese and ham. On my plate was also two lovely black pieces of toast that I decided against eating… once again. After I got ready, I headed to school. This morning was not as hot as previous walks. There was a nice breeze and partial clouds filled the sky.

I arrived to school right on time and headed upstairs to my classroom. I am always glad to see  my same teacher in the room, as I have said before… class is somewhat of a guessing game, including teachers and classrooms. This week has gone by so fast. I am happy because I’m one step closer to coming home but I’m also a little sad because I have actually enjoyed class this week. I feel way more confident speaking in class and have improved a lot throughout the week. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that maybe, just maybe I will have the same sweet lady next week too.

During one of our breaks this morning, some other students and I were trying to make lunch plans. None of our regular places sounded very appetizing, so we agreed that we would give the whole food court thing in the mall a try. We arranged to have taxis pick us up after class and 8 of us filled up the cars. As we pulled into the parking lot, I was instantly impressed by the beautiful building and outside attractions. But little did I know, as we entered the mall, I would have a new favorite place in Heredia. This mall is simply gorgeous. It has three floors and beautiful fountains and decorations throughout. We walked around for a little while and then decided that we would go ahead and eat lunch before we explored the mall. So on today’s lunch menu…. Pizza Hut!! I can’t even begin to describe how excited I was to see different places I recognized. The pizza was fabulous. I would even go as far to say that it possibly, might be, the best I have ever had… but then again, anything American was going to be the best I had ever had. After lunch, we decided on a meeting place and time… and just like that, I was off! One of my absolute favorite things in the entire world… shopping! I could most likely shop all day every day if my bank account had an unlimited supply of funds. Ahhhh! I was in shoppers heaven today! [Dad, you might want to skip down to the next paragraph… or if you keep reading, I apologize in advance] All the stores and clothing I had imagined finding in Costa Rica had been absent on this trip until now. The first store we went in… I found a top like I have been wanting for some time. An adorable one shoulder top, seafoam green, with a bow on the shoulder. Absolutely precious! I tried on a few other things but only fell in love with 3 items… this is really good for me, so actually you all should be proud. However, my only intentions were to go there for lunch so I only had lunch money with me. I did scrape up enough change [$2] to buy a precious necklace at a jewelry store. This store puts Claire’s and Charming Charlies to shame. Great, trendy jewelry for an extremely, unbeatable low price. My nana would have had a field day in this store. I’m sure we would still be there right now, and I am completely fine with that idea! I plan on making a return visit to the mall tomorrow to snag that great top and possibly a few other things! But then I started thinking… do I really love that top? Or do I love the fact that no one else in America is likely to have it. Not to sound like a spoiled rotten American, but I like the fact that none of my friends are likely to ever have the same things I buy here. All suggestions are welcome. To buy the clothes or not to buy the clothes?! That is the question for tonight. Either way, spending time in a real mall today was great! And for one of the few times on this trip, I didn’t feel out of place at all. Actually, right at home!

Isn’t it funny how the smallest things can completely make your day? I’ve noticed that a lot recently. Maybe because I am constantly looking for things to keep me motivated on this journey. Some days I am disappointed and some days I find joy in something small. Today, a simple shopping trip gave me joy. Similar to playing or watching any sporting event usually does. But today… it was the simple fact of being somewhere that I feel right at home. Somewhere that I love.

This evening, we were suppose to attend a Futbol game… or in America… a soccer game. However, the “dome” here is not exactly a dome at all. The stadium is considered a dome but does not have a covering over it. The bottom fell out this afternoon so sitting in pouring rain watching one of my least favorite sports just did not seem like a great idea. The next best thing? Sitting at a restaurant and bar with new friends.

Today has been a pretty great day so far. I feel a new sense of happiness and I hope it continues for the remaining days of the trip. I’m still holding off on the homesick feeling so pray that this also continues. Another great Skype date with my sweet little, Bree and my wonderful and supportive parents was the perfect ending to my day. I also found a book store in the mall with a selection of English books… so now, I’m off to hopefully [depending on how long my eyes stay open] finish my first book of the summer!

Hope everyone had a great Hump Day! The weekend is quickly approaching and I can't wait for my next adventure! Much love to you all.  

Good Night from Costa Rica!

