I am a proud Clemson Tiger, born and raised in the south, lover of all things pink, orange, and preppy, fan of college football and basketball, preacher's kid, daugher and sister in a loving family of 4, talk with a southern accent, hoping to be a pharmacist, college senior, currently living in Costa Rica studying abroad. Join me on this adventure as I blog about it all - what I'm doing here and what the culture is like, in addition to my musings on faith, fashion, and current events.

HOW TO COMMENT ON MY POSTS

Below each post is a line with the time the post was posted, and at the end it says "0 Comments." Click on that. It should immediately take you to a screen that shows all the comments on that post, as well as a text box that will allow you to type and post your own comment. Make sure to click "PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT" at the bottom so that it will show up!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Monday and Tuesday

2 very busy days!!!

Monday I had class from 8 am - 11 am. We were supposed to go on a field trip today but for some reason it didn't work out, so we will be going NEXT Monday instead. I'm learning to be flexible and adjust to changes, so it wasn't a really big deal. After class I helped SC write an e-mail (in Spanish) to a tico friend from the beach, and then I headed home to have some lunch - fish and rice. Yum! It got cloudy early in the afternoon, and though I desperately longed to siesta, I packed up my books and headed to La U instead to do some SERIOUS studying since I grew terribly unmotivated over the weekend and failed to do a lot of homework. I got to school and we had to take a group picture of everyone in the program, so we did that, and then a couple of us headed to the store to get some Reeses! DB and I then went to Delicias to do some studying. We made it inside JUST in time before the rain started pouring! We didn't stay a whole hour, and then we headed back to school. I studied there until 5 or so, and then headed home before it started to get dark. I came in and hung out with AM and her sweet friend from school for a while, and then MM made MACARONI AND CHEESE for supper - SO DELICIOUS! I had a rather large helping (or two), and it was scrumdiddlyumptious, as Willy Wonka would say! We then all studied together for a while. I turned in kind of early since I had been up since 5:45.

Tuesday was also a long day, and a day I was a bit nervous about. Today, Claudia and I had to do a workshop at the hospital ALL DAY for my internship. The plan was to make some adjustments to the current vision and values that the hospital has, and to complete a table - I forget the english name....BSC, maybe? - the Cuadro de Mando Integral. I walked to La U to see if Claudia was there before I went to the hospital (had to be there at 9), but she wasn't there. So I trotted off to the hospital on the north end of town, about a 20 minute walk. The weather was nice, so it was a very pleasant walk. Unfortunately, I wore shoes that I haven't broken in very well yet, and they gave me some painful blisters on my feet. Anyway, I kept trudging onward and finally arrived at el hospital. I had to make a short presentation at the beginning, and luckily I was able to get out what I wanted to say in Spanish without stumbling! Thank you, Lord! We had to let them work in small groups for a while before and after lunch, but we got a LOT accomplished today, and they were all pleased! Someone even told us that today was the only time the hospital director and these two other people had been able to be in the same room together and get along for such a long period of time, so we must have done something right! I was able to understand a majority of what they were saying today, even those with thick accents, and it was a really cool feeling. I just wish my brain would process it a little faster! I was exhausted after it was over, but then I had to go to my evening class. It was interesting and we watched a short video about indigenous people in Bolivia. Makes me want to visit! After class, we helped her take the equipment to the office, and she offered us a ride home, which I was VERY thankful for because I do NOT like walking home in the dark, even though it was only 7 pm. (I can't say that a professor back at home has ever offered to do that for me?) Of course I accepted, and we went to her car, and I found out that she drives a RAV 4 like mine!!!!! It was a sweet moment, because I love my little savvy ravvy. Anyway, she took each of us home and I went in immediately hoping for some supper. We had some kind of beef stew, and rice, of course. I did some homework for a while and talked to my dad for a while. He and my mother are coming next week to visit and I am SO excited! AND the week after that, my dear friend Bailey and her brother Andy are coming to stay for her 21st birthday weekend, and THEN, the week after that, we have a weeklong trip to PANAMA!!!!!!!! I am so excited!!!

Tomorrow is going to be a long day too. I have early class, and I have to work all day tomorrow on a presentation I have to make in class on Thursday. Actually, I am teaching our literature class, in spanish, on Thursday. Should be interesting. I have to talk for almost 3 hours. PRAY FOR ME! I also have a take-home exam due Thursday that is kind of intense. I have to finish all of this tomorrow. AHH!!!!

Monday, September 28, 2009

By the River Piedra....

...I Sat Down and Wept

This is the title of a book I purchased in San Jose the other day by Paulo Coelho. He also wrote The Alchemist, which I had heard of but not really heard about until I got to Costa Rica. Anyway, I found this book in the English section on Saturday and I was intrigued by the synopsis on the back, in addition to the fact that it appeared to be an easy read since it is pretty small. I read the author's note while I was in the store, hoping to get a feel for his style and what the book would be about, and decided to get it after reading this:

Rarely do we realize that we are in the midst of the extraordinary. Miracles occur all around us, signs from God show us the way, angels plead to be heard, but we pay little attention to them because we have been taught that we must follow certain formulas and rules if we want to find God. We do not recognize that God is wherever we allow Him to enter.

Traditional religious practices are important: they allow us to share with others the communal experience of adoration and prayer. But we must never forget that spiritual experience is above all a practical experience of love. And with love, there are no rules. Some may try to control their emotions and develop strategies for their behavior; others may turn to reading books of advice from "experts" on relationships - but this is all folly. The heart decides, and what it decides is all that really matters.

All of us have had this experience. At some point, we have each said through our tears, "I'm suffering for a love that's not worth it." We suffer because we feel we are giving more than we receive. We suffer because our love is going unrecognized. We suffer because we are unable to impose our own rules.

But ultimately there is no good reason for our suffering, for in every love lies the seed of our growth. The more we love, the closer we come to spiritual experience. Those who are truly enlightened, those whose souls are illuminated by love, have been able to overcome all of the inhibitions and preconceptions of their era. They have been able to sing, to laugh, and to pray out loud; they have danced and shared what Saint Paul called, "the madness of saintliness." They have been joyful - because those who love conquer the world and have no fear of loss. True love is an act of total surrender.

Thomas Merton once said that the spiritual life is essentially to love. One doesn't know love in order to do what is good or to help or to protect someone. If we act that way, we are perceiving the other as a simple object, and we are seeing ourselves as wise and generous persons. This hos nothing to do with love. To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.


Post to be continued....

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Saturday - Last minute San Jose trip!

Late Friday night, I decided to venture off to el capital with KL on Saturday! We met at the green church (good meeting spot for all of us in the group) to head to the bus station. We had to figure our way out around town to get there, but we made it, got our tickets, and boarded to head to the BIG CITY!

It takes about an hour on the bus to get there. The ride is pleasant and has some stunning views of the landscape! We arrived at the bus station in a sketchy part of town, and almost jumped through the window to get into a taxi to get to Avenida Central. We basically spent the day walking around looking in shops. We bought lots of earrings!

