Whew! What a weekend!

Well, sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but the prayers that I would be kept busy have been answered for sure! Well at least for this last week! I got to participate in many things, and meet some new people! Which I really love! This last week I got to attend the Spiritual Emphasis chapels and evening sessions at the Language Institute here which was so amazing. I will try and blog on that itself in a few days. But other than that, I got to take care of some kids, like my dynamic duo above, Daniela and Diana. We ate popsicles and played outside in the nice warm sun!! I got a little sunburned in the process!
I also got to care for three kids pictured below. I am watching them for a few Thursdays in a row so the parents can attend a Bible study together. I didn't want to be paid for it at all, because I just wanted to get to know the kids a little, and play with them some. But then the parents went and helped pay for this trip to the Central American Rain Forest!
It was SO amazing! We went on a boat ride down the river that runs through it, and got to see many jungle animals! We saw monkeys, crocidiles, birds, bats, iguanas, and many more things that I don't even know the names to in English!

Here on the left is a picture of the crocodile. It is in the center of the picture, and it is a little under the log and in the shade a little. And then on the right is the picture of a green iguana type thing. It is on top of the giant log. I know they are hard to see, and the most amazing part of this boat ride was how the tour guides would see these things as we were just boating by. They would just stop, and turn around, and then point to what they saw!! It was so cool!
The best part was when the tour guide got out onto the front of the boat and started making his monkey calls! We all giggled, and tried not to let him see, but once the monkeys started to respond back, we were super amazed! It was so neat to hear that!

Here is a picture of us all on the boat.

After the rainforest, we went to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Resort (one of the top 10 honeymoon resorts in the world). We got to walk through snake, frog, hummingbird, orchid, and butterfly gardens before we hiked to the waterfalls.



We walked to 4 of 5 different natural waterfalls in this area. These are the families I went with. Both families attend the Language Institute to learn Spanish before they head out on their mission. The family on the left is from England (sweet accent!). Their names are Lauren, Ian, Casey and Julie. They are going to be missionaires in Honduras, and God has called them to build an orphanage there. They are really fun! And then the family on the right are the Baldwin's. These are the kids I care for once a week. They are Nick, Mike, Ingrid, Cody and Brittany. They are studying Spanish for a year before heading to the Dominican Republic with the C&MA church. They are so great, and I am so blessed to get to know them, and I look forward to that in this year for sure!

And here is me in front of one of the waterfalls!
So that is what I have been up to!
What a fun weekend. We rode around in a van clearly labeled "TOURISTS", haha,
but it was all part of the experience!

I got Brave!

Just thought I'd share a picture of me and my tutor Alejandra with you all! She's as nice as she looks!!
She's 23, and studing at the University here to be a social worker with youth. She is also a leader at a cell group for kids ages 11-17 (which she brings me to with her!). She is the pastor's daughter, and has such a great heart! She takes 2 buses 5 days a week to study with me, and 2 of those days, she goes onto University to attend her classes.
She has been SO wonderful in bringing me places. Today we went into San Jose just to have lunch, and look around at the shops! She tells me of all these great things that there is to do in Costa Rica, and then tells me that we are going to do them!! I hope it's not just words, because they all sound like so much fun!
So I just wanted to share her photo with you all, so you can put a face to the stories! God definately hand picked her for me, because she is so patient, so friendly, has a heart for the Lord and a heart to serve.

My future profession is...

WOW!! Taryn Schmu recommended this quiz, and man am I headed in the right direction! I loved the things that it said I should be going for, because I've considered each and everyone before!! Well, minus Art, I've never taken an art class besides what was required in grade 7. Maybe I should consider it...?

