4 more months to go! And, 4 more months to stay!

On this day in Rey Curré, I taught classes to the 3rd and 4th graders, sold ice creams to the kids during recess to raise money for the school, did some projects on the computer, went for a walk with a friend and got rained on, ate dinner (spinach cooked with eggs, rice, cucumbers, and tomatoes...lots of veggies tonight!), shared an ice cream break with a talkative little 4th grader, and came inside my room to escape the slight chill (rare for these parts) that I felt. 

Life as a volunteer in a foreign country can begin to feel really normal.  I rarely think twice about throwing the toilet paper in the trash can or eating rice and beans at every meal or taking two showers a day or waiting at a bus stop for 2 hours.  But, I'm never desensitized to the fact that I'm conducting almost every conversation (besides in the classroom) in Spanish.  I love speaking and learning about another language!  Not only that, but I don't get tired of being able to hop on a bus and be at a beach in 3-4 hours for under $10.  

This past weekend, I went to Jacó with my host mom to visit her daughter.  We went to a few local beaches where I was introduced to my favorite beach so far in Costa Rica...Playa Blanca.  White sand.  Blue water.  Scenic rocks.  Body-surfing waves.  The only down side was when I rode a wave in and cracked my monkey toes on a rock hidden beneath the surf.  But, I'm beginning to become infamous for my lapses in coordination.  Pictured here is the bruise I sustained after falling off my bike coming back from teaching in the nearby rural school of Las Vegas.  I learned something very important:  don't ride down a hill on a bike without rear brakes.  See, no one can say I didn't learn something in Costa Rica.

But, that's really only the beginning.  I learned that if your hand is itching, then money is likely to come your way later in the day.  If the fire is whistling, someone is thinking of coming to visit you; throw in some salt to secure their arrival.  And, if your ears are ringing, then someone is talking about you; and, you better hope it is the right ear because if its the left ear ringing, they may be saying bad things.

Haha...but, these are only superstitions that I found out about one day when I explained to a friend that someone must be thinking about me because my nose itched so much.  We can't be sure of the accuracy of folklore, but we can be sure of some things, like the common human experience.  One night, many months ago, I hosted a game night with several of the youth in town.  We were playing a game in which one person chose a question from a pot and the other players have to write down an answer on a slip of paper which are then read discretely to the person who drew the question, and he has to guess who wrote the answers.  One of the questions was "what do you want to be when you grow up?"  I began to think, and the truest response I could come up with won me a couple of strange looks but nevertheless, a peace of mind:  "I want to be happy."  I think that's really what everyone wants.  But, how do you find happiness?  Do you seek it in order to find it?  Or, does it find you when you stop seeking?

("Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."  Matthew 16:25)

I am happy.  I am happy that I only have 4 months to go.  I am happy that I have 4 months to stay.  I am happy that I made the decision to come here this year because it has been truly life changing.  I am happy that I have such amazing family and friends.  

Take care and until next time,

Sarita