pink, blue and white

Last weekend I traveled by ferry and taxi to a place called Santa Teresa. The ferry ride took about an hour and the remaining hour was by taxi. I have never been on rougher roads. Taxis are SUVs that are constantly dodging large pot holes on the dirt path. At many points we would be on the wrong side of the road for some time just to avoid the bumps, which was literally impossible all together. I was amazed. At one point we barely dodged a hole in the earth that if we had hit, would have stopped us in our tracks. It was fun though, I felt like I was off-roading, but on a path. Costa Rica screams green from every angle, especially in these kind of locations. Just looking out the window at the small mountains and cattle grazing made me happy.
Once we arrived, we immediately checked out the beach. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I felt like a little kid again, who just saw a water park for the first time. The sand was white, and the sun was setting to make a brilliant pink against the blue ocean and shore. I immediately ran into the water. Clothes on and all, I let the waves hit my body and make me feel alive. I must have looked like an idiot skipping around on the pink shore, but I didn't care. I felt like I was in a place where Heaven could meet Earth. I should point out here that I am normally a mountain type of girl, but I have never seen a prettier place. Unfortunately I did not get any pictures, but that's what happens in those kind of situations I guess!
The town of Santa Teresa was quaint, and had about everything to offer a person. The second night I was there, we decided to go to a local Latin American dance night. I was thoroughly amused by a mid 50 year old man who pulled me out of my seat and tried to teach me anything BUT normal salsa or merengue. We probably looked like we were doing some kind of rain dance instead! But he was harmless and quite amusing if anything.
On a different note I have great news--I found peanut butter! Oh yes, I thoroughly enjoyed a pb and j today.. I am finally getting more comfortable with walking down the streets. People here are generally nice and simply like to say "hello" or "good day." So, I am not walking with fear so much and feel at ease meeting people's eyes. Today I even found myself using a smart tone with a local man when he got on my nerves.. probably shouldn't do that too often. I like the locals though. I have a "Tico" friend here who is learning English and he and his friends are some of the nicest, most respectful people I've ever met!
More good news, I will hopefully be visiting the coffee plantation this weekend-only about 2 weeks left! The picture from the ferry of the strip of land is Puntarenas.
Buenos noches!

peanut butter and jelly.

With extreme beauty comes extreme weather. I just rushed inside from a slanting rain that my small umbrella could only manage to protect my head from. I've just returned from the market where I planned to get ingredients for what I have been craving the past few days: peanut butter and jelly.. but, they DON'T HAVE peanut butter! So, that craving will have to pass. But, I was sure to indulge in my next craving which was chocolate. I had a dream about chocolate cake (I know pretty sad), and so now I am happily munching on a chocolate donut from the bakery. It's no Krispy Kreme- but it's chocolate!! So now that I sound like I've gone off the deep end and only crave really rich foods, I'll tell you what I've began to delight in here. Avacados; with a dash of salt, they go great with about any meal! Apples; the Gala apples here are some of the best I've ever had. And last but not least, the coffee. I have found a steakhouse that serves coffee to go any way you like it, but the best part is their drip coffee is great! Costa Rica is known for its coffee plantations and my goal is to be able to tour one named "Cafe Britt" in a couple of weeks.
These past few days have been tougher on me as I have become more homesick and for some reason more tired.. I'm going to blame it on the heat (even though technically it is winter here). I am just trying to adjust with as little difficulty as possible. I am still not used to the men here and their attempt to charm the ladies, I'm definitely not used to the heat, nor to the flash rain storms.. a little stray Dachshund broke my heart today as she huddled against the gate of my family's home trying to stay out of the rain. It looked at me with begging eyes, and my heart melted. It would be tempting to take in these little guys but there are SO MANY of them here. They just chill on the sidewalks all day long. I have to admit though, I do like the storms.
The other day, my host dad, Bernal, taught me how to make coffee the old fashioned way. It simply involves pouring boiling water over the coffee in the gunny sack filter and vua-lah! It was quite enjoyable. Also, he made a Costa Rican snack--corn tortillas and sour cream, and it wasn't too bad..
The girls keep me entertained too. Paula the 18 month old throughly enjoys being in mischief, I can tell by the look of joy on her face when she knows she's doing something bad. However, her older sister Pia loves to tote her around and keep her as her personal source of entertainment, even if that means bossing her around or hiding her toys. They are adorable though and I feel so blessed to have this family!

