be stubborn in your hope.

    I have been in Costa Rica for a little less than two weeks, however, it feels like I’ve been here forever!  Last week was focused on orientation and spending lost of time with my Costa Rican family.  Speaking of which, my family is awesome.  I think it would be pretty difficult to get a bad family here, though.  I have a mom, dad and sister.  My sister, Maria Fernanda is 19 and is studying to be a doctor.  My family seems to be a little quieter and less affectionate than most Latin American families, but they are still loving, helpful and funny.  My Spanish is lacking.  I am totally aware of that, but my family talks slowly to me and helps me with words I don’t know.  Mainly, they are just patient with my slow Spanish and that is a blessing.  Each day I get a little better at Spanish and each my family and I grow a little closer.
    This week is my first week of classes.  I will be here in San Jose taking classes for five weeks.  (Core Seminar over Latin American Studies two mornings a week and Spanish every afternoon.)  Then I’m off to Nicaragua for about ten days.  Classes were pretty overwhelming at first, but I am starting to get into a pattern and I’m learning how to manage all the homework.  LASP keeps us busy.  I get home at about 6:30 every night and have time to eat dinner, talk with my family for a little bit, take a shower and do homework and sometimes check my email.  We have so much homework!  At the end of the five weeks, we have a big “position paper” due.  My topic is sustainable food and I am reading Stolen Harvest by Vandana Shiva for my preliminary research.  So far, it’s very interesting.
    One of my favorite parts of the day is walking to and from Spanish class.  Since we have Core Seminar at the LASP office in the morning and Spanish class at ICADS is across town, a group of us walk there everyday.  It is always blazing hot, but a nice time to reflect about the morning and talk in English!  Plus, I’ve made some really good friends already.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my friends and I have decided to get Pops helado after Spanish class.  Pops is more than a highlight in the day, it is starting to become a necessity.  We begin anticipating Pops the night before because it is so delicious!  Another favorite part of my day is finally getting home and being greeted by my Mama.  I usually get home around 6:00 or 6:30pm. She always has dinner ready for me and we have a nice time talking together. 
    As I wrote this, I realized how nice and easy it is to be competent in speaking/writing/understanding a language.  I am also amazed at how much Spanish I have been speaking in the last week.  It feels like more than in my whole life.  At home, I only speak in Spanish.  It’s quite amazing and I’m excited to become a better Spanish speaking.

p.s. The title of this post is a quote that one of my professors, Javier, used in class one day.    I thought it would be an interesting title to this blog post because as I learn and struggle to speak Spanish better, I have hope (and faith) that I will improve and that despite the struggles, this experience will be awesome.  I hope that eventually I will feel more comfortable speaking Spanish with my Costa Rican family and that my family and I will form a close and deep relationship.

Hola de San Jose, Costa Rica!

I am safe and sound and in Costa Rica.
My host family is so great and loving and funny and helpful.
I am having a seriously amazing time and I think it will only get better.
Just letting everyone know.
More later.
Buenas Tardes.

new year, new goal

11 days

Originally, I thought this blog would be about crafting.  You know, paper and things, my etsy shop happenings.  It turns out that I do more living of life than crafting, so I have come to the conclusion that this is my all purpose blog.  My life blog.  The next big thing in my life is the Latin America Studies Program in Costa Rica.  In 11 days I will be arriving in San Jose, Costa Rica.  I will be staying with a host family, practicing Spanish and taking classes about Latin American culture and history.  Hopefully, I will also be taking short trips to Nicaragua and Cuba.  I don't have a lot of information about what this semester will be like, but I do know two things.  I am super excited and scared to death.  I can't wait to experience a different culture, feel the sun, get to know my host family, swim in the ocean, eat new food.  On the other hand, what if I make a cultural faux pas!?  What if I my family doesn't like me or I don't like them?  What if I try to speak Spanish and my vocal cords don't work? 

As for now, I will read my LASP required reading, start to pack and enjoy my last 11 days in the US of A.

getting in the spirit.

Okay, so here's something.  Christmas is in three days.  Yes, THREE days.  This seems strange to me despite the Christmas tree, sugar cookies, gingerbread and wrapping paper that surround me.  Some of my favorite blogs have written loads of posts about Christmas, which I enjoy.  However, my pattern seems to be one post per season this year.  So, this is my Christmas post.  Maybe there will be more.  Maybe I should make a new years resolution about blogging...

 Amidst my surprise at the onset of Christmas, I have done a few Christmas-y things and I have been enjoying the advent season.  I have been making some Christmas cards and wrapping lots of gifts. Every time I eat a meal with my family we light the advent candles and read an advent prayer/ devotion from Henri Nouwen.  I love advent.  I love the anticipation of such a glorious day.  The day Jesus was born and the extra special day of family time each year.  Some of my favorite Christmas traditions are singing in the Candlelight Christmas Eve Concert at my church, eating fondue on Christmas Eve, opening stockings before breakfast on Christmas morning and performing some sort of magic show or play with my younger cousins.  I think one of the times that I most appreciate tradition is at Christmas time.  Traditions makes this time of year extra special.

fall favorites.

Usually I like warm weather and fall means cold weather with winter right around the corner.  The start of Fall was fairly warm and sunny with beautiful, crunchy leaves.  The perfect bike riding, soccer playing weather.  However, I think it's starting to turn colder, which is not good.  As I try to always be optimistic, I'm reminiscing about my favorite things of fall.   Some of the best include: homemade pumpkin spice granola, pumpkin spice lattes, crunchy leaves, wearing tights, making useful and awesome things in Ceramics 101,  and a great Halloween costume.  What do you love about fall?

Under a tree there was a hole. In the hole lived Mr. Fox. Mr Fox had a penchant for tweed suits.

I love foxes and bikes.   Here is my little tribute to those loves.

Right to left: 1.Fox on a bike t shirt.  2.Flags + Tandem. 3.Fantastic Mr. Fox.  4.If you haven't already seen this movie, you must!  5.Bicycle Kissing Couple.  6. French Messenger Bag.  7.Kitchen Towel-Orange Bicycle.  8.Fox, Up Close and Personal.  9. Biking is for Lovers.