Pretty fun quiz though!!! It does confirm I'm on the right track!! haha

Your Learning Style: Personal and Passionate

You are very flexible and curious about the world. Human understanding is very important to you. You Should Study: Anthropology Architecture Art Art history Art therapy Classics Counseling Foreign Languages and Literature International Studies Linguistics Literature Psychology Sociology Teaching

What Should You Study?

baking up a storm

This past weekend I noticed that there were some really ripe bananas on the counter, so I asked Aida if we could use them for baking after we went to the farmer's market on Saturday morning and purchased a lot more bananas (for those wondering, Banana Man seems to be doing quite well. I was pleased to see him resume his postion for yet another Saturday!). So Saturday afternoon I went back to the Harmon's cabin and baked a delicious banana cake!! We shared it with Aida and Edwin, and I seemed to won their approval because yesterday the had me bake a cake for their son Carlos because it was his birthday! So that was pretty exciting. Because I love baking!! I don't know if it is because of the high altitude we are in, or because it is a different oven, but it took over an hour to bake, when it should have taken 25 minutes...oh well!! Everyone liked it, and I was pleased with it.

a heck of a deal!

What's a girl to do when she's had up to her ears of studying?... play a game or two!
Tonight I whipped out the Spanish book for a little while after talking to my mom on Skype (!!), and I wasn't comprehending as much as I had wanted; so I decided it was break time, and these cards were calling my name! So I started to play the hand-held solitare game that was taught to me by my fantastic friend WeeWee. I have never ever won, so I kinda thought that I was playing it wrong. But tonight I won for the very first time!!! I was pretty pumped! So this is me winning, haha. I then tried the regular solitare and won the at the first try too!
(side-note for those of you that know me well...NO I didn't even cheat!)
So I concluded, that if I were a gambler, tonight would be the night that I would buy a lottery ticket, or go to the casino.
But I decided to try my good luck back at studying instead!

a Diana and Daniella kind of night

Today I spent the evening with two of the funnest girls I've met here!! haha. These girls are the host families granddaugthers, the little one is Diana, 3, and Daniella, 7, is the bigger one. Both of these girls go to a Spanish/ English school and know how to have a ton of fun! It's so funny how they don't really understand that I don't know a lot of Spanish, so they just talk and talk and talk! Super fast and with a lot of expression too! They come over about once or twice week. The first thing they do is go right for my room for my markers and colored pencils! Then they I whip out my paper, and we just color away in my room (hence the pictures)! Diana usually finds my scissors, and ends up with a picture the size of her palm, but she likes it that way and I can teach her how to cut with them.
Today I went out in the living room to watch the Disney channel (in Spanish....yikes!), and an add for High School Musical came on. Because we all LOVE that movie, we all started dancing and singing to it. They're so fun, and I could sing with them because they knew the song in English!! So since I was on an English kick, I started asking them questions and talking to them in English. You should have seen the look on their faces!! PriceLess! The best was that I didn't realize it, until I thought about and wondered how I was talking so fast, and why they look so confused. We all laughed pretty hard. And I was kind of embarrassed!
Sometimes I wonder when people are going to stop pretending not to know English and just start talking to me so that I can understand completely. So in return I can say exactly what I am thinking at the pace I am thinking. Haha, but truth of the matter is: They don't know English, and that is that!!

flicks and futbol!

Last night was a night of fun! My tutor invited me to go to the movies with her and her boyfriend. It was two for one night, so it cost under $2, which was sweet, but the next sweet thing is that it was in English! haha. I guess most the movies are in English, and they just have Spanish subtitles. So that makes it really nice when I am going to go out to the movies with my friends!! So we went and saw Step Up, and I thought it was super cute, and so did Alejandra (my tutor). Her boyfriend probably didn't enjoy it as much, but it was a good flick for the night.

