Dear McDonald's,
I am unhappy with the service I received at your restaurant in San Jose, Costa Rica as I am still feeling the effects of the grilled chicken sandwich I ate there on Saturday.
Thanks for the week of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I will forward my bill for the doctor visit, the 2 weeks of antibiotics, and the week of class I missed.

Sincerely,
Your least loyal customer


Yep. It was bound to happen. I believe I was infected with Salmonella from a chicken sandwich. Kind of ironic since the meal at McDonald's is one of the few meals I have here that is similar to American food. Safe food storage and handling is a concept lost on people of many Latin American countries. Why should commercial food preparation be any different?

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I came across this verse this morning and it was one of those times where I literally felt the Lord talking to me. Things are not easy for me here, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to do what I'm doing! I just need to remember that when my back hurts from the bed, or my stomach hurts from the bologna, or I am missing my family and friends. Lord, help us all remember that in any situation to give thanks to you.

What did you have for dinner?

Last night I was served a bologna sandwich for dinner. I am SO thankful that I have food and that these lovely ladies are preparing it for me. It's just funny because I am allergic to wheat (not deathly allergic, just sensitive, so I normally don't eat it) and I am not a fan of bologna. Weird veggies I can handle, but strange meats, not so much. I knew it was a bad sign when I asked her what the meat was and she couldn't pinpoint what animal it came from. Then she poured me a drink. These Ticos love their drinks. They juice every fruit, vegetable, or grain they can get a hold of. I asked her what it was and she told me it was oatmeal blended with water. Interesting.

So I ate a bologna sandwich and drank oatmeal for dinner last night. Top that mom!

Language School

Pense que lo haria todo mi blog en espanol...

Only problem is that I don't know enough espanol to do that! I am so excited to be here and have the opportunity to study Spanish at el Instituto de Lengua Espanola (ILE). The classes are small and the instructors are so helpful and patient. I have really enjoyed relearning the language. I am exhausted at the end of a day of studying and listening because I still have to concentrate on EVERY word! I can't wait, though, until I can speak well. I will be in language school until June 5 and then will be working with mission teams coming from the states for the summer. I will come back to language school in September to continue studying.

Here is a link to the language school if you are interested...
www.thespanishinstitute.com

So, Costa Rica...Where do I begin?


**Sorry about the format of the page. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do this. If anyone knows about formatting blogs, please help me!**

I would like to thank my family and the missions staff at HPUMC for all they did to get me here! I could not have asked for better people to experience this with and none of this would be possible without them! I love you guys!!!

I didn’t sleep a wink the first night due to a combination of noises outside, unfamiliarity, and a 3 inch foam mattress on a plywood board for a bed. Every time I heard a noise I would wake up and find my arm or leg asleep because I was lying on a hard surface. The next night I folded up my blanket and put it under me for padding. I am used to the street noise now and I constantly hear sweet little voices giggling as the kids playing across the street. There is no sweeter sound.

First thing I noticed in my new room is my favorite Bible verse on the wall, en espanol. So perfect!
My Tico family is so sweet and welcoming. The mom, Grace, is an amazing, Godly woman and has had a difficult life so far. Her husband left her for another woman, she has survived breast cancer (and treatment) going on 5 years, and her oldest child is mentally handicapped. Paula, the daughter, is 32 and is a lot of work to care for. She is very sweet and is obsessed with me and one of their dogs. She runs around the house in a bicycle helmet yelling, “Kim! Amiga!” Grace teaches biology at a high school part time. Grace’s son, Gabriel, is 30 years old and is newly engaged. He was educated at the Methodist school and went to the US for college and grad school. He is living at home until he gets married in September. The other daughter, Bernarda, is 27 and a physical therapist. We have had a lot of fun together and she has invited me to do some fun things with her and her friends. Berna and Gabriel speak English, so that helps me feel a little more comfortable with them, although it doesn’t help my Spanish! The people of Costa Rica, in general, have never met a stranger. Everyone is family and everyone is loved wholeheartedly, even if they just met you. The family has two dogs and a rooster named Pavarotti (also a reason I haven’t slept). Their maid, Mercedes, is from Nicaragua. She is a great cook, but she wants me to eat way more than I want to! She left behind 5 kids (ages 14-23) to come here to work.

The neighborhood I am living in is full of gringos from the language school and I have met many other families that are hosting my school friends. It is so interesting to get different perspectives on family/home life here. We have many “teachers” because everyone in and around the school, including our families, know we are trying to learn. I am constantly being corrected on my grammar, but I love it because that’s the only way I will learn. This was the first thing I saw when I woke up my first morning here.
I have made lots of friends at school, many of them missionaries. There is another nurse whose ministry is to set up medical mission trips, so we have plenty to talk about! We agreed to speak only Spanish to each other. Yeah…that lasted about 10 minutes because we ran out of things we knew how to say. I am improving already and that Spanish I took in high school is starting to come back. The more I learn, though, the more I realize how little I know now!

We are going to walk to la feria and the farmer’s market tomorrow, then possibly into downtown San Jose to explore! Class is in the afternoons 1:30- 4:15 pm. Tuesday and Thursday mornings there is chapel that is an option in the mornings. Several people from my class went this morning and it was great- all in English, unlike the church I went to on Sunday with the Zirkels!

Still don’t have hot water. Yep, freezing cold showers…for a month. I have gotten used to it (not happy, just accepting) and have developed a little routine of jumping jacks and running in place to warm up before I get in and then I run under the water VERY quickly. It’s invigorating to say the least. This is a picture of the electrical shower head that is supposed to heat the water as it comes out. No question as to why it is sometimes called a widow maker.

All part of this really fun experience! I thank God for it everyday! I am extremely blessed to be here, experiencing this culture, making connections and relationships, learning Spanish, learning more about and growing closer the the Lord, all in this beautiful and sacred place. Thanks for coming on this journey with me!

Under Construction

Made it to Costa Rica safely! I am here hanging out with my host family and starting language school tomorrow.
Sorry everything looks messed up with the blog lately. I am trying to change the layout and haven't had much time to get to it this weekend. Please bear with me and I will get it updated soon!

Too much stuff

Now that all of the parties are over and most of the goodbye's have been said, it's time to pack! I have had all of my clothes and things that I will be taking laid out in my room for a long time, but am just now putting it all together. I am a chronic over packer, so I was very careful to not put too many things in the pile. I even brought in back-up (my mom) to pair down and give a second opinion on all clothes and other items that had made the cut so far. I was so proud of my accomplishment and was ready to get everything in the bag so I didn't have to look at it anymore. I started rolling all of my pants and clothes and lining them up in obsessive-compulsive style. Okay. Bag's full and I'm ready to go! One problem...



Still lots of stuff not in the bag. Guess this is what I will be working on this week. Somehow I don't think this would pass through customs and airport security.

On a different note, thanks to everyone who made it to the send off lunch today! I am so thankful for each of you! None of this would be possible without each and every one of you. I thank you for your support, prayers, and love during this exciting time. I can't wait to see what the Lord has planned for my life (and yours) in Costa Rica!