Study abroad/semester students

The mission of Students International is to minister to both the students who come down to work with us from North America, as well as the community members that we work with in our ministry sites.  This 2013 calendar we have had two groups of semester students that have worked alongside us as interns, and I have loved being able to be a part of their lives and experience here!  Now that our group that has been here over this fall semester is getting ready to go back home in a week and a half, I thought I'd talk a little bit about what that program looks like and how they fit into our work.  :)

The semester students live with Costa Rican families during the duration of their time with us.  They also take 7 weeks of Spanish language school at the beginning of the semester, so a big goal of their semester with us is to learn A TON of Spanish!  It has been so fun to see one of our semester students who came with next to no Spanish and is now able to have conversations with the kids that we work with and with her host family.  I'm a firm believer in taking advantage of the host families that you live with to soak up all the language that you can, as well as not be nervous about "looking stupid" and just speak as much as you can.  Anyone who has learned a second language (or third of fourth...) knows that it is not easy, and there are so many moments when you feel ridiculous.  But those are the best learning moments.

The second half of the semester, the students are interns with us in our ministry sites.  We have two fantastic young women that have made really great connections with the kids from Los Guido and it is going to be really hard to see them go.  They have practiced math facts, read books, quizzed students on their Social Studies and Science study guides, taught art lessons, helped with baking and crafts, killed cockroaches, and many other things.  They have been open to be learners as well, soaking up all that they can from the kids that come to the Centro and also during discussions that they have had with myself and Jose.  And they have been perceptive to lend a helping hand when it looked like I was overwhelmed with the kids being crazy kids.

Another part of the semester program that I thoroughly enjoy being a part of is our Wednesday night "family nights" that we have with them.  My roommate Cailah and I take turns with our friends hosting the semester students in our home, and there is a team of us as staff that lead a Bible study time with them.  We talk about themes such as poverty, justice, the Kingdom of God and reconciliation.  It is so encouraging to see how they are able to apply their past experiences and experiences they are currently having in their ministry sites and host stays to the biblical principles that we talk about.  And of course, there are yummy snacks and time to just "be" without having to worry about language or culture.

Thanks, Brita and Sara, for being such awesome semester students this fall!  You will be missed.

Brita, Sara, Jose, and 4th-6th graders showing off their newspaper crowns they made.

Brita and Sara making cookies to be sold at our student store (and organizing the giant pile of construction paper that we have!)

Beach day trip with friend Rose and semester students Sara and Anaica

 

Ministering in their own communities

A program that SI-Costa Rica has started this year that I have not talked about much is an internship program that we have with two young men of the Los Guido community where I work.  William and Justin are the two guys who have been interning with us in our ministry sites about three days a week since the first part of 2013.  William works with my friend Cailah with the children in a community called Las Fuentes.  He is involved in outdoor recreation activities, indoor games, helping coach a high school aged boys' soccer team, and being a positive role model for the kids of that community.  Justin was working with Diego in our sports' ministry, playing a lot of soccer with kids in different communities as well as helping being a mentor to them.  He is currently working with our Microfinance ministry with coworkers Cindy and Diana.  The agreement we have with them is that they work with us as interns, they attend night school three evenings a week to finish their high school education, and in turn, we financially support them in their training for future jobs.  For William, that has meant helping him to attend an institute to learn basic electrician skills, and for Justin, that's helping provide healthy food and bus fare for him to continue training with his minor league soccer team that he is a part of.

One of our goals with these young men is that they would learn more about what it means to be a man of God and a role model in their communities when men are so often absent in the lives of the families.  They both have lived in Los Guido their entire lives and have experienced difficult and challenging life situations themselves.  It has been so encouraging to see how they have grown to be more responsible and to really love the work that we are doing in their own and nearby communities.  By choosing to stay off drugs, to be respectful in how they talk to women and authorities, to study God's Word, to be accountable to us as their site leaders, they are challenging what the world around them tells them they should grow up to be.  

I have been able to interact regularly with these two young men in the setting of my English class.  We have gone through several transitions in what the format and time of my class looks like, but it is encouraging to me to know that they both value studying English.  Part of their jobs as interns is working with the teams that come from the States to work in our ministry sites, and it is to their benefit if they are able to communicate with these team members in English.  Little by little, I have seen them grow in their skills, but I would still love to see them learn so much more. :)  When I moved to Costa Rica to join SI, I never thought that I would be working with teenage boys, but it has really been a joy to get to know these guys and walk part of life's journey with them.  Please pray for William and Justin as they work with us, as God is working in their hearts and in the lives of their family members.  I have such high hopes and prayers for them and their futures and know that God can use them greatly if they are willing and available!

