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!