Below are some pictures of the city:









Awesome cappucino I had!
KL and I had a great time! San Jose is a lot different than San Ramon, but I like the city.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Wednesday was somewhat of a lazy day for me. I had class from 8-10:30 or so (we got out a bit early), and then I hung around school until lunch time doing some blogging and some homework. I went home and had lunch and had a nice little siesta during the storm. It rained most of the afternoon and evening on Wednesday. TC, AK, and I went to a thrift store near my house to check it out. I didn't find anything, but I did find SOMETHING. I was with the boys perusing the racks which surprisingly consisted of mostly American clothes, when a little plaid pattern caught my eye. My mind immediately processed this plaid image as something Burberry, but I thought to myself, "Surely not, not here in a thrift store...." Well, of course I took a closer look, and to my surprise, the light blue Burberry polo that I found was legit! I couldn't believe it. It was a man's polo and it cost the equivalent of $2. Yes, a real genuine authentic in excellent condition men's Burberry polo for $2. Thank you very much. TC liked it and bought it, and I left the store feeling proud. We went back to my house and spent an hour or so there hanging out, watching videos, and Stumbling. They headed to school to play soccer in the rain with some ticos, and I stayed at home to finish some homework. I did homework for a while and then went to watch a movie with MSG and KL at KL's house. Around 10 pm, I got super tired really fast, and started getting loopy! MSG and I took a taxi home, and I went straight to bed.



Thursdays ..... I dread them and look forward to them at the same time. I dread them because I am in class for 8 hours (not consecutively, gracias a Dios), but I look forward to them because they are my last days of classes for the week AND I have dance class (my favorite) on Thursday! In my 8 am lit class we watched The Mission, a movie about the history of the Jesuits, Spanish, Portuguese and Guarani peoples of South America. It was VERY interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. Very accurate as far as the history in it goes, and actually very interesting! I stayed after a few minutes to talk to the teacher about a presentation I have to make next week in class, and then I headed home. I finished up some homework at home and then had lunch with the family. I headed back to school to Advanced Spanish. We had class for an hour, and then the 5 of us (4 students + 1 professor) went to Aroma's Cafe to "have class!" I LOVE school here. The teachers are so flexible, and since we all like coffee and cake we convinced her to have class at this cute little cafe near the park! We talked about subjunctive and then spent an hour or two just talking - nothing else - in Spanish. It was very helpful. The more I practice, the more confident I feel and the more I want to talk and learn! I enjoyed the class a lot! She took us back to the U (thankfully she drove because it was POURING down) where we waited to start dance class. Dance class was fun. We went over salsa, meringue and bachata again. Profe also informed us that our "examen" would consist of basically passing the whole night in a club doing salsa and meringue and returning late that night/early the next morning. What a tough exam, huh? Should be fun, though! Thursday night, some of us went out to do some dancing of our own, and boy, did we dance! I ended up salsa-ing and meringue-ing with a tico for a half hour or so, and it was awesome! He danced really well and for some reason complimented me on my dancing and said that I almost looked like a tica! It's amazing to me how nice the people here are. I came home and went to bed, and then got up around 9 am Friday morning.

Friday was a relaxed day (just like every day is becoming here for me!). I got up and cleaned my room a bit, did some homework, and then headed to school to do some studying and watch some of my amigos play soccer. We all hung out for a while and then some of us went to Delicias to work on some homework. I had a DELICIOUS strawberry smoothie. Next time I get one I will have to remember to take my camera so that you can see how alluring it was, and why I got it! We all went home afterwards to get ready and eat supper, and we planned to meet up at the park later in the night. We all ended up hanging out a place on the edge of town, and I came home before 12.

random reads

Another find from StumbleUpon, I dedicate this blog post that I 'stumbled upon' to all the teachers and schoolworkers out there:

http://blog.peculiarplace.com/2009/09/10/nominee-for-email-of-the-year/


Also, an interesting article today in the NYTimes about hypertension that's definitely worth your time:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/health/22brod.html?em


Five tips from Ralph Lauren on dressing for fall:

http://stores.ralphlauren.com/promo/foa_fall_wardrobing.asp?ep_mid=1704605&ep_rid=181648908


Decorating ideas:

http://www.bhg.com/decorating/budget-decorating/cheap/free-decorating-for-every-room/?page=1


I LOVE before/after pictures of rooms!

http://www.remodelingcenter.com/living-room/ideas/traditional-style-living-rooms/;jsessionid=SZXTMXXF524N0CQCEAQCCAQ?catref=rem73&afterSlide=true&page=1

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Obsession: LLBean

Dear Santa,


All I want for Christmas is....an LLBean gift card.


Argyle Tote, Large - $36

Haven Skimmers in Azalea/Glen Green Lobster Crab, $64
Bean Lambswool Scarf in Green Plaid, $39




Kennebunk Shirt, Ruffled-Placket Tartan in Royal Stewart, $39.50

Proud to be a Tiger

THE STORY (from sports.go.espn.com)
Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year, has been suffering from a rare form of bone cancer. "Herzlich, the Eagles' seemingly invincible leader who turned down the NFL draft to return for his senior season, was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a malignant tumor most often found in bone or soft tissue." He recently finished his radiation therapy, but still "faces five rounds of chemotherapy....Herzlich said an MRI exam following two months of chemotherapy showed only a small tumor in his left femur. There was no tumor in the soft tissue surrounding the bone, he said.

"Things are going really well," Herzlich said...."The goal right now is to get rid of the tumor completely and to be healthy. That's the goal right now and they're encouraged that's what's going to happen."

Herzlich, who has one season of college eligibility left, was initially told by doctors that he would not be able to play football again. But Herzlich said he hopes to play for Boston College in 2010 and possibly in the NFL after college. Last season, he led the Eagles with 110 tackles, six interceptions and had 13 tackles for loss.

"That's my goal," Herzlich said. "Obviously, I'm not going to play this year because of the chemo. But I'm going to spend a lot more time in the film room and will do more mental learning. I really want to come back next year and pick up where I left off."

Herzlich said doctors have told him they'll have to see how his left leg responds to radiation before they can discuss his football future. Other than losing his hair, Herzlich said the treatment really hasn't affected him physically.

"It's been all right," Herzlich said. "The weeks that I had radiation and chemo on the same day were tough. The chemo makes you tired. My hair is gone, but other than that I've stayed the same.

More than anything, Herzlich said he is happy to be returning to Boston College again. He needs to finish four classes to earn an undergraduate degree in marketing and hopes to graduate in December.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4166736
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4423973


THE REACTION
Coach Swinney presented BC's Mark Herzlich with a #94 Clemson jersey signed by all of the Tigers prior to last Saturday's game.

