So I just looked over my last post and realized it has been almost TWO MONTHS since my last update! Sheesh! And a lot has happened! :) Namely....
1) end of February = Nicaragua trip. Wonderful. Full of dust. Lots of kickball playing. Lovely family, with host brothers for the first time! It was great.
2) Time with host family in Naranjo = great as always!!
3) March 15-25 Second trip to CUBA!! Which really you basically could just read my post from the last Cuba trip and it's not extremely different, although this trip focused more on art and other facets of Cuban culture. Probably just easier for you to check out the foto albums on Facebook than to try and explain it all on here. :) Haha here are the links:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015912&id=137900097&l=377f11035a
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015931&id=137900097&l=b1d79be0f1
4) Now I suppose I can go into a little more detail. :) Haha. For semana santa vacay (April 1-5) and this past weekend I went out to Naranjo, which was great to spend time with everyone and relax! :) I stayed with a different family this past weekend, because my host family was not around for friday night-saturday. It was so wonderful to get a peek into another family's life, and I loved hanging out with my host sister (a girl from the program my semester lived with them, so that's how I got in ;) Haha) and the host dad is just a riot, so it was a great time! :) Saturday night all the "adult young people" haha went to get pizza and just hung out, which was fun because we haven't done anything like that in FOREVER! :) And then Sunday was church, then a friend invited me to her house for lunch, then we went to a christian program/concert, then that night we threw a surprise party for one of the youth who had his 15th birthday! :) It was basically just a wonderful weekend full of fellowship and much needed and missed time with friends!! :)
5) El futuro. The future. Yipes. Well it's coming, that's for sure! I've basically got a month left here in Costa Rica (haven't bought the plane ticket yet. haha). And I'm not sure how I feel about leaving. I am SO EXCITED to see family and friends again after so so so long (Wednesday the 14th I complete NINE MONTHS HERE! ahhh!!) that is for sure, no question! :) But it's hard to think about going and not knowing when I"m coming back. Whew. Tough stuff. Part of me wants to come back here and work, because I just feel so good and at home here, and then part of me wants to move to another adventure. I don't know. Bleh. :) But here are the random options floating in the air waiting to become concrete or passed over....just for an update. :) And in no particular order of preference. :)
a) Stay in Costa Rica and teach English.
b) Volunteer with MVS in La Jara, Colorado most likely at a place called the Immigrant Resource Center teaching ESL, as well as doing some office work.
c) If I am offered the job, working as a program assistant at the Washington Office on Latin America in WAshington DC. I just found out today that of the 150 applicants I am in the top 20. Whoa.
d) Waiting to hear from the Lutheran Volunteer Corps about possible opportunities.
e) Waiting to hear from Olney Friends School in southeast ohio, where I would be a Spanish teacher/dorm faculty and love it. check it out if you're interested (just google it).
f) Be an aupair (nanny) for a year with a family from Istanbul, Turkey who is very interested in me.
So. Whoa. Those are the future possibilities of The Frey. What will happen? Who knows. Only God. What do I want to do the most? I really have no idea. I' m making a pro/con list and the plan is if I can't decide, Laura (who I work with) and I are going to sit down and pull the choice out of a hat. That way we'll see what my gut most wants. :) Haha.
So anyways, I hope this update finds you all good and well, I can't wait to hear from you all about how life is going, where it's moving, what's new and what's old news since the last time I've updated. I want to say thanks again as always for being such faithful friends to me!! :) I miss you all so much and am pumped for the summer of reunions!!!! :) Much love everyone!!
les amo!!! :) paz.
Laurita
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Closing in on lucky number 7...
So, on Valentine's Day this year I will have officially been in Costa Rica for SIX MONTHS! ahhhh. This is the longest I've ever been away from home, and I have definitely felt it at times. There have even been days when (gasp!) I miss snow. I know, it's nuts. But it's only for about 5 minutes and then it passes. :)
More so I miss my family and wonderful friends at home! I'm so glad I have made good relationships here, or I would be SO LONELy without you all! So thanks for being so awesome and keeping up friendships even though it's hard across thousands of miles! :) I couldn't do this without all your wonderful love and support! :)
So we're getting to know the students a little better, and they are all super sweet and fun! I love hanging out with them and getting to know them better as we spend more time doing activities like going to Limon (great trip! dancing, beach-ing..what more could you ask for?! :) and leaving for Nicaragua on Monday! Ayyyy! :) So we'll all be super-bonded after that trip for SURE! haha :)
We also had a bachelorette party (despedida de soltera) for Lindsey, the girl who had my job last year, just this past Saturday at a place called Loubnan (or something like that) with Lebanese food that was DELICIOUS! Oh my gosh, it was so super fun! We of course gave her underwear and other inappropriate things,and some cute things for her house, and I didn't get home until 12 am, so you know it was a fun night! :) Haha
So all in all, this is a short update, but life is good! Guy stuff- whatever. I'm not concerned about that anymore. So we'll just see what happens. I'm loving being single and being able to do whatever I want. It's great most days, but then there are other days where I just get so excited to meet someone who "completes me" as Sid says in Ice Age II. ;) Hahaha. We'll see what's in store for my life, I'm very pumped for the coming year and all the years after that! :)
Anyways, I'll give you my next update after Nicaragua, so look forward to hearing from me around Feb 26th! Happy Valentine's day to you all! (Or dia de la amistad (friendship) as they call it here. :) Hugs & Peace!
