Un Sabor de Mi Pais

I'm in school again. Back to the books, the homework, the projects, the late nights, the early mornings, the classmates, the teachers, and the endless compilation of new memories in the process of learning. This past week we were taught from the book of James 2-3 hours every day by Dr. George Theis. He did a phenomenal job. I loved every second of it, and can't even begin to divulge how much I learned. In order to share some of it I'll just give the chapter titles that we used in covering each portion of the book. Chapter 1: Trials Can Be Fun. Chapter 2: Dead Faith and Partiality - No Can Do. Chapter 3: The Wrong Use of the Tongue is Ugly. Chapter 4: The Beginning of War. Chapter 5: Prayer Will Keep You Alive. It was so cool to be lead nearly verse by verse through this extremely practical letter written to fellow Christians all over the world. And as I'm studying currently far away from my hometown, in a foreign environment, with discomforts, schedule changes, random problems, and all the tiny things that remind me how far from home I really am, it was an incredible challenge for me to "count it all joy." Quickly it became my motto to "count it all joy" and to not complain or grumble when I had a cold shower in the morning or I couldn't connect to the internet. I have like a whole new list of things that I really need to work on now.. like I didn't have enough already. It's awesome though. I love seeing how great God is through how imperfect I am and how much I rely on his strength to survive. He is my all. 


Then of course we've been having Spanish for 3-4 hours a day. And it's been crazy. By the time I leave class I'm involuntarily thinking in Spanish. It's so cool to see how I can't help it, it just comes out!! I'm learning!! My class isn't challenging for me yet, because I had an incredible high school Spanish teacher who covered pretty much everything there is to know about the Spanish language. (I love you Mrs Peacock!!) But it's been really really good for me to practice talking to everyone in Spanish. I talk to the kitchen ladies all the time and I talk to Adolpho, the security/upkeeper of the villa. It's been good practice, and that's what challenges me. Plus my Spanish teacher here doesn't speak very good English at all. So occasionally in class I'll have to translate for her, which is also perfect practice because that's what we'll be doing second semester. I love how everything is working out and we're getting into a routine down here. It's my new home and it's finally feeling like that. I don't feel like I'm visiting anymore. I'm living. And I can't say enough how amazing my group is. The friends I've already made are incredible and my leaders don't want anything more than to pour their all into us and teach us how to become more like Christ. It's so cool :) 


Other than chill at the villa, have class, go to church, and sleep, I've been running every morning, occasionally going to the store or San Jose to shop, or playing basketball up the road. It's been super cool just hanging out, being able to do whatever when we're not in class, and enjoy the atmosphere of another country. Another thing that's super cool is our leaders have laid out a plan for us to be able to read the whole Bible by the time we graduate. I'm really excited because I've only read through the whole Bible one other time and it was by myself. This time I've been reading it with two other girls, Lauren and Katelyn, every night. It's so awesome because we meet and we read, but we also mention everything that stands out to us and usually get into some pretty cool discussions. It's WAY more beneficial to read big chunks of Scripture together with someone because when I read it alone I tend to get distracted and just read words. But when I'm with other people I'm not only digging myself for something cool, I'm also getting to hear what's touching their hearts at the same time. I love it. And I love them!!


Anyway just to give you a flavor of Costa Rica here are 10 things you need to know before you live here:
1. You can't flush the toilet paper. That's what the trash cans are for.
2. It's a 50-50 chance getting a warm shower in the morning.
3. Dead animals, such as dogs, lying in rigamortis on the side of the road could be there for days. 
4. When they say it's gonna rain every day, it's gonna rain every day. 
5. Running on sidewalks is hazardous to your health, but walking on the street is suicidal.
6. Lizards are friends found on your pillow, and slugs are your shower buddies. 
7. Right as you skype dial your mother, the internet will crash.. because it's raining.
8. When people whistle, honk, or yell, don't wave. You're just a gringo. 
9. Don't stand in the door of the bus while paying. A sensor is counting you and an alarm will go off.
10. Rice and beans rice and beans rice and beans.... 


Hope you all got a flavor of mi vida loca!! God bless, I miss you all!! :)