Hit the Month Mark Last Week

Hi everyone!!

It's been a long time since I've been able to justify coming onto my blog to write another post. Wifi access is incredibly limited and expensive, so I limit computer use to mostly turning in assignments, e-mails, and searching for internships for the summer. However, I've just discovered that the Sheraton in Apia allows for an hour of free internet access! So here I am, in the lobby of the Sheraton in Apia trying to figure out the best way to summarize my time so far in Samoa so that I can delve a little deeper for those reading this next time I find myself here.

To start, my group and I live in a dorm on the University of the South Pacific at Samoa campus. We attend classes at USP and lectures at the National University of Samoa, and are constantly "in the classroom" through having very little interactions that resemble those common to us as people from the United States. I hope to be able to add pictures soon, it is beautiful here.

I look forward to updating this more and talking about my village stay, learning the language, the trip I'm about to have to Savaii, and so much more!

Hope everyone is doing well wherever you are in the world- stay strong, loud, and persistent

Stitching in the Pages

I'm currently sitting in my bed at the hostel I've been staying at in Hawaii since the beginning of my orientation attempting to reflect on the past week in Honolulu/Manoa. Music and people from my program are talking outside and I can very genuinely say that I am extremely excited for what's about to come.

We'll be stepping on the airplane to Samoa tomorrow night at 10:00 Hawaii time to arrive in Samoa early the next morning and across the international date line (which means I'll be a day ahead of everyone in the US).

What started off as an experience that reminded me too much of the start of my program in Costa Rica, it's already become it's own through, quite honestly, amazing lectures, incredibly genuine and interested people, and unbelievable opportunity. As if gaining a life of it's own, this program of study abroad in Samoa is already leaking qualities of one that will stitch its own pages and leave me in the dust if I deem myself unable to keep up (not going to happen).

Hawaii Orientation: This is Just the Beginning

Hi everyone!!

I want to quickly reintroduce myself as I, along with anyone who followed this blog while I lived in Costa Rica, am now about four years older than when we all last visited this URL. In addition to that, there may be some newcomers so a quick recap is due:

I was born in South Burlington, Vermont and grew up there through my sophomore year of high school. I proceeded to do a six month exchange program through AFS to live in Costa Rica and attend public school there for the first semester of my junior year of high school (That can all be read about in the posts below this one). While there, my family moved to Tennessee, and so the adventure continued! I attended Saint Andrews-Sewanee school for the remainder of my high school years and decided to go to Sewanee: the University of the South to receive my undergrad education. Traveling continued as I got a job waitressing in Yellowstone National Park after my freshman year, and did a 6 week intensive ecology research program this past summer on an island off of Georgia. Small trips were pursued here and there to satisfy that thing some refer to as the travel bug. 

Now, I am preparing to embark on a program with SIT studying Pacific Island Communities and Social Change for the semester. I'm writing this in a hostel in Hawaii where our orientation is and by February 4th (Samoa time, so February 3rd in the US), I'll be in Samoa starting classes with my program at USP (University of the South Pacific). 

That is a brief overview of my current situation and I promise my next post will be more interesting. Just thought i'd get the ball rolling while I had the chance!

Thanks for reading & I hope whoever is reading this sticks around!

pura vida,

Tieta

One Last Write-up

Hello to those reading my blog,

It's been an incredibly long time since I updated, although I have simply been waiting for the right time to express what I feel were the biggest lessons I learned while abroad.

First of all, I would like to update everyone on my life in Tennessee quickly. I have been busy with college applications (let alone searches), keeping up with schoolwork, looking for a job, playing a big part in the farm program at our school, and playing basketball in the winter. For those of you who haven't heard, I along with two other girls have taken over a part of the school farm (mostly working on sustainability through gardening). This summer we had the entire farm to look after since the previous owners moved away. We now have two people, one of them at The University of The South (the college in my town) who have taken over everything but six beds left for us. I have had a large part in what is going on with our six beds due to the fact that the two other girls have soccer everyday and not a lot of time outside of that to come to the farm. So, it has become even more of a learning experience than what I had thought! Other than the farm, I have been busy with other things as I said and thankfully I have been able to settle in more this year now that I am able to come into the school year knowing the majority of the people. Anyways, I thought I would catch those of you up who know me personally.

Changing subjects, I recently realized that my blog is on the AFS website along with a few others who had gone to Costa Rica! I thought I could be of help to anyone looking at my blog through AFS and talk about what I have experienced after my return home.

Life has been going on as it should in both Tennessee and in Costa Rica. I was lucky enough to make a strong enough connection with my host family that allows me to still be in contact with them after eight months! They are all doing well aside from the fact that a couple weeks ago my host great grandfather passed away. As hard as it was to completely register seeing as I wasn't there while it happened, I felt awful about the loss and how I couldn't be there to support my family. They were hurting and no amount of spanish vocabulary could make them feel better, especially through a computer. I remember playing cards with Abuelo and how he would call me out on cheating if I was winning against him and my host dad. I always found his competitiveness comical due to the fact that he had such a kind heart and a smile always lit up across his face.

So, my thoughts on life post-Costa Rica.
I believe that life has become all about perception. That is the only explanation I could find as to why Costa Ricans were so much happier and filled with life than people in the United States. I will say now, I apologize for the blanket statement I'm making here. Anyways, they focus on the positive and when they slip up, they laugh. Their perception of life is drastically different than those from the United States, although I suppose neither could be seen as better or worse if it were left up to public opinion. Successful people in the United States thrive off of stress. In Costa Rica, stress is a word not easily comprehended. Each time I used that word or heard it being used, it was said as a reason to not do something. If it physically pained someone and caused their minds to become blurry with stress, it wasn't worth it, whatever it was. Simplicity and perception are key. There is not much more to say about the subject, that's what I have realized after living and being consumed into a different culture. Studying abroad has been the best decision of my life, without a doubt. I wouldn't take back a second of it. In fact, I would do just about anything to re-live every single up and down of my exchange. I'd like to offer up my e-mail once again for those who would like to ask me specific questions about my exchange or the process of going abroad. You can reach me at both pinkpanda34@gmail.com and tkeetle@sasweb.org. I check both regularly!

I hope everyone is enjoying themselves.

For the last time on this blog,
Pura vida, tranquila, todo pasa & disfrute la vida

Tieta Keetle

Upadate On My Life..Looking Back

I've heard multiple times that I should keep going with this blog. I'm not sure how many people will see this post since I haven't updated in so long, and it's very clear that my time in Costa Rica has finished..for now. People seem to be interested as to how I am adjusting to my time in Tennessee, and being in the United States again in general. I'm happy to say I talk to my host family just about everyday which is good because I would hate to lose contact with them.


