Orphanage and Volcan Poas

Saturday September 12th, the API group traveled to an orphanage to throw a party for the kids there for Dia de Nino. The orphanage was started by an American couple, and its purpose is to remove kids from bad home situations where there is extreme neglect or abuse. Most of the kids were around 4 years old, but there we some infants and older kids too. We got there pretty early in the morning and decorated a pavillion area. The kids were super excited to have us there, and even more excited for the clown who helped us figure out games to play with the kids.

We blew up balloons and played games like hot potato and something about a gigante, touching the floor and dancing (I'm not quite sure what was going on!) but it reminded me of Simon Says a little bit. Later the kids got this like banana bread cake for a snack, we played some more, ate some lunch and then gave them their presents that we bought. I think they really had a good time.

Sunday Lena, Becca, James, Caitlin, Miguel and I adventured to Volcan Poas, which is the closest one to San Joaquin. It as quite the adventure. The bus dropped us off about 5km from the entrance to the volcano, so we had to walk that distance, which was literally uphill the whole way. My legs were on fire! Also, it was kind of creepy because everything was all foggy and we could bairly see in front of ourselves. Finally after the long walk, we made it to the entrance where Miguel was laughing at us because "los gringos" have to pay $10 whereas locals only have to pay $1. I was like how awful, so instead of just paying that we asked if there was a student discount. I think because we could speak spanish he let us use our student cards as a discount and we got to pay the local price.

We walked uphill some more to the crator, which norally is coverd in clouds and smoke, but luckily for us was visible. It smelled stinky, like sulfer. After taking some picutures there and admiring the gigantic hole in the earth we hiked some more to a lake. It was cristal blue, and very peaceful. I made friends with a squirrel there. It was super hungry and apparently I looked like someone that might have some food.

This entire time Miguel was sure that there was going to be a bus going down from the volcano at 4, but when we were ready to leave the people working at the gate told us that the bus left at 2 and that there wouldn't be anymore buses. Oops! So...I guess to balance things out we were destined to walk downhill since we'd done so much uphill walking. This time the walk was even longer! We had to go back the 5km and then even further into town to where the bus stop was. We hitched a ride in the back of a pickup truck (which I would never have done if Miguel hadn't been there) but that lasted for only 2km or so. Let's just say that by the time I got to the bus stop my butt was so sore and my calf muscles were burning. It was a good workout if I do say so myself. Who knew that I could walk around 20km in a day!

Eventful nightlife with hermano tico

The past week I have been really busy with school, and also feeling like my tico brother Miguel/ neighbors never let me sleep at night! I went out with Lena (my neighbor) and Miguel and his friends on a Wednesday night to play pool. It turned out to be a great time, even though normally I'm terrible at pool! Miguel's friend Jose taught me some pointers (he's amazing at pool) and helped me get better. Once they helped me see the angles and stuff I was actually not that bad.

Then the next day was Megan's birthday, so quite literally all the people from the institute + Miguel went out to a place in San Jose called El Pueblo. It's basically a cluster of pueblo style houses that are discotecs, clubs and bars. It was pretty fun because we could move from one place to the other, and since Miguel has all the hook ups it seems like, I could request certain music. Lena, Miguel, and I got back home at 5am! Crazy.

What's amazing is that this isn't even close to my usual lifestyle during the school year, but so far I've been able to pull it off. Belive it or not, I went out the following night too because it was one of Miguel's friends birthdays. We went to this restaurant place up in the mountains where the food was free and the beer (aka Imperial here) was extra cheap. Not that Lena and I would actually ever know how much stuff costs because Miguel ALWAYS pays for us! I feel so so spoiled.

The next day (Friday) I didn't have school, so Lena and I decided to bake some chocolate chip cookies for my mama tica, because she absolutely loves them. They turned out amazing, but I was a little skeptical at first because, well let's just say that there are bugs everywhere here. We opened up the sugar jar only to find a bunch of small ants inside! (The live all over my desk too, stupid bugs). I was kind of like, well we could call them chocolate chip and ant cookies, but Lena decided to try and filter them out. It wasn't that big of deal though because they'd die when we cooked them anyways, and now the cookies would have a little more protein! haha. They were delicious, and now my next mission is to make chocolate chip pancakes! Yum.

