Week eight...my last week here in Costa Rica. It feels just like yesterday I was meeting Lindsay at the airport in Milwaukee and here I am, sitting in the San Jose airport ready to go home. Nevertheless, week eight was phenomenal even though there were many "lasts" for me to experience. This week I'm going to be writing as the days went by instead of my normal "school" then "weekend" format because so much happened!

This week was exam week for my students. They had five exams (Spanish, Math, Science, Social Studies, and English) to prepare for over the weekend and let me tell you, I was impressed with how much studying they actually did. It reminded me a lot of how I prepare for exams in college; many reviewed notes from class and did practice problems as well. 

Monday was one of the shorter days for both Lindsay and I, so Papi took us to visit EARTH University and then a beautiful river close by. Both were filled with amazing sights to see as well as a ton of wildlife and nature. At one point Lindsay and I saw a huge iguana, probably the size of a small, overweight dog. Papi kept telling us to get closer to it, but that was not something I was going to do!

Tuesday and Wednesday were very normal school days for me and the students. One special thing during these two days was I was able to take over a majority of the English classes for the English professor. It was a blast working with different students other than my own sixth graders and I think the students enjoyed the switch up as well!

Thursday was another short day, but wow was it a surprising one! All day long, Lindsay and I were under the impression we were having a staff meeting after school (very typical). However when we were walking to the meeting, the computer professor told us we needed to sit down and wait. Lindsay and I were extremely confused, but of course we just listened. When we were told we could head in, we found out the whole school had planned a surprise party for us! Even Mami and Papi were in on the surprise...talk about being oblivious! There was a whole meal cooked for us, cake, and gifts; I have never felt more appreciated by a group of people. The meal was followed by some dancing and a game similar to musical chairs but with hats. It was a great afternoon!

Friday marked my last day in Los Geranios. When I woke up that morning, I remember thinking, "Wow, I"m going to miss this school a lot." We began our morning off with a reenactment of the Battle of Santa Rosa. To my surprise, my students were actually acting in this; everyone was hyper and excited to perform in front of their school mates! Afterwards, my students and I exchanged gifts and celebrated our last day together. So many kind words were shared with me during this day and I will hold them in my heart forever. It was such a bittersweet moment and the kids just wouldn't let go of me. I even had students waiting outside school for me so they could give me one last hug, honestly my heart was filled with such love and happiness.  I for sure shed some tears as I walked out of Los Geranios for the last time!

Saturday, my last day in Costa Rica, was filled with a lot of family time. Since I had packed my bags the day before (they were lighter than I thought they would be), Lindsay and I took in every minute we could before we had to leave. We shared breakfast with Mami, took one last walk around Guacimo, and celebrated our time with one last meal at a local restaurant called Los Paquitos. I ate chicken and rice with a strawberry smoothie as my last meal and shared some laughs with Mami, Papi, and their sons. 

Before I knew it, it was 4:00 and we needed to head off on our journey to San Jose. The "see you laters" were more difficult than I could have ever imagined; I told Mami I wasn't going to cry, but there I was sobbing like a little baby. Who would have thought I would have been such a close part of this family in just eight short weeks?! As we drove out of the city, Lindsay and I both couldn't lift our eyes because we both know it would be a long time (4 years according to Mami!) before we would be returning to Guacimo.

As I finish this blog, I am feeling so many different emotions. I never would have thought an experience like this would have impacted me as much as eight weeks in Costa Rica has. I am returning home with new friends, a new lifestyle, new teaching strategies, but most importantly, a new outlook on life. I am so incredibly thankful for this opportunity; not many people can say they have lived two months in another country without speaking an ounce of their native language and I am so proud of myself for doing this. 

I believe my teaching strategies have been challenged and strengthened during my time in Los Geranios, making me a better version of the educator I am. Thank you to SNC, my family, my friends, and my "Tico Family" for helping me make my dreams become a reality. Costa Rica will always have a part of my heart and I can't wait until I can return. Pura Vida para siempre! :)

Week seven may have been my favorite week I've spent here, no joke. 6-3 was extremely busy learning new material this week, but the fun didn't stop there; I was finally able to check off the one thing I had on my Costa Rican bucket list: zip lining!

