When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

First, I want to thank everyone for their prayers, messages, and words of support lately. I do have a lot to update you on, but I will start with my most recent issues and catch you all up on the past weeks in the weeks to come.


I’ve had many obstacles in my life, so I have never been one to quickly throw in the towel, but this situation brought a whole new meaning to the word “determination”. Costa Rica is a not an accessible country. Sidewalks rarely are even, let alone fully paved, or existent. This, along with that fact that I had to move two days after classes started, brought a great deal of stress. The home I was in suffered major water damage to the walls in my room, posing major electrical issues and safety concerns for myself. Unable to find any other accessible home close to the school, I was moved to student housing - alone. I am the only person in the building, with no security, no neighbor, absolutely no one. No one else is here until the middle of July, so it is a little alarming to think of what I would do in an emergency with no one around. This building, like many others in Costa Rica, is not accessible. The walk to school consists of a steep hill with faulty sidewalks, which I now choose to ignore and instead just walk on the side of the street. Until recently, I was unsure of where to find meals, toiletries, or even a phone to ask for help. These are all comforts we take for granted.

However, if you want to work on your relationship with Christ - move away from everything you know, everything that’s comfortable and familiar, and see who you call on. Together with Him, you will watch yourself grow.

I recently found out that there is no possibility of being placed with a host family. With this, I would have to pay for all living expenses (meals, laundry, housing) independently and not directly to the school. The feasibility of this option is unknown because I don’t know the country well enough to handle all of those things. At this point, it was recommended that I end my program and return home at the end of June. But, I have so much more work here to do before I feel I can go. As of today, I am crunching numbers to see what I can work out. In my discussion with staff, I told them that even though this was not right, I was glad that this happened to me. I never want another student with a disability to undergo the obstacles I have had while here. I would live with roaches, uneven stairs, faulty sidewalks, and near hit-and-runs for a year if it meant another person with a disability had a positive, worry free experience studying abroad, and never go through what I have been enduring. Constant reminders of loneliness send a strong message about the lack of appreciation, acceptance, and overall value contributed to people with disabilities.

Each missing curb cut says... I’m not here.
Each flight of stairs with no ramp says... I'm not wanted here.
Each office building without an elevator says... I’m not good enough to work for them.

Despite the University's endless work to make things more enjoyable, this is the message I’ve inadvertently received while here. More importantly, this is the message that Costa Ricans with disabilities have been receiving their entire lives. These very messages are also why I feel I should stay.

Last week, I went to the grocery store. I saw a young man with a profound case of cerebral palsy. He could not speak or walk. In the states, there are accessible vans. But here, this man, only a few years younger than me, was thrown into the backseat of a cargo van with nothing but hospital restraints and duct tape to hold him steady. At first, I was mortified. But then I realized that this is the level of resources that this country has available. This level of treatment is the only thing they know. They, like the University and many other third-world countries, have no other options.

This struck a chord with me. The condition of the young man very well may have been the condition that I could have experienced. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy after being born 3 months early, my parents were told that I would live a very limited life. However, with all of the prayers and resources that were available, I was able to break free from those limitations and challenge myself on levels that were originally seen as impossible. If I had not had access medical professionals and community resources, coupled with the power of prayer, I too could be taped to the backset of a cargo van. And without resources here in Costa Rica, prayer is all people are left with. Although prayer is a very powerful thing, these people also deserve to have faith in their country's ability to help them achieve their greatest potential.

That is why I believe I am here. My original goal was to simply explore a country and learn from its culture, and maybe educate a few of my peers, but now it has grown into something much larger. Through my long talks with Christ, I now know that I am here to be an advocate for all of those here in Costa Rica with disabilities. I know that the path to acceptance and acknowledgment will be a long one that will require more than just me... but I am ready and willing to be the first to start walking.

Semana #1

This marks my first week in Costa Rica - and believe me, it has been an adventure. I’ll try to give you the major highlights of my week all in one.

Many of the people have blue-green or sometimes blue eyes, which is a sign of European influence. When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in Costa Rica, the natives were rebels and refused to accept them as their masters. Instead of staying and working for the Europeans, the natives left Costa Rica moving north or south. Thus, the indigenous population decreased dramatically by more than 95% when the Europeans arrived. Many Europeans found themselves plowing and working their own lands, and soon discovered that growing coffee and bananas was a great business. The government started giving away land to people who were willing to grow coffee, so more Europeans immigrated to Costa Rica. Since there were very few native people, less mixing of the two cultures occurred, therefore a vast majority of Costa Ricans are predominantly of European descent: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French. There is also a large number of Costa Ricans of German, Jewish, Polish, and Greek descent.

Now that I’ve finished my history lesson, I’ll get back to the fun stuff =)

The fashion is clearly influenced from the U.S., which I find a little disappointing. I wanted to see native accents or influence around, but I guess I would have to go to less urbanized areas. Very few Tico’s (Costa Ricans) wear shorts; everyone wears skinny jeans, gray/silver wash, and boots (not cowboyish) – despite the heat. American Eagle is extremely popular and I definitely will be purchasing a pair of distressed leather boats before I head back to the states. The people don’t stare, which is a nice change from the folks back home. The most attention I’ve gotten is people saying they like my hair. When walking the other day, a lady said she had some just like mine and proceeded to pull some weave out of her purse. Hilarious. I like not being a spectacle. Blending in will help me get the most out of this experience.

I have also met a group of about 15 kids from Minnesota. They had been here for 3 days, and knew no Spanish. They were going to be here for three weeks, and seemed overwhelmed by the heat... which holds nothing to the heat in Kansas. When asking how long I would be here and with whom, they were quite taken back when I said 3 months and that I came with no one.

