Regresaré a los estados unidos hoy. Tengo un mil emociones. No quiero salir este país, porque me encanta muchísimo, pero estoy emocionada a ver todas mi familia y amigos. Gracias por todo, fue un gran experiencia, y nunca olvidaré la gente y mi tiempo en Costa Rica. Regresaré para viajar mas y ayudar los niños y el eco finca. Con amor.
Well, I am heading home today. I have a million emotions running through me right now, I am excited to come back to the states and see everyone, but I will miss my life here. I feel like I really experienced the culture here, I can say I lived here, among the people, for 2 months. I will miss my familia tico and all the people I met. We became close to our Spanish teachers, and the other workers at the school. Everyone is so friendly, and wants us to write them and come back and visit again.
Yesterday in class we talked about reverse culture shock, the feelings about coming back to the states. The lifestyle here is so laid back, and pura vida (pure life) is their moto. If there is a conflict or a problem, they just say pura vida. The friendliness and everything is amazing and I will miss it, but I am excited to come back to the organization of the states. Where roads have names and houses have addresses and the streets go in a logical order and not in a maze. Also, I plan on eating fresh vegetables and no rice or beans for a while :)
Overall the experience was incredible, and I could not have asked for more. I successfully have immersed myself in the culture, and have grown as a person because of it. I can communicate with any Spanish speaker (not prettily, but we get by) and feel confident in my ability to travel the country alone. Costa Rica is amazing, the people, the sights, the life. I have a new found passion for life coming here, and I encourage you all to make it to CR some time. You will not be disappointed, and I can show you more pictures to prove it!
See you all back in the STATES soon!! Sorry if my English is bad for a while, or if I slip into Spanish randomly :)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Tamarindo
Hola,
Como fueron el fin de semana para ustedes?
I had a fantastic weekend in Tamarindo, a little beach town in Guanacaste Costa Rica. We stayed at a hotel right on the beach, and got to watch a beautiful sunset. On Saturday we hung out at the beach and watched the local surfers, there were so many and the waves were perfect. We spent a good deal of time riding the waves and swimming in the water. we met an awesome couple on the beach we talked to for a while, they have been in CR for 3 weeks traveling and volunteering, and it was cool to hear their stories.
There is a river that opens into the ocean right near Tamarindo, and we visited the mouth of the river. Crocodile are really common here during high tide, but we went during low tide and were still able to see one on the other side of the river. There are boat tours that go up the river, but we just took a little walk and saw some monkeys and the crocidle. There were also monkeys at our hotel, we saw them climbing the fence by the beach.
Well I hope everyone had a good weekend back home, and the weather was really nice. I will be home in 5 days so I hope it stays nice!
p.s. wish me luck on my presentation today :)
Como fueron el fin de semana para ustedes?
I had a fantastic weekend in Tamarindo, a little beach town in Guanacaste Costa Rica. We stayed at a hotel right on the beach, and got to watch a beautiful sunset. On Saturday we hung out at the beach and watched the local surfers, there were so many and the waves were perfect. We spent a good deal of time riding the waves and swimming in the water. we met an awesome couple on the beach we talked to for a while, they have been in CR for 3 weeks traveling and volunteering, and it was cool to hear their stories.
There is a river that opens into the ocean right near Tamarindo, and we visited the mouth of the river. Crocodile are really common here during high tide, but we went during low tide and were still able to see one on the other side of the river. There are boat tours that go up the river, but we just took a little walk and saw some monkeys and the crocidle. There were also monkeys at our hotel, we saw them climbing the fence by the beach.
Well I hope everyone had a good weekend back home, and the weather was really nice. I will be home in 5 days so I hope it stays nice!
p.s. wish me luck on my presentation today :)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
el fin de semana
Hola! Well, I am headed off for my final weekend in Costa Rica. We are going to another beach in the peninsula part of CR. Tamarindo is supposed to be one of the favorite tourist destinations in Costa Rica, and has a great beach and surfing. Considering how beat up I got last weekend surfing, I doubt I will try it again, but it is always fun to watch the locals catch the waves. A 5 hour $5 bus ride will take us on our journey tomorrow morning, and I will spend the majority of the time working on my oral presentation for Spanish. I am preparing a 15 minute presentation in Spanish about the advantages and disadvantages of immigration, so it should be interesting.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend back home, and the weather stays nice.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend back home, and the weather stays nice.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tortuguero y Jaco
We spent the remaining week in Tortuguero, an island off the Caribbean cost that is only accessible by boat through a series of channels and canals. I believe John and Karen have visited this amazing location before in their journey to Costa Rica. An hour boat ride brings you to a long and very narrow island that has a population of around 2,000 people. We became very close to the community as we worked with them to rebuild a playground for the children. We added monkey bars and swings, and fixed and painted the see saws and painted the benches. The children enjoyed helping in the painting projects, and added designs to our base coat. They were playing on the equipment even before the paint dried, and it was incredible to see their happy faces.
We also took a tour of the canals where I learned so much about the animals and plants of the area. For instance, I never knew that blue herons were born white, and then become a patchy light blue during their early years, and only become gray blue when they are full grown. we also saw toucans and parrots. During our walk through the rain forest we saw spider monkeys only a branch above our heads as well as several poisonous spiders, and 3 tiny but deadly snakes. the guides are amazing at pointing the animals out, I never would have been able to see them if it was not for the guides.
That night, we took a sea turtle tour from 10 pm until 1 am. We walked on a path along the beach for 2 miles until we heard their was a sea turtle making her nest. We then turned our lights off and walked to the beach, and with only a red light watched her lay several eggs. It was the most amazing experience ever, she laid near 80 eggs and we watched her for a good 15 minutes. The same turtle will return to shore 6-7 times during the season, laying less eggs each trip, but laying a couple hundred eggs in total. The reason we can observe the turtles is the fact that they feel no pain and have no idea of their surroundings when they are laying the eggs. We then watched her bury the nest, a process of around 45 minutes, and watched her slow trek back to the ocean. We were able to follow her journey across the sand behind her. The experience ranks in the top three experiences of my life and was absolutely incredible. Only 200 people are allowed this tour per season, and my group of 20 students were the first ones allowed on opening day. Of 1,000 turtle eggs laid, only 1 green sea turtle will survive into adulthood. Several group members chipped in to sponsor a turtle for a year, so we will be receiving the news letter on their progress.
