Last adventures and goodbyes

As crazy as it sounds, I am finally home, and my Costa Rica adventure has ended. Yes, it went by fast! It's crazy to think that just two weeks ago I was sitting at home with my Costa Rican family watching t.v and just hanging out. I had the time of my life, and I know I wouldn't change it for the world, because it has shaped me to be the person I am today, and I really like who I have become.

June seemed to go by very quickly, and I ended up doing a lot in June. I had my last AFS camp, where I said goodbye to almost all the other exchange students. That was very hard to do, because I had grown close with a few of them. Other than saying goodbye the camp was nice, we went to Punta Leona, and hung out there for the weekend on the beaches, having volleyball "tournaments", and eating a whole bunch!

Me, Neels (Germany), Hans (USA), Hannah (Germany), and Keiko (USA)

All the exchange students who had been there for a year

Kieko, Erica (Italy), Hanna (Sweden), and I.

Playa Blanca.

One of the many volleyball tournaments we had.

Another very fun/thrilling thing I did was go BUNGEE JUMPING! That was a life achievment, jumping off a 250 foot bridge. You have to have a lot of confidence in yourself and a lot of trust in the people who are running the place. I went with Hans and Kieko from the US, and with Josh from Austria to a little place in Naranjo where we jumped. It was honestly one of the coolest things I have ever done in my entire life. It feels like you are flying, and you just have to jump. I guess the youngest person who jumped was 4 years old, which is kinda crazy to think about!

My friend Keiko and I right before we jumped off

And of course, all the goodbye parties and saying goodbye. That was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, saying goodbye to my friends and family. My last day of school, Friday, was hard. I said goodbye to a lot of close friends, and just knowing that I might not see them again made me feel pretty crummy! The next day, at 6:30 am I was woken up to by my close friends singing to me in front of my window with a big sign. That was very cute and nice and just made me feel like I will have life long bonding friendships with these girls! Then later at night there was a going away party for all the exchange students and families at my friend Hanna's house. That is where I cried the most, it was unbelievably hard saying goodbye to my friends Maria, Nicole and Yuri, not to mention the exchange students. I am really going to miss them, especially my friend Hannah from Germany, she is like a sister to me and I really hope I can go visit her someday. Then, the last day, Sunday was fathers day so my family and I went to la casa de los abuelos, and there I said goodbye to all my family. Goodbyes are tough, I wont even start to explain how horrible Monday morning was, but I know I will be seeing them again, very soon. I've made relationships with these people, and they are lifelong. I love them as if they were my real family, and I know they feel the same way about me. 

Me with my friend Colleen and Chini

Hannah and I

Maria, Nicole and I

Hanna, me, Maria and Yuri

My Mami and I

Yeahh... Costa Rican money definitely wins.

My cousin Isaac and I.

And, so how am I doing back home? It feels nice to be home. I know I've only been here for a week, so I still haven't gone through culture shock or anything, but I talk with my family a lot, and yes, I do miss them, I really miss them. But I know I will be seeing them soon, so I'm going to take my life in my hands and just let it go the way it wants. I am really pleased to say that I did accomplish my year abroad, it was amazing. I met people I will never forget, and I made memories that will be with me my entire life. I am so happy that I did this, and I am looking forward to the next time I visit Puriscal.

Spanish: Speaking, Thinking, Dreaming

Since I've been here for over 10 months, Spanish has become my life. Not only do I speak it 24/7, but I think in Spanish; which is something completely strange. I would have never thought it possible to think in another language. In the beginning of the year, when I would speak, I would have to mentally translate, but now I just speak and speak and speak and speak, and I absolutely love it. Along with all of this, I dream in Spanish... I CAN'T ESCAPE IT! hahaha! I don't really notice it as much as I used to, but it is something I had to get used to.
I feel really accomplished, and that was my goal in coming to Costa Rica, to not only experience something new, but learn a language, and I can say that I have definitely learned Spanish. Yes, it was very hard. I went though a couple of breakdowns, but hey-that's life. And I know, from my experience, that if anyone wants to learn a language, if they work hard, they can do it.  One quote I really like is, "One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way." -Frank Smith.

