Nicaragua

This past weekend our group made a trip to Granada, Nicaragua to renew our visas.
To be honest, before arriving in the city, I wasn't all that excited for this trip. All that I had heard of the country at all was how cheap the souvenirs were going to be...which didn't set me up to expect much better about the country as a whole.

While the souvenirs were indeed well below the prices of those here in CR, the city of the Granada made more of an impression than I expected.

The architecture and colors of all the buildings were reminiscent of Spain. It also seriously reminded me of Charleston, SC.

 


We went on a carriage ride around the city and got to see all the beauty up close, and from up above in the steeple of the Iglesia de la Merced.

 

 


We also took a boat tour of Lake Nicaragua and the miniature islands within it. The nature and history on the islands were both incredible.

 

We also had the opportunity one morning to work with over a hundred children in the less privileged area of the city. As we were driving to the church/school, there was a visible change in the houses getting closer to the volcano and further from the city. The closer we got, the more the houses began to look like no more than shelters - built out of sticks and sheet metal. (As it was above 90 degrees everyday we were there, I've compared these houses to ovens.) The average family income in the neighborhood is $2/day.
We reached the area and the children just started pouring over the hill from the neighborhood. We had a bit of song and worship time at the beginning, and then the children were split into age groups.
I was assigned to the snack committee. Our group prepared hot dogs for each kid and some of the parents that attended. I was moved to tears by the gratitude that the kids showed as I handed them each a snack. It was obvious that they were grateful for any nourishment they could get. There were several children who tried to sneak back in line for seconds, or begged for an extra snack bag to take their brother/cousin/mom. Having to say no, as we only had enough for 200 people, absolutely broke my heart in ways I hadn't expected.

We then did some more worship songs with them after the activities to wrap up the morning. The love and grace that shone through those kids was a souvenir that didn't cost a thing, and won't soon be lost to the dust on a bookshelf.

Puppy Mountain

Puppy Mountain. Need I say more?

I made so many fluffy friends.

It was honestly more hard to experience than I anticipated. So many of the dogs were sick or had mange and fleas, or were still injured from their lives on the streets.

 

As sad as it was though, it was beautiful to think that there are places like Territorio de Zagüates that exist to help however they can.

Also there were puppies. 

Livin' la Vida Loca

The past few weeks have been filled with many ups and downs for all of us here in San Jose.

Classes are moving along. Grammar is becoming exhausting. Personal relationships are growing tense because we spend all of our time with the same people.

Overall though, we are learning. I am learning. We're learning to be patient with ourselves as we piece through new sentence structures, to take time to ourselves to re-hydrate our brains, to navigate life together without biting anyone's head off.

Two weekends ago our group took the weekend to relax and enjoy the sun in Guanacaste. I spent the better majority of the three days we were there laying next to the pool doing absolutely nothing. It was a much needed, well received time of rest.

Last Thursday was set aside for the students at ILE to learn about a few different aspects of Costa Rican Culture. I learned a few new yard games, and the Tico twist on some that I was already familiar with, like Hopscotch. We also attended a dance workshop where we learned the differences in various styles of Latin American music, as well as a few dance styles. (Really we did a giant cardio/Zumba workout. No, I cannot give you lessons.) At the end we had the opportunity to learn the traditional Costa Rican skirt dance (with skirts!) All in all, the day was a blast. (And a super workout.)

This weekend we had completely free. It was my housemate's last weekend here, so we spent the majority of it shopping in San Jose. We spent a day walking around the Central Market area and got to experience quite a bit of culture, as well as buy some really neat souvenirs. 

Every time I go downtown, there's an abundance of street performers. Apparently on Saturdays, the pedestrians are more likely to join in the fun.

I love the passion for life that the people here show everyday.

Pura Vida

¿Qué pasó, búfalo?

Yesterday was a kind of refreshing I didn't expect.

First we went for a hike up a very very steep hill. I use the term hike, but it was nothing like I've done in the States. Walking straight uphill, on what is supposed to be a road, not so much with the well-walked path. It was also almost 90 today. So while I was trying to push through the walk, I almost passed out and ended up riding horseback the rest of the way up the hill to the clearing. That was not the refreshing part...
 