After arriving home to San Jose, we turned around in 45 minutes and got on a bus to Jaco, a tourist beach about 2 and a half hours from San Jose. My classmate participated in a 2 K race in the ocean to benefit child cancer, and we went to support him. Jaco is a great town, but definitely very touristy.
It was a great week over all, and one that inspired me to continue with service work in the future. the connections I made will stay with me forever, and the people of Santa Rosa y Tortuguero will forever be in my heart. It is important to remember that the earth is not money, but life. This is true, and protecting it and becoming sustainable is important. I have learned to appreciate nature, and not to take anything for granted.
We also took a tour of the canals where I learned so much about the animals and plants of the area. For instance, I never knew that blue herons were born white, and then become a patchy light blue during their early years, and only become gray blue when they are full grown. we also saw toucans and parrots. During our walk through the rain forest we saw spider monkeys only a branch above our heads as well as several poisonous spiders, and 3 tiny but deadly snakes. the guides are amazing at pointing the animals out, I never would have been able to see them if it was not for the guides.
That night, we took a sea turtle tour from 10 pm until 1 am. We walked on a path along the beach for 2 miles until we heard their was a sea turtle making her nest. We then turned our lights off and walked to the beach, and with only a red light watched her lay several eggs. It was the most amazing experience ever, she laid near 80 eggs and we watched her for a good 15 minutes. The same turtle will return to shore 6-7 times during the season, laying less eggs each trip, but laying a couple hundred eggs in total. The reason we can observe the turtles is the fact that they feel no pain and have no idea of their surroundings when they are laying the eggs. We then watched her bury the nest, a process of around 45 minutes, and watched her slow trek back to the ocean. We were able to follow her journey across the sand behind her. The experience ranks in the top three experiences of my life and was absolutely incredible. Only 200 people are allowed this tour per season, and my group of 20 students were the first ones allowed on opening day. Of 1,000 turtle eggs laid, only 1 green sea turtle will survive into adulthood. Several group members chipped in to sponsor a turtle for a year, so we will be receiving the news letter on their progress.
After arriving home to San Jose, we turned around in 45 minutes and got on a bus to Jaco, a tourist beach about 2 and a half hours from San Jose. My classmate participated in a 2 K race in the ocean to benefit child cancer, and we went to support him. Jaco is a great town, but definitely very touristy.
It was a great week over all, and one that inspired me to continue with service work in the future. the connections I made will stay with me forever, and the people of Santa Rosa y Tortuguero will forever be in my heart. It is important to remember that the earth is not money, but life. This is true, and protecting it and becoming sustainable is important. I have learned to appreciate nature, and not to take anything for granted.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
El Cairo, Banana Plantations, EARTH University
Last week also proved to be an educational and ethical experience as well. We visited a banana plantation and learned about the worker's conditions and the problems surrounding the businesses. The United Fruit Company was given land for a hundred years to use as banana plantations, and while that time is now up, there are several enormous plantations in Costa Rica. The workers work with such speed and strength, and are extremely impressive but must suffer harsh conditions. The banana trees only give one bunch of bananas per tree (a bunch is around 150 bananas, and groups we consider to be bunches are actually called hands). The workers wrap the bananas in plastic to protect from bugs, and cut down the bundle. They then pad the bunch for travel, and hang it from a long cable that will pull them to the factory. The workers must then cut down the rest of the parent tree so the son tree might grow to produce its own bananas. The workers work in groups of 3, one cutting the bananas, one carrying them to the cord, and when there are 5 bunches hanging the other worker pulls the cord the mile or so back to the factory. They are paid per bunch, and make on average $20-$25 a day. They are provided with housing on the plantation, but these houses are tiny and they must pay for their own electricity and food. The workers live a hard life. EARTH University (to be discussed later) provides all the bananas for Whole Foods, and I encourage you to buy these bananas :)
Pineapple plantations use an enormous amount of pesticides, and are an enormous problem for the citizens of Costa Rica. We visited a small town, El Cairo, that is located right next to a pineapple plantation. This town does not have safe drinking water, and it must be trucked in every day. the water has a high level of bromacil (i think) form the pesticides from the plantation, but the government will not step in and help due to the size of the plantation. 10 people died from cancer in one month in the small town, due to the effects of this chemical. The water is not safe to drink or to shower in, but the government only trucks in a certain amount of water, and therefore the town must shower with the infected water. They cannot create a resovoir for the rain collection due to the air pollution by the plantation, and citizens are constantly ill with stomach problems and aches. Our class plans to write letters to the plantation and to the local governments (one town person is going to trial next week) to see if our support can change anything at all. It is an awful situation, and terribly sad to hear about.
We also visited EARTH University, which I absolutely fell in love with. It is a non-profit University that actively seeks young leaders from the humid tropics as well as 20 other countries and provides them with the education to make a change in their communities. They are founded on a belief that People can change the world, and are a catalyst for change in local communities. The students live on campus with roommates from different countries and economic backgrounds and are not allowed cars on campus to minimize the economic gap between students. They are completely carbon neutral, and planted over a million trees world wide on their annual plant day. (I plan on participating this year) The university is agriculture based and grows most of the food served on campus. We ate the bananas on their farm, and drank the milk from their cows. They have a yogurt and dairy line served on some air lines and export to Whole Foods Co. (Look for the EARTH label). My favorite part of the university is the community out reach program where they must volunteer in local communities. The students also start their own business plan and put it into action throughout the year. My friend's deals with rural tourism. The students must spend a semester in a different country doing an internship, and he plans to come to northern Michigan to work in rural tourism here. I am extremely impressed with the university and all that they do. CR has a goal to be completely Carbon Neutral, and EARTH is helping in this goal. They have installed over 100 biodegraders world wide, and have a sustainable garden using trash. The soil is carbon and tire parts and something else I don't remember, but mixed in with the plants are pop cans to take up space and help with water drainage. They also use old jeans, tie them off and fill them with soil. They cut holes for plants, hang the pants and use them as planters for peppers. The students are innovative, using old trash cans and tires for planters. It is not a pretty garden, but it provides the herbs and vegetables for the university. Lettuce is not usually grown in such a humid climate, but with their new soil, they can grow it.