Read a letter from Mark's father here below:

Dear Clemson Fans:

First - My son is Mark Herzlich, the BC linebacker recovering from Cancer. The entire Tiger Nation should be proud of the complete class your entire program carries itself with. I wear a copy of Mark's jersey to games and I lost track of the number of Clemson fans who approached me to wish him well and to say that they were praying for him. These are people who don't know me, don't know Mark and have little reason to even be aware of his situation yet were both aware and involved enough to say some kind words. Thank you.

Second, for those who missed it, prior to the game Coach Swinney presented Mark with a Clemson jersey signed by the whole team with Mark's #94 on it. I've never seen such an outstanding and unsolicited display of sportsmanship.

Finally, throughout the weekend the major topic of conversation outside football was the graciousness of the Clemson fan base. All of us commented on how welcoming everyone was, both before and after the game. I've been to Clemson before and interacted with Clemson fans in Boston so I wasn't suprised any more but I was glad to see my friends get the message too. There was absolutely no lack of support or fanatacism for Clemson football but it was all wrapped up in an understanding that competing doesn't mean hating, that you need an opponent to play a game and that there's a difference between an opponent and an enemy. My younger son, who's used to the whole us versus them attitude in a lot of fan bases turned to me at one point and said, "you just can't hate these guys!"

Clemson continues to be my favorite road trip. I always root for Boston College to go undefeated and win the ACC, but in the years that it can't be us, I hope it's you.

If you're going to be a bear - be a grizzly!

-Sandon Herzlich
(From: http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092209aah.html)


I think that this demonstrates what Coach Swinney is all about. This man is not here just to earn a salary, teach some guys how to throw a ball around, and make them do community service every once in a while to look good. Coach Swinney is a man of compassion and dignity, a man who realizes that there is more to being a good football program than performing well on the field. It's things like this that make me proud to be a Clemson Tiger, and make me even more proud to cheer my Tigers on when they play. Keep up the good work!

StumbleUpon

Have you heard of it?

Neither had I, until KL revealed its marvelous mysteries to me.

"Tonya, meet your newest study distraction."

Now, I was hesitant at first, because I already get distracted easily when I study. But after KL showed this little gem to me, I was hooked.

Basically what you do is create an account in less than 10 seconds, install the toolbar on your browser, and start by clicking 'Stumble.' It will bring random websites to you based on interests you select from a list. You can them give them a thumbs up or down, make favorites, e-mail the sites, etc.

Look at some of the things I stumbled upon:

How ADORABLE is this turquoise and orange room, found here?


And what about this stunning view of Macchu Picchu in Peru? This photo is from a website that lets you pay $3000 to run along the Inca trail. Now, I don't have that much money to fork out for something like that, but the site and idea of it is still intriguing.

Come on, give StumbleUpon a try and see what YOU can find!

pasta de alfredo

Tuesday. Good day, but a long day.

No morning classes, but met with Claudia at 9 am to prepare our presentation to the hospital next week. My task was to research the methodology behind developing specific parts of strategic plans, and for this week in particular, we will be completing the cuadro de mando integral, or balanced scorecard (BSC). We first discussed the adidtion of an environmental component to the hospital's mission, vision, values, and strategic objectives, and then discussed how we would facilitate the discussion for the completion of the CMI (BSC). I have to make several posters with the different parts on them (values, objectives, etc.) for us to hang up and use next week. Next Tuesday we will be in a meeting with the staff all day to complete these tasks. I have to make a short presentation at the beginning, in Spanish, about our goals for the day and what we hope to accomplish. I'm nervous, but SO excited to see what we accomplish next Tuesday! I still think this is such an incredible opportunity for my internship - to be able to finish a Strategic Plan for a major hospital, to be able to work with health care professionals, and to be able to practice and learn Spanish!

After our meeting, I worked on the posters for a while outside of the office, and one of the sweet janitors came and struck up a conversation with me. Most ticos are like that, and will just talk to you and be so nice! We talked for about 20 minutes or so in Spanish, and I really enjoyed it! I prefer talking with ticos because I feel more confident talking with them than I do with gringos, for some reason, plus it helps me practice more and learn more about their language and dialects. Anyway, his name is Alfredo, and he said to remember him as "Pasta de Alfredo"! We just chuckled, and I told him that my name was Tonya, like 'pasta de lasagna.' So now I have another precious friend! He asked what I thought of CR and the people, and I said that I LOVED it and that I loved the people. He said that ticos are very friendly and just love life and love Costa Rica (PURA VIDA!), and will talk to you about anything, anytime!

I had lunch with my host family, and then I returned to school for class from 1-4 and 4-7. The classes went well. The second class seemed longer, probably because I was tired and hungry, NOT a good combination! After class I went home, and my host mother offered to go pick up something for everyone in the family. She offered me a hamburger, so I said yes, and she came back with on eof the LARGEST burgers I have ever seen in my life!!! It was a double cheeseburger, but the thing must have weighed 10 pounds. No, mom, I didn't eat all of it. I ate about half and gave up. The pups at home were thankful for the gift from me!

I somehow managed to finish an essay on the Latin American economy between 1950 and 1970 (in Spanish, claro). I also was lucky enough to get to talk to some friends on Skype, last night and the night before, and it was so heart warming to see them and talk to them! Thank you, Lord, for Skype and the internet! I actually cried on Monday night when I talked to EF, a best friend from home, because it was the first time I had seen her pretty little face in a month, after spending almost every day with her this summer! Other best friend BJO and her brother are coming to Costa Rica in 3 weeks for her 21st birthday!!!!!! And my parents booked a flight to come visit the weekend before that! I can't wait to show my friends and family around this place I now call home!

Monday, September 21, 2009

preppy pasta.

Looking over some of my posts, I think I use hundreds of words when ten will do. To shorten my summary of today's events, I will give you today's events (and few details) in pictures:


Today in Society and Environment, we watched this movie. Quite informative!

Lunch today: Bowtie pasta and meatballs. SO SCRUMPTIOUS (and preppy!).



Today, while running some errands, I stumbled across my FAVORITE BOOK - in SPANISH!!! Of course I bought it.



Between the hours of 2 pm - 4 pm, my little cuerpo (body) lets me know it's cafecito time! Today I enjoyed 2 cups of coffee during my favorite time of day.

In today's (health) news....

I stumbled across some interesting articles in the NYTimes today. Take a peek!



"WHAT IS THIS?" you may ask.

A chocolate heart.

In One Study, a Heart Benefit for Chocolate
*Be sure to read the entire article before just assuming that chocolate consumption will make your heart healthier!





Sorry, ladies, but cocoa butter does NOT reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Read about the study here.








Why Health Care Will Never Be Equal

This article brings up some valid points.

Highlights:
-"Here is the question I ask as the pill passes through my lips: Is it worth it?"
-"So here is the hard question: How should we, as a society, decide who gets the benefits of this medical breakthrough? Are we going to be health care egalitarians and try to prohibit Bill Gates from using his wealth to outlive Joe Sixpack? Or are we going to learn to live (and die) with vast differences in health outcomes? Is there a middle way?"
-"In the end of our day of philosophizing, however, we face a practical decision: Who gets the magic pills, and who pays for them?"


