Puntarenas

In chapel on Thursday, my friend Sarah turns around and asks me if I want to go to the beach this weekend. "Si! Por supuesto! (Of course!)" is my response. Not to mention I would get to travel with a bus of almost entirely Tico neighbors, and the cost of travel was incredibly cheap!

Highlights from the trip:
*Wading into the warm Pacific Ocean and letting the gentle waves carry me towards the shore.
*Seeing a giant cruise ship docked in the harbor; we wondered where it was heading next.
*Riding a banana boat to tour the area and being one of the first boats to notice the pod of dolphins coming up for air. "Dolfines!"
*Falling asleep on the beach and feeling the warm sun hug my back like a soft blanket. Waking and not having a care in the world.
*Sharing great conversations with my travel buddies, Sarah and Chelsea.
*Witnessing an incredible sunset as we bid farewell to our beach getaway.

Monteverde

After returning from a whirlwind weekend and jumping straight back into classes, I finally have a moment to compose my thoughts. You will have to excuse any grammar mistakes, because it seems as I learn more Spanish, I forget how to speak proper English.

1/20/12

As soon as school got out, my three travel companions (Adam, Steven, and Megan) and I rushed to our various homes to pack for the weekend. An hour later we reunited in the park and began the adventure!

A short taxi ride and 4 hour bus ride later, we arrived at our destination: Monteverde. We found an amazing hostel (Montalena) to stay at, conveniently located right across from the bus station. We paid the equivalent to $7 per person to stay there, and we had a private room! Plus the hostel was clean and offered free breakfast and internet—we thought it couldn’t get better than that. The owners of the hostel hooked us up with some of the best adventure deals for Saturday: Hanging Bridges and Canopy Tour and Night Hike—all for less than $100. We slept soundly but woke in the morning with anticipation of what was to come.

1/21/12 Mañana

We enjoyed our free breakfast at the hostel, which was delicious with the exception that I accidentally put salt instead of sugar in my coffee. Bleh!

The Hanging Bridges (Puentes Colgantes) tour was very informative and a fun introduction to the forest surrounding us. Monteverde is situated between two cloud forests and so the fauna and wildlife are very diverse, not like you would see anywhere outside of Central America. Other people in our tour group were from Spain, Argentina, and another part of Costa Rica. The tour guide wanted to translate the information into English for us, but my travel companions and I decided that it would be good practice to hear it all in Spanish. Thankfully Adam and Steven spoke a lot of Spanish, and they could translate some words for me. New words to add to my vocab list: raíces (roots), rana (frog), y vid (vine).

As we were about to cross the first bridge, I heard a “rkk, rkk, rkk” sound. My first comments were, “Wow, listen to those interesting birds.” When I turned around to look for this unusual bird, I saw two men up the hill raking leaves. A very unusual type of bird indeed. :)

The zipline/canopy part of the tour was breath-taking, literally. Not only did we get to “fly” over beautiful views of the forested hills, but we had to hike up the mountain aways to get to each platform and were often out of breath once we reached the next station. It was so amazing to get to do the zipline again! It is an incredible sensation that is hard to describe unless you do it. This time, we opted with the English-only group (although they were from all over the world as well), because we figured it might be nice to have those life-saving directions given in our mother tongue.

On one part of the zipline, I arrived at the platform and waited for the common command “jump” (salto) in order to hook my caribiner onto the next wire. But instead the guy hooked me onto a different wire that went straight down. Wait a second.. I thought, but before I could wonder any longer. He said, “Lean back,” and I realized I was repelling down to the ground. I’m proud to say I only screamed half the distance down, but it was a surprising feeling nonetheless. I was also very thankful that the repel slowed down as I got near the bottom, so I didn’t crash into the ground. PTL.

The other very exciting and unusual aspect of this canopy tour was that they had a run called the “Superman,” which is exactly how it sounds. You climb a flight of stairs overlooking the canyon below (VERY high up), they hook your two harnesses (lower and upper back) to the wire, you lie down, spread your arms and glide across the open sky. Sounds easy, right?

My version actually goes like this:

1. Listen to the guide say “next” and take trembling steps up the see-through staircase.

2. Ask many questions when the guide is trying to hook your harnesses into the wire.

3. When the guide tells you to lie down, say “Que?! What?!” and give him a look like he’s crazy for asking that.

4. Lie down and put out my arms like Superman because that’s what people did in the promo video. (look closely below and you'll see me!)

5. Scream my lungs out as I shoot across the wire, about 300 feet above the canyon. 6. Realize half-way through that I can open my eyes.