Our civic act this week was focused on human rights. We had many opportunities to hold discussions about the discrimination many people face in the world as well as brainstorm different ways to put a stop to it. It was really interesting to see how each teacher taught the students, each putting their own spin on this topic. For example, in art the students had to draw a picture using colors symbolizing violence and harm. I think it really hit home with the students, opening their eyes to the discrimination they may have turned their shoulders away from.

Like I said earlier, my students were busy learning (and so was I) again this week! In Math, my students used their division and multiplication skills to solve problems with decimals in their answers this week. It proved to be a bit harder for them, but they succeeded none the less. Spanish consisted of handwriting practice as well as a review of the different types of languages (formal, informal, romantic, technical...you get the point). We continued with the nervous system in Science, learning about harmful substances to the nervous system and ways to prevent it. 

Guidance this week was very active as well and my students loved it! They worked in groups to create a picture collage of healthy relationships with yourself and others. It did get a little crazy because of all the excitement, but nevertheless it was a great time!

Following an exciting week in sixth grade, an exciting weekend was in the plans! On Saturday, Lindsay and I spent the day with the family. We began our morning with coffee, bread, and a pedicure! Yes, Mami's friend came over and made our toes look beautiful (They were a little rough looking because of the dusty roads due to lack of rain this week). 

Darren, one of Mami and Papi's sons, came for the weekend from San Jose as well so it was great to see him one more time before we head back to the States. Lindsay and I hung out with the whole family basically all day, it was a well spent Saturday.

On Sunday, we were on our way to the city of Sarapiqui where we did the coolest thing of my life, zip lining! Hacienda Pozo Azul, the adventure park we went to, was referred to us by one of our friends at the Libreria and it did not disappoint!

Our tour was supposed to start at 11:30 am, but with having to take the only bus to Sarapiqui, we arrived around 9:15. As we were just sitting around enjoying life (and the free wifi, score!), one of the guides asked why we were just sitting there waiting. After we explained our tour was in two hours, he looked at us and said, "Come on, join the 9:30 one!"...Lindsay and I looked at each other and followed him down to the equipment shed. 

After we were all strapped into our harnesses, we took a bus to the starting point of our 17 platform tour! Our guides explained to us how to work the zip line (how to stop, proper form, all that good stuff) and then took off down the cable; before I knew it I was in line to start! There were so many different people from all over in our group; some from Germany, Costa Rica, and even the Midwest! *Side note: there was a man in our group who was COMPLETELY terrified and throughout the whole thing he was hardcore shaking, props to him for finishing!

Because Lindsay and I were the only ones who spoke Spanish in our group, the guides were joking around with us quite a bit and making our experience wonderful! As our tour continued, I became a bit more adventurous; before I knew it I was going down the cables backwards and without any hands! I'm not kidding when I say this...IT WAS THE BEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE! I think I may have almost cried tears of happiness. Below is a video of me, hands free (check out Lindsay's face at the end, she couldn't believe I did it!)

Here are a couple more pictures from the tour!

So much joy was brought to my life again this week. I'm trying not to face the reality of what next week brings; having such little time left in this beautiful country is absolutely heart-breaking. I'm finally feeling like I belong here, especially in the classroom, and now I have to leave it all behind. Guacimo has become another home to me these past seven weeks, it's the truth! Week eight is definitely going to be a hard one, but staying positive will get me through it! Pura Vida, mis amigos :)

Week six...week six?! This isn't actually the truth, is it? This week was filled with a lot of different topics in 6-3 as well as a lot of time soaking up the sun this weekend. I think it's safe to say I had another great week here!

Since this week was the start of March (en serio?!), my students were especially excited because they have finally begun learning new material! Up until this week, my students have been working hard reviewing a variety of materials from fifth grade, so the new concepts proved to be extremely motivating. 

