Pictures from far off places

Here are some pictures that I took and also some that I borrowed from my Norwegian friend Sam because I stalked his Norwegian blog and he had a nice camera :)

This was taken right as soon as we got on the other side of the bridge to Panama. The clouds were just right and it was gorgeous.

These were the bathrooms in our Hostel... 

I love old cars... and I really loved this car probably for its color. I simply loved it. 

To get to Red Frog Beach on one of the Islands in Bocas, we had to walk this boardwalk that almost looked like a swamp, this was just perfect placements. 

Red Frog Beach... This looks like a postcard, but it was so beautiful. 

One of our water taxi rides... The dimensions in this picture are awesome. 

The first of Sondre's pictures, this is one of the many docks around the island Im guessing?

I think this is off the border bridge to and from Costa Rica and Panama, just the opposite side that I took the first picture on.

This is Lobo, one of the Islanders dog's. This is an incredible picture, especially with the moon! This was the hammock dock off of our Hostel.

This is the crew! I laugh at this picture for a couple reason... And I think it needs to have some explaining. Sondre has this nice camera... That could be confusing to use. We asked the waitress to take a picture of the group of us and it took her a while to get the picture and ended up taking a picture of our heads, so Sondre was demonstrating and I didnt know he was taking the picture- thus everyone else has nice smiles and I am laughing at something that was said while eating... or something? Maybe I was trying to get something out of my teeth. Either way, I look like a huge dork.

Bocas del Toro, Panama

My apology for not posting again for awhile, we are just finishing up Semana Santa, which is Easter week here in Costa Rica and everyone had the week off for vacation.
Matt and I had to go on a "visa run" and get out of the country so that we wouldnt have any problems trying to get back home because we went over our 3 month visas. So we decided to go to Bocas del Toro, Panama which is located on the Isa Colon. It was an absolutely gorgeous island, and I would recommend going there again to anyone! Though when we first got there, my first reaction was to just get back on the water taxi and go back home to Costa Rica. For some reason I instantly missed the Greens, my tiny room, demon dogs and the like. I just wanted to be home where things were familiar. It was odd, because I love travel, I love meeting people and I love new places. But I found myself spending most mornings alone as much as I could with a cup of coffee and a wonderful view, trying to snap myself out of it.

We met so many people that it was ridiculous, on the bus we met 3 girls that worked in Honduras as teachers in a international school, and at the point of meeting them we were all in survival mode just trying to get to the island in one piece. I find you meet survival mode when youre traveling like we do. We also 4 guys from Guatemala that they had met in a hostel in San Jose. I cant say that I really connected with any of them, but we still had some good times. We also ended up connected with two women we had met about a month ago in Manuel Antonio who are also teachers in a different part of San Jose and also a Norwegian named Sam or Sondre who was hilarious. I was so incredibly happy to see them, Monica is in her mid 50's I believe and shes a retired school principal and decided to spend her retirement teaching in Costa Rica. Jodi is almost 30 and is also a teacher at the same school, we celebrated her 29th in Bocas before we left. I cant explain why I felt so relieved to see these women, perhaps it was familiarity, or safety because I didnt exactly feel that way with the other people. I just felt like myself, and the last few days I had a great time with them.

I surprisingly had a lot of opportunities to witness to people. It was completely unexpected and out of the blue... But it was completely amazing and a little sad. One of the people that stick out in my mind the most is a man, I dont know his name, but I had seen him drunk for 3 days straight at our hostel. Everytime I would see him I shook my head... what a life. Jodi seemed to get sucked into talking to him and some other pretty shady guys, so me, feeling like the mother goose decided to protect what she decided not to and made sure they kept their hands off her. We were sitting at a table, I had just come and sat by Jodi and didnt plan on contributing to their conversations... But the man in question was wearing a shirt that said: "Keep God out of California." and they were talking about it, one of the guys must have seen the look on my face even though I said nothing and said, "I wonder what she thinks" and I said, "I dont think you want to really know what I think about that t-shirt." And there were a lot of 'ohhhhhs' and the guy went "OH NO, youre not a Christian are you?" I said, "of course I am, diehard, until the day I die" then followed up with, "good luck keeping God out of California because youre surrounded by Him everyday." he laughed at me, and lifted up his shirt and showed me a big tattoo that said "dont trust God." I was instantly filled with a strange kind of sadness for this man, and I asked him why he felt the need to tattoo those things on his body and wear t-shirts like that and why he hated God so much. He said that he really doesnt care, where was God when his 2 best friends got gunned down? He loved his life, he lived in LA and was a drug dealer and a hustler, he never regretted a thing. His father was born in Mexico and both of his parent disowned him because of his tattoos and his life. I asked him if that made him sad and he said no, not at all. I asked him if he ever felt sad or lonely about his life, and he said absolutely not. As I started to question him further his friend started to back me up, asking why as well... Why didnt he question this man earlier? Was it just because he provided the drugs to this boy? The beer? If he believed in God why would he be such good friends with someone who hated him? The other guys that were sitting at the table, laughed at all the things I said more because they knew I was speaking the truth and they knew it was true and were laughing at their "friend". They kept saying "man, youre killing him, youre killing him!"
I told him I had a purpose here, God sent me here in Costa Rica to do His work. I told him that his only purpose was in that beer bottle, or how drunk he can get every night and how much a fool he can make of himself. I told him I wasnt going to change his opinion on God, that I felt incredible sadness for him. As I was talking my heart was racing but I felt a calmness to be able to get the words out, I was looking straight into his eyes and I kept detecting flashes of sadness and vulnerability. I told him he made my sad, because he knowingly put himself into an oblivious stupor. He gave up his soul so that he could enjoy the pleasures of this world, and laugh in my face. I dont think I would be the one that could give him the words that could give him to God, but maybe God put me there at that time so that I could speak the truth. So that I could be so completely and brutely honest to this man about his life that he would start to think. I dont think he will remember me, I dont think I was that significant because Im sure hes had many people try to reform him. Later that night, everytime he saw me while I was passing through he would ask me if I hated him, if we were friends if we were good. I said I didnt hate him, but he made me sad.