7. Become fascinated with the view but not wanting to turn for fear that I will spin around and get stuck.

8. Realize, hey, I’m getting close to that platform. Realize, hmm..I have no way of stopping myself.

9. Eyes widen and body tenses in anticipation of what will be hard landing, slamming smack into the guide.

10. Feel the momentum start to slow, a quick jerk where I’m rocking back and forth and land feet first on the platform.

11. Say “Gracias a Dios” and cheer on the next person about to attempt the impossible.

12. Walk to the next station, cheerfully named: Tarzan Swing. Ready Set Go. Read about it HERE.

Tarde

We returned from the canopy/hanging bridges tour/madness, found lunch and all took a 2 hour nap. It was well deserved, folks.

Now feeling well-rested, although with heart still beating excitedly every time I recounted the morning’s adventures, I was ready to join my friends for the Night Hike. I had no idea what to expect but figured it couldn’t be as life-threatening as the Tarzan Swing or Superman run. When we arrived, the guide handed us all flashlights and began to ask where we were all from. It was amazing to hear the different places people traveled from: Israel, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, etc. The guide was hilarious and extremely knowledgable about the animals in the forest.

Thanks to the guide’s attention to detail, we saw:

-a 2-toed sloth and her baby

-a lizard

-an orange-kneed tarantula

-a white-nosed coati

-the tailfeathers of a toucan

-leafcutter ants (“the only army Costa Rica has”) J

-a tiny frog

-and 2 katydids

Highlights:

*Being able to see a myriad of stars; Megan and I saw a shooting star at the exact same time!

*Watching the guide lure a tarantula out of its hole with just a stick, a leaf and a bit of saliva

*Walking in complete darkness for a few meters and suddenly seeing a glowing log thrust in front of my face. The guide pointed out that there is a type of mushroom that glows in the dark there. As our eyes got adjusted to the dark, we were able to see patches of these glow-in-the-dark mushrooms all over the forest floor. Amazing!

After the night hike we went to a local restaurant and joined the tourists in learning to dance to Latin American music. Muy divertido!

1/22/12

We joined two other people we had met at our hostel (one from Berkeley, CA and one from Holland) to hike up in the Monteverde cloud forest (bosque nuboso). The hike was incredible, if not a little tiring, but well worth the extra stairs.

Highlights:

*Walking softly and listening hard to hear birds or other animals in the forest.

*Admiring the beauty of it all and taking in the stillness that contrasts with the city noise we experience in San Jose.

*Arriving at the top of the mountain and looking across at some gorgeous views of the opposite cloud forest.

*Arriving at a set of waterfalls tucked into the mountain. Wow!

*Also, we were able to see one of the rarest of birds here in Costa Rica: the quetzal. We searched all over the forest, but it wasn’t until we were taking a break near the parking lot of the reservation when we saw a bunch of people gathered and pointing up into the trees. We looked up, and sure enough, a real, live quetzal was sitting in the branches. Like it was no big deal. Such a privilege!

*When leaving Monteverde felt bittersweet because of the friendships made there and life-long memories shared.

*Photo credits go to: Adam McCormick and Megan Golden.

The Ledge

After ziplining, Superman style, across the canopy, my heart was beating out of my chest. During my zipline adventure, I had said to myself, “Okay, there is no fear in love and perfect love casts out all fear, so I’m not going to let fear get in the way of any once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.” So when the guide asked if I was doing the Tarzan Swing, I gulped and nodded yes.

The other brave souls and I walked around the corner to a long platform jutting out from the cliff. We needed to go one at a time and of course my friend, up-for-any-crazy-adventure Megan, volunteered to go first. I watched carefully as the guide strapped her in and they talked for a few minutes. As time ticked by, my adrenaline level was rising. Then, suddenly Megan disappeared over the ledge.

Ah!! We heard her scream for about 4 seconds, then burst into fits of laughter, apparently enjoying this madness. “Okay, maybe it’s not that bad,” I tried to reassure myself.

“Proxima! Next!” the guide called from the far end of the platform. I felt like I was walking the plank, but I kept a clear view of the path ahead. Adam cheered me on from behind, and I could hear Megan’s encouragement from below: “You can do it!” At one point, the wind rocked the platform and I screamed for my life.

“Tranquila/Calm down” the guard tried to offer comfort. The entire time, I was racking my brain for all the Spanish Scripture I could remember: “Dios es mi pastor, nada me faltara. En lugares delicados pastos, me hara descansar. Juntos a agua de reposo me pastoreara.”

