test of will/wits/brains/stamina

9 days left of real classes:
2 presentations
15 page paper
5 page paper
7 reflections
3 final exams

then, eight days to savor my last days here :D

Allí vamos...

I've become oddly adjusted to life here. Odd in the sense that it's become so very normal, I often forget that I'm abroad. It's (about) the same as the life of a college student anywhere- I wake up, go to school, maybe go to the library, see some friends, go to a devotional, go back home, etc. I guess after spending this summer in Central America and then coming back for this semester, it's become very familiar. Like anywhere, there are stressful days and then there are those moments that make an impact on one's heart. I'll share with you all a few of the things that I've seen or done here than have, for whatever reason, filled my heart with joy.

- A few weeks ago I got really sick in my Spanish class from a stomach bug that is going around the university. I had stepped outside the classroom around the end of class because it hurt so badly that I couldn't sit and bear it any longer. After class ended at 11:30, my professor came to look for me and then she didn't leave my side for around 45 minutes calling my host mom, consulting about which clinic to go to, making me chamomile tea, the whole deal. After all this (around 12:15) she starts to apologize profusely saying that she had to go because she was supposed to be at her daughter's school at 11:30 for a meeting. She didn't even say anything before! aww. She then proceeded to give me her cell phone number and get mine, and as promised called a few hours later to make sure I was ok.



- San Jose is certainly not the nicest city I've ever seen, and Costa Ricans themselves are the first to discuss it's grossness. It also happens to have some parts, like any city, which are on the not so safe side of things. Unfortunately, I was coming back from something and to get from where the first bus left me to where I would catch the bus home I had to walk through one of these parts. The road was a bit empty and as I'm walking I hear some guy behind me yelling random things and sort of following me. I walked faster. Then, I see ahead a group of three guys doing some construction on a house ahead and I got even more worried, especially since construction guys don't exactly have the best reputation. Walking by, I made an extra effort to look down and not make eye contact with the construction guys so they wouldn't start yelling things and at the same time try to ignore the random guy from before. As I passed, I heard one of the construction guys start to yell something but instead of being directed at me, he began yelling at the guy from before telling him to leave me alone and to stop scaring the girls as they pass. How refreshing! Thanks, construction guy. Way to break the mold.

- Walking under the orange trees on campus as the smell of the orange blossoms surround you.



- I was coming home on the bus one day and a young couple was seated on my right and an old feeble man was at the front of the bus. All three happened to get off at the same stop, and the couple, one on either side of him, helped him get down the steps and then walked with him across the street, making sure the cars stopped and waited patiently as he hobbled slowly across, laughing and talking with him the whole time.



- Seeing the junior youth working hard cleaning their school, painting, and having a wonderful time together


Two more things, (1) Puerto Rico was wonderful and beautiful and fun and relaxing and exciting and what I needed!!! Thank you so much to amy noodle, big al, and the Baha’i community for making it so.



Also, I have one month left. That. is. crazy. and I don't know how I feel about it..