I Moved.

So, there has been a HUGE change in my life...I moved!

I might have forgotten to tell you, but I HAVE FRIENDS! YOU LAUGH, but it is hard to make friends in another country...it´s hard to have real conversations and its hard to have the same sense of humor 1. because you don´t know HOW to say it and 2. because they don´t think the same things are funny. Also, it is hard to have friends my own age here because I technically should be married with kids. You wouldn´t believe how many times I have heard "You don´t have kids? NOT EVEN ONE??"

So some of my friends happen to be siblings ages 24, 25, and 27. I´ll tell you about them:

Marielos: 40ish mother: owns and runs a grocery store

Christian: 24 year old brother: pastor

Gaudy: 25 year old sister: University Student - Social Work

Ivania: 27 year old: owns a beauty salon

Sharon: 4 years old: will enter pre-kindergarden in February!

Axel: 11 months old: body of a baby, face of man.

I spent a lot of time at their house, hanging out with other friends, helping out with projects, eating, watching television, drinking coffee...and so they invited me to move in with them. And I gladly accepted. I spent my first night their last night...and I am VERY HAPPY.

Costa Rican Camp Counselor, Say WHAT?!?

In Costa Rica, the schools are technically still on “vacation” until February 11, but…I have been so busy it has not felt much like vacation. I spent a week being a Costa Rican summer day camp counselor and it was exhausting. In the morning, we had ages 3-12 and I was assigned to help with ages 10-12. The most difficult part was that I was expected to take attendance! YOU TRY SPELLING THESE NAMES IN SPANISH! Yaxciry pronounced Jacksiree, Geisel pronounced Hasel, Xotshinl pronounced…I never figured that out I just called her Toti. (seriously, I did.) In the afternoon, I was a TEAM LEADER for 12-18 year olds and I might have been MORE than a little competitive. Unfortunately my team lost, but I hope I taught them how to be good leaders. I made them shake hands with the other team and say “Good game Good game” – in English. It was GREAT!

I actually think the day camp was one of the most beneficial things I have done since I have been in Costa Rica. When I came to Costa Rica, I had a lot of culturally UNITED STATES games, songs, dances, and ice breakers…but sometimes those techniques don’t work in Costa Rica. Sometimes you have to know how to play “ENSALADA DE FRUTAS” (Fruit Salad) to get the kids attention. Sometimes you just need a well known kids song to get the kids singing “Habia un sapo, sapo, sapo, Quien nadaba en el rio, rio, rio…” (There was a frog, frog, frog, who swam in the river, river, river…)

I also learned a lot about working with other Costa Ricans and the Costa Rican style of camp. It’s hard to explain, but the cultural differences in carrying out a project so similar to a day camp are IMMENSE! When and how things get done are different. The order of completing tasks is different as well…It’s hard to explain and I can’t currently think of a specific example. The only way I know to describe it is that Costa Ricans PRIORITIZE differently due to a different value system. (For example, they value relationships more than they value work and so in an office environment – FIRST we have a coffee, chit-chat, solidify the friendship, and then we have the business meeting.) In this sense, the tasks that WE might complete FIRST a Costa Rican might leave until second or third. I learned to much!

Finally, my Costa Rican camp counselor experience was INVALUABLE because I built new, stronger, and funnier relationships with the kids, the adolescents, other “counselors” my age!, and other adults and families in the community. It was a great week and I hope you enjoy the pictures of me DANCING and with my kids!

Christmas: I would say that Costa Rica is a lot less traditional than United States. My brother and sister received their gifts on the 22nd and when I insisted that they be wrapped and put under the tree – they just looked at me like I was crazy. However, it did feel like Christmas since all we did for three days straight was play with their new toys…we stayed up way to late and slept way to long in the morning…but it was a beautiful thing. Actual Christmas was celebrated by staying up until midnight, and at midnight everyone said “Merry Christmas” and kissed all the others. Then we set off fireworks and ate. And on Christmas morning, NO ONE IN THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD woke up until 11:00 because everyone had stayed up late the night before partying.

Gifts: I told you before how the church I attend is very involved with the community and serving them…well, the Pastor of the church worked really hard to find Christmas presents to donate to a nearby, VERY POOR, community. Then the church worked VERY HARD to provide a special Christmas party with games, candy, puppets, songs, food, and finally, ONE BEAUTIFUL Christmas present for each child. To me, it was wonderful in many ways:
1. The church wasn’t helping just people at their church. In fact, it benefited NO ONE at their church – it was a definite outreach and act of love. They raised money to provide a Christmas for people who have nothing. I have never seen 10 year old boys SO happy to receive a soccer ball.
2. There was also a second party, but this party was for a community of children who all have either physical or mental disabilities. Whoah…it was also a really special Christmas party. To see the faces of these kids receiving a new shirt, a remote control car, a Barbie…I was really honored to be a part of it.

New Years: I spent the day cleaning and resting, but around 6:00 I took a shower and got dressed up. My family had a little church service on the porch and then we ate refried beans and rice with hot dogs and potato chips. It might sound weird, but it was actually really good. Then we all stood around and talked for awhile. At 9:30, I went to another party with friends. We celebrated with their family by eating (again), watching the kids go CRAZY for a piñata, and setting off fireworks. Then there was no countdown, all the sudden someone said “Oh it’s here!” Hahahaha…so we all got up and said “Happy New Year” and kissed all the others. Then we had a little church service. Everyone said what they were thankful for from the year and had a little reflection for the coming year. Costa Rica is definitely a more religious country than the US – at midnight the radio stations played a song that was something a long the lines of “How Wonderful is God.” I attended two impromptu church services without even meaning too.

All in all, the holidays were much better that I anticipated, possibly because I had no expectations and I spent them both with people that I genuinely love.