Fútbol y Basket

Saturday was a freaking blast, but my body currently hates me-I'm sore as whoa. In the morning we had a Vida Joven soccer tournament. I played with the Capernaum leaders, and we played a total of 4 thirty minute games. We won a couple, lost a couple, but the ultimate compliment of the day was when all the people on the sidelines from the other team were yelling "marca de la gringa." (mark the gringa) That's me! Have I mentioned yet that it was so much fun?
Then after our games I hopped on a bus and went straight to the Lincoln girls basketball game. It was the final game of a tournament. We ended up getting second place, but they played really well. The team has improved so much this year. Proud of them! Here are some pics from the sports day.

My fav Costa Rican couple

Yesterday I got to hang out with my favorite Costa Rican married couple. Yes, I took a vote (in my head) and Stefán and Ale totally won! We went and had Dim Sum. Dim sum is the name for a Chinese cuisine which involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea...or at least that´s the Wikipedia definition for you all! And dang, that crap was goooood! It´s funny because Stefán and Ale always take me to places that involve chopsticks for some reason. I think they just enjoy watching me struggle...a lot. I have some work to do with my chopstick skills.


This picture of the day makes me laugh! I told them I wanted to take a picture of them, since they are my fav Costa Rican couple and all, and this is what I got. Don´t you just love them already?

Ohhhhh these!

Ok, so I walk past these manicans on the way home from basketball practice, and I literally laugh out loud every time I see them! They are outside this alterations place close to my house, and I'm guessing business is thriving. I mean...how could it not with manicans like these. Check it.

A picture a day!

So. I've decided to mix things up a little bit. Ok, so in order to create some frequency in my blog updates I've decided I am going to start posting a picture a day. Now now, I'm no photographer, so these pics aren't going to be life changing or anything, they are just to give you a glimpse or a "picture" (hehe haha) at my life here in San Jose. Plus, I only have 2 months left here so I thought this would be a good way to start some consistency with good ol' fancypantelones. Ya dig?
Ok, so here's what's gonna happen. Each day I will post one picture. They will be pics of people, places, and things. And if I'm feeling real crazy one day, perhaps maybe even a video. Who knows. Don't worry, I will for sure keep posting stories, because let's be honest, I'm sure there will still be a plethora to come, but on top of that, you will get some pics. It's kinda like an Almond Joy. You get the delicious coconut chocolate goodness, and then as a bonus you get the almond. Clearly, it's a win win situation. Alright. Here you go.


This is my favorite coffee shop in San Pedro. In college it felt like I was always at a coffee shop, and recently I´ve missed that time. So, I´ve been coming here more often. Yesterday, I enjoyed a nice coca light (in a bottle!) read for a while, and worked on my young life talk. All was well.

I also have a quick story while I'm at it. Last night we had YL club at a kids rancho. A rancho is pretty much just an outside covered area, which works perfectly for club. Well, this rancho was in a baller neighborhood and it was in the area by the pool, tennis courts, and playground area. There were a handful of people playing in the area, but no one was actually in the rancho except us yl people. John asked me to fill up some water ballons for a game we were going to be doing, so I walked into the men's restroom, because the women's was on the other side. The restroom was just a single toilet and a sink. I left the door open, and didn't think twice about it being weird that I was in the men's room, because no one else was really around in the rancho area. So, I´m filling up these balloons in the sink, and this kid, he was maybe 5, walks into the restroom (mind you the door was wide open) and starts talking to me in Spanish...real fast. Like really really fast, and his voice was kinda squeaky. I didn´t understand him, so I said ¨¿como?¨and he said something else.. in Spanish. I had no idea what the little buddy said, but I heard John laughing in the background, and then the kid just stormed off. I finished filling up the water balloons, and then walked out of the restroom when John goes, ¨do you know what he was saying to you?¨ I had no idea but I figured it was something about the water balloons. John just laughed and repeated what the kid said to me...in English. This is what he said, in his squeaky fast voice. ¨What are you doing in here? This is when I said ¨what?¨ and then he said with annoyance, ¨Whyyyy are you in here?¨ With no reply from me, he stormed off....and peed his pants. FOR REAL! Little buddy PEED his pants...all because I was filling up water balloons in the men's restroom.

Oh yeah, I have a blog to update!

