FORTUNAte :)

Hello all! Let me share with you the incredible weekend I had in Arenal and La Fortuna. It was nice to explore and relax before my last couple of days in Monteverde in the forthcoming week!

               Saturday, May 30^th, we left Monteverde for the 4 hour drive to Arenal and La Fortuna. Once we got there, we shopped around downtown and had the chance to sightsee and visit the town square- there were pretty trees, colorful flowers and people roaming around. The temperature was much more hot/humid than in Monteverde. I saw the main church centered in front of the volcano and it was so beautiful! We proceeded to eat at this awesome outdoor steakhouse restaurant that had the perfect view of the volcano. Sometimes the peak would be clear and we were able to catch a glimpse of it before the clouds shifted back over the top. After lunch, Javier had planned a tour to hike up to the best viewing spot of Arenal Volcano. The climb up the steep steps was completely worth it because once I got to the top, it felt like I was so close to the actual volcano! I took a lot of photos, but they just don’t do it justice at all. We also walked along the Sendero Silencio trails. I think I saw more than 1000 little ants carrying leaves in a line- it was difficult not to step on them! The resort we stayed at, Arenal Springs, was gorgeous. The employees greeted us immediately with passion fruit drinks and warm towels. As we strolled around, we saw the giant pool, Jacuzzi, hot springs, spa, and fancy restaurant. The room Kim, Lynn and I stayed in faced the front of the volcano, right outside our window- it was amazing! For a fancy evening dinner, we all unwound and had a lovely buffet meal from the hotel restaurant. The food included gallo pinto, chicken, pork, pasta, vegetables, salad, fruit, cake, etc. It was also nice to have a completely free evening to rest and swim in the hotel hot springs.

               Sunday, May 31^st, came too quickly! We had the morning free to do whatever we wanted, so, I got up early to go for a run. During my run, it poured the rain and I got soaked! After I cleansed off, I walked down to the restaurant for a delicious buffet breakfast- eggs, tortillas, mango and papaya fruit juices, waffles, pastries, gallo pinto, and omelets…let’s just say I ate really well this weekend! Once our group checked out of the resort, we drove to Waterfall La Fortuna. The anticipatory climb down took about 20 minutes. The falls were glorious and the sky was clear and sunlit. I had the chance to walk out to one of the rocks in the water, and take pictures in front of the falls. Something  alarming that happened was that a man went all the way over to the falls and came close to falling in. A safety guard had to blow his whistle to get his attention, demanding him to return to the non-danger zone. Meanwhile, I sat on top of the rock watching all of this happen! Ten minutes later I hiked back up to the main area of La Fortuna and saw monkeys swinging from trees and birds chirping back and forth. We left to head back to Monteverde around 2:30 and got back at 6. I was greeted by my mama tica and my hermana tica, who kindly welcomed me back home. We sat down for dinner and I shared with them the weekend’s activities and stories of Arenal and La Fortuna. It was an enjoyable moment full of laughter and amiability.

Well, the final week starts tomorrow. I’m not sure if I’m ready for my last couple of days! I will keep ya’ll updated on this week’s final agenda,

PURA VIDA :) 

Absolute Happiness

Hello readers! I’m eager for ya’ll to continue to learn more about my week’s adventures in Monteverde- 

               Wednesday, May 27^th I woke up early for a 5 a.m. run down the mountain. Because it was somewhat gloomy and rainy, there wasn’t a clear sunrise, but, around 5:30, the sun simmered through the clouds and crossed over the peaks of the highlands- it was amazing. When I got back to the house, my mama Tica had breakfast ready- freshly handmade corn tortillas, eggs with cabbage and onions, gallo pinto, fresh fruit and hot coffee. Since class didn’t start until 9:45, Kim and I started walking to CPI around 8:30- a nice little trek up the mountain. We stopped at the panderia bakery and treated ourselves to yummy pastries- scrumptious chocolate croissants. We had class with MSU until 12:00, but during that time, we all collectively discussed our plan for what English lesson to teach the students at Los Llanos Primary School the following morning. Our consensus was to make giant paper strips of sentences structured like: “this is the classroom,” or “this is the girl’s bathroom,” and place them around the school, showing the students the location of the strips, demonstrating the significance through action and movement. We were all curious to see if this method of instruction would be effective to the kids the next day. Spanish class was tough to sit through for 4 hours because the class is largely based on conversation, thus, it was difficult to participate at a constant rate. Also, in addition, the professor gave us extra grammar, vocabulary and composition practice, which made it more arduous. With the amount of Spanish I’ve absorbed, I’ve been persistently thinking and dreaming in the language, which is crazy! Latin dance class started later that evening, and it was such a blast! We learned how to salsa, merengue and Costa Rica’s most famous, “Cumbia.” The Cumbia dance is a tropical rhythmic dance that incorporates complex spinning and fancy steps. The part I enjoyed most was laughing at myself because all of these dances involve a great deal of hip movement, with smooth and quick footwork. Let’s just say I put in the effort, but the hand-eye coordination was lacking! The night ended perfectly as I split a pizza with my host family while laughing and sharing stories with one another.