Other articles I found interesting:
Why Don't Doctors Wash Their Hands More?

Health Care Reform and American Values

Should Sugary Drinks be Taxed?

Sunday, September 20, 2009

lazy weekend

There really isn't too much to report about my weekend. I stayed in town and relaxed, and it was VERY nice! I would have loved to have traveled somewhere, but the circumstances just didn't allow for it. The majority of the USAC group was on a field study with another class that I am not in, and a couple of other students took off to the beach very early Friday morning, and it would have been too time-consuming for me to try to make it to them Friday night and only spend one day there. I was/am thankful for my time home with my host family. I got some GOOD sleep and down time. I became very sick with a horrible cold in the middle of the week, and it hit full force Thursday and Friday. I got 8-10 hours of sleep both Friday and Saturday nights. My host mother also offered me an all-natural syrup that she said would help my cold, and she has also kept me loaded up with hot herbal tea which helps clear my throat a bit.

Saturday I slept until 9 or so, blogged a couple of times throughout the day, knocked out a good chunk of homework, had lunch with the family at a restaurant on the edge of town, went shopping with MM and AM for some things she needs for a dance she has coming up at school, and watched the heaviest rain storm I have ever seen in my life! It came up Saturday mid-afternoon, and the sky was dark, like the sun had set almost. It was loud and the rain was hard. It was pooling up on the porch and in the streets and MM had to take a broom to sweep the water off of the front porch! It was incredible to watch though. I love watching storms.

Sunday's activities were about the same. I slept until 9, had food when the time was right, and did some blogging and homework. I have a lot of bigger assignments - essays and projects due this week and next - and it was good to have 2 days to really sit down and spread the workload out so that I could get a lot done without being so overwhelmed! Plus it will alleviate some of my homework woes for the coming week.

I am feeling much better after this restful and quiet weekend. Though I would have enjoyed traveling, I think that staying home was definitely the better choice. I don't feel bad at all, but I do have some congestion in my head and chest.

On a lighter note....

I had the privilege of being featured on one of my favorite blog's this weekend - Etiquette with Miss Janice. You can see the post here. Thank you, Miss Janice, for including my photo and blog info!

Hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and is ready for a great week! I can't wait to see what Costa Rica shows me this week!

PURA VIDA.

Adorable handbags!

I had never heard of Handbag Heaven until today, when I read Short Southern Momma's post 'wanted: sassy mama seeking the perfect black bag.' Of course, I went online to see what was there, and I found some LOVELY little items. I picked out my favorites, pictured below. Most of these bags are VERY fairly priced, with most being under $50!
Elizabeth Luxury Tote

Sami Quilted Handbag (I LOVE this style!)

Center Grove Tote (the inner lining is hot pink!)

Paisley clutch (I am DEFINITELY ordering this one when it is back in stock!!!)



Quilted Patent Clasp Tote


Spring Patent Quilted Tote (I love this shade of pink!)


Naomi Waxed Tote (orange - a necessary color in every Clemson girl's wardrobe!)


Joy - Part One

*This post on joy will be the first of an ongoing series of posts on this subject.

I've been thinking a lot about joy since I have been in Costa Rica.

The day after we arrived, we had a day-long orientation at the University. They explained the program to us, how the classes would work, the excursions we would be going on, general info about the city and country...all the standard 'orientation' stuff.

They also explained that there would be times when we would be happy to be here, but there would also be times when we would grow homesick. The directors said that for a while, we would be in this state of initial excitement, until we got in a routine and got accustomed to our surroundings, and then the excitement would wear off and we would begin to live as members of the people and culture here.

Ever since that day, I have been thinking, and praying to God that my excitement for being here would NEVER wear off. I want EVERY DAY to be extraordinary, each with its own surprises and joys. So I've been thinking....how can I experience this? How can EVERY DAY be extraordinary? Do I really deserve that? Is it fair for me to expect that? How do I maintain joy here, so that every single day, in spite of what happens, that joy never fades, but only grows stronger and deeper?

I first raised this question to several of my closest friends and family members: "How do we OBTAIN and MAINTAIN the joy in our lives?"

So far, I have received a variety of responses. Throughout this series of posts, I will include those responses (and I will give credit where credit is due!). I have been amazed and challenged by the responses I have received already, and am looking forward to the responses of others. If you have thoughts on joy - general thoughts, for now - PLEASE comment on the post with your thoughts, or even better, e-mail them to me and I can include them in these posts! I am really looking to include thoughts from other people, because I think that joy is one of those things that can be defined differently by different people.

For now, I will include some of my initial thoughts on the subject:
-I am most joyful when I am most satisfied in the Lord. When I take time each day to JUST spend time with him and focus on him, I find that every moment of the day is joyful, in spite of whatever circumstances or problems come my way. Setting time aside each day, especially in the morning before I do anything else that day, helps me to adjust my attitude and to fix my eyes on the Lord and on what his purpose for me is. This time gives me strength for the day, it gives me hope and endurance.
-I also find joy from relationships with other people around me. I just love being around other people, and whether I am around people I am good friends with or not, I always feel joyful when I am with people. Being with my family and closest friends brings me an indescribable amount of joy. The encouragement and love they give is enough to make me believe that I can do anything!

What do YOU think? How do we obtain and maintain joy in our lives? What is joy? What do you each day to remain joyful? Is is something that we should work hard at?

Saturday, September 19, 2009

"these are a few of my favorite things"

I'm sure that since I am out of the country until December my checking account is SO thankful that I can't really online shop as much! Well, technically, I could, but then the items would have to be shipped to my home in the US (because it would be insanely expensive to ship here to CR), and then I would have to wait 3 more months to use what I've ordered....anyway, it's just too much trouble and waiting! And I'm impatient, especially when it comes to adorable little things like these!


How adorable are these bobby pins?!
Buy them here!












Polka dots are classic. J. Crew thinks so too!
(Kelsey ruffle top)











I LOVE Steve Madden shoes! I think these boots would be adorable with a pair of dark wash skinny jeans!










This dress from Victoria's Secret is convertible - it can be worn 10 different ways, and comes in an assortment of colors! The ultimate party dress!

¡Pura vida!

If you have ever looked up anything about Costa Rica or if you have visited Costa Rica before, then you understand the significance of these two little words.

Directly translated, 'pura vida' means 'pure life.' The quote from a blogger below explains it so well, in my opinion:

  • “Pura Vida was first explained to me like this”, ‘Only here for a short time, so spread some cheer; and then your gone’.
  • Contextually, it means “Full of Life,” “Purified life”, “This is living!”, “Going great!” It is used as a greeting, a farewell, and to express satisfaction.
  • Some foreigners view the phrase as an expression of a leisurely lifestyle, of disregard for time and wanton friendliness. However, Costa Ricans use the phrase to express a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, good spirits, enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune, whether small or large.
  • It embodies a philosophy in which communal ties are strong and close; difficulties are overcome with a resilient and happy spirit, where life is enjoyed leisurely and to the full, and where fortune of whatever size is heartily celebrated.

