Things I'll miss...

Less than 2 weeks to go here in CR which is making me a bit of an emotional basket case. Half the time I look up in the sky and see an airplane and get so excited I want to run home and pack my suitcase…literally it has taken every ounce of self control I have not to start packing. And the other half of the time I think what on earth am I doing I can’t leave Costa Rica! Especially before Miley Cyrus comes and sings in the new national stadium on the 21st of may! (she really is coming but not to worry there is not a chance on this beautiful earth that I would go to that concert…I bet she doesn’t even speak Spanish. Lame.) anywho it has been an amazing trip that when you ask me about I wont be able to sum up…sorry in advance for that. But here are just a few of the many many things I will miss when I go home. (and just so you know the list of things I am looking forward to is super long as well but I sound less whiney if I do things I will miss and not things I cant hardly wait for ) So here we go. These are just a few of the things I will miss from CR…
1. Huevos huevos aquí va los huevos…the phrase the egg selling man shouts from his truck in the mornings.
2. goats on dumpsters
3. arguing with randall everynight and reminding myself how far i am from grasping the fruits of the spirit
4. mangos…despite our disagreements one week
5. Harold…who often runs back into class after he has left to give me another hug
6. 7th grade math in Spanish…we had a love/hate relationship (usually more hate than love) but I grew more as a teacher in that class than I could have ever imagined
7. Names like Youbelka and Pedro and Allison and Steven (we were very multicultural in the name department)
8. Wednesday Kids club…which would be more aptly named semi-controlled chaos
9. using cheekies as bribes
10. sharing a pink princess bedroom with a 6 year old

11. the gorgeous nightly sunsets and constant view of the mountains
12. the thunderstorms that come with the guarantee of no tornadoes
13. The beach…which I have been to exactly 2 times in 8 months 
14. San Jose…my introvert hide out city
15. being taught “pachucos” (CR slang) and then when I use it either hearing people crack up or tell me that’s not proper Spanish you shouldn’t say it (keep in mind the same people who are reacting this way are the ones who taught me it in the first place )
16. Spanish
17. Angry outbursts in English so I don’t offend anyone (its like a built in second chance to control my anger)
18. never having to drive anywhere/ my daily naps on the bus
19. the way my 13 year old host brother knows all my friends and relatives first and last names and what they look like…thank you facebook.

20. betting on soccer games with the same 13 year old…and losing 90% of the time.
21. using my teacher voice on my host siblings to get them to obey (sometimes it even works…sometimes)
22. People questioning me when I say an English word b/c it doesn’t sound like how their teacher said it…yes I dare say my accent is probably a bit better than your elementary school English teacher.
23. rice, beans, huevo duro, and aguacate…emmm y arroz con pollo. Soo yummy.
24. not batting an eye when i pay 2000 colones for something (that’s only about 4 dollars)
25. the looks of fear on peoples faces when I tell them I live in Lomas and then the way it changes to absolute terror when I tell them I work in Carpio. I just laugh…only place I have ever been pick pocketed is in San Jose…just goes to show what stereotypes will lead you to believe.
26. Gringo time. This I will miss b/c it will no longer be a treasured moment once a week it will be an all day every day blessing but then I will revert to #16. A vicious cycle really.
27. the excitement of feeling the earth gently move and wondering if it is a tiny earthquake…or just a large semi.
28. having up to 6 people on my bed at a time trying to talk to me…while I’m reading a book or writing in my journal.
29. pops ice cream
30. My host family…as much as they drive me nuts sometimes…they are amazing.
31. La Carpio…if all towns with bad reputations are filled with as many wonderful people as La carpio is then I don’t ever want to live in a town with a good reputation (sorry mom and dad )
32. Every single child who has crossed my path in Lomas and Carpio. If we can keep society from screwing them up the future is in good hands.
33. Spanish worship songs that when I translate them in my head sound a bit like this….”Fire. Fire that burns. Fire. Fire that burns.” Emm love it. And then there is the ever popular “ there is heavenly wine. There is heavenly wine.” And my favorite due only to irony is the “God of the army. You will fight for your people. God of the army. Defeat your enemies.” Just in case u missed the irony on that one…CR has no army. 
34. Costa Rica. Pura Vida.

