Safe, Sound, and Getting Settled

Well, I'm here. Thanks for taking the time to read my frist blog post. Here's a little run down of the last 24 hours or so:

I made it in and the principal and dean picked me up at the airport. They told me that the family that will be hosting me is actually the in-laws of the dean, and he just leaves a few blocks away from them. It was about a half an hour drive and we were there.

I was welcomed with Costa Rican warmth and the cultural hug and kiss on the cheek. The family I'm staying with is so nice and they seem geniunely glad to have me. They speak very little English, so my Spanish is definitley going to improve. Mostly I just walk around not knowing what people are saying because it takes to much effort to try to decode it. I've actually been pleasantly surprised at how much I am able to communicate though.

Anyway, my "new mom" as they put it, made me a some rice and beef that I ate before Skyping with Gabe and going to bed. I got to bed shortly after 11:30 here, but I was wide awake as that was only 9:30 PST. Morning came REALLY early because I had to be up at 6, or 4 the time I was used to. The tiredness lasted all day, and when I got home I took a three hour nap.

I got up in the morning and went to work with their daughter that lives here. She is a teachers aide in the pre-kinder classroom, so she had to be at work at the same time. We walked for probably 1.5 miles to a bus stop that another teacher picked us up at.

They had breakfast for us at the school, so after we got there we ate, and Mike (the principal) introduced me to Mrs. Ferrias, the English Department head, who I spend most of the day with after that. I think she will be a immense resouce and blessing to me this year!

After breakfast we met for 4 hours. I was surprised that it was all in Spanish. I suppose that because this is an international school in which all instruction is supposed to be in Enlish, I thought the meetings, devotions, etc. would be as well. I sat next to a lady who translated some of it for me and another man who wasn't fluent in Spanish either. It seemed to go on forever, and to be honest I had a hard time staying awake for some of it. I'm not a one for lectures and sitting for more than a couple hours when I DO understand the language. Anyway, I have the same thing to look forward to for tomorrow morning as well.

After work we came back to the house. I had a snack and then took what I thought would be about an hour nap....I woke up three hours later, which was just in time for dinner. It was something kind of like pork fried rice, (except I think it was chicken that was in the rice) cabbage, tomato, cilantro salad, and some carrot purre stuff. It was pretty good! All the food so far has been.

Anyway, now I'm in my room about to read over some stuff they asked us to for tomorrow. I have so much to do to get ready for school to start next Wednesday! I am feeling a little overwhelmed and behind.

Things you can pray about:

• Reimbursement of my airfare: They said this would happen today, but it didn't. Pray they would do it tomorrow.
• I will be able to get what I need for my classroom. It has no computer, no projector, no overhead...nothing but desks really. The English Department head said I might be able to get some of that. Otherwise I may be transporting my laptop back and forth...
• That I would quickly pick up the language
• That I would be able to get everything done that I need to in order to be ready for school to start on Wednesday.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support!

Kristin