More so I miss my family and wonderful friends at home! I'm so glad I have made good relationships here, or I would be SO LONELy without you all! So thanks for being so awesome and keeping up friendships even though it's hard across thousands of miles! :) I couldn't do this without all your wonderful love and support! :)
So we're getting to know the students a little better, and they are all super sweet and fun! I love hanging out with them and getting to know them better as we spend more time doing activities like going to Limon (great trip! dancing, beach-ing..what more could you ask for?! :) and leaving for Nicaragua on Monday! Ayyyy! :) So we'll all be super-bonded after that trip for SURE! haha :)
We also had a bachelorette party (despedida de soltera) for Lindsey, the girl who had my job last year, just this past Saturday at a place called Loubnan (or something like that) with Lebanese food that was DELICIOUS! Oh my gosh, it was so super fun! We of course gave her underwear and other inappropriate things,and some cute things for her house, and I didn't get home until 12 am, so you know it was a fun night! :) Haha
So all in all, this is a short update, but life is good! Guy stuff- whatever. I'm not concerned about that anymore. So we'll just see what happens. I'm loving being single and being able to do whatever I want. It's great most days, but then there are other days where I just get so excited to meet someone who "completes me" as Sid says in Ice Age II. ;) Hahaha. We'll see what's in store for my life, I'm very pumped for the coming year and all the years after that! :)
Anyways, I'll give you my next update after Nicaragua, so look forward to hearing from me around Feb 26th! Happy Valentine's day to you all! (Or dia de la amistad (friendship) as they call it here. :) Hugs & Peace!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Men, you can't live with 'em, and you can't live with 'em....
Okay, disclaimer for anyone reading this post. My apologies for the title, but it just fits. :) I'm not one of those women who likes to go around bashing or belittling men, but I just needed to say it to get out some frustration. Thanks to Julie, who I worked with at Weeping Willow, for the quote..:)
So a few weeks ago I headed out to good ol' Naranjo for a great weekend. On Saturday, a group of the jovenes (aka "youth" (anyone 12 + who isn't married. basically) went on a hike to El Cero (mountain top). When I say hike, what I mean is an hour and a half walk through cafetales (coffee fields) on paths. Uphill. Sweating. in the sun. and it was GLORIOUS! :) I had such a great time! (((for pictures, click on the title, it's a link to one of my facebook albums...)))
But anyway, I can see you asking, how does this relate to the title? Well, if you read through ANY of my blogs, including the one from last year when I was in CR as a student, you'll learn about Andres. Who now has a girlfriend. And I thought we were all hunky-dory, until Saturday. When he started flirting with me. And I got confused. REALLy confused. He even sang a song to me that day. Yeah. Seriously.
So the impression I have gotten, after a few short conversations after Saturday, is that really he just wants me to like him, even while he has a girlfriend. Now, maybe that's not the entire truth, I also get the feeling that he is extremely confused about what he wants (as am I, now, thanks to him). :) But...if you really want something, wouldn't you GO for it? I mean, personally, I want someone that KNOWS they want me. The end. :) I want to know I want to be with someone, and I know it isn't that simple, it isn't black and white. But. Some things you should just know.
So that's my rant for the day on men. Well, one man in particular. The rest of you are off the hook for today. ;)
So a few weeks ago I headed out to good ol' Naranjo for a great weekend. On Saturday, a group of the jovenes (aka "youth" (anyone 12 + who isn't married. basically) went on a hike to El Cero (mountain top). When I say hike, what I mean is an hour and a half walk through cafetales (coffee fields) on paths. Uphill. Sweating. in the sun. and it was GLORIOUS! :) I had such a great time! (((for pictures, click on the title, it's a link to one of my facebook albums...)))
But anyway, I can see you asking, how does this relate to the title? Well, if you read through ANY of my blogs, including the one from last year when I was in CR as a student, you'll learn about Andres. Who now has a girlfriend. And I thought we were all hunky-dory, until Saturday. When he started flirting with me. And I got confused. REALLy confused. He even sang a song to me that day. Yeah. Seriously.