New Faces, New Places

This weekend was a mixture of surprise and beauty (which I have encountered a lot of since I've been here). To start, on Friday a friend of mine and I decided to spend our Friday low-key. We both had not been feeling too well (my stomach is still adjusting to this diet), and so we decided to take pictures of Puntarenas which we have been meaning to do for a while. After a delicious, typical Costa Rican meal at her house, we headed for the Market first. WIthin a block, we ran into two white guys approximately our age. They had on big backpacks and so it was evident they were travelers. While I wondered were they could be from, one of them approached us. He asked us first if we spoke Spanish and since we were not as proficient, we spoke in English. Turns out they were all the way from Alemania (Germany) and were also going to school in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. Because the town of Puntarenas can be dangerous in some parts, Kelly's (my friend) host mom let them stay with her for the night. They had been traveling for 30 hours and so their main concern was to hit the beach and relax.
That evening, the four of us got together and discussed all kinds of topics. What Germany is like, what they were doing in Costa Rica, what the U.S. is like and life in general. It was really cool talking about things with people who were from another continent. They were proficient in Spanish, English and a little French, and of course German. They said that the German language is quite difficult and they felt sorry for people in the U.S. learning German. If I remember correctly, there are only about 600 thousand people left who speak German. They talked about Germany's birthrate problem and we even discussed Hitler and the Nazis. I attempted to say "right" in German, which alone used four different sounds, and I could never get it with out sounding like a fool. We had a lot of interesting discussions and had a lot of the same ideas about certain things which I thought was neat. We even had fresh coconut milk from a palm tree thanks to a local who climbed up one to get us the coconuts!
On Saturday, the whole USAC group went to Volcano Arenal and its natural hot springs. The springs were indeed HOT. Some were too hot to even walk in. The springs were divided into many pools and a couple with swim-up bars. They had a really cool waterfall as well. On Sunday, we visited the rain forest next to Volcano Arenal. There were trails through the forest and we even caught a glimpse of a couple monkeys, one which had a baby clinging to its back. We saw a beautiful waterfall and crossed many hanging brides with streams beneath us. It of course rained on us but the tree "canopy" helped a little with protecting us from some of it. This weekend was packed and a lot of fun, but I am glad it is Monday and I can relax!
I wanted to add something that I found funny about the town in which I live. Here, men lift up their shirts just over their bellies to cool off. It doesn't matter how big the belly, men do it and don't give a care in the world! I am slowly feeling less and less intimidated by the fact that I am a minority and simply trying to embrace it.

Changes.

I am realizing some of the ideas people have about themselves, and about each other. This place is so different from any other place I've lived, yet I am doing it. I am living in Costa Rica with no major struggles other than homesickness. People are more resilient than they think. I am in a house with no air conditioning, no dishwasher, and no dryer (we hang the clothes on a line). My shower shoots water at the level of my head and cannot move down, so I stand on my tippie-toes to wash my hair. The water is only one temperature--cool. I have figured out to take showers when it is very hot, otherwise it is one cold shower. But despite these things, I am doing fine! I adjust and go on. Just like everyone else. There have been earthquakes about once a week, and although I was scared, I am still here.. It is human nature to adapt to the environment and it is cool being able to see myself do just that. There are many stray dogs, and although I am an animal lover, I have to control myself, considering some are not so friendly. I am the minority. I enjoy going to the market alone, but each time I do I have to re-teach myself to not feel intimidated and to instead, look at people and smile.
I am having my personal bubble popped more and more each day. People here do not have the American arms-length space implied rule and so when I say hello, a person may lean towards me to smile or say hello. My instinct is to back away, but I am trying to fight it! People also walk closer together, sometimes I think I'm going to be side-swiped by another pedestrian or car just because space is not the same. My host-sister Maria Pia, took an immediate interest in me when I came and will come into my room and sit on my bed with me any time she feels, which I very much like now :) Just last night I was skyping with my Mom as she laid on my lap and I brushed her hair, and I can hardly even speak the same language! To be honest, I am glad my bubble is being broken. My walls of protection are coming down. I am learning to look people IN THE EYE as I walk by them, and I am learning to be aware of my surroundings, which honestly is one of my struggles at home. I want to notice the details as I walk by them. I want to notice the people too. I want to notice that the neighbor is painting his overhang a pretty green color instead of blindly walking by. I think you get my point!
I can remember an American girl at the airport who had a surprising awakening.. A woman leader of the group came up to her and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. This girl was clearly not used to it and with a look of shock, remarked to me, "I am going to have to get used to this new level of intimacy!" That made me laugh but then the same thing happened to me and I tried to not be surprised. My Great-Grandmother used to kiss me, but that is very different than meeting someone for the first time..
Anyway, my point is I am grateful to have this experience. I knew I wanted to go somewhere where I would be uncomfortable. I wanted a new point of view. Who wants to be comfortable for the rest of their lives?!

