June 2 - June 5

6/2/2012 at 3:25pm?

Me, Ryan, and Abby on the airplane on our way to Miami!

I am in the airplane on the way from Miami to San José.  I should probably sleep more, but I kind of don't want to.  Abby and Ryan are asleep on either side of me; I don't know about Professor Westley and Kevin.  I just want to get to beautiful Costa Rica!

God has been good to me.  He has already given me things to laugh about: falling up a down escalator, for example, and dancing a little in a tech store in the airport.  He has put my little family of travelers on my heart, to pray for them, their growth, their safety, their experiences, etc.  He has put my host family on my heart, and even the random people I encounter and overhear speaking on the airplane.  God has given me a heart for people, and for loving on and serving them, and I just hope and pray that all may see Jesus through me, not that pride or selfishness would get in the way.  May I be filled with humility and serve with all I have been given.

6/2/2012 at 10:43pm

The view while driving in San José.

So many inside jokes..."Tinkle time", talking about the tree/lights directly in front versus to the side, probably something else I can't remember.  Jenny talked to us for a while about Costa Rica, then we went for dinner in San José at a really nice restaurant that I don't know the name of and I got cas juice and honey mustard chicken.  We came back, sat around and laughed in the "hot" (warm) tub until we got kicked out, then parted ways to go to our rooms.  Tomorrow I wake up at 6:30am to go to breakfast at 7 and to Arenal after a short orientation meeting.

I thank God for bringing that plane down safe into San José.  There was sooo much turbulence, and at one point I swear our plane took a nose-dive for a couple stories.  Also, on the way to Miami I met a Columbian living in Australia whose name is Andres and we talked the whole way in Spanish and English.  He gifted me a rubber Red Cross Australia bracelet and Vegemite.  No joke!

6/3/2012 at 10:30pm

Leafcutter ants in the forest on the volcano.

I woke up without an alarm (thankfully) at around 6am after forcing myself back to sleep several times.  We ate breakfast and discussed the "tropical birds" (mourning doves), and then Jenny talked to us more about Costa Rica, its provinces, and the climates of different areas.  We left the hotel, saying bye to Carlos and other staff, and drove like four hours to Arenal, making stops along the way.  When we got to this place we went to the volcano first and did a hike, getting rained upon on the way back.  There was lots to see, but we probably could've seen more were we not restricted to the path.  It's a good thing though, because the more human disturbance, the less diversity, and that's why tourism is so harmful to the environment even though it's a huge and helpful part of the Costa Rican economy.  After, we went to the Baldi Hot Springs, had dinner there, and into the springs again.  It was basically a water park for adults, complete with pool bars and such.  It was so warm and nice.

Being completely honest though, I really miss the Cartago life I had last year and the year prior.  Doing all this driving and touristy stuff, though nice, doesn't compare to working with people of both cultures, forming relationships, and just living day-to-day life with each other sans a strict agenda.

6/4/2012 at 4:00pm

A snakebird (or anhinga).  There were a TON of these, along
with different egrets.

It hasn't even come to dinner time and I've already done so much today!  After Carolina served a nice breakfast, we went on a trip to Caño Negro, stopping at the Iguana River along the way and looking at the massive iguanas.  When we got to the restaurant by el Río Frío to do the tour, we had a quick cheese empanada and then Pablo cracked a green coconut open for us and we drank agua de pipa!  On the river trip, we saw sooo many birds and alligators and even monkeys and turtles and a basilisk and a gray-necked wood rail (Pablo loves it) and a mini-duck and tons of other animals.  We saw gar fish jump from the water every now and then.  Back at the restaurant we had lunch and Abby, Ryan, and I ate with Pablo and got to know him and his family and work.  We saw a hummingbird and a blue morpho butterfly along with a different blue one.  Oh, and I got Pablo to open up more coconuts for us.  There's definitely a picture somewhere on Professor Westley's camera where I look like the happiest kid ever.  We stopped in town on our way back to the hotel and I got some of the best chocolate I may have ever had.

6/4/2012 at 10:15pm

After that journal entry, I went swimming with Professor Westley for a bit and we saw and laughed about two mating toads as we tried to get them out of the water so they didn't die of chlorine poisoning.  Before I went down to the water I spotted two adult blue/black/white birds feeding babies in the octopus bush outside my room.  So neat.  Eventually the Tico boys who work at the hotel came to join us, then Professor Westley went up and I got to know the boys a bit.  The only one whose name I remember is Rafa, who is 18.  Then Abby and Ryan came and we all played monkey in the middle with a Frisbee, so fun!  After, we all went to dinner at a place I think was called Lava Rock.  Later after we left, the group all took pictures of the thunderstorm while I talked with Rafa and his brother.  He mentioned how they hardly ever talk to tourists at all because usually none know Spanish; I hope that in the future they are able to maybe connect more with other tourists somehow, even without words.

I also was convicted that I need to be a better example of Christ and listen more than I speak.  Monteverde tomorrow.

6/5/2012 at 9:00pm

We only got gas once during our entire time of driving so
far.  About $50 for almost 11 gallons of diesel gas...!!!  But
super good gas mileage on that van-bus, right?

Well, last night Abby and I had an awesome random long conversation while we were going to bed about herself and culture and it was amazing.  I love and pray for her and Ryan so much!

The rubber-band airplane that María and I attempted to put
together for Luis and his friend Austin.  It flies...sometimes...
And it likes to curve to the right and hit the house.

The drive to Monteverde was sooo long, and really bumpy due to the unpaved raod.  It's a really nice institute and so pretty.  Meeting my host family was interesting to say the least.  La Señora y el Señor have a daughter Andrea and she and her husband Eric (who I saw in passing only so far) who also lives here have a baby named Auri.  Oscar's girlfriend María and him share a room, and then there's Luis, and now me (but I have my own room, yay!) all living here.  So yes, nine of us, which is semi-normal for a family here.  I've had some problems already, like for example I was freaking out a little bit because there isn't a single clock in the entire house, and so I do need to hit the store tomorrow and get a small alarm clock or something.  I'm borrowing María's phone for the night.  Also, the bathroom situation is oddly set-up: The shower is separated from the bathroom, and you have to walk out into the hallway to go from the shower to the bathroom proper, and literally you just open up what looks like a closet and there's a shower there, so there's nowhere to put a towel or anything.  But anyway, it's exciting.  Let's see what tomorrow holds!