Tico Family Vacation

So we just wrapped up Semana Santa (Holy Week) down here in CR which if you are Tico means you will do one of three things:
1. Go to the beach. It’s a week where virtually the whole family has off so many pack their book bags hop a bus and hit the beach.
2. If you are a legit hard core Catholic you will be going to mass every day and participating in processions (like parades but somber) while you carry an image of Jesus or Mary or your favorite saint around town.
3. And option number three if you don’t want to leave town but youre not Catholic you will stay home and watch the hundreds of poorly made biblical movies that the good old US of A has made with blond haired blue eyed Jesuses that are dubbed over into Spanish.
Leading up to this Semana Santa the family was talking about going to the beach but in true tico form they had made zero plans which I assumed would result in us spending semana santa in form number 3. (this form was the way I spent smenana santa here during my study abroad…and I was dreading it) Option number 2 is obviously not for us seeing as how we are hard core evangelicals and not hard core Catholics. So this is how semana santa went down for the Bejarano Chacon Gremar family…
Palm Sunday: went to church as normal. Church was anything but normal. Started off the pastor telling us about his one week missions trip to Peru. Then he told us how God had placed on his heart that we should have communion (we do it once every couple of months) and so he was going to buy unleavened bread like during the feast of the Passover but then he decided that we would do communion different. How? We would spend 30 minutes hugging each other. Well as soon as my host dad Randall heard that he was like a kid in a candy store (he LOVES giving hugs…ie. he picked up my real dad to hug him when my family got here at Christmas time) I on the other hand thought well crap should I hide in the bathroom or just go outside and relax. (Hugging strangers is not one of my favorite pastimes) So I got my familial hugs, those were nice, and then China and Randall took off to give there hugs to everyone else. And I stood there very very awkwardly. Went to the bathroom, came back…hugging still going on. Pulled out my journal and started to write so I at least wouldn’t make any accidental eye contact. Had 3 or 4 women take pity on me and come give me hugs and then mercifully we wrapped “communion” up for the day. The oddities continued, however, as we decided that instead of normal worship we would sing medlies of worship songs from the 70s 80s 90s and 2000s. Well I can’t lie that was actually highly entertaining to hear the shift in Spanish worship songs from before I was born to when I became a Spanish language lover. And to wrap up the oddities we were given cake…really really delicious cake from Spoon. Why? Don’t know. Nobody said. But when it comes to free cake I rarely ask questions. And that my friends was Palm Sunday. Jesus’s triumphal procession was not mentioned, actually Jesus was hardly mentioned. Later that day I translated the word Easter for Mama china and she said that was today right…nope. Today was palm Sunday, Easter is next week. (Much of this painfully obvious neglect of a crucial story in the Christian faith is because the Evangelicals are sooooo concerned with not being associated with the Catholics in any way shape or form that they often over do it on avoiding things that might be considered Catholic.)
Monday was normal. I slept all day b/c I had the Pajama party the night before and was exhausted)
Tuesday I went to lunch with the other gringos and learned that I would not indeed be subjected to the Biblical movies but that we were going to go to the Beach. I was excited but also super nervous because I kept hearing names of extended family members mentioned and I got the picture that the entire week would be spent hanging out with Ticos I don’t know.
Wednesday we hopped a bus at 7:30am to Orotina where Mama China has family (months ago we had gone to visit this family for a weekend…and it was painfully boring so this added to my dread) We hung out and watched movies on TV (they have cable) then mercifully at 3pm we caught a bus to Mata Limon a little Beach town where we were going to be staying and where Mama China has more family. We got there and saw a good sized house, actually bigger than ours here in Lomas, but it was really dirty and super hot. The pool we had been told about was about 5 ft by 10 ft and about 3 ft deep had no water in it. I was immediately skeptical. There were 3 bedrooms in the house same as there are here in Lomas but instead of divvying up the bedrooms like a normal American family would the rents decided the best option would be to put all the mattresses together on the floor in the main room. Day 1 was shaping up to be odd but not awful.

Thursday we filled up the little pool and played in it for a few hours. I read a book. Wrote some post cards. And in general relaxed. And then at 3pm we headed to the beach we figured it would be better to go when the sun was setting and not at its hottest. The waves were strong and I ended up looking after Emily most of the time but it was a lot of fun. Only chatted with extended family once.
Friday was almost identical to Thursday except that I didn’t get in the little pool this day but continued reading my book. 3pm went to the beach. Then for dinner we grilled meat. Lots and lots of meat.

Saturday was identical to Friday except for the fact that my stomach was a bit upset because I had eaten about a million mangos the first 3 days (the grew all over the trees in Mata Limon so we harvested a ton one day) still read my book although I had finished the first and was on to the second. Finished writing my post cards. And then at 4pm we went to the beach.


Easter Sunday (except I don’t think anyone in my family knew it was Easter Sunday) we took a bus from Mata Limon to Puntarenas. From there we took a bus from Puntarenas to San Jose. And From San Jose we took a bus to Lomas. Walked in the door at 2pm…at 2:05 pm I was asleep on my bed. It is now 5:20 and I’m writing this blog. Strange easter? Yes. There was no bunny, no colored eggs, no chocolate or jelly beans and no mention of Jesus. But in the grand scheme of things its probably no more odd than spending Christmas with my real family on a beach in CR. Or celebrating thanksgiving the 5th of December and singing Christmas songs in Spanish. This year has been filled with oddities but it has been an excellent time as well. And I know that in 19 days!!! When I am home I will miss it. So for now I will continue to embrace the strange things that come my way while I simultaneously count down the days till I get home to “normal” life.
Pura Vida
KT

Still having my eyes opened...

So last night we had a piyamada…a PJ party at the Refuge in Carpio. It was for the girls from the institute where I teach math as well as for the girls from the Saturday program (youth group basically) that I sometimes help out with. Well to be perfectly honest I was dreading it the whole week. I pictured 30 plus girls screaming and ignoring the leaders, which often happens at youth group. Well as usual I was wrong (and I believe God is trying to get me to wake up and not be such a crab about activities out of my comfort zone). The pj party ended up being a lot of fun and what I would consider a huge success. It was also an eye opener for me. You would think that after 7 months (to the day) of being here I would not be having so many aha! Moments but well apparently I’m still learning.
So eye opener #1 was this:
We watched the movie Precious. Definitely not G rated. Filled with swear words I more or less hadn’t heard in 7 months (we only had it in English with Spanish sub titles…great for me, rough on the girls) and with incredibly tough to deal with situations. It’s a story based on the real life stories of girls in Harlem who have suffered verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. Who have been told their whole lives they are worthless and dumb and will never amount to anything. Girls who have been kicked out of traditional schools and have been labeled doomed. Well the girl in this story…despite set backs that would make most people shut down and be unreachable…keeps pressing on. She gets in an alternative school and gets more or less a hold on her life and on the lives of her 2 kids who are products of rape. Like I said it’s not an easy movie to watch. And afterwards we asked the girls if the movie exaggerated or not…they said no. it was realistic. And that is what opened my eyes yet again. Praise the lord not all of the girls at youth group have that sort of home situation but one girl there has a daughter who is a product of rape. Others if not physical abuse certainly feel verbal abuse in their homes. Many of my math students came to the first day of class saying they couldn’t do anything, they were awful at math, etc. And not all of that comes from failing out of public school here or dropping out for one reason or another. Much of it comes from teachers, parents, classmates saying you will never amount to anything…and then they believe it.