THEN, they were going to bring me home, but told me it was game night. What kind of game, well you guessed it, soccer! Soccer is life here, as it is with most of Europe, Latin and South America. Costa Rica is a small country, let me put it into perspective here with a little math problem...
The size of Costa Rica < West Virginia = Nova Scotia
And within Costa Rica there are 7 provinces, and each has their own professional soccer team, with San Jose having 2 (which equals 8 teams). So with that small of a country, the pride for your team choice is huge! So last night Saprissa (one of the San Jose teams...and quite possibly my team of choice...?!) was playing a rival of theirs I think. So it was a big game. So I went over with Alejandra to here sister's house where her nephew and brother were settled to watch the game. They were decked out in purple, blow horns in hand, and ready for the beloved game of futbol to begin! I didn't know what I was getting myself into!! Needless to say, Saprissa won 1-0, and boy was it intense! The boys went CRAZY when Saprissa got their goal, and didn't take their eyes off the screen the whole game, and constantly shouting at the TV. It was quite the experience! I mean I know we get crazy about our choice of sports at home, but not this crazy! It was super fun, and I'm so grateful that my tutor doesn't mind bringing me out to experience the culture!!

a funny wake up call

I woke up to something that was not on my floor when I went to bed! It's all part of the experience right....shoot! The most common insect in Costa Rica I'm convinced is cockroaches. I've seen a few; a couple alive, a couple dead. I must say the dead ones are the best ones! And that was the one pictured here is. It was dead in the middle of my floor with little ants crawling all around it. So I got Aida to sweep it up, because she didn't want me to vacuum it up. Then I heard her in the kitchen poking fun at me....haha. Oh well!

But on a less disgusting and much happier note, I was reminded and confirmed in my quiet time of Christ's faithfulness.

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness."

---Lamentations 3:22-23

As I sit here in Costa Rica, I'm reminded again why I am here. For it is for the work of the Lord to be done in me and through me. I am humbled at the daily rising of the sun by His faithfulness in all things. Funny how He had to bring me to Costa Rica to get me to a place in my heart such as this. As hard as it is day in and day out to fight the battle of learning a different language and struggle to get your thoughts across, I remember that I am not alone. It is the Lord that understands me even when I cannot conjugate the verb correctly, or think of the noun I need... I can come to Him and He always understands, and is always listening.

Morning by Morning new Mercies I see...
I will say it again...

Great is your faithfulness!

welcome to my house!

Here is a picture with the biggest avocado I've seen! It was 400 colones, which means it was 80 cents!! what a steal! I'm going to attempt to make guacamole once it's ripe! But with that said, I took some pictures of my house, and around my house. I have yet to take pictures of the PEOPLE I'm meeting, I'm pretty shy when it comes to that. But I assure you all I'm meeting many fabulous people, and I will get pictures of them up once they are taken!! hehe!
This is my house from the front. My room is the big window on the left. All houses have gates with a patio type thing in front. That is where they park their car. And then there are bars on all the windows, and on most gates there's barbed wire. The theft here is pretty bad I've been told. Mostly cars, but like anyother place, they'll take what they can get. But praise the Lord nothing has happened to Aida's house. Edwind is very carful about locking up at night.
Oh, and during the day it's really funny, and quite annoying because venders will come to the gates and yell for your attention because they want to sell you something. It happens at least 3 times a day, no exageration!

Here is the garage from inside the gate, and the back yard. This is also where the Harmon's live. They have their own little house that's really cute.
Oh, and we hang dry all our clothes!! We have to make sure we take it down by noon or so, because it usually rains in the afternoon.

These are just a few pics of the neighborhood. All the houses are RIGHT next to eachother.
We live right next to a soda (which is a little place where you can grab lunch, buy bread and candies...how convenient!)

Farmer's Market FUN!

Aida, her friend Loli and I went to the farmer's market this morning! It was so fun, I could have been there all day people watching! I felt like such a tourist taking pictures, but they're simply for your enjoyment!