But the view was worth it.

We walked back down the mountain and were greeted by a PUPPY. My stomach wasn't feeling too hot, so I held her for quite a while, while everyone else at dinner. Many puppy kisses. So much fluff.

After dinner time, one of the farm owners started talking to us about how he rides the buffalo we greeted when we arrived. Then asked if we wanted to ride it. 
 We did.  This is Muñeco. I decided we were friends because my Tica mom has taken to calling me Muñeca (doll) recently.  There were two other buffalos on the farm as well. One of them was very vocal, especially when asked "¿que pasó?"


Being around animals was so refreshing for my soul. It was a much needed battery recharge after the past few weeks. Time to keep going and keep learning.

PuraVida.

Come (Para)Sail Away with Me

To say that I'm ready to come home is a bit of an understatement. Being here, experiencing all that this place and culture has to offer, is forcing me to learn a lot about myself. A lot of what I'm feeling is culture-shock and home-sickness, and I recognize that. But there's also a lot about myself that I'm learning doesn't quite coincide with life here.
I realize that a lot of my struggles define first world problems, but I've also realized that I am truly grateful for the "first world" that I live in. I've realized that I really enjoy having screens on my windows in the States. Bugs being in my room, on my person, is not my ideal life. I don't believe that geckos should be welcomed into the home. I've learned that being covered in volcanic ash most of the time is not something I enjoy, especially when it's sticking to my sweat in the summer season here. I'm truly grateful for the privilege to choose and enjoy what food, how much, and when I eat. I miss the feeling of security that streetlamps and an active police-force offer.
Not being completely in control of my meals, my schedule, and my security is a struggle that isn't going to change in the time that I am here. Much of what I'm learning about myself are things that I'm content with. While I'm trying to go with the flow and enjoy the time I have, I'm also learning that the next trip I make will be different, in both nature and location.

The past two weeks honestly had me feeling very ready to throw in the towel and just book a flight back to Ohio.

This past weekend was exactly what I needed. Manuel Antonio was the trip I'd been looking forward to since arriving in Costa Rica. An entire weekend spent on the beach with nothing but sand, sea, and sun.
Friday night we went to the beach for sunset. We were able to play in the ocean and run along the beach playing American Football for several hours. There is honestly not much that can beat the view of the sunset over the Pacific.

The next day we went to the beach again, this time traveling through the national park to the beach it surrounded. We were able to see some animals that we wouldn't have otherwise seen, like sloths and monkeys.
Several monkeys ventured onto the beach to try to find food by rummaging in the bags of tourists. There was also an area behind the beach where the monkeys were everywhere and you could interact with them and take photos.

We saw one sloth, and I was only able to see it for a moment before stepping in a nest of fire ants and becoming completely distracted. Again with the bugs.
The beach in the national park was beautiful. Some of the whitest sand I've ever seen, mixed with perfectly salty ocean waves. We spent that evening watching sunset on the same beach as the night before. Every night there is apparently equally beautiful.

The next morning, we got up early to go on what most of our group would describe as one of the best experiences of our lives.
We. Went. Parasailing! My fear of heights and my fear of sharks joined together to make the decision to participate extremely difficult. But I lived. And I can certainly say that I am the better for having flown above the water attached to a parachute. The views were fantastically breathtaking. The water was so blue that even from up in the air, it was hard to distinguish where the sea met the sky. Sydney and I sang songs about adventure and the ocean while floating above the beautiful blue. We even saw some dolphins flipping below us!

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After our adventure, we departed our hotel for the lunch destination. The views from the open-air restaurant were unbelievable. There were even a few iguanas hanging out on the roof next to our patio. Again with the lizards.

As much as I enjoyed our paseo to the beach, I spent the next day in bed with food poisoning, and the next day back to feeling out of control of my life.

Costa Rica is not for the faint of heart. It isn't for everyone. It isn't bad, its just different. It's a third world country, which is something one needs to come to terms with before committing to the lifestyle.
Today marks exactly two months until we return to Ohio. Yes, I have a countdown.

