Starting to check things off my list

1. Read a classic novel  Alice in Wonderland and This Side of Paradise
2.  Go to Costa Rica Began on 2/4 ended 
3.  Get my Teacher Certification and my own classroom  
4. Go to a new city in the US
5. Loose 10 pounds and keep them off
6. Run at least one 5K
7. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
8. Go on a Blind Date
9. Do a Photography Weekend Workshop
10. Buy a new Little Black Dress
11. Get my Tech Certification

Week Nine 2/21-2/27

Two chicks heading out to surf at sunrise

My foot prints in the sand

After learning how to surf :) Not the best pic ever taken, but it was a great experience

The lady who cleans my room always leaves me some flowers. So cool

Sunset, on one of our class field trips to the beach

Very cool spider, reminded my of the golden silk spiders in Texas and Florida

Sunset from my school

One of the 10 or so big turtles we saw yesterday. 

Isle de Cano was COVERED in hermit crabs

They loved all the fruit rinds left by the tourists

It was kind of hazy yesterday, made for a cool shot about an hour before sunset

Iguana. They live in the rafters of the buildings, you can hear them running on the roof and then landing on the ground 2 stories down

GIANT bug. I do not know what kind but he is about the size of my palm. Big bug. 

I cant believe another week has already passed! Seems like I just got here to Playa Dominical. On Tuesday I took a surf lesson, it went pretty well. By the end of two hours I was able to stand up almost every time. On Wednesday I got a massage, it was amazing! You could hear the ocean and they had some great music playing. I so needed that after the disaster that was last Sunday. I was so very sore after carrying everything around for an hour. I had bruises all the way until Friday. Have spent most of my free time this week with two girls from Austria, Anna Maria and Kristina, and Rolf from Switzerland. Very cool group to talk to, we talked about what our home countries were like and compared them. Very fun and interesting conversations that have only deepened my desire to go to Europe as soon as I can.  And the girls said they would show me around Austria and Rolf  said he would show me around Zurich. So thats an exciting proposition. the group from Europe had no idea about "The Sound of Music", so I had to youtube some clips and explain the plot. It seemed crazy that they had never heard of the movie. Oh and another cool person I have met was a pharmacist named Terri, she travels all over the state of Alaska helping different villages. She was a fellow student here last week and told me to let her know if I made up to Alaska in the next year or so and she would meet me in Juneau to show me around. So very cool to meet all these people and to learn about the lives they lead when we are not here in this tropical wonderland.
Yesterday I went to Isle de Cano, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_del_Ca%C3%B1o The snorkeling was so awesome, the water was super clear so visibility was high. Saw tons of fish species I did not recognize, but some I did. Like parrot, puffer and a really really big snapper. Thanks to my TMJ I only snorkeled in the morning and did not go back out after lunch. Having to bite down on the mouth piece was just to much for my jaw, it was popping and cracking after about 45 min of snorkeling. My sunscreen fell out of my bag and was still on the boat so I did not have sunscreen while I was on the Isle. And I fell asleep, burned myself pretty good. But today its pretty much a lovely tan color, my skin just feels a little to tight. So more aloe and lots of water.
In class this week we didn't really learn a whole lot because we had 3 different teachers. And it was a review week, largely in part to the three teachers, but also because I was between the two levels of classes being offered. And we played lots of games, which was fun but not extremely educational. Also class ended an hour early every day last week. Some days we went to the beach or went to get ice cream-which is home made, super creamy and sooo yummy. The dance class no one went to so I have not yet learned to salsa. :( And I was the only student in the cooking class, we made Barbudos, which has become a new favorite. So yummy and good for you. Here is a recipe I found online http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=667117  We didnt use any spices or salt, but I will add that when I get home. We also used fresh green beans. So yummy. Some other recipes I found of this added cheese which sounds yummy. The school served this as a meal over white rice that had a home made salsa mixed in. I also made fried plantains last night for dinner, so very yummy. Think large banana. I am hoping to make some yucca this week, but every one says its really hard. I bought a cook book (for $15) and the recipe doesn't sound to hard. Hopefully it works.