               Thursday, May 28^th, our group went to Los Llanos Primary School, but, we didn’t get to test out the lesson we planned in class yesterday. Instead, we observed the teacher’s lesson plan for the morning, as well as, his methods of instruction. He incorporated a story from the children’s workbook about an “hormiga” (ant). Surprisingly, I was able to understand the story, and help a student named Alex with the comprehension questions. I also noticed in the classroom that most of the students were  attentive and well-prepared to learn. Although English wasn’t allowed in the classroom, it gave me a chance to practice more of my Spanish. Once we said goodbye to the kids, I acknowledged the fact that my passion to become an educator has definitively grown. Through this experience, I hope to keep students interested and amused with what they’re studying and learning in the classroom. Moreover, helping at the primary school left me with the feeling of appreciation and optimism for children who have the opportunity to pursue their education.

               Friday, May 29^th, we went to Los Llanos Primary School again. The best part of going was that our group got to clean up the school playground. For about two hours, we removed piles of wood, sharp metal objects, cement blocks, trash, and other miscellaneous things. We also planted a garden of small flowers and took away the roots in the ground. Also, we made an obstacle course with the tires, a ladder and the cement blocks. During the kids recess, it was so cool to see the kids playing on the new and improved playground. This opportunity made me really happy and it felt great to do something meaningful for both the school and the students. In the evening, after Spanish class, my mama Tica served me a generous portion of vegetarian casado- rice, beans, avocado, plantains, salad and pineapple juice.

The end of the week came quickly, but I am ready for a fun weekend in Arenal and La Fortuna!

Thanks for tuning in everyone,

Pura Vida!

Más Photos :)

More photos from the trip, check them out!

View of La Carpio from the Humanitarian Foundation building

Painted mural by past UNCG students at La Carpio's Humanitarian Foundation

Close-up shot of an alligator- one of many in the water!

Gorgeous view of the water on our way up to Manuel Antonio

MSU & UNCW group at Los Llanos Primary School after cleaning up the playground

Students playing on the tire obstacle course

They LOVED the playground!

Climbing the rocks in front of Arenal Volcano :)

A peek of La Fortuna Waterfall

UNCW group photo at the falls!

Artsy volcanic rock tower made by Kim Geiger

UNCW group exploring around "La Poas" Volcano

Adorable area in Monteverde with a coffee house, art/craft shop and Whole Foods market

Clouds covering up the peak of Arenal Volcano

Great laughs at La Poas with friends!

TUANIS TUANIS!

Hola mis hermosos amigos y familia! As my fourth post I am eager for ya’ll to hear about what has been happening during my time in this glorious country! The Wi-Fi struggle has been real, so my recent posts connect to the past couple of weeks I’ve been here.