One of my favorite lessons this week was in Science. We began learning about the nervous system this week: what it is, what it consists of, and how it looks. During the lecture portion, my students got to see what a neuron looks like and how it attaches to other neurons in the nervous system. We took an active learning approach to this by creating a giant chain of "neurons" with each other. As my students were connected by their fingertips around the room, all I could think about was how cool my roommate, Betsy, would think this is. 

After we created our chain, my students broke up into groups of four. In these groups, their task was to create a neuron made out of materials they found outside. The neuron had to be two meters long and consist of all the parts pictured in the textbook. It was great to see them work together and make their versions of a neuron; once every group was finished, we concluded the lesson with a gallery walk to see everyone's work. Below are some pictures of what they came up with!

We also worked on the different types of language and uses of upper case letters in Spanish, division in Math, and classroom commands in English this week. It was a great feeling to be up in front of my students, teaching them different subjects. Many of my students had those "ah-ha" moments at different times during the week; it reminded me why I want to teach for the rest of my life. Their successes means I'm doing something right...what is more rewarding than that?

What I have learned about traveling on the weekends during these past six weeks is this: Lindsay and I have the worst luck with traveling. This weekend the main road to San Jose was closed again due to cleaning. Therefore, Lindsay and I had two options: 1) take a bus for 4 1/2 hours to get to San Jose or 2) stay on this side of the country...we chose the second one. No worries though, we definitely enjoyed our weekend none the less!

We were up extremely early Saturday morning (typical) to catch a bus to Guapiles at 5:20. From there, we took a bus to Limon, making our way back to Puerto Viejo. This has been one of our favorite places we've visited so we decided this weekend was a great time to go back! 

We spent our whole day on the beach, soaking up as much sun as possible.  We also visited multiple shops, where we bought souvenirs for our friends and family back home! As we were leaving, I couldn't help but feel a little sad knowing this may be the last beach I will be at in Costa Rica for a long time. The beauty of this country never ceases to amaze me.

Sunday was spent at home with Mami and Papi. We spent time by the pool and enjoyed the company. Papi made us corn on the cob and cut us some pipas as well!

I'm not going to lie, Sunday really made me think about how much I'm going to miss my life here in Costa Rica. I have become so accustomed to the simplicity of life and it's very sad that I'm going to be leaving this beautiful country in just two short weeks! There are so many things I'm going to miss, but it's almost about time I head home. I know my friends and family are waiting anxiously for me to return! Here's to 12 more days of adventures!

Week five is over and done, but let me tell you, the memories from it aren't going anywhere! From a sports day, to learning what makes us who we are, to truly living life to the fullest, I don't know where to start! 

This week began with a sports day for all the students at Los Geranios. Each of my students were very excited to participate in different sports all day while learning about the importance of having an active life. We even lucked out with the weather; clear skies, warm sun, and even a little breeze (unheard of here, normally it's just humid and my hair hates me everyday because of it). 

My students were able to put their skills to the test through different activities lead by teachers from the school. There was pin the tail on the donkey, Twister, bowling, relay races, sack races, and sprints. I don't think my students stopped smiling all day and neither did I! It was so entertaining to watch the athletic sides of my students come out, I was very impressed!

Later in the week, my sixth graders learned about what makes us, us! We talked about our individual characteristics and really dug deep into appreciating how unique we are! To further develop this topic, my students got to design a t-shirt representing who they are.  Each of my students have so much to offer to this world, it was a joy to see them realize how much their individual characteristics are valued.
(P.S. We finally got a fan in our classroom, see below!)

During the weekend, Lindsay and I were sent on an adventure with Mami's cousin. This wasn't just any adventure though...it was a complete surprise! Our weekend started on Friday night, where we hopped on a bus to San Jose. Once we arrived, way later than expected may I add, Mami's cousin, Xiomara, welcomed us with a huge hug and treated us to dinner. We ate at Popeye's Chicken, which I have never had up until now, and spent the night at her apartment.