I think that these points really sum it up. I have only been here for a month, but I can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES I have heard this phrase! When ticos say it, their face and voice light up. And the same thing happens when a foreigner says it - I LOVE saying 'pura vida' because I think that it's a way to summarize everything that I person want to say about enjoying life and seizing the moment.

So maybe you don't understand the meaning of this, or why two little words are so important to the people who live here and visit here. Maybe this newspaper headline from an article can explain it better: "Costa Rica Tops List of 'Happiest' Nations." You can read the article here. Basically, a research group released a report on the world's happiest nations which examined how content people are in their countries, the ecological footprints of these countries, and the life expectancy in these countries. (Be sure to check out the article itself to see a stunning slideshow of photos from the top ten!) Listed below are the ten happiest nations in the world:

  1. Costa Rica
  2. Dominican Republic
  3. Jamaica
  4. Guatemala
  5. Vietnam
  6. Colombia
  7. Cuba
  8. El Salvador
  9. Brazil
  10. Honduras

The Latin American countries seem to dominate this list! (By the way, I made a short-term and long-term goals list last week, and I wrote down that I wanted to visit every country in Latin America by the time I was 30. A lofty goal, yes, but if not by the time I'm 30, then DEFINITELY by the time I'm 40!!) You may be interested to know that the US ranked 114th on this list. Hmm....

Reading this articles has really caused me to question what constitutes happiness and 'pura vida,' and I'm sure that this is something I will continue to think about as I stay here longer and see more and more of the culture. So far, what I can gather is that:

  • People here are stress and worry-free. The story from my economics class the other day is a prime example (read the post here). Ticos don't need all the answers all the time. They don't have to have every detail figured out for everything. And from trying to live this way, in a way that is less stressful and worrisome, I have found that it really does allow for a more peaceful life!
  • Ticos get in no hurry when they eat. A meal is not a time to eat, but to sit down with family or friends and to relax, enjoy each other's company, talk, and get to know each other. They eat slower, which means they probably eat less, and it gives food more time to digest, which is better for your health anyway!
  • Ticos just in general are social people and like to have a good time. I strongly believe that relationships are at the heart of a person's happiness. So seeing how they interact with each other, how close groups of friends are, and how close families are show how much these people care for each other and want to enjoy each moment that they have iwth the people who are around them.
  • Additionally, 96% of the population here is literate, meaning that 96% of people who live in Costa Rica who are over the age of 15 can read and write.
  • Every site I looked at had a different life expectancy for people here, but average seems to be in the late 70s, close to that of the US.

I will be blogging more about pura vida throughout my time here, so check back to see what new things I have discovered!

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Costa_Rica

http://idreamnowtravelblog.com/2008/01/25/the-definition-and-meaning-of-pura-vida-the-beautiful-national-expression-of-costa-rica/

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_costarica.html

http://news.aol.com/article/costa-rica-happiest-nation/556510

Friday, September 18, 2009

Day trip to San Jose - a picture tour

*These are pictures I took today on our visit to the National Museum and the Gold Museum. Click on them to enlarge them so that you can see and appreciate the beauty and detail, ESPECIALLY for the paintings!!! Enjoy! :o)
From the gold museum:



Wouldn't you LOVE to have a necklace like this?!

Beautiful art at the Museo Nacional:

SO BEAUTIFUL!

"De Costa a Costa" - Took the artist 10 years to complete, and she just finished this year. This painting depicts Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, the middle plains, and the Atlantic Coast! I wish this picture could capture its beauty!


Big church in San Jose - beautiful inside!


Thursday y Friday

Thursday was a long day. I had class at 8 am - Literature. I think we all were kind of out of it. On top of that, we had to read a long story that was written in the 1500s (in Spanish, of course) that we didn't really understand. I think we were all happy when 11 am came!

I went home and studied for my Advanced Spanish test that was coming at 1. We had lunch at home - crepes, which were pretty good! I took a 10 minute nap, watched part of a soccer game, and then went to school a little early to try to study.

Profe wasn't there when we arrived, and then we remembered that on Thursdays our class is in a different building on campus, but way up the hill. We hiked up the hill to the room, and there she was, waiting. We took the test, and it was pretty short, but TOO hard....or at least for me, anyway. After we finished she let us go get a snack, so we took a 30 minute break or so, and then came back. For the second part of the class, we learned about onomatopoeia, in Spanish. It was interesting, and funny too, because we learned about ANIMAL onomatopoiea! She said that few Costa Ricans even know what some of the words are that we learned. We also looked at a list of comparisons that are used commonly here. The rest of the class was fairly laid back, which we were thankful for since we had just been murdered by our test!

After class, I waited around campus for dance class to start. We started around 5:30, with my favorite - SALSA! I hope that by the end of this class I can dance like a TICA! We also went over meringue, and next week we will be learning cumbia, I believe.

We all walked home and decided to meet up at 8:30 out our favorite ice cream spot near the parque. Only a few showed up, so we had some ice cream, and then walked around and decided to go to the supermercado so that those going on their field study this weekend could get some food and stuff! We ran into 2 of our other amigos, and eventually we migrated to the park. We ran into MO's host brother and his posse of tico friends, so we hung out with them for a couple of hours or so. We taught each other slang words in our different languages, and just had a good time laughing and talking! We all took taxis home, and I came in and went to bed immediately!

Last night was the 3rd night in a row that I haven't slept good. Normally, I am a hard sleeper - when I fall asleep, I really don't move at all until I wake up the next morning. The last few nights I have been tossing and turning, and from what I can guess, it's because I'm sick with a terrible head cold.

Anyway, I woke up this morning and got dressed and made it to school around 8. Today our culture class went to San Jose for the day to visit the National Museum and the Gold Museum. The next post will have the pictures!!!! (I also have scads more posted on facebook!) It was interesting and we learned a lot about the history of Costa Rica. For lunch, instead of stopping at the gringo spots - aka McDonald's, BK, KFC - our profe took us to a food court that had a lot of typical Costa Rican dishes. For 2200 colones (less than $5 US), Tonya got rice, mashed potatoes, grilled chicken, veggies, a fresca (drink), and some soup. And it was SO tasty!!! I love how cheap things are here and how DELICIOUS they are!

We also walked through an old market that was a block wide and a block long that had anything you could ever imagine. It wasn't a tourist spot, but more a place for locals, but you could buy souvenirs too, like a little hidden gem, almost!

We came back and arrived around 4:30. I got in my bed immediately and watched a movie and relaxed, and have been doing just that until now (7 pm CR time!). We are about to eat supper. I'm not sure what the night will hold - I don't really feel well, so we'll just have to see what happens!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Wednesday

Yesterday I had class at 8 am - Intl. Political Economy. Interesting and all of that, until the professor decided to tell us how messed up American society is. Let me explain.