When I go back to the US, I plan on learning another language (ahhh!!), either Portuguese or German, I haven't exactly decided yet. It feels so good, to be able to talk to people in different countries, and learn different cultures. And to be able to talk, and to learn, you experience difficulties, but those are nothing compared to what you receive.

Playa Dominical

The beach has got to be one of the most relaxing places on the planet earth-it doesn't matter which one you are at, it is sooooooooo calming! And this past weekend, my Mami, Lupe, my cousin Oscar and I went to the beach, Dominical. It was for my Mami's birthday, so on Saturday morning we all got into the car with our friend Diego, and were off to Puntarenas and made our way to Playa Dominical. We stayed at a beautiful hotel! And the beach was only 100 meters away so it was very close. The thing about this beach-it screams surfer. The waves are raaddiicaall! But seriously the waves are GIGANTIC, and the only people who were in the water were surfing, because it was a bit dangerous to get in. So we decided to have a picnic there, and then spent the rest of the time in the pool! The next day we drove to Parrita, to my Mami's brother's house. I think I sweated at least 3 pounds that day-it is ridiculously hot. Thank goodness when we got to their house, they had fans everywhere, but you could still feel the heat sitting and waiting to grab you! 

Anyway, the weekend was nice and relaxing. I had fun spending time and traveling with the fam! But now, I only have 3 weeks left, and the reality is starting to sink in. Am I really ready to go? I'm not exactly sure. I am over excited to see my friends and family yes, that is the truth, but I am scared to leave the family and friends I have made here. Coming here, I knew I would return in 11 short months, and wooaahhh has the time flown by. But now, I don't know when the next time I will see them, and that's what scares me. Everyone here asks me if I will come back to visit .... I mean it seems like a pretty obvious answer to me- YES!

My cousin Oscar, Lupe and I.

The pool

A surfer

Lupe and I

My Mami and I

Visit to Jorge

I have always heard stories about exchange students, because my grandma hosted many when my dad was growing up. One of them, Jorge, lived with them for 6 months, and is from Costa Rica. Last week was the first time I was able to go visit him! It was awesome to meet him and his two children, and hang out with them. We talked a lot about my grandma, my dad, and my aunts. It was a nice weekend and I think in 2 weeks I am going to go on a trip with them, which should be fun!

Jorge, his son Santiago, daughter Victoria, and I.

Religion

Faith is one aspect that highly influences the lives of Ticos. The majority of people here are Catholic, but there are also many Christians (Protestants), as well as Muslims and others. Families go to church regularly, and my family especially, says the rosary weekly. One thing that really interests me is that many teenagers are exploring, discovering, and realizing their faith, something not a lot of teenagers do back home.
A week ago, I went with some friends to a day camp that talked about exploring faith. It was actually pretty fun, I went with a group from my church in San Juan and there we had mass, concerts, and games. It was a way for young people in Costa Rica to connect with others and become closer. People were singing, dancing, and rejoicing. It was a different way to experience the culture here, and learn something new about the people.
Not many people are confident about their faith when they are teenagers. Questions are always arising, you are embarrassed, and you don't know if you actually believe. The thing I really liked about this camp, was there were so many people who believed. And I'm not just talking about Catholics but every type of religion; the people here are very confident about what they believe in. That is something I have learned here, to become more confident in what I believe. 

This is one of the bands that played. The sign above says, "Faith is the strong transformation of my life".

The camp was held in Tres Rios Cartago. Here is my friend Kristel, Diego and I.

Cooking

One way I involve myself in the culture is by cooking with my family. Whether I am at my own house, an aunts, or grandparents, there is always fresh food being cooked. In the beginning of my stay here, I could not cook...at all. I was able to make "pasta", and I thought I could make rice (which wasn't so), but I guess I knew nothing about the kitchen. Thanks to my Mami and my aunts, I can now say I have learned so much more about cooking. Whether it is meat to cerviche to tamales, I can say I have got the basics down, which is a start!