The guide motioned me closer: “Come,” he said in a deep voice. I didn’t move. “Oh venga..” my brain was in Spanish modem and I didn’t realize what he was asking until given a Spanish translation. I took a step forward so that I was right on the edge of the platform. Now my whole world was spinning; 295 feet below was a clearing in the midst of the Monteverde forest. I was at the same height as some of the giant trees I had admired earlier on our hike. Whiteknuckled, I held onto the railings on either side of me; only a steel bar separated me from the relative safety of the platform and what was inevitably coming.

I heard the guide radio the guy who was supposed to catch/stop me at the bottom. Probably something like, “Incoming.” My eyes widened, and I grabbed onto the long rope that extended from my harness to the wire above. Dear Lord, what am I doing right now? I began to scream, “No puedo, no puedo.” and tried to back away. But instead the guide began the count..uno, dos, tres, and with a swift motion he pushed me off the platform. I felt like I was part of Google Earth, quickly zooming in on my destination.

Now you can imagine, that me, recently having discovered the spirit of adventure and in the past afraid of just jumping off the top of a houseboat, had quite the thrill that day. I was free-falling (also screaming) for a few seconds before the rope caught and I began to swing, just like Tarzan, high above the trees and back, like a pendulum. That part was surprisingly fun—My terrified screams changed to jubilant shouts that I was loving every moment.

When the swing began to deaccelerate, the guide below grabbed my shoes and lowered me gently to the ground. Once unhooked, I pumped my arms up into the air and yelled “Gloria a Dios! I’m alive!” Adrenaline still pulsing through my veins, I began to hug everyone I saw. “I’m alive! I’m alive!” Then again, the realization of what I had just done crossed my mind, and I thought, “Hey, now I can do ANYTHING..” Well, not quite, but the invincible feeling was definitely there.

Afterwards, we enjoyed seeing people’s different reactions to the swing and admiring how high people swung above the trees. We removed our gear and began the slow hike back up the mountain.

On the way, Megan shared with me a really powerful verse that sums up my anxiety and God’s answer:

"Porque no nos ha dado Dios espíritu de cobardía, sino de poder, de amor y de dominio propio." -2 Timoteo 1:7

Or in the amplified version:

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control."

New Student Fiesta

On Friday, there was a fiesta held in honor of all of us new students!
Very fun! Here is a link to Tim Killallay's blog with a cool video of the festivities:

http://thefootpathpreachers.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-student-fiesta-at-ile.html

I get to study alongside this awesome group of people!

Coco

There is a coconut vendor I pass everyday on my way to/from the institute. Today, my friend and I stopped and bought some. Delicious and refreshing! Though I loved most of all that the vendor just took a machete a whacked off the end of the coconut and stuck a straw into it. Now that's how you drink from a coconut!

Que??

After classes today, five of us went downtown together to explore and shop in the artisan market. It was an awesome time getting to know these other students more and striking up Spanish conversations with the artisan shop owners. We came across one camiseta (t-shirt) hanging in the market that had muchos frases (many phrases) in different fonts on it.

Que significa...? And I began to ask what the phrases on the shirt meant. The elderly lady at the stand had a little difficulty explaining what the phrases meant, until my friend (a student at ILE who had lived in Costa Rica before) came up to me and told me that the phrases were "pachucos" or "tiquismos" (Tica slang). My two friends who had lived here before began explaining some of the phrases. Little did I know I would need to practice them very soon!

When we took the bus back, a friend invited us to meet his Tica family. Soon, we began discussing the "pachucos" and the night was one big lesson in Tica slang, plus I learned some other Spanish too. I felt a little on the spot though because when the Tica mom asked me a question, the entire household stopped to listen. Ay! Mi cara era roja.

Pues, lo pasé bien. And the family even invited us to share coffee y postres with them! Muy amable!

Here are some "pachucos" I learned:

*Disclaimer: These only work in Costa Rica; don't say them elsewhere or people will give you very strange looks and wonder if you're making up words.

¿Qué mae? (kay-my); mae = dude in English, so this means something like "What's up dude?"

Puros dieces -- very well, in response to "Como estás?" A play off of their more common phrase:
Pura Vida--the pure life. Costa Rica's top tequismo.

Qué torta!--What a mess!

Ufa!--what you say when something smells bad; there is a joke I heard recently about a famous soccer player and this word.

la choza--another name for house (casa)

un pichazo--a large blow, or when you hit something (ie: car crash)

chunche--slang for thing (cosa)

Adding -ita or -ito to the end of someone's name to be endearing.
Por ejemplo: My Tica parents sometimes call me: Laurita.