Justin eating a lunch staple: Cup of Noodles

William helping to prepare empanadas for a Culture Night activity

Both of the boys play on our SI-Los Guido soccer team and did very well this season.

Playing ping pong at a banquet for one of our short term teams

The second time Dad and Mom came to visit

As is now a tradition, Dad and Mom came to visit me the first week of September again this year.  This week was chosen specifically because it was the week that the USA national team came to Costa Rica to play the Costa Rican national team for a World Cup qualifying game.  After kind of a lot of drama and it being nearly impossible to find tickets, we were able to purchase them and attend the game.  And what a game it was!!  The Costa Ricans were quite pumped up to beat the USA after the game that the two teams had played in Denver, CO earlier this year where the USA won during a massive snow storm.  Wisely, we did not announce that we were US citizens or cheer against the Ticos while at the game, and the Costa Rican team ended up winning 3-1.  A lot of national pride was shown by the Tico fans and it was really fun to see how excited they were with the win.  Costa Rica and USA have both qualified for the World Cup next year so I will have to decide who I'm going to root for.  :)

Top row of the end zone seats, and Dad sporting the Tico jersey.

I was blessed to have my parents help out for two days at the Tutoring Center.  They helped teach English, Dad played a lot of soccer and a simple version of baseball, Mom taught a craft lesson of making washer necklaces at girls' club, they baked cookies, corrected math problems, prayed for us, etc.  I'm proud of them with the limited Spanish that they know and how they were able to make connections with the kiddos that I work with on a regular basis.  And it is encouraging to me to know that they now have a bigger picture of what my work here with the kids of Los Guido looks like and be able to share that with friends and family in the States. 

A bonus of having Dad and Mom come to visit is that they want to do some of the tourist things that I don't do that often since I am a resident here and also living on support.  :)  We spent three nights in Manuel Antonio National Park and had a wonderful time!  We saw sloths, monkeys, snakes, butterflies, frogs, iguanas, and many other animals.  We zipped through the canopy on a wonderful zip line tour.  We hung out at the beach and Dad and Mom spent a good hour boogy boarding in the warm ocean.  We ate yummy food and drank delicious coffee.  And I am so thankful for my trusty Suzuki that I was able to take us around in this visit.  A great time spent together and I am blessed by the adventurous and wonderful parents that the Lord has given me.  Maybe next year Peter, Toni, Kate, Aaron and Courtney can also make a trip! :)

 

A legal Costa Rican resident, finalmente!!

It's been almost a year and a half since I moved to Costa Rica, and this week, I got my official "religious resident" ID card!  This is a huge thing and means that I will no longer have to get my passport stamped as a "visitor" but can go through the "resident" line.  Praise the Lord!  And anyone who has going through the getting-residency-in-another-country process knows that it is quite involved.  I'm so thankful for those who have gone before me on my staff, especially my boss Jeff, and all the help they have given me to make this process happen.  I've had to wait in several lines before the sun came up, pay quite a bit of money, pay into the Public Health Care System (that I hope I won't actually have to use), and wait and wait.  This is the reality of living (legally) overseas, and I'm so thankful that this chapter has been turned.  

Going along with having my residency, goes the question "how long are you going to stay in Costa Rica, Tara"?  I can't tell you how many times I have heard that question in the last six months or so.  I realize that it is a valid question, as I signed up for a two-year commitment originally and have left friends and family and my former "life" in California.  My answer has been "I'm not sure, as long as the Lord would have me here," and that's what I think the answer will be for a while.  As I look back over the past year and a half, there have been many ups and downs, yay ducks and yuck ducks as we learned to call them in my missionary training I had before moving here.  There are times where I miss California and my niece Kate and nice roads and Thai food and Neighborhood Church desperately.  But as my mom told me not too long ago, I feel a lot more comfortable here now than I did a year ago or even six months ago.  And I'm so thankful for that.

So I don't really know how to answer that question of how long I'm going to be here.  I do know that I have a really cool job that I get to live out many of my passions and giftings, and that God has been molding and changing me in many areas as well.  One of the team leaders that was recently down here working us gave me a huge compliment in telling me that I am "so patient" in how I work with all the people that come in and out the doors of the Tutoring Center.  Patient is NOT a word that I would often use to describe me, but it really touched me to think that she saw that in me and blessed me by sharing that with me.