AFS dinner

One of the really cool things about AFS, is there is always something going on; you are always meeting, or interacting, with new people. Well, on Saturday, I, along with 4 other exchange students went to a very special dinner that AFS was hosting. There were AFS ambassadors from Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, and of course Costa Rica. Not to mention many volunteers who help out in AFS, roughly there were around 80 people that attended the dinner. It was very formal...very, very formal. The exchange students and I went to, I guess you could say, "entertain" everyone, but really, it felt more like we were demonstrating what we have done here, how we have grown, and what it means to truly immerse yourself in the culture. I sang "Eres Para Mi", while my friend Matti from Austria played the guitar. The other exchange students did a typical dance. I think we all felt really happy we went, and honestly it was an honor to meet a lot of the people there, especially the ambassadors.

Digna, Shey, Jonathan, Me, Matti (Austria), Hannah (Germany), Carmen (Germany), and Erica (Italy).

The typical dance.

Festival de las bandas!

Last night I sang again with THE VISITORS! But, this time we sang in a much bigger place, and there were other bands that played as well. It was awesome-it was so much fun and all the bands were great. It started around 6:30ish and ended at 12, but that was totally expected because there were about 7 bands that played in all. We played really well, and just an observation, my confidence in singing in front of people has gone up! I'm not as nervous as I used to be, and now I just make sure I have fun with it! We played really well, and more videos will be coming so you can listen.

All these bugs!

There are so many bugs right now, it is ridiculous! But hey, it's nature. and that's what you get for living in a tropical country! The rainy season is starting to come back, and with the rain, it is even hotter in the day, with a lot more bugs. The flies are out of control, but that is nothing compared to another: Abejones. They are kinda like big flying beetles, but they can't stay up in the air for so long because they weigh so much, so they just bob around-they are gross! So, my brother and I have made a game out of them to make it a little more fun, and a little less creepy. If you hit one in the air and kill it, you get 10 points, if you kill it on the ground, you get 5 points. I can't even start to describe how intense this has become between us!
All in all, the bugs aren't that bad, I mean sure they are annoying at times, but I have become used to it. Also I don't scream at all when I see a spider. Which is a big accomplishment for me because I used to have my brother Van come in my room back in the US to kill spiders for me! If I am able to kill a bug, I have no problem, on the other hand, when I am "defenseless", that's where it gets a little bad. For example, when I was in church there were thousands of abejones, because they are attracted to light. And I could not kill a single one, because I would look a little crazy running around trying to kill all the bugs that were there! But, bugs are bugs are bugs, and they are starting to calm down a little more!

Rafting!

Last Sunday, Lupe, Rafa, and I went rafting! There are many places to go rafting in Costa Rica, but we decided to go to the Pacuare River, which is located in Cartago, and close to Limon. We were in the water for 4 hours straight! It is defiantly something a lot of tourists do because we saw a lot of foreigners, and I understand why because it is an adventure! We started off at around 10, went through rapids, swam in the water, and almost fell off a couple of times! Then we had lunch, and continued our trip through the mountains, and through the Telemaca, which is one of the most inhibited places in Costa Rica that are home to indigenous people. There they live without electricity, and live a simple life-style.
Our trip went by pretty fast, we had an awesome guide, and he let us do a lot of fun stuff. The rapids weren't that bad, because we went in the time were there wasn't a lot of water. If you want to go rafting, I would personally suggest going around June, July, August. That is when it rains a lot, which means there is more water and more rapids. But, besides that, we had a blast. One of the coolest things that we did was something called "surf". Once we went down a small waterfall/rapid, we would paddle back to it, and be pushed away by the water-that was honestly one of the funniest things! I can't describe the 4 hour trip, but I would highly recommend going rafting one day. It doesn't have to be in Costa Rica, but it is something that will be worthwhile  I know I want to do it again, or try kayaking or something else to that extent.

The Wonderful World of Water

Water. What a simple word, and for most of us, something we can access quite easily. I've always learned about saving water, the basics: turn off the water when you brush your teeth, don't waste water, ect. Well, I've learned to do that, but I was never faced with the problem of loosing water. Well, that has changed. In my city, there are times when the water turns off, and a whole neighborhood is left without water. Thankfully, this doesn't happen to me often, because my family lives away from the city, and there is a river right by my house, but other friends live with this situation, and it has become a part of their lives. Today for example, there was no water in Puriscal, from 8 in the morning, till 8 at night. No water in schools, in homes, at offices. This really is a problem, but the people have learned to deal with it. And, it has made me more aware of what is going on in our world. WE, the people, need to take care of the Earth.