I arrived in Tennessee almost two and a half weeks ago. When I arrived in Miami I said goodbye to Kelsey who was on the plane with me..as well as Hans, my host family, and a couple neighbors who woke up at 5 in the morning to say goodbye just a few hours before. It's hard to say whether that was the saddest day of my life..or the day before when they had a surprise going away party for me. I don't think I will ever forget the feeling of wanting time to literally stop. I wanted to be able to sit there, on our porch, and watch my host family and neighbors talk, laugh, and dance without time slipping away from me. It scares me how quickly my time in Costa Rica flew by. It was a chapter in my life that I would do anything to re-live, and it's gone. When I first arrived in the United States, I was happy and optimistic, but soon enough I didn't even want to think of my time in Costa Rica because I thought that I would have to put it behind me in order to adjust to the differences I would be experiencing here in Tennessee. I arrived after two days of traveling to Tennessee and without even seeing my new house, was put straight into touring my new school which I would be starting the next day. I soon felt reality setting in, and to say the least, it was a rough adjustment..and still is. I've dropped the idea of forgetting about Costa Rica. I realized that would be awful of me to do and I am now again able to think about it and keep it a part of me. I promise to never lose what I gained in my experiences there. I will never forget what everyone has done to help me get there, and what people dd to help me while I was there and even when I returned to the United States.

My life in general right now.

I have been going to my new school in Tennessee for about two and a half weeks now. It has been an experience to say the least. I'm starting to learn more about how a social scene in boarding schools work. Most definitely something I've never experienced before! I live in a pretty small house right across from the University and about 5 minutes from my school and I have finally learned where all my classes are and remembered a few names of people I talk to on a regular basis. I took the SAT's last weekend, which was not the highlight of my life! We sat there for 5 hours straight. Although, that was the same weekend my best friend's mom came to visit us which was amazing. I got to see someone from home and it couldn't have been better timing!

Different Ideas? Attitude? Views?

Many people say that people's views change immensely after traveling to another country. I honestly think that I have changed, although I'm still unaware as to how much. The biggest thing, is I've learned to ignore people who find something wrong in everything or who get caught up in drama. It's pointless to live life like that. There is absolutely no way how that can help you or benefit you. I've always had opinions like this, but not as strong. I would be okay with it because it was what was normal. My host dad once told me that the Costa Rican lifestyle consists of three things. Sleeping, eating, and conversing. Conversing meaning going to a friends house and sitting there having a conversation, or having others at your house, or understanding that it is okay, good even, to let go a little and laugh things off. I rarely saw my host family mad and if I did, within 5 minutes they were all laughing and forgetting about it. Not worrying. People say that they learn to not like the United States after they have an experience like mine, which I can now understand. I have always thought of it as my home, and I was proud of it, actually. I still am proud to be from the United States..although I realize that there is so much more to learn from other countries that there is no reason to ever spend your entire life doing the same thing, speaking the same language, or even dancing to the same song. I realize that I'm ranting right now a little bit, and I hope you all don't get bored with this. In my time back I have had so many things going on in my head, that I honestly don't even know where to start. I think about Vermont, about Costa Rica, and about my new life in Tennessee. I can't help but think of the past, present, and future all at the same time.

Well, I am about to go to the movies with a few friends from school so I'll stop ranting. Who knows if I will ever update this again, I just thought I would let people in on how things are going for me right now. To say the least, things are looking up. Costa Rica will be with me forever, and I look forward to every adventure I have after this!

PURA VIDA

Tieta Keetle

Ya Casi Me Voy....

I'm Almost Leaving....
I can't believe how the time has passed. I knew my exchange would go by quickly, but it never really sets in until the time has come. I'm leaving Monday, and all I can think about is how I am leaving my new life. Everything about being in Costa Rica has become my normal life for me, and once again, I am picking up and leaving it. Honestly, I'm much more sad than happy, although it will be interesting to start my time in Tennessee with my parents. With my days here dwindling, I made sure to do one more thing before I left. Last weekend I went to the prettiest beach I have seen in my entire life, as well as the prettiest waterfall I have ever been too.

Montezuma
Montezuma is on the Nicoya Peninsula. I went there this past weekend with 7 other people. There was me, my friend Ryan, two kids from Switzerland (Kaya and Valentin), two kids from Italy (Greta and her friend who was visiting her), and two ticos who were classmates of Kaya's. We spent the night in San Jose on Saturday so that we could get an early start on Sunday. We set out at around 5:30 in the morning and headed for Puntarenas to catch the ferry to Guanacaste. We got to Montezuma around 12:00 in the afternoon and immediately headed for the beach. The water was incredibly warm, the sand was white, and we could not have been happier with the small amount of tourists that are aware of Montezuma. After spending some time at the beach, we found our way to a gorgeous waterfall. Although, we didn't even see the best part until the next day. That night, we had a bonfire on the beach and got to know some of the other tourists staying there from Chile! One of the things I love best about traveling in Costa Rica are the travelers that come here and stay in cheap hostels just like us. You always seem to meet awesome people with amazing stories of their travels. The next day, some of my friends took the early ferry back to Puntarenas, while me, Kaya, and Ryan stayed in Montezuma for the day. We went to the beach in the morning, then decided to hike to a second waterfall that is above the first one we went to the day before. The second waterfall was absolutely amazing. There was a rope swing, and plenty of places to cliff jump (although I wouldn't dare go off the biggest one..) After, we made our way to the bus stop, but unfortunately got to the ferry 5 minutes late to catch the 6:00 ferry to Puntarenas to head back to San Jose. We ended up having to take a later ferry and spending the night in Puntarenas since it's dangerous to be out at night in San Jose. While Kaya left the next morning, me and Ryan stayed to say goodbye to some Italians, and some friends who live in Esparza. It was sad knowing that I probably won't see another Costa Rican beach for a while, or be able to enjoy smoothies and coconut water right next to the beach. So, that was my last trip in Costa Rica until I return to visit my host family once again. I have to say, it was an amzing trip to end on.

Today I went to the pool with my family and some neighbors. It was awesome to spend that time with them, and I even saw a girl who I had been friends with in school here. We played a lot of games, and I started to realize just how different my life is now, compared to how it used to be.

I'm still trying to think of a way to thank my family for everything they have done for me, although I don't think there is a way to thank them enough. they're my second family and I couldn't have asked for a better one.

I'm not sure if I will update my blog again before I leave, or after I return to the US. If I don't, I hope everyone enjoyed experiencing my exchange with me through this blog, and I hope it was interesting enough for people to keep up with it! I'll be in the US on Monday, and it's obvious this experience will never leave me. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible..I just had the best 6 months of my life.