If you are on my prayer and or financial support team, if you have come down to Costa Rica with Students International, if you are my friend or family member who reads my blog every once in a while- THANK YOU!  As I continue to adjust to life here and learn what it is the Lord wants me to be doing on a daily basis, I know that I cannot do it without the support system that I have.  I am truly blessed and grateful. 

SI Costa Rica has a new blog, and I wanted to share it in case you wanted to find out more about our ministry as a whole.  You can find the blog here.
Finally, I am posting some pics of the last month or so to catch you up on what's been going on with me: :)

My friend, Erin, and I exploring Manuel Antonio National Park

Thanks for coming to visit me, dear friend!

Looking at a homework assignment in order to help team member Emily assist 2nd grader, Joyce.

SI CR staff, along with our team from the Well in Fresno and Belleve in Seattle

Sometimes we get to be "girly" in Friday's girls' club

Reading a biligual book together.  Love this.

Why I like short term teams

I like having our short term teams come and work with us here in Costa Rica for numerous reasons.  They bring fun supplies for us to use for our ministry like pipe cleaners, white board markers, and multi-colored yarn.  They help give our kids more one on one attention that they desire and often need to study at the Tutoring Center.  They bring fresh ideas for art activities and girls' club cooking lessons.  And they are another group of people that can speak into the lives of the children and youth of the community where I work.  My kids love me and Jose, but to be honest, it's more exciting having a group of high school or college students from the States who are different and interesting than just a day with the same old same old.  

We have hosted and said good-bye to two summer teams already, and both have been excellent!  Our first group was a group made up almost entirely of college students from Reedly Mennonite Brethren Church, which brought some familiar faces.  Jason Hofer, youth pastor and their team leader, was my high school youth pastor, and so it was really fun spending time with him and his son while they were here.  This group only had 8 members on it, and they were such a relaxed but really fun group to work with.  Our second group from the summer was a team from Indiana, made up mostly of high school students.  The four girls that were at our site had so much energy and love to give to our students, and they made some of the deepest connections I've seen out of any of the students who have come through the doors of the Tutoring Center.  The last Friday that they spent with the kids was a bittersweet day, knowing that they were saying goodbye and had no idea if they would be back in the future.  This is one of the joys but also the realities of working with short term teams- they are an encouragement, help, and just plain fun, but it is also hard to see them leave. 

Below are some highlights of time spent with team members these past weeks:

Jason Hofer and his son, Jacob, took me out to a nice dinner while they were here.  :)

Reedley MB's last day at the Centro

Wonderful high school ladies from Indiana

Showing off our "dogs in a dog" cooking project.

Waiting in line for the piñata

Some of my regular (and favorite!) girls

Team member Jake reading with some of his fan club during Library time

Team member Audrey trying out her Spanish reading skills

Our awesome Reedley MB students

Testimony sharing time during girls' club

Cooking lesson

The entire crazy crew from Indiana along with our SI-CR family

Fantastic Indiana team members

 

Gray clouds and silver linings

This past week there have been several times where things have not gone as I had planned.  Last week at girls' club I made the mistake of leaving our Bible time discussion to the end of the morning, and the majority of the girls "conveniently" had to leave to get ready for school before we could have that talk.  To be honest, it was quite frustrating for me because I feel like I've had to fight a little bit with them as of late to have some serious time.  It's all well and good while we are baking together or doing a fun craft project, but some of them have been giving me some attitude when we pass out the Bibles.  And that is not to say that all of them are doing this; I have some VERY sweet girls who have great attitudes and want to read and learn about the Lord.  It's just those few that are outspoken and make it difficult for the rest.  Kind of like a first grade classroom with those few stinkers that can make any day a bad day with their poor attitudes.  
The silver lining came after almost all the girls had abruptly left and I noticed one of my sixth graders had stayed behind.  She was helping me clean up, and when I expressed to her that I was a little frustrated about everyone else leaving and not getting to share with them from the Word, she said that she and I could still talk about it together.  We ended up having a really great conversation about forgiveness and the value of being a part of a church congregation and the pressure she feels to protect her younger sister who doesn't always make great life choices.  It is encouraging to me to see girls like her share with me, and to know that they DO notice that I care about them and am available to talk about life and faith with them.  
This afternoon I had my English class with the high school boys, and I was expecting my normal 6 or 7 to show up.  Well, in part because of the heavy rain, and in part because of lack of transportation for a few of them, only 2 were able to make it.  But these two were able to ask me all kinds of questions about English and sentence structure; it turned out to be more like a 1 on 2 tutoring session.  It was encouraging to see their hunger for learning English and also the "light bulb" turn on when they understood a concept.  And more importantly than our English discussion was our discussion about faith and some hard life situations that we were able to have afterwards.  I felt like the Lord was able to use that situation of only the two of them showing up to and allow me to listen to some of His children who were really grappling with issues of faith.  It broke my heart to hear about some of the painful feelings and situations, but also encouraged me to know that these young men know God's love and that they are NOT alone to fight these battles. 
Please join me in continuing to pray for the community of Orowe in Los Guido where I work.  The Lord is doing some wonderful things in the lives of people there, but there is also so much pain and darkness.  It can be overwhelming and enough to want to throw up your hands and give up sometimes.  I am thankful for a sweet note that I received today, a reminder of why I do what I do: "Hi, how are you?  I want to thank you for all that you have helped me with in my homework.  I love you and you are very special to me.  These words come from my heart."  
On a completely different note, below are a few photos to show how my 30th birthday was celebrated.  It was a wonderful week of birthday fun! 