Want to know more? Check out this website:
http://www.costaricaspanish.net/tiquismos-costa-rican-street-spanish/

El Primer Día de Clase

"Usted no está aquí a menos que Dios le quiera aquí."
"You're not here, unless God wants you here."

La filosofía de una de mi profesoras

A typical first day of classes: meet the teachers, get the textbooks, exchange personal introductions with classmates, get a basic overview of the course and start learning the material. Oh wait, did I mention this was ALL in Spanish?

Here are some highlights:
1) I am in a cohort with 4 other people and we rotate from class to class together. After introducing ourselves to our teachers 4 different times during the day, I feel like I know them really well! Everyone has an attitude to learn and a great sense of humor! We found ourselves laughing a lot! It is a very positive and comfortable environment in which to learn.

2) It is incredibly inspiring meeting other students at the institute. Most are missionaries, and this is their last step before they embark to the country God has called them to. I love to hear their stories of "How did you end up here?" Chapel was also one of my favorite times this morning; the two men that head the student council at the school shared their testimonies. I got goosebumps just hearing the incredible and intimate ways God works in people's lives. He is so much bigger than we give Him credit for, yet He takes a personal interest in our individual histories.

3) Los maestros. I am so incredibly grateful to be at ILE. The teachers shared with us on multiple occasions that it is their passion to teach, and they correct you if you're wrong (especially in la clase de Lenguaje) which is beyond helpful if you're trying to learn to speak correctly! I finally learned how to say: "I was born in _____ and grew up in _____. And when I was ___ years old, moved to _____." By my final time of needing to introduce myself to the teacher, I was able to say it the right way!

I'm looking forward to everything I will learn here, but most of all to seeing how God is going to use this time.

There was an amazing poem (rewritten 1 Cor 13) shared in orientation that I think speaks directly to my purpose at the institute. I will loosely paraphrase one part I can recall:

1 Corinthians 13 (ILE style)

"¹ If I speak fluently with a perfect accent, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of understanding languages quickly and can understand all the mysteries of the subjunctive, imperative and conditional, and if I have the grammar to ace all my exams, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all my hours and energy and give my mind to tiring efforts to understand a new language I may boast,^[b] but if I do not have love, I gain nothing.

.And these three remain: Grammar, Phonics and Love. And the greatest of these is LOVE."

Cosas Interesantes

*Attended church Sunday morning (right around the corner from mi casa!) and a gringo family was also attending for the first time. So they pulled a translator up to the stage just for us! That was unusual and very helpful!

*Pulled out my flute last night to play and the songs my familia requested were: Silent Night and the National Anthem of the United States. Interesting choices.

*Took the oral and grammar placement exams. I'm pretty sure I did awful on the grammar portion (as expected) and thought about leaving a lot of the questions blank. But I took my own "teacher" advice, and went ahead and guessed. Then I wrote at the top in big, bold letters: I NEED TO LEARN THIS.

I guess that's why I'm here. : )
Anyway, I think they got the hint because I'm enrolled in two grammar courses everyday!

Here's my schedule for tomorrow:

7:30-8:20 Grammar

8:25-9:15 Grammar

9:15-9:35 Break (Coffee anyone?)

9:35-10:20 Chapel (Tuesday and Thursdays)

10:20-11:10 Language

11:15-12:05 Phonics

So excited for mi primer dia!

Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!

I arrived yesterday afternoon, spent most of the day unpacking/getting organized, and getting to know my Tica family. Se llaman Geraldo, Iris y Yasmin (tiene 21 años).

Thankfully they are very patient with my half-baked attempts at the language and correct me along the way!

This morning, I went with Geraldo y Iris to the local market to buy fruit/vegetables.
Muy barato (cheap)! We bought 21+ bananas for under a dollar. There is even one vendor that gives away free fruit if you buy 3+ products from him. You pick a marble out of a jar and if it has a number on it, you've won a bag of free fruit! Fun! I will have to go back and visit that stand again.

This is a view of my patio (backyard). It has high walls covered in vines and gorgeous flowers!
There's even a banana tree! (below)

My breakfast this morning: tamale y cafe. Que rico!

My host dad, Geraldo, showing off how large the head of lettuce is. He's wearing a Costa Rican futbol jersey.

Answer to Prayer!

I got a job!!

Starting in Fall 2012, I'll be teaching middle school Social Studies at Crossroads Christian Academy in Panama! I can't tell you how excited I am and what a perfect fit the position is for my gifts and skill set.

Here's a glimpse into Panama, where I'll be living next year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuN5ISufepI

Now to finish packing for Costa Rica! I leave on Thursday to begin coursework at the Spanish Language Institute in San Jose.