EARTH is also a leading technological and research institution. They conduct several projects, and I urge you to check out their website. They accept 100 students a year, and grant 50% full scholarships, and 30% partial scholarships. They care more about a student's leadership and ethical potential than their academics, and provide remedial classes for those students who do not have access to a proper high school education. MSU has a study abroad program with EARTH, and students can also come just for research purposes. It is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL campus, and if I was going into agriculture I would definitely spend a semester at EARTH. As it is, I hope to continue some of their practices at home. My favorite: Every month citizens of CR have an option to pay $5 to combat the carbon admissions of their cars. this money is then collected to purchase trees which are planted in an area to help reduce the carbon admissions. I hope to use this idea in a smaller way in my own life back home. Another thing San Jose does is limit the cars on the road. Once a week, every car is not allowed to drive. For example on Mon if your license plate ends in a 1 or 2, you cannot drive your car in the San Jose area and must take a bus, taxi,walk to work. Then on Tuesday, cars ending in 3 and 4 must not drive. Of course this only works in a city area, and can be combated by owning more than one car, but it has increased car pooling and bus use in the city.
Well here is my update up to Wednesday, next will be in Tortuguero where I was blessed with the opportunity to see a sea turtle lay her eggs.
Pineapple plantations use an enormous amount of pesticides, and are an enormous problem for the citizens of Costa Rica. We visited a small town, El Cairo, that is located right next to a pineapple plantation. This town does not have safe drinking water, and it must be trucked in every day. the water has a high level of bromacil (i think) form the pesticides from the plantation, but the government will not step in and help due to the size of the plantation. 10 people died from cancer in one month in the small town, due to the effects of this chemical. The water is not safe to drink or to shower in, but the government only trucks in a certain amount of water, and therefore the town must shower with the infected water. They cannot create a resovoir for the rain collection due to the air pollution by the plantation, and citizens are constantly ill with stomach problems and aches. Our class plans to write letters to the plantation and to the local governments (one town person is going to trial next week) to see if our support can change anything at all. It is an awful situation, and terribly sad to hear about.
We also visited EARTH University, which I absolutely fell in love with. It is a non-profit University that actively seeks young leaders from the humid tropics as well as 20 other countries and provides them with the education to make a change in their communities. They are founded on a belief that People can change the world, and are a catalyst for change in local communities. The students live on campus with roommates from different countries and economic backgrounds and are not allowed cars on campus to minimize the economic gap between students. They are completely carbon neutral, and planted over a million trees world wide on their annual plant day. (I plan on participating this year) The university is agriculture based and grows most of the food served on campus. We ate the bananas on their farm, and drank the milk from their cows. They have a yogurt and dairy line served on some air lines and export to Whole Foods Co. (Look for the EARTH label). My favorite part of the university is the community out reach program where they must volunteer in local communities. The students also start their own business plan and put it into action throughout the year. My friend's deals with rural tourism. The students must spend a semester in a different country doing an internship, and he plans to come to northern Michigan to work in rural tourism here. I am extremely impressed with the university and all that they do. CR has a goal to be completely Carbon Neutral, and EARTH is helping in this goal. They have installed over 100 biodegraders world wide, and have a sustainable garden using trash. The soil is carbon and tire parts and something else I don't remember, but mixed in with the plants are pop cans to take up space and help with water drainage. They also use old jeans, tie them off and fill them with soil. They cut holes for plants, hang the pants and use them as planters for peppers. The students are innovative, using old trash cans and tires for planters. It is not a pretty garden, but it provides the herbs and vegetables for the university. Lettuce is not usually grown in such a humid climate, but with their new soil, they can grow it.
EARTH is also a leading technological and research institution. They conduct several projects, and I urge you to check out their website. They accept 100 students a year, and grant 50% full scholarships, and 30% partial scholarships. They care more about a student's leadership and ethical potential than their academics, and provide remedial classes for those students who do not have access to a proper high school education. MSU has a study abroad program with EARTH, and students can also come just for research purposes. It is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL campus, and if I was going into agriculture I would definitely spend a semester at EARTH. As it is, I hope to continue some of their practices at home. My favorite: Every month citizens of CR have an option to pay $5 to combat the carbon admissions of their cars. this money is then collected to purchase trees which are planted in an area to help reduce the carbon admissions. I hope to use this idea in a smaller way in my own life back home. Another thing San Jose does is limit the cars on the road. Once a week, every car is not allowed to drive. For example on Mon if your license plate ends in a 1 or 2, you cannot drive your car in the San Jose area and must take a bus, taxi,walk to work. Then on Tuesday, cars ending in 3 and 4 must not drive. Of course this only works in a city area, and can be combated by owning more than one car, but it has increased car pooling and bus use in the city.
Well here is my update up to Wednesday, next will be in Tortuguero where I was blessed with the opportunity to see a sea turtle lay her eggs.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Eco-Finca (ANDAR part 1)
This past week was an absolutely life changing event. We traveled to Santa Rosa and Cartageno, two very small rural towns with a completely different lifestyle. The people there were passionate about life, and about their own unique culture. We spent 5 days living with a family, and really getting to know life on the farm.
The first day, I woke up and gathered eggs with my homestay mom, and helped her prepare the eggs for our breakfast. Then we went to a neighbor farm to help milk the cows, however no one in our group was successful. As in I did not get a single drop of milk. Then the Tica daughter stands up and finishes milking the cow in less than three minutes and all of us gringos felt so stupid. It was hilarious though, and the family got a kick out of watching us struggle.
Later that day we went to the eco-finca, a local farm that is completely organic. The farm utilizes the forest land around it, and the owners know the farm inside out. Julio, the owner of the farm is so passionate about life and about his farm. To him, the land is not money, the land is his life. He has over 64 types of fruit on his farm, as well as many medicinal plants. He pays town citizens to work on the farm, and to cook for the visitors of the farm, in order for the women to make a living. In the area, jobs for women are very hard to come by, and have very low wages and harsh conditions. By allowing them to cook a few days a week on the farm, and by opening their homes up to us, Julio helps them become independent and help support themselves and their family.
We cut down 1,300 plants of a medicinal plant used to make tea and help with upset stomachs. It was hard work, and really muddy because of the rain, but it only took a few hours for us all to cut and bundle and hang out to dry in the drying building. The next day we planted organic pineapple and cleared some fields to plant rice. The food we planted will go to help feed the town, and the students in the school. The school in Santa Rosa is tiny and only has 7 students. (12 live in the town) and high school students must take a 40 minute bus ride to get to the high school in a larger town.
My favorite part of my time in Santa Rosa was playing soccer with the ninos. We played two different nights, and it was so much fun to talk and play with the town people. We had a huge group the first night, but even more came the second day. By that time, we all had our favorite ninos who would want us on their team, and it was an absolute riot. We took pictures and the kids went crazy. They cam running to see their image on my camera, and were so excited to spend time with us. The town has only had electricity for 20 years, and telephones for 2. They still have no internet, however they do have potable water.
