Culture Shock

So I have been here for a few days and it’s a whole different world down here. I knew it was going to be but nothing can prepare you for it!

First it’s absolutely a beautiful country, however when you’re in town you just got to look up for the beauty. It rains every day here around the same time. I’m told that soon it will rain all day. Goodness!

The streets are scary here. I am so afraid to cross any of them because pedestrians do not have the right of way – even in a cross walk! Which there aren’t many of, nor stoplights! If there is a stoplight…it doesn’t mean too much! A two lane road is made into 4 ½ lanes with parking on the “side” (half on street and half on sidewalk). Oh speaking of sidewalks the motorcyclist and scooter people will just drive right on the sidewalk!!

Most of the stores are locked even during business hours so that they don’t get robbed. Half of the street drains don’t have covers over them! So if you’re walking along and not paying attention you may be very hurt. In fact a missionary did that his first several weeks here and broke both of his legs! Ouch!

There is no hot water in the faucets. In fact the water doesn’t even turn on when to the hot position which would be our normal cold position in some faucets! I was sooo excited after my first cold shower to find out that the shower had hot water. There’s a certain level of skill to get the hot water and it’s a trickle. But I had never been so excited about a trickle of hot water in my shower. My family thinks I’m weird because I prefer to take my shower at night instead of morning.

I was watching the news there were several terrible accidents here that killed a total of 7 people. There were also a couple of murders (none close to me) and the news just showed the bodies uncovered for a while! Speaking of TV they have a lot of English shows that we watch at home with Spanish subtitles. Or even better, I watched part of Two Weeks Notice today and they had dubbed Spanish voices over (very common here) but the best part is that they tried to keep them sounding like the voices of Sandra Bullock and Huge Grant! So funny!

The hardest thing for me at this time is how slow it is here. I find myself bored a lot of the time. I knew it was going to be slow and thought it might be nice to have a break but wow!

All in all, I’m going to learn to love this place. I just have a lot of things to put aside, learn and get accumulated to. If the horror stories of Language School are true I’ll be wishing for this time of boredom once again!

written on 8.23.08

Rainy Day Frogger Anyone?

Today was an adventurous day Tico style. First I met several new people and made some new friends. Eight of us Gringos went to a local restaurant for lunch called Fresia. I had a cheeseburger and it was pretty good. A little later five of us girls and a brave guy took the bus to Hiper Más. (Don´t pronounce the h). So here is where the fun began.

Of course it was raining as it does every afternoon and it was a steady rain. We paid our 295 colones (about 50 cents) and sat down on a fairly empty bus. We tried to figure out where our stop was by asking in broken Spanish the Ticos around us. We arrived at our stop and the game of Frogger began!

We got off on the side of a highway with no walkway, unless you consider muddy rocks one (which they do here). We had to run across the three lanes of traffic to the median and then once again to get to the other side. Of course we´re the crazy Gringos making much to do about it all while the Ticos just walk out like nothing.

We enjoyed a little taste of home through the Costa Rica Wal-Mart. Though it was hard to find things. Then coming home...we didn´t have to play Frogger this time! We walked to the bus stop and stood there awhile with the cars driving by us and throwing water at us. It was about 5pm and everyone was coming home from work and the bus was full. We had to stand up holding onto the rails to the best of our abilities with bags in hand and umbrellas and try not to hit those sitting down! It was really fun when he shifted and I would fly into my friend also standing up.

Once we found our stop we got off and began our walk and me my hike. This is when I realized my umbrella was too small. Either my back was getting soaked or my front with my school bag. Note to self: need much bigger umbrella! Walking along side the street is always an Olympic challenge. You have to dodge huge water puddles, find solid ground to walk on, side step "gringo traps" (dog poop), avoid cars (on the sidewalk), work around the broken sidewalks, oh and watch out for uncover drains. You must do all of this carrying a bag, umbrella and staying dry? How do the Tica women do it in their high heels?

What a day! Oh and the funniest thing I have seen in the past several days...the Ticos wash their cars in the rain all the time!!

Views from Home part 2

Here are a few more pictures for you.

Here is another view from my bedroom window on a bright sunny and early morning.

Here is that same view later the same day with the rain coming in! People actually live up on that mountain and are living some of their times in the clouds! How cool would that be to say "Hi I live in the clouds for part of the day!" :)

Still another view out of my bedroom window!

Views from Home

So here are the long awaited pictures of my new home´s amazing views! Can you see why it´s not hard to get up at 5:30am?

My bedroom view!My neighborhood - I live at a dead end.

This is the view of my street

This is the view outside the upstairs side window with the rain clouds coming in.

Let the Learning Begin!

Today was my first day of orientation for school. It was really good. I got to meet so many new people that are so awesome. I also got to meet five single girls who are so fun to get to know. We all want to go and do things but we don´t know where and how so we´re going to begin some "scouting" days. None of us have ridden the bus yet and are kinda nervous about doing it alone. So after orientation tomorrow we are going to ride the bus to Hyper Mas (like Wal-Mart) in San Pedro (a providence right next to us).

