Mangos Falling from the Sky

It’s a hot day in San Jose! I just woke up from a pretty long nap. My Tica mom, Flor (Flower), and spent the morning perusing a couple cities nerby famous for their public parks. The first city we went to, Alajuela, is nicknamed as the “Mango City” because every park has lots of mango trees and in the spring, when it’s harvest, mangos fall from the sky :) and anyone can eat the mangos. I’m hoping to get back there before I leave so I can get my share of mangos too! The airport is also in Alajuela. In Heredia we went to “El Parque de Piedras,” (Stone Park) which has some neat indigenous rock formations. There was also a man evangelizing in the park. He had a sound system set up and everything. In most of these parks there are a lot of old retired men that come to soak up the sun and chat about the latest in town. I would probably equate it to the regular grandpas early morning coffee at your local coffee-serving restaurant.
Take a look at the map above and you’ll see that Alajuela and Heredia are just north of San Jose, my home for the next several weeks, and Costa Rica’s capital. Actually I technically live in what I would call a suburb of San Jose but to me it feels like I’m still in the city, probably because I live on Guadalupe highway with non-stop traffic. It’s here I first learned the word “tapones” (earplugs) which are very helpful at night .:)

Monday through Friday I have Spanish class with 3 other students at my level. My professor’s name is Gustavo. Some things we’ve done for class is make up a fairy tale, play 20 questions, present our Tican family tree, make up stories by looking at pictures, discuss culture and review grammar. When I told my mom that I had to make a family tree she decided to take me to meet more of her family members. We went to at least three houses. I probably met about 30 people. She has 14 brothers and sisters and papa has 4.

Speaking of my Tica familia, they’re great! Mami & Papi (Oscar) have their 35th anniversary on Monday and they are elders in their church, which is Pentecostal. Last Sunday the service lasted 3 hours…This Sunday Papi’s preaching and he’s making sure it won’t be that long, haha. I also went to youth group with my two of my sisters, Laura & Cinthia. Laura is 30 and was born with spinabifada so she can’t walk but when she’s not using her wheelchair she can get around with the strength of her arms, her room is even upstairs! Her goal by May is to learn how to swim, which I think is awesome. Laura is how my parents became Christians. Mami was telling me this morning that is by the grace of God she is doing so well now, but it was especially hard for her because she was my age when Laura was born. Cinthia just got married in December to Richard and they also live upstairs as well as Oscar Jr. (“May”). May is engaged to Meylin but they’re not planning their wedding until after she’s done with college. On the weekends Cristian stays with us to, he’s my “nephew” I guess but I haven’t met his parents yet, who would be my siblings.

My Latin American Studies Program (LASP) classes are really interesting. So far we’ve talked about Colonialism, Economics, Politics and Poverty. Some of it is from a very different perspective than I’m used to so I’m trying to keep an open mind. I’m also reading a book about the struggles of Latin American women. It’s pretty graphic and unbelievable sometimes but I have to write a position paper on it in a few weeks. We have class Tuesdays and Thursdays every morning, so those days can be pretty long wit Spanish class, but it’s good. For now, my classes and homework are pretty intense, but I’m learning a lot and it’s all pretty interesting. Some of the issues we talk about are really hard to swallow so I’m praying that God will give me the grace to make sense of all these tough issues and what I need to do about them whether that may be change the way I live or help change injustices in this world…probably both.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

-I twisted my ankle last Monday, it’s getting better but please pray for a quick and complete recovery!
-Next weekend we’re taking a “field trip” to Limon. Take a look at the map, it’s right on the Carribean coast. We’re going to the beach but we’re also going to see a lot of poverty and racial issues there. We also have to write a paper on our experiences.

THANKS FOR READING! I KNOW IT WAS LONG! DIOS LES BENDIGA
Michelle

On the road again...

Some people ask me, “So, Michelle, when’s your next adventure?” Well, folks, it’s coming up. In four days (Tuesday Jan 11) I am leaving for Costa Rica for my semester abroad. Though my time in Costa Rica will probably be quite the adventure, I prefer to refer to these experiences as part of the journey the Lord is taking me on. Adventure sounds much more like thrill-seeking and carefree. Though the journey thus far has been very exciting, there have been many challenges along the way. To be honest, I have many more fears for this next step of the journey than any other before. Quite frankly, I much rather go back to Ecuador. I miss it so much. However, I know the Lord is bringing me to Costa Rica for a reason. I don’t want to have a bad attitude and offend or disrespect anyone. It’s really scary that this is my last semester. I am thankful that while my friends at Northwestern will be waist-deep in snow I’ll be soaking up the sun, but I will miss them dearly. Before I go on, I want to share a few highlights from this past semester.

After I got back from Ecuador, here’s some of what happened:

Summer Charge – I was a counselor at the Campus Life summer camp for a week in Northern Wisconsin

Kids Camp – For a weekend I was a counselor with kids from Chicago & Milwaukee at Gibbsville Church

Spanish House – I lived in a house where we are supposed to speak Spanish all the time. It was fun! “Nos amo!”

Amistad Cristiana – I had the privilege of doing an internship at the Spanish church in Sioux Center.

Black Hills Retreat – Every year NWC has a spiritual retreat. This is the second time I went.

Minneapolis Family Vacation –A couple years ago my closest friends and I formed a “family” so we could regularly spend quality time and we took a road trip to MN. “We do what we want.” VB for life!

Joshua Gross – He’s my boyfriend. He’s really great . We got to spend a lot of time together, which was wonderful. I wish he could come with me!

Thanksgiving & Christmas Break – good times with family and friends!

It was a good semester, but I was also stressed from figuring out things for Costa Rica, this summer and beyond (…which I’m still not sure what I’m doing after graduation). I’m working on applying for seminary, which is something I always wanted to do, but we’ll see.

When I am in Costa Rica, I really want to focus on being there and investing in the people I meet and really taking in all the amazing experiences that will be presented before me. I’ll be taking Spanish and Culture classes just like any other semester but I’ll be living with a family, take weekend trips, have a 3-week internship, take a trip to Nicaragua and another to either Cuba or Panama.

Please PRAY for save travels and that God would prepare my heart for what I am about to experience.

Pura Vida, (Costa Rican saying for “life’s good”)
Michelle Roethel