He gave us an assignment, an essay on the international economic stage from 1950-1970 and gave a couple of points that we needed to write about. All he wrote on the board was that, and 2.5 pages. So I asked him if he wanted it typed or handwritten, double spaced, etc., the standard paper questions that students ask their teachers. He then looks at me and shakes his head. (Keep in mind that this entire conversation is going on in Spanish.) He writes on the board, in spanish, 'time is money,' and then crosses it out. He then proceeds to explain to us that Americans want all the details, all the requirements, everything laid out so that we know EXACTLY what is expected of us. And then he tells us that in Costa Rica things are a LOT different, and that we don't always have to know all the rules for everything, and that things are slower-paced and less competitive and demanding. We tol dhim that it wasn't our fault, that that is how our professors and mentors in the US have trained us, that at home those things are expected of us. So he then says (in Spanish), "Tonya, if you went to a pizza place in Nicaragua, you would wait an hour and a half for your pizza after you ordered it. What would you do then?" basically saying this to illustrate that in Nicaragua life is even SLOWER and less rushed. It was challenging to think about this, but then again it's not our faults that our culture is that way. Anyway, he eventually wrote the requirements on the board, and we were satisfied and called it a day.

I then had to meet with Claudia to discuss some internship details. We met for an hour or so and went over what we had each looked at. I had to research strategic plans of hospitals, in the US and in LA, and note the elements included in them. She was going to review all of the documents that the hospital had given to us to see what they lacked in the Strategic Plan that they have been working on. We figured it all out, called the doctor and told him what we found, and scheduled meetings to work on the parts that they were missing or that were incomplete. He was very pleased with what he had done. For now, I have to look at the first thing that have to do within the next 2 weeks. It was a great meeting and I felt really good after I left.

I went home to my casa and had DELICIOUS cheeseburgers for lunch. They were yummy! I had 2. I then laid down because I was feeling sick, and was thinking about how great it would be if it would start raining, and how good I would sleep if it was storming. As if God heard me, it immediately began thundering and raining. I slept for an hour and a half, and then got up to study and do some work. I lazily did some homework, and called MI and AK to see if they wanted to study. They came over and we studied for a while! It was fun and we got a lot done. MM made empanadas and tea for us....QUE RICO! They left later, and I continued studying. AM and I looked at some pharmacy and med schools in CR online to see if I could find one!! Schools work a little bit differently here, and I hope to post on that when I can find out more about it.

I went to bed around 10, but had trouble falling asleep, and didn't really sleep well because i was sick.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Independence Day

I woke up around 8 am, showered and got dressed and ready quickly, and had breakfast - ham, egg and cheese sandwich and coffee. I ran out the door to DL's house to meet her and AK to go see the Independence Day parade at 10 in the middle of town. We walked to the white church and met up with a couple of other amigos. We hung out and waited for the parade to make its way to us, and sure enough, it did! The parade consisted mainly of bands from schools in the area and groups dressed in traditional costumes that were dancing and stuff. Not a lot of variety, but still entertaining. However, all of the band-playing and drums made me miss football games and the band and music there!
Some of us walked around town for a bit just so that we wouldn't be standing still for so long. We ended up back at the park and sat under a tree for a while, people watching and just taking in the sights and sounds of the festivities around us. It was quite pleasant! After a while we decided to walk around a bit, and we stumbled upon a THRIFT STORE. MSG had been talking about some thrift store finds since she had been here, and we were glad to find the store!!! All of us got something. I found a sparkly shirt and a fun dress, and the others found some interesting items too. AK found a SOUTH CAROLINA shirt, though he didn't buy it:

After the thrift store we walked home and parted ways. I went to my casa and did some work and had some lunch - spaghetti with hand-shredded parmesan cheese, just like the old days at Wellington, daddy, when we would have spaghetti every Sunday afternoon and we would shred the cheese ourselves! Anyway, it was delicious, and I ate my whole plateful!

I continued doing some catching up on e-mails and homework and such and waited to head to the birthday party at 3. We arrived promptly at 3 and were some of the first guests there. The young cousin whose birthday it was turned 6 years old, and he is probably one of the most adorable little kids I have ever seen!!! We all sat around (as we did for most of the party) and just talked and spent time together. I met a lot of people, most of whom I can't remember their names, but everyone was nice! They served a LOT of food: a soup of carne (meat) that tasted like a mix of chili beans and barbecue - DELICIOUS, empanadas with pollo (chicken), some other knick knacks, and my new favorite snack item - ROSQUILLAS. They are like cookies rolled up into a pretzel shape. Last but not least, we had queque, or cake. It was a Transformers cake to go along with the party them. DELICIOUS, of course! We left just after 6 and headed back to the casa. AM and I started doing some homework, and then I called KL to see if she still wanted to come study. She was just up the road at MO's house, so she hopped down the street to my casa! We all studied together and had popcorn!!!

When it was time for KL to leave, I asked AM if we could call a taxi. She said we could, but she said I would have to do it! So, I did it. Somehow I managed to, and the taxi showed up moments later. I'm glad I got over that hump! Now I can llamar (call) taxis!

I went to bed soon after! What a great day it was! So glad that we had no classes and that I was able to celebrate with the ticos!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

NYFashionWeek

NYTimes - NY Fashion Week Coverage

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/style/fashionweek/runway.html?WT.mc_id=ST-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M114-ROS-0909-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click

Favorite collections (so far!):
Diane von Furstenberg
Betsey Johnson
Tory Burch

What are your favorites?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------



MNG - New favorite store! In the malls here in CR...

http://www.mango.com/oi/index.html

Dia de Independencia en Costa Rica

Hoy es el dia de independencia in Costa Rica!

A little bit about how Costa Rica gained its independence and how it is celebrated:


  • Guatemala proclaimed their independence from Spain for all Central America on September 15, 1821. Ironically, Costa Ricans didn't find out of their independence status until a month later.

  • Following independence, Central America signed the first constitution, the "Pacto de Concordia" and in December of 1821 Costa Rica held its first ever elections.

  • In 1856, the American filibuster, William Walker, threatened Costa Rica's independence by attempting to make it a slave colony. Walker and his troops were pushed back by the Costa Rican people's army of 9.000 soldiers and with the lead of Juan Santamaría, defeated Walker.

  • Today, Costa Rica is a democratic nation and unlike the Central American nations, army free.

From: http://insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2009/september/14/cr07.htm

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hillary Clinton acknowledged Costa Rica's Independence Day in this statement below:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
September 15, 2009
STATEMENT BY SECRETARY CLINTON

Costa Rica Independence Day

On behalf of the people of the United States, I would like to congratulate the Costa Rican people as they celebrate their 188th Independence Day on September 15. We are united by our shared democratic values and a strong partnership that enhances the security and prosperity of all our people.

On this historic occasion, I want to salute Costa Rica’s strong regional leadership in working to advance human rights and the rule of law, encourage peaceful resolution of conflicts, strengthen democratic institutions, protect the environment, and build greater shared prosperity. The people of Costa Rica have so much to be proud of and to celebrate, and I hope that the Independence Day festivities, especially the nation-wide street light parades, are a great success.

