May 24

(photo is where we have lunch at the school my class room is the windows in the back)

Here I am typing in my bedroom in Costa Rica! It reminds me a lot of my room that I had in Brazil, actually this whole place reminds me of Brazil. I missed having people my age to hang out with all day and night like we did then. Although starting tomorrow I will have a group! My classes start tomorrow and I will be placed with around five others and everyone says that’s who your closest with. Today I arrived and my host mom Annabel fed me eggs, fresh bread (like brazil), fresh orange juice then took me to see the city. I thought my brother and the rest of the people in Orange County were intense drivers, I was wrong. Here the buses will get within one inch of each other not exaggerating and the motorcycles will drive between the bus and the curb to pass through traffic. It’s insane! When I was on the bus my mother told me you will know when to jump off to come home when you see that restaurant and to get to school get off after the mall. If you miss get off and call a taxi. Don’t worry everyone, Michelle the one who is great at directions is mastering the know when to jump off system, I already took the bus once myself! Ah, another thing about directions here, there is not addresses, you get directions with landmarks, “walk about 300 meters, at the tree go right, the house is three past the blue one, then when you see the door with the writing it’s the next beige house.” Yep its pretty crazy, sometimes they use land marks that aren’t there anymore and are just known by the locals, an example, turn right at the big tree, the big tree was cut down years ago.” I don’t think there is a better way to prepare me for LA Term! Back to the school, it is beautiful! I love it and the people are so nice! They really encourage you to use Spanish but if you cant they find someone to translate. I thought most people would be from USA but I was wrong, there is are few but majority are from Europe. Today my dance partners were from England and the other Switzerland. I found my friend Hanna on campus (about 20 classrooms total) today and she introduced me to everyone. All the students are really close and plan something fun every night. I know that 5 people arrived from Germany today so I think I will be getting to know them soon! It’s just so easy to meet people here because we are all in the same boat. Thank God English is a common language because no one has Spanish down yet. In between classes and during free time everyone speaks English, its nice to have that break. My family doesn’t speak any English, which is good because it is really forcing me to try and come up with words and new vocabulary to carry on conversations. My mom has already picked up on my picky eating habits but I am trying everything once! I have my own little house in the back yard with my own bathroom and its awesome! The city is pretty loud and there are a lot of animals. These little bugs that look like baby cockroaches keep coming under the door but there is nothing I can do so I am working on getting used to that, it is only my first night. The family goes to bed around 8 here so I have some time to myself, but if dance class gets harder I am sure to be wiped out as well. Today we learned the basic steps to the meringue!!! I had orientation and am deciding on traveling to Panama or Nicaragua possibly! The choices are really endless here. At the school I feel like I am already in a rainforest or close to the beach, everything is open patios with birds flying around and a giant yard with tables surrounded by trees. The music from dance class floats through windows and everyone is talking in different languages. It is just going to get better from here! I can’t believe I still have a month left! Miss you all! I will keep updating you with my life here! Please keep me in your prayers!