Here is a collage of the pictures that I took. Now I've never been to a Farmer's Market before, but I'm assuming that the one's in Minnesota at least aren't this colorful!
Here is a quick description of the photos from left to right:
a picture of some of the goods that we went home with,
here is a little boy trying watermelon as his dad buys one,
here is a papaya cut fancy - I just thought it was pretty,

here is a lady going home with her little cart full,

this is just a picture of a fuit table - so bright!,
here is one of the rows - there were like at least 5 more to go through,
this is the volcano mountain...look close and you can see the morning fog,
this is just a picture of banana man!

It was so cheap, the fruits, veggies and flowers that usually

cost quite a bit at home were really cheap here, and so fresh!
And that was the morning!

faces and places...

This week has just been the week of outings! One of my favorites was on Wednesday, Aida took me with her to...well I don't even know exactly what city or anything, but it was a 5 minute bus ride, and a 25 minute walk to this hospital to get a prescription refilled. I saw probably the poorest part of the city this day, along with the prettiest. It was a super hot day, and I got a little sunburn on my nose...I love it!! The sun is super strong here, because we are at 3,000 feet altitude. And this is the 'weak' season for the sun, YIKES! And then we also walked through a couple plazas, and one of the national parks that's right in the middle of the city. These things were so pretty. Here is a picture of one of the plazas below. There are palm trees everywhere, so pretty. And some of the 'wild' flowers are hibiscus and orchids!! I love them! Pretty exciting week, I'm so grateful that Aida likes to bring me places and show me really pretty and "Costa Rican" things!

After we got the prescriptions filled, and saw the sites, we hopped on a bus for the way home. It costs C110 (which is 110 Colones). So the money is different, and I'm just getting used to it. So I picked it out myself and showed Aida to make sure I had it right, and she nodded in agreeance. We get on the bus, and Aida hands the bus driver her money, and it doesn't look like mine, but I followed and tried to hand the driver my money, and he just shook his head and waved me through. So I just thought that Aida had paid for me or something...? So we sat down, and the bus driver starts talking and talking, and I kinda picked up on what he was talking about. Aida turned to me and said..."we both paid, right?" And in my horrible Spanish I tried to explain to her that he waved me through, and I thought that she paid for me. She said she didn't, so anyways to make a really long story short, the WHOLE BUS thought I was trying to get a free ride. How embarrassing! It was his fault! I really did try to pay!! Oh , well, my concience is cleared at least, and I did pay my way for the ride! haha.

Then here, I was supposed to be studying probably, because my tutor was on her way over, but who can resist this adorable little girl? It is Edwind and Aida's granddaughter, her name is Diana. She talks and talks and talks, much of it too fast for me to understand, so I just tickle her and get this massive giggle out of her! She had these gummy strawberries covered in sugar, and let me try one, and I told her I didn't like it. And Aida told me that she told her, "I don't know why Annie doesn't like these, they are my FAVORITE!" We got to color pictures and play cards too. She's such a doll!

My Tico Family...SO GREAT!

Okay, for all of you worried about me here in Costa Rica, here are a few of the faces of those that are taking care of me!! Nothing to worry about!

From Left to right it is Sylvia and Bruce Harmon. They were missionaries in the Phillipines for 25 years and now they are learning Spanish. They live in a house in the backyard. They are very sweet, and super nice. Then it is Edwind and Aida. I don't know their last name, because everyone here has 2 last names. But this is lunch time. We all eat together, and it's really fun!


Here is the meal we had for lunch today. Not tyical, because we always have rice and black beans, but it is still super good. Aida makes really good homemade soup too. We usually have that for suppers.

And then here to the right is Aida and me. She is super fun and funny. We go out in the morning. She walks; I run. She takes me to the safe parks. Today at supper we were talking about how long I will live with them, and I said for a couple months (I really don't know for sure...), and they said that if I live alone I should get a pet. And Edwind mentioned a cat, and I said a dog would be better, and Aida pipped up and said a boyfriend would be even better. Then she proceeded to tell me that Edwind makes a good pet!! They poke fun at eachother all the time, and it's SO funny. She laughed so much at her joke (as did I), and Edwind just sat there and shook his head.
That's my family! The Lord really blessed me with a patient and fun family. I give God all the credit, because there couldn't have been a better fit!