We are also excited to go and do touristy stuff and are going to try to go to the beach as often as we can. The beach is about a two hour bus ride for us and it´s super cheap to ride the bus! So hopefully we will do that for a break from learning. There is a small group of us girls going to San José on Saturday so I am also excited about that.

I am nervous about school though. I had an oral placement test today (only five minutes) and I could understand most of what she asked me. I couldn´t always respond back in complete Spanish though. Some people get put into classes that the teacher will speak some English to you and others are put into classes that only speak in Spanish to you! I might be getting the second...eeks. But it would probably be better. I have a written placement test tomorrow I think.

Overall I am glad to finally be starting a routine and getting to know others who are in the exact same shoes as I am. I´m excited to see all that God teaches me through school and the people I meet!

I miss you all!

Grief

So today was a sad day in my cultural experiences. Late last night my Tico family´s 32 year old friend, Nancy, died leaving behind her husband and two daughters 12 and 5 years old. Today was a full day for attending the funeral which included going to them cemetery.

It broke my heart to see these little girls weeping for their mother. I was comforted by how God shows tender mercy to us. He was there hurting with them and loving them and all those around them. It was in that instant that I God reminded me that He is the One God and He hears all languages, loves all people, and can be praised even in times like this.

I can´t even begin to tell you how beautiful the sound was of mourners singing and praising Jesus with their hands raised to Him and faces turned towards Him. Though I couldn´t understand the words I knew Christ felt worshiped and was receiving the glory even in the midst of tragedy. How great is our God that He is there to turn to when nothing seems to make sense any more.

Please keep Nancy´s family, children, and friends in prayer. Pray that this will bring them ever closer to Christ.

What is My Identity?

I’ve been here in Costa Rica for 2 ½ days and I’m already struggling with what is my identity. We all go through this phase throughout our lives; as toddlers, awkward teenage years, college, and becoming adults. I, however, have never been at a lost of who am I and what is my identity.

Today I have felt lost in what my role is. I live with an incredibly sweet family that I can’t communicate well with. I no longer work. I can’t visit with my friends. I don’t have freedom to go and do things; for one I don’t know anything about this town, I can’t speak the language, it’s not super safe to go out by myself to go roam, and it gets dark (all year long) between 5:30 and 6pm. So who am I? Where do I belong? I don’t have a church here; nor the ability to understand what is being taught! I sure don’t feel like I belong here right now.

So how do I determine my identity here in a foreign land away from all that is familiar? Thankfully Christ is great to remind me of Truth. I have been reading Ephesians a lot lately and the first chapter is all about who we are in Christ as His child. My identity is not found in what is around me and what I do; for those are roles we play and is a part of us. Identity that can’t be changed and is constant is that of being a Christ-follower.

I am a daughter of the King! I am adopted by God through Christ’s blood! I am holy! I am righteous! I am without fault! I am chosen! I am thought about by God – Himself! I am cherished! I am blessed with all eternal blessings! I am forgiven! I am the apple of Christ’s eye! I am a worshiper! I am a servant! I am God’s! This is my identity! This is who all Christ-followers are no matter what we have or haven’t done! How incredible!

To wrap it all up here is a great piece of Truth for me and all of us to continue to chew on! Ephesians 1:13-14 “And now you have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will give us everything He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.”

Written on 8.23.08

Sunday´s Cultural Experiances

So today I got to attend a Tico church called Vida Abundante Del Este with my Tica sisters and one of their boyfriends. It was a fun experiance. First they thought it started at 10:30 so we got there at 10:20 but it started at 10am. This was a church plant from the church they normally go to. It´s first day was today and it was completely packed. People were pushing into the one door to even try to hear! There had to be 100 plus trying to pack into a one room place to even try to hear and we were one of them. It was so fun to be apart of it.

During the sermon people got up and down all the time. To go where, I couldn´t figure out. But when they did more people got to go in and sit. One of my Tica sisters and I were one of those during the sermon all the way close to the front. It was soooo hot in there! I was able to understand very little but got a few words here and there.

We came home and then my Tico parents, one sister and I went to the Market in another providence about 15 minutes away. That was sooo much fun for me. My madré thought it was funny that I enjoyed it because it wasn´t a nice part of town. There was every kind of fruit and vegatables and other things that you could ever wish for! Sadly I didn´t have my camera. (Not sure if it´s appropriate to take pictures.) There were so many kinds that I had to ask what they even were!

Then we went to KFC to get lunch. This was the first time I have even seen anything American. There was also McD´s, Hallmark, and other Amercian stores and resturants there. It was funny at how many places signs were in English. This KFC was a super KFC! It was huge and it had the biggest indoor playground I have ever seen inside a fast food place. It was above the sitting place and the kids were suspended in the air in their tubes!!

It was great to see the mountains and how the sun was shinning on some of the valleys and then the rain on other parts! It is so beautiful! Then the rain came in like never before and began to come into the windows. This happens all the time - no problem.

The fun is not yet over. I get to go to my Tico parents church here in a few minutes. Their church is only a year old in September. I haven´t had to be bored today! Yea! So much to see!

Christ´s Truth for Me Today!