Week Eight 2/14-2/20

First let me apologize for all the errors in my previous posts! I have read over some of them and my grammar is just atrocious! I am so very sorry! I will now pre-write my posts so I am not stressed about how much internet time I have left.
This week went by so fast! I only have 21 days left here in  Costa Rica. In Turrialba we (the students)  figured that we walked just under a mile to school each morning, and that it was just over a mile to town from the neighborhood we lived in. So each day I was walking a minimum of 2 miles, at that was only for school. I walked so much more than that because there was nothing else to do besides sit at home, so I walked to town everyday. My mamatica did not have internet, tv, or a radio so frequently I was out wandering just to find a way to occupy my time. This past week I did not have class on Wednesday so I went to Guayabo National Monument. It is an ancient ritual site, pre-Columbian, with working aqueducts and ceremonial grounds. Here is the link for information about Guayabo. All the cool artifacts they found at Guayabo though are in a museum some place because all thats left at the site are what they could not move. Either way it was cool.
 http://www.costarica-nationalparks.com/guayabonationalmonument.html

On Friday evening my new friend Alice and I went to a very local restaurant, so glad we did! She and I will be in Arenal together the last week, looking forward to hanging out some more. Alice is from Ashville NC,  she and her husband spent three years teaching English in Japan, very interesting lady. Beautiful views of the Turrialba valley, the restaurateurs had placed bird feeders all around the property and we saw acollared aracari . A member of the toucan family, but much braver, and a very social bird.  Saturday was spent reading and relaxing. Sunday I left Turrialba at 8 am, 3 buses and 2 cabs and 10 hours later finally arrived at Dominical. On my way back to San Jose en route to Arenal in two weeks I will be taking Dramamine to make the bus ride a little more pleasant. Because yesterday’s trip really took its toll on me! I don’t think of myself as a car sick kind of person, but after Christmas and then the driving here I am starting to wonder if maybe I am. Although here the drivers have a hard time staying on their side of the road so there is lots of weaving back and forth across the road.  Guess it makes each trip a little more interesting. :/

So the orange trees only bloom at the in January, this is at the end of the month so they are starting to loose their blossoms. So beautiful though

An aquaduct at Guayabo

Waterfall at the park

Me up above the ceremonial grounds

Ceremonial Grounds

Poor Man's umbrella, they can grow up to 6 ft wide, this one was 3 ft or so

At the restaurant,

One of the views from the balcony at the restaurant

Alice and I with Turrialba valley behind us

My mamatica's house, her daughters car

AEC in Turrialba

Week Seven 2/7- 2/13

This past week has been so interesting. I love my classes, I wish that class was like this for forgien languages, math and science. Its so wonderful being able to ask as many questions as I need to, being able to always participate in the lesson, which was something I have always had an issue with in those 3 subjects for fear of sounding dumb. And we get to talk so much in class, it really help me understand the language concepts because we are talking about what instances you would use CUAL (which) instead of  QUE (what). For the record it is the opposite of English, you use cual when there are no specific choices given and que when there are specific choices. That rule really threw me for a loop!
Ex: What is your favorite color?- Cual es tu favorito calor? Crazy huh!
And we have been practicing sentence structure, as well as having to give oral presentations every day, yes there are only 2 other people in the room but its still hard!

There is a big group of medical students here from Texas. There are about 10 people in the group and they are about to start their residencies when they get home. Very nice group. They rented a house in the middle of town so they are all living together for a month, it’s a cool house. Momma would love it, every single room is painted a different color and they have a living wall that’s covered in plants. Although we could not figure out how the plants were getting water, except from the moisture in the air!

On Thursday I went on 5 zip lines, repelled down 4 waterfalls and crossed a slat bridge! It was so AMAZING! I loved the repelling! Except when I went under a ledge in one of the falls lost my footing and smashed my knees into the rock face. But it was still so cool. Wish it was cheaper because I would go every day! What a work out! One of the girls from the Texas group has a water proof digital camera so when she emails the pics I will add them here. Oh and we saw a sloth just hanging out in a tree, acting like we were not even there.