Saturday, we were up bright and early to begin our adventure. On our way to our first stop, Volcan Poas, we suddenly stopped and before I knew it I found myself riding in a carreta behind some bulls. If anyone knows me, I am 100% afraid of horses so you can all imagine how freaked out I was by this; no worries though, I lived and it was probably one of the coolest things I've done.

Following the spur of the moment bull ride, we stopped at a coffee field and enjoyed some coffee overlooking the hills and hills of coffee plants. Once we were finished, we continued on our trek to Volcan Poas. After a long and beautiful drive, we finally made it to the National Park where we were able to hike right up to the crater of the volcano. It was absolutely breath-taking and my pictures don't do it justice. 

We continued on towards La Fortuna after our stop at the volcano. On our way, we stopped at a local store to taste fresh strawberries and cherries. We also stopped at some different parks, one consisted of the world's largest carreta and the other was made up of different trees shaped like animals! The little things like these stops makes me continue to appreciate the beautiful world I'm living in. 

To end our day, we saw another volcano named La Fortuna. Unfortunately we weren't able to hike this volcano because 1) it was raining and 2) it was so cloudy we couldn't see a thing. All was well though, Lindsay and I ended our night by swimming in the hot springs at a local hotel. On Sunday, we travelled back to Mami and Papi's all day and relaxed once we arrived. 

It's insane to think I have been in five of the seven provinces in Costa Rica in just 5 weeks, but the memories and experiences I have gained are worth all the traveling and more.  Pura Vida, blog readers :)

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"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."- Helen Keller

Have I really been in Costa Rica for a month? It's crazy to think I just completed my fourth week and am already half way done with this journey! Each day is a new adventure here and week four didn't disappoint! It was a busy week at school, but I rewarded myself with a trip across the country during the weekend, casual right?

With it being the second week of school for the students, 6-3 has fallen into a routine quite quickly. Each week is started with an opening ceremony on Mondays; this week's ceremony focused on living healthy lifestyles, specifically focusing on ways to prevent sicknesses from mosquitos (Dengue, Zika, etc.). I found it very informative because 1) Zika is every where in the news and 2) I have a bad habit of diagnosing myself with sicknesses when there's a 100% chance I'm completely fine. Special shoutout to the roomies for keeping sane, even when we're countries apart! :)

Following the ceremony, my students and I participated in a school wide cleaning session for about 2 1/2 hours; we picked up garbage, cleaned classrooms, and pulled weeds. It was also crazy hot on Monday, so everyone was ready for a nap and a gallon of water by the time we were done!

The rest of the week was pretty normal. Each day consists of four 80 minute blocks, 4 recess breaks, and one 40 minute block before dismissal. There are different "special" classes spread throughout the week; my favorite is the English class (go figure) but my students seem to really enjoy art the best. This week was extra special because the English teacher asked me to co-teach with her in all sixth grade classes. We worked on a lot of vocabulary and pronunciation; it's so different to hear English in the schools because I am constantly surrounded by Spanish, but my students love listening to me speak my native language. They also get a kick out of how fast I can speak English compared to Spanish. Each time someone comments on this, I kindly remind them I'm in that same spot when they speak Spanish to me, so we're all learning from one another!

After a week of teaching, Lindsay and I travelled across the country this weekend to the city of Jaco. It's located in the province of Puntarenas, one of the seven provinces in Costa Rica. Our home is in Limon, so it took us a good 5 and 1/2 hours to travel there, but it was completely worth it. The map below will give you a better idea of what I'm talking about- if you draw a vertical line from the "S" in San Jose, you'll be in Jaco!

Jaco was absolutely breathtaking in every single way. It was a consistent 93 degrees all weekend, which meant Lindsay and I were quite uncomfortable during our bus ride there! Never the less, we found our hostel, Hacienda Garcia, and made ourselves at home before heading to the beach! We lucked out with this hostel in more ways than one; for a very cheap price we had a room to ourselves, wifi, "A/C" (I put this in quotes because it was just a ceiling fan), and our own bathroom. We also had free access to a pool, which turned out to be a wonderful private beach resort. Overall, I was super impressed with our home away from home!

