A Taste of Home

I know its been less than three weeks, but it is still nice to have little reminders of home.  I had heard that it takes mail 3 weeks to get here, so I haven’t been checking since I haven’t even been here three weeks.  But today one of the other families from NC came and excitedly told me there was mail from Raleigh in the box and it was for me!  We all love to see the name of our hometown :)  So, I got three letters and I loved it!  I went and checked immediately… so a HUGE thank you to my letter writing friends.  You are amazing and made my day!

Today we celebrated the 4th of July at school with a team from the States who are here doing VBS for the missionary kids.  We had hot dogs, played games, and it was great.  I was mostly excited about the cupcakes with red white and blue sprinkles.  I was so excited that I even ate the frosting (which I don’t normally eat)! :) 

Every day here feels a little bit more like home.  I am continuing to bond with my host family, so thank you to anyone who is praying for that.  Today the two year old grand-daughter played with me for a long time and it was so fun!  I’m thankful for all the Lord’s provisions of friends and my host family and little tastes of home!

Come, everyone who thirsts…

"None but God can satisfy the longings of an immortal soul; that as the heart was made for Him, so He only can fill it." Richard Chenevix Trench

"Men are in a restless pursuit after satisfaction in earthly things. They will exhaust themselves in the deceitful delights of sin, and, finding them all to be vanity and emptiness, they will become very perplexed and disappointed. But they will continue their fruitless search. Though wearied, they still stagger forward under the influence of spiritual madness, and though there is no result to be reached except that of everlasting disappointment, yet they press forward. They have no forethought for their eternal state; the present hour absorbs them. They turn to another and another of earth's broken cisterns, hoping to find water where not a drop was ever discovered yet." Charles Spurgeon

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Isaiah 55:1-3 (ESV)

You’ll never believe it…

After reading that last post and realizing how little Spanish I know, you’ll never believe what happened tonight?  We unexpectedly got a new student in our host home who will be staying for one month.  She doesn’t speak much English at all and my Mama Tica called me in to translate.  Really?  That’s craziness.  But I did.  Believe it or not I know enough Spanish to help other people communicate.  Its the Christmas miracle.

Panama… the ESL version

This week is Spiritual Emphasis week at school.  We have speakers here from Peru who are missionaries who have been on the field about a year and a half.  I’m really excited to have chapel twice a day and worship and fellowship IN ENGLISH with the other students!  Today we talked about suffering, but one point he brought out was about how language learning forces humility.  You just keep wanting to say… “I’m smarter than this… I can have a real thought… I promise!”  And its true… it really is humbling to be brought to the vocabulary of a 2 year old and unable to express yourself.

To that end, I want to give you a picture of my recent Spanish acquisition as well as my weekend trip to Panama.  However, I’m going to describe my weekend to you the way I described it to my host parents and use only English words that I know in Spanish… get ready.  At least I’ll have pictures and that helps :)

The weekend was good.  The time on the bus is long and it is hot in Panama.  More hot than Costa Rica.  Panama is very beautiful.  The line was long in the place where you go from Costa Rica to Panama.  Two long lines at two windows.  The place where I give them my  passport.  There is a place where you cross over water… right… a bridge.  It is very old and small.  The bus is going over.  But all the people get out.  We walk across because the bus with people is too much.  I am scared for the bus.  I know many new people after the weekend.  There is a family who is from the place that I am from in NC.  There is a guy from my church who works with this man.  He is… I don’t know.  When  a house has lots of smoke they come with water.  Right… firefighter.   They work together as firefighters.  This man is here with his family.  They will move to Honduras too.  It is a small world.  In Panama we take a boat to the hotel.  The hotel is nice and has cold air in the rooms.  Saturday we go on a boat and see dolphins.  I have a picture.  I don’t have a picture  when the water is here and the dolphin is higher.  I am not fast enough.  After the dolphins we go to a restaurant near the the water.  We swim and snorkel.  I see many fish.  I love to snorkel.  I want to snorkel in Costa Rica.  This is my first time.  It is very beautiful.  We eat lunch then we go to a beach.  The beach has many… I don’t know.  The word for the things in the sky with  the moon?  Stars.  Stars that are fish.  Ahh… starfish.  The beach is called starfish.  There are many starfish here.  You can put them in your hand.  The kids loved them.  They are not soft, but not hurting you.  They are very pretty.  After the beach we go to dinner.  I take lots of pictures.  I also buy “jewelry” (no word here, just motioning to what I am wearing).  It is a good weekend.  I need to practice Spanish. :)

Newsletter June 2010

Hopefully this will work... click here to see my newsletter!