Learning about life here was absolutely amazing, and I grew as a person talking to the townspeople. the culture they have, and the close relations they share with everyone is so uplifting. The families help each other and work together to create changes in the town.
Hope everyone is great at home, and I will finish the rest of the week in later posts. It feels so weird to be back in San Jose, and to have class for the first time in a week!
The first day, I woke up and gathered eggs with my homestay mom, and helped her prepare the eggs for our breakfast. Then we went to a neighbor farm to help milk the cows, however no one in our group was successful. As in I did not get a single drop of milk. Then the Tica daughter stands up and finishes milking the cow in less than three minutes and all of us gringos felt so stupid. It was hilarious though, and the family got a kick out of watching us struggle.
Later that day we went to the eco-finca, a local farm that is completely organic. The farm utilizes the forest land around it, and the owners know the farm inside out. Julio, the owner of the farm is so passionate about life and about his farm. To him, the land is not money, the land is his life. He has over 64 types of fruit on his farm, as well as many medicinal plants. He pays town citizens to work on the farm, and to cook for the visitors of the farm, in order for the women to make a living. In the area, jobs for women are very hard to come by, and have very low wages and harsh conditions. By allowing them to cook a few days a week on the farm, and by opening their homes up to us, Julio helps them become independent and help support themselves and their family.
We cut down 1,300 plants of a medicinal plant used to make tea and help with upset stomachs. It was hard work, and really muddy because of the rain, but it only took a few hours for us all to cut and bundle and hang out to dry in the drying building. The next day we planted organic pineapple and cleared some fields to plant rice. The food we planted will go to help feed the town, and the students in the school. The school in Santa Rosa is tiny and only has 7 students. (12 live in the town) and high school students must take a 40 minute bus ride to get to the high school in a larger town.
My favorite part of my time in Santa Rosa was playing soccer with the ninos. We played two different nights, and it was so much fun to talk and play with the town people. We had a huge group the first night, but even more came the second day. By that time, we all had our favorite ninos who would want us on their team, and it was an absolute riot. We took pictures and the kids went crazy. They cam running to see their image on my camera, and were so excited to spend time with us. The town has only had electricity for 20 years, and telephones for 2. They still have no internet, however they do have potable water.
Learning about life here was absolutely amazing, and I grew as a person talking to the townspeople. the culture they have, and the close relations they share with everyone is so uplifting. The families help each other and work together to create changes in the town.
Hope everyone is great at home, and I will finish the rest of the week in later posts. It feels so weird to be back in San Jose, and to have class for the first time in a week!
Friday, July 2, 2010
los hospitales
Este semana fue dedicado a visitar los hospitales de San Jose. We visited an EBAIS in a very poor area of San Jose, and toured the government housing. There is an area of temporary housing, much like squatters or shacks that people build to wait for the government housing, which were tiny shacks in themselves, but at least they were equipped with electricity, and some running water. We then wen to the geriatric hospital, which had a very impressive occupational and physical therapy program. The hospital serves as a nursing home as well. Since it is a public hospital, everything is covered by the government, so patients do not need to pay for their care.
Next we went to CIMA which is advertised as a hospital and a hotel all in one. It is a nice and fancy private hospital in which patients pay for all care. Many patients from other countries come for plastic surgery, and the wealthy Costa Rican's pay to get their treatment here. The service is incredible, and I was able to have a private tour of the PT room. The presentation was in Spanish, so a little was lost in translation, but I was impressed there as well, and it was nice to see other therapists at work.
The next day, we went to the children's hospital which was so beyond sad. It is public, and the Best Children's Hospital in Latin America, but was heartbreaking to see the over crowded waiting rooms of critically ill patients. There is a burn unit that fits 12 children at a time, and only one transplant team, that frequently has to turn patients away due to lack of space. It is heartbreaking, but inspires me to do so much more to help.
It was an eye opening and inspiring week.
Love to all back home :)
Next we went to CIMA which is advertised as a hospital and a hotel all in one. It is a nice and fancy private hospital in which patients pay for all care. Many patients from other countries come for plastic surgery, and the wealthy Costa Rican's pay to get their treatment here. The service is incredible, and I was able to have a private tour of the PT room. The presentation was in Spanish, so a little was lost in translation, but I was impressed there as well, and it was nice to see other therapists at work.
The next day, we went to the children's hospital which was so beyond sad. It is public, and the Best Children's Hospital in Latin America, but was heartbreaking to see the over crowded waiting rooms of critically ill patients. There is a burn unit that fits 12 children at a time, and only one transplant team, that frequently has to turn patients away due to lack of space. It is heartbreaking, but inspires me to do so much more to help.
It was an eye opening and inspiring week.
Love to all back home :)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Escuela
Well I realized I haven't much talked about my classes yet. We have class about the History of Costa Rica and Health Care from 8-11:45 every day. It has been really interesting because we have had several speakers come in to talk to our class. The health care system is universal, and private insurance does not exist here. The government has all insurance companies, and phone companies too. Around 9% of a worker's salary is taken to go to social security and health care, as well as 4% from the employer. This gives you free access to all public care, however some citizens choose to pay out of pocket for private care. The public has long waits, and many are angered that the Nicaraguan immigrants are given free care, even if they have not paid their due to the CAJA. (social security) I had a long conversation with my home stay mom last night, and she utilizes and loves the CAJA. She says as long as she is paying for the system out of her pay check, then she will use the system and has actually been quite pleased with it. They also focus on preventative care, traveling to schools and clinics with vaccinations for students that might not have received them.
I am thinking about minoring in Spanish now, the small class size has really helped me improve. I only have 3 other students in Spanish with me, and we spend almost an hour a day simply holding conversations in Spanish. The rest of the time is spent on grammar and new vocab, but the conversations have been the most helpful.... I was able to talk to my madre tica for an hour in Spanish yesterday, and frequently talk about the world cup with my hermano tico. I am finding every way possible to practice :)
I am thinking about minoring in Spanish now, the small class size has really helped me improve. I only have 3 other students in Spanish with me, and we spend almost an hour a day simply holding conversations in Spanish. The rest of the time is spent on grammar and new vocab, but the conversations have been the most helpful.... I was able to talk to my madre tica for an hour in Spanish yesterday, and frequently talk about the world cup with my hermano tico. I am finding every way possible to practice :)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Manuel Antonio
This weekend was spent at a spectacular beach. Our hotel was on a cliff, over looking the gorgeous beach below. Manuel Antonio is one of the biggest tourist beaches in Costa Rica, and if you look at a post card, this is most likely the beach photographed. The cliffs are covered by green rain forests, and there are several rocky islands in the ocean.