Pura Vida.

Tieta Keetle

Verdad que no estoy loca?!

First of all, I would like to say Happy New Year!! Last night was spent with my family and family friends! What started out to be an awkward night with no music in our house, turned out to be really fun! We went from house to house through out the night , ate food, finally found music for our house, and danced into the new year. After, my sisters and I went to a neighbor's and danced more until about one in the morning, then enjoyed to fresh air and stars until about 2:30 in the morning. It was another new experience for me, but I enjoyed it!

Over the past weekend, I went on a trip to a beach called Manuel Antonio with my friend, Ryan from Colorado. We quickly learned a lesson in reserving a room a little in advance, because we spent the majority of a time looking for a hostel to stay in for the night. (We always had a back-up plan, so we weren't in any danger of not having anywhere to stay). We ended up staying in a random tent at a hostel, which was interesting! Anyways, Manuel Antonio is supposedly the prettiest beach in Costa Rica. I definitely believe that! Although, it was covered with tourists, which was something I wasn't very used too and took away from some of the beauty.
So for a while now, some of the exchange students and I have been talking about getting tattoos. Not just for the fun of it, a lot of us have been greatly effected by our experiences here. I personally have taken the expression "Pura Vida" to heart, and decided to get that on my foot! So, when I was with Ryan we had been talking about it and realized how quickly we are running out of time here, so instead of spending two days at the beach, we left early in the morning Sunday to go to San Jose to get our tattoos! It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, and I couldn't be happier with it! I only hope that when I'm older, I haven't forgotten all of the lessons I've learned while I've been here which would explain why the expression Pura Vida means so much to me.

 My tattoo!

By the way, the title of my blog post says I'm not crazy, right?! Since that's all my host sisters were calling me!

Sorry once again for the short blog post, I'm tring to enjoy everything I have here for the next 13 days....!!

PURA VIDA!:)

Tieta

Feliz Navidad a Todos

Merry Christmas, Everyone!
So, it's Christmas and I am wearing shorts and a t-shirt. That right there makes my Christmas different from any other..let alone, I'm not with my family, there is no real christmas tree, and I haven't seen one traditional christmas movie since last year. But, I am ready for a new experience. Apparently Christmas isn't very well-liked here, so I don't think I am in for much today. Although, my family and I went out to dinner last night at a chinese resteraunt! (All I could think about was A Christmas Story..).  It was really nice to go out and have more family time! I honestly feel like I'm the obviously adopted child in their family! My host sisters have become my real sisters, and I always look to my host parents for advice as if they were my real parents! Today I believe we are going to my host cousins house to "celebrate" although I am not expecting more than just having more family time and talking, which is nice!

Now, For Some Updates

Thursday and Friday nights I was in a place called Puerto Viejo with a couple friends from the states! Seeing as I still haven't been able to make it to Guanacaste, I was excited to see the beaches in Limon(the province that Puerto Viejo is in) since apparently they are second best. They most definitely were gorgeous even though it was raining a fair amount of the day we had to go to the beach. The hostel we stayed in was called Rocking J's. It was the coolest hostel I have ever been too! The people are really nice, you can rent hammocks or tents to sleep in for 7 dollars, and for years people have been painting the hostel to leave their mark!

 This is me and my friend Ryan after climbing a palm tree on the beach!

After me, Kelsey, and Ryan painted the inside of a shower! I guess you could say I miss Vermont..

 The food in the province of Limon is different from the rest of Costa Rica. Here, you can see the traditional rice and beans of Limon!

 Some artwork of other people staying in Rocking J's

 aaand some more artwork!

 And one more! I just thought this one was kind of funny since usually it's the other way around..

 The hammocks that we stayed in!

 You can also rent tents!

Yarelin's First Birthday
So, I have experienced a fair amount of birthdays this year, and written about them, but I thought I would mention this one as well. The other day was my cousin's daughter's first birthday!

 Two little boys playing a game where there are two balloons on the ground and the first one to find one and sit on it wins a lollipop!

 Yarelin is the baby in the pink dress!

So, I apologize for the lack of writing, with this post it was easier to explain with pictures! Merry Christmas to everyone reading this post, I hope it is absolutely amazing and enjoy your time with your family as much as possible.

Feliz Navidad! Pura vida

Tieta

Snow In Costa Rica..Tico Style

Last weekend I went to a parade in San Jose! There were more people there that I had ever seen in my life. The name of the parade translates to Festivals of the Lights..or Lights Festivals. I went with my sisters and a friend, hung out with them for a while, and before the parade started, a few friends and I went to find more exchange students. On our way to meet up with another friend from the US, we had to walk and push our way through thousands of people. When we finally got to a street that didn't have as many people, it became apparent how obvious it was that we were from the United States. People had bags filled with tiny circle papers about the size of snow that they would throw at people. It's a little hard to explain without it sounding really childish..although I guess it kind of was! Literally all of the center of San Jose looked like it had a blanket of snow on the ground, and the people were covered in the little pieces of paper as well. The minute we stepped on the street, we became targets for getting this "snow" thrown at us. We would just be walking, minding our own business, then about ten people would thrown the pieces of paper in our faces and yell "Gringos!". By the time we made it to our friend, we were absolutely covered. We had papers in our hair, mouths, and even in our eyes. Although, we soon decided to join the fun. It was definitely a different experience seeing this, but it turned out to be entertaining..even though I was still picking the papers out of my hair the next day.

 two of my host sisters (Sofia&Faby)

 My friends and I after accepting the fact that we were targets, and taking a picture to remember that interesting night.

The next day, my friends and I went to a concert in Cartago, but unfortunately didn't get to enjoy a lot of it. One of my friends got sick right before, so we only stayed for a little then went to my other friends house to stay the night. It's really interesting seeing where other exchange students live and how their life differs from mine, even though we are in the same, small country.

Sorry this is such a short post, It is just a quick update to keep people interested! I have less than 4 weeks left, so I am planning on spending it with my host family, and getting some last minute travel plans to work! Until next week,

Pura Vida.