               Friday, May 22^nd and the weekend is finally here! It’s also the last day in Heredia. Que triste! Today, our group traveled to La Carpio, which is the poorest area in Costa Rica. When we arrived, we went to the Humanitarian Foundation to do social service work. Gale, the coordinator and director of the organization, welcomed us to the foundation’s establishment. She has been working with this foundation for 20 years, and speaks Spanish fluently. Before breaking off into groups, we all sat down to listen to Federico, a 16 year old boy who lives in La Carpio and works all day to support himself and his brothers. Gale asked him questions about his life, while we silently listened. The dismal embarrassment and sorrow on his face was painful to see. One particular condition of Federico’s life that vastly concerned me was the fact that he is not provided with the opportunity to pursue any form of education. When Gale questioned him upon this, he said there’s no time or resources available, but if there were, he would choose to participate in school. Gale also asked him, “what does your day consist of?” Federico quietly responded, saying that he works from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and earns no more than $3-$6 a day at the local dump where most, if not all of the city’s waste is discarded. He can barely afford food and has no protective shoes for this kind of labor on a daily basis. Although it was tough to hear Federico’s story, I have developed a greater understanding of the kinds of circumstances and routines that these individuals deal with. My hope from observing this conversation is that education in La Carpio will greatly progress and reach these children, so that, they are given a chance to have an effective education. For the next two hours, we split into two groups, one group worked in the day care with the kids, while I worked with the rest, cleaning and setting up the outdoor library. We sorted books, dusted off shelves, and arranged an “activities” area for the student’s recess time. While cleaning, I realized that these kids have sufficient resources, and some even in English. They can be well-educated and they can be successful, but it takes dedication, fortitude and active teaching. As I went on to play with the kids, I started a game of tic-tac-toe with a little boy named Romano. Although the language barrier was still prevalent, we were able to communicate through both action and expression. He beat me three times in tic-tac-toe! I also watched him do a word-search puzzle, and he looked for English words like, ignition, accelerate and automobile. I was surprised that he was able to recognize these words, but more importantly, I really valued his capability to learn through this game/activity. Towards lunch time, we walked back to the main building, where the women of the foundation had prepared a lovely meal for us. Pasta, arroz, pintos, ensalada, sandia y limonada. The meal was wonderful and the women were so friendly and hospitable to our group. Today’s experience at La Carpio has broadened my perception on how both poverty and immigration are serious issues in Costa Rica, especially in this area. More so that, inhabitants of this region, including Federico, face extreme injustice(s) and cultural aggression in their life. What I have taken away is gratitude and appreciation for the individuals that strive to make a difference for these people. I thank Gale, who is one of those people. For myself, I want to continue to spread education, and to motivate others. Becoming an ELL/ESL teacher will help me to encourage and guide individuals to be the best they can be, despite the barriers. There is always hope and there’s always that one person who can and will make an impactful difference in the lives of others. That person will be me, I have no doubt.

                Saturday May 23^rd, we were off to Manuel Antonio, a.k.a, the beach! Saying goodbye to my Mama Tica was sad, especially when she started to cry, yet, I told her I would come back to visit within the next couple of years! It was so awesome to stay with her for the past week. She was thoughtful, hospitable, genuine and an amazing cook- I will miss her! Our group left Heredia around 6:30 for Manuel Antonio- a four hour drive. we left for an adventure hike in Manuel Antonio National Park. Javier, our excellent guide, led us through the park, where we saw howler monkeys flying from tree to tree, sloths hanging from branches and other wild animals in the forest. Of course, the most anticipated part, and my all time favorite was when we got to the beach. Even though it was crowded with Americans, the fresh water and serenity of the pacific felt incredible after a long, sweaty hike. Also, I met another student from Minnesota, about 22 years old, who had never seen a single beach in his life. How incredible must it have been for him? Hahaha! As we made the trek back to downtown Manuel Antonio, we had lunch at this cool place called “El Sol.” So hungry, I devoured my delicious vegetarian casada, with platanos, yucca, salad and rice and beans and downed the tasty papaya juice. Once lunch was over we arrived to the hotel “Los Mimos,” which had a really nice outdoor pool and an open restaurant on the deck. Dinner was wonderful, I ate an entire plate full of vegetarian pasta and watched the Heredia vs. Alaguela futbol game with the girls. Until tomorrow,

Pura Vida Mae!