Mas Amigos!

Toy Story 3 en Español.  So good.  I have no idea what 80% of the dialogue was about, but that’s okay.  The movie has great and I enjoyed every bit of it.  That means it was really a good movie :)  Tonight I went with a group of American and Tico friends to see the movie.  We even had kids with us, which makes everything more fun!  I am dying to be able to speak Spanish better to communicate with people, but I’m getting there.

A friend at school introduced me to a Tica friend who is awesome.  She is mom to a 4 year old precious little girl and so patient with my broken Spanish.  I would love to get to know her better.  This picture is our small group heading out to meet the others at the mall…

 

Back row: Paul, Kata, Abby

Front row: Mary Katherine, Nikki, Laura

 

Here’s another picture of some school friends from earlier today…

 

Abby, Paul, Abby, Laura, Courtney, and Wes

 

 

 

I braved taking my camera to school today… which I won’t do often.  But it was fun to get some pictures to show you all what life is like here a little bit.  I put more up on facebook of the school and city. 

Its hard to believe I’ve been here over a week.  My Spanish vocabulary is expanding rapidly, but I still get so lost and confused and can’t understand any native Spanish speakers speaking to each other.  But I’m starting to be able to talk to my host mom a lot more, which is such a blessing!

Thanks for all your prayers…

“Look they’re communicating…”

Brian Regan reference anyone?

I must have a life… I missed a day of posting :)  I take that as a good sign.  Here are some pictures of my class and my teachers.  The top pictures is with Rita, she teaches our one hour of grammar.  And the bottom picture is with Ana Sylvia who teaches us two hours a day of conversation.  Both of these women are super sweet and very patient with our minimal Spanish speaking.  Their official stance is that they speak no English… but its a lie.  Ana Sylvia grins when we are discussing in English how to ask her something in Spanish.  She understands every word :)

Today was a day filled to the brim with Spanish speaking.  This morning a group of us attended a CMA church that is within walking distance.  I loved it.  Honestly it may have been my favorite thing that I have done all week.  I don’t know that I’ve ever been excited to hear the song “Open the Eyes of my Heart” until this morning.  We sang three songs in Spanish that we already knew the tunes to and it made a huge difference.  I could actually read and sing along.  We sang other songs as well that were harder.  But I think Sunday morning worship will be a favorite!  I could only pay attention for about 30 min of the sermon before my head started hurting from all the Spanish I didn’t understand… but its a start.

After church one of the host families that goes to church there had us over for lunch.  We got to meet their kids, practice Spanish, and meet their neighbors who are girls about my age who said we could come over anytime to practice.  YAY!  My first Tica friends :)  It was great.

I asked my Mama Tica tonight if I was speaking Spanish better than last weekend and she answered with an emphatic YES.  So… hence the title… “look they’re communicating!”  Last week I wouldn’t have even known how to ask her that question.  I do feel like as long as I speak slowly about something I know some vocabulary about, I can get my point across.  That’s something anyway :)  And I asked her to teach me how to cook fried plantains and pintos with rice, delicious.  Plus I’m going to help her make a photo book of her grand-daughter.  I’m so thankful that not all bonding has to happen around karaoke!

The Lord is so good and today has been wonderful.  I’ve been excited to be here and meeting people and learning Spanish and learning from the WORD.  So, please thank the Lord with me that my emotions are finally catching up with me:)

All my troubles seem so far away…

This is a line from a song that I sang on my premier night as a karaoke star…

What a day :)  Its true everyone.  Tonight I sang karaoke for the first time in my life in my host parents backyard.  We have family, uncle, cousin, nephew, neighbor… all here for a karaoke party!  I had no idea until they asked me if I was going to sing.  Well… now that the microphone is in my hand, I guess so.  My repertoire included Sweet Home Alabama, Yesterday, My Girl, etc.  And many more that they started and put the mic in my hand, but much to their dismay I just looked at them b/c I don’t know half of the English songs they wanted me to sing.  I also learned lots of Spanish favorites tonight.  And by learned I mean, I watched the words go by on the screen…