Costa Rica Day 9

Today started off differently than the previous days... so I will give a little more details than I have in the past few days. I woke up this morning before my alarm went off and decided that I would go ahead and get up to shower. However, that it didn't last long as the entire shower this morning was equivalent to an ice bath. Yikes! Needless to say, my legs did not get a nice smooth shave today. I got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast, only to find that my normal platter of food was different this morning. My mamatica broke out the good ole cookbook this morning and made me waffles. Costa Rican waffles look the same but taste much different. Their waffles are thicker and much more like a cake without frosting. She put about 5 different types of syrup and jellies in front of me… but I played it safe with a nice spread of jif peanut butter on top of them. They were extremely delicious, but supper rich and sweet for breakfast. I’m kinda hoping for my traditional ham and cheese sandwich in the morning, so we’ll see!

Class today went really well. I am improving daily on speaking and gaining more confidence. I’m not sure if it’s due to a more relaxed environment with my new teacher or if I really am starting to gain a better understanding of the language. I like to think of it as a nice combination of the two. I hope this success continues and the days keep flying by! Tomorrow is the half way point of my second week and I’m still trying to grasp the concept of actually living in another country. It’s definitely something I never saw myself doing, but I am so thankful for this experience.

After class, a couple classmates and I decided to grab some lunch before heading back to our houses. We were all craving something other than our normal lunch spots so we ventured into the city hopeful for more menu options. After searching for an hour, we concluded that 9 out of 10 times, restaurants are going to serve the same thing. A meat, rice, beans, salad, and maybe another vegetable. Today was really the first time I have gotten extremely frustrated and it wasn’t even because of class or communicating. I guess it’s just frustrating to want things that aren’t available… at least for another 19 days. We have heard that the mall in San Jose has a food court, so we have planned to take a taxi there tomorrow. Pray that there are more options… I love chicken, but there has to be something else out there!

When I got back to the house today, my mamatica was downstairs painting her nails. Since I have been in Costa Rica, she has had probably 5 polish changes. It is something she loves to do. And I know that I have mentioned before that she reminds me of my nana, but today made me realize that again. My mamatica is very trendy and sweet. She loves shopping and generally looks her best every day. And this is also something my nana is very good at! I hope I still have the love for life that they both have when I reach their age. So I sat at the table and we talked about my family and my mamatica’s family for a little while. She fixed me a big glass of lemonade and for a split second I imagined myself sitting in an old fashioned rocking chair on a front porch, somewhere in Georgia, sipping some ice cold lemonade. Reality quickly settled in as my ears were filled with words and phrases from a language I don’t fully understand. I then went upstairs and read a few chapters in my book… I’m trying to save some of it for the bus ride on Friday but it’s so good! I can’t stand to put it down! I only have about 8 chapters left so that makes it even more tempting to pick and read. After my reading break today, I worked on homework for a little while. Today’s topic: conduct 3 interviews of people from different age groups about their daily routines. Write each interview in the past tense as they did their actions yesterday…. Of course I did what most college students would do, I made up all the information. It was easier and more practical to get it done faster. I wrote everything out and have been translating it to past tense on and off since then.

I skyped my mom right before dinner. It was great to see her and talk for a few moments. I know that being able to Skype has made this journey so much easier for her. My dad was umpiring a baseball game during that time, but I did get to talk to him for a few minutes after dinner. And dad, I know you are reading this... so you better start doing better... no more ice cream or IHOP for you.  I have been away from home for over a month before, but somehow it feels different when I’m in a different country. I guess it boils down to the fact that I know if I ever needed anything at school or even to get away for only a day, I had a short hour [if i'm driving]drive home. Here, not so much. I don’t really have an escape. So I’m extremely grateful for Skype! I wasn’t sure if there was anything that could make being away from my family and friends easier, but Skype is slowly but surely helping to fill that gap!

I also got to Skype Bree and Lauren today!

1.    Bree always puts a smile on my face and she is usually one of the first people I look to when I need a good laugh. I enjoyed talking with her today, getting caught up on some gossip. Engaging in all of our jokes and sharing some good laughs. She always brightens my days!

2.    Lauren is someone that I could probably talk to for hours on the phone. Our conversations never get boring. We always have something to talk about. I’m so glad that she has a running list of things that happen so we can discuss them via Skype! We talked for about an hour tonight, and although I should have been working on homework, I just couldn’t make myself sign off. It was great to hear how things have been going for her since graduation. Speaking of graduation, it doesn’t feel like some of my best friends are actually gone. We all left after the ceremony so I guess it hasn’t really had time to process that I won’t spend every day with them next year. I will address this topic many more times this summer I'm sure, and it’s only making me sad being away. So enough of that.