Which leads to eye opener #2:
Math at the institute was not exactly a cake walk. The girls had no self confidence. Which made many of them lash out at anyone around…easy target? The gringa who doesn’t understand slang and swear words so she can’t punish them. Sometimes the disrespect was overwhelming, even though I didn’t understand word for word I am not oblivious enough to not realize when I am being ridiculed. So it was a tough 5 months with a mobility rate that would rival the worst public school in the states. My class started with 5 students, at its peak it had 10, in the end I had 3 students only 1 of which was there from the beginning. I often asked myself why on earth the girls even bothered to come to class when some refused to come to the board (b/c of embarrassment), when others missed 2 out of 4 days of class each week, when they rarely did their homework unless I bribed them with cookies the next day, and when one would intentionally miss any day we had a quiz because of her intense test anxiety. To me it was a challenge at best and a frustrating thorn in my flesh at worst. And then we had this pj party. The girls had just finished testing that day and they all brought their tests to be graded so they wouldn’t have to wait for results. I graded them and confirmed what I already knew…none of them passed. A blow to my ego? Sure, but not surprising. But that wasn’t the eye opener either. This was my last time to be together with all the girls at the institute and so they said their goodbyes to me. And as they were saying it two of my math girls teared up. One was a girl who literally never did a homework assignment and in the end didn’t even take the test, she rarely talked, and would cover her paper every time I went to look at her class work. The other was the side kick of the ring leader who was constantly making fun of me. A bright girl but with low self esteem and with problems with alcohol. They made life rough. And now I am leaving and they tear up and express their appreciation for all I did for them.
God is at work here. Despite me. He is at work. In my life and in the lives of my students. And so with a zero percent pass rate in my first high school class taught in Spanish I am opening my eyes and celebrating how far we have come in five months.
1. That’s the number of times Lesbia came to the board to work a math problem during the months she was in my class. That day you couldn’t have erased the smile off my face if you tried. She came to the board. God has installed at least a tiny bit of confidence in her. Also at the piyamada she participated in a group game. Grudgingly and half heartedly but she did it! She got a 43% on her final exam, I like to think that perhaps she has 43% more confidence than when she entered my class. And just to clarify that is all God’s doing. Goodness knows I wanted to give up many times but God was at work.
2. Yendry. Always bright but easily led astray and struggling with alcohol. She would constantly help the other girls on their problems when they didn’t understand. I thanked her and told her she might make a good teacher some day. She got a 34% on the exam. I am praying that this number directly translates into her feeling of self worth…that she thinks 34% more highly of herself than when she did when she walked into my classroom. Again God’s doing.
3. Jessica. The mom in the group. And a darn good one at that. She is 19 and has an adorable 2 year old daughter named Brianna. At home they ask her why are you studying? That’s pointless. You should be at home or working. She defies them and keeps coming. She is incredibly bright but missed half of the semester before she enrolled at the institute. She is fighting against the pressure at home and told me today she plans to continue working at the institute. She is going to keep struggling, keep studying, and hopefully create a better future for her daughter. She scored a 49% on the test. Highest grade in the class. And though disappointed she said okay that’s better than I did the first time…I’ll take the class again, pass, and keep going. God is painting a bright future for her.




4. Judith. Lesbia’s silent side kick. She was one I often wondered why on earth she came to class. She didn’t take the exam because she knew she wouldn’t pass but by the end of the class she was answering questions out loud and didn’t shut down when she got it wrong. She is becoming less afraid to fail. And she was one who teared up when we said goodbye. God is at work here. Despite me.

26 days left and God is still opening my eyes to my real purpose here. Not to teach math, not to “win souls for Christ” –since God is the only one who can win a soul anyway--. I was sent here to have my eyes opened. And to learn how to love the difficult ones. And though more stressful in the end it is far more rewarding to know that if nothing else the girls had someone to believe in them and love on them…not perfectly but the best I know how.
My prayer? That my eyes will never again be shut but that I will rejoice in the struggles since they are what mold me into the person God has desired me to be since the beginning.
God is at work here.
Amen.
KT

Accordians, Banjos, and Sunny Downpours.