I also want to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to continue working together with Costa Rica to strengthen our partnership and seek new areas of cooperation that will ensure a more peaceful and prosperous future for us all.

From: http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2009/September/20090915114347eaifas0.6149822.html?CP.rss=true#ixzz0RCV3KWv1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How do we celebrate?

Back home, Independence Day signifies cook outs, time at the lake, fireworks, and all things red, white, and blue.

In Costa Rica, Independence Day means parades, running torches, fiestas, fireworks, and all things red, white, and blue.

"...The holiday is marked by parades and performances by students in the community. Nearly all celebrations are composed of a parade in which regional schools perform the national anthem, carry the Costa Rican Flag and twirl batons. The parade is a can’t miss event in every community where the main boulevard is lined with people cheering on the youngsters who proudly march past."
From: http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/independence-day-monteverde/

"A torch relay that began on Monday in the northwestern province of Guanacaste ended in Cartago, the old capital east of San José, with the singing of the national anthem. (I actually saw the torch run by when I was in the middle of the break during class on Monday!!!!!)

Early evening Monday, children flooded the streets of areas like the eastern San José neighborhood of San Pedro with candlelit lanterns, a Costa Rican tradition."
Read more here: http://www.ticotimes.net/daily.htm#story1

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today is a happy day (as is every day!) here in Costa Rica!

Check back later today for pictures I took of the parade!!!!

Monday

Yesterday was a good day! I woke up around 6:30 am and had gallo pinto and eggs with ham for breakfast, coffee and OJ. I scurried off to school to Society and the Environment. The class was again interesting. We talked about the use and waste of resources, mainly focusing on Costa Rica. The leadership of the country has taken strides in the last couple of decades to prevent forest loss and has greatly improved in this area. However, Claudia says that people continue to misuse and waste resources. We talked about our own states and what resources we had and that we used and what the problems were back home for a comparison. Overall, a pretty interesting class!

I hung out at school for about an hour after class to update my blog and talk with my friends. I then headed home to have lunch - fried chicken, squash, and mashed potatoes!!! I have never liked squash, but it was DELICIOUS!

After lunch, I was still tired from the weekend so I enjoyed an hour and a half long siesta!!! It was incredible. I then woke up and just hung around until 2:30, and I went and met another student to go get a cafecito at Cafe Delicias!!!

CAFE DELICIAS could put Starbucks to shame!!!! The menu was incredible - any kind of cake or pie or sweet you could want, any kind of coffee or tea drink, hot or cold, and a lot of typical Costa Rican foods as well! I will definitely be going back there ASAP, maybe even today!!! I used the WiFi and so did my companero. Afterwards, we headed back towards school. We stopped at the supply store and I got some colored pencils and blank CDs. We made it back to the U for a small fiesta with the USAC professors and staff and other students. They had some food for us and music to celebrate Independence Day. We all decided to meet up later in the night to all hang out together and celebrate Independence Day!

I made it back home around 5 or so and spent some time working on my blog and getting some things organized. For supper, we had leftovers. I talked to mom and dad on Skype for a while, and relaxed for the rest of the evening. I got ready and met MSG to walk to La U to meet up with the other students to go to the central part of town. They had already gotten out of class, so we walked to a couple of their houses to meet them and then we all walked together. We met our other friends near the park and all went to a cool place just near the park that was having an Independence Day fiesta!!! It had an upstairs and downstairs area. Downstairs was loud and there were black lights and crazy posters everywhere and techno music was playing way too loud, and upstairs was lighter, cooler, and had salsa music playing. There were also some foosball and pool tables there. I ran into a tico friend and some of us played foosball. Then some of us silly gringos tried to salsa! It was fun, but the ticos definitely were better! We eventually made it back downstairs to the loud music, and somehow those of us girls that were left there ended up in the middle of a circle of tico friends of KL's host brother. We have met them all before and they are all really nice! Anyway it was fun for us to all dance together! Afterward we headed to another student's house to get some water and snacks. His house is SO COOL! His mom and her brothers I believe made most of the stuff in their house. It looks like something off of HGTV. I wish I knew how to describe it. There was "stuff" everywhere, but it was so adorable and all worked together somehow! His family own's Bugy's, a fast-food like restaurant here in San Ramon that he said has better food than any fast food restaurant he's been to! Unfortunately they were closed, so we settled for galletas (cookies) instead! We then headed home via taxi, and I came in and went straight to bed!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Stay tuned!!!

In spite of a busy busy weekend, I had a lot of time to think, and I really started thinking about my blog a lot! I LOVE writing, and always have, even though I really haven't ever said that to many people. I love journaling, and I really do enjoy keeping this blog! After a lot of thought, I have decided that it is time to take it to the next level!

I don't want this blog to be all about me. After a while it may get boring for those who read it to just read the details of my life here each day. I have tried to break up that monotony so far by including posts about my observations and opinions of the culture here, but I have realized this weekend that there is more that I can do!

Here are some ideas that I have thought of and am brainstorming more about (and of course I am open to suggestions!!!):

  • Love Language LUNES - Lunes = Monday in Spanish. If you know me well, you know that I LOVE to talk about the love languages! This book by Gary Chapman has changed my life more than any other book ever has. It has taught me how to be a good friend, daughter, sister, etc., whatever my role may be in any and every relationship I am involved in. SO...each Monday (or lunes) I will be posting something about the love languages. I will be explaining each of them (there are 5), including guest posts or something of that nature that contains thoughts and opinions of others on the love languages, and hopefully just sharing enough about them that people will begin to recognize them and realize their importance in their own lives!

  • I am thinking through some sort of daily/weekly post that is similar each week - photo of the week, verse/quote/thought of the day/week, word of the day, dish of the day (since I love the food here so much!) with a recipe or something like that - I have to think through this part a bit more! Maybe a travel story from a reader each week, a photo of the week with a different them each week? Who knows!!!
  • Guest posts - Some blogs I read almost every day have guest posters, and I think this may be a great thing to try to incorporate! Not sure what the specifics would be on this - it may just be that people send in a request to post and then they write on whatever they want and I post it (after approving, of course). Need to think about this one some more.

These are just some ideas I am thinking through right now! Again, if you have suggestions/ideas, comment on this post with your recommendations, or e-mail me!

In today's news.....

Today I have stumbled across a few articles that caught my attention, and so below I have posted links to an article from Clemson, an article from the NYTimes, and an article from Nacion, the national newspaper of Costa Rica!

CLEMSON
133 cases of swine flu reported up to this point. What should be done?
http://www.clemson.edu/media-relations/article.php?article_id=2202

NYTimes
As a student currently studying a foreign language, this REALLY bothers me:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/education/13language.html?em

COSTA RICA
If you can read Spanish, or if you just want to know what this says and can put it into freetranslation.com, go to the site below.
http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/septiembre/14/economia2086325.html
This article basically talks about how foreigners come to Costa Rica to get rid of stress, and end up staying longer! I will try to come back later and give a more detailed translation as best I can, because this is REALLY interesting!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

What a great weekend!!!