With Jaco being located on the Pacific Ocean, Lindsay and I were so excited to hit the beach! This was the first time being in the Pacific for the both of us and it didn't disappoint! It was a bit rockier than the other beaches we have been in, but the water was still warm and refreshing. We spent a good chunk of time on the beach just soaking up the sun and watching all the surfers. 

Before heading to the pool, Lindsay and I grabbed some lunch. Of course we saw a Subway and almost went there, but we decided to get pizza instead. After lunch, we headed to Jaco Blu. It was so relaxing and located right on the beach, so it was basically like we were back on the beach itself! After laying out some more, Lindsay and I decided to head back to the room to shower before sunset. I'm not kidding everyone, our hostel was so nice, it was like showering at home. Our toilet did make this really strange squealing noise every time we flushed, but that was the least of our worries!

The sunset on the Pacific was such a beautiful sight to see! The sun had set around 5:45 pm so the beach was completely packed by 5:30. I was in awe of the beauty I was surrounded by; it was such a great reminder of how beautiful life and the simple things can be. Although I had Lindsay to share this moment with, it was hard for me not to wish my friends and family were there to see the beauty as well. 

After the sun set, Lindsay and I hit the town. We had dinner, looked around in some little shops, and even bought some gifts for those back in the States. Afterwards,  we returned to our hot, hot, HOT  (did I mention it was hot?)  room and left for our long trip back to Guacimo the next morning. Mami and Papi welcomed us home with open arms on Sunday afternoon, reminding us how lucky we are to have such a caring family to take care of us during our time here.
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Week Five is on its way and I couldn't be more ready for it. Although I have had my struggles the past four weeks, I have learned so much about myself. In four short weeks, I have been taken out of my comfort zone completely, challenged with language barriers, but most importantly, I have come out of it a better version of myself. Week Five, bring it on! :)


"Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them makes life meaningful." -Joshua J. Marine

Between the first day of school, getting to know my students, and surviving the rain, week three was incredibly heart-warming and filled with many small accomplishments. 

Tuesday  was the first day of school for the kids in Costa Rica as well as mine! Lindsay and I were up bright and early on Tuesday morning, sipping our coffee and wondering about what our day would bring. We expected the day to be a whirl-wind, but what it had in store was something completely different than what we ever could have imagined.

Once the welcoming ceremony was finished, each teacher was announced individually and a list of their students was read. All the students were waiting anxiously to find out which teacher they had as well as if they were in the same class as their best friends (there were some disappointed students, but hey that's life). I was the last class to be read, go figure, but save the best for last, right? My co-op and I made our way to the classroom and finally began our day (all in Spanish, may I add).

During the rest of the week, I was able to observe many different teachers and learn the different teaching techniques used here. One of the biggest differences I've noticed compared to the United States is the teachers do not use worksheets; teachers write the problems on the board from the text, the students copy them into their notebooks, solve them, and turn in their notebooks for grading. If there is a paper from the teachers, the students glue it in the notebooks as well. This teaching style is different from what I am used to, but I am seeing the benefits from it! 

The end of the week consisted of introductions to more subjects. I was even able to teach two lessons: one in Spanish and one in Math. Teaching both of these lessons in Spanish proved to have its difficulties, but my students and cooperating teacher have been so patient with me and teaching me as I teach them! It's a relief to know I can actually teach in Spanish, who would have thought?!
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Due to the crazy amount of rain we received this week (not kidding, it rained for five days straight), the roads to the main cities were closed. This proved to be an issue for Lindsay and I because our plans to head to a new destination this weekend fell through, but we ended up at the local pool and getting some exercise in too! 