Well the last hour and a half have been highly entertaining. Riding home on my Carpio bus, minding my own business I watched through the window as two girls about my age with an accordian (and no i dont know how to spell that particular word and this computer doesnt have english spell check...so just go with me if it is wrong...and if it is right...yea!) anywho...a girl with an accordian and her friend with a banjo get on the bus. That was entertaining in itself but then one announced that they were going to play for us. They actually sounded shockingly good for two girls on two odd instruments on a bus. And then they started to sing. We will just leave it at...they probably should have just played the instruments. But it was highly entertaining if not entirely pleasing to the ear. Plus, in case you have forgotten, buses dont just stop for musical guests they keep right on driving which means that both girls more or less fell a few times but they were good natured about it and everyone on the bus had a good laugh. The best part...when they solicited money at the end they said that they would also accept smiles...i chose to give the later of the two options.
Then I got off bus number 1. and started my short walk to bus number two. which is about the time it started downpouring. Ticos were running everywhere, who was the only one with an umbrella? The gringa. I win (although if i´m being honest i never would have had it if my host mom didnt ask me every morning if i have it.) So i crowded on to the bus, sweating b-c the windows are closed b-c of the rain. And i notice that it is sunny. not just a tiny bit but full on sunshine. And then the downpour gets harder. And the sun perhaps a bit brighter. And thus despite my over heating and the nasty glances from the man i accidently got wet with my umbrella, I thouroughly enjoyed the weather contradiction before my eyes.
And so...I am happy.

In other news. I had my last math class today. We have been studying super hard the last 3 weeks because it finally dawned on my students that they were in my class to prepare for a test...go figure. Will they pass? Perhaps with God´s blessing. If not...then I have prepared them as best i can...for the next teacher who will teach seventh grade math.

Starting Monday I am on vacation because of semana santa (holy week) which is an entire week without work which i am looking forward to. After that 3 more weeks of english classes and extra side gigs. Throw in my Birthday and then I´m back in the U S of A.

So final random thought to this highly random blog. Probably shouldnt send me any more mail here if you were thinking about doing so. Between semana santa and the insanely slow rate at which mail is picked up by our offices I will probably be seeing you in person before it even gets here. (but thanks for the thoughts they are greatly appreciated...and now when i get home you can be like...oh man i was so going to send you a huge box of chocolates but then i read your blog and realized it was too late...and so well I ate your chocolates :)

Anywho! see u soon. to those who are finishing up high school (shout out to the little sis Becca!) and college enjoy your last few days! and congradulations!
pura vida
kt

Everybody loves math...Especially word problems...

Since I know the title of this blog is completely true and not sarcastic at all. And in honor of the fact that I’m currently a high school math teacher here are some little word problems for you all…

1. One day a gringa went to live in Costa Rica. She went to learn Spanish and another culture and to learn to love people completely different, and yet very much the same, as herself. This gringa loves her family very much and decided that 8 months was a sufficient amount of time to accomplish her non-established goals and not go crazy from lack of familial contact. There are approximately 4 weeks in each month. With 7 days in each week how many days did she sign up for? Please do work in the space provided below. Circle your answer and show all work. Worth 2 points.




2. The aforementioned gringa has now spent 6.5 months of her 8 month trip to Costa Rica. Continuing the assumption that there are 4 weeks per month and knowing that there are 7 days in a week how many days does she have left? Please do work below. Circle answer. Worth 2 points.




3. Or to put it another way this gringa has the following number of days left in CR: 7x7 – (-10 +18) =
*Remember order of operations and pay attention to negative signs.
Show all work. Worth 2 points.



4. What is the difference between the answer in number 2 and number 3? How can you account for the difference? Remember to write in complete sentences. You will not be counted off for spelling…because I can’t spell worth anything either.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer Key: 1. 224 days
2. 42 days
3. 41 days
4. 1 day. Because #2 is an approximate and #3 is exact. (and no, don’t ever start a sentence with the word because.)

Anywho…assuming you have made it this far and have not harbored any hate towards me for posting a blog filled with math problems I did all that just to say WOW there is not much time left here.
My time here has been amazing and I am very much looking forward to the next 6 weeks which will include the end of our math semester, Semana Santa (which is not as it sounds a week dedicated to Santa Clause…bummer I know) actually Holy week for all you non Spanish speakers out there…however being in a Catholic nation we do holy week up right…meaning no work what so ever. Eating a ton of canned tuna and hopefully not canned sardines. And watching more poorly made Biblically based movies than I ever cared to know existed. After semana santa I will just have English and tutoring to wrap up my time here. Add hopefully two delicious Mama China (my host mom) cakes for my host sister’s birthday and mine (May 3…just in case you forgot) and then I’ll be leaving on a Jet Plane.
Has this been the hardest 6.5 months of my life? Sometimes. Sometimes it has been the easiest. Have I gotten better at Spanish? Speaking yes…however if I were to currently try to diagram a Spanish sentence for you…I’m pretty sure I couldn’t…which is a sure sign I’m getting more fluent since I’m the same with English…I speak English real good but cant figure out the grammar fer nothin. Have a learned another culture? Only a tiny part of it, I probably am about a 3 year old level as far as understanding the culture. Has my first foray into the real world (the world outside of public schools and private Christian university bubbles) been a success…depends who you ask. but I have learned a ton and thus in my book has been a definite success.
Best part of it all? Still 6 weeks left. Only God knows what He can teach me in that amount of time.
So until may 14th, know that I am missing you all but not as much as before…:) because I know I will see you all soon!
Pura Vida
KT

6 meses and counting!