Tieta

Exploring Panama

Thursday afternoon I left for San Jose to meet with other exchangers before we left for Panama. We met around 6 so that we wouldn't be in the bus stations when it was dark. For dinner, I had my first bagel since I left South Burlington, Vermont! We walked around the mall for a bit, and by 10:00 pm, we were all set to load up the buses and head to the border. We got to the border very early in the morning, and had to wait about 4 hours for them to open. It was then another long wait for us to get through customs and paperwork! It ended up taking us 20 hours from when we left San Jose to get to our hotel in Panama. The hotel wasn't the nicest I've been in, but my friends and I quickly found the roof and the gorgeous view it gave of Panama City at night..which made up for that!
The first thing I noticed about Panama was the obvious difference between the lower class and higher class. Driving through Panama City, there would be run-down houses clustered together on dirt roads-with skyscrapers and nice stores literally 2 feet behind them.
The first full day we had there was Saturday. That day, we went to an open "lake" where we were greeted by an indigenous tribe in nothing but cloth and standing in long canoes. We put on our life jackets, got on the boats, and we were taken through a mini canal leading to a beautiful waterfall. After swimming for a bit, they took us to their "town". We ate fish with our hands that still had the tail on it, and plantains for lunch. The food was delicious, and it was interesting to see their school, town hall, houses, and basketball court/soccer field all be literally 5 feet from eachother. We had a man who lived there explain how life was 50 years ago, and he compared that life to how they are living now. To our surprise, their life is much more advanced in these days than it was 50 years ago! He also did a demonstration on how they used to tell if women were virgins or not. I don't know if I can fully explain it, but the main idea is this: The girl is kneeling on a rug, and they take something like a necklace and put it over her head and around her neck. They then put a piece of  the necklace in her mouth, and if something rises, that means she isn't a virgin. I was a bit confused on how that actually works, but he did a demonstration on one of the exchange students, and I guess the result of it turned out to be true! It was interesting to say the least, seeing that! We then went swimming in the river to wash off, and got back in the boats to go to the buses. This first day was my favorite, although my friends and I felt a little weird about it. We sometimes got the feeling that it was as if we were in a zoo or a museum. The way people took pictures of the houses and school was weird when you think about how it is their daily life, yet a tourist attraction as well. That night we were taken to a MASSIVE mall in Panama City to eat dinner and look around.
The next day, we went to the Panama Canal which was cool! We walked around for a few hours, then watched a boat go through it. Later, we went to a different mall for the rest of the day. (Things are really cheap in Panama, so a lot of people wanted to go to the malls) At night, they took us to a point that was filled with yahts bigger than you could ever imagine, and fancy resteraunts. It was gorgeous, although there wasn't much to do and everything was very expensive. It was also one more reminder of the differences between how the rick people live compared to the people strugging to make a living.
On Monday, we were taken to a mini ciry that made us feel like we were in Italy. It had been built by an italian, so that explains why we felt that way. That was also really cool, although it was really hot and we didn't feel like we were in Panama anymore! Then, we went to the same mall as the first one. My friends and I didn't feel like walking around again, so about 5 of us went to see a movie. That night, we set out for the border once again. This time the drive was only 18 hours..which was an improvement. It's almost impossible for me to sleep on buses, so I was extremely tired when I finally returned to my host family. Overall, it was a great trip and I now have more stamps in my passport!

Just a side note: I have dreams in spanish now! Apparently I was talking in my sleep the other night and my host sister overheard me saying things in spanish!

 This was what awaited us when we first got off the buses

 The waterfall that we swam in!

 Welcoming us into their homes

 The river we later went swimming in

 Testing to see if she is a virgin

 Our lunch!

 Panama Canal

 A boat coming into the Panama Canal

 Panama City in the background!

 In the city built by an Italian

Some houses were a little run-down..



I hope everything is going well with my readers. I will be back in the United States in less than 4 weeks!

Tieta

End Of Stay Orientation&Coffee Picking

The Rich Life of Costa Rica
Last weekend I had my end of the stay orientation. We stayed the night in San Jose after doing things to prepare us for the changes we will experience at home, then they took us to a GORGEOUS hotel at a beach called Punta Leona. The hotel was more of a residency than anything. The rooms looked like apartments, and most people who stay there rent golf carts and 4-wheelers to get around. The beach was private, with warm water, a gorgeous view, and constant music playing from the bar right next to the beach. There were two pools, a disco, a mini golf course, and a soccer field all included in the hotel. Although, the best part..was the food. Unlimited delicious food and deserts with every meal! It is very safe to say that over half of the exchangers could barely walk after the meals. (I would say lots of us have been deprived of quality eating depending if your host family has money or not..and even then, everyone eats beans and rice at every meal everyday.. so it's good to get a break from that.) When I see hotels like this, and the tourists who go there, it just makes me glad that I am here on an exchange. People who stay in Punta Leona aren't seeing the same country that I see everyday. I believe that Costa Rica is absolutely gorgeous, but in a different way than what tourists would think. I see the struggles that my family goes through to buy a carton of milk, while rich tourists see the beautiful beaches while getting waited on hand and foot. For the past two days, I have experienced what it is really like to try and earn money if you aren't married to someone with a steady job.

Hay Muchas Nicas...Y Nosotros
(There are lots of Nicaraguans...and us.)
Tuesday morning two of my host sisters and I woke up at 5 in the morning to pick coffee in the coffee fields near by. We loaded up on bug spray, met up with neighbors, hiked up to the coffee fields, and my host sisters explained to me "the rules of coffee picking." The biggest rule is to not pick the green ones. When your basket is filled, empty it into a sack and keep picking. When everyone has finished their row of coffee, we begin to pick up the beans that fell off onto the ground.
So, I got started and shared a row with my sister since it was my first time. To say the least, I was the slowest out of everyone. Although by the end of the day, they said I picked a fair amount for my first time! After picking our first row, we crawled on the ground going over our tracks to pick up every single coffee bean that fell. For the record, the rows are extremely long! After we finished that, we made our way to a different part of the field and began to eat lunch. We ate with our filthy hands, sitting in the middle of the field. After about 20 minutes of eating and taking a break, we started picking once again. This time I was a bit faster and was able to finish my part of the row and begin to help others finish theirs, which got me more coffee! We stopped for a break to actually drink some coffe and eat some bread, then once again continued picking. After about 11 hours straight of picking, I earned myself 3000 colones (6 dollars). After that day, I was sore, tired, and had spider bites and splinters all in my hands..and had to go to bed early because yesterday we woke up at 4:30 to head out at 5 in the morning. Yesterday we went to a different part of the coffee fields and had the pleasure of them all being wet because of a little rain we had gotten in the middle of the night. Even though this made us all wet since you are constantly on the ground as to not miss a branch of coffee beans and always brushing up against the plants, it helped keep our hands just a little bit cleaner! We ate lunch after finishing our rows(I had my own this time) and then began to retrace our steps in the field to pick up the fallen coffee beans.(That is my least favorite part since you end up getting very close to insects and spiders where you're better off not knowing they exist. Anyways, we ended early that day and got to come home around 1 which was nice! So, in 9 hours of picking coffee, I earned myself 3 dollars. (I was feeling lazy yesterday and our rows unfortunately didn't have much coffee in them.)
The reason why my title to this part of the post is "Hay muchas nicas..y nosostros" is because that was what one of my sisters told me as we were walking up the first day. In this part of the year there are Nicaraguans everywhere in Naranjo because of the coffee. Nicaraguans often work for less money than Costa Ricans, and therefore take a lot of jobs from the Costa Ricans. For this reason, Costa Ricans generally don't like Nicaraguans and always make fun of their accent. Although in the coffee fields, we were working side by side with the Nicaraguans. And there were definitely a lot more of them in the fields than Costa Ricans.
Although my pointer fingers are still swollen from picking, I am really happy I went with my host sisters, cousins, and neighbors. I think it is a good experience to have and makes me appreciate the whole minimun wage thing that we have in the United States!

 this earns you about 2 dollars!

 coffee beans!