      Hoy es Domingo, May 24th! I got up for a nice relaxing run downtown to Manuel Antonio and the view was absolutely amazing. At Los Mimos hotel, we had a nice breakfast and then got ready to spend some relaxation time at the public beach. Swimming in the huge waves felt like home. Tess from my group and I also climbed the massive rocks in the water, luckily we didn’t fall! Despues, I did some shopping in the souvenir markets. The small downtown area reminded me so much of Wilmington. There were small surf shops, heladerias and friendly people in a peaceful atmosphere. Before leaving, I tried to pick some coconuts from a tree but they wouldn’t budge…either that or I am just too dang small to reach them! On our way out, we saw a mama monkey carrying a baby monkey on her back. She sprinted across the cable lines and swung from the trees, it was so cool! With a bumpy bus ride, we eventually got to Monteverde after five hours, but the drive was totally worth it. Steering up the mountains, we saw the most beautiful sunset- with the Punta Arenas lake in the background and the ridged hills extending for miles. I was at a loss for words. I pulled out my camera and kept clicking… but the pictures don’t do it justice. As we got to the town’s clinical dental office, our host families were waiting for us. I stepped out of the bus and Melissa, from my family, warmly greeted me with a hug. She helped with my luggage and led me to my new home for the next two weeks. There, I met my mama Tica, named Xenia. She too, was also very welcoming and kind. As I finished unpacking my things, I sat down at the kitchen table. I explored the home, which was filled with family pictures and memories. I turned my head and a giant plate of food was right in front of me. Fresh sautéed fish, salad, vegetables and gallo pinto. It was delectably satisfying! Later that night, I met Christian, the son who is 19. He was really timid, but listened to the small conversations I had with my mama Tica. Hence, I met my papa Tico, Gerardo. He was also super friendly and genuine. What is most interesting, is that La familia Hernandez lives right next to my mama Tica’s side of the family. Her parents, various siblings and cousins are all 40 feet away. The dynamic is way different than in the United States. Members of the family stay close to home and seldom move away from the main location. I know this new living situation will be a challenge, but I am excited for what will come next and for new experiences to commence!

Hasta la próxima,

PURA VIDA!

Photos de Costa Rica

I thought I would go ahead and share some of the pictures I've taken in Costa Rica so far! The places and things I've seen can't be accurately depicted, but I did my best! Hope ya'll enjoy them :)

                                        This is my first official Costa Rican meal: the 
                                       "oh-so-famous" Casado: Rice & beans, cheese,
                                        potatoes, fresh aquacate, platanos and tortillas

     La Hotel Riviera where the UNCW crew spent our 
first two nights in San Joaquin

Britt Coffee Plantation in Heredia- gotta love that cafe!

My squirrel friend at "La Poas," Peace Resort

      A Sleepy cat during our guided tour of the animals at "La Poas"

      Kim, Bailey and Tess teaching the Calle Hernandez Primary School students

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Volcan Poas- Que bonita!

The beautiful mountains of Monteverde- worth the drive!

 UNCW Squad- future teachers and educators

The breathtaking Volcan Poas

The Cloud Forest of Santa Elena- this tree was GIANT

Had to get a selfie at one the waterfalls at La Poas!

Couldn't get enough of the Volcano pictures

Fresh handpicked mango from a mango tree

 More pictures to come- PURA VIDA A TODOS :)

¿Qué una experiencia increíble ya!

I’m back friends and family! I have returned to follow everyone up on what has happened this past week in my Costa Rican experience. I have really appreciated every opportunity of this trip and it has opened my eyes to a brand new culture, lifestyle and practicality.

            Tuesday May 19^th, my mama Tica fixed desayuno: biscuits (not the southern kind y’all are thinking of), pina fresca, huevos y café con leche. Unfortunately, I threw it all up within ten minutes after I ate it. I started to feel nauseous and queasy as I tried to walk with both Tess and Lyn from my group to CPI. Even worse, as I trampled behind them, I threw up again on the side of the road. I began to think of what I recently ate that could make me feel this awful. I realized that since I haven’t consistently eaten meat in the past year, it must have been the meat in the soup that my mama Tica gave me for dinner on Sunday. Even worse than that (if you can believe it) was the fact that the group and I were going to the Calle Hernandez Primary School to teach English lessons to the first and third graders. Luckily, with the help of a pepto bismol, my stomach felt much better and I was able to teach the kids! In greater explanation, I fell in love with everything about teaching English as a second language. Deena, Calle Hernandez’s English instructor, had previously taught the kids about the idea of nuclear families and prepositional phrases, which, if you think about it, are tough subjects for any new English language learner. As we entered her classroom, the student’s faces lit up with smiles and excitement. Both UNCW and MSU students broke off into pairs and worked with 3-4 students. I paired up with Lyn, one of the members from my group. For our three third graders, Raquel, Juan Pablo and Zach, we described the parts of our homes and had each student list and draw their family members. Regarding that, they were asked to share how many people they lived with, as well as, their specific names. I valued this exercise because it was hands-on, active, and engaging. For the first graders, we planned an activity where the students had to sing about the members in their families. The song began with- “these are the people that live in my house, live in my house, live in my house, these are the people that live in my house, live in my house!” Once they sang this part, the students then added the names of their family members within the song. For example: “my mother lives in my house, lives in my house, lives in my house, my mother lives in my house, lives in my house!” I was extremely surprised with how quickly the first graders caught on to the song and how well they pronounced the words. They certainly understood way more than what I expected them to! Following the lesson, our group said goodbye to Deena’s classroom and headed to CPI for lunch and Spanish class. In truth, being at Calle Hernandez made me realize that this is my calling. I hope to one day, teach English to kids who aspire to learn, but need the encouragement and motivation to thrive and excel. One thing Deena said that stuck with me was that: “the students know the information, they just need the push and the ambition.” Amen to that.