Well yesterday I officially reached 6 months in good ol CR. which means i have just under 2 months to go. Thats not much time!!! Mixed feelings about that fact as well.
So heres an update.
First of all if you read my last blog my ever predictable day was as usual anything but predictable...the most exciting change being that in the night emanuel my host brother taught us yoga us being my host mom, other host brother and i. it was thouroughly entertaining even though i got yelled at by profesor Nel for giggling during meditation.
Second of all, things in Carpio are crazy busy but fun. My three english classes are well underway with two of them having a nice calm number of 12-15 students. My third class of up to 35 students is absolutely crazy but if nothing else i am learning classroom management. I have recently discovered that when necessary i can be a rather strict teacher...as in I kicked two kids out thursday...but no worries when they come back tuesday i probably wont even remember which kids they were. I´m strict but i dont hold grudges...usually.
Which leads me to math class. the girls have 4 weeks till test day and 4 weeks left in the book. i´m going to try to do the 4 weeks of the book in 2.5 weeks so we have 1.5 weeks to study. I have had some clashes with one of the students but it has been a good daily lesson in forgiveness. I have also learned that despite my skepticism about No Child Left Behind legislation...i cant stand the thought of leaving one of my kids behind. Even when she skips class regularly, rarely does her homework, often lies, and occasionally comes to class buzzed on alcohol. I still desperately want her to succeed...I suppose that would be the first year teacher ideology but what can i say...im a first year teacher. I´m entitled to dream big.
Along with my classes we have started back up the remedial classes where we tutor kids in math and reading. I mostly do math because im not capable of teaching spanish reading.
Kids club is still up and running on wednesdays and when my schdule allows it i hang out at youth group on saturdays in carpio.

Recently I have had some fun impromptu interruptions. Aside from a wonderful week long visit from my friend Danielle. I got to visit one day with the ONU track team who was down here for spring break. Then I finally got to visit an old host family in Grecia for a day. Today I went to a place called La Paz Waterfall gardens which was incredibly beautiful and relaxing and i would like to live there forever. And next weekend I am going to Nicaragua again. So it turns out its not all routine down here. Not to mention the fact that i have a crazy little amount of time left so i am really savoring each day. Anywho. Hope you all had a good st. patty´s day. i forgot about it...luckily no one down here knows your suppossed to pinch people when they dont where green. :) See you all soonish!!
pura vida
kt

CR in numbers.

It is 8:23 pm Sunday night.
Tomorrow I have 12 1st-2nd grade english students. I will have to tell Jordan to sit down approximately 45 times in an hour and 15 minute class. Carlos will give me 2 hugs. Alisson will ask me if we are going to sing the doodle doo song 3 times. the answer will be yes. at least one mother with come to class...and stay. when we play a game she will shout out the answers. i cant tell her to leave. so i will give suttle spanish hints about not listening to their friends in class. the mothers wont get the hints. i will sigh 3 times and give up.
Then comes about 15 2nd through 6th graders. i will have to ask them to pronounce their names at least 4 times each. youbelka and keveling always give me trouble in the pronounciation area.
Then i will teach between 1 and 6 math students...depending on who shows up. of 6, 4 are taking the test in april. i am praying at least 2 pass.
Then i will help tutor struggling kids. i will send at least 5 students to sarita because i dont know spanish rhyming words. i will be sent math students because that i can do.
i will get home at 6pm...with luck.
i will play uno with emily...one time. if the game lasts longer than 30 minutes which it does sometimes i will start cheeting either so i win or so she does depending on my mood.
at 8pm we will eat dinner. i wont take seconds. emanuel will comment that i dont take seconds. almost 6 months into my trip...he still says it almost every night.
I will read my bible...about 3 chapters. write in my journal about 2 pages.
set my alarm for 6.01am
fall asleep at 10.05 pm.
and repeat with several variations the next day.

best part...my day is so predictable yet for some reason i am still surprised when it goes the way i envision it. basically it is a guarantee and about half my day will change sometimes before i even roll out of bed (sometimes i change the alarm to 7.01am if im feeling lazy)

anywho. lots going on. i am teaching 3 english classes with the smallest having 12 students the biggest having almost 30.
math class has about 6 weeks till the big test day. pray for them.
had an excellent visit from an ONU friend, D$ last week. i made her tutor my individual tutor person. we went zip lining friday it was fun.

anywho. not much time to write...actually i have tons of time but im tired of being on the computer...maybe ill go ask emily to play uno. :)

pura vida yall.
kt

Well I'll be derned...