I never thought I would be presented this situation, where water was hard to get at times, so we need to be thankful for what we are given, humble about how we have it, and helpful to those who are unable to recieve.

Grace's Visit

About a week ago, my best friend Grace from the United States came to visit me! That was honestly one of the coolest things in the world! Not going to lie, I was a bit nervous at first, I didn't know if it was going to be weird, or awkward, or if she was going to think I have changed a lot. On Friday at around 6ish my family and I went to the airport to meet her, and that was the start of an adventurous week!

We went to Playa Conchal, which personally my favorite beach in Costa Rica. If anyone travels to Costa Rica, make sure you go to Guanacaste , Playa Conchal-it is GORGEOUS! The water is clear, you can open your eyes underwater, and the sand is white, and there are a lot of things to do there! We also visited Guapiles . I have family there, so we stayed with them, rode horses, and ate (a lot!) there. We drove to the Caribbean  but when we arrived it was raining! But that didn't stop us from going into the teal water. We also went surfing in Jaco, which is such a thrill. I believe, that if you ever get the chance to go surfing, take it. Don't be afraid, be careful, but go for it! You won't regret it! Besides the miny trips, we hung out at home, in the pool, went on a hike with my dad, and talked, and talked, and talked, and talked, and talked! It was great to see her after 8 months! It was unreal to have her here, and I had a great time.

I can't believe I only have 2 months left...that just scares me. I ask myself sometimes, ... "Wait...where did the time go?!!" It has FLOWN by, and so I am going to do as much as I can, and experience as much as I can in these last 2 months.

My Welcome to Costa Rica sign. I was getting a lot of looks, everyone else's signs were small, and white. BEING CREATIVE!!

This is at Playa Conchal. (from left to right: Rafa, Lupe, me, Grace.)

Grace with one of the horses in Guapiles

One of the baby chickens

Surfing in Jaco

Grace and I on the hike.

My Papa, Grace and I on the hike

Planta Eolica

This week I have no school because it is Semana Santa (Holy Week), so yesterday, I went on a day trip with Lupe and some friends to the Planta Eolica, or the big wind-mill things that create energy. IT WAS GORGEOUS! The view was breathtaking. It has also been EXTREMELY hot, so going up to the Planta Eolica was a nice cooling break-aka if you don't bring a sweatshirt you will start to shiver! There isn't really a significant meaning why I am posting about this specific place, I have been to plenty of places in Costa Rica, which I haven't blogged about. But I think the difference with this, is that it is a place that is unbelievable cold, and has a view that is one of the most hardest things to describe. Also, I think it just made me think about home...which is hard for the weather and the surroundings to do! When we were there, Lupe and I and her friend kinda snuck into a forest, we were definite hardcore "trail-blazers"! But yesterday was gorgeous, and usually tourists don't hear about the planta eolica, because most people just go to the beaches, but if you ever want to see a breath taking view, go there! 

The view...this picture doesn't even begin to capture what we saw

The wind-mills that produce energy

Me with Lupe in the forest

Me, our friend Tury, and Lupe

The Visitors

So, to anyone who didn't know, my brother here plays in a band, and it is really cool! So about 3 weeks ago, he got an opportunity to play at a restaurant bar, but not all his band could do it, so he decided to ask me if I wanted to sing with him and a few friends. Personally, I love to sing, so I thought it was a great idea, and heck yeah I wanted to do it! First off, his friends are soooo funny! And they are just all around great people! So for 3 weeks we practiced the songs we wanted to sing, and came up with a name and all that stuff. We decided on, "The Visitors", because 1. I am a "visitor" aka I'm not a local, and I am leaving soon, 2. In our band, the drummer looks Chinese, we call him Chino, and he is Tico, and for other funny little jokes. Saturday we played for the first time, and it went so well, it was so thrilling and yeah we messed up a bit, but I wouldn't take it back for the world, because it was soooo awesome!!!
Here is a link to one of the songs we played:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDJC82W7Wc8&feature=youtu.be

