June 29 - July 1

6/29/2012 at 8:25pm

This is going to be a short update, sorry.  I'm just too tired.  Basically, all of the data, even that which probably won't be analyzed, is now digitized.  I finished it all around 3pm today.  I wanted to leave right away but everyone was chilling, so I bid my time and walked home with Matthew, parting ways because I wanted to stop in at some stores.  When I came home, basically I just ate dinner (including some agua dulce with lemon for a drink and cajeta for dessert), showered, watched a show called Tome Chichi with Andrea and mamá, and now am sitting on my bed writing this.  I'm really boring and don't have much else to say.  Court nearly gave me a heart attack on Facebook today because for a split second I thought she was going to tell me she was engaged.  And my high school buddies from Arizona left today, which was kind of sad.  Other than that, I argued with Gabriel over what movie(s) we may or may not watch on Sunday if we end up hanging out.  Just a normal day.

6/30/2012 at 5:30pm

Male quetzal through a scope!

Hummingbirds in Galeria Colibrí.

I haven't even gone to the church yet and already it's been such a full day!  Abby came over for breakfast at around 6:15am and then we left with Ryan to walk to Curi Cancha.  We met up with Jon along the way as well.  Maurecio took the four of us all over Curi Cancha and up to the hummingbird garden Galeria Colibrí and back through Curi Cancha.  We walked a looot but all in all it was so worth it, because we were able to see quetzals!


We saw both the male and the female, and wow are they pretty, and wow were we ever so lucky to see them!   We also saw a couple of bellbirds, some cool bugs, claw marks on a tree from a puma, and tons of hummingbirds.  It was really cool because at the hummingbird garden they've grown super accustomed to having tourists around so you can get really close to them.  On our way back through we had the opportunity to climb a strangler fig tree.  I didn't, but Abby and Ryan did and it was super entertaining to watch.  It was really cool being able to see so much in Curi Cancha today.

Strangler fig tree!

After eating a bit of food leftover from yesterday at MVI, Abby, Ryan, and I left and walked to the Supercompro to get ice cream, and we got some delicious pineapple-vanilla swirled ice cream that was fantastic.  After, we went home and I had some maduros, bread, and coffee with my parents and a tía, and papí began telling me about a coffee sheller/roaster/grinder he wants to buy for his finca to be able to show on tours as well as sell good coffee for cheap to the community.  He also told me how political it can be when it comes to getting things like permits and passports and licenses here, and how if someone simply pays a lot of money they can procure something a lot more quickly and without any questions asked.  It's a problem for people who don't have money, and it's also a safety issue for driving because sometimes the kids' parents simply pay for the license and the kids don't know how to really drive.  After chatting, I showered and now am looking forward to what the rest of tonight will bring.

7/1/2012 at 9:50pm

Today was amazing.  Not only did I receive so many blessings last night and not only was my heart filled last night with love and enchantment for the kids and God and everyone, not only so much last night in church and afterward hanging out and walking around with Gabriel, but also this morning.  It was the same message as last night but I actually took good notes this time thankfully.  But best of all I got to pray for and with Abby as a sister while everyone else prayed with their own families and it was so amazing.  I just felt the Spirit so clearly and we both began getting overwhelmed and crying but in all of it there was so much beauty, and every word I prayed I truly meant.  I love Abby dearly and I couldn't imagine myself with anyone else here in Costa Rica replacing her.  I am way blessed to know her and have her and call her my friend and I pray the best things for her.

It's so cute!!! I love you, little sloth!

After, Gabriel came over for an awesome lunch and then we left tot walk to the Institute to explore, and I SAW A SLOTH!!!  Well, we saw a sloth.  I could have died of happiness.  It was way cute.  I don't even know what else to say.  Anyway...

I'm pretty sure Gaby could be considered my best Tico friend.

Gaby and I walked a lot, then back to his and my house, then to Cañitas for an errand, then to downtown Santa Elena, then back to my house.  We just talked a lot and enjoyed each others' company on this cold, windy day.  It was great though because we got to listen to music together like Skillet and Jesús Adrián Romero, and we talked sports a little (he's a ligista, not saprista, so we're all good...bahahaha!) and talked about God and discussed impactful things in our lives and our favorite things.  Basically, I have an awesome friendship in this guy and and he's always going to be special to me, and I'll definitely miss him when I have to leave. I'm going to miss my family here too; even though I totally relished the silence when they all left this morning for la misa, I love them all dearly and will sorely miss them when July 24 rolls around.