I am feeling more bonded to my host family, as you can tell.  And I found out tonight that their 24 year old son speaks exceptional English… where has he been all week?  Seriously though he gave me more pointers about Costa Rica than I will ever remember, but he was so nice and such a great resource.  Also… he told me we could walk around one day and take pictures b/c no one will bother me if I am with him.  Yay.  Camera time!  Sometime soon…

As for the adventures in San Jose.  Meeting up with mom and dad’s neighbors was a success, well I picked up a package from their hotel anyway.  So, I felt very accomplished in figuring out the bus and taxi system.  Its slightly less terrifying now that we have done it once.  Also… a strange thing happened…

Traffic in Costa Rica is ridiculous, of course.  Drivers get mad at pedestrians and the same goes the other way.  As we were talking, there was a woman crossing the street in front of Laura and I who was clearly ticked at the cars on the road.  To prove her point she started beating the car in front of her with her umbrella… honestly, she could have broken  window.  The car just kept driving and she was hitting it all down the side… until the trunk got the better of her.  The umbrella got stuck in the trunk of the car and rode off as she watched.  So, here she stands getting drenched in the downpour as her weapon of choice rides off with her victim.  Isn’t it ironic?

So… a day of fun.  Many more to come!

Colossians – so good!

Colossians 1:13-14
”For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

I love these verses so much because they proclaim the Gospel of Christ so boldly.  This IS what God has done for us.  He knows our sin – past, present, and future.  He is not surprised by the darkness of our hearts and yet He doesn’t let us live there.  He has made a way for us to no longer have to be under the authority of our sin.  We have a way out in Jesus and I am so thankful.  I’m so aware that God didn’t have to love me… I don’t deserve it.  And He doesn’t have to use me… I’m weak.  I get homesick and tired of learning Spanish and tired of loving people and bored with reading the Word.  And yet… He continually pursues me and tells me that I belong to Him and that He WILL use me and prepare me for that which He has called me to.  And on days like today, He makes me excited for being in Costa Rica and learning Spanish and loving people and learning from His Word.  And again, I’m thankful.

Today has been a great day.  One of the great sadnesses of my life here is that it isn’t safe to carry around my awesome new camera unless I’m in a group of people.  Otherwise I would be providing photo documentation of EVERYTHING I’m doing.  So, maybe it’s just as well?!?  As John Mayer says… “didn’t have a camera by my side this time… maybe I will tell you all about it…” 

So, here goes.  I think I’m learning Spanish.  Poco y poco as the man at the fast food place told me tonight.  Slowly but surely.  Its been four days of class and already some words are coming in Spanish before English as I’m thinking through what to say.  That’s a huge deal.  And I’m making every effort to speak Spanish, even when people want to speak English to me.  I’m getting good at saying… “sorry I have bad Spanish, I’ve only been here a week, I want to learn, etc.”  It wins people’s affection to be honest… when you tell them you’re trying.  I had a couple short conversations with cashiers because of it.  So… I’m learning.

I’m also starting to feel less trapped and more able to get around.  Today I took a taxi for the first time to the multiplaza (since I was with people who surprisingly know a little less Spanish then I do, I did the talking… hard to believe, but true).  It’s amazing.  Its pretty much a mall like we would have in the States, smaller, but great.  First thing I spot when I walk in the door… CINNABON!!!  Anyone who was in the DR with me will remember how much I love Cinnabon if you recall my reaction when I spotted one at the ATL airport.  So… Katherine and I split one… it was great and made me happy :)  We walked around awhile, shopped, and then saw Robin Hood.  Don’t be fooled, this is the not the same Robin Hood as any other movie I’ve ever seen… totally different story.  Threw me for a loop.  Watching in English with Spanish subtitles was great.  I saw and heard so many of my new words that I’m learning.  Its so great for recall purposes!

So yes.  Today was a great day.  Tomorrow is the last day of class for the week and then I’m going to adventure to downtown San Jose.  I’ll keep you posted :)

Walk to school…

Hey… Here is a just a little picture of my life here. 

 

 

Me in front of my house.

 

 

 

 

 

These are all pictures of my walk to school.  It’s about 5 minutes and two turns from my house.

 

 

These are pictures of school and the view of the mountains when it’s not raining… which is only in the mornings until about 1pm.