SI Costa Rica friend Diana and I, trying to stay dry in the rain!

Dinner at a yummy Spanish restaurant.  Complete with birthday tiaras. 

Roommate Cailah left fun notes for me all over the house.

Noisemakers with kids at the Centro

Wonderful banner filled with pictures of my sweet niece

Peacock from our trip to Zoo Ave

Getting wet exploring Zoo Ave.  We still had a wonderful time at this beautiful animal park.

Mexican food to celebrate both of our birthdays

30 fun filled facts and Spanish phrases learned over the past year...

On reflecting on the fact that I turn 30 this coming Tues, I thought it would be fun to write 30 things I have learned to say in Spanish and/or having to do with Costa Rican culture for your enjoyment today.  :)

1) If all else fails and you don't know how to answer a question in Spanish, just say "pura vida."  It's the country's national phrase meaning "pure life" or "it's all good" or "all right!" among other things.
2) You don't say "I like her" or "I like him" in Spanish, unless you LIKE them like in a romantic sense.  "Me gusta a el" means "I want to have a relationship with him" so you have to say "Me cae bien a el" if you want to express the sentiment of "he's a nice person, I like him."  You can get yourself into a lot of trouble going around saying "Me gusta (insert name here)" about multiple males, haha.
3) "molestar" means "to bother" in English, rather than the more strong definition of "molest" in English.  Don't be disturbed if someone uses the word "molestar" in Spanish, it's very different than it's English cognate.
4) If you do not shower every morning, you are looked down upon.  My students will tell us that they need to leave tutoring early so they can go home and shower, and the other kids think they are gross that they left the house without showering.
5) A person being described as "macho" or "macha" in CR culture is a lighter haired and lighter skinned person.  I get called macha regularly.
6) We have identified that there are 18 different "honks" used by drivers in Costa Rica.  Some are to say hi, some to say get moving, some to avoid accidents, and some just used by taxi drivers it would seem.
7) A "soda" here has nothing to do with a carbonated beverage but is the name of a local restaurant usually serving typical, Costa Rican food.
8) The most typical response to say "you're welcome" to someone is "con mucho gusto."  Literally translated, "it gives me great pleasure."  Whether or not that's what the person actually intends when they say con mucho gusto or not, I like the way it sounds.  
9) A typical plate ordered at a restaurant is called a "casado," which literally means "married person."  Interesting, right?
10) It is perfectly acceptable to pull off to the shoulder of a road, freeway, etc, and put on your hazards and just "park" there for an undetermined amount of time.  I may have done that yesterday while waiting for a friend who lived off the main road to come hop in my car.  
11) "Upe!" is what is yelled by a visitor to let a person know that you are outside of their gate and would like them to come out and talk to you/let you in. 
12) Something that I have had to get over being grossed out about is the following phrase: "Estoy orinando."  Literally, in my head, that translates as "I am peeing" but it is meant to mean "I really need to go to the bathroom."
13) The air kiss, or "besito" is a common greeting and way to say goodbye to people of both genders and of all ages.
14) Taco Bell at the Desampa mall on Mondays sells 4 crunchy tacos for 1,000 colones (about $2). 
15) Celine Dion is loved by the Costa Rican people.  Every other time I go into the grocery store or ride on a public bus I hear "My Heart Will Go On" playing.  Not an exaggeration.
16) Spanglish is a common language spoken and used- examples:
17) A "watchy man" is the name of the parking lot attendant who you pay to watch your car.
18) We make coffee in a "cofie maykir" (I tried to spell it out phonetically how it is said)
19) I have heard several dogs being called "poopy" which is how you would say the word puppy with a Spanish accent.  It makes me laugh real hard.
20) If there is an object that I don't know the Spanish name of, I call it a "chunche" which loosely means "thing."  I use that one a lot.
21) Cafecito is the name for the time and occasion (usually in the late afternoon) of having coffee and some sort of delicious bread treat with friends and family.
22) "Gringo" is a word used to refer to foreigners, mostly those from the States.  I was asked when more "gringos" were coming to the Tutoring Center, and when I told them that I am a gringa and I'm here every day, they told me "well, but you're part Tica!"  Made me smile.
23) If someone is being a cheapskate about something or is someone who doesn't share, they can be referred to as "codo," which means elbow in English.  Sometimes the word codo might not be used but a tapping of the elbow will happen to indicate that that person is stingy.
24) A combination of mayonnaise and ketchup is used to dip fries in, to smoother taquitos with, etc. I usually choose to not use this condiment combination, just my personal choice.
25) Green mangoes are often sold sliced up and served with chili sauce, salt, lime, etc.  My roommie, Caliah, loves to buy them at every opportunity she can.
26) "Si Dios quiere" is a phrase commonly used.  It translates, "If God wants," and is used to say that a person will be there or do something, as long as God permits.  I love the idea of making our plans but knowing that God ultimately could change them or have a different plan.
27) Cilantro, onion, and garlic are staples of most Costa Rican meals.  I love to cook with all of them.
28) Because most houses have tile floors rather than carpet, "house shoes" are worn most of the time.  Flip flops that Californians wear all over the place are generally only worn as house shoes here.
29) "Adios" is not just to say goodbye, but can be used to say hello to someone when passing them on the street.
30) Most of the year, bringing an umbrella with you whenever you leave the house is a must because you just never know when that cloud above you will burst!