I know this became a novel again, but that story sticks out in my mind from this trip. As Christians we are so blessed to have had a God that sent his only Son to die for our sins. To die for that mans sins. How often do we look at this feast layed out before us and refuse to take any of it. What a wonderful God we have that he loved us to much to want to save us from that kind of life. Imagine what the world would be like with out God. I wouldnt be living. How we are called to go into the world as sheep with the faces of lions. We are going to be laughed at, we are going to be ridiculed. This life is not the end. How incredible.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

Bad blogger, bad.

So I havent posted in awhile, I apologize. Life got a little crazy, and then a boy named Michael came along (yes, I know youll be reading this eventually). So I will give a basic summary on what has happened, and the adventures that we had.
First of all, we woke up extremely early again to head to Manuel Antonio and to see some sun since it had been not so sun shiny in San Jose, and per Michaels orders for a beach, we went! When we got there, everything was normal, the same sun, beach, people, the same guy that always hits on you and wants to give you a massage... Normal. It was looking a little grey before we went for lunch (and we rented a surf board!) and then it started raining off and on and then pretty steadily for the rest of the day. I was a little disappointed, but it was still fun and I can now say that I tried to surf, even though my twiggy arms didnt let me go too far.

There was also a plan to go bungee jumping on Monday since I had no school thanks to a national Costa Rican hero day, but when I tried to call the place 10 times in the morning I finally found out that the bridge was closed for some reason for another 2 weeks! Thanks for letting me know 4 days ago when I had e-mailed them! It was probably by far one of the biggest disappointments, but we actually spent the entire day Monday exploring. It was pretty fantastic. Hiked the jungle... I was in sandals, we had no machete and stepped in a whole valley of toranchulas.... twice. Walked through a ton of burrs and were continually picking them off eachother. But the view was priceless. What an adventure.

We also got the opportunity to take Bill Greens' bike up to this really beautiful look out over the city. It was a little late in the day so it was a bit cloudy. The drive up was gorgeous, motos are definitely the way to travel. The whole time I had this giddy feeling that kept bubbling in my throat. It just reminds me of summer and absolutely awesome times. I cant wait for it!
Allllso, we went to a concert last night which was a complete success! All in all, good good week. One more day of class and then next weeks Semana Santa and its beach time! and probably the last time I will see the sun for awhile me thinks. Then April is almost over and then I only have 5 weeks here. Yikes. I have mixed feelings about that, but all in Gods timing! Everything in Gods timing.

You get what you ask for!

Yesterday I got my 7th tutor... 7..seven... SEVEN. When in the world did that happen?! I'm so nervous with all of this! God has a plan, definitely. But I should have taken a class on ESL (english as a second language) before I came. I didn tknow what I was going to be doing exactly here... But man! 7 tutors?? What craziness is this?
AND I will be getting tutored as well. So much learning going on here, one way or another. Ive been doing tons of research on how I can properly teach conversational English, I just need to have a structure to what I teach. Then I should be alright, but in the meantime, ah! If anyone has some suggestions on how I should teach conversational English, let me know!

My weeks are certainly filling up which I am incredibly greatful for. I am still pretty tired from some allergic reaction to something I ate on Sunday, BUT its gotten much better. I am such a bad patient. I hate taking pills, id rather it just go away without them. Ive built up a pretty good pain tolerance anyhow.

This week is going pretty slow I feel, I keep having some weird space dreams too. Last night I was looking at the Super moon pictures that we apparently had in March and it reminded me of this weird apocolyptic dream I had a few months ago where the moon ping ponged  into the earth a couple times and it basically erupted into lava and volcano. Then there were radiation zombies coming after me with torquoise eyes. Weird eh? Well, last night I also had a weird space dream where I was caught outside the spaceship and they started heading towards earth, I look next to me and there someone else and i asked them if we could possibly live through the atmosphere... Well apparently we did. The other part of the dream was all my friends from home and I sitting around eating pizza and someone told me that I was fat and I needed to move over on the couch. I never know whats going on in my head sometimes.