     Wednesday, May 20th, my sickness returned yet again. By this time, I accepted that this was just pure 

traveler’s sickness. Although it wasn’t fun to deal with, I didn’t want to miss out on anything. More so, today

was the day our group hiked to Vulcan Poas. I have to say, the ride up was shaky, as well as the walking, but I 

managed to push through and make the trek. Absolutely worth it. I LOVED seeing the volcano. As one of the 

most spectacular places in Costa Rica, and sitting above 8,000 feet, the volcano’s vivid blue of the hot spring with

the rocky dark grey ash of the ridges was breathtaking. On our way down, we stopped at a restaurant called Freddi Fresas. 

There, we were served jugo de fresas- mas deliciosa, almuerzo y flan. My stomach didn’t react too well to this; however, 

another pepto bismal relieved some of the discomfort. Spanish class at CPI, as always, began at 1:00 p.m. and lasted until 

5:00 p.m. By the end of the day, I felt brain dead from Spanish overload. Pero me siento que esta clase está realmente me

haciendo un mejor orador. Did ya understand that?? But honestly, this conversation class has absolutely helped me learn and

benefit from the language. ¡Hurra! Later that night, as a group of us were walking back to our home stays, professor Powell 

tripped on the sidewalk and landed on her shoulder. All of us were worried, because we spoke little Spanish and needed 

someone to take her to the hospital. Fortunately, a good CR samaritan made a quick phone call and an ambulance came to 

pick Dr. Powell up. Turns out, she dislocated her right shoulder and had to have it repositioned. All is good now; she received

a sling and pain medicine. Phew! To end the night on a more positive note, my mama Tica greeted me with a lovely hug and

prepared a fantastic dinner for me: pescado, arroz, pintos, ensalada y fruta. I am so appreciative of her kind and gracious heart. 

I fell asleep thinking about what my last few days in Heredia will bring. We shall see, we shall see!

     It’s May 21st, a.k.a, the seventh day I have been in Costa Rica! Time really does fly by when you’re in another country. 

Today was unquestionably, one of the best days of the trip thus far. Our group left the church meeting point around 6:30 to

go to the Calle Hernandez Primary School once more. Un otro vez más, Lyn and I worked with the same third graders we 

had before- Raquel, Juan Pablo, and Zach. I drew a house floor plan on giant poster paper, so that the students could clarify

the types of rooms typically found in a house- bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, garages, living rooms, etc. Subsequently, I 

passed out note cards to each student with drawings of items that belong in specific rooms of a household- sofa, refrigerator, 

lamp, desk, table and chair. Out loud, the kids had to repeat the name of the item on the notecard and place it into the correct 

room of the house. Positively, all three of these students did very well with this activity and they retained a majority of the 

information. I was super proud of them! For the fifth graders, Deena had been teaching them about how to properly format 

and write letters. For Lyn and I, our group of fifth graders- Angelica, Engel, and Paolina practiced their English by composing

letters to send to people in the United States. We used a sample message for them to use as an example, but they didn’t need it. 

All three of these students wrote full letters, about 5-7 sentences long, with proper structure and organization. Toward the end, 

Angelica shared hers in front of the entire class and absolutely killed it! Her pronunciation and grammar was impeccable. 

Needless to say, I am amazed. These students are incredible, and I had the opportunity to teach them…whaaat? How awesome.

I can’t believe tomorrow is my last day in Heredia! We’ll see what happens next.

Hasta mañana a todos y recuerda…

PURA VIDA! :) 

Mi Aventura Continúa!

   Hola Readers! ¿Cómo estás todo? I know it has been a while since my last post, but I have been soaking up- not just the beautiful sunny weather- but also, all of the wonderful experiences from this trip, thus far. I'm writing this post, among several others; in complete reflection of the past week(s) I've spent in this remarkable country.

