"Es Como Una Pelicula"

"It's like a movie."

As I was describing my time from the community in the mountains to my tican mother here in San Jose, she was so happy for me and one of her responces was, "Wow, es como una pelicula!" which translates as, "Wow it's like a movie!" And as I have had time to reflect on my time and regroup from the expereince I had in the mountains, I have really realized how much I have been blessed and how awesome of an expereince it really was. Like a movie.

Living in Pacayitas, Turialba, de Cartago for 3 and 1/2 weeks, has been hands down my favorite thing so far about my time here in Costa Rica. The people there were so sincere and so loving. I can't even describe it. I am a people person and the relationships I built their were so special. As I was leaving, I got a glimpse of how I have impacted their lives and how much they have impacted mine.

Living in a tiny community of 800 where everyone is family and everyone knows everyone has been such a blessing. Let alone living in the mountains was beautiful and was such a great breath of fresh air from the city. It was weird for me to transition from living in what is like a prison in San Jose, with lots of bars and locks to get into my house, to living in a community where everyone's doors are left open and they only "security" we had in our house was when we left for Catholic Mass on Sundays, was a rock that was placed behind the door. I am not sure the purpose of this rock because if anyone wanted to come in they very well could have. The closest store was an hour away through the bumpiest roads you could imagine. And people traveled by foot, horse or by motorcycle if you were lucky. This way of life was very different than city life and I loved it!

I am very fortunate for the opportunity that I had, not only living in the community with such a great family, but working in the high school as well with about 80 students. The students were soo great! At first I was worried because the older grades were so close to my age at first I didn't know how to approach them. But the relationships that I formed with these people are ones I will never forget. They were not only my students for 3 1/2 weeks but they were also my friends. When we weren't in class learning English, we were hanging outside of school as well.

Some of the things that I have enjoyed with my students outside of class has been visiting their houses and famlies, going dancing, (they loved it when I would dance, they taught me the salsa, tango and marengee and I taught them some line dances, after dancing in Costa Rica and watching them dance I realize how bad of a dancer I am...) We also enjoyed painting our nails together, talking about our lives together and confiding in one another, taking a hike into the mountains to see the waterfall with a big group of friends, going to one of their parties, one of my cousins taking me horse backriding and having sleepovers together. Not to mention the wonderful surprise going away party they threw for me. That meant so much to me!

I loved interacting with these teenagers. I respected them so much and they in turn respected me. They helped me out when I needed it and I knew I could count on them. Whenever a student would see me outside of class they would love coming up to me to say hi and ask me how I was, just as I would love joking around and talking with them as well.

The last day was extra special. At school the students took their final English exam. After, the principal and other teachers prepared a little fiesta for me with lots of yummy meat, tortillas, nachos, beans and a pinata. Saying goodbye was hard. All the students did not want me to leave. I invited everyone to come to the states and visit me. Some of the girls would just hug me and not let go. The girls also loved my hair. They would play with my curls and ask if they could cut a curl off to remember me. One student as she was showing me the pictures of her family from her wallet was so cute, she let me keep the only picture she had of herself so I can remember her and she told me that next time I come to visit I should stay at her house!

Walking to and from school each day for 15 minutes was nice. I loved it because as the days went on I began to say hello to more and more people that I built relationships with in the community. Actually instead of saying Hola to somebody when you see them, you said Adios, which at first really confused me, but quickly caught on. My favorite was my last day, when I was walking to class in the morning and I was thinking how sad it was my last day there and how the time flew by, when the cutest little boy came running out of his house in his pjs and at the top of his lungs in the cutest voice screamed "BUENAS DIAS JAMIEEE!" (he couldnt pronouce Amy to well) He was so excited to see me and had the biggest smile on his face! So cute. It made my day. I yelled back "BUENAS DIAS SENOR" and smiled all the way to school. : )

I am sure this is against teaching rules but I definitely had a favorite studenet and saying bye to her was tough. There were tears and lots of hugs. Joseth was so fun! We always laughed togther and she made me feel right at home. When we were saying bye as soon as I looked at her with a little bit of watery eyes, I felt the tears coming. Also when I was saying goodbye to my family, my tican mom didn't want me to leave. She made me panckaes to take along the way because she knew how much I loved them. They were the best pancakes ever and ever since I told her how much I loved them, she always made them for me. YUMMMY But when I was saying bye to her, I gave her a little card and gift and before she even opened it or knew what it was, she took it, looked at it and just started bawling. Which in turn made me cry. She left the room and went to drink a glass of water in the kitchen. When she came back she gave me a big hug. They did not want me to leave.

One of my cousins Annya and I got really close while I was there. She wrote me the sweetest letter and gave it to me when I left. She told me to read it later. It was so sweet and it made me feel so loved. She wrote how much I meant to her. She called me her sister and how much she loved me and that she wants me to be her guest of honor for her quincenara (party for when she turns 15). She also said how here dream is to come and to visit me in the states and that she is saving up money to come visit me. This meant a lot to me.

I love the relationships that I built in this community and even though at times I was not easy being away from everything that is comfortable and being the only English speaking person in the community for 3 and 1/2 weeks, I learned a lot and I am very grateful for the time I have spent in the mountains.