The one with Semana Santa

Pictures: Vanessa and I on Easter! The Dinner we made on Friday night (read on!) Mary Beth Burns and I outside a church made from Tin! and an old man, not made from tin!

Started off Holy Week by forgetting my passport accidently went to Houston with Vanessa, and to my knowledge I was going to have a terrible week starting that lonely Friday night. The LORD knows the best plans for us, even though through our tunnel narrow, self centered eyes we cannot see it, we always have to TRUST that He knows what He is doing!!

I hung out with Elza and Nikki all day Saturday and went shopping with them. That night I went to a huge arts festival with my brother Gigo and his girlfriend Andrea and their married friends. Ha I think I spoke 6 english words the whole night, but the guy that sung was really good...in spanish.

Sunday- went to a Catholic spanish church with Nikki and Elza. At the beginning of the service, we stood outside in the street watching "Roman Guards" beat drums in their outfits and saw 12 disciples and two real oxen carrying "Jesus" on a cart. It was really cool! The whole service was in Spanish though, so I understood some but mostly looked around at the completely overflowing church. I was the only blonde-score. The bulletins cost a little less than a dollar to use, and the preacher joked about bringing cake and cookies to pay for the sins..was a little thrown off by that.

Monday-Wednesday- I got to be with Travis' family! Travis' cousin Brooke Burns and her husband Doug have two kids-Mary Beth and Austin and they live down here only 30 minutes away from me! They have been missionaries here for about 4 years and are leaving back to the States in June. We made fudge, homemade pizza, and amazing pancakes. We had wonderful times at: Starchi (furniture city), coffee times on the porch, getting hooked on the tv show called The Unit, dressing up in weird clothes with Mary Beth, ROLLER BLADING-thats right I got back on rollers after my accident, painted, went to a cool tile design place and made crafts, drank about 1 gallon of cold milk because my family buys the milk that stays in the cuboard, and had wonderful conversation. This was exactly what I needed and I loved it more than Panama could ever offer. The Lord is so amazing.

Wednesday-Thursday- stayed with Tracy Waters. She is a teacher at Blue Valley and her husband is in the States. We hung out watched movies and traveled around Escazu. We picked up my girls on Thursday!

I hope you enjoy this part of the story:
Thursday- I surprised the girls with their favorite drinks-Monster for Carl and Diet Pepsi for Van- and chips, queso (actually impossible to find here)and beans. Friday Morning woke up and they ate cookies and waffles all day because literally there is no food at our house because our family was at the farm. We watched greys anatomy most of the day. I got some really good time in the word that day-read Genesis-amazing. Found out Charlotte our huge spider has a twin-Spidey-not anymore cause we killed it. For dinner, we had to go to a pulperia near by (this is a place usually owned by chinese people and they stuff the store with absolutely everything imaginable, but it smells horrible) we ate noodles for dinner along with corn, beans, guacomole, and a sauce made from: ketchup, mayonaisse, salts, lemon..so random, explains the picture above. All slept on a king sized bed together that night :)

Saturday- woke up and waited for the taxi we called the night before and they never came so we walked awhile into Escazu (its a hike) and found a taxi and were late for our bus with the other OSU students to a beach called Punternas or something. We got to the beach and layed out on it for awhile. It was pretty busy! We layed out by this pool with some connections the rest of the day. That night we ate more noodles and beans haha.

Easter Sunday!! We didn't have any way to get to church today so we made our own! We set up Carls computer and watched her church live! We all were dressed up and would sing along and read along in our Bibles. We read from Luke together and prayed together and it was such a beautiful morning with the Lord and in sweet friendship. We had the OSU students over to make Easter lunch. We cooked for awhile and inhaled in a short time everything we cooked. Then Carl Van and I went on a walk up in the mountains. My favorite part in Costa Rica is this green mountain that has a wooden cross at the top-standing bodly overlooking San Jose province. I look to it with HOPE. We got a really good view of it from the height we were at, I want to hike to it, but I heard people get killed hiking up there...hmm

That brings me to now. Thank you for reading and I am so thankful for you. Also, 4 weeks left. 3 weekends left to plan. 3 weeks of teaching-2 weeks left to plan...More memories to come!

The Joy of the LORD is my STRENGTH
Tricia Marie

The one with the mistake

Note to self and everyone out there: be careful where you put your passport, it might accidentally end up in a book and sent home with your roomate that went back to the states for a weekend. Yes, my passport is in Houston, Texas and I was supposed to go to Panama tonight. I am home..with Momma Elza and everyone else is on a 13 hour bus ride to Panama. Don't feel sorry for me, it was my stupidity. I am trying to figure out what to do for my Holy Week here. I might go to the farm with Momma Elza and Grandma haha! I wish I could be home with my family during Easter :( The Lord has a plan and even though I don't like it right now, I trust Him and know He knows what is best.

