Mom, I'm Alive

First and foremost: Mom, I'm alive.

It's been difficult writing this year. I blame it on Grad classes. I don't go out and my evenings are spent reading chapters upon chapters to keep up with the condensed summer courses I'm in. I've got four courses in total--2 down, 2 to go!

As of Wednesday since I last wrote, I've been to an investment company called CINDE, the U.S. Embassy, and to La Carpio to help build bunk beds for families that need them. Saturday was spent working, holding a meeting with chaperones from a group called Overland, and training our own CPI chaperones about the upcoming West Coast groups. I also read four chapters and completed two modules while 10 loud chaperones seeming had a party inside of the apartment. I sat outside and tried to be productive... : )

This year has been such a different year as a chaperone. I don't know if it's that I feel old (I'm definitely not the oldest), I'm uninterested in all of the 'extracurricular' activities that everyone seems to participate in or that I am type of person that gets mildly stress about school work and makes sure things are done 5 days before they have to be. As it stands, I'm very tranquila this year. I've never been loca, but I would go out in previous years and hang out with the chaperones. This year, I don't have much desire.

No me entiende mal. Don't misunderstand me. I love being here as always. : ) It's been my summer home for five years, but something is different. Outside of Muni, Meggie, Arelys, Jonle and her family, I am missing connections. Granted, I am probably not making them like I should be because I'm absorbed in school work, but my family is enjoying time at our new lake house in Lake Cumberland all summer, and I have a flight to Georgia in mid-July that I'm not-so-patiently waiting to be on. :)

But life is good, and I'm making the best of it while I'm here! I love speaking Spanish all the time. :)

Fun colored house in La Carpio where we delivered the bunkbed. :) 

As close of a picture as I could get of the Embassy--see the guard? I got "No, no Tico" to my picture taking.

Time to head in to CPI and help out with the groups coming in today. My group is out at Manuel Antonio this weekend, and I am meeting up with them in Monteverde tomorrow! Can't wait to be back there. : )

Off for the day!

Chaito,
Jessica Lynn

Tico Shuffle

Today I ran with a Tico.

Well, run is a relative term. I ran. He shuffled. I never broke a sweat.

This particular Tico is one of the chaperones staying at the chaperone apartment right now, and I actually tried to sneak out this morning without him hearing me. My fear? The Tico Shuffle.

I've witnessed the Tico Shuffle too many times on my morning runs, and prayed I would never have to participate. My fears came true today.

The Tico Shuffle, as I've termed it, consists of arms up high (think alligator arms), straight back, butt out and knees barely off the ground, shuffling a grueling 10 minute mile pace. I don't run fast, but Lord help me.

Convinced that he ran alot, we covered around 8k. When we finished he asked, "Don't you sweat?" And my excuse followed that I was dehydrated...

The following is my best representation of the stance involved for running. It's as awkward and uncomfortable as it looks.

Well anyway, I just got my assignments for the next four days it looks like it's going to be really busy! However, I get to go the embassy tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to that experience!

Today, I even painted my own ox cart wheel for the first time. The painters leading the class had to pick the best one at the end...it was actually mine. However, because they didn't want to choose the guide, they chose one of the students. No lying here...they actually told me this. : ) I'll take it for only having 30 minutes to complete mine...

Finally headed home for the night--pretty pooped on this end. Hasta luego amigos!

Pura vida,
Jessica Lynn

Busy as an Abeja

Since I picked up my group on Saturday I have been nothing but in a hurry. We stayed in a beautiful hotel called La Condesa on Saturday and then Sunday was mass at a local church, walking tour of San Jose (including the National Theater and National Museum), meeting the host families and then home for the night.

Monday included a visit to AMCHAM (Amercian-Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce), a walking tour of San Joaquin and Spanish class. The group that I have is specifically international business students, so we spend a lot time touring businesses.  This is actually pretty neat because I'm learning a lot and most places I have never been before!


On Sunday night Muni was in Heredia and came by the apartment!! Meggie, Muni and I all snuggled up on the sofacama for 30 minutes and just talked before Muni had to go get her group. I miss us girls just hanging out together. : )

Speaking of chaperones, it's a full house at the apartment right now, but we're all having fun. It's pretty great to be working with a couple of students from my Georgia Southern group this year!!

That's pretty much all for now...Cafe Britt today!

Oh, Monday officially kicked off my sister and I's marathon training...woof.

Chao pescado,
Jessica Lynn

Sittin' in el trafico

I'm currently on my way back to the Central Valley and while I can't actually publish this until I get back, this 'blogger' app on my iPod is pretty great--allowing me to pass some time with sitting in traffic with 3 hours still left in my trip. Listening to The Avett Brothers with Spanish techno in the background...