FRIDAY

  • No class on Friday!!!! I slept in till 8:30 or so, got up, and had breakfast and lots of coffee!!!! I spent a while catching up on some e-mails and some online window shopping. By online window shopping, I mean just looking around online with no intentions of purchasing anything.
  • I showered and got ready, and by that time lunch was ready. We ate lunch together as a family and then AM (the daughter) and I decided to go to the mall because I wanted to look for a couple of things and get some other things from the store.
  • It was cloudy all day and then just around lunch time it started pouring rain. It continued all day and all afternoon and made for a dreary day! The trip to the mall did bring a little sunshine in though!!
  • By mall here, I don't mean mall probably like you think. The mall has a food court that it probably just as big as the rest of the mall. There were only 10 stores, if I'm guessing correctly, including a big supermarket tacked onto the mall. I had to get some shampoo and things so I bought those there.
  • I also found a pair of adorable pink peep toe shoes that have a slight wedge-like heel. They were less than $20!!!! They had a LOT of cute shoes at the mall, so I'll probably be back soon to buy some heels since that is all that the girls down here wear after dark!
  • I also found 2 pair of skinny jeans that I am just in love with. One pair is a lighter wash and has small holes in it. I normally don't go for holey jeans, but these just caught my eye immediately and they look really stylish. The other pair is SUPER dark, with a little bit of dark sequin detailing lining the pockets. I had been looking for a pair of ultra dark skinny jeans before I came here but couldn't find any that I liked that fit well, and I am so glad that I found these!!!
  • On a sadder note....on Thursday night just before I was heading out for the night, I broke my bottle of Lilly Pulitzer perfume. I had set it on the edge of my desk and somehow the cords for my desk lamp and computer got tangled with the perfume, and it just fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, spilling perfume everywhere. The smell gave me an immediate headache, and it still has not dissipated at all from the room, 2 days later. Anyway, at the mall I came upon some good-smelling Victoria's Secret perfume in a store (legit VS, imported from the US, it's not a knock off), and it was fairly priced so I purchased it as a temporary replacement for my perfume.
  • AM and I were waiting outside of the mall for mi madre to come pick us up when 4 gringos walked by into the mall. One came back out to stand outside and asked me where I was from (is it THAT obvious that I'm not from Costa Rica??). I told him I was from the US, and I found out that he and his friends are from Amsterdam. They are traveling around the country, visiting beaches and seeing the sites, and had stopped in San Ramon on their way to Arenal Volcano. (What do you call people from Amsterdam??? Amsterdamians?)
  • We went back home and I had some coffee, and then just spent the afternoon being very lazy. The rain made me not want to do anything, so I just read a little bit and enjoyed the restful time I had listening to the rain. I took a shower and got ready late that afternoon. My family had invited me to go with them to something at the kids' school. It was like a big fiesta with lots of typical Costa Rican food, music, and tables all over the gyms where people could sit and talk. It was very crowded, so we bought some food to take home since it was too crowded to eat there. We brought it home and ate it, and I finished getting ready so that I could go and meet up with my amigos.
  • I went to KL's house first to watch a movie with her, 2 other girls, and her host brother. We left around 9 to go meet up with some of our other friends out somewhere. The streets were totally deserted, and KL's brother told is that it was because it was raining - people usually don't go out if it's been raining all day, even if it has stopped - even though it was Friday night!
  • We all hung out together for a few hours, and had some ice cream too! The guy at the ice cream shop was from the gringo-tico friend meeting that we'd been to on Thursday, and he was very nice! We all went home pretty early and decided to go to the waterfalls nearby the next day.

SATURDAY

  • I slept till 8:30 or 9, very late, and got up and had breakfast and got dressed quickly. We all decided to meet at the green church at 10. I headed there just after breakfast to meet up with the others. Some people were going to meet up with us at school, so we all walked to school to meet up together. We didn't end up leaving until 11 or so by my best estimate, and we took a taxi van up the hill to Las Musas.
  • Las Musas is an ecotouristy thing that has some natural waterfalls, hiking trails, and swimming pools. A few of us hiked the entire trail all the way around the mountain and saw some incredible views, pretty butterflies, and we had a lot of fun!!! After hiking, we went down the huge waterslide at the pool and swam around for a bit, then went swimming around the waterfall. It was kind of cloudy most of the day, but the water felt nice and cool.
  • We hung out until three or so and then called a taxi to come get us. Some of us went back with KL and her host brother and got a DELICIOUS pizza at a place near her house. We took it to her house and devoured it!!!! We then watched Crank, which I can't say I'm a fan of. Afterwards, SC, MSG, and I walked home. I took a shower and got ready and Skyped with the parentals for a bit.
  • I met up with MSG and SC at the green church to walk to Kelsey's house. We walked to her house and then walked to Night Fever near the mall! Girls were allowed in at no charge so we all went in together! We ran into our other friends, so it was a big group of us gringos all there together!!! And what great fun it was!!!
  • We danced for hours and hours. We all had this big silly dance circle going on with some ticos, and it was pretty amusing, all of us watching each other dance. At some point in the night the DJ gave a shout out to the Americans there (aka US). I did get to salsa, thankfully, although the tico obviously knew a different salsa than I knew. Anyway, my legs were sore from dancing by the end of the night, but we all had a good time and made a lot of new friends!!!

SUNDAY

  • I slept until 9 or so and then got up and had breakfast, gallo pinto and scrambled eggs, with mucho cafe on the side!!! I spent most of the morning updating/changing my blog and catching up on some e-mails and doing some research for my paper due Monday.
  • My host mother invited me to go a baby shower with her and AM, so of course I said YES (I really did want to go to see what it was like, but I also wanted to procrastinate just a bit longer on my assignment!).
  • The shower started at 3, so being on tico time, we went at 3:30. The shower, which also was apparently on tico time, began at 4 with a prayer and a toast. They then served us all KIND of food throughout the ENTIRE thing. It was AWESOME, except I was full from lunch. We played all kinds of games. One that we played involved 2 circles - one inner, one outer - each going opposite directions, and then you had to find your partner and sit down, without being the last to sit. Mi prima y yo WON!!!!! I got a cool gift - a little candle decoration thing that I get to put in my room! How exciting!!!!
  • All the people were so nice. And we had so much to eat. We were there for a good 3 hours though, and they were still going strong. We were ready to go, because AM had to study for a test Monday and I had to do my assignment.
  • We stopped by my host dad's family's house because something happened with his mom and they wanted to check on her. I met his parents...nice of course.
  • We went back to the hizzouse and I completed my assignment, slowly but surely, in between Skype and Facebook conversations.
  • I finished early and went to bed around 10:45 pm.

I think that brings everything up to speed. Not much will be going on today, and I have a lot of things I want to post about, other than trip details!!!