If you are still reading, thank you for indulging me in my 30 fun filled facts that I have come to know and love about this wonderful country of Costa Rica. 

Chile! Tomate! Aguacate!

Oh how much I enjoy a Saturday with nothing that I am obligated to do!  And praise Jesus, this morning my body actually let me sleep in until 9, which is not very common.  I will take it!  Something that I enjoy doing when I have a precious free Saturday like today is go to the feria, or the farmer's market, to buy produce for Cailah and me to enjoy.  But a trip to the feria is so much more than just purchasing produce, and I thought I'd highlight some of the reasons why I love going to the feria:

• It is only a 10-minute walk from my home, and on breezy mornings like this one, it is a great way to get out and take in the beauty of the day.
• The feria is a wonderful cultural experience where I get to practice my Spanish with strangers and continue to reinforce my knowledge of the names for common and more exotic fruits and vegetables.
• I get called "mi reina" (my queen), "machita" (light haired/blond girl) and on occasion, "princessa" (princess) by the men and women selling their produce.  Normally I do not really appreciate these names said to me, but I don't mind it when I'm talking to a fruit vendor for some reason.  It's better than "muchacha" (young lady), which just sounds so formal. :)
• I will typically see a neighbor or a fellow gym attender when I go, and this morning was no exception when I saw the sweet lawyer who is a friend of mine.  He also is probably only five feet tall, so it always makes me smile a bit to stand next to him and chat.
• I get a lot for my money!  Below is a picture of what I bought for 5 mil (about $10)

  

  I'm pretty sure I'm the only one shopping with Disneyland bags...

  
  

  

  YUMMY!!

  • And perhaps my favorite reason to go to the feria, really, my excuse for going, is to buy a homemade tortilla de queso (cheese tortilla).  They are SOOOOO good.  I'd almost make the twenty minute round trip walk just to get one. :)

    

    When I pair it with avocado, natilla (sour cream type condiment popular here), fresh mango, and coffee, I am just as happy as a clam.

  
  
  
  
  The feria is very much a part of the local culture, and for that reason I try to go when I can.  It is fun to see little old ladies with their little shopping carts that they drag behind them, and to see children helping their parents with their purchases.  You can also buy goldfish for pets, blankets, freshly squeezed fruit juice, and a whole assortment of cheese and meats.  Too bad I'm limited to my two Disneyland bags and what I can carry for the ten minute walk back. 