Loli, A family friend of ours who came with us!

So, I am off to Panama later today. I will take lots of pictures and try to write a detailed blog post about it in a couple weeks! :)

Pura Vida.

Tieta

Message for Exchangers

I said I would try to update my blog about once a week, but this week I don't have much to say. Last weekend I had a great time with others from the US in Jaco, although I am now suffering from some pretty bad burns. (I swear I used a lot of sunscreen) so, I will write a post with a little advice about exchanges.

Exchangers in General:

• No matter how much you don't believe it, time slips away from you in the blink of an eye.
• Be prepared to spend a lot of money. And by a lot..I mean a lot!
• When you are in your host country, do anything you can to observe how your host culture is. Observe what is important to them, observe their general way of life. You can learn a lot from any person you meet, and chances are, ideas in your host country will be different than yours.
• No matter what, it will be hard. But that's what makes it worth it. You know that you aren't just on a vacation whether you are sitting on the beach everyday, or living in a country that doesn't have the ability to flush toilet paper down the toilet. (Both of these are true to Costa Rica..at least the toilet paper part)
• Travel and experience your host country as much as possible. Chances are, each place will be a little different.
• Even though you will be on a budget, try to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. 

Exchangers in Costa Rica:

• Don't expect to be placed in an extremely hot climate! Although it's possible, there are also parts of Costa Rica that get pretty cold at times.
• Take in, and live the expression Pura Vida.
• Ticos are very laid back and generally spend their free time with the family.
• Bus rides are a workout if you don't want to hit the person sitting next to you. (At least mine from my house to the center is extremely bumpy and a little scary at times since we live on a pretty steep hill)
• I'm still not sure if the drivers here are really talented, or just really lucky. Everyone drives crazy, but I have yet to see a car accident (except a motorcycle accident)
• Ticos are generally protective of their kids, especially with the girls. If you are placed in a traditional family unfamiliar with different cultures, it's likely you won't be able to travel very much with your friends or go to the beach by yourselves.
• Ticos are very touchy. It's hard to tell who are couples, and who are just friends! It's normal to be sitting in class and have someone start playing with your hair, even if you don't know the person.
• I've found that people either really like to talk to you because you are from the US, or they don't want to talk to you because you're from the US. We don't exactly come with the best reputation.
• Ticos are generally really nice, but in my time here, it has become appparent that when you meet someone, they are extremely welcoming, but secretly judging you inside. I don't mean this in a bad way, they just notice the small things very easily!
• They also love to gossip and will believe anything you tell them!
• The guys are openly express their feelings to you while you are walking down the street. It's just something to get used to and it's best not to respond to it.
• Dancing is BIG here. And VERY different from the US!
• Taxi drivers have become my new favorite people to talk too! I have been lucky to normally get funny ones and it's a great way to practice my spanish! haha although it isn't as fun when you get one who tries to rip you off, which is pretty common as well.
• Religion is a big part of the culture. Most people are catholic, and religion is not something that is separated from public schools and meetings that I have with the rest of Naranjo.

So, I think I will stop there for now. If I think of more, I will add to it! But right now I feel like this is a good start! Tomorrow I'm off to a supposedly gorgeous beach called Punta Leona with the rest of the kids leaving in January, so I'm excited for that even though it means I am truly leaving soon!

I will be sure to update after that and before I leave for Panama with AFS!!

Until then, hasta luego! (see you later!)

Tieta

So Little Time

So, I now have about 7 and a half weeks left in Costa Rica. My host dad was explaining to me that I am now going through the stage of my exchange where I want to do everything and go everywhere I can because I can feel my time here slipping away. I would definitely agree with this as I look back on the last few weeks! Going on trips over the weekends with friends, going on AFS trips, signing up for more AFS trips, and planning more trips with friends to go on. I am extremely lucky to have a host family that understands this and is willing to help me with anything I might want or need! I am also very excited for this upcoming month because I have so much planned! I am going to spend a weekend in Jaco with friends from the US for Thanksgiving, my sisters and I are going to an amusement park the 3rd of December, my host dad said he would take me fishing for 3 days straight on an island that doesn't have fresh water or food(we would bring food of course), we are going on a trip to a beach for 3 days with cousins and aunts and uncles, we have christmas(that should be interesting without snow and a fire to keep us warm), there is a celebration in San Jose for Dia de la Luz, and im going to panama for about a week!! Also somewhere in there, I am hoping to fit in going to Monte Verde with friends! So, long story short, I would agree I have hit this stage of wanting to go everywhere and do everything.

A few days ago my host sisters, my host dad and I went trekking through coffee fields and cabbage fields in search of I don't even know what. My family doesn't like to stay on the path, so that's why we ended up going through various fields, eating cabbage along the way, picking oranges, and me learning more about how coffee is made! I also had the pleasure of almost stepping on an orange and black hairy spider about the size of my hand.

On Tuesday I was supposed to go coffee picking with my family, but we couldn't find someone who had a basket to lend us for me to use. My host sisters say it's awful because there are spiders and mosquitos everywhere, it's a lot of walking, it's really hot, and your hair always gets caught on the branches..but of course I insisted I go just for the experience. (and you get paid about 4 dollars for a basket full of coffee beans. A basket is about as big as if you were to put your arms in a circle with your fingertips almost touching, but not quite.) Yeah, so it's not a lot of money..but I've become a lot more appreciative for every cent that I have!  It's okay, one day we will find a basket for me to use and I will go coffee picking!

