Estoy Aprendiendo

La Clase de Cultura

Today was culture class and for the first time my brother and I had to present our researched information WITHOUT reading!  It was a lot of fun!  We both did a great job and spoke completely in Spanish of course.  We decided to do a skit. 

Nosotros hablamos sobre aglo muy interesante y muy divertidos para los gringos!  Nosotros hablamos sobres mucha frases y palabras de una forma mas corta.  Por ejemplos:  Voy a ir : is Vu'ir   y Que está haciendo: is Que'sta ciendo?     Mi hermano era un gringo viejo, and yo era su nieta!  Cuando estaba hablando con él, él siempre dijó... ''QUE!?!"  Y yo siempre tenia que repertir para oracion.  :D 

Mi hermano y yo ;)

La Clase de Cocinando

Hoy nosotros tuvimos la clase de cocinando!  Fue MUY interesante y muy divertido!  Nosotros hicimos arroz con leche, which in English is similar to Rice pudding!  Fue MUY rico, pero a mi hermano no le gusta... y no sé porque.  A vezes mi hermano es extraño.  Yo tomé algunas fotos para ustedes :D

To the left is our NEW student from Canada, Rysen! 

muy divertido

Arroz con leche :D Muy dulce y muy rico!

 Muchas cosas son diferente aquí

Estoy aprendiendo que hay muchas cosas en Costa Rica son muy diferente de mi cultura y de los Estados Unidos... Por ejemplo... 

Since there are no "Feriados" (Holidays) between now and Christmas... some homes are already putting up Christmas decorations! 

I am also making a lot more animal friends here than I do in the States :P

Vaca :)

This guy decided to join us for class today :)

We also have a lot more down time here, but the one thing I like about that is it really gets you to slow down and think and spend more time reflecting and studying... but most importantly, it really gets you to focus on building relationships.  Since I've been here I have become very close with another student. I've officially adopted her as my little sister!  I'm so thankful to the Lord to have met her here and have had here as a companion so far away from home.  She is also my hair twin, which if you have curly hair you would understand that it is a whole other culture!! So its nice to have someone here who understand my hair frustrations and struggles lol

Here we are killing time as we often do waiting for the next bus to come :)

Jennea and I have had many exciting adventures searching for things from the states... such as peanut butter! Did you know that the closest store that has peanut butter from where we live is 40 minutes away in Turrialba... and it took about three stores to actually find it!  By the way.. its called "mantequilla de mani'' incase you are ever in a Latin American country and you are on a dire search for peanut butter ;P  We decided to take a trip to one of the largest super markets here called Maxi Cali and were ELATED to find this...

Our exciting nutella find!!!  Jennea was ecstatic and bought  3!!
She finished all three within a week! lol

Ministerio y la Mision

Worship Band

This week my brother and I taught the youth group a new song which I posted on my facebook.  Its called "Enseñarme a amar''  If you haven't had a chance to listen to it, DO... its beautiful.  BUT one thing I learned is I really need to work on my musical terms vocabulary... I'm still using a lot of hand signing when working with the vocals! I'm so glad they are patient with me!  

This week at church Hector asked my brother and I to sing one song called "Poderoso y Fiel''  very similar to the song ''Mighty to Save''  I'm really excited, and I'm growing to truly enjoy and love the worship songs I'm learning in Spanish.  I just recently downloaded an album titled ''Con Todos'' by Hillsong.  Its beautiful.  It is comprised of all the worship songs I'm use to singing at CBG, except they are in Spanish of course!  I like it because since I already know the words in English, its easy for me to understand the translation and easier for me to remember what the words are in Spanish.

Youth Group

Last Saturday was an amazing turnout for the youth group.  It was also our first time leading the worship band.  I didn't have pictures but quickly realized that Deanna had taken a few.  So I wanted to update this blog to include these photos!  The game that my brother and Hector initiated was called ''Spear fish" I think. It was definitely a lot of fun and an GREAT ice-breaker.  I feel like I am starting to get to know some of the girls in the youth group better, and it seemed to break down any social barriers that may have existed.  Its crazy how much more Spanish you learn when you are just hanging out with sommeone for fun... it just forces you to speak more and listen and learn more words.    Plus, its nice when you are corrected (always done in love) I just hope I can REMEMBER these corrections :P 

Christian on the piano, and Marco on electric :)

Ice breaker

Time of worship <3

Bible Class

I started Bible class today.  We are simply working on Bible terminology in Spanish.  Next week I have to have all 39 books of the Old Testament memorized in Spanish!!! EEEK!  Pray for me on that one! I struggle reciting them in ENGLISH!

Un Milagro

I didn't get a chance to tell this story before, but my host mother's grandson, Ariel, got a terrible bacterial infection back in September and came VERY close to death.  He is only 19 years old and spent MONTHS in the hospital.  By the grace of God, he was FINALLY released this past weekend to return home.   He is still very week, and has to relearn how to do a lot of physical things through physical therapy and also build his strength again.  He came to church for the FIRST time this Sunday, and it was an extremely emotional moment.  He came in during the middle of worship, and the whole church was singing this beautiful song, dancing, clapping our hands... and in comes Ariel with his family.  Everyone burst into tears of joy and after the song we all had a chance to go up to him and his family and welcome them with hugs and much love.  It was an amazing moment, and we are all so thankful to have Ariel back and on the road to recovery.  Praise the Lord!

An Upcoming Adventure!

Tomorrow Jennea, Rysen, Eduardo, Deanna and I are going canyoning and zip lining!  Ok, I know I seem excited but I'm terrified.  When Hector asked me if I wanted to go, I actually said I was considering staying behind and watching Jaden... but he really encouraged me to face my fears!  SOOO pray for me! I'm not exactly thrilled about the ideal of repelling down a waterfall as exciting as it sounds!  However, I am excited to be experiecing this with my brother, mi cuñada y mis nuevos amigos!  

Deanna and my brother at Church this Sunday

Jennea and I.  I'm so short :( But she is so white lol

View from the restaurant we ate in after our canyoning and zip-lining experience (Which was AWESOME!) In the background is the city of Turrialba.  The white tower in the middle of the heart is actually the steeple to the Catholic church that is in the center of the city.