Story: I am sick with the virus going around school. I have a pharmacist best friend cause I have been to her several times; anyways, I go up to her today asking about a certain shot that alot of teachers recommended and she gave it to me. The thing about this story I want to get across: You can get basically any kind of medicine without being diagnosed or seeing a doctor. She gave me two shots that hurt like no other! I feel SO much better. Not fully, but BETTER!!! Getting medicine is interesting here in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida everyone and Live it up
Tricia

Picture Post explaining previous post!

Check out my previous post to know the stories behind the pics :)

The one where I am jumping is at the farm! We ran on this road, it was gorgeous

The one with the peacock, its mating season, therefore we saw alot of feathers

The one with the house, is the farm house! Its like a resort!!

The one with the spider= charolette

The factory is on the farm for the sugar production!

There is a lagoon/swamp at the farm and that is why some of the pics are really green!

My beautiful friends came and visited me! The pictures of us at night with the lights in the background is the place we ate at! So beautiful!!

The one with Carley and I in the pool, we can make some good homemade margaritas!

The one where I am holding a fruit..This is where cashews come from! It is on the top and you cut it open and dry it. We tasted the fruit at the supermarket once, and it literally pulls out all the saliva possible in your mouth, throat, tongue anything. It dries it up and you can't swallow. The ticos thought it was hilarious watching us gag at the market.
Gods Love and Mine!

The one with the perfect run on the sweet farm

Hello! Let me tell you about the amazing weekend I had!

We went to our family's farm! The farms history and facts:
-Its a sugarcane farm (tons of acres!) and the sweet aroma of sugar filled the air!
-There is a factory on the farm that started from Elza's Dad and two brothers and cuban men in 1962
-After their sugar is made, it is sent to another place that combines two other sugar farms sugars and makes Dona Maria a sugar that supplies to the U.S. and Costa Rica!
-They profit from however much they sell

Carley and I went with Nikki and Elza and oh Cha Cha (Nikkis friend who doesn't speak any english and just laughed at Carley and I the whole time for some reason)
We pulled into the farm and were surrounded by mountains, one way dirt road, sweet smells, iguanas, crocodiles, peacocks, horses, a beautiful pool, resort like house and all under the sun!

Carley and I went for a run on Saturday morning. On our way our to the dirt road, we ran past 15 huge iguanas. I think her words after the first one was " I hope they dont get any bigger!" They got at least 3x bigger! They were huge and so gross! Thought about taking one back for a new roomate. Oh, by the way, Stuart won't stop inviting people over..we now have Charlotte..huge spider that Momma Elza tried to hold instead of kill.

It was such a perfect weekend though! The best part was yet to come though :) My friends Bekah Blume and Emmy Wortham and Luke Zsiga came to visit me! Sunday night we hung out at the Multiplaza and then they came to my school on Monday! The first thing they said about my kids in the classroom "Your kids are crazy." And they really are!! I turned around and Jose Maria was holding a chair over Felipe and the peg was going into his eye! Oh wow. That night, Carley and I took them to a famous costa rican place that has the best view of costa rica. It was a stormy night, but we could see all the lights and the lightening in the distance. It was so awesome seeing my friends and such a blessing and it gave me so much joy.

I am almost teaching every subject, except for writing. I am sick-again- a virus is going around. Its really frustrating, it makes me want to be back in the States and feel normal again.

Tonight we are going to this event called FIA. Its at a huge park in San Jose that offers concerts, art festivals, crafts, and sellers.

I will upload pictures later!
Thank you for reading!
Trish

The one where Stuart invites a friend..

Picture: Some of us gringos that teach at blue valley! The girl between van and carl is Megan, she is an aide here from NJ, The tall one with the pink tank top, her name is Abby Franklin. She is married to a tico and is a like our big sister here. We love her and she is coming with us to Panama for spring break. She is Vanessa's teacher. Tracy Waters is in the blue shirt, her and her husband just moved here and she is awesome too. Random fact, she said no 5 times to her husband (now) when he proposed! The other girl, I don't know her name, but she is nice :) This was at the beginning of the 5k race at blue valley!
Story: Last night it was us 3 at the house alone and we made some cookies and were sitting down to watch a movie. As I was about to sit, a thing launched itself from my seat to the floor in a matter of seconds. Turns out we have geicos now. Scared me to death and all three of us were immediately on the highest part of the couches and couple minutes later Stuart runs across the ground and hides under a rug; again on the highest point of the couches..yes there was screaming. Picture this: three girls holding boxes arguing who moves the rug with the umbrella to then catch stuart when he runs with our boxes. Finally moved the rug and Stuart ran into the kitchen through a crack in the door. Again, Stuart wins. The rest of the night all three of us were looking all around and dreamed about lizards, mice and other things.

Speaking of dreams..you know what is annoying? Dreaming about lesson plans, objectives, materials and activities. I wake up stressed over the lesson in my dream. Not cool.

We had Family Day at Blue Valley Saturday! We were there from 8-3, it was a long day. They had so much food and water slides, inflatables, runs, games.. so much fun. I loved it.