  

  The inside of the feria in Por Venir, Desamparados

We are family

Family, by definition, is the people with whom you share a blood relation.  I am so fortunate and blessed to have been born into a wonderful, silly, and God loving family.  The Frantz family is my biggest support system for my living and working in Costa Rica, although I know they miss me a lot.  And I miss them everyday as well.  I got to spend last week with my family and friends in California, and it was a wonderful time that made leaving again quite bittersweet.  My sweet niece Kate will be nine months older by the time I see her again, which means she will be running around and babbling to everyone.  Thankfully, there is this great invention called the Internet that makes communicating with each other in real time quite easy.  

But lately I have been learning about other families that I am a part of that I was NOT born in to.  This past month I had a situation that I needed help from one of my co-workers for, and knew that he had gone out of his way, above and beyond, to be of help to me.  I thanked him profusely at the time and then also later on when I sent him a text to thank him again.  He told me that "we are your family here, Tara" and "con mucho gusto."  That really hit me hard, knowing that my friends on my staff think of me in that way and have my back when I need it.   

Going to both Nicaragua and Guatemala last month and spending time with the Students International staff there was also confirming that I'm part of a bigger family of people who love the Lord and are interesting in serving and working with communities in Latin America and also with students from the States.  Although we live in different cultures, have different ministry sites, and speak with different Spanish slang and phrases, it was so refreshing and encouraging to my heart to get to see a bit of what SI looks like there.

I think the Lord knew what He was doing when He created family.


 

Our wonderful hosts in Guatemala and the SI directors there

Some of my favorite kids, children of co-workers Diego and Cindy

My SI Costa Rica staff and dear friends

All the Frantz ladies celebrating Spring birthdays together last week!

Livin' out of a suitcase (on the road again!)

I feel like I need to explain myself and why I'm doing all this traveling in the month of March.  The assumption is that "missionaries" such as myself don't have a lot of money and we all know that traveling to other countries is not cheap.  And yet, in the month of March, I will have been to Nicaragua, Guatemala, and California.  Well, I DON'T have a lot of money, but do have a pretty cool job that involves trips sometimes and also have some generous parents who want to celebrate birthdays and Easter with me there.

The Nicaragua trip was really great and served a few purposes- it allowed the Fresno Pacific semester students to renew their tourists visas, it gave us a chance to serve with SI-Nicaragua, and it allowed me to get to know these college students better on this mini missions trip/spiritual retreat.  While I was in Nicaragua, Jose was manning the Tutoring Center, so studying went on without me there.:) We had a fantastic time and I was so blessed to be able to spend time with the SI-Nicaragua staff that I had met last year at my 3-week conference in Colorado.  And we were so fortunate to have wonderful weather and not the dreaded heat we had been warned about.  Below are some photos from our time in Nicaragua:

The entire FPU group with "The Potter".  He did a wonderful job of transforming a lump of clay into a beautiful piece of art, talking about how God does the same thing with each of His children.

Kneading the clay to be ready to shape it

Spinning the pot while reading in the Bible about the Potter and the clay

Beautiful finished pieces

View of Granada, Nicaragua and Lake Nicaragua

Not great lighting but some of the girls on top of the bell tower in Granada

Lake Nicaragua and a volcano in the background

Having dinner together

Tomorrow evening I fly to Antigua, Guatemala for the weekend.  When I went to California over Christmas, I had a horrible time getting home, which resulted in a voucher from Taca Airlines for a future flight.  When I got the invitation to go to our friend Nick's wedding in Guatemala, I decided I would cash in that voucher and go!  I'm really looking forward to seeing another part of Central America and celebrate this wedding with some of my friends from Costa Rica and also friends in Guatemala.  Another cool thing is that we have a sister SI site in Guatemala so I am going to be staying with some staff members there.  

And on Palm Sunday, I will be flying to California!  My parents decided that since my 30th birthday will be in May and right in the middle of our busy team season, they wanted to fly me home to celebrate it early over Semana Santa (Easter Vacation) because I have that time off.  We will also get to celebrate my niece's birthday and Easter all together.  I'm really looking forward to seeing my family and some of my dear friends again very soon!

Traveling is exhausting but always worth it and I'm thankful for my own March Madness and all that it has included (and has in store for the next few weeks!)