Today I woke up to the most beautiful scene. The sun shinning so bright in the aqua sky. It´s rays were dancing through the green fabrics of the mountains. I couldn´t help to be excited and praise God; although it was 5:30 am! I layed there for another hour in my bed watching the clouds form through the valleys and fade away while more came up over the moutains! Wow, God the Creator!

I spent some time this morning with Christ and was asking Him to help me because I can not do this on my own and I do not want to do this on my own. I was asking Him to help me lay down all that is of me at His feet and be filled up with all that is of Him. I randomly opened my Spanish/English Bible and just read a verse in Spanish. (I didn´t even look at what book I was in.) I read the English translation and was blown away by my amazing Jesus who spoke these words to me; Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Wow my God the Speaker of Truth when I need to hear it most!

I Arrived in Costa Rica

I landed in Costa Rica on Thursday afternoon at 12:15pm! I have never seen sooo much beauty in the shades of green! It was incredible to fly over. I have been here for a little over 48 hours and I´m trying to adjust. Things are so different here and very slow!!! I find myself trying to figure out what to do.

My Tico (word for Costa Ricans) family is so sweet and loving! My Tica madré, Beatrice, and her husband Marcos celebrated their 27th anniversary yesterday. They have three kids that all live in the home, Marcos - 26, Rachel- 23, and Laroda-21. Their son speaks great English and loves practicing it. The girls and my Tica mamá speak some (the girls mush more) but they don´t like practing it, but speak to help me some.

My bedroom window is large and faces a luscious green mountain range. The evergreen shade casades down into the vibrant greens which mixes together into yellowish green. Every morning it looks like it is going to pour at any minute but doesn´t until afternoon. And man can it rain! It gets really chilly after the rain moves in.

I was able to have a slumber party with some other missionary gals 3 have been here for 4 months and 2 have been here for 1 month. It was nice to meet them and hang out. Everyone seems to be really sweet here. However they tell alot of horror stories about Langauge school that I´m not sure what I have gotten myself into.

There is a major culture shock and it´s a very hard transition. I miss home alot and I have only been gone for 2 1/2 days, I hate to see what it´s like in 3 months! It´s been nice to hear other missionaries talk about how they have thought "what am I doing here? I want to go home now." They say it will happen alot-escpecially on rough days at school. I was happy to hear this because the first night I was sitting outside at a pizza place with several missionary couples and thinking exactly that and just wanting to turn back around and go home. Thankfully God is sooo big and He just loves on me and reminds me through His word over and over that He is in control! He has me here for a purpose that is to bring Him glory and honor! I´m not here for myself but for Him. He will supply all my needs! Yea God!

I miss you all!

Car Sold!

PRAISE!

YEAH!!! My car sold and the bank made things much easier on us than we thought it would be! Isn't the Lord AMAZING!

PRAYER:

Please be in prayer that Tropical Storm will not affect my travel on Thursday as I fly into Atlanta in the morning and it's projected to be there at that time. Thanks

5 Days Left!

The hours are quickly counting down to my flight out of the states on Thursday! How exciting! I can't wait for this new journey that Christ has planned for me! I want to share a few praises with you and things to be in prayer for.

PRAISES!

• My babies...aka cats...are doing well. Aphrodite adjusted pretty well even on the first day. It took Zeus 1 1/2 weeks to start coming out of the closet but he is finally adjusting well.
• I sold my car and the bank is making the details really easy on us!

PRAYER REQUESTS

• For the rest of my monthly support to reach 100% this week (I'm currently almost at 75%)
• Preparations for leaving - mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically
• For the right family for me to live with and adjusting to family life and a new culture

Thanks for kneeling with me before Christ's throne. Our prayers are a fragrant incense to Him!

So Much Stuff!

I have been living with Andrea and Ravonne for an entire week now yet I still feel like it’s a dream world I am living in. The thing that gets me the most is how much stuff I had. I am down to 5 suitcases and 4 large boxes of all I own and I don’t miss all the other stuff – well besides all my shoes. It’s crazy to think about how much time and money I have spent on accumulating stuff…stuff that I don’t really miss.

Why did I spend so much time and energy on stuff? Life seems less stressful and more simplistic without all the stuff cluttering up around me. No wonder why Latin Americans can enjoy more, they have less stress about keeping up with the latest trend and must have. I do have to say I look forward to living in a more simplistic environment.

Endings and Beginnings

Yesterday the Lord wrote the last period to a chapter of my life and began the first sentence to the next one. How exciting but yet so painful as well. Getting all my belongings to 4 1/2 suitcases and 4 large boxes to store is somewhat freeing. Man I had a lot of crap - but it was mine. The hardest was to give up my babies (cats). I still can't talk too much without the tears streaming down from within. But I am told they are doing well :). Moving out of my home that I have lived in for almost 6 years in October was super hard. I had never lived much more than several years in a place and so it was my security.

It was quite the emotional day but a wonderful day to see the Lord writting the beginning words of a chapter I have waited to experiance for 5 years. I do have to say I wondered at times "Is this worth it all?" But I know it is 100% worth everything and more! Can I say how excited I am for my new chapter!! Yea God!

18 days before I leave!