I'm looking forward to this upcoming school week, especially because I will be teaching all the math lessons in 6-3 as well as some English lessons too.  It's crazy to think I only have a little more than a month left in Costa Rica, but I am determined to make the most of these next couple weeks! My students are already sad about me leaving, which is crazy because we have only just met, but it really does warm my heart. These kids really do appreciate everything I have to offer and at the end of the day that's what makes me know I'm heading in the right direction for my life.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."-Walt Disney

Week two is in the books and here I sit asking myself, "How does time go by so quickly?" This week I met a handful of people in many different places, all of whom have shown such wonderful hospitality and interest in what makes me, me. From surprise parties, to the whole staff at Los Geranios (yes, I do mean every single person who works at our school all in one room), to people Papi runs into at the super market, each person I have met this week has touched my heart and welcomed me to Costa Rica as if it's still my first day here.

Similar to last week, I spent my days at the Libreria. Seeing as this past week was the final week before school starts officially, many teachers were out and about preparing for the new school year.  That being said, the Libreria was constantly filled with teachers, professors, and principals in need of copies of exams, worksheets, and books. SO MANY BOOKS. It's very normal for professors to have the texts they are using in their classrooms to be made via photocopy instead of having multiple copies of the actual text. It's also very normal for them to need about 50 copies all at one time too; let's just say Lindsay and I were very busy communicating with professors all week long. It was very heart-warming to hear about why they were choosing these books for their curriculum though; it was obvious their passion for teaching was used to make these decisions.

Amongst the books, I was able to help out a seventh grade teacher create and prepare his English exams for his students too. Of course I was all for it, especially since the material included was similar to what I may be teaching at my school! I loved seeing what level the students should be at in regards to their English knowledge as of seventh grade and it was fun to proofread the exams as well (is that weird?). 

As I mentioned before, the people of Costa Rica are incredibly hospitable. Below is the group of people Lindsay and I worked with during the past two weeks. Everyone was so excited to help us with our Spanish and they even learned some English too! Andre and Diego, pictured below, caught on to some phrases quite quickly; "Ready!", "More books!", and "Brittani...Spears" were the most used. They thought the Brittani Spears one was so hilarious, I'll let you be the judge of that one!

Friday was very exciting for me because I officially met the teacher I will be working with during my time at Los Geranios! The school is absolutely beautiful, better than I could have imagined. It's very open, full of different fruit trees, and covered in murals. We were able to see the different classrooms, meet the cooks, and then to our surprise, the ENTIRE STAFF at once. I'm not going to lie, it was a bit overwhelming to stand in front of a group of teachers who speak Spanish at 100 miles per hour, but I think Lindsay and I handled ourselves to the best of our abilities! Everyone was smiling and really excited to meet us. At one point the whole room was saying my name multiple times, it's a pretty hard name to pronounce here (thanks Mom and Dad), but once they finally said it correctly, the whole room started cheering. What a first impression, memorable I suppose!

​Saturday was spent out in the sun at La Habana. It's a local pool for families in the area and it's super cheap (my bank account was happy). We arrived at La Habana around 10:00 am and didn't take the bus back home until about 3:30-4:00 pm. It felt so nice to relax after a long week!

On Sunday, Mami invited us to attend a surprise party for someone she goes to church with. Lindsay and I were excited to go because who doesn't like a surprise party! When we arrived at the house, again everyone was welcoming and making sure Lindsay and I felt like a part of the family. I'm telling you, I feel like I have multiple families here and it's pretty great. 

There were a bunch of kids at the party too, which of course I played with because I'm a kid at heart. Lindsay and I played Twister as well as other yard games similar to ones in the U.S.  I think my favorite part was sharing games from the U.S. with the kids, they were so eager to learn new games to play. I also threw some FYE activities into the mix as well (shoutout to the LSE office for those) and the kids loved them. My competitive side did come out a little bit, especially during our game of Tug of War. We used people instead of a rope (you should have seen my face when one girl explained that to me- I was very confused and concerned for my safety), but we won! There were some falls, but it proved for a good laugh at the end of the day. 