Monday me, my sisters, and kids from the neighborhood all went to the soccer field near our house and played baseball! Even though it was far from playing the actual sport on an actual field and with a plastic blow-up ball and a tin tube for a bat, it most definitely made me think of home! We played into the night and sat on the field and ate oranges when everyone was tired. Around 7(it's pitch dark by then) we started walking back to our houses, all laughing and joking around.. and I had a moment. A moment where I realized once again that this has become my life, and I couldn't be more happy to say that. Being an exchange student, I have gone through a fair amount of ups and downs, and think I will be happy to return to the US in January. Then, I have a moment like this and think I could easily stay for a year, or even for a lifetime. Pura Vida.

Tieta Keetle

Once again, busy weekend!

La Cena
So last Friday I went to a celebration for one of my host sisters' and her graduating class. I believe it was in Grecia, a town near us and surprisingly, it was very nicely decorated and set up. We left around 4 30 and got home around 2 in the morning. There were a lot of things that surprised me about this celebration. The fact that many parents were serving their kids a little alcohol from the bottles that were passed out to each table, the extent of dressing up that people went to, the way people danced in front of their teachers and parents, the people that showed up in ridiculous costumes, and the surprise maryachi band. (I have no idea how to spell maryachi.) Anyways, it was actually really fun and I'm glad my sister invited me to come! It was great to see her friends again! I have found that it is a lot more fun hanging out with kids a little bit older than you here, since the kids in my class usually don't do things out of school and when they do, it's to study.

Trip With Ryan And Raina
The next morning I woke up at 5 to start making my way to San Jose to meet up with Ryan and Raina(two friends from the US). We went to Volcano Poas which was absolutely gorgeous, and even provided a little excerise which is much needed for almost all of the exchange students! When we got there, we bought a few different kinds of fruit that were extremely cheap and I decided to buy an apple pie which turned out to be absolutely amazing! (I had been missing it since I know that currently all my friends and family are enjoying it since it's apple season) So after the volcano, we went to Puntarenes(a different place in Costa Rica) to spend the night at a cheap hostel and go to Doña Ana the next morning. Doña Ana is a beach that is very popular with tourists because of the monkeys that love to hang out in the trees and come down to eat your food. Honesly, that was the coolest part of our trip for me. Since we were unable to find bananas, we used my fruit loops from my dinner the night before and I'm pretty positive they liked those better than the bananas that other tourists were giving them! The beach there was absolutely gorgeous, and of course the water was the perfect temperature to make you want to stay the entire day in the water. Unfortuantely, we all had to get back to our families and I had another birthday party to go to!

Feliz Cumple, Leon!
After returning from my trip, I immediately started getting ready to go to an exchange student's house for his 17th birthday with the rest of the Naranjo Commitee. It was nice to see everyone, but once again I hung out with the older ticos because all of the exchange students were speaking in German. There were a couple that would sometimes try to translate things for me into english or talk to me in english, but I told them that I understand that sometimes it's nice to speak in your own language. So, that night I became closer with some of the locals who were all about 18 and 19 years old which was fun!

I have about 9 weeks left in Costa Rica.....and I almost cried when I recieved my flight itenerary in my e-mail. There is still so much I want to do, and I look forward to trying to cram it all in once school is over and before I leave for the US.

I hope everything is going well, and I will try to keep up on my posts better so that I don't have to make two in one day and barely go into detail!

 at tortuguero after picking up trash with some kids from the US and a german!

 at Leons house for his birthday!

 Feeding a monkey at Doña Ana!

 Me, Ivannia and my host parents before the dinner!

 This is what I mean by people being dressed up in costumes I didn't understand!

 Going to the Volcano!

At the Volcano!

 It was gorgeous!

 Sofia's birthday!


Okay, I'm finished updating now. I really hope everything is well with everyone reading this!

Pura Vida!

Tieta

Catching Up

First I would like to say, sorry for not blogging in a while! Now, I have a lot to say from the past few weeks.. I think I will probably split ip up into two posts!

"No Soy Una Gringa"
The beginning of this blog post is going to be something about the term "gringa". Most poeple get annoyed by this term, but for me it has become second nature to respond to the label gringa. My host family sometimes calls me gringa, my friends at school sometimes call me gringa, and of course basically everyone I walk by on the street calls me gringa. I don't take it personally, they are just responding to my obvious nationality. Earlier this week, I was at my host cousin's house and my host uncle told me I no longer was a gringa to him. Even though I don't mind being called that, it felt good to hear him say that in 3 and a half months I have slowly been picking up habits within the tico culture. Therefore, "no soy una gringa" means I am not a gringa. Although I always expect to hear that word thrown at me on the street!

Feliz Cumple, Sofia!
A few weekends ago, we celebrated one of my host sister's 21st birthday. We had a lot of family over and had a "barbeque." Obviously, the barbeque was not something I was used to, although it was still fun! I helped cook the meat while people socialized, chatted, and danced on our "porch." The party lasted until about 11 at night, but even then, there were still people hanging out around our house. Most of the party consisted of people talking all at once and arguing about how we will celebrate Christmas this year and trying to agree on what to do for the yearly trip to the beach for 3 days. Everyone was talking at once and it was incredibly dysfunctional; but I understood the majority of what people were saying!

Tortuguero
A couple weekends ago I went on another trip with AFS. We went to a place called Tortuguero with about 30 other exchange students. The hostel was gorgeous and made you feel as if you were in the middle of the jungle(although we actually kind of were). We had hot showers, comfy beds, great food, and beautiful sights. When we first arrived, we went straight for the turtle shaped pool, even though it was raining and the pool wasn't heated. Honestly, I think the rain was what made it fun! We also went to the beach to pick up trash, which gave us time to enjoy the sun since most of the weekend it was constantly raining. After dinner we once again made our way to the pool until it was closed. The next day, bright and early, we wne ton a boat ride inside canals to look for different animals, birds, and insects. Once again it was raining, but we were still able to see a lot of monkeys and different types of birds and iguanas. When we got back to the hostel, we saw a sloth about two feet from us in a tree! There were also howler monkeys that apparently aroused people at about three in the morning, but I had been too exhausted to let that affect my sleep. Anyways, later that day, after lunch, I went kayaking with some friends on a river filled with crocodiles and cows! Some people were able to get masages at the hostel, but unfortunately I am on a tight budget right now, and still trying to figure out ways to go on two more trips with AFS to Nicaragua and Panama!

So that is enough for this post, in my next one I will talk about my most recent weekend! Everything is going great here!

