Update... ish
I've fallen behind a bit in updating, so my thoughts are going to be a bit scattered here.
FRIDAY (8/24)
At around 8am, all the program kids met at the university to head to a coffee co-op in Los Santos. After a rather nauseating bus ride, we stopped at a small park in a town that had something to do with the 1948 civil war (which, at a whopping 48 days, was the longest-lasting war in Costa Rica's history). We sort of just walked around, saw some little kids rather randomly playing drums, and played with a fluffy puppy. This puppy is the closest I have come to liking a dog in this country. I petted it a little, and it only tried to nibble my fingers off, as opposed to biting my hand. A few of the girls on the program rather clandestinely took photos of Mike and me. The whole "you guys are such a cute couple" thing has definitely taken a turn for the creepy.
We got back on the gross bus and headed up to a coffee-processing factory. We wore some dorky headsets, walked around the plant and some really pretty fields (it was a gorgeous day. I forgot my camera), and tried some tasty coffee.
SATURDAY
I hopped a bus to San Jose around 9am to meet Mike at Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR, his university), and we spent the morning walking around, talking, and studying. He was going to play a little soccer with some of the other international students, but it was kind of gross and nobody showed up anyway. Later we rented "Everything is Illuminated" (which I highly recommend if you're in a quirky, introspective mood).
SUNDAY
Mike, Phil and I played a little soccer/Ultimate at UNA for a few hours. I forgot that I am no spring chicken anymore and did not stretch.
MONDAY
I woke up and immediately regretted the not-stretching. Ouch. Subsequently had a fantastic day. Allow me to list (in chronological order):
-randomly caught a bus with my host-mother's niece, talked the whole way.
-made a Tica friend on the way to the mall to see a movie for class
-said movie was fabulous
-learned that Lena is beating the crap out of her cancer. Yeah Lena!
-got a 10 (aka 100%) on my history paper
-ate some chocolate cake.
Clearly all of those things are wonderful. However, I've noticed a pattern that makes me feel a bit like I'm five again: a day in which I make a friend is automatically the best day ever.
TUESDAY
Had a comp class for Spanish in the morning, so didn't have to head to the University until about noon for my Development class. The prof opened the class by handing back our 2-3 page summaries of a documentary we watched a few weeks ago. He then proceeded to chastise the class for the general poor quality of work, with two exceptions: one of which was me. That was pretty cool, except that the professor then proceeded to use the fact that mine was one of the better essays to emphasize how disappointed he was with the others. It was as if to say "c'mon guys, the FOREIGNER's essay made the most sense?"
WEDNESDAY
Woke up early and headed to the University for an 8:30 meeting with Sylvia, the director of Proyecto Venado. Proyecto Venado is a volunteer organization that is dedicated to promoting the economic development of Isla Venado, a small Island off the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. My job within this organization, as the only person who speaks English, is to request grants from English-speaking funds. Our most urgent project is to send Viviana, a 25-year-old woman who is the island's political representative, to a UN conference in November. The funding previously acquired dropped out very recently, and now we need to raise US$1600 in a hurry. It's kind of scary being depended on in that way, but also extremely exciting.
Yesterday was uneventful, so I won't bother writing any details. Today Mike and I are gonna spend the day studying, pretty much, as I have a 10-page exam due Monday for my hardest class: International Trade Integration. It's about a third of the way done, currently. I really don't want to look at it again, but I suppose I'll be diligent.
FRIDAY (8/24)
At around 8am, all the program kids met at the university to head to a coffee co-op in Los Santos. After a rather nauseating bus ride, we stopped at a small park in a town that had something to do with the 1948 civil war (which, at a whopping 48 days, was the longest-lasting war in Costa Rica's history). We sort of just walked around, saw some little kids rather randomly playing drums, and played with a fluffy puppy. This puppy is the closest I have come to liking a dog in this country. I petted it a little, and it only tried to nibble my fingers off, as opposed to biting my hand. A few of the girls on the program rather clandestinely took photos of Mike and me. The whole "you guys are such a cute couple" thing has definitely taken a turn for the creepy.
We got back on the gross bus and headed up to a coffee-processing factory. We wore some dorky headsets, walked around the plant and some really pretty fields (it was a gorgeous day. I forgot my camera), and tried some tasty coffee.
SATURDAY
I hopped a bus to San Jose around 9am to meet Mike at Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR, his university), and we spent the morning walking around, talking, and studying. He was going to play a little soccer with some of the other international students, but it was kind of gross and nobody showed up anyway. Later we rented "Everything is Illuminated" (which I highly recommend if you're in a quirky, introspective mood).
SUNDAY
Mike, Phil and I played a little soccer/Ultimate at UNA for a few hours. I forgot that I am no spring chicken anymore and did not stretch.
MONDAY
I woke up and immediately regretted the not-stretching. Ouch. Subsequently had a fantastic day. Allow me to list (in chronological order):
-randomly caught a bus with my host-mother's niece, talked the whole way.
-made a Tica friend on the way to the mall to see a movie for class
-said movie was fabulous
-learned that Lena is beating the crap out of her cancer. Yeah Lena!
-got a 10 (aka 100%) on my history paper
-ate some chocolate cake.
Clearly all of those things are wonderful. However, I've noticed a pattern that makes me feel a bit like I'm five again: a day in which I make a friend is automatically the best day ever.
TUESDAY
Had a comp class for Spanish in the morning, so didn't have to head to the University until about noon for my Development class. The prof opened the class by handing back our 2-3 page summaries of a documentary we watched a few weeks ago. He then proceeded to chastise the class for the general poor quality of work, with two exceptions: one of which was me. That was pretty cool, except that the professor then proceeded to use the fact that mine was one of the better essays to emphasize how disappointed he was with the others. It was as if to say "c'mon guys, the FOREIGNER's essay made the most sense?"
WEDNESDAY
Woke up early and headed to the University for an 8:30 meeting with Sylvia, the director of Proyecto Venado. Proyecto Venado is a volunteer organization that is dedicated to promoting the economic development of Isla Venado, a small Island off the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. My job within this organization, as the only person who speaks English, is to request grants from English-speaking funds. Our most urgent project is to send Viviana, a 25-year-old woman who is the island's political representative, to a UN conference in November. The funding previously acquired dropped out very recently, and now we need to raise US$1600 in a hurry. It's kind of scary being depended on in that way, but also extremely exciting.
Yesterday was uneventful, so I won't bother writing any details. Today Mike and I are gonna spend the day studying, pretty much, as I have a 10-page exam due Monday for my hardest class: International Trade Integration. It's about a third of the way done, currently. I really don't want to look at it again, but I suppose I'll be diligent.