Ok, I'm finally ready to admit it. The first week was really tough and I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to do it. There were so many highs and then there were lows. The language barrier has been a real test and just the overwhelming amount of things that are thrown at you the first week can really throw you off. Not to mention, it is a huge culture shock.
Luckily, every one that I have met/become friends with at Maximo have all been in the same boat their first week of the trip. Some have had it worse then others while some of us are lucky enough to never feel like they are isolated because they can speak Spanish.
So now I am happy to report that every one that I talked to was right and after your first weekend in Costa Rica and you start your second week, every thing becomes so much easier. The kids I work with at the orphanage are excited to see me because they got to know me all last week...They look to me when the new volunteers arrive and count of me to help them do things which makes me feel like I can make progress with them as the weeks continue. It makes me feel like I am doing a good thing by being here. Also, as I mentioned in previous posts once you accept that you can't understand the language or speak it and express things you want too...It does get easier...
It helps that most of the other volunteers all feel the same way. So we all carry a certain bond with one another...An understanding that we are the outsiders in this country and that we aren't going to fit in the way we would like too all the time. It also helps when we can plan our weekend trips during this part of the week, gives us something to look forward to!
This weekend, well Thursday evening I think Catherine, Blake, and Catherine's house-mate Christa are going to go to another beach about 2 hours away, Jaco (pronounced ha-co). It isn't as nice of a beach as Manuel Antonio but every one seems to really love it that we talked to. It's more of a surfing atmosphere...So who knows maybe I'll learn to surf while I'm there! (Yeah, right). We are planning on staying in another hostel which we will have to book most likely today and latest tomorrow. We are taking Friday off of our volunteer work as well. We will be staying Thursday and Friday night in Jaco and then come back Saturday morning because Blake will be checking out and leaving us :(. Catherine and I also want to go check out the Artisan Market downtown San Jose on Saturday when we get back....Sunday there is a tour through Trans-Leo (our tour group that is affiliated with Maximo) to go the Hot Springs in Arenal. It is suppose to be beautiful! I'm very excited and am planning on getting some more information on that tour today or tomorrow as well!
Something that I cannot forget to do today is pick up my laundry from the laundry mat near Maximo. Blake and I both desperately had to get our laundry done...I am currently sitting in a highlighter yellow shirt because that is one of the only clean shirts I have here. We were too late to pick up the laundry yesterday so we have to go this morning. Whoops!
I also cannot believe I only have 30 days left in this beautiful country. I have so much I want to do in such little time! Eeek!
So with that said....
Off to another busy day in Costa Rica!!
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