I made the move!

Okay, so a little update!
I moved across town, I now live in San Francisco, great hey? haha. Just a part of San Jose. I am living with a great family who has housed students who go to the Christian Institute that teaches Spanish (3 blocks away) for 20 years or so. I am probably going to live here for a couple months or so, we'll see how it all goes. The woman's name is Aida (Ida), and her husband's name is Edwind (I think?) and their son lives here too and his name is Carlos. In this culutre, you live at your house with your parents until you are married. That is why Carlos still lives here, and he is 30 years old. They have two other daughters. One is married and has two CUTE little girls who come over every now and then. And the other isn't married, but moved out and broke the rules! haha. I will get a picture up of my host family soon I hope. I don't want to be the creeper who takes pictures of them all the time, haha. But Aida and Edwind are SO patient with me. She speaks reallly slow so I can understand, and corrects me as I talk to her. Last night she came into my room, and sat on my bed and just talked to me for 45 minutes, it was so great! She's going to take me shopping sometime she said. She also makes me 3 WONDERFUL meals a day (always rice and black beans!! mmmm!), and she will also do my laundry!! So funny how different cultures are. So that's where I am living now. I like it very well. There is also a family in the guest house in back who attend the Institute and are learning Spanish. God has called them to be missionaries in Paraguay once they learn Spanish. They were missionaries in the Phillipines for 25 years. It will be so nice to have them here for sure.
Here are a couple pictures of my room.

It is the biggest room in the house that they rent out. I am the only renter, so therefore, I got to pick my room. it is a room right off of the living room, and it has french doors that open up to my room.

This is what you would walk in to, except this picture is taken from the study room. The actual door to the living room is right to the right. Nice space, and a big closet ( I need that!!)

This is my study. No lights are on, and it looks kind of enchanted!! Well it is! ;) I have to pull the shades when I use my computer, because otherwise people will get ideas that they can borrow it, forever. haha.

You can see in the picture above this little room off to the left in back. It is an air flow room. All the houses are built RIGHT next to eachother, with no space in between, so they have these rooms that have windows (as you can see up top, they're green), so that rooms can have air coming into them. The window straight ahead is Carlos' room, he need's fresh air too! And the 3 windows to the right open into the bathroom.
So that's my living situation as of now. I will put up more pics in a little bit.
Until later! Bye for now and many blessings oh you all!

Tico Time

Greetings from Costa Rica!
I'm here safe and sound, Praise the Lord for everything going so smooth. I really don't think it could have been any easier! I set out early Tuesday morning and got to go have breakfast with my mom, sister and neice, and then after helping me check, snapping a few pictures, big hugs, and a few tears, I was off into this whole new adventure.

Here is a picture that I entitle "Annie in a picture." (Annie C--This one's for you!)
I packed two 70 pound suitcases, which had to hold all that I will need pretty much for an entire year, and then I had my backpack and a laptop. Oof-da! But no complications, I didn't even get searched, so that was a relief!
Here are a few pictures taken at the airport. Alison me and Myli, then one of me and my mom, and then one of just me with my pack---I look unsure, but honstely, I wasn't nervous at all!




I don't think it really hit me what I was doing, untl I was on the plane. I got butterflies in my stomach when I was thinking about it, and couldn't wipe the grin off my face! I am so excited to where God has called me, and so blessed to be able to experience something like this. Thankyou all over and over again for your support financially and through prayer.

Here is the view from my temporary bedroom window.
So beautiful. From the back window, I can see a non-active volcano!!

That's about all for now I suppose. Just getting settled in, and all that fun stuff.

You guys can go ahead and comment with any questions, I opened it up so that those that aren't even 'bloggers' can leave comments! I'd love to hear them!

A year before me.
I'm so excited to see what God is going to do.