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