             On Saturday May 16th, with a short travel time of three hours, the UNCW group and I arrived in Costa Rica around 12:30 to be greeted by both Jenny and Jorge, our guides from the CPI (Centro PanAmerican Idiomas) School located in Heredia. Upon arrival, everyone was super hungry-airport breakfast just didn't cut it. Jenny and Jorge took us to a small restaurant called "Snacks," where everybody ordered Costa Rica's traditional dish "Casado." The meal contains rice and beans, chicken, plátanos, and salad. It was pure deliciousness. Following that, we all walked to the local supermarket, where we tasted a variety of indigenous fruits. My favorite was the "mammones" fruit which are lime-like fruits that you break open with your mouth, and slurp out an orange-pinkish jelly from the seed. Other bizarre fruits included, soursop, guanábana and pejibaye- all really different, but unique in rich flavors! La Riviera, our hotel for two nights was beautiful. The hotel had a gorgeous view of the mountains and was in the crux of San Joaquín. Our weekend stay was a solid relaxation or "honeymoon" period before we were to meet our home-stay families the following night.

            Sunday, May 17^th, we met four girls from Missouri State University, as well as their professor Vicki, who would be joining us on the trip. Previously, before breakfast, some of the girls and I picked fresh mangoes from a mango tree and cut them up to eat...qué rico! La Riviera’s restaurant  provided us breakfast- smooth dark roast coffee, huevos, platanos, fresh pina, papaya, watermelon, and gallo pinto. Once the group was all fueled and energized for the day, we went to “La Poás” or the “Peace Resort.” Javier, our highly knowledgeable and awesome tour guide, informed us on specific details about the Costa Rican lifestyle, culture and traditions. The tour was of the lush green rainforest, where we got to see several animals- mariposas, frogs, lion-cats, serpientes, monos, pajaros...I actually had a toucan on my shoulder at one point! Later in the day, we had the opportunity to hike and see all five of the waterfalls- Templo, Magia Blanca, Encantada, Escondida, and La Paz. The falls were amazing to see, such a neat attraction. Toward the evening, anxiousness settled in as everyone waited to meet their host families at CPI. I was assigned to stay with the Familia Esquivel Rojas Family, which included only one woman named Hilda. I was driven to her home because she doesn’t have transportation and is unable to move around much due to her age. Once I arrived, she was so genuine and greeted me with a gigantic smile and hug. My nerves developed fast as I entered her house. Mama Hilda and her friend Yolanda sat in the living room chairs, while they blankly stared at me. I felt somewhat uncomfortable, but I tried to spark as much conversation as possible. I didn’t want there to be any awkward silence, firsthand. As she served me a wonderful dinner of soup with meat, potatoes, vegetables, salad and fruit, I listed off things to talk about in my head. I quickly came up with the idea to grab my “Family Matters” book, handmade by my mom, to show Mama Hilda and Yolanda. They really enjoyed looking at all of the traditional recipes and pictures from my family. The book helped me cope with the unnerving situation of having a language barrier, and my Mama Tica and I got off on the right foot.

            Monday, May 18^th, the rooster crowed bright and early at 4:30 a.m. It was an early rise, but I had to get a couple more hours of sleep, so I went back to bed. My mama tica had prepared breakfast for me around 7:00. I ate huevos, gallo pinto, platanos and café con leche y azucar. Both the MSU and UNCW group met at the church around 7:30, to walk to CPI for a class at 8:30. I thoroughly enjoyed class with Deena, the English teacher from Calle Hernandez Primary School. As a whole, we discussed the importance of Costa Rican education, and how students, among other individuals in this country, value their educational system. Things began to spice up toward noon as we got to Latin cooking class. The group did some dicin’ of onions, garlic, vegetables, chicken and cilantro to create the “oh-so-famous” dish of CR- Arroz con Pollo. Spanish class began at 1, lasting until 5 p.m. I was placed into an upper Spanish class, where members from the UNCW group, Kim, Tess and Bailey were also placed into. My professor introduced herself and we began class with basic conversation starters. Questions, such as, what university do you go to, and what are you studying? I understood the context of the conversation, however, it was difficult to conduct responses using verb conjugations. She assigned three pages of homework for the next day, which surprised me. Later that night, my mama Tica made a wonderful dinner of the traditional arroz con pintos, verduras, fruta and ensalada. Three days into the trip, I am really enjoying my experience of Costa Rica and I can’t wait to continue my adventures!

Pura Vida a todos!