Today was a great day.  We did lots of good stuff in class and then some of us went on a walk to find a store and such.  It was good to get around and find out where things are.  Very freeing.  After awhile I went to Laura’s house (the girl on the right in the picture above) to study with her.  We didn’t study much, but we spoke a lot of Spanish.  There are two little girls at her house, 3 and 5 years old.  They are so cute and fun and her host mom invited me back anytime, which is super fun.  So… I loved it.  Then I came home for dinner and actual studying :) 

The Lord has been really faithful and reminded me today that He provides for me and that this experience really is going to be good.  I haven’t been nearly as lonely today, which is such a blessing.  I’m thankful that my Spanish is improving and little by little I’m getting more confident to try and use what I know.  I even found myself speaking  Spanish to an English speaking store owner just to practice!  So… its coming! 

My class

Just wanted to share this picture with you.  From left to right… Laura, Me, Deborah, and Abby :)

Just another afternoon rainstorm…

It is bittersweet to have morning classes.  The only really nice weather is in the mornings.  It rains about noon every day.  And we’re talking downpour!  So on the one hand, I miss the nice weather… on the other hand, I don’t have to walk in it. :)  My house is so peaceful.  I love it.  I’m trying to spend time here just studying and relaxing and getting to know my host mom.  But I am going to have some adventures with the other students this week.  We’re going to try to go to a movie Thursday afternoon… best of luck to us :)  No one knows where it is yet…

Class is great.  Challenging just the right amount.  I catch about 80% of what the teacher is saying and have a hundred plus verbs to learn.  But I am more confident to talk to my host mom after just two days.  I’m try to conjugate things and speak correctly… all in present tense, but its a start!

This rain means I may have to take a nap :)

First day of Class

Yet another thing in my life has changed… my alarm clock.  I’m so used to using my cell phone and now I am using a travel alarm clock, which I set, but forgot to turn on.  Awesome.  It is all thanks to my Tico mama that I made it to orientation this morning!  Muchas Gracias Doña Josephina!

First thing we took a placement test and I placed into the second beginner class… that is all thanks to Sarah Puffer and Spanish dinners at the Hodges.  So thanks :)  There are four students in my class and we have 2 hours of conversation class and 1 hour of grammer class.  Today it was in the afternoon, but most days we’ll have class at 7:30am!  Eek.  Should be find if I can remember to turn my alarm on.

I’ve decided nan would be an awesome language school host… too bad there isn’t a language school in Cary.  My Tico mama has been awesome… doing laundry, cooking amazing meals for me, helping me with Spanish.  Today she patiently looked at all my pictures as I used broken Spanish to tell her who everyone is.  So, now she knows lots of you… ha! :)

Erin Timmons made me promise to give a recap of 5 new friends I made today… so here goes.  It will be neat to see what the Lord does with these friendships over the next couple months.  Most people in my intensive program are just here for 2 months… thus begins the next phase of my life… constantly meeting people and saying goodbye.  It’s not my favorite, to be honest, but I’m excited to have two months with these people.

Laura – lives across the park from me and we’re going to walk to school together!  I’m so glad to have her so close by.
Katherine – the bravest 18 year old I know.  She is here by herself after just graduating from high school.  We met on the way to school this morning, so she lives nearby too.
Mary Beth – speaks WAY more Spanish than the rest of us, so we made her order at the bakery today :)  Also, I’m pretty sure I heard her make a “FRIENDS” reference today, so I think we’ll be friends.
Deborah – is going to be our class mom I think.  She bravely left her two grown children in the states to move to Roatan.  For those who don’t know, that’s only a two hour ferry ride from La Ceiba!
Abby – a teacher from Florida who is in my class.  She knows a little more Spanish than the other three of us and helps us know what the teacher is saying… I’m thankful.

Also… I’m starting my booming social life with a progressive dinner on Saturday night.  We’re going to try to go see a movie sometime this week and also study together.  But the big news is that the school has a weekend trip to Panama in 2 weekends and I’m going :)  so that’s really fun!  I don’t know much about it except we’re going on a bus to the Northern part of Panama and there are beaches and Islands and it’s pretty.  That’s all the info I need!

I am feeling more at home here today and I’m so thankful for that.  I also decided to memorize my new favorite verse in Spanish…
“Y él es antes de todas las cosas, y todas las cosas en él subsisten.” Colosenses 1:17

He who has called you is faithful!