Thanks for the great conversations today! I love you both to the moon and back!

I also received a sweet sweet message in my inbox from my pledge sister, Jenna. Her message made my cry… a little. But it wasn’t a “I hate my life here” kinda cry. Sometimes it just really helps to know that I have love, support, and encouragement back home. So thank you J I’m so glad that Jenna and I have become closer this past year. I know that my last year in Alpha Xi Delta will be well spent!

Until tomorrow, keep the thoughts and prayers coming! I’m almost to the half way point of week number two. Only 19 more days to go! And as always, Georgia’s on my mind!

Good night from Heredia, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Day 8

Another beautiful day from Heredia! Today had the same routine as most days since I have been here. Same breakfast [but it’s still delicious so I don’t really mind]. I talked with my mamatica this morning and told her about my adventurous upcoming weekend. After breakfast, I walked to school to find that I had not only another new classroom, but a new teacher this week as well. I have to admit, learning this first thing in the morning made me kinda nervous. As I said yesterday, I never know what to expect.. and this double change this morning was definitely not what I had in mind to start the week. However, everything does happen for a reason and I absolutely adore my new teacher. She is extremely nice and patient. She understands that I am here to learn, not because I already know everything. This week, its only me and another guy in the class. We have a much larger classroom complete with an overhead ceiling fan… another answered prayer!

It wasn’t that I didn’t like my teacher before, she was very nice too. But she was much younger and not as friendly. She occasionally got frustrated with my class when we didn’t understand things. And activities were always done on our own, whether we understood them or not. My new teacher is an older lady and it is easy to tell that she really cares about her students. She brings the motherly-vibe into the classroom. I hope the rest of this week goes as well as today. This was a great start to hopefully another successful week in Heredia.

After class today, I joined fellow West Georgians at a restaurant a block from the school called Nachos. This place reminds me of something similar to a Taco-Mac in the States. It’s a sports bar and grill complete with a nice patio and flat screen tvs. The food is also more Americanized than most places I have visited. So on the menu for lunch today, was a grilled chicken and cheese quesadilla! Yum yum! We sat at the restaurant for a little over an hour and talked about our classes and our remaining twenty days in Costa Rica. I was never worried about this part of the trip, the whole making new friends part. I tend to get along with just about anyone, so I knew that making new friends would be easy and a necessity to survive this 4 week journey. I have enjoyed getting to know everyone so far, and I know the next twenty days will be well spent with this rowdy bunch.

This afternoon, I continued reading my book that I brought from home. I have found that reading after class is something that I really like to do. During the first couple of days, I would always work on homework and study as soon as I got back to the house… but that quickly became frustrating as it felt like I was constantly studying, writing, and speaking Spanish. Which I am when surrounded by people… but I have discovered that reading my book after class relaxes me a little and gives my brain time to process everything from class. It’s become some well spent “me time” over the past week. The only problem, I’m almost done with my book! Maybe I’ll look around for a book store and pray they have some good English books available!

I had a wonderful Skype date with my mom and nana tonight. Nana was fascinated that she could see and talk to me while I’m in another country. It was really great to see her too. I’m sure that she has been worrying about me, so maybe actually seeing and hearing from me will ease some of that. After my dinner tonight, which consisted of a weird mixture of foods…. Grilled fish, potatoes, bananas, and chips… I got to talk to my dad on Skype as well. It’s so great seeing and hearing from my parents now. I’m thankful that the Skype thing is beginning to work out after all.

1 year ago today, a remarkable young girl was received by God. Today, marks the one year milestone of Sammie Jones’ death. Please keep the Jones family in your thoughts and prayers as I can’t imagine the hurt they are still enduring every day. Sammie is continuing to touch lives around the LaGrange Academy family.

Also a big congratulations to my friend, Alex for being hired as Springwood for the Fall!! She will be teaching k-6^th PE and received the title as Head Softball Coach. Couldn’t be more excited and proud for her! It’s been a rough year for her, but good things come to those who wait. So congratulations Alex! I miss you and love you!

That’s all I have for today. It has been a typical Monday. Somewhat slow and boring… but it was a great start to the week. Only 4 more days until this week is over and then I’m off on another adventurous weekend! Thank you for all the continuous thoughts and prayers! Only 20 more days to go!

“Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.” –Jean Picard