"Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live alongside the nationals of the country in which they are stationed - doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language.
But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps - who works in a foreign land - will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace." - JFK

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Beach Days & Thanksgiving in CR

Well, as I looked over the next few weeks in my planner to sum up what I was up to the last few weeks in November into December, I really couldn’t lie.  Most of it was spent at the beach….

In brief, I headed up to a gorgeous beach near Nicaragua for a “Festival de las Tortugas” which was meant to raise environmental awareness.  I actually worked for moooost of the following week before calling it an early weekend on Thursday after school and heading to Tamarindo to hang with a friend whose family was visiting.  Staying in a resort with AC and eating good food is NEVER something to be passed up.  I may have fit in another beach day before heading back to work the following week ;) but back to work I did go, even fitting in heading to some of my schools where kids are coming to my JumpStart camp to do pre-interviews.  But by Thursday it was again time to head out of site because it was THANKSGIVING!






Haley & I in Tamarindo with her parents, eating like kings! (or like we were in America...)

We were lucky enough to be invited to spend the holiday with families of the US Embassy.  I was staying with 3 friends and the family was nice enough to pick us up from downtown San Jose before heading out to their gorgeous apartment.  It honestly felt like walking back into America with COUCHES, wifi, hot showers, comfy beds, and amazing food.  You could smell the turkey cooking as soon as we walked in, and my mouth was literally watering in anticipation.  Over dinner, we went around the table to say what we were thankful for and it wasn’t difficult to think of my answer.  On a day I normally would have been so upset to not be in the states with friends and family, it was an amazing feeling to be taken in by basically strangers and made to feel right at home.  I will be forever grateful to them for making my first Thanksgiving away from home as amazing as it could have been.  The night continued with delicious deserts, impressive cocktails, and lots of Rock Band.  The leftovers the next day for lunch tasted even better…



Eric ready to eat like he'll never see food again. Well, he won't actually see food like this until he COSes...




The following weekend was back to Tamarindo to meet up with a friend who had a friend visiting before getting back to work for the first week of December.  I may have fit in one more beach day before the packing for HOME commenced and helping prepare for the 6th grade graduation was in full swing.
Back to Tamarindo...

One of my coteachers with our school banner


The 6th grade class with the directora


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