Mi Casa Es Su Casa

Yep, it happened. Someone actually said to me, "Mi casa es su casa." I feel like I really can't top that experience.

Family Picnic

I went to a nearby park called La Paz Thursday with the EDGE team. I saw some kids jumping rope and thought it looked like a good opportunity so I walked up and just stood there. They asked me to join so I jumped for a while then they wanted to play soccer. This is my "in." I have found that in Latin America futbol is the key to the heart. We played until I couldn't anymore. I found out eventually that what I thought was some people hanging out at the park was actually a family picnic that I had just busted into. They had welcomed me gladly though, how strange and wonderful.
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I've been spending a lot of time talking with my roommate Tatiana who is from Colombia. This has been the best help for my spanish. I'm so thankful for her, she is so patient and helps me out a lot. Last night she asked me what my favorite foods are and as I listed them off she would say, "Como una buena gringa(like a good american girl)" after I said hamburgers and such. She said all gringos like brownies and I considered singing, "And I'm proud to be an American cus at least we know we love BROWNIES." I refrained, people here think I'm weird enough.
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A few days last week I ventured into a panederia(bakery) and a soda(small restaurant) to talk to people. I buy a bit of food and make small talk with the workers. The second time I went to the panederia the owner gave my friend and I a free cookie and coffee each. I also met a woman that was asking for food for she and her three children. She got a ton of bread for free from the panederia, it was cool to see how giving they were. I've forgotten the woman's name but please pray for her. I hope to see her again there and will ask her name again.
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Shout out to Brent and here's a random pic of CR...

La Gringa!

My friend Julia from SAMBICA is in CR this semester too. We met up Sunday and went to church with some friends of mine. I enjoyed the service because many of the songs were American praise songs with the words switched to spanish. It was nice to know what I was singing to the Lord. After the service there was a picnic. We shared food and the men played soccer. I desperately wanted to play but had on a dress and nice flip flops.
Julia and I decided to be bold and try to speak with some of the Ticas at the picnic, we were excited to be invited to play soccer with them. Still a bad idea but I tied a jacket around my waiste and went for it. At one point someone on the opposite team stopped the game and brought to everyone's attention the fact that all girls over the age of 10 had left my team aside from me. It was a bunch of people my age against "Los niños y la gringa" (kids and the white girl). But no one on the other team would switch to the bad team. I spent the rest of the game hearing "La gringa! A la gringa!" and trying to encourage my team of niños with the little spanish I have.

Tranquilo

In orientation we learned that ticos are generally much more laid back than americans. The word they use to describe this lifestyle is tranquilo. Almost every time I've been either late or worried about something before I can get my excuse out I hear, tranquilo. It's actually fantastic.
There has been a group of around ten here at the house with me for the past two weeks. I have enjoyed hearing their stories of eye-glasses clinics and installing water purifiers. Right now they are doing disaster relief work in the area near the recent earthquake. Until they return I will be living with one other girl named Tatiana, who only speaks spanish. I'm glad to be forced to speak in spanish.
Last Thursday I went to an impoverished neighborhood called La Carpio. It was insane. There were probably fifty kids. Honestly, I don't want to go back. The kids were so rough, it made me nervous. But the more I've thought about it the more I think that is all the more reason to go. The kids loved being played with and held.

Here are some pics from my school, ending with the view.

La Primera Aventura

I'm enjoying being a foreigner. Today two girls blatantly stared and laughed at me as I passed them. Many of the women here wear high heels and nice outfits but my lack of femininity doesn't stop the cat-calls and whistles(not a joke). I took off after school to explore my neighborhood. I found a couple of neat shop(tiendas) and met some kids that wanted to ride my skateboard. It started to rain so I headed home but ended up in a dead end with 5 dogs barking at me. I had hoped there would be no animals in Costa Rica.
There was a slight tremor today and I went to an ice cream shop(heladeria). The people at my school are from all over the states and going all over the world, it's an absolute dream. My campus is beautiful. I climbed a tree my first day and found some flowers that remind of of Nanny(my grandma). I suppose it's too early to tell how much I will learn or enjoy my time here but it seems the Lord has provided me everything I need. I am so thankful.