Day 93.

Update Time.

-Tuesday there was a strike on the way to Carpio....long story short I had to get out of the bus, walk a kilometer or so, and then luckily some friends found me and I hitched a ride with them in Carpio that way. The strike was put on by the teachers and bus drivers, two groups of people who have not received the protection they need. Last week a bus driver was shot five times and another was attacked this week as well.
-Three hours after I was riding in my friend's truck bed through dirt and dust, I was at at a very high-end mall with some friends for lunch where I spent half an hour playing in an Apple Store on the MacBook Pro I want to get next summer. Yup.
-Test results came back. No one passed math. I have my work cut out for me this semester.
-One girl thought she had passed all three, but when she got her results, it turned out she had only passed one. She told us, "It didn't hurt when my mom beat me. It hurt when I looked at my dad's face."
-I bought and ate an apple with a Washington sticker on it. Delish.
-Today I hiked with Lauren, Alanna, Tom, Jeffry (a friend from Carpio -- he's the boy I have my arm around in my grad announcement for any of you who have those), and Gustavo, the director of New Horizons. I had heard little about the hike, except that at the top was a giant cross and a breath-taking view. We started at 8:30 in Escazu. Six hours later we had climbed up and down three different mountains, crossed two rivers, and ended up in Alajuelita covered in bug bites, mud, and blood. It was one of the best days yet.
-Tomorrow for SURE will be one of my best days here....it's the day my family comes! Twenty-four hours from now I will be laughing with them, introducing them to my tico family, and seeing my two worlds meet. I can't wait. :)

--Hannah

Day 90.

Today, I...

...saw an apple store in the mall! Okay, that actually happened yesterday, and the store was teeny tiny, but it still made me grin.

...missed old hopes.

...realized I am going to miss speaking Spanish all the time.

...learned that this exists in Chicago: http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants/ice_cream_frozen_yogurt/cookie-dough-creations-naperville/422629/content

...smiled when a girl from the World Race (an AMAZING program where groups travel the world together, spending one month in twelve different countries, serving God and making friends along the way -- http://www.theworldrace.org/) came back from shopping with a ukulele! That made my day.

--Hannah

Day 88 (by now 89?)

Check it.



--Hannah

Day 87.

Today, I...

...saw God in Carmen's home as we crammed 17 people in a tiny living room to watch Blood Diamond. So much love in such a tight space.

...missed renting a movie and knowing that there wouldn't be any pixels/blurs/people getting up and walking in front of the tripod in the movie theater.

...realized I am going to miss my host sister when she moves out in February (that's when she gets married).

...learned what a 5.9 earthquake feels like.

...smiled as I ate another meal that I can remember hating as a child, only to realize that I absolutely love it now. Guess I'm growing up after all.

--Hannah

PS Henry turned 12 yesterday! :D

PPS My cousin Kit got married tonight! Congrats to him and Chelsea (who I know call a cousin-in-law...?)

PPPS I'm going to try something...