This is my first blog entry as a newly-minted 25-year-old. I spent my birthday on busses, travelling 7 hours to return from San Jose to Boruca. ...not ideal, I admit, but the awesome part was stepping off the bus in Boruca and into the arms of Kelly, with my second family all waiting for me on their porch with cheers and hugs and ice-cream and a surprise birthday dinner planned for me. They called into the local radio station to do a shout-out to me and we all danced around the kitchen together, and I was truly, exhaustedly happy. Here's me, about to blow out my birthday candle, surrounded by those I love here in Boruca:
..so, yeah, that was pretty awesome.
Emotionally, I feel like my time in Costa Rica can be seen as an inverted bell curve. I felt pretty good for the first few months, had a low mid-year (around July) where I was pretty depressed and since then my mood has steadily been improving. I'm trying not to kick myself for the times I've spent not able to appreciate this gorgeous country, and instead focus on soaking up as much of the experience as I can before I leave in January. ...it's hard sometimes, though, even though I'd prefer to leave on a high note instead of a low note. Sometimes the little voice in my head keeps whispering 'but look at all the things you COULD HAVE done! look at all the things you could accomplish if you stayed longer! look look look....'
...so, I'm trying to LIVE as much as I can for these last 3.5 months. To that end, I've started an after-school girls group for the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade ladies, I now make it a point to go out every single day and visit with Ticos (be it my 'second family' or someone else), I'm playing guitar more again, I'm reading more and more, and I'm actively trying to use the more complex Spanish grammatical structures that I still struggle with.
I love it when a parent pulls me aside and says that she's astounded at how much her daughter has learned this year. I love it when kids hang back after lessons just to spend time in my classroom. I love when students want to borrow books, want to translate songs, just want to run up and hug me. I love it when they invite me to their homes and bring me fruit and flowers and decorated cards with I LOVE YOU TEACHER written in their beautiful, scrawly handwriting. I love it, I love it, I love it, and I am so filled with love that I feel like I will burst:
(those are Ariel, Kianny, and Alina, three of my adorable students.)
... in other news, Costa Rican Independence Day was the 15th of September, and wow, Ticos really know how to be patriotic. We spent all week in school having assemblies where we learned about the country, sang patriotic songs, and hung up red, white, and blue decorations. Then, on the 14th (independence eve!), there were country-wide torch runs (carrying the 'light of freedom') and we also held one from Bella Vista (where my friend Drew works) down the mountain to Boruca (it's about a half-hour walk, or a 10 or 15-minute run.) That was followed by yet another assembly and various dancing presentations for the entire pueblo which lasted almost all afternoon. Then, at sundown, everyone gathered together in the center of town with faroles (decorated lanterns) for a nighttime parade. It was awesome! I unfortunately came down with a patriotic cold and missed out on the daytime parade on the 15th, but I still had a great time in the days leading up to it. If you want to see all of my photos from the Independence celebrations, here's a link to the album ... and here are a few highlights:
a group of my students, carrying the 'torch of freedom' down the mountain:
...aaand last but not least, some of the lanterns before the nighttime parade:
ANYway, I've probably blabbed your ears off enough for one evening. I hope that you've all enjoyed the photos and my update... I very much appreciate any and all comments, emails, and positive vibes you can send towards Costa Rica, as always. We all benefit from them, down here :)
Besitos!
Raquelita
