Advertisement
Published: September 14th 2011
Photo 2
Our hotel in Manuel AntonioI've been living with my family for close to two weeks now. I can't believe how quickly time is flying! Before I update you all on what I've been doing this week I just have to attempt to express how happy I am here. I think for the first time in my life I am creating my own happiness for myself, and finding peace within myself. Being separated from my loved ones is giving me time to truly reflect on who I am as an individual and who I am becoming. I feel like I learn more about myself with each experience, and I love it. I have no doubt that this adventure will be one of the most memorable times of my life. Thank you to those of you who have supported me in this venture, both financially, and with your love.
Now time for updates. Unfortunately I don't have many photos to show for all of the things I have to tell you about, but I'll try to post more pictures soon.
School first: I started Spanish classes last Monday. I was in the Intermediate Spanish class with only two other students, and I loved the teacher! However, I
felt that the class was a little too easy, so as of yesterday (Monday) I switched to the Advanced Spanish class. There are seven of us in the class and I really like our professor. He is kind of goofy and sweet, but the class is definitely harder and I am already studying a lot for the class. I'm excited for the challenge though as I want to learn as much Spanish as possible while here. I am also taking a painting class with locals. My first class was last Thursday and I had to talk to the teacher after class as I pretty much understood nothing she said haha. She was very friendly and promised me an email in English explaining class materials, goals, and assignments. Phew! I haven't actually created any art yet but I look forward to doing so next week. We don't have class this Thursday, as it is Costa Rica's Independence Day. So in conclusion, school so far is wonderful. I have Spanish Mon-Wed 7:30-10:30am and painting Thursday 10:45-1:45. I'm really stoked on my schedule.
Volunteering:
Last Wednesday I volunteered in a preschool with four other students. We taught the kids how to say the
names of fruits and the colors of those fruits in English. It was a crack up. All of the kids were so cute, and could hardly say the names of the fruits and colors in Spanish, let alone English. The other night I went to my host mom Lorena's granddaughter's eleventh birthday party. I met the entire family and it was a little intimidating. But the family was beautiful and they all seemed so close, which made me think of my family, and how amazing all of my family members are. I ended up talking to a son in law who has been a nurse for the past eighteen years. He told me that nurses in Costa Rica don't specialize, that they learn everything and generally nurse all types of patients, which I think is really cool. I asked him if I could maybe volunteer in his clinic or observe for a day, and he said absolutely! So I'm hoping one of these upcoming Fridays when I have no class, I can go do that. What an exciting opportunity!
Excursions:
This past weekend I went to Manuel Antonio National Park with my group. We left Friday morning on a private
Photo 5
My room with Shayla bus and after checking into our hotel hiked through the park and hung out on the beach all day. Then we went into Quepos for a yummy Italian dinner. I had to play nurse after dinner though because my friend Helen had a panic attack and so I was the one to help calm her down and stay with her for the night. All turned out to be fine. I like being the care-taker in the group. The other students are already saying it's nice to have a "nurse" in the group haha. The next morning we got picked up to go sea kayaking. I was in the water about a minute before I started getting seasick. I should have known. It's hopeless. I am the most sensitive person to seasickness ever. I tried to tough it out for Helen, my kayak partner, because we were supposed to snorkel. But half way to the snorkeling point I decided to tell one of our guides that I felt like crap and was trying not to puke up breakfast haha. So him and Helen and I and one other student Charis, who was sharing the kayak with the guide, kayaked to the
nearest beach and then him and I hiked up the side of a mountain where he had a car pick me up and take me back to the port where my program director was. I was relieved to get out of the water, and I never got sick, but I was drained for the rest of the day. When the others finished kayaking, the kayak crew had lunch for us and it was delicious! I will never tire of the fruit juices that accompany the meals here! After lunch we headed back to Heredia. On the following day, Sunday, I went with Lorena, Abdy, and Abdy's boyfriend Memo to Monteverde to drop Abdy off at the hotel she will be interning at for the next two months or so. Monteverde is on top of this gorgeous mountain. The area is known as the "cloud forest" because it's so high up. It was cooler and rainier there, but still beautiful and lush. We got to check out the hotel that Abdy is working at and it was beautiful! We also got to have lunch and zip-line through the cloud forest for free!! I did a Tarzan swing too. The guides made
me go first because I was the only gringa in the group and I screamed so loud that I scared some of the boys out of doing it haha, but it was a blast and I went up and did the swing again upside-down. The guides told me that I was crazy like all of the Americans ha!! I'm sad that Abdy will be gone all this time, but I'm happy I got to see Monteverde and where she will be.
Extra fun things I have done this past week:
Last Monday Abdy took me out with her group of friends. We had so much fun just having a few Imperials (the local beer here) and talking. All the boys in the group gave me a lesson on dirty Spanish, and needless to say it was absolutely hilarious for them to hear me repeat the nasty things they were teaching me to say!
Wednesday night I went to a local bar called Mas Tequila with my group. Everyone just wanted to get out of the house for a night, but because we all had school Thursday, no one had more than a drink. Ok so I had more than one
beer, but seriously, it was mellow!
Thursday night was Ladies Night at a bar called La Birerria. My friends Nneka and Helen and I went and man was it an experience! We payed four bucks to get in, and then drinks for the night were free. I had one rum and coke, which was about 90% rum and 10% coke, the bartender winked at me while he made it... ladies night alright. After that we hit up the dance floor and danced all night.. then around 11 the male dancers came out. There were six, ripped, hot guys dancing without shirts. The ladies were going crazy. It was hilarious and awesome all at the same time! Next time I'm taking my camera for sure!! I've never seen such amazing abs in my life haha.
Last night I convinced another friend Adele to come see the Red Hot Chili Peppers with me!! They played in San Jose in the Estadio Nacional. It was HUGE! Easily thousands of people were there. My madre Lorena had a ticket hook up, so we had standing vip tickets and were right in front of the stage all night. The Chili Peppers put on an amazing
Photo 9
The girls teaching Charis how to swim! show, and it was so cool to see them in Costa Rica no less! That was definitely my first rock concert, and my neck hurts today from rockin' out too hard. Everyone was jumping up and down all night, and it was so fun to hear all the locals sing the lyrics to their songs with their Spanish accents.
All around, I've been doing everything that I can, and loving every moment. More updates soon 😊
Pura Vida!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.077s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 10; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0411s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
MOM
non-member comment
thank you for all the updates it's great to hear all that's happening! Love you