Ending my Sunday with the Superbowl was just what I needed. It was basically all in Spanish, but it really didn't matter to me. The little things like American football and texting my family during it made me so happy. Marito, one of Mami and Papi's sons, wanted the Panthers to win so there was some friendly disagreement in the house, it was great. I think the best part of it all was hearing the different terms for the calls in Spanish; a "sack" was called "captura" aka a capture of the quarterback. Makes sense, right? Lindsay and I got a kick out of that one.

Because of political elections, Monday is a day off for everyone in Costa Rica. It was entertaining to see all the candidates campaigning yesterday, especially when their supporters would drive around in their cars blasting announcements and waving flags representing who they wanted to win. I spent the day mostly preparing for the first day of school and hung out with Papi's family (I'm telling you, I feel like I have a family everywhere I go!).  I'm already looking forward to blogging next Sunday because I'm positive there will be loads to tell each of you about teaching during this upcoming week!

It's hard to believe I have been here for a whole week already! This past week was filled with a bunch of new adventures for me; some were planned and others not so much, but hey, we've only been here for a week right?

During the week, Lindsay and I spent our time at one of the local librerias in Guacimo. We worked each day helping out students and teachers as they prepare for the upcoming school year. We have learned a lot of new words that will sure help us out while in the classroom as well as how to work a bunch of different machines (copiers, laminators, etc.). It was also a great opportunity for Lindsay and I to practice our Spanish speaking because 95% of our conversations with people are completely in Spanish. I'm really proud of myself, I have become a lot more confident with holding a conversation and it's always so comical to me when people figure out I can speak their language; they're instantly excited, a bit surprised, and ready to engage in conversations with me. 

Everyone we work with at the Libreria is amazing and have been so hospitable this past week. They have really welcomed Lindsay and I into Guacimo and made us feel like we're locals, not just visitors! They have even shared a lot of local snacks with us too...I don't think I have ever tried this much new food in my life, no joke.

On Saturday, Lindsay and I went on our first solo adventure to Puerto Viejo, a beautiful beach about four hours away from Guacimo. We started our day bright and early, getting on the bus around 8:00 am (I have become really accustomed to starting my days early here, I can even talk to people at breakfast now!). When Lindsay and I got on the bus, it was our first time using the currency here so we did hold the line up just a little bit, but afterwards we did a little victory dance because we did it!During our ride to Puerto Viejo, we had to switch busses half way through and walk to another terminal to catch the next bus, which we weren't expecting. We asked the nice lady at the ticket booth and we actually understood her directions and caught the next bus right on time. *cue another victory dance*

We finally made it to Puerto Viejo around 12:00 and soaked up every minute of sun we could! The water was the most beautiful blue and there was a beautiful view that went on for miles. We enjoyed some ice cream, pipas, and each others company all day as we walked through the different shops. It was so great to hear "Pura Vida" every where we turned too, it's just the way of life here!

Once we were ready to head back home, we jumped on a bus to Limon around 4:00 pm. We arrived on time (6:00), but unfortunately there were no tickets left for the bus we needed to catch in order to get home. *cue instant faces of terror*  So instead of freaking out completely, we called Mami and she suggested we buy a ticket to San Jose and tell the bus driver we needed to be dropped off in Guacimo...it worked! Next thing we knew, we were on a bus home. About an hour and a half later we were greeted by Papi with open arms at the bus stop. Mami was so happy to see we made it home too, she couldn't stop hugging us! I am beyond thankful to have such a loving host family during my time here.

Sunday we explored Guacimo some more and really got to know our town. We went for a walk down all sorts of roads, looking at the different buildings and stores surrounding us. We really do know our way around pretty well and we have managed to understand how to cross the roads without getting hit by cars, which makes me feel very accomplished.

We also got to try a popular dish, rice and beans, today! Mami and Papi brought back loads of it for not only us, but many others in the community. The meal itself consisted of a lot of food: meat, rice, beans, a vegetable mix similar to coleslaw, and another type of vegetable. Again, I'm super surprised by my courage to jump out of my comfort zone and try it, but when in Costa Rica...I must!

