Off the Compound

Blog update. Blogggg updateee. Okay, here goes. Well, the past week has been really fun! I have been having really good and uplifting conversations with friends, making tortillas in Spanish class, and still more slack lining. Oh! And I went into San Jose on the busses today with my friends. My amazing and lovely friends.

San Jose was quite the trip. We took the bus from the town we live in, there is still some debate if it is Coronado or Morovia, and spent 45 minutes getting into downtown San Jose. At that point it was a mission complete because Grant told me he would show me how to use the bus system and so the trip was based around the fact that I never did learn how to use the buses a few weeks ago. Well, there was not much to learn. You get on, pay, and sit (or stand), then got off. That’s it. And, it is a big circle.

San Jose is really fun. My biggest observation is this: there are a lot of shoe stores. And lingerie stores to be honest. Weird, I know, but still this is the truth. My friends and I mostly walked around, dodged cars, and ate Pops. Pretty much every block around here has Pops, which is an ice cream joint.  Grant owed me money and so he got me something, but all I wanted was a frozen banana dipped into nutty chocolate. It was fabulous.

After all of this, we went to Walmart (I know, why is there Walmart in Costa Rica?) and I got a dark chocolate bar and a few other things I needed. It is really hard to find some things around here—especially dark chocolate. After Walmart we headed home, got off a stop too early, walked a bit in the rain, and made it home. Uneventful, I know, but really great and needed. Sometimes it is needed to get off the “compound” and breath fresh air.

I have been learning a lot this week too. My girlfriends and I have been really honest. Really honest. What a blessing it is to live in community with like minded people who you love, love you, and you can tell anything to. To bear our souls in a way that glorifies our Heavenly Father is a blessing. Joy has become a crown upon our heads. Also, we have been asking the question around here, “who is Jesus to you?” My answer is this: relentless. Jesus is relentless to me and He will not let me go. I have come to realize that He is willing to talk, wrestle, cry, laugh, and be joyful with me, but He is not willing to let go of me. This is, I believe, the tune of these next 9 months. Praise Him for it too.

Here are some pictures from this week :)

 Cory, Emily, and Kacey after poetry night.

 Practicing my balancing on the slack line.

 The girls with Grant after a poetry reading we had. We tried to hold him but ended up dropping him on the ground. Oops.

 My very yummy chocobanana.

Just a cool church in San Jose.

Have a great week!

~Erin

Pura Vida

Well I am honing in on the end of week 2 here in Costa Rica. Some things about life here I have become very comfortable with. For example, always being outside is a blast for me. Myself and a few other students  have started running, working out generally, playing soccer (that's mostly them though), and slack lining. 

I love slack lining a ton. This is me in the backyard of school walking across the rope. 

This is another picture, Grant is the other student who loves slack lining with me. 

Another outdoor activity that we are currently doing is a beach trip. Costa Rica has some amazing beaches, here are some pictures from this weekend. Also, be warned that I have no idea what beach or what coast I am at. 

The water is warm and the waves are big and the life is good over at the beach. Our biggest concern was where to eat lunch and it turned out to be a pretty easy and fun problem to solve. 

Costa Ricans say something a lot, "Pura Vida." It's kinda like the slogan of their country. It translates to something similar to, "pure life." It's an interesting phrase because it really means more than that. I think it is a mentality. The kind that makes me go slack lining before and after breakfast and wakes me up to read and teaches me to be in the here and now. To always love recklessly and with out inhibition. Pura Vida-- go to the beach and get pummeled by waves and eat nachos at a restaurant with no walls and smile for the thousands of pictures. Pura Vida-- make choices that are healthy for you and praise God for that health and smile a lot. 

I am finding I like living Pura Vida. It's freeing. It's not perfect and I'm not perfect and it is most defenity not a do whatever you want pass. But, it is the way of life in Costa Rica and I like it. 

Bible classes start in two weeks once Spanish classes end. I am looking forward to that but will miss my Spanish teacher, Don Arturo. He is a sweet man and I am pretty sure is trying to set up us girls in his class with his three boys. It's fun and we laugh a lot. Once Bible classes start my experience may turn from Pura Vida to Puerta Estudia, but hopefully I will still be out kicking the guys butts at slack lining and beating everyone at ping pong. And if not, well, Pura Vida. 

The hotel pool this weekend. 

A quiet time back at school on the duck dock. 

Inside and out of beautiful church in Corannado out side of San Jose. 

Love you all, enjoy the pictures!! 

In Case You Were Wondering...

Well friends, I have had time to settle in down here in Costa Rica. This post is mostly for those of you who I chatted with, asked questions with, and imagined life in San Jose with. It may be funny at points, but hopefully it will enlighten you on some serious subjects.

In case you were wondering...

...there are very attractive Costa Ricans. I mean it was disputed and questioned by some, but it is true, they are some around.

...no, we do not flush the tiolet paper. Any of it.

...not all of my classes are in Spanish, but I will have some.

...I was accepted to work at the orphanage and a few students are thinking of coming for some time in the 2 months I will be there, though most are not crazy like me and want to go for two months.

...The food here is amazing, and no, it is not all rice and beans. But, we are happy when it is because it tastes so good.

...Living with six girls is really fun. Even if we can not flush our toilet paper.

...I love it here.

So there you go. Some myth busting in Costa Rica. Thanks to all of you ho pray and support me.

Blessings from Central America

Quick Update

Hello Friends and family! I wanted to let you all know that I am safe and in Costa Rica. It was a 14 hour journey of travel and I ended up flying to Chicago and then to San Jose, but after all that, my adventure ended with a group of students welcoming me at the air port in San Jose.

Class doesn't start till monday, so I am just hanging out with everyone and checking out the campus. I will be sure to post some pictures soon.

As far as how I am feeling. Well, I feel super great! I love the weather, the people, the places we have gone. Costa Rica is lovely. I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be right now. And, I think that is the grace of answered prayers and walking in the will of The Lord.

I'll update again soon, until then I challenge you to enjoy where you are today. No place is perfect except the place The Lord takes you to. Find the blesing in it.