“Wow. Adventurous," one girl responded.

I now wonder if I’m being adventurous, brave, or just plain stupid. I don’t know anyone that just goes to another country without any contacts, previous know how, or any real knowledge of the area. However, I think Zig Ziglar describes it best when he said, ‎"Courage is not the absence of fear; it's the mastery of it." I think over the next 3 months I’ll know which one is the right answer.

The mall here is very much like the ones in Kansas. They have lots of stores all claiming huge discounts, but there are a few good steals. We walk out of the mall to grab a taxi and witnessed WWI Costa Rican style. I don’t know what the exchange was about, but from what I gathered one guy claimed that the other stole his customers (us). Before I could even get my car door open, the guy ran to the other guy yelling at the top of his lungs and pushed him out into the street. I was the only person captivated by this exchange while others just walked past like nothing was happening. Then the guy slapped the other guy’s cellphone out of his hand and it flew into the bushes. I was trying to get my camera on video mode so I could record this, but Jamie told me to get in the car. Lame. Once in a different car, our drivers honked at the two fighting men and waved as to say “Gotcha!" He then took us on the scenic route to the Artisan market while nearly hitting a group of 30 people. One lady literally reached in and touched him he was so close.

The artisan market was a hoarders dream. Everything from jewelry, crafts, and candles, to hammocks, purses, and dresses were crammed into a tent extending ½ a block long. There were at least 20 vendors claiming to give you a better deal with higher quality goods than the person standing next to them. Being a shrewd business man like my father, I got a pretty good deal on some street art. I like being able to haggle with people, although, I probably could have gotten an even better deal if I understood the currency. The market was a true cultural mecca with languages from around the world flooding the block: Italian, Chinese, and Swahili dialects made this simple art market a world of its own.

Overall, this week has been a tad challenging for me. I’m learning to pace myself and go with the flow. I think we tend to put so much emphasis on the change we hope to bring to a situation versus letting ourselves change, evolve, and grow. Challenge yourself to slow down and live in the moment.

Take care of yourself at home and I am praying for everyone affected by the tornadoes.

Besos!

So far - so good!

So, I made it! Costa Rica is stunning. Parks and little colonies rest amongst mountains and gorgeous landscape. The homes have an obvious Spanish feel and are painted in different shades of terracotta, the constant rain washes out the color so everything looks aged and antiqued - it is especially gorgeous. You then notice flowers in the most vibrant colors; hues of red, orange, purple and pink burst from the mountains. I love it.

During in my flight to Costa Rica from North Carolina, I am sitting next to a complete jerk. All he talked about was how drunk he was on the previous flight and that the flight attendants love it when he calls them sweetheart. I proceeded to give him a look that let him know how ignorant I thought he was - he proceeded to order 3 Bloody Marys.

Once the plane landed I had a quick thought of "Oh snap, I guess I can't change my mind now." It was interesting. I never had a true panic attack about this trip which put me at ease. I think it's the right thing to do during this time in my life. I went through customs and found it hilarious. The lady asked me how many days I will be in the country and I responded “Noventa dias. Estudiando español en la Universidad de Veritas”. (90 days. I am studying Spanish at the University of Veritas). Pretty impressed with myself for that. She then asked me another question and I gave her a look that truly solidified the word confused. She then rolled her eyes and WENT OFF to the person carrying my luggage. There are no words to express how funny it is when you know someone is talking trash about you, but you can't get mad because you have no idea what they are saying! I just smiled and said “Gracias!” - I aced that test for sure.

Once that I was over, I head outside expecting to see a sign with my name on it like many other exchange students who were waiting, but there wasn’t one. Apparently, the University entered my arrival date differently, swapping the numbers of the month and day. Mistakes happen, and I just rolled with the punches because I had no other option. I’m glad I knew enough Spanish to ask for help. A taxi driver was nice enough to let me use his cellphone to call the school who was supposed to arrange my pick up. No one answered. Luckily, I had my host family’s number stored because I tried calling them the other day after the earthquake hit. He called them, and we arranged for a taxi to take me there.

This is where the fun begins. These people drive just as crazy as I do! Turn signals, blind spots, speed limits? Get real. Never in my life have I gone in reverse on a highway going 65 miles per hour – until now. My jaw was unhinged, when I looked at him, he just gave me thumbs up. All I do could was laugh and say a quick prayer. To experience this, I want you to put your car in reverse and lay on the gas while driving on K-7. It will change your life. I had read that the people of Costa Rica were aggressive drivers, but they truly have won the cake in comparison to DC and NYC drivers. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in Costa Rica.

My host family is fantastic. Letty and Juan have been doing this for nearly 20 years and have hosted students of many backgrounds. She is a dentist, while he is an engineer. They know more English then they let on, only because they truly want us to learn the language. I appreciate that. We have breakfast and dinner together every day. Breakfast consist of fresh fruit, homemade bread, omelets, and fruit juice. All of this is fresh and made daily. Letty literally peels and cores a pineapple every day and makes fresh juice. It is by far the best thing I've ever had, and you can't beat waking up to the smell of freshly baked bread.

These first 24 hours have been amazing. I know this is typical of the 4 stages in culture shock; excitement, withdrawal, adjustment, and enthusiasm, but I'm just gonna take it as it comes and goes. I'm going to the school tomorrow to meet with the travel agency and learn about a couple weekend excursions; maybe my next post will be from Panama! I miss you all already and appreciate your love and prayer from afar!

Besos!