So the impression I have gotten, after a few short conversations after Saturday, is that really he just wants me to like him, even while he has a girlfriend. Now, maybe that's not the entire truth, I also get the feeling that he is extremely confused about what he wants (as am I, now, thanks to him). :) But...if you really want something, wouldn't you GO for it? I mean, personally, I want someone that KNOWS they want me. The end. :) I want to know I want to be with someone, and I know it isn't that simple, it isn't black and white. But. Some things you should just know.
So that's my rant for the day on men. Well, one man in particular. The rest of you are off the hook for today. ;)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Happy Costa Rican Christmas, and a Tico New Year!
Holy Moses, my apologies for not having written in another month! I need to keep up on this somehow! :)
So my family came down to visit for Christmas!!! Talk about wonderful! :) We had a great time laying by the pool at the rental house, driving to some pretty beaches, seeing Poas Volcano, and just being together and enjoying the holiday! A lot happened, so you can check out the facebook pics if you want to get caught up on the Freaky Freydays.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015079&id=13790009&l=7c43defb6b
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015101&id=137900097&l=52b347f387
Then I spent my first Costa Rican New Year with my old host family from Naranjo. It was so great to just chill out for a few days. I headed out on the 30th and stayed until the 3rd, because work started up again the 4th. Bleh. ;) Haha no, it's not bad, I really am enjoying it! But anyway, on the 31st we didn't do anything all day, then in the evening we made carne asada and then headed up the hill to the church to watch fireworks shoot off all over the central valley at midnight! It was so awesome, minus that I had no one to kiss ;) Haha Just kidding, I didn't even think about that!
On the first we slept in (sooo wonderful!) and then headed to a river in the middle of a coffee farm to just hang out and swim. We went with another family from the church, so that was really neat to share time with them! :) I'll hopefully get some pictures from my host sister soon and post them on here. Then on the 2nd, my host sister Yorleny and I headed to the public pool with our friends Luis and Andrea, which was so fun and relaxing! We just spent time swimming, talking about nothing, and laughing, which was great! :) And then Sunday was church, and back to San Jose as usual! So it was a relaxing new year, though I still have a hard time realizing the year has changed when I didn't do anything "normal" around Christmas or New Year's this year. But normality is overrated, right? :) Haha. This was a grrreat christmas and new years! :)
Who knows what 2010 has to hold in store? :) I will admit I didn't make any resolutions until a few days ago, when I decided that something I want to change about myself is to say what I think, what I mean, what I feel, and what's important to me. There have always been so many times when I hold back, and I don't want to do that anymore. I want to live fully in myself! That's my resolution. What are yours? :)
So my family came down to visit for Christmas!!! Talk about wonderful! :) We had a great time laying by the pool at the rental house, driving to some pretty beaches, seeing Poas Volcano, and just being together and enjoying the holiday! A lot happened, so you can check out the facebook pics if you want to get caught up on the Freaky Freydays.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015079&id=13790009&l=7c43defb6b
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2015101&id=137900097&l=52b347f387
Then I spent my first Costa Rican New Year with my old host family from Naranjo. It was so great to just chill out for a few days. I headed out on the 30th and stayed until the 3rd, because work started up again the 4th. Bleh. ;) Haha no, it's not bad, I really am enjoying it! But anyway, on the 31st we didn't do anything all day, then in the evening we made carne asada and then headed up the hill to the church to watch fireworks shoot off all over the central valley at midnight! It was so awesome, minus that I had no one to kiss ;) Haha Just kidding, I didn't even think about that!
On the first we slept in (sooo wonderful!) and then headed to a river in the middle of a coffee farm to just hang out and swim. We went with another family from the church, so that was really neat to share time with them! :) I'll hopefully get some pictures from my host sister soon and post them on here. Then on the 2nd, my host sister Yorleny and I headed to the public pool with our friends Luis and Andrea, which was so fun and relaxing! We just spent time swimming, talking about nothing, and laughing, which was great! :) And then Sunday was church, and back to San Jose as usual! So it was a relaxing new year, though I still have a hard time realizing the year has changed when I didn't do anything "normal" around Christmas or New Year's this year. But normality is overrated, right? :) Haha. This was a grrreat christmas and new years! :)
Who knows what 2010 has to hold in store? :) I will admit I didn't make any resolutions until a few days ago, when I decided that something I want to change about myself is to say what I think, what I mean, what I feel, and what's important to me. There have always been so many times when I hold back, and I don't want to do that anymore. I want to live fully in myself! That's my resolution. What are yours? :)
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