Tranquila! No Preocupada!

La Fortuna: What I have to look forward too...

I arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica 4 days ago. The director of the program picked myself and two other students up from the airport in the morning and then took us to ACM building where our host mother's met us later in the morning. I met my family and spent the weekend with them. I have two brothers; both  are busy with work, school, their girlfriends, and the not so occasional cerveza. My host mother is so lovely! She loves to garden and has the most adorable little white poodle. I slept quite a bit during the weekend in some attempt to offset how overwhelmed I've been. I have enjoyed everything I've done so far, but am very uncomfortable with my language abilities. I feel so bad that my family has to work hard to help me understand the most basic of concepts. 

On sunday I went to the super market and appliance store with my host mother. She is taking gardening classes so we've been buying lots of plants for the front of the house. The plants here are so beautiful! This afternoon she put white and red rocks all around the flowers in the front of the house. Es muy linda! We also bought paint for the outside of the house on Sunday, but as far as I can understand she had to return it because it won't work during the rainy season.

We started Spanish class today and the ACM and met our ascensoras (advisors). The classes will be very helpful and truly are total immersion. I am learning a lot but am so frustrated that I don't know more. Everyone keeps telling me that after a month I'll be shocked that I know so much. I can only get better I suppose.

My advisor, Roberto Castillo, is a cultural geographer. He is very interested in the meaning behind landscape and specifically how tourism alters and effects that meaning. We talked for over an hour today and didn't really settle on a research topic. La Fortuna and the surrounding area is such an interesting landscape. There are so many aspects to study. He sent me some articles and I'm hoping they help me to narrow my topic. It's difficult when you are not studying tangible things like plants ad insects. Especially when you are working in another language!

Everything has been great! I am enjoying this experience even though it has honestly been the greatest challenge I've ever had to face. I think that it is very important to leave your comfort zone. I have felt alone while here, but it has only encouraged me to work harder to communicate with others. My mother and I had such a wonderful conversation yesterday. By the end I was shocked that I had understood almost everything. She is constantly telling me to not worry and to enjoy the tranquility of her home. I feel so welcome here, and she has worked hard to create such a comfortable environment for me. This is going to be an incredible and difficult semester, but I know by the end I'll look back and be overwhelmed by all the things I got to see, do and experience!