Check out some pics. More to come soon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=sets

These are my pics from my trip to Boruca. Hope you enjoy them!

The month crisis

When I studied abroad in Spain they had what they called the month crisis. After just about a month of being away from home, but still staring a year or so in the face, students would have a mini meltdown. For some it was more dramatic than it was for others. I think I was just a little grumpy and tried to call home and write a lot. That being said, I've now been in CR for a full month and I think I've hit yet another month crisis. Nothing big or unexpected, I think mostly it's getting adjusted and realizing that I have only been here for a month, but at times it feels like a century. Our days are so packed and we have so much to take care of that it really feels like we live two days each day. But, I know that really long journeys get easier as you go. When you're getting ready to walk 1,000 miles, it must seem like you haven't even made a dent in the journey for the first 100. Anyway, that's a little insight into my current world, next week could be the best one yet. I'm really just trying to keep it all in perspective.

So, a little tid bit about Costa Rica. As and American, I have adapted easily to the no toilet paper in the toilet, to the cold shower, to the constant rice and beans, but one thing that is really hard for me is the adapting to the walking pace of the Tico. You have never seen anything like it in your life and it's a sure fire way to drive a gringa crazy. Ticos don't really walk, they kind on randomly meander. A walk that I could do in 15 min will take a minimum of 30. We have to stroll and stop to rest a lot and then we have to stop to talk and then we have to stop to just stop. Oh man. It is so hard for me to deal with, you have no idea! Today I was walking with these 4 girls and it almost killed me. I have to laugh about it though, what a great lesson in patience. They just are not in a hurry and they really don't like to exercise. That's it, it's just a different way of doing things. On Saturday we are heading to a volcano for a day trip... Pics to come.

Laura

A weekend in Boruca...

This past weekend I went to visit a current volunteer in a small indigenous village called Boruca. This is one of the few indigenous villages that remain in Costa Rica. I had such a great time there, you can't imagine how different life in Boruca is not just from the states, but from where I am in Acosta. The majority of the population still cooks over fire (even if they have a stove, they say it's just how they would rather do it). I was lucky enough to stay will a lovely band of women that some how reminded me of the women in the book/movie The Secret Life of Bees. The family consists of the mother, her daughter who lives a stones throw away, her two daughters, the woman who helps them with their store but also lives most of the time with them in their house, her daughter and then the PC volunteer Mariana. They were so much fun to watch and hangout with. I was immediately welcomed and felt like a part of the family. I loved watching how much they cared for each other and how powerful each one was in her own way.

I met so many great people in the span of 3 days. One man named Noel was nice enough to invite Mariana (they are friends) and myself to his farm so that he could show us his fruit trees and we could eat fruit off the tree. It was incredible. I ate coco seeds, coconuts from the tree and a fruit called granadilla and I think a water apple, not sure what it was, but it was good! I saw so much, it's hard for me to give a good break down of my time there. Just know that I wish I could go back and have that be my site, the whole town was so incredible!

That's all I have for now, I have a lot more stories to share, but I'll have to save that for another time!

Miss you all,
Laura


Check out some photos at this link. Let me know if it doesn't work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36935590@N03/show/

Usted tiene telefono?

Two things:

1. I hate barking dogs. Why do people just let dogs bark, it's annoying.

2. I hate not having a phone. I think I'm going through cell phone withdrawal issues at the moment. I have tried for the past 4 days to call and talk to John without success. You maybe thinking, what's the big deal, just call back. It's not so easy. I can't just pick up my phone and call because, lets think, I don't have one and neither does my house. To talk on the phone I have to grab my computer, walk for like 5 min up a hill; ask my friend/fellow volunteer Mick to open the door for me; sit and chat with his host family for 30 min. then get in the room; hookup my computer, start it and hope that the internet is working. This is a process people! I'm talking a process. The days of just deciding to make a call are gone. I only have 2,000 colones per day to spend and when a phone card is 500, that's a lot of my pay! Anyway, I really have no cause for complaint since I'm on of the few who have such easy access to internet and for free, we're the only town.

I found an women's soccer team to play on and play with them for the first time on Thursday night. They call it fut 5, which is similar to indoor. It was awesome, I had so much fun everyone there was so nice to me and they have invited me onto the team. I'm so happy I found them! I was in San Jose today for classes and will be back tomorrow.

Have fun!

PST

We have left our compound and have headed to our homes for the next 3 months. I´m living with a roommate named Gabriela and her daughter Ada. You may notice that I`m writing in very simple sentences and that`s because the Spanish has begun full on and now and to match my Spanish language level it seems my English abilities are also on their way down. I´m excited to not be able to write or speak either language well. My Spanish is coming back to me quickly, but I still have a long way to go.

My town is a beautiful pueblo in the mountains called Acosta and I really like it. All of the people have been soooo welcoming and my host sister has really made me feel right at home. So far we are just learning and getting settled in. I have 3 other volunteers with me in the town and I don´t doubt that by the end of our time we will be great friends.

I made it!!!

I wanted to post a quick update. I made it! After a really really really long day that began last night at 1:30am east coast time and did not end until around 1:00pm mountain time I am at a retreat with 52 other volunteers. We are training for the next few days and the schedule is pretty packed. Here is the summary:

Day 1 -

First earth quake or "tremor" not sure of the difference, but I know the room shook. (This is my first ever and it was weird)

The people are great, everyone is really nice and I'm excited to get to know them.

I miss John a lot.

Getting closer...

Today I received an e-mail from the Peace Corps giving me all of my travel details. On March 10th I'll arrive in Washington DC and go to registration at 1:30pm where we will fill out paperwork and sign in. Then we have a class from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Next they have a buss pick us up at 2:00am to take us to the airport where we will fly to Florida and then onto Costa Rica.
I have been feeling so great and so calm and assured with the Peace Corps, today I felt a major spike in nerves. This does not mean that I'm doubting my decision, I just realize how much I have to do and just how hard it is going to be to take that first step. From experience I can tell you that the hardest part of starting any big adventure is just getting there. You have to say all of your goodbyes and let go of everything. When you're away, you just have to have faith that everything will work out and will be taken care of. I'm really lucky to have a lot of really great people to support me. That's the update for now. I'm about to call the PC travel company and book my flight.