Anyways, I am really looking forward to the next couple of weeks and crazy adventures that are just waiting to be had. Also, heres to newer beginnings, and new mindset, and no more whining, and mangos.

Oh how these weekends fly.....

Today is Sunday already, where in the world did the weekend go??
In any case, today was actually pretty refreshing-even though my brain hurts. I visited the Venegas' house all afternoon with Kristen. So. Much. Spanish. Its making my head spin! I know more than I realize, I can understand a lot actually. Though I have to think about things before I say them, most of the time I think of the right response after the conversation, or I think of the right response and trip over my tongue. Ayyy. The thing about Spanish or learning it, youre reduced to an elementary vocabulary thus reducing theirs so that you can understand. Its a little funny to think about. They were super hospitable and I was very thankful for their kindness and delicious food!
I met this man named Graham who tutors English at a University... He was a little weird though, he kept leaning over to explain the main points of the sermon to me, which I appreciated. Then he would talk to me during prayer or in the middle of the song. To be honest it became a little annoying when he continued to do it getting 2 inches from my face, and then would keep getting closer to me even though I was as far over as the pew would allow. He seemed very interested in how much Spanish I knew and what I did and where I came from... He invited me out to lunch, which I had plans (phew), but also wanted to tutor me in Spanish-though hes going to be gone for 3 weeks starting Tuesday (double phew, I will have a different one at that point!).

On a brighter, less creepy note I picked up 2 more tutors, Ricardo and Cindy Venegas. They want more help with their conversational English (I dont think they know I am only 20 haha). Though Im pretty nervous... i'm looking up different ways of teaching it, but I havent taken ESL courses before so i'm not sure how to go about anything! I am researching ways that they would best learn, ways that I could best teach them and make the time productive. Its just different than teaching the younger crowd. But this is good for me. I think.
There is a lot on my plate thats for sure. Plus I might be the tutored one as well for once, which is exciting for me because I have been doing so much teaching lately. I cant wait to be a student again. I also hope that through all of this tutoring that I can become better at my own language. It would help to be able to write better, so that I dont read back on things I wrote and continue to be un-impressed :). You are your own worst critics and all that.
Also, I dont know how its possible to be so attached to a place with its people, yet still be kind of homesick. Maybe I just need to stop thinking, my brain hurts.

Your life is much bigger than a good job, an understanding spouse, and non-delinquent kids. It is bigger than beautiful gardens, nice vacations and fashionable clothes. In reality, you are a part of something immense, something that began before you were born and will continue after you die. God is rescuing fallen humanity, transporting them into His kingdom, and progressively shaping them into His likeness- and He wants you to be a part of it.

Your life is much bigger than you ever imagined. You live in one moment in time, yet you stand hand-in-hand with the generations of unknown believers who understood their place in the kingdom and did their part in its work. only as you keep this huge world in view will you be able to live and serve effectively in the small world where God has placed you. 

-Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemers hands

Does this not just speak to what I JUST posted a few days ago?? Lord Almighty, you are mighty. 

Blessings all mine...

I am incredibly blessed in so many ways. God surely does provide and I am humbled and thankful for the generosity that has been shown to me here.

I am also incredibly excited for the next few weeks, its going to be packed with visits and adventures. We also have Semana Santa which is Easter week and we have the entire week off. As of now I have a pretty awesome week ahead of me, starting in Boca del Toros, Panama and ending in Limon, Costa Rica. (Disclaimer: I have to go out of the country as per visa orders. I will be here over 3 months and I have to have proof that I have been out of the country for 72 hours in order to appease customs. But yes, it is going to be a blast- a necessary evil  :-p)
Its tentative, but enough to get me excited for April, which will be over before I know it! That month is going to fly by. After Semana Santa, I am really hoping that I will be able to start tutoring in Spanish, it may be a little late for that, but if I am able to learn even more Spanish and CLEP out of Spanish in College (if I am able to go back, which I wont be this fall anymore) that will save me thousands of dollars.
I am still trying to decide whether or not I am excited to go back home... I would be totally ok with everyone just moving down here... So how about it? Whose going to move down here with me?

The longer Kristen and I live together the more and more I believe we are turning into an old married couple...
"Where are my glasses?"
"Dont let me forget to put in my eye drops"
"Where are my keys?"
"Whats for dinner tonight?"
"Whats with all that noise??"
*Random day discussions about bad children, child psychology and good food. We stay up late talking about bears and polar bears and how waitressing is the worst job ever.
We have ridiculous arguments like- whether there are islands in Lake Michigan (I looked it up, there are islands in the NORTHERN part of Lake Michigan, which is also what I said. booyah. :)).

The problem is, I dont think either of us is the husband because we have both tended to cry and crave cookies.

Anyways, I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. I get to go to the market again tomorrow! Love the market, love food, love Costa Rica.
Chau!