Saturday morning we got up and walked to the national park. It was a standard $10 entrance fee, but totally worth it. We walked a mile and a half to a hidden waterfall, but the tropic storms had destroyed the paths, so it was quite an adventure to get there. On the way we finally saw a frog, a neon yellow and black one. It was so hard to spot, but really cool to finally see one. After the trek through the slippery mud we arrived at the waterfall, and were able to go stand under it. people in my group were scared to get in and stand under it, but I was not going to lose the opportunity to stand under a waterfall in the rain forest. it was well worth it, and everyone joined me right away. It was amazing.
After the waterfall, we went to a beach with in the pack. It was in a cove, blocking the waves so you could just go float in the water. The cove to me was the definition of paradise. There was a coral reef, where we could view awesome fish. The cove has a rocky side that was covered in Hermit crabs, and it was crazy to explore. Laying on the beach, racoons, iguanas, and monkeys came close enough to your towel to steal your food. We literally fed a monkey that was 5 feet from us. It was amazing. At the end of the day, on the way back to the hotel we saw two white tailed deer fawns right on the trail. It was a nice reminder of home. That night we went to an outdoor restaurant on the roof of our hotel and watched the sun set.
Sunday morning we went to the public beach in the town and met a ton of cool people. Lots of backpackers from Boulder and Oregon and Kentucky. It was nice to speak in English to our new friends. There were isles of stands with dresses and crafts made by the people, and it was fun to walk and barter over prices. I ended up with a cute coverup and a nice sarong that I learned to tie in several different styles.
A quick bus ride home to San Jose to finish my papers completed my weekend. My roommate is now gone back to the states, so I spent a good part of the evening with my hermanotico (homestay brother) discussing the world cup. During the game Friday, we all had the live feed running on our computers during class. It is fun to be here, where everyone loves futbol, during the World Cup. oh, and when I wore my new Costa Rica jersey, I got lots of comments from the locals.
Hope everyone had a nice weekend back home, can't wait to hear how it went.
p.s. it is crazy that I have been here 3 weeks now, I feel like I have already done so much.
Saturday morning we got up and walked to the national park. It was a standard $10 entrance fee, but totally worth it. We walked a mile and a half to a hidden waterfall, but the tropic storms had destroyed the paths, so it was quite an adventure to get there. On the way we finally saw a frog, a neon yellow and black one. It was so hard to spot, but really cool to finally see one. After the trek through the slippery mud we arrived at the waterfall, and were able to go stand under it. people in my group were scared to get in and stand under it, but I was not going to lose the opportunity to stand under a waterfall in the rain forest. it was well worth it, and everyone joined me right away. It was amazing.
After the waterfall, we went to a beach with in the pack. It was in a cove, blocking the waves so you could just go float in the water. The cove to me was the definition of paradise. There was a coral reef, where we could view awesome fish. The cove has a rocky side that was covered in Hermit crabs, and it was crazy to explore. Laying on the beach, racoons, iguanas, and monkeys came close enough to your towel to steal your food. We literally fed a monkey that was 5 feet from us. It was amazing. At the end of the day, on the way back to the hotel we saw two white tailed deer fawns right on the trail. It was a nice reminder of home. That night we went to an outdoor restaurant on the roof of our hotel and watched the sun set.
Sunday morning we went to the public beach in the town and met a ton of cool people. Lots of backpackers from Boulder and Oregon and Kentucky. It was nice to speak in English to our new friends. There were isles of stands with dresses and crafts made by the people, and it was fun to walk and barter over prices. I ended up with a cute coverup and a nice sarong that I learned to tie in several different styles.
A quick bus ride home to San Jose to finish my papers completed my weekend. My roommate is now gone back to the states, so I spent a good part of the evening with my hermanotico (homestay brother) discussing the world cup. During the game Friday, we all had the live feed running on our computers during class. It is fun to be here, where everyone loves futbol, during the World Cup. oh, and when I wore my new Costa Rica jersey, I got lots of comments from the locals.
Hope everyone had a nice weekend back home, can't wait to hear how it went.
p.s. it is crazy that I have been here 3 weeks now, I feel like I have already done so much.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Catching up
Well the protests are over, and the sidewalks are clear again! It has been a typical week of class and papers, I really feel like my Spanish is increasing a lot though. My understanding is way above my speaking, but I think I am bridging that gap. American food here is so expensive! We went to the store to buy food for our weekend, and local food was reasonably priced, but I was shocked to find a box of cereal for $10 and a snickers for 3. ohh well, guess I know what food I will be craving when I get home!
Off to Manuel Antonio for the weekend, a beautiful white beach inside a national park. Beautiful waterfalls and lots of monkeys :)
Happy Early Father's Day :)
Off to Manuel Antonio for the weekend, a beautiful white beach inside a national park. Beautiful waterfalls and lots of monkeys :)
Happy Early Father's Day :)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Arenal
Arenal is a volcano that was dormant for 500 years, but now erupts constantly. It is absolutely beautiful, however it was cloudy Sunday so it was hard to see the top. When the clouds cleared, we were able to get quick glances of the full volcano. The volcano overlooks a huge man made lake that is absolutely beautiful. Baldi Hot Springs is a place that has 15 different pools all heated by the volcano. Each pool is heated to a different temperature, including one that is 115 degrees, and too hot to do more than dip a hand in for a short time. We spent the afternoon relaxing in the pools and watching the volcano. There were several water slides and waterfalls to enjoy as well. After dinner (they had a chocolate fountain...my first chocolate in 2 weeks!) we drove to a remote area to view the volcano. During the day you can always see smoke coming out of the opening, but at night it is possible to see the lava as well. We were not lucky to see lava spew out of the top, but could see bright red rocks rolling down the side of the mountain. It was incredible to be so close to an active volcano.
Monday morning we took a safari float down a river near Arenal, and saw an impressive amount of wildlife. We were able to spot monos congos, or howler monkeys. Our guide spoke back to them, and the monkeys howled even louder. There were some babies present, and it was adorable. We were also able to see 3 crocodiles sunning on the side, and one of the large ones entered the water right near the raft. We stopped at an old farm, the owner is 98 and just got running water. It was incredible to experience the simple life they lived.
that afternoon we visited another EBAIS, this time in an urban area and learned more about the system here...Residents around the country are on strike, and the interns are joining them today. It is interesting to be experiencing these strikes while learning about the health system here...