It's still hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact this is my home for the next seven weeks, but it's getting easier day by day. I miss my family and friends at home (hey guys, I know you're reading this), but this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. I find myself constantly smiling because I'm just in awe of this whole experience thus far.

Next week marks the beginning of my time at the school with my teachers, I'm can't wait! Pura Vida, mis amigos! :)
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I made it to Costa Rica! As you can see from my picture, my family was a bit to sad to see me go, but at 3:30 am we were on our way to the airport. Once Lindsay and I met up, we went to check in for our flight...sounds easy right? Try again. Our tickets had different names on them ( I was Brittani Seidel Seidel), which caused some issues. Once we had our tickets corrected, Lindsay and I literally had to sprint to make our flight to Houston (talk about getting my steps in for my Fitbit goal). Our goodbyes were rushed with our families, but it made it way easier to leave than I thought it would be! Before we knew it, we landed in Houston, grabbed a quick breakfast, and made our way to San Jose, Costa Rica.

Once we landed, Lindsay and I successfully made our way through customs and headed towards baggage claim. Unfortunately, one of Lindsay's bags didn't make it to San Jose from Houston (no worries, it showed up at our door at 6 am the next day). After our long search for her bag, we were finally ready to meet Papi and one of our host brothers, Darren. Both of them greeted us outside the airport with a sign that read, "Bienvenidos y Pura Vida Brittani y Lindsay!" I don't think Lindsay and I have ever smiled as much as we did when we met the both of them. We made our way to Darren's car and started off on our 2 hour drive to Guacimo (we drove through a rainforest, it was probably one of the coolest things I've done in awhile).

Once we arrived to the house, Lindsay and I met the rest of the family, had a wonderful dinner of chicken, rice, beans, and seasoned cucumbers, and went straight to bed. We ended up sleeping for 12 hours, but Mami and Papi were understanding and treated us to a wonderful breakfast including THE WORLD'S BEST COFFEE ( I may be biased, but it's seriously a gift from Heaven). After breakfast, Papi gave us a tour of Guacimo and treated us to pizza for lunch. We also tried pipa frita, which is basically coconut water. It was delicious and as Papi says, "Muy fresca y pura!"

If my weekend couldn't get any better, Sunday we took the bus to one of Mami and Papi's granddaughter's birthday party. We left extremely early this morning, spent the whole day at an outdoor park, and ate a lot of food. I am definitely not going hungry here (no worries, roomies!). The day was filled with a lot of family time, introductions to numerous people, and many group games. There were many competitions like sack races and jump roping ( I ended up getting hit in the face and losing an earring, typical). It was a great way to get to know everyone and spend time with my host family. I even made a new friend...yes it's a dog, but I talk to it in Spanish which is that much cooler.

Even though I have been a bit homesick the past couple days, I am incredibly happy with my decision to student teach abroad. This first weekend here has been filled with so many memories and a whole lot of Spanish, but I can't begin to imagine what the next week will bring me! 

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"It's up to you to see the beauty in everyday things."​

I can't believe the time is finally here...I leave for Costa Rica tomorrow! After spending a month at home with my friends and family, I am ready to begin my next adventure abroad.

Lindsay and I will be leaving for Costa Rica quite early tomorrow morning (SOS), but I'm hoping my adrenaline and excitement will fend off my typical morning crabbiness- maybe some coffee will help with that too! I'm not looking forward to saying "See you later!" to my family, but I have a feeling my time in Costa Rica will fly by and I'll be saying "I'm back!" before I know it.

Being able to student teach in another country is such an amazing opportunity and I am beyond excited to see what the next two months bring.  I'm looking forward to growing as an educator during my time here as well as learning more about myself. Can I actually do this? I guess you'll have to read my blog each week to find out! 

For those of you who know me pretty well, positivity makes my world go round so I leave you with this:

"Slow down. Calm down. Don't worry. Don't hurry. Trust the process." -Alexandra Stoddard