When you read the title of this blog make sure you read it with a southern accent…its just more fun that way.
Anywho…as you may or may not know I have about 2 hours of bus time all by myself every day. Now you have two options on a bus by yourself you can A.) secure your bookbag around your arm, snuggle up to the window (or your neighbor I suppose…I always opt for the window), and take a nap. Or you can B.) stare out the window and contemplate everything and anything. Occasionally I choose option C which is form my blog in my head so I can write it later…problem is I always forget the really funny thing I was going to write before I get home.
And so today I shall be recounting things that--were I from the south--I might react to by saying “well I’ll be darned…don’t that just beat all.”
1. Sunday I watched the Superbowl in Spanish. I expected the English commercials to be dubbed over. Nope they were just totally replaced with Spanish commercials…which meant for the first and perhaps only time I watched the most watched sporting event in the USA with 70% of the commercials advertising upcoming soccer games. Loved it.
2. Also Sunday we sang the ever popular “hay vino celestial” song in church. The majority of words in the song are “hay vino celestial” which translates to there is heavenly wine. Super funny for a number of reasons…1 we would never sing that at good ol college church of the Nazarene and number 2 most evangelical Christians here are super anti any and all alcohol. Good times. I laugh through the whole song but that’s cool here they probably just think im drunk in the holy spirit.
3. This week I was given the privilege/ challenge of translating for a medical team that came to la carpio. Last time I got to do the eye doctor, it was easy and painless. Which meant that this time I was assigned to the dentist. There is nothing easy or painless about dentistry. And now I know exactly what the dentist is doing when he goes inside my mouth. Kind of wish I hadn’t seen the dentist tools that look suspiciously like they could also work to build a house. But other than watching lots of teeth being pulled, fillings being filled, and after having to get right in the face of a 88 year old man and yell the translations, I have decided one thing…I don’t want to be a dentist. Which is excellent news since I had always thought it would be super fun to spend my entire life looking in someone else’s nasty mouth (note sarcasm here) Really though it was a neat experience. The dentist and his wife were super nice and really appreciative of my presence (seeing as how they can’t communicate without me) I described this week as like watching a train wreck. You absolutely don’t want to witness it but at the same time it is so fascinating you can’t turn away. That’s how translating for a dentist is…although I definitely turned away several times.
4. I distinctly remember signing up for elementary education when I chose a college major for the fact that I rather dislike high schoolers. Too much attitude, not enough eagerness to learn. I also remember deciding not to get an endorsement in math, even though I like it, because I really didn’t see myself teaching it. Welp…God has a good sense of humor because now I am teaching 7th grade math to a bunch of high schoolers. I am dealing with attitudes I had wanted to avoid, teaching the subject that only math teachers enjoy, and to top it off I’m teaching it in Spanish.
5. I also remember not choosing to just flat out major in Spanish education when I started college because I knew I would never have the guts to study abroad for a semester. Ha. God changed that plan by junior year of college when I did study abroad, and now its just been blown out of the water since I have been here nearly 5 months and have another 3 to go.
6. Another fun Katie tidbit (that may very well only be interesting to me and my overly loving family) When I entered ONU in the fall of 2006 I had been to exactly 6 states (including Illinois where I have lived my whole life) I had never seen mountains, I didn’t have a passport, I had never even been to Michigan let alone seen the east coast. I had been away from home for exactly 1 week in my life. I lived in the same house my whole life. I went to college in the same town as that same house where I lived my whole life. I was a townie…to an extreme. It is now 2011 and it is shocking how much I have seen, done, and experienced in 5 short years.
2006…went to Colorado for soccer preseason…saw mountains, added 3 states to my list of states I have been to.
2007…went to Guatemala. Got a passport. Went on my first missions trip. Didn’t see my family for 2 weeks…longest time away on record. Went to florida for soccer…saw the east coast for the first time…added something like 5 states to my list.
2008…changed my Spanish minor to a major so I would have to study abroad. Worked at OnGoal soccer all summer, 3 weeks away from home two different times…new record. Added at least 3 states to my list.
2009…studied abroad. Added Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama to my passport stamp collection. 4 months away from home…new record.
2010…Graduated university. Went to Kenya. Had a layover in Holland. Two more stamps for the passport and two new continents.
September 2010…packed my life in a suitcase and duffle bag and moved to Costa Rica. Went to Nicaragua again to renew my visa. Two more passport stamps.
2011…still in CR. Went to Nicaragua again to renew my visa. More stamps. Currently 5 months away from home…new record.
Well I’ll be darned…if God just ain’t gone an turned my life right upside down! (ps the southern accent thing I think is brought on by the fact that the team I translated for is from Oklahoma…don’t hardly have accents but I like to pretend they do.)
And that’s my life in a nut shell. Lots of changes all of them for the better as far as I can tell…minus the whole spending increasingly more time away from home each year. What does the future hold? I have no idea. But I imagine in another 5 years if I look back on it I’ll probably be thinking to myself… “well I’ll be…if that just don’t beat all.”
Last thought…if you have never taken an hour bus ride by yourself you should do it…lots of time to think…in whatever accent you choose.
Hope your all surviving the snow storms. Its 80 and sunny here if you get the urge to come visit.
Pura vida
kt

Between a Piedra and a hard place

This Sunday started out like any other. There were fights and whining and tears and we worked to get 6 people through the shower, dressed, and breakfasted before church. (for the record I neither fought, whined, or cried. Actually I went about my business and then sat on my bed and read for a half hour) Anyway. Church was the same as always, worship was loud and boisterous with lots of flag waving. Then the pastor started to speak at which point I began to day dream. It’s a bad habit I know but this pastor speaks loudly, quickly, and uses a lot of slang without a lot of Bible verses to keep me from getting lost. But then the pastor had to leave early so he had arranged for 2 other pastors to speak after him (you need 3 pastors to fill a 2.5 hour church service) so those two came up and both spoke slower and with lots of Bible verses so I was able to follow a bit better which made me happy. After church we walked for about 30 minutes around La Sabana park to get to the bus stop (it would only take about 10 minutes if I was by myself but well there’s nothing quite like a leisurely tican stroll after church…even when everybody is complaining they are hungry. Anywho we got home and the boys plopped down in front of the tv. Mama China my host mom got to work in the kitchen and I went to my bedroom and read the book I had been reading before church. We ate lunch mostly peacefully but when Emanuel and Emily started fighting about who got to drink the juice at the bottom of the salad bowl I decided I just couldn’t take another 6 and 9 year old whining match and so I went to my room and closed the door. Deciding to be utterly selfish and spend the day on me time rather than watching TV or hanging out with the family. I started out my Me time by finishing the book I was reading “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls a fascinating memoir that I borrowed from my old study abroad professor. Then I decided it would be a delightful time to take a nap. Well I laid down to nap and aside from the blinding afternoon sun which was streaming in the window and onto my eyes, I just couldn’t get my brain to shut off. You see from today I am a meager 106 days away from being home and I don’t know what I’m doing when I get there. And no I don’t have a countdown going I needed to see how far over my visa I will be when I return to the states to make sure I won’t get in too much trouble if I get caught (every 90 days I have to leave the country)…in case you’re wondering I’ll only be 10 days over so I’m not too worried. So I figured what’s the next best thing to do by myself that isn’t reading (I’m saving my last book for my trip to Nicaragua Thursday) and isn’t sleeping which just isn’t going to happen today. Well about the only other entertainment source I have is my faithful laptop. And so I pulled it out and decided to jot down some of my bajillion thoughts so that they aren’t still bouncing around in my mind when I go to sleep tonight.