Monday morning we took a safari float down a river near Arenal, and saw an impressive amount of wildlife. We were able to spot monos congos, or howler monkeys. Our guide spoke back to them, and the monkeys howled even louder. There were some babies present, and it was adorable. We were also able to see 3 crocodiles sunning on the side, and one of the large ones entered the water right near the raft. We stopped at an old farm, the owner is 98 and just got running water. It was incredible to experience the simple life they lived.
that afternoon we visited another EBAIS, this time in an urban area and learned more about the system here...Residents around the country are on strike, and the interns are joining them today. It is interesting to be experiencing these strikes while learning about the health system here...
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Unreal weekend...Monteverde (Part 1)
This weekend was unreal and so amazing, I saw so much and experienced more than I could have imagined, so I suppose I will take you all through it day by day. (sorry if it gets a little long...)
Friday we went to Monteverde, which is a tourist town in the mountains north of San Jose. It is in a cloud forest, which is ultimately a rain forest in the clouds. It honestly feels like you are living in the clouds when you stay there. We visited the EBAIS (health clinic) in the area, and then had a tour of an old sugar cane and coffee plantation. They make brown sugar, and only stay open now by doing tours. We learned about the coffee making process, and got to see some of the machines in use (so I can now tell everyone about the quality of coffee :)) we also learned about sugar cane, and actually make some candy. They use certain machines to squeeze the juice out of the cane (although we got to chew on it and taste the juice as well)and then boil it with a piece of bark from a female burrio tree. This gives the sugar a maple syrup taste. Next they pour it in molds to cool and harden, but we were able to take a scoop and mix it with chocolate and nuts to make some candy. It was delicious, and really interesting to see. The plantation still uses oxen for transport, and we got to ride in the famously painted carts pulled by oxen
Monteverde was originally settled by Quakers from the United States, and there are still around 100 Quakers in the small town. We listened to a talk by a Quaker women, and it was amazing to see how in 1950 when they came there were NO roads at all. They built all the roads and bridges, only asking the government for help for one lengthly bridge. (The roads are still dirt and not very drivable during the rainy season...imagine muddy mountain pass roads) When Ticos started developing the area for tourism, they created 2 reserves to protect the land. Most of the forests however are secondary forests.
Friday was complete by a bonfire at our mountain lodge. It was a very informative day.
Saturday was our day of adventure:
In the morning we went for a 2 hour hike through the cloud forest, on hanging bridges. We were walking through the canopy when we saw a Quetzal, which was absolutely beautiful. People travel to CR just to see these birds, and they are very rare to see...we were very lucky to spot one and spent a while watching it. We were also lucky enough to see several butterflies and hummingbirds as well as the second largest rodent in the world (I don't remember the exact name)The entire experience made me appreciate nature and relax and enjoy the small things. It was amazing how loud the forest was, with the birds singing and it was absolutely beautiful. The best part was climbing up a tree. We literally got inside an old tree root, that had new vines growing around it, and used the vines to climb to the next layer of bridges...it was incredible how I fit inside a tree trunk with enough room to climb.
After lunch we went ziplining through the canopy. It was a nice mix of excitement and peace. They had some fast lines through the trees, and we had to repel down a tree. They also had a "Tarzan Swing" which was basically a bungee jump followed by a swing through the trees. This one was scary, and the video of me screaming is rather hilarious. the next line however was the most serene and out of this world experience. We got to zip line laying down superman style, and look at the forest below. The line was a half mile long, and we were above the trees looking at the valley below. It was absolutely incredible. I felt an amazing thrill, and like I was one with nature at the same time. No words to describe it :)
That night we went on another walk through the rain forest in the dark. It was incredible to turn off the flash lights and see just how dark it was. We were able to see the rodent again, and a sloth!!! This was sooooo unbelievable to see. We also saw 3 turantulas coming out of their holes. It was like a movie to see these HUGE things crawling out of their holes...I was slightly scared but it was incredible at the same time. You really cant be afraid of bugs living here, you just have to wear the bug spray and be aware of everything.
Sunday morning we went for a hike in the POURING rain. Everyone was complaining because of the rain, but we got to hike at our own pace through the forest, and so I felt at home. It was nice to hike alone and just think about everything. it is so beautiful here, and I realize how much we take for granted. Slowing life down and appreciating nature really helps to bring a peace of mind...
Sunday afternoon we drove to Arenal, an active volcano, but I will have to save those stories for later....
Hope all is well at home and Chelsea's open house was beautiful :)
Friday we went to Monteverde, which is a tourist town in the mountains north of San Jose. It is in a cloud forest, which is ultimately a rain forest in the clouds. It honestly feels like you are living in the clouds when you stay there. We visited the EBAIS (health clinic) in the area, and then had a tour of an old sugar cane and coffee plantation. They make brown sugar, and only stay open now by doing tours. We learned about the coffee making process, and got to see some of the machines in use (so I can now tell everyone about the quality of coffee :)) we also learned about sugar cane, and actually make some candy. They use certain machines to squeeze the juice out of the cane (although we got to chew on it and taste the juice as well)and then boil it with a piece of bark from a female burrio tree. This gives the sugar a maple syrup taste. Next they pour it in molds to cool and harden, but we were able to take a scoop and mix it with chocolate and nuts to make some candy. It was delicious, and really interesting to see. The plantation still uses oxen for transport, and we got to ride in the famously painted carts pulled by oxen
Monteverde was originally settled by Quakers from the United States, and there are still around 100 Quakers in the small town. We listened to a talk by a Quaker women, and it was amazing to see how in 1950 when they came there were NO roads at all. They built all the roads and bridges, only asking the government for help for one lengthly bridge. (The roads are still dirt and not very drivable during the rainy season...imagine muddy mountain pass roads) When Ticos started developing the area for tourism, they created 2 reserves to protect the land. Most of the forests however are secondary forests.
Friday was complete by a bonfire at our mountain lodge. It was a very informative day.
Saturday was our day of adventure:
In the morning we went for a 2 hour hike through the cloud forest, on hanging bridges. We were walking through the canopy when we saw a Quetzal, which was absolutely beautiful. People travel to CR just to see these birds, and they are very rare to see...we were very lucky to spot one and spent a while watching it. We were also lucky enough to see several butterflies and hummingbirds as well as the second largest rodent in the world (I don't remember the exact name)The entire experience made me appreciate nature and relax and enjoy the small things. It was amazing how loud the forest was, with the birds singing and it was absolutely beautiful. The best part was climbing up a tree. We literally got inside an old tree root, that had new vines growing around it, and used the vines to climb to the next layer of bridges...it was incredible how I fit inside a tree trunk with enough room to climb.
