I'm floating in a sea of Espanol.....that n is suppose to have a squiggle!

Boy oh boy! I am so happy with my decision to do this! This has really been a great experience thus far! I'm not on my computer right now, so I can't add any pictures, but I'll add some as soon as I can! I don't even know where to begin! Living with my host family has been awesome! They don't speak any English....none....nada....zip! And it forces me to use Espanol a lot more, even if I can't even make sentences. I basically say..."Me, hunger, yes." Or "Walk, 10 minutes, here" They can understand me, even if I'm talking like a caveman! And I always seem to make them laugh! One day I said "amarillo" which is yellow in Spanish and it was obviously wrong and we all laughed for 5 minutes straight! There have definitely been some funny moments! I'm sleeping really well, which is good! Like 9 1/2 hours some nights!!! And that is also with the help, for those of you who know me best, of my sound machine and facemask! My only complaint is that I'm being eaten alive by the bugs here! My legs are covered with random looking bites that aren't even in a circular shape and they kind of look like welts, but I took some Benadryl and it really helped...They say after a few months, I won't have that reaction any more. Anyways! The food is good! My host family laughs at me because I take picures of my meals! She just presents them so well and it's all different! I'll have to post one of them! There is so much more I want to write and say, and I don't even know where to begin! The town I live in is really small and we are on a mountain, so the streets are seriously mega mega hills! So I should have buns of steel upon returning to Estados Unidos (that's United States in Spanish!) The people are friendly and the fruit stands are absolutely amazing! They have fruits and vegetables I've never seen before! It's really awesome! Anyways! I have to go for now! Hopefully the next time I'm on, I can post some pictures! :) Chao!

The tree is no longer here...But I'll give you directions to it!

I made it to the town I'll be living in for the next 3 months! It's called Vuelta de Jorco!!! It's really really small and it has the cutest little shops and markets. We walked around the little town all day today and met a lot of the shop owners and people in the town. The people are very very friendly and I am learning new Spanish words every minute! Hopefully I can make it to intermediate-mid by the end of May! I'm at beginner low right now! Anyways, my familia is muy muy bien! There are two kids. A little boy and a little girl. The girl is soooo cute and we have already bonded. And I love the host mom and dad, too. They are so nice. They are definitely poor by American standards, but I can live on their level! The food is really good. They eat a lot of chicken, beans, rice, and plantains and avocado! Yum! And I've already gotten burnt by the sun! I am really happy and should be able to check my email somewhat frequently (at least once or twice a week!) This is such a great experience!

Tico 19

I am absolutely having a blast! I love love love all my fellow volunteers and am quickly building some good relationships! Yesterday I gave my presentation about myself and it was so funny!! I had great pictures and did a bunch of impressions and everyone keeps on talking about how it was the event of the day. People who weren't even in my group are coming up to me to tell me how they heard how funny it was! It's so uplifting and I feel completely myself! It's awesome! It just reconfirms my belief that I should be an entertainer, not a business woman! Tonight we went out and all scattered around the outskirts of San Jose! Me and 3 other volunteers went to a karaoke bar and sang our hearts out! I loved the music and atmosphere! We had cool different food and got some ice cream, too! I am so happy I am doing this! Even if my Espanol is muy muy no bueno! Adios for now!

The Dove has landed!

Yeah! I made it to Costa Rica!!! It's been a whirlwind over the past few days.....I flew to Washington DC on Tuesday morning after getting no sleep Monday night because I was staying up too late squeezing toothpaste into 3 oz bottles and generally just being too excited to sleep! I arrived in Washington DC with no plan of how to get to the hotel that Peace Corps was setting us up in. On the flight I sat next to a lady who was from DC and we had the best conversation about Peace Corps and everything and she ended up offering to give me a ride to the hotel!!! Her husband came and picked us up and they gave me a tour of DC and all the sights! They were so nice! I took a million pictures and so appreciated them doing that for me!Fast forward, I meet the 51 other Peace Corps volunteers who are going to Costa Rica....they are all AWESOME! I am really loving getting to know all of these people and going through orientation. I've already been a drug dealer and a presenter (long stories!). I am just so happy right now and also very delirious from no sleep. We checked out of the hotel at 1:30 AM and left on the buses at 2:00 AM and then our flight to Miami was at 6:00 AM and then we got another flight to Costa Rica!!! It's been a very very long 48 hours! I, who can never take naps or sleep on planes, was able to snooze (with the help of dramamine and my sleep mask) on both flights!

So before I knew it, I had finally made it. I feel really supported by all of the staff and other volunteers. I am so so so excited about learning Spanish!!! It's all around me and I love it! We are on a retreat right now and it is actually very nice! We leave on Sunday and I don't know when I'll have internet again! And I am also feeling very very very lucky that I was able to do this. There are a lot of volunteers here that have waited years to finally go somewhere! Me? It was smooth sailing and I actually got called to leave early! This is just all too awesome! I've found friends who love Apples to Apples, get carsick and wear the special bracelet, and those that love Lost! These are my kind of people!

And the food is really good, too! Very interesting!

I am NOT going to Puerto Rico! :)

Well, in 24 hours, I'll be on my way to Costa Rica!!! I'm flying to DC in the morning for my first orientation with all my new Peace Corps buddies from across the country! Then, we're flying from DC to Miami, and then to San Jose!!! I can't believe it's finally happening! This has been a long process getting me to this moment....Just as I predicted, 2009 will erase 2008 (the worst year of my life)! I've had the most wonderful last few days here in the US with all of my friends and family. My "Sorry" party was so awesome. Bonefish was a blast. Leah's Loft, who could forget? Keeping up with the Jones'. I am so thankful to everyone who has been here for me and I can't believe I'm leaving! The next post will hopefully be soon, with a new batch of stories! Wish me luck! Hurricane Leah is about to hit Costa Rica!!!