Funny Lying Story: Today on the bus this guy sits by us and speaks fluent english and our conversation went like this:
-Where are you from?
*Oklahoma
-I studied in Austin Texas for 4 years at UT in architecture. I am an architect and studied architecture at UT. Do you have names? Isn't Oklahoma in the Midwest? (At this point I am thinking, ok moron if you spent 4 years at UT and didn't know Oklahoma was above you then what the heck did you learn?)
*Yes, Emma Grace and Vanessa.
-Where do you live and why are you here?
*We live in Santa Ana (lie) and are working.
-Where in Santa Ana? Do you have a phone number where I can reach you to practice my English and you can practice spanish?
* Nope.
Thoughts: Oklahoma is right above Texas, You did not study architecture at UT because you are riding the bus and live with your mom, you told us a million times you love the US and were in Texas, you speak fluent english and want to practice it...Wow. People are ridiculous.

Other thoughts while I am here:
-I have the best boyfriend, there is no comparison
-I am starting to get homesick, but love it that I am here
-Aunt B, there is a woman here that reminds me so much of you! Youre the best though! :)
-I wish I understood Spanish, I am still translating in French
-My friends are coming into town this week!! I AM SOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a wonderful week and thank you for reading!!!!
Trishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The one with the new roommate

Story: I was minding my own business and using the restroom in Vanessa and I's bathroom and all of a sudden a black furball runs across my feet and goes behind the toilet in a hole in the wall. Its our new roomate: Stuart Little. Awesome. I don't think its going to talk to us or make boats with us and win races.

Vanessa left this weekend to be with her family that flew down, so Carley and I had a date weekend. We went to get my first sushi on Friday night... I would say I loved them cause 16 rolls later I was satisfied(side note: the waiter brought us the wrong order so we got 8 free ones). 24 rolls in all this weekend..woops! Friday night, Carley and I woke up to a 4.4 earthquake. Elza and Nicky ran to our rooms making sure we were ok, they said that was a very strong earthquake for two reasons 1. it lasted several seconds and earthquakes are not usually that strong here 2. The epicenter was in San Pedro*very close to Escazu!

Went back to stinky San Jose to buy tickets to go to Panama for Spring Break! Bring on the Canal!

We went to church at the International Baptist Church today. The pastor was from Gutherie... small world right? The song leader sang at an incredibly high and awful note, and I was surrounded by men on one side..I didn't know how to sing! But that usually isn't abnormal.

*Dotter, you would love the black beans and coffee here. You would be in heaven every day! I sure am!

Just to show you how much traveling has affected me: In my dream last night, it was my wedding and I chose one of my friends to be a bridesmaid..well turns out I realized after the ceremony that she couldn't be one of my bridesmaids because "they" wouldn't let her cause she didn't have a passport and another form of identification with her. WOW! So turns out my little 1st grader took her place..oh dreams.

Thank you for reading, I am officially half way done after this week! Then I graduate! Woop!

Tricia

The one where Carley and I run..

When you run in your state do you typically:
-See cows that are surrounded by no fence?
-roosters everywhere
-the sweet aroma of sewage everywhere
-guys yelling at you every second
-not wear an ipod in fear of getting mugged
-jump over sewage
-have to run on gravel
-see beautiful mountains around you and still have a breeze with warm sunshine
-get nervous that cars will get as close to you instead of giving you plenty of safe space
Just some thoughts and views of what its like to run in Costa Rica :)

At the supermarket the guy that was behind the counter working asked Elza in spanish, "Who are these beautiful girls with you ?" Elza answered without cracking a smile "They are my daughters" and we walked off. Made us feel so special. I made a joke to Elza right after saying "I wonder how many states men he thinks you have been married to, to get girls looking as different as us!" ha I think I am funny.

This weekend we are chilling!! HURRAY!! Things we are possibly going to do:
-Fresh Fruit Market Saturday Morning at 5 am (cheap and freshest fruit there is!)
-My teacher Mrs Pacheco is having her birthday party at this really fancy place in the mountains on Friday night. Carley and I are dressing up and going!
-Sunday- I am really excited about this, we are going to an International Baptist Church that supposedly has mostly gringos and its in ENGLISH! yay!

Teaching:
-I am taking over slowly, took over Science subject (my favorite)
-Kids are literally so crazy here. While my teacher was lecturing, I looked over and the boys are playing red rover in the classroom!!! No wonder I am exhausted every day.
-I am more strict with these kids than I have been with any other class or group of kids I have ever had. I can't let them play red rover when I am teaching!
-I got my first kid present today! I was so excited! The girls made my some post its that I had on my desk with my handwriting on them and glued flowers and grass around them hahaha. Loved this.

Thank you for reading!
I have been really focusing on what it means to "Walk In Love" as our Savior would put it. Everything that I react to, respond to or do...am I walking in Love?

MEISS TrEshEa (phonetically here)