*Pura Vida*

Another full day done and let me tell you...Things do get easier day by day...Well, not everything but some things. I think once you just accept that you cannot speak or understand the native language things get much less frustrating. 

I woke up this morning to the smell of eggs in the kitchen. Vicky has stepped it up! This morning we had fried eggs, pineapple, beans/rice (of course), biscuits that she made herself (amazing), and some orange juice. I must say that I over indulged in the pineapple and told Vicky that it is one of my favorites...I think that made her happy. While I was waiting for Blake (my housemate) to get ready before we left for Maximo, I decided to try and speak with Vicky and show her pictures of Mi Familia, I think she enjoyed seeing pictures of my grandparents and mom in Michigan and also seeing pictures of my nephew, sister, brother in law, dad, grandmother, cousins, ext in the south! Vicky then showed me some of her family pictures and talked to me about her Mom and Dad a lot...I understood quite a bit that she was saying and I found that if I respond back something short that relates to what she was saying she knows that I entiendo (understand) :). She is very patient with me and when I really can't understand something she just laughs and grabs on to my arm...Even small gestures likes that makes me feel more at home here. She truly does act like my mom. When I said that Vicky stepped up I wasn't kidding...She gave Blake and I a piece of home with some oreos in our lunches today. It's the little things that make the biggest difference here. 

Today was Blake and I's first time taking the bus alone today...I was proud to say that my direction challenged self took the lead this morning and got us safely to Maximo (a small but great victory to start the morning!) We met a few more volunteers there this morning who were as always helpful....Everyone is so outgoing and friendly and it is fun getting to know people from around the world. While I am at it...Everyone at Maximo is very outgoing and friendly as well which is nice to have that kind of support. Blake, Catherine (another volunteer here), and I went out this morning to go exchange some money and then decided to plan a trip the beach for the weekend. We are going to go to Manuel Antonio this weekend which is suppose to be really relaxing and fun. We are planning on leaving on Friday right after our projects end...It will take us a 50 minute cab ride to downtown San Jose where we will then get on our bus that will take approx 4 hours to get to the beach...We are planning on staying in a hostel for two nights that will cost around 10-12 dollars each night. We are all excited to get a weekend out and do some exploring. Other volunteers have said that if we go out early to the beach we can see sloth's which I know would make some old co-workers happy if I got some pics of that but I guess at all times of the day monkeys run up to you on the beach and try to steal your things...Sneaky little things. The hostels, I'm told are also relatively safe and that there are lockers for our personal belongings. 

As far as my project that I am working on here...I was so nervous about it the night before I told Vicky about it and she tried to reassure me that I would be just fine there. Even though I didn't understand her completely she just has a way of speaking that calms me down...Haha, I just can't really explain it. Another volunteer and myself started planning our lesson plans about an hour before we had to go to our project which is called PANI. We decided that today we were going to go over how to say "My name is" and "How are you?" in English today....Also, we planned to go over some colors and the days of the week all in English. The idea we had was great until we got there when the kids decided they did not care about what we had to say and only wanted the stickers that we had brought with us....Can't say I blame them...The stickers were awesome. The kids ended up with them stuck in their hair and all over them before we left. However, my one big success of the day was teaching four year old Sophie how to start writing her name in English. We practiced over and over again and she traced her name that I wrote out big on the paper. It was a good feeling. Once we were there for about 2 hours the kids started to run wild and there was a huge rainstorm that we all played in....So exhausting though. I have no idea what to plan for tomorrow's lesson but plan to work on it an hour or so before I leave for the project. 

Tonight after volunteering a few of us decided to go out to dinner and get a drink which was fun. Blake was subjected to girl talk but that is what he gets for joining three other girls for a few beers. Haha. Oh well, he handled it ok. While we were all waiting for our busses, Catherine and I got in to a huge laughing fit about how long it took us with our busses and feeling like we were going to get on the wrong ones. I mean after a while you do just have to either laugh or cry at how frustrating things can get here at first....We decided to laugh. We can't understand anything, it's dark, we are with a bunch of Costa Ricans who know what to do and then there is us....I don't know it was just funny...The good news is I once again got Blake and I home safely. Successful day in my book. OH! and two other volunteers we found out live right next door to us...Only, I am pretty sure that they are only here for about a week....Oh well, its fun to have them here. 

Like I've said before, I hope to update as much as possible especially this week since I will be gone all this weekend. 

Still missing all my family and friends back home! I promise after this weekend I will start taking pictures. I just don't want to be rude and take pictures at my project or my home the first week...I want to get to know my family and kids better before hand...But the beach pictures will come as soon as I get home from this weekend trip I hope :)

Oh, and for those who are wondering about the title...Pura Vida means 'Pure Life' and that is the motto of Costa Rica...It is so true, everyone here is so laid back it's crazy really...But thought it was important to start living by that slogan instead of making myself freak out continually over things that I cannot change such as the language barrier...It can only get beter!