Tieta

La Peninsula de Osa and Playa Hermosa

The weekend before last I went on a four day trip with AFS and other exchange students to La Peninsula De Osa and Corcovado National Park. I spent the night in San Jose that Friday in a hotel that AFS is connected too, and immediately I knew it was going to be a fun trip! It was amazing to be able to hang out with other kids from the US and also converse with kids from other countries! We woke up Saturday at 4:15 in the morning to start our trip to the peninsula.We had breakfast at an adorable cafe in Jaco with a slight view of the beach, and even at 6 in the morning, we were all dying to go and feel the water! On our way to the peninsula, we stopped at a National park that was filled with rocks..it was extremely hot that day so that made it hard to pay full attention to the spanish speaking guide we had. We then made our way to the place where we got on our small boats to continue our way to paradise. You could feel the excitement on our boat as everyone tried to figure out the plan for when we arrived and as we tried to picture the place we would be staying at. That excitement increased as we passed the calm waters and made our way to the ocean where the waves were big and the salt was flying through our hair.
     When we arrived to the beach, the first thing we noticed was the turqouise colored water and the palm trees that reminded us we weren't in the US anymore. It was about a 10 minute hike up to the hostel and everyone was just trying to make it there without falling over from the heat. When we made it to the top, each and every student was awe-struck by the view of the ocean and the cute cabins we would soon be placed in. We quickly ate lunch, then my friends and I headed for the beach as quick as possible! I felt like a kid again, since each free second we had, we spent at the beach and would not leave until a volunteer had to come down and make us get out.
     The next day, we were split up into two groups. My group spent the day at Corcovado National Park. Here, there were a lot of animals, insects, and birds for us to see! As much as I do seem to enjoy the rain here, it was unfortunate for that day because not as many animals were out. Although we were still able to see some, and enjoy coconuts, and even swim under waterfalls in the jungle part of the park! After having lunch (I had peanut butter for the first time in over three months) and hanging out at a beach more and going to a waterfall, we made our way back to the hotel to once again enjoy a nice afternoon at the beach!
    Monday, my group got to go to an island about 30 minutes off of the peninsula to go snorkeling! We saw sharks, lots of fish, a couple sea turtles, a lot of dolphins, and even a whale and a baby calf!! We then went to a different beach to have lunch and swim, then head back to the peninsula. Of course, my friends and I headed right for the beach again, and that day the waves had been huge! Although, there were mini jellyfish in the water that continued to sting us..it was worth it! My friends and I were laughing because it seemed to only be kids from the United States getting stung and a few others who liked to hang out with us..just a wierd coincedince! Anyways, the beach and hotel was absolutely paradise..did I mention there were a lot of monkeys at our beach too?! That was pretty amazing! And it was great to get a break from the stresses I experience on a daily basis here while continuously improving my spanish and communicating only in spanish with my Tico friends.

Now, onto last weekend! There was a trip with AFS Naranjo to Playa Hermosa (a beach) to look for turtles! We left early saturday with volunteers, other exchangers in Naranjo, and host family members(one of my sisters came with me!) We stopped in the center of Jaco to look around and walk on the beach; I have decided I am in love with Jaco. It is a really cool, gorgeous town with extremely nice people! It is also very touristy, which might explain why it is so nice and also pretty expensive. After hanging out in town, we got back on the bus to head for the beach we would be camping out at (tents and everything). We went to pick up trash on the beach and my group had the opportunity to help baby turtles get to the ocean! After that, we mostly hung out on the beach (although we weren't allowed to swim) and were told what groups we would be in that night. I was in the group that would be heading out at 2 in the morning to walk on the beach and look for turtles. Unfortunately, my group stayed up all night and we didn't even get to see any even though we walked on the beach from 2 to 5 in the morning, then immediately had to start packing up to head out. Although I would still say it was fun, and a good chance to talk to people in my community.

Other than that, I have been going to school, becoming closer with people at school and in my family, and completely enjoying life. More than half way through my time here, and the struggles of wanting to be in two places at once are already getting to me, as I know that is what I will be feeling when I have to leave my life here.

Just something that made me feel pretty good about myself...the leader of AFS Naranjo told me I speak a lot of Spanish and seem to understand a lot!! After hearing this, I have noticed that I pretty much understand everything my family says and people in AFS, and even alot more in school! So, I still have a ways to go as far as speaking fluently, but it is good to know that I am making progress! :)

 One of the many monkeys on the beach we stayed at for the trip to the Peninsula De Osa!

 Me and some other kids from the US! Honestly, they have become yet another family to me

 Me and some other exchange students, volunteers, and a host sister of a friend!

 Snorkeling with Abby and Ryan!



Tieta Keetle

Just A Bunch Of Small Things

This blog post is going to be a little random..it is mostly a few small things that have happened or some short stories before I forget them!

• My host family's dog had puppies! One of them is mine and her name is Moo because she looks like a cow! (it was my host cousin's idea) I said that I wanted to take her home with me and they took me seriously, so they are now trying to figure out how much it would cost to get her allowed on the plane..so mom and dad, I hope you are ready for a new puppy!
• I had another adventure in the rainforests of Costa Rica (which are basically in my backyard) last Sunday with my host family and cousins and a couple family friends! My host dad took us to a waterfall that is incredibly hidden and absolutely gorgeous! Although, there was a fair amount of trash in it which was dissapointing. The way getting there though was extremely exhausting and required a good amount of trust in trees and stubs to ensure you don't fall down the steep incline on your way up and down! It took us about 4 hours to go there and back even though it is only about a 20 minute walk from the house! It was absolutely amazing, and great excercise! I will be sure to upload pictures in my next post!
• Tomorrow I have to make a presentation in front of my school about the United States..I am a bit nervous about that, but it should only take about 5 minutes! They said I need to bring in a typical dish from the US which brought up a problem for me. People ask me pretty often what typical food is in the US besides hamburgers and hot dogs..but I find that to be a pretty hard question. Due to the extreme diversity in our country, every time someone asks me about the US I have to specify I am speaking for my family alone. Although we don't have a typical food like they do here (beans and rice). Every meal is different. So, I am bringing in chocolate chip pancakes because my family seems to enjoy those!
• Tomorrow afternoon I am going to San Jose to spend the night and get ready to go on a trip to the peninsula de osa for 4 days and I am really excited! As much as I love my host family, it is nice to spend some time with the other exchange students every once in a while!

Well, I believe that is it for now, I hope everyone is still enjoying reading this and seeing what I am up too as I go deeper and deeper into the Tico culture and language.

Tieta Keetle

Concert, Visa, Doctors.