While on the way down the mountain today I tried to get a picture of the road that we took.

Family: people still actually use the road that we used to get to MV. I thought for sure we were some of the last to venture along that thing... I stand corrected because today we went down it in a 30 passenger bus...

Anyway, tomorrow I get my first group and work really begins!

I could probably write for a while considering we're not moving, but I'm going to try and brush up on my bird names and facts. :)

**quick update: it's been over 2 hours...sitting in traffic takes on a whole new meaning when there is one road, one lane and no side streets or exit ramps. Whoa.

Hasta pronto,
Jessica Lynn

Short News, Long Pants

Today has been rather uneventful and slow. Other than a quick ice cream run during lunch, I've stayed pretty stationary and worked a lot. A couple of noteworthy items:

1. There are still bubbles in the fountain.
2. Grad school classes are done...for a week. Whoo!
3. I celebrated last night about grad school by going to bed early--what have I become?!
4. Headed to Muni's tonight to cook dinner with her--can't wait.
5. I am apparently noticeably uncomfortable around babies.
6. My lunch choices are also a topic of conversation here in Costa Rica, just like the states.
7. I think I brought my sister's pants to Costa Rica...they are much longer than I remember.

The following conversation ensued with my sister this afternoon in my quest to figure out what got into the length of my pants:

Pretty sure I already know the answer, but she'll put my mind at ease when she gets back from the lake.

Off to Muni's to make dinner!

Que le vaya bien,

Jessica Lynn

Mr. Bubbles and Dog Attacks

Correction from yesterday's blog: In regards to the picture of Calvin the Parrot back in Georgia: she is an African Grey Parrot.

^(Guess who gave me that little nugget?) : )

Secondly, I returned to the apartment last night to find this: Who's the wise guy that put Mr. Bubbles in the community fountain?!

Also last night my sister informed me that she got the job she wanted at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in their physical therapy department. I'm incredibly excited for her!! Even if it means no more free yagoot... : )

And then in other news...I finally had to use the pepper spray that my dad once bought me to keep me safe. It's a normal precaution for me to carry it when I run, mostly for dogs, but possibly humans too. Today, I had to take down Kujo.

The dog came after me when I was running early this morning and attacked me from behind, so I never saw it coming. The dog was probably 80-90 pounds, and I had noticed it two nights before because he seemed aggressive and had made me nervous. He kept lunging at me and pawing and scratching and biting despite my best efforts to fend him off.

Here's the kicker: It wasn't even a Monteverde Dog!!
(I have a theory on the stature of Monteverde dogs: short and stocky for aerodynamics due to living on a mountainside with all the wind.)

The horrified mama tica and her child watching from across the street just kept saying, "He's just playing! No es nada." The dog wasn't just playing and I all I could think was, "I ain't playin'!" And with that, one good shot of pepper spray to the muzzle backed him off and sent him whimpering away. Whew...dodged a bullet there.

Thankfully, the injuries sustained were simply some long scratches and nothing more. I was pretty fortunate that where I was bitten didn't indicate any puncture wounds.

On the bright side: Pepper spray does work. : )

Pura vida mae,

Jessica Lynn

The Naming of Birds

The office today has kept me preoccupied, and I was given a rather frustrating task of reorganizing an itinerary for a group. Reorganizing wasn't frustrating, but whatever program this particular school used to create it was immensely frustrating. On top of that, it was cold in here today! My only saving grace... Café. : )

However, since the office is winding down a little, I've now concentrated my efforts on learning bird names. Notice I am currently at 100% accuracy. : )

Can you correctly identify the bird?

Why, you might ask, would I care to learn seemingly every bird species know to man? Is it because I'm in a part of the world with hundreds of different species of birds? Is it because I've decided to expand my ave knowledge and better myself?

Not exactly. It's because every time I am asked to identify a bird flying high above or perched in a tree or on a collision course for the car by my novio, I fail. Miserably. (Besides common birds, I can now sort of identify a Red Tail Hawk and Turkey Vulture.) So, in an effort to help me out and increase my confidence, he suggested the app: Birds!

Never saw this coming: I'm now addicted. Gracias, novio. : )

While I've gotten really good at naming the birds on screen, I've yet to put it all into practical application. I can assure you that I will be quizzed when I get to Georgia this summer. I'll keep you posted on the confidence level, because right now, I'm feeling pretty good!

Pájaros en la cabeza,

 

Jessica Lynn

Oh, and this is Calvin. He's some sort of parrot.