Life in Puntarenas

I thought I would give a bit more of a description of the place I am living. I have already said that it is a beautiful and very tropical place, and that my favorite thing about Costa Rica is their colors. It rains often, and it rains hard. Just today we had what I would call a flash flood. Water leaked into my room and trickled down the wall as the thunder boomed outside. My family hurried around trying to control the water that was seeping in through the walls. Normally, a roof could keep out any water, but my guess is the earthquakes make tiny cracks that cause the leaks. Yesterday I felt my first earthquake. I was sitting on my bed and suddenly felt my bed being moved around. It felt like someone had taken hold of my headboard and was trying to shake it. I then saw the walls moving ever so slightly, like the feeling you get when you are really dizzy. It lasted for about 8 or 10 seconds and then was gone. It was definitely scary, but fascinating at the same time. It is amazing how fragile we are in comparison to the forces of the earth. Speaking of forces of the earth, on Sunday a group of us went to a place called Montezuma. It had white beaches, deep blue water and dark gray boulders that outlined the shore. We hiked up a river trail to enjoy the splendor of their waterfalls. It was absolutely gorgeous. The hike was difficult, but totally worth it!
Drivers here are fast, and do not like pedestrians. Pedestrians MUST yield to the cars. Sometimes I think drivers enjoy getting as close to a pedestrian as possible if they are anywhere near the road. I wonder if it is a way to warn them off. There are pipes under the sidewalk that are for draining water and I think I've finally discovered what lives in them. A couple times I have spotted a creature going into a pipe right as I walk by but I could never tell if it was a rat or a lizard. Today, I saw a VERY LARGE lizard (about 18") walking around on a sidewalk and I think it is my culprit. The flowers on the sidewalks are brilliant colors, and there are so many kinds. They are the highlight of my walk to school.
I have learned that the best bug killer is a flip-flop. There are many ants in the homes due to the openness of them, so it is a bad idea to leave any food sitting out. So far, I have only had to kill a couple larger bugs in my room. Here, drinking and driving is legal. The regulation is that you must be under a certain percentage which usually means only one or two beers. People can also walk around the town with open containers no problem. This law is interesting to me, and must be working out fine because I have not heard of any problems with it.
We eat A LOT of pinto (beans and rice)! I also have on a regular basis maduro, which is a yellow plantain larger than a banana. I have tried a traditional Costa Rican drink called horchata, which is made from rice and peanuts. It is pretty good! I have also been eating a lot of avacados, which I don't mind at all because I think they are very good. They are used to put in soups and used as just a side to any meal. My host family has also made some very good soups made with lots of vegetables. Most of the people in the neighborhoods are friendly and will smile and greet me as I walk by, which is really refreshing. The picture above is of Maria Pia and Maria Paula. They are quite the cuties!
So, that is all for tonight, now you've had a taste of Costa Rica!

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!

A Whole New World

Costa Rica. I began believing that I was in a new place the minute I saw only the ocean beneath me. I looked out my plane window and saw beautiful islands and then just the blue waves for the first time. The San Jose airport was not much different from any other, and so my first real taste of Costa Rica was on the bus ride to Puntarenas. I actually fell asleep 20 minutes into it and when I woke, I saw masses of green plant life, including palm trees and flowers of all sorts along the road. The road itself was small, and I held my breath every time we passed an oncoming semi.
The city of Puntarenas is small, and I can walk just about anywhere. It is not a rich town, as seen by a few fences on the outskirts made of sheet metal, but it is evident that the people love color. Every house is different somehow, and each establishment embraces color. In that sense, the city is beautiful. Exquisite flowering plants of all kinds and color line the sidewalks, that is one of my favorite things. Our neighbor owns a parrot whom, when I first heard it, I thought is was an old crazy lady yelling at random people..
My family is very nice and helpful. The parents have an 18 month old (Maria Paula), and a 9 year old (Maria Pia). Maria Pia is constantly bringing cards or board games into my room to play. She also loves to give makeovers to each other. Most of the people here are friendly, especially the older ladies. They will look at me, smile, and greet me with a simple, "Hola." This place is almost always hot and humid. I do not even need to wear regular lotion because of the humidity. Last night, I ran into a couple girls from my program and we went to have a beer. It was about 10 o'clock and the rain hit us. It was a constant, heavy rain that flooded some of the streets. Only then, was it actually slightly chilly. I am however, getting used to the heat. While we were out, I was able to try a Costa Rican beer called "Imperial," I very much liked it.
My family is very fun and happy, and they feed me more than enough. The food is quite good, but a person must like rice and beans because that is a staple here. I have that at least once a day with some other food. Tonight I bought a mango at the market and it was delicious..
Well there is much to write, but my family wants to watch a movie with me so this is all for now. Chao!