Puede Tener el Queque y Comerlo También

Arenal volcano erupted for 44 years, from 1968 to 2012, spewing ash and throwing rocks down to its skirts. - Facts I learned as we rode around the mountains on horseback, enjoying the view from every beautiful angle.

It didn't take longer than 5 minutes on that ride for me to fall completely in love with Arenal. Even when my horse rammed my knee into a fence post as it was going for drink of water, the view of the mountains and the clouds blowing away to reveal the top of the volcano made it every bit worth it.

Before even arriving to Arenal, we stopped at a cathedral in San Carlos that had a decorative spruce tree garden in front. The shapes in the trees were lovely to admire, but the inside of the church was even more impressive. We were given only a few minutes to explore the garden and the church, but I still had time to be taken completely aback by the hand-painted murals on the cathedral ceiling and the hand-laid tiles on the floor, and light a candle for Meghan Joy, whose bowling event the MJB Foundation would be hosting the next day, with our birthday to follow.  

I also celebrated my 24th birthday on Sunday, spending most of the day in Arenal. I celebrated my birthday in one of the most beautiful places on earth.
We walked down the 500 steps to Catarata La Fortuna, climbed over the rocks, and swam under the freezing cold waterfall.

We then walked all the way back up those 500 stairs. In the pouring rain. But, honestly, I wouldn't have changed it if I could've. 

The hotel we stayed at (Los Lagos) had thermal pools heated by the natural springs from the volcano. We spent most of our evenings relaxing in those, and even got to see a few iguanas when we were there during the daytime. It also had a huge buffet with lots of healthy, low-carb, low-sodium options - something I've missed a lot since being here. 

At lunch on Sunday, the loudest birthday song I've ever heard played over the speakers in the restaurant, and they brought out a cake covered in frosting and marshmallow flowers. The group sang to me in a mixture of English and Spanish, and we all ate some very frosting-heavy, but delicious cake together. 

Despite my lovely distractions over the weekend, it was hard to keep loved ones in Ohio off my mind. I've never completely missed an MJB event before, and I've never not seen my family at least during my birthday weekend, if not the day of. However, they made me feel loved and missed with a video of well-wishes put together by D. Its beautiful, and made me both laugh and cry, and is something I'll continue to treasure and look back at whenever I miss them during the rest of my time here. 

Overall, between the adventures horseback riding and swimming in a waterfall, and the relaxing in the pools and eating good food at the hotel, my birthday weekend ended up being amazing. While I wish I could have shared it with some people back home, its certainly one that I won't soon forget. 

Pura Vida

Just Like Flying

On Friday our group departed San José for Monteverde. We stopped halfway up the mountain to watch the sunset. By far the most magnificent I've ever witnessed.

The hotel was more like a really long, divided cabin. Lots of bugs and spiders. Oh, and an iguana in our room that took some serious effort to capture and release outside of the cabin. It was, however, nice to be disconnected a little from the world of social media and be able to focus on all the nature around us.

On Saturday we went on a hanging bridge tour (not my favorite) and then on a canopy tour, which is what they call zip-lining here. It was terrifying, but also exhilarating. 

After a few lines that were "normal," our harnesses were switched to be prepared for the "superman" position. Instead of having to hold onto our harness and have our hands ready to break on the wire, we had our hands free and arms outstretched. (PLEASE NOTE: Do NOT watch this video with the volume all the way up on your device. I screamed literally the entire time.) 

It really was just like flying. Riding on the wind with my arms outstretched was a feeling unlike any other. I envy the fact that birds get to feel that way everyday of their lives. The tour ended with a 120ft bungee swing. 

On Sunday we departed from the hotel for our first official beach trip. Playa de Puntarenas is on the Pacific Ocean. Having only ever visited the Atlantic before this, I was in awe of the wonder and beauty of my new friend. 

Also, I am sunburnt. Being only 10 degrees away from the Equator makes getting burnt almost inevitable. But laying on the beach and playing in the ocean for even only a few hours was completely worth it. 

Pura Vida