Well what came out was 3 single spaced pages of questions and thoughts and reflections and absolutely no answers. Part of the problem is that I’m not one of those people who has felt a call since they were 6 to be a missionary and thus I’m not positive if it is meant to be a long term thing for me. Another part of the problem is that I feel incredibly useful here. Sometimes to the point of being overwhelmed with responsibilities but still it’s great to feel needed. And every time I think about having to say goodbye to all the people of La Carpio and my host family I start hoping the 106 days will drag on forever. Then there is the whole teaching question. I am teaching right now and am being challenged as a teacher more than I expected to be here but do I want to continue teaching the way I am without boundaries and with my own agenda but also with limited resources or do I want to teach in a more traditional school setting. (one of millions of questions I don’t have concrete answers to). And then there is the ever popular question of Where in this world will I end up? And world literally means world in my case as I am always open to the idea of travel (almost always anyway).

And so as I sat there, pondering the future I don’t have any answers to. I thought of one word. Trust.

It all boils down to Trust. If I really and truly trust God with my life then I don’t need to have the answers. He will always take care of me.

And perhaps he isn’t calling me to anything greater than Trusting Him at the moment.

And thus my decision to not make any decisions. At least for now. I am going to pour myself into my time here in CR, savoring every minute, and I’m going to trust that God will let me know what my next move is in his own sweet time. And so alas my day planner my host family bought me for Christmas (they know me too well) shall remain empty beyond May 14^th (the day I get home) with a few minor exceptions like the ever important date of Becca’s high school graduation J

SO…to those of you who may be just as curious as I am about what the future holds for me. The answer is I have no idea but I know I don’t have to figure it out in the next 106 days. (also if you’re every chatting with me and I begin to fret about the future please remind me of my little blog here and how its not in my hands anyway.)

And so to all of you who have no idea what you’re doing with the rest of your life and to those of you who know exactly what you are doing for the rest of your life. Enjoy each day. Or as the soccer team would say Carpe Diem. And Trust that it’s all in God’s hands anyway.

Love you all!

God Bless.

KT.

Top 9 (10 is so over used) reasons I love San Jose, Costa Rica.
1. There is never a shortage of kahkie wearing tourists filling the streets for me to watch and secretly laugh at (not maliciously of course, just in a I´m enjoying the way you so very efficiently live up to every stereotype ever made about tourists)
2. Its the only place I have ever found photocopies for 10 colones a piece...i can get 50 copies for a dollar.
3. There are always people dressed up as Barney and Baby bop and today we got more creative and had a woody and buzz from toy story hanging out in the center of san jo.
4. As i write this I am listening to a free concert I happened upon, and i do enjoy free music.
5. There are strange people everywhere...which both makes me happy and which makes people watching so enjoyable. A quick example of a strange person would be the 50s something woman who is dancing around at this free concert i´m watching. She is not in anyway a professional, shes not with the band, other people are not dancing, but she is just going with the music. And the Best part? Its not the first time ive seen her. 2 years ago when i was here for my study abroad I went to a random free concert in a park and who was there dancing on stage? none other than barefoot, curly-died blond-haired lady. Gotta love it.
6. Even in this bustling city people are still Latin enough that a few hundred will stop and listen to a concert or enjoy a street performance.
7. Because without San Jose the introvert in me would go nuts. I need a bit of alone time to think only in English or to not think at all and where is the best place to be alone? Dead center of a bustling city. Every friday like clockwork you can find me somewhere near the heart of San Jose. Alone, surrounded by people, and loving life.
8. Pegeons. Everywhere. and people paying to feed and have their pictures with them.
9. People handing out flyers...in 2 days I have recieved 3 flyers to learn english...i think if i get 10 flyers before i leave in 4 months i will sign up for English classes and see what i can learn.

Anywho. life is going well here. current job description is librarian-individual english tutor-math teacher. which keeps me busy but i enjoy it all. slightly less than 4 months till i come home which is crazy. Hope all is well where ever you may be.

pura vida
kt

Campamento 2011

~Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Prior to campamento with the kids from La Carpio I was extremely nervous. I didn’t know who my campers were or even how many I would have. I hadn’t seen the program and didn’t know what to bring for what activities. I hadn’t seen the Bible studies and didn’t know how to prepare for camp. This may be totally normal for the Costa Ricans but for a gringa about to be in charge of kids who speak another language I was slightly freaking out. For a while we weren’t sure where the money was going to come from to pay for camp and a small part of me thought well that would solve my worries wouldn’t it…if we just canceled camp.

