The Blog That's Almost As Long As The Flight To Costa Rica
Hola! My name is Lucy LaMar and I'm overflowing with excitement to write this blog today! Although, with this excitement and the amazing moments that have occurred over these past two weeks comes a long blog. Therefore, I suggest grabbing some cookies to eat during todays blog, as I write, I'm munching on my new addiction, Oreos covered in white chocolate!
The Thanks. I'd like to start today's blog by thanking some people. Thank you to the District 215 administration and staff for making this trip possible, these words do not express my complete gratitude. Thank you to all of the businesses and supporters who helped us make it to Costa Rica. Thank you to our parents for giving up a little control, accepting the worry, and loving us enough to send us to another country for the experience and growth of a lifetime. Thank you to the new friends and the old friends here and at home who have tolerated my excitement about the most mundane things and created a family here in Costa Rica. My final thanks (and biggest) goes out to Miss Berridge, Miss Ramos, and Mrs. Murtaugh I can't begin to imagine the pressure of taking students to a foreign country, but I can't imagine any other teachers here with us. Thank you.
The Spanish. Okay, lets hablamos español...I mean talk Spanish. When arriving in Costa Rica the biggest "culture shock" for me was the constant use of Spanish. We use it to talk to our Costa Rican families, teachers, cashiers, and everyone else we encounter. Our classes were only in Spanish which allowed a learning curve that is difficult to obtain in America, and has grown my knowledge abundantly. The constant usage of Spanish has been kind of entertaining, every time I go to talk to my friends and family in the United States I think in Spanish and when I go to talk to my host mom I think in English. Nonetheless, I can't wait to bring my expanded Spanish back home!
The Home. Staying in Costa Rica has meant staying in the house of a complete stranger who becomes your Mom or Mama. My mom has been especially comforting from daily breakfast, dinner, and handmade lunches, a hug and kiss before we leave for school and before we go to sleep, and of course spending the day showing us around Heredia (and helping us find the cheaper souvenirs). If I didn't say it already I'm undeniably grateful for my Costa Rican Mom!
The Friends. I'm so glad I have been able to receive this experience with other TF South students. Also I'm so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to bond with other students from the other half of TF United, TF North. I would have never been able to connect with so many of these students without this trip. While here ISA (the host organization) has another group of students from all over the United States. I've loved being able to make new friends here and look forward to the continuation of the friendships that have begun.
The Excursions. While the main purpose for being in Costa Rica was to indulge ourselves in the language and the culture we have been able to experience a multitude of nature's wonders. As I'm sure you heard, if you read any of the other posts, we went to a volcano. (yes, you read that right) And over the weekend we went to Manuel Antonio where we got to swim in the ocean, play volleyball on the beach, pick up seashells, and a few other things. While there I was given the opportunity to go zip lining in the Rainforest, which isn't nearly as scary as it sounds and is crazy fun. The next day I went snorkeling in the ocean and I fed rainbow fish pineapple. Did you catch that? I fed fish pineapple!! (This would be one of the mundane things I referred to earlier.) The fun things we have been able to participate in has been overwhelmingly incredible, I almost can't believe it myself.
Today. I guess I should talk about the actual day right? Today was our final day of classes. We had our final exams which consisted of a few different applications: a written portion, watching a movie and reflecting orally, and presentations of skits of Costa Rican Legends. After classes we went out to a fairly fancy restaurant as a group for our farewell dinner. While there I had a goal of taking a picture with every person in the group, individually. I accomplished it with time to spare!
The Future. As an incoming senior, I still have some time before I have to make any permanent decisions, but this trip definitely has been the building block I was missing. I had been feeling a tinge of fear while thinking and preparing for the future but now that has dissipated. While I still don't know everything about my future I feel more at ease and ready to take college level courses and live without my mom. The confidence I have gained in myself over these two weeks is something I will never forget and will help me to walk into the unknown of the future with my head held high.
I told you it was going to be long didn't I? See you soon los Estados Unidos!
The Thanks. I'd like to start today's blog by thanking some people. Thank you to the District 215 administration and staff for making this trip possible, these words do not express my complete gratitude. Thank you to all of the businesses and supporters who helped us make it to Costa Rica. Thank you to our parents for giving up a little control, accepting the worry, and loving us enough to send us to another country for the experience and growth of a lifetime. Thank you to the new friends and the old friends here and at home who have tolerated my excitement about the most mundane things and created a family here in Costa Rica. My final thanks (and biggest) goes out to Miss Berridge, Miss Ramos, and Mrs. Murtaugh I can't begin to imagine the pressure of taking students to a foreign country, but I can't imagine any other teachers here with us. Thank you.
The Spanish. Okay, lets hablamos español...I mean talk Spanish. When arriving in Costa Rica the biggest "culture shock" for me was the constant use of Spanish. We use it to talk to our Costa Rican families, teachers, cashiers, and everyone else we encounter. Our classes were only in Spanish which allowed a learning curve that is difficult to obtain in America, and has grown my knowledge abundantly. The constant usage of Spanish has been kind of entertaining, every time I go to talk to my friends and family in the United States I think in Spanish and when I go to talk to my host mom I think in English. Nonetheless, I can't wait to bring my expanded Spanish back home!
The Home. Staying in Costa Rica has meant staying in the house of a complete stranger who becomes your Mom or Mama. My mom has been especially comforting from daily breakfast, dinner, and handmade lunches, a hug and kiss before we leave for school and before we go to sleep, and of course spending the day showing us around Heredia (and helping us find the cheaper souvenirs). If I didn't say it already I'm undeniably grateful for my Costa Rican Mom!
The Friends. I'm so glad I have been able to receive this experience with other TF South students. Also I'm so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to bond with other students from the other half of TF United, TF North. I would have never been able to connect with so many of these students without this trip. While here ISA (the host organization) has another group of students from all over the United States. I've loved being able to make new friends here and look forward to the continuation of the friendships that have begun.
The Excursions. While the main purpose for being in Costa Rica was to indulge ourselves in the language and the culture we have been able to experience a multitude of nature's wonders. As I'm sure you heard, if you read any of the other posts, we went to a volcano. (yes, you read that right) And over the weekend we went to Manuel Antonio where we got to swim in the ocean, play volleyball on the beach, pick up seashells, and a few other things. While there I was given the opportunity to go zip lining in the Rainforest, which isn't nearly as scary as it sounds and is crazy fun. The next day I went snorkeling in the ocean and I fed rainbow fish pineapple. Did you catch that? I fed fish pineapple!! (This would be one of the mundane things I referred to earlier.) The fun things we have been able to participate in has been overwhelmingly incredible, I almost can't believe it myself.
Today. I guess I should talk about the actual day right? Today was our final day of classes. We had our final exams which consisted of a few different applications: a written portion, watching a movie and reflecting orally, and presentations of skits of Costa Rican Legends. After classes we went out to a fairly fancy restaurant as a group for our farewell dinner. While there I had a goal of taking a picture with every person in the group, individually. I accomplished it with time to spare!
The Future. As an incoming senior, I still have some time before I have to make any permanent decisions, but this trip definitely has been the building block I was missing. I had been feeling a tinge of fear while thinking and preparing for the future but now that has dissipated. While I still don't know everything about my future I feel more at ease and ready to take college level courses and live without my mom. The confidence I have gained in myself over these two weeks is something I will never forget and will help me to walk into the unknown of the future with my head held high.
I told you it was going to be long didn't I? See you soon los Estados Unidos!
Farewell Dinner
The Volcano
Farewell Dinner
Zip Lining
Feeding Fish Pineapple!!
Comments
Post a Comment