After lunch we went ziplining through the canopy. It was a nice mix of excitement and peace. They had some fast lines through the trees, and we had to repel down a tree. They also had a "Tarzan Swing" which was basically a bungee jump followed by a swing through the trees. This one was scary, and the video of me screaming is rather hilarious. the next line however was the most serene and out of this world experience. We got to zip line laying down superman style, and look at the forest below. The line was a half mile long, and we were above the trees looking at the valley below. It was absolutely incredible. I felt an amazing thrill, and like I was one with nature at the same time. No words to describe it :)
That night we went on another walk through the rain forest in the dark. It was incredible to turn off the flash lights and see just how dark it was. We were able to see the rodent again, and a sloth!!! This was sooooo unbelievable to see. We also saw 3 turantulas coming out of their holes. It was like a movie to see these HUGE things crawling out of their holes...I was slightly scared but it was incredible at the same time. You really cant be afraid of bugs living here, you just have to wear the bug spray and be aware of everything.
Sunday morning we went for a hike in the POURING rain. Everyone was complaining because of the rain, but we got to hike at our own pace through the forest, and so I felt at home. It was nice to hike alone and just think about everything. it is so beautiful here, and I realize how much we take for granted. Slowing life down and appreciating nature really helps to bring a peace of mind...
Sunday afternoon we drove to Arenal, an active volcano, but I will have to save those stories for later....
Hope all is well at home and Chelsea's open house was beautiful :)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Protests
Well we finally found out what the protests were about after passing them twice a day for over a week. The so called "squaters" have no land to create their makeshift houses as the Government has been cracking down on this practice. In the past families have made houses on any open land, especially government land but now they are out of places and have nowhere to live. There are probably 30 people living in the makeshift tents on the sidewalks now, and there has been an increase of security around the president's house. At least they now help us cross the street when we need to :)
Classes have been really interesting this week, we have had two different physicians talk with us about the health care system, and a historian as well. It is interesting to hear the citizens view on the so called universal health care system (it only helps 80% of the country). It boasts amazing statistics, but the people using it experience long waits and other issues we have been learning about.
Every day at school we get to try a new natural drink. Fresh fruit is squeezed and mixed with water and sugar to make natural fruit juice. It is delicious, and the star fruit has been my favorite so far.
This weekend is going to be an adventure, but I will be without communication for 4 days. We are going to visit two EBAIS or medical clinics in rural towns. we will also be visiting the active volcano, Arenal and hope to see the lava at night. The lava warms hot springs we will swim in, and we will also swim at the base of a waterfall. the next day we will go to Monteverde, the cloud rainforest to walk through the hanging bridges and zipline through the canopy as well as rafting down a river...hopefully I will have some amazing experienes to share on Tuesday.
Love to everyone back home! Talk to you soon
Classes have been really interesting this week, we have had two different physicians talk with us about the health care system, and a historian as well. It is interesting to hear the citizens view on the so called universal health care system (it only helps 80% of the country). It boasts amazing statistics, but the people using it experience long waits and other issues we have been learning about.
Every day at school we get to try a new natural drink. Fresh fruit is squeezed and mixed with water and sugar to make natural fruit juice. It is delicious, and the star fruit has been my favorite so far.
This weekend is going to be an adventure, but I will be without communication for 4 days. We are going to visit two EBAIS or medical clinics in rural towns. we will also be visiting the active volcano, Arenal and hope to see the lava at night. The lava warms hot springs we will swim in, and we will also swim at the base of a waterfall. the next day we will go to Monteverde, the cloud rainforest to walk through the hanging bridges and zipline through the canopy as well as rafting down a river...hopefully I will have some amazing experienes to share on Tuesday.
Love to everyone back home! Talk to you soon
Monday, June 7, 2010
La Paz
This weekend I experienced the paradise of Costa Rica. I promise pictures soon! On Saturday we took a group trip to a volcano near San Jose. After a half mile hike we arrived at the basin. We looked down into a crater of beautiful red rocks, and he center was spewing white smoke. It smelled like sulfur which of course reminded me of my summer in Yellowstone. Another half mile led us to a hidden lake that was a perfect blue, surrounded by dense green vegetation. It was absolutely beautiful. After a traditional lunch, we went to La Paz, a waterfall and garden area. We entered a bird house, and got to spend time walking around with the toucans, humming birds, parrots and all kinds of other birds. One of them landed on my friends arm. The humming birds flew around their feeders so quickly I felt like I was going to get hit in teh face. They just wizzed right by. There was then a butterfly house, and the butterflies were everywhere. They frequently landed on us and flew around our heads as we took pictures of their pristine blue. The waterfalls were absolutely breathtaking. We had to descend several hundred stairs to reach them, but the hike was worth it. There were 3 falls we saw, each about the height of Canyon Falls, but of various sizes. The river was actually pretty narrow for such immense falls. we were happy to see them, because the rumor had been that they were destroyed in the earth quake, but trust me, they are still spectacular.
Sunday we went to Punrarenas, a local beach that is an hour and a half bus ride from San Jose. The sand is black, and it is not the best beach (it is the beach the ticos go to) but the view of the mountains against the water was beautiful. The water was nice and warm, and while the beach was on the Pacific it is in a cove so it was really calm. There was a triathalon finishing right on the beach, which provided some great entertainment.
Off to write 3 papers (one of them in Spanish :))
Sunday we went to Punrarenas, a local beach that is an hour and a half bus ride from San Jose. The sand is black, and it is not the best beach (it is the beach the ticos go to) but the view of the mountains against the water was beautiful. The water was nice and warm, and while the beach was on the Pacific it is in a cove so it was really calm. There was a triathalon finishing right on the beach, which provided some great entertainment.