Concert
On Saturday(a week ago) my sisters and I were supposed to go to a concert in San Jose. Of course, the concert got pushed back because of rain and thunderstorms, so we ended up going Sunday instead! We stayed in Cartago, a province in Costa Rica, where they have family Saturday night. I was really excited to stay there for the night because I had my own room, no chickens outside my window, and a fairly comfortable bed. My host sisters were extremely surprised to see that I actually slept in that morning, and I was just happy I was able to catch up on some much needed sleep! So we went to the concert Sunday night, which was definitely a different experience for me. First of all, we had to take the city bus to the stadium(the biggest in central america) and to say the least, I would much rather have walked. The bus was  so crouded that even when we hit our max capacity, the bus driver continued to let people on. Everyone was up close and personal for the duration of the ride as you stood there holding on for your life and tried not to hit the person next to you as you tried to rest your hands, since we were standing and had to hold on to the railings above us. Although, it was an experience so I am not going to complain. Just explain what happened! So when we arrived at the stadium, we bought ponchos because it was raining again and made our way around the entire stadium to the entrance for the center of the stadium where everyone gets to stand close to the stage! The performers were Marc Anthony and Cheyanne. Both Spanish singers, of course! Even though I didn't understand the lyrics, it was still cool to be able to hear their culture through the music. It is funny to me, because they grew up listening to spanish music and english music(there are always english songs on the radio) but my host sisters only know the songs on the radio(Ke$ha, Lady GaGa, Justin Beiber,etc.). Although, my host dad knows a lot of the good music from before I was born. Anyways, they ask me pretty often if I ever listen to spanish music on the radio when I am in the United States. When I have to explain to them that we simply don't have a spanish influence on the radio, it is one more reminder of how much the US has an influence on the rest of the world. For instance, when talking to other exchange students and commenting on how good their english is, they simply say that in their country, it is a must to know english because all of the world is basically centered around the US right now. I have always felt a little uneasy hearing that.

Visa
On monday I had to go to San Jose to spend the night and wake up early to get fingerprinting done for my visa. In the morning we were woken up at 5:00 to be ready to leave by 5:30. Of course, we were all ready by 5:30 because that was when we were told we would be leaving. That was a mistake. All of the exchange students, including myself, forgot about Tico Time. For those who don't know what this is, Ticos(Costa Ricans) are basically known for being late. At around 6:00 we were still waiting in the lobby and we saw a volunteer come out of his room, he had clearly just woken up, and was going to into the bathroom to take a shower. We ended up leaving at 6:30 in the morning instead. When we got to the place to get our fingerprints done, I was in the last group to go so my friends and I ended up waiting for about 8 hours to be able to go into the office. Although, even though it was not very fun waiting and going through that process, it feels good to know that I finally have everything finished for my visa and I officially live in Costa Rica!

Doctors
This isn't very important, but I thought I would mention things that have been going on with me physically as well. For a while now I have been sick on and off for no apparent reason. I would throw up for a couple days, then be fine for about a week and a half, then throw up again, then be fine...and I went through this cycle about four times before I finally agreed to go to a doctor. I had been sick while getting my fingerprints done, so that was the last straw for me. When I got home Tuesday evening I told my family that I was sick once again, and again they asked me if I wanted to see a doctor..I said yes. I went to the doctor and apparently something was continuously inflamed..or something..this was all in Spanish so I picked up as much as I could. What I do know, was it had to do with the food since it is so different from what I am used too. The doctor gave me the option to take medicine for the next 30 days, or to get a shot in the butt. I chose the medicine! So, I am on medicine now and already feeling better. And that is my adventure with that...once again, I hope everything is going well in the States and for the people reading this blog who are not from the states, I hope everything is going well in your country also!

 Two of my host sisters and I at the concert!

 Another picture from the concert! At some point I will take a picture of the entire stadium, since it is the biggest in Central America!


Tieta Keetle

Thrill Of A Lifetime

On Saturday I literally took a leap of faith..off of a 265 foot bridge. Me and a few friends from the United States had decided to spend the day together since we hadn't seen eachother in a while. We met in San Ramon, made our way to Palmares, enjoyed lunch at a cute cafe, and watched part of a parade. While we were eating, I happened to mention that I had brought brochures for bungee jumping with me because I was fully aware that all of my friends wanted to go just as much as I did! I told them how the jump was in Naranjo(the town that I live in) and before we knew it, we had made our way to Naranjo so I could show them the bridge. When we got to the bridge, we all knew we had an opportunity that we simply could not pass up. We signed our names on a sheet of paper, and prepared to make the jump! First was my friend Emma, then Kelsey, then me, then Ryan. Then Emma and Ryan for a second time because it is half off your second jump!
The scariest part is the feeling you get right before, when your toes are literally centimeters away from the edge of the platform, and you think about how the next couple of minutes are going to play out. As I was standing on the ledge, my head was spinning, I could barely catch my breath, and I felt sick to my stomach..but in a good, exhilerating way. My eyes drifted downwards to the river below me, and my body was almost numb with fright. When I think about the initial falling sensation, my stomach still flips and my mind returns to the feeling of having nothing below my feet and plummeting to the rocks and river below me. It was the most thrilling experience of my life, and I most definitely hope to revisit every one of those sensations.
So, that was how my exciting Saturday went..now for a couple notes.
1. It is official, I have gained weight. My host family thinks it is absolutely hilarious and keeps saying "I told you so"..in spanish of course! They also keep mentioning that by the time it is January, if I don't start working out like I say I love doing, I will have gained a fair amount due to the immense quantity of meat that they eat all through December. That should be interesting!
2. Mr. Godfrey (my old teacher from middle school) commented on my last post that Iguana is a bit chewy, and delicious. I thought I would mention that if that is the case, I am 99% sure I have eaten Iguana, and proud of it!

I hope everyone is enjoying the blog, and as for my hometown, South Burlington, my heart goes out to the family and friends of an amazing teacher, Mr. Cannon, who died early morning yesterday from a heart attack. He was truly one of the happiest people I have ever met, and I know that the community of South Burlington is feeling this loss in every way possible, as am I.

-Tieta

Pictures!

Here are some pictures for those of you who either don't have facebook, or simply haven't seen the pictures I have posted on facebook! Sorry it has taken so long..I will be sure to post more later on!


This Saturday was Independence Day for Costa Rica! There was a big parade in my town, and all of the other AFS students and I were a part of it! This is me with a friend from Germany and a little girl who wanted a picture with us!

An Iguana! My host dad said iguana is very common to eat in Costa Rica.. although I didn't have the nerve to ask if I had eaten it yet in my time here.


My street, taken from my house!


The view from my personal favorite spot right up my street!


My host sisters and I at the beach!


Naranjo(the town I live in) is known for bungee jumping. This is a 245 foot jump that I hope to go off of before I leave!

So, these are only a few of the many pictures I have taken! I hope this and my blog posts help give you an idea as to what I have been up too while here in Costa Rica! Less than 4 months left.. wish me luck!

Tieta