The one where we reversed on the on ramp..

First before I start here is my mail address:
669-1250 Escazu
San Jose, Costa Rica

This past weekend the OSU crew took a trip to Arenal. Arenal consists of an active volcano that is surrounded by a chilly rainforest! My favorite thing we did this weekend was going to the hot springs. Basically, it comes down to this: the most beautiful swimming pools and scenery that you could ever imagine is this but instead of chlorine and tap water this is natural springs! There is different temperatures in each pool surrounded by waterfalls. The highest degree was 153 F! The one we loved that felt like perfect bathwater was 95 F.

I also got a 70 minute antistress AMAZING massage for $30...beat that U.S!

We went on a lava tour that night, but the volcano was covered in clouds so we didn't get to see any red hot goo.

Um, STILL sick with throat infection..think this is week 4. Pray for healing, this is frustrating.

I posted the pictures! Gosh, I wish they did anything I saw justice. I love it here!

Oh, about the title. On our way home we are in San Jose and our van driver is merging on the highway and decides half way on the highway lane he doesn't want to get on this highway. Of course the logical, safest and easiest way is to reverse.. (hmmm) So we did. We reversed very far back and got honked at the entire way down. I turned around to watch just in case we got hit, at least I could brace myself. We made it thankfully. I wonder how much a ticket would cost in the States if someone did that?

Oh! One of my favorite parts of the weekend.. I met this adorable old couple from Montreal at the springs and they spoke french and english. I practiced my french and they basically adopted me as their daughter. I loved being able to speak and somewhat understand a different language.
Thank you for reading and pura vida
Trish

The one with the changes

All my teachers and professors have told us, "Don't hang out in the teachers lounge, too much gossip, negativity.." My question is: Does this apply when I don't understand a word they are saying, because its in Spanish?

Somethings I have been thinking about:
-When I come home, I will either a) forget how to drive b) be a crazy lunatic driver like the people here c) be extra careful
-I graduate the week I come back
-I am wanting to sleep in a bed that I cant feel wooden planks on my back :)
-I wonder if my guard is being let down or if I was over cautious at first, because I am feeling comfortable here, even though I still stick out
-I am not in the bible belt, I am in the Catholic belt now.
-Blue Valley is unlike any school I have ever seen, its so different than anything I was taught.. I can't say much about this environment on my blog though.
-My teacher and I are so much alike, she is so amazing and I am learning ALOT from her
-I have 19 students..12 of them have learning disabilities..talk about frustration to extra patience, God is good.
-The Lord is showing me how to rely on his STRENGTH and not my own. I have been praying that my heart breaks when His does, that I see the world through His eyes, and that He uses me to spread His light with my actions and words.
-I love Costa Rican Coffee.
-Everyone has maids here. Its common for everyone to have one that: cooks for them, cleans their dishes, cleans their house, and even watches their kids. Its sad to me, because I see how lazy people can get and have less connection with their kids because instead of the mom or dad carrying their baby around, the maid does...any thoughts??
-Throwing your toliet paper in the trash can is one of the nastiest things, the pipes in CR are too little for toliet paper
-We are not the only Americans, we are from the States, people are Americans here too!
-My blonde hair and green eyes is obvious to the world down here. Our taxi cab guy looked at me and goes "Oh your beautiful hair and light green eyes, you must have a boyfriend.." all in spanish and then I said What?! and He goes "I am crazy, Crazy Carlos" wow.

-Well thats all, I hope everyone is doing well, thank you for reading if anybody is haha.
-Mr. and Mrs. Armour I am praying for you today and I love you both so much as my other family.

Tricia

Picture Post!

Not in Order:
Carley and I at Manuel Antonio

My kids on our field trip!!

Carley and I's beautiful handstands on beautiful Manuel Antonio

This is the COSTA RICA NEW PRESIDENT!! Laura!! We met her at the game, it was so awesome!!!!

The coconut, this guy was selling them on the beach for a dollar. you stick a straw through the thin layer and drink the milk! So good, refreshing!

The one where I am never going back to San Jose

If you really want to insult someone say "You smell like San Jose". That cannot be topped.

This weekend, the OSU crew is going to Manuel Antonio or Capos. It supposedly is this beautiful beach that everyone talks about. To get our tickets on the public transportation bus, some of us needed to go down to San Jose to get tickets. The others took care of the hotel. Vanessa, Carley and I were the ones that had to go get the tickets.

