la pura vida de San Luis

Hola amigos.... I'm already breaking my 'only-writing-in-Spanish' goal for the sake of time. As you could probably guess, things have been SO busy... or at least, busy enough to keep me from updating for a week. I will do my best to catch up on everything I've been up to...

After the airport, I managed to find my group pretty well. We had a nice long ride to San Luis with a stop for lunch along the way. I braved my first official Costa Rican meal of arroz con pollo y vegetables (rice with chicken and veggies mixed in), pollo, and fried plantains. Everything was tasty save the plantains... I think they were just old. Anyway, we all got to know each other a little better on the way up and I must say, I think I lucked out as far as people go: Everyone in our 13 person group (8 girls, 5 guys) gets along really well. Allelujah for that. :)

We stayed on campus here at the UGA Ecolodge. It reminded me of a really nice summer camp: bunks, bugs, but in general, very nice and habitable :) In those first couple of days, I milked a cow for the first time ever (not as difficult as I thought it'd be-- as difficult as it was for Lucy :) went pajareando (bird-watching), got a dancing lesson on cumbia and merengue (you KNOW I loved that one :)-- actually, I'm really excited because Gabe, a guy in the group likes dancing too... we're going to get everyone out to a discoteca once we hit San Jose.

This was all from Tuesday night until Friday. Friday afternoon, we transfered to our homestay locations. I have been staying with Don Marco and Doña Lorena... (for a family profile click here and scroll down to "Lorena Leitón Mendez..."-- it's an OLD picture). Don Marco seems really nice and always smiles, but we don't really exchange more than smiles and greetings. I spend most of my time talking with my madre. She's really nice... maybe not as talkative as I might have liked... (silence is just awkward to me-- although I'm realizing that silence is more of a natural thing here), but she's a good person. And she's patient with me. I really hope that I'm able to come back here again and visit her. Her cooking is delicious, as is most Costa Rican food (more on this later perhaps-- let's just say I have a new appreciation for rice and beans and plantains :). Anyway, they have four kids, 3 of whom I've met. Their 14 year old daughter Neybi lives with them but I haven't seen her too much because she goes to Colegio (high school) in Santa Elena (school's only mandatory through 6th grade-- high schools are scattered and they have to pay for their own transportation). They also have twin boys, 19, Vinicio and Arnando. Both work in Santa Elena and one lives at home... didn't get to talk too much with either though since the mostly just sleep whent they're home. The oldest son, Jorge, is married but I didn't get to meet him. On Saturday though, I came home from campus to find his wife Lydiana and their little 3 year old son, Jorge-- or Titi. :) Doña Lorena LOVEs that little boy. And he was adorable! I was really glad they were all there... it was all girls-- my madre, Neybi, Lydiana and me... something about that just made conversation easier. It just felt more natural... I don't know how else to describe it. I loved talking with Lydiana... She amazed me! She could not have been too much older than me and she's married, takes care of a 3 year-old son, works, studies and takes exams on the weekends and will be graduating about the same time as me from an accounting program. I gave her my email address when she asked for it... I hope she emails me!

Homestay in Costa Rica has been QUITE a different experience from Spain. I think the biggest difference is that it's just me. There's no one else around that speaks Spanish that I can turn to as a crutch. It's either attempt to communicate in Spanish or sit in (usually awkward) silence... so that's been a little difficult, and again, awkward at times, but overall, I know that it's been good for me. Unfortunately, I won't have been there long enough to come anywhere close to fluency, and there are so many English-speakers around campus (from other UGA programs and even other colleges) that trying to speak all Spanish all the time is futile... but one thing I am gaining is confidence... which I guess is a good step toward fluency. It will certainly help me to take more chances and take advantage of more opportunities in Athens... in the past I've always talked myself out of them by telling myself that I wasn't proficient enough. Now, I know that I am. And the more practice I can get, the more proficient I'll become... So, while I certainly will not come home fluent, I will be significantly better off... and just ready and willing to get out there and speak my espanol :)

I feel like this post has already grown extremely long... so I will talk about other things in later entries and possible after I get back. Here are some other things I want to tell you about:

• the carbon-offset project and planting trees (I have a certificate! :)
• our tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: I saw a Quetzal!->
• our tour of Finca La Bella and my admiration of organic and completely sustainable farming practice-- it really is an inspiring story... read about it here. (Especially you, Brad... you'd find it interesting)
• my plans for becoming a more environmentally conscious me :)
• there's a big get-together tonight at Doña Alicia's finca (farm). She's my madre's madre :)
• We had an in-class essay yesterday, a mid-term exam today, and I have my second (and last!) presentation tomorrow morning
• tomorrow afternoon, we leave for San Jose!!!

I'm going to try to get some of my own photos up here before I leave tomorrow... we shall see.
Until then, pura vida a todos! I love you all :) Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes! Please comment!