On Friday my profesora took me on a field trip to town, we went to the local farmers market, the local market place, think permanent flea market. And she showed me where the post office is. :)

Yesterday I went to a place called CATIE (caught-e-a), it’s a local school that is studying renewable agriculture, sustainable growth and studying the medicinal uses of plants. Because of what they are doing they have built a huge botanical garden, its amazing! I saw lots of birds but they were all either flying or not in good places for photos. But the park was beautiful and it was interesting to read about what the school was doing.

Took this picture last weekend... ucky huh!  The mark is still there, fainter, but still there

This is at the local farmers market that is open on Fridays and Saturdays. My profesora took me to see it as a field trip!  

This is a flower from CATIE, it is also now my desk top. Looking at Aphid every day made me miss her even more!

This is my Mamatica- Nelsie- I could not get her to smile for a picture! We were on our way to church last night. 

Today I went to the local volcano which is still active, but it’s at 10,000 feet. At about 8,000 (we were above the coffee line) I started getting a head ache and my ears were killing me, so I asked the cab driver to take me home. I got about nine and boy I am soo glad I did! About an hour after I got home it started raining, it has not stopped!

An Update

Ok so no pics, but thought you guys would like a good laugh. I am surprised, although I should not be, at how well I am getting around and able to communicate. Granted I sound like a small child and am conversing in very simple sentences, but  at least I am able to talk to people. This week and next I am in Turrialba, its an old train depot pueblo. It is not a tourist destination, I think there is one "hotel" in the whole pueblo.
The 5 things I miss the most:
1. My momma
2. Aphid
3. Hot showers
4. My cell phone
5. Sanitary bathrooms

5 really important things I have learned
1. Every one is pretty much the same, we are all trying to make it through each day. People here are friendly and helpful
2. In CR vehicles have the right of way, always. And no one uses a blinker
3. Beware of motorcycles, they dont seem to have any rules and just do whatever they want
4. When buying groceries only get a few items at a time, its a long hot walk home
5. The concept of personal space does not exist here; people will kiss you upon being introduced, on buses its ok for their stuff to fall on you, or for them to use you as a head rest (for them or their children)

This has been such a cool experience so far, really looking forward to what the next month holds

Week Six 2/1-2/6

First Stamp in my Passport!

Sweet dog that is the coordinators

Edit HTMLOn the Calypso Cruze, about to snorkel

Reading on the beach at Tortuga Island

The only flower to grow naturally at 8,000 feet

Coffee beans drying

All metal Catholic Church

Worlds Largest Ox Cart in Sarchi

This week has been AMAZING! I am FINALLY in Costa Rica. I have been here since late Thursday. On Friday I went to the Isle Tortuga on a catamaran, went snorkeling and just had some fun at the beach. On Saturday I went to see the volcano Poas, elevation approx 8,000 ft! Its was soo foggy though it was like walking through a giant mister. So we did not get to see the crater, or any lava. I did get some really pretty shots of flowers. After the volcano we went to a coffee plantation to learn all about the process of growing/processing/roasting coffee beans. It was really interesting. Then we kept coming down the mountain, we went to see an all metal (steel) Catholic Church. The church was cool because it was built in the 1800's, so its all held together with rivets, they were inspired by the Eifel Tower. Our final stop yesterday was the artisan town of Sarchi. Kind of a disappointment because it was just so "touristy" I was hoping to get to attempt to talk to local artist and see them making their wares. Oh well! I am off to Turrialba, get to meet my host family in a few hours. I am going to have to break down and buy some books because I am spending lots of time on buses and waiting around so I have read almost all the books I down loaded on my Nook. Barnes and Noble is going to love me after this trip, a 300 page book is lasting about a day and a half! Hopefully I will have stuff to work on from school, or get to go exploring so I dont have so much down time!