A Week of Firsts..

It has been a week of firsts. I started my first week of classes and am enjoying my professor. He brings us coffee and cookies everyday! He is a good teacher too. On Tuesday I decided to stop into the night dance class to watch since I am not technically enrolled, and was coaxed in to dancing. So, I learned the Merengue and Salsa. It was a great workout! On Wednesday and Thursday I had my cooking class. We made yummy empanadas and the next day made a camaron (shrimp) dish. On Wednesday night we all went out for a girl in our program's birthday so I got a taste of Costa Rican night life. We spent about 45 minutes walking along the beach trying to find the right place and finally settled into a bar with music and techno lights. in Costa Rica, you can buy bottles of liquor and then buy cups to split it up. I tried a liquor called Cacique, made from sugar cane. It was almost tasteless, so I mixed it with Sprite. The night was filled with fun and dancing, and I got the nick name, Booty Poppin Kansas :)..
Last Sunday, I went to the Market with my host family and afterward we went driving. Bernal (the dad), explained to me that when their family has time together, they like to go on a relaxing drive around the town. I really admired that. They clearly cherish spending time together. During the drive, Bernal stopped at a local liquor store and came out with a beer for me and one for himself. He continued to drive.. Apparently it is legal to drink and drive as long as you stay under a certain limit. For Bernal, he said his limit is one to two drinks. The family laughed and sang songs together, and I felt relaxed and happy to be a part of it. On Friday, the students planned a trip to Jaco, a good beach about 1.5 hours from Puntarenas. It was an incredibly beautiful beach. The ocean was lined on two sides with mountains and palm trees were everywhere. I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxation. We toured the city and then headed back later that night. As I was walking through Jaco, I suddenly looked up and realized what a beautiful environment I was in. The city has mountains and lush greens on one side and the beach on the other. I love moments like those. Today (Saturday), we zip-lined in the forest and then after lunch took a crocodile tour by boat. The river was once again, overwhelmingly beautiful. I tried to take pictures and then gave up and enjoyed the view, realizing that a camera lens will never completely catch what I am experiencing. This past week has been full and fast, and I am glad to be relaxing a little bit now. I feel so blessed to have this experience. I am seeing His beauty in so many lights.
In the picture above, I just happened to catch this guy doing a handstand into my frame.. Im lovin' it!