Off to write 3 papers (one of them in Spanish :))
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tico Time
Hola :)
Many exciting things are happening right now...there is a protest right outside the president's house and it has been growing every day. I am thankful that I have someone who walks home with me because both sidewalks are covered with tents for the protest, and yesterday there were drums and bells too. No one can seem to figure out what exactly it is about though...also, there is a big storm coming up the Pacific coast, and the beach we wanted to visit is completely shut down with out power for a week. Our house has been without water for a few evenings too...it runs during the day but is shut down at night again (it is like this for my entire neighborhood)
Other than those current events, things are going wonderfully here. yesterday we spent the day going through 2 museums downtown. I actually really like downtown, there are a lot of pretty buildings and I spent some time in a typical city market. Tomorrow we visit a rain forest, a waterfall and volcan and go one a coffee tour...I am exited to see more of the country.
con amor,
Meg
Many exciting things are happening right now...there is a protest right outside the president's house and it has been growing every day. I am thankful that I have someone who walks home with me because both sidewalks are covered with tents for the protest, and yesterday there were drums and bells too. No one can seem to figure out what exactly it is about though...also, there is a big storm coming up the Pacific coast, and the beach we wanted to visit is completely shut down with out power for a week. Our house has been without water for a few evenings too...it runs during the day but is shut down at night again (it is like this for my entire neighborhood)
Other than those current events, things are going wonderfully here. yesterday we spent the day going through 2 museums downtown. I actually really like downtown, there are a lot of pretty buildings and I spent some time in a typical city market. Tomorrow we visit a rain forest, a waterfall and volcan and go one a coffee tour...I am exited to see more of the country.
con amor,
Meg
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Rain
today I got to experience first hand a rain storm. we went to lunch when it was beautiful and sunny, and had to return in a torrential downpour. Some of the other provinces experience great flooding during the month of may, but San Jose has been okay. There was also a very small earth quake last night. I did not feel it, but some of my classmates could.
I am learning more about food customs as well, breakfast is usually a piece of fruit (half a mango, a chunk of pineapple ect) and a piece of plain bread with cheese or a pack of crackers and cream cheese. For dinner my family has made me a rice and chicken mix one night as well as white rice with a piece of meat last night.
One of the typical dishes is casado (which means married) because there are beans, rice, and meat on one plate (but all separate) and a sweet banana for dessert.
In my Spanish class today we learned that doctors do not typically wear gloves except during surgery. When taking blood or checking wounds or changing the dressing on a incision, the doctors do not wear gloves. I found this very interesting considering the high state of the health care system and how many tourist come to CR for plastic surgery and dental procedures. Because of their very Catholic Religious beliefs, abortion as well as Invitro fertilization are illegal here, although some people go to panama for in vitro fertilization.
Morgan's family ( my friend) has a jet ski and so we might go to the beach with her hermano Sunday to ride it, or else a group is planning on taking a bus to the beach. 2 hour trip each way, but only 1500 colones, which is less than $3. (the exchange rate is around 535 colones per dollar) Ticos know the exchange rate for every country
off the top of their head, which is very interesting to me.
Voy a cenar ahora, adios
p.s. Aero Smith is here on tour right now
I am learning more about food customs as well, breakfast is usually a piece of fruit (half a mango, a chunk of pineapple ect) and a piece of plain bread with cheese or a pack of crackers and cream cheese. For dinner my family has made me a rice and chicken mix one night as well as white rice with a piece of meat last night.
One of the typical dishes is casado (which means married) because there are beans, rice, and meat on one plate (but all separate) and a sweet banana for dessert.
In my Spanish class today we learned that doctors do not typically wear gloves except during surgery. When taking blood or checking wounds or changing the dressing on a incision, the doctors do not wear gloves. I found this very interesting considering the high state of the health care system and how many tourist come to CR for plastic surgery and dental procedures. Because of their very Catholic Religious beliefs, abortion as well as Invitro fertilization are illegal here, although some people go to panama for in vitro fertilization.
Morgan's family ( my friend) has a jet ski and so we might go to the beach with her hermano Sunday to ride it, or else a group is planning on taking a bus to the beach. 2 hour trip each way, but only 1500 colones, which is less than $3. (the exchange rate is around 535 colones per dollar) Ticos know the exchange rate for every country
off the top of their head, which is very interesting to me.
Voy a cenar ahora, adios
p.s. Aero Smith is here on tour right now
Monday, May 31, 2010
classes
hello :)
On the way to school today I passed the President's House. Costa Rica has their first female president, which is huge step for the country. I also passed banana and mango trees, and had views of the mountains the whole way.
My first day of classes went well, but I placed into a much higher Spanish than I was expecting. That is a little overwhelming, but I can't wait to learn everything. Its a lot of conversational Spanish, which will really help.
One big difference is the amount of sun light. It rises between 5:30 and 6 every morning and sets between 5:30 and 6 every night. Its funny trying to get home before dark when it is dark at 6. Another thing is the bars over all the houses and buildings. The windows are barred as well as the porches and yards all the way to the ceilings. I need two keys to get into my house, but I feel safe walking around during the days. The roads are crazy and pedestrians definitely do not have the right away, but I am learning where all my classmates live and where to eat.
I can't wait to explore more of the country. Love to everyone back home!
On the way to school today I passed the President's House. Costa Rica has their first female president, which is huge step for the country. I also passed banana and mango trees, and had views of the mountains the whole way.
My first day of classes went well, but I placed into a much higher Spanish than I was expecting. That is a little overwhelming, but I can't wait to learn everything. Its a lot of conversational Spanish, which will really help.
One big difference is the amount of sun light. It rises between 5:30 and 6 every morning and sets between 5:30 and 6 every night. Its funny trying to get home before dark when it is dark at 6. Another thing is the bars over all the houses and buildings. The windows are barred as well as the porches and yards all the way to the ceilings. I need two keys to get into my house, but I feel safe walking around during the days. The roads are crazy and pedestrians definitely do not have the right away, but I am learning where all my classmates live and where to eat.
I can't wait to explore more of the country. Love to everyone back home!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Beautiful Mountains :)
Well I made it safe and sound, and I can say that I am back for another summer in the mountains, although very different looking mountains. They are covered in lush greens and surround San Jose...I cannot wait to discover more about them.
Stepping out of the airport was a pretty overwhelming, but we were able master the system and find our way to our new "homes." My homestay family is very nice, and there is another "daughter" here from mississippi until saturday, so that has been helpful too. My school should be within walking distance, and there is another student from the group on my street.
Just wanted to let you know I made it safe, have a great Memorial Day and wish me luck in my first day of classes!
xoxo,
Meg
Stepping out of the airport was a pretty overwhelming, but we were able master the system and find our way to our new "homes." My homestay family is very nice, and there is another "daughter" here from mississippi until saturday, so that has been helpful too. My school should be within walking distance, and there is another student from the group on my street.
Just wanted to let you know I made it safe, have a great Memorial Day and wish me luck in my first day of classes!
xoxo,
Meg
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