But praise to God that we didn’t. Camp was absolutely amazing. I had 6 campers between the age of 11 and 13. The girls were amazing and were excited to be at camp. There were problems of course but in general I couldn’t have asked for a better week. So here are a few highlights just to give you a glimpse of what we did…

1. averaged 4.75 hours of sleep a night

2. swam in a pool twice that was maybe 70 degrees

3. spent the evenings running through camp and walking in forests blindfolded or without light, and no one got hurt!

4. drank hot chocolate every evening and every morning…made me really happy.

5. bathed twice in 5 days…you would too if the water was 60 degrees and it was only 50 degrees outside in the morning. J

6. got to help translate for gringos that were at camp as well.

7. my campers joined with a group of boy campers to make a tribu (tribe) and our battle cry was Tome ChiChi!

8. I had three square meals a day of rice beans and meat of some sort and had dessert of pineapple after every breakfast and lunch.

9. Every morning the leaders had a meeting that lasted at least 2 hours and started at 5 am…good times

10. On the last day of camp my campers won a prize for always being on time to events…jaja perks of having a gringa for a counselor.

One of the best things that happened at camp was something that was a complete change of events from what had been scheduled. Originally we were going to sleep outside on the last night. Keep in mind we were in the mountains and it probably dropped to about 45 degrees in the night and most of the kids had one thin blanket. For a number of reasons…not just the cold…I was uncomfortable with the activity and had been worrying about it since I learned about it at the meeting in December. All of camp I was working with my campers and gaining their trust, telling them about Jesus, and things were going well. But in the back of my mind was this closing event that I was worrying about and stressing about a little. Then along came Thursday night the night we were to do the event I was preparing to go to a meeting and it began to rain. Not too hard but enough that you didn’t want to be outside. I began to think oh no there is no possible way they can make these kids sleep outside in the rain and cold. Then I began to pray that the rain would make the directors rethink the activity. I went to the meeting and we chatted as normal and then as the kids began to arrive at dinner they finally told us that they had canceled the event. For the rain, the lack of blankets, and because they felt like the event may have the reverse effect of what we were hoping for. I practically did a happy dance right there in the meeting. I was completely at peace from that point on. And the rain cleared up another event was planned and my campers told me the next day that that night was the most fun of camp. For me it was one of the most obvious times of the week that God had his hand in the camp. And it made me realize how pointless my worrying had been. If I had prayed about the event from the beginning and put it all in God’s hands the weeks leading up to camp would have been far more peaceful. It was one of those really cool reminders that when we really are trying to do God’s will He will take care of the details.

So over all camp was a huge success. I was able to ditch my introvert tendencies…because I was literally never alone. I was able to have energy even on few hours of sleep. Although I did sleep 12 hours last night and still feel as though I will probably need a nap in the afternoon today. Communication was almost never a problem and my campers taught me words in the Bible studies that I didn’t know. And the camp was absolutely beautiful. The week was a constant reminder of one of my favorite verses…My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness. When I could hardly hold my eyes open; when I answered questions in English without realizing it until the girls blank stares told me they didn’t understand; when I was told to make a cheer with my campers (rhymes in Spanish are not a strong point of mine…in fact I’m completely inept at them)…I would take a deep breath and remember that it was in God’s hands, that camp was not about me being the best counselor in the world it was about showing the kids the love of Jesus Christ. And as inadequate as I am to spread the love of Christ I knew it was out of my hands and that God’s power is perfect in my weakness.

I have 4.5 months left here in CR and I’m praying they go by slowly, that I able to absorb all that God has to teach me here, and that my weaknesses will be used to glorify God.

Campamento 2011: 4 days, 100 campers, cold showers, little sleep, and the abounding Love of God

Feliz año nuevo!

Hola todos,
Happy new year! These holidays have been completely different but completely wonderful as well. In case you didnt know my family came down and spent christmas with me here in CR. We spent half their time at the beach and I can officially say I have spent Christmas day playing in the ocean and watching an incredible sunset. We had a great time at the beach and then came back and explored San Jose a couple of days. Then yesterday night I celebrated New Years with my Tico family. We grilled a variety of meat...and then ate it. Quite yummy. Then with 5 minutes to spare we went outside (in shorts and a t'shirt I should add...something that would never happen on newyears in Chicago) and counted down the new years. our house is on the corner of two streets so we stood in the middle and watched fireworks being shot off from every direction. It was great, kids ran through the streets blowing whistles, noisy fireworks shot off about 100 meters away from us, and everyone who passed shouted feliz año. And to make things even better...I slept in till 11am today. Loved it.

So 2010 is gone. Goodness how time flys.
This year I...
Student taught 4th graders
Graduated from ONU
Went on vacation for 10 days to CR
Went on a two week mission trip to Kenya and had my passport stamped in both Kenya and Holland.
Did absolutely nothing the month of August
Spent 3 months in Costa Rica teaching english and math
Learned to surf...sort of...in Nicaragua
Spent Christmas at the beach with my family
And rang in the new years with my tico family.
Overall an awesome year...and a rather fulfilling one for my passport.
2011??
What will the new year hold??
Si Dios Quiere...Ill be in CR till May 14th having all sorts of adventures and beyond that I havent the slightest idea.
Hope you have all had a blessed year and that God will continue to challenge and bless you.
Happy New Year
God Bless
Pura vida
KT