"Dia de Nino"

I am a little behind on my blogging! Sorry!! I get so caught up in doing other things, but I'll try and give a quick update. This goes all the way back to September 9th, which was Kids Day (kind of like our mother's day). The kids all receive gifts and there are parades and stuff. The day before, I was treated like a princess, and felt more or less like a little kid being taken care of by my mom again.

Mama tica gave me a full out manicure and pedicure, french tips included! She really like to paint my nails, because since then she keeps offering to do it. Also, she likes to pig tail french braid my hair for me, which my actually mom use to do all the time for me when I was younger. Now that I've gotten past the awkward feeling of having to put my gross feet in her lap so she can paint them, it's rather comforting.

On Kids Day mama tica left me a note next to a plate full of candy. I glued the note into my journal because it's so cute! She said "Feliz dia del nina Riley, hehe no olvides ser nina, aunque tu cuerpo te diga que ya eres grande, tu mama tica" Basically it says don't forget to be a kid even though your body tells you that you are big. Very cute. I think we should celebrate this holiday in the U.S. :)

Living with a two-year old little boy=I'm not having kids for a long time.

I think I am going to enjoy my classes here! I am taking an Introduction to Latin American Literature, Business Spanish, Central American History and Culture, and also another Literature class. If I think this isn't enough work I may try taking another class at the university in Heredia. Also, I'd really really like to do some volunteer work in a school while I'm here! Then again, I don't know how I feel about being around kids after spending last night and today with Matias.

Wow, he's driving me kind of crazy. I was trying to do homework last night and he would not stop coming in and out of my room. For a two year old he talks very very well, and he's a pretty smart little guy. I think he's been watching too many movies though because now he's got it in he's head that he wants to be a bad guy (he says soy malo) and hits and throws things and yells, and I'm just not a fan. Plus, I have no idea really how to get after a little kid in Spanish. Oh the experiences!

Feeling like I have 2 left feet

While being here I'm starting to note some big cultural differences. Is this what they call culture shock?! We went dancing the other night, and let me just say...where is my coordination?! It seems that people grow up learning to dance, either that or the Costa Ricans are simply born with it. Who knows, but I certainly felt a little out of place. It was a ton of fun pretending to know what I was doing though!

On Saturday August 29th Lena and I adventured to San Jose all by ourselves. We figured out the bus system and everything. I was so proud of us! We visited the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (Modern Art), where I saw a pretty interesting exhibision. I think I'd actually like to try to do something similar to what the artist had going on. He had created what looked like city scenes with the buildings being made from cardboard, and then he had also made people cutouts. The artist also had a pile of old furniture and carpets and stuff.

Last Sunday Lena and I went with Miguel and his buddies to play paintball at this place higher up in the mountains. Let me just say, that was an intense experience! All the guys are pretty dedicated to the game, and I am lacking in the ability to aim. It definitely stings to get hit! There was one point at the end where we were playing until you ran out of bullets, no matter if you got hit or not. I was "defending" the tower and everyone on the other team kept shooting at it. The paintballs were flying everywhere and bouncing off the walls inside the tower. I was just like ahh!!! and one of my team mates kept laughing at me. We also played in a field of coffee trees, wich was actually kind of terrifying because you can't see anyone;you just can hear the bushes rustling.

It was fun...but then school started! Teachers give homework here after all, even if it is Costa Rica.

Cartago

August 27th, the entire group from el Instituto (my school) and I went to Cartago. It is quite a bit colder (nowhere is actually very cold though because it's tropical) than in San Joaquin. Cartago was the first capital of Costa Rica, but since the city was build in the basin of a volcano it wasn't the safest place to have the capital city. We visited the ruins of the first church ever built in Costa Rica. That was pretty neat. Also, we visited two different churches, both of which were holding mass. Later, when we returned to San Joaquin we had to listen to two different presentations about health and the other about safety. Both were very informative, but by that point my brain didn't want to absorb more information in Spanish.

Later that night, my neighbor Lena and I went out with Miguel (my mama tica's son). He's 28 years old, so I have been spending a lot of time with older people. I tried my first Imperial, which is Costa Rica's signature beer. It tasted just like any other beer to me. The part I like the most about it is the logo, which reminds me of the logo for Neversummer snowboards. I have come to find that I'm so busy so far that it is hard to finish a journal entry, or to find time to myself. I think things will start to mellow out once school starts, and I'll start to miss all the action.