1 Thessalonians 5:24

I started this post differently, but I had to come back and change it.  I just got back from walking around the neighborhood (my neighborhood is called San Francisco, how awesome is that?).  On my walk, I was thinking that maybe I was not the only new lonely student who would be out on Sunday afternoon trying to find my way to school for Monday morning.   So I prayed that God would let me meet another student.  About a block later I see about 20 gringos getting off a bus… so I boldly ask if they are from the language school, and they are :)  They aren’t new students, but they are so friendly and we chat for a little while.  I meet Charlie and Mark who are here with their families and just getting back from a weekend camp.  Isn’t the Lord good to answer prayer?  I couldn’t believe it and teared up a little at how much my God knows and loves me and answers my needs.

I promise once I have a life here I won’t write such long posts :)

So… day two in Costa Rica, the weather is beautiful and I’m starting to figure life out at least a little bit.  Still so thankful for Mark and Marge who took me with them to youth group last night.  They lead youth group for an international group, mostly MKs.  It was really fun to see the Lord working in this group of kids and hear Marge’s stories of how the Lord is changing their lives.  It was sad as four of them are leaving, either for the summer or for good after language school or a term of serving.  This is the life of an MK.  Lots of change and people coming and going from your life.  I don’t think change and I get along.  So… this new missionary life is going to be interesting!  :)

My host parents have been nothing but kind.  This morning we had a misunderstanding I think :)  I thought I told Don Alfredo that I was going to go for a walk to explore the neighborhood and find my way to the school, etc.  But then he told me the mom would go with me.  And then asked if I wanted to come with them.  I still thought we were walking around the neighborhood, but we got in the car and went to the market instead :)  So… I went to the market and grocery store, which was great.

Tomorrow we start class… so pray for lots of new friends :)

Costa Rica!

I have never had a harder moment in my life than getting in the line for security at the RDU airport.  I almost turned around and walked right back to my family and friends to go home with them.  But I didn’t, and now I’m here! :)  Its been am emotionally messy 48 hours… but I am doing well right now and really trusting that the Lord has good in store for me today and all of my days in Costa Rica!

I made some new friends through a mutual friend in MTW.  They are from Alabama but have lived here for 2 years.  Mark and Marge picked me up from the airport and answered my prayer for a less awkward car ride.  They speak English and understand the emotional status of my heart :)  Marge is great and willing to help me with anything.  I am actually spending the evening with them tonight.

The Lord also blessed me with two great seatmates on my plane rides… I will write my observations about them below :)

All in all… I’m feeling good about being here, but I can’t wait until I get started with class on Monday so that I have more to do to occupy my time.  There are over 20 new people coming in with my class, so I’ll get to meet lots of new people and hopefully make some good friends.  It will be nice to have people to do things with.  Amy said it well… being in a new place and not having “people” is extrovert’s hell.  That’s true.  My host family is great, but the only speak Spanish and I exhausted my communication skills really quickly!  So, I’m holed up in my room today being overwhelmed all by myself instead of trying to be overwhelmed and speak Spanish.  Tomorrow I’ll try again and also go out and explore a little bit… yay!

Thanks for all your prayers! 

Seatmate observations…
First there was Mitch, who knew that I was obviously sad… but dealt with it like a champ. He was super friendly and told me all about his wife and their life in S. Florida. He works for Seimens and was in Cary for training so we talked about places and things that were familiar. He talked to me the whole two hour flight so that I didn’t even really have time to be sad. He even stayed with me on the transport to the main terminal and made sure that I knew where I was going before he took off to baggage claim in Miami. Thanks Mitch!

So, flight from Miami to El Salvador I met Jose from Nicaragua. He started by asking me if I speak Spanish… no Jose I don’t. But I wish I did so that I could be at home for the next six months instead of on a plane to Costa Rica. Alas. Anyway… we talked for the next hour and a half. He spoke easy Spanish to me and let me practice, told me all about the cruise ship that he works on, showed me pictures, told me about his family, invited me to visit Nicaragua, and gave me his email. Honestly, I think I’ll keep in touch with him at least a couple times. He is a Christian and was sooo excited about what I was doing. He thought it was really cool that people at home would give money for me to be able to come and he was really encouraging about my learning Spanish. After talking to him, I really think I can do it. And again… no time to be sad b/c I was talking the whole time.