Festival de Puriscal

The festivals in Puriscal have sadly ended, but it was a week long of fun and excitement! They started off with the Toros (I described those in my post about Palmares), which was really exciting. I swear, they are some of the most entertaining things you could go to, but they really get your adrenallin running even though you aren't in the ring with the bull! As I said, the toros are when the people get into a stadium and run around with a bull. It really is scary to watch, and many people are sent to the hospital, but it is a tradition! Besides the toros, the entire week there are things going on. One night there was a, "Show de huevos", which is a comedy show. The people who went told me it was really funny. Other days there were "cow-roundups" or whatever you want to call them, and some days there were concerts and dances. On Saturday there was a carnival, which was a really big parade that lasted a good 3 hours! I didn't go but I saw the pictures and it looked really cool! It was a bit bigger than the parade for Dia de Independencia, with a lot of dancers, drummers, musicians, the whole shabang! Then on Sunday there was the Tope, aka the parade of horses, which is the most amazing thing in the world. The festivals were really cool, and it is a big tradition in Costa Rica, and one thing you don't want to miss out on!

Here's a video of the toros: they get pretty crazy! In this video, they decided they were going to play soccer, but also had to run away from the bull. Halfway through the game they put in another bull!!

Just a Dream

Who would have known, a year and a half ago, I would be here, In Costa Rica. It is so amazing. No, amazing doesn't even begin to describe my experiences here. I really do feel blessed, to have such incredible people here with me, and such a supportive family back home not to mention the great friends! You know, in the beginning, it all just felt like a mirage, like it wasn't even real. I would wake up in the morning, and say to myself, "Wait...I'm in Costa Rica!" Now, it just feels like I have lived here forever!
How I got this idea to be a foriege exchange student, honestly I don't even remember. One day it just popped up in my head, and my Dad helped me from there. At first I wanted to go to Portugal, because my family has friends there, but then it changed to Spain, and from there, I found AFS and I chose Costa Rica, and I don't think it could have been a better idea. It was hard yes, but working for something you really want is hard. So, to all those, who wish they can do something, or be someone, go for it.

-"Aim for the moon, if you miss, you may hit a star."-W. Clement Stone.

Mi familia

Words can't describe how much I love my family here. It may be weird for people to read this, who have never lived with another family, and yeah, it kinda is weird to think that after 7 months, I think of these people as my for real 2nd family. Coming here, and having to live with people, I have never met, was a struggle. I didn't know what to do at all....."should I sit down or just walk around like I need something.." -It was a bit awkward! And it was hard, I was homesick, but now, I don't think I could have asked for a better, more loving, accepting, happy, amazing family. I am one of few exchange students, who actually call my parents, "Mami" and "Papi". I am really close with my family, I can talk to them about anything, and all of them are so unique and close to my heart. My sister Lupe is crazy! She is fun, and creative, and loves to just hang out. I really consider her as a sister, and as a friend. My brother is a rocker, legit there isn't a moment when he doesn't have his guitar in his hands! It is great to always hear music in the house! My dad is hilarious! He is always cracking jokes! And my mom, is one of the most loving, caring women I know. I love her to death, and in reality, it's going to be really hard when I leave these amazing people. Not to mention my cousins, my aunts and uncles, my grandparents here, and all my friends! Family life here is all about togetherness. The family lives close together, aka our neighbors are our aunts and uncles, and pretty much almost everyone in Puriscal is related to my family! So, to just sum up this entire thing, basically my family is just awesome!

The fam, minus my dad who is taking the picture! 

My cute baby cousin!! 

My dad

My mom with her niece and nephew

My aunt and I

My cousin, Lupe, me, and a friend

Isaac, one of the craziest, most amazing little cousins in the world, Lupe and I

My mom with one of the cats that live by the house. She named it after my brother, Van, and the two others are named after my sisters, Megan and Josie!

My dad, me, and my mom

My cousin, my aunt, Lupe, me, and my cousin 

Rafa (my brother) and I

My cousin Diana and I

Lupe and I

Me, my cousin Miguel, and Rafa

Well...here are a few random pictures!