The place where we needed to go in San Jose was called the Coca Cola area. All day, we heard people say "Why are you going there? That is so dangerous! I don't even go down there in my car!" Great.. we were so scared out of our minds. We did everything possible to prevent being mugged or getting lost. We didn't carrying anything with us and stuck our money in our clothes. We walked fast, kept our heads up, no smiles, looked around and acted like we belonged there. We got called "beautifuls, hot girls, prettys, and some guy said he loved us" We also go spit at.. that was uncalled for. It smelled awful downtown and there were so many homeless people there. We stuck out cause we were gringos for sure. We got the tickets and got on the bus and made it. Thank God for His protection.

I am so excited about this Wednesday! Gigo, our home stay brother, his girlfriend got us 5 box seats for the professional soccer game!!! I have been wanting to go so bad and they surprised us with tickets!

Travis gave me a verse that I want to share! "...Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips." Job 2:10

In everything, we should give glory and thanks to God! We are not supposed to have an easy life, Christ told us it would be hard to follow Him.

Que te vaya bien!
Tricia

The one where I flew over a rain forest..

MounteVerde:
Absolutely beautiful! This place is like colorado mixed with austin, texas. Definitely our favorite place so far! It took us 3-4 hours to get there and half that time we are on a rocky dirt road which gave us stomach aches (thank God for pepto) and headaches (thank God for Iby). Saturday morning we woke up and supported a local school by being a walker in the 5K or a runner in the 10K. Those of us who walked got to enjoy the beautiful scenery and take a wonderful morning walk!!

Next we went Ziplining through the rainforest! This was definitely one of the top5 things I have done in my life!! We got this great deal with a company and went through a series of 15 ziplines over and through the rainforest. The first one that went OVER the mountains of rainforest I literally lost my breath cause I was shocked/scared/amazed how incredibly high I was!! There was this one called Superman.. it was 1km long and they hook up (shown in pictures of my friend) and you soar over it without a brake. I literally yelled "God you are so awesome!" as I flew over. The pictures cannot due the view justice at all, but it was incredible.

We ate at this awesome restaurant called Tree House. It was literally in a tree. We ate there for dinner and breakfast it was so good.

Funny Story: In the middle of the night both nights we woke up to an animal scratching and panting on our wall which was on the roof! No idea what it was but it was relentless in trying to get in!!


That was our trip! I will update another post soon to tell about our trip to San Jose!
Pura Vida
Tricia

The one where ticos talk alot!

I have never heard so many people talking at once, and everyone seems okay with it. My 1st grade classroom is chaos compared to the classroom I was in last semester. Its funny when I think about the boys laying on the floor on top of each other screaming at the top of their lungs and my teacher just going on with her lesson. Its definitely different! The way they teach is definitely different too...All the kids with problems sit at one table. They are all frustrated with double digit addition and I think I taught 6 ADD boys how to add double digits today. Very exhausting..

Side note: Its funny when the kids come up to me and start speaking Spanish, and of course I act like I know what they are saying but then smugly say "Nope, tell me in English". I act like I know what they are saying so that they don't whisper behind my back thinking they can get away with saying things and me not understanding :) I almost got caught today when several kids asked me how to say the english word for _____. I just told them to ask their neighbor..heck I don't know!

We have a big weekend coming up! The OSU crew is going to Mount Verde. Its a pretty touristy spot. We are running a 10K Saturday morning and ziplining through the canopys on Saturday! We come back Sunday!

Thank you for reading and keeping up with me! I appreciate you all and send my love from Costa Rica.

Tricia

The one when the earth quaked..

Hola,
Yesterday I figured out from the Spanish speaking doctor with a translator by me that I have a throat infection. Lovely. I have an allergy to smoke and the bacteria got a hold of that. I can barely swallow and had to stay home from the first day of school today. :(

Last night we were sitting in the living room watching Greys Anatomy and there was a sound and Nikki goes "ok, don't be alarmed but this is a Costa Rica earthquake." Two seconds later the whole room shook for about 3 seconds. Things were rattling and Elza came in to check on us. It was so weird! I was on my feet ready to run and Nikki told me to settle down and it would be ok. My first earthquake!

I love my first grade cooperating teacher! Mrs. Pacheco is taking good care of me and I absolutely love working with her. Yesterday was rough after the doctor and she told me "I will help you, consider me a friend and nothing else. You can come to me for anything." The Lord has blessed me tremendously with her.

These pictures were taken after our OSU beach adventure to Hermosa. The crocodiles were underneath a bridge that we crossed!! There were so many on both sides!