So. It's been a while since I've updated the old blog-a-roo-ski. There has been so much goodness going on since my last posting. Young Life and Wyld Life stuff is cruisin' right along. It's hard to believe that I only have 2 months left in Costa Rica. The last couple months has been full with Lincoln generation camps! We (John, Kate, Boo, and I) got to go with the Boy With a Ball staff to the 11th, 10th, and 8th grade camps. Lots of relationships are forming with Lincoln kids, so that is a huge praise! We have Wyld Life camp at the end of this month, which is going to be beyond sweet! Ohhhh, and 3 of my friends came to visit which was just absolutely insane in the greatest way possible! I just got back to CR from the States last night. I was there for 2 weeks, one week in Kansas City and one week back home in Denver. My time back in the US was so wonderful! When I got back to my house last night no one was home. I had been home for about 30 minutes, when I heard my host sister, Lisa, unlocking the door(s). She was walking down the hall towards her room, and mine, excited to see her I opened my door and said "hey!" Her arms and legs went flailing, and she screamed SHIT really loud. Yeahhh, that just about made my life! :) Here are some highlights of my time back in los Estados Unidos...
-My Person's (best friend) wedding!! It was absolutely perfect. And...I caught the bouquet, so do what you will with that!-Patty Griffin concert at Liberty Hall. Life changing.-I got to spend my birthday with friends that I adore in Lawrence, Kansas! Bliss.-Went snowboarding with some of my favs!-My friend Krista and I had a combined birthday bash in Denver. Holy crap, it was F.U.N!-I got to be home with my family for Easter! I love them!
-And..I got to see so many of my sweet sweet friends!

Oh, so last night when my host mom got home she was telling me she had just came from una reunión...which leads me to a quick lil' story for you all!

A couple weeks ago at breakfast Luchi asked me if I was going to la reunión that night (vas a la reunión de esta noche?). I didn't know what the word reunión meant, which is funny now because when it's written out it's kinda obvious. But since I didn't know what the word meant I figured I probably wasn't going, so I said "no" and then proceeded to tell her I was going to Young Life club. Later that day while I was at the office, I asked John and Jessie what the word reunión means. They said, "Oh, it means meeting...or in our case, club." I giggled when I realized the convo Luchi and I had earlier that morning at breakfast. Pretty much this is how it went down...
Luchi: "Lisa, are you going to club tonight?"
Me: "No, I'm going to Young Life club tonight!"

BUT...now I know what the word reunión means. So, last night when Luchi told me she had just come from a reunión, I totally knew what she meant! So yes, my Spanish is coming along nicely, thank you for asking!

Postscript: Shout out to Laura Doyle who reminded me that I have a blog to update.
Laura Doyle via facebook wall post: "Lis, you need to update your blog! It hasn't been updated since Feb. 21st and I check it everyday! Get on it."
Thanks Laura!

Quote of the week

My friend Sofi...she's hilarious, and a lot of times she says really really funny things. That was the case on Friday night. Here's the sitch. We, Kate, Sofi, and I were all on our way to Wyldlife club. Club is in an area about 30 ish minutes away from where we live in a city called Escazú. Other then it having a really cool name which is fun to say, here's what you need to know about Escazú. It´s nice. Nice cars. Big houses. Lots of money. The wealthiest part of Costa Rica hands down. You also need to know that Sofi just got her license on Thursday. She's a good driver, I take that back, a great driver, and I feel totally comfortable with her driving! But... clearly driving a stick shift can present it's fair share of problems when you are a new-b. That happened to be the case that night. We were leaving a pizza place that we had dinner at, and as we were reversing in the tightly packed parking lot, Sofi got herself into a little pickle. She reversed, and then couldn't put it into the right gear (don´t ask me which one that is, I know nothing about driving stick shifts) without the car rolling backwards. We continually got closer and closer to the car behind us, which happened to be a nice new black Volvo SUV. Yes, those exist here. Sofi stopped to compose herself and then says ¨Guys. I mean...I can hit a car in San Pedro, but I CAN NOT hit a car in Escazú.¨ Oh man, I lost it. Well said Sof, well said! Kate gave her a little pep talk and in a matter of seconds we were on our way...and we didn't even hit a car...in Escazú...or San Pedro. WooHoo! Buen trabajo Sof, buen trabajo!

¿Cómo se dice resume en español?

Once again, my life here is a struggle...daily, due to my lack of Spanish knowledge of course. This morning at breakfast my host mom asked me if I had any plans for the day. She asks me this almost every day, and usually I can tell her I´m going up to school or to the Young Life office. And today I actually did have plans. Throughout the week I had been planning that Saturday would be the day that I would revise my resume and start looking/applying for teaching jobs. But when Luchi asked me if I had plans, clearly I didn´t know how to tell her all of that in Spanish, so I just thought it would be easier if I said no. So, that´s what I did. I said no. She then she told me she was going over to her sisters house. I thought I said, ¨Si, que bueno¨ at the appropriate time, but come to find out later I didn´t.

An hour later I was at the computer working on my resume, and she came and said...¨Lisa, vamos (let´s go)!¨I gave her the oh crap look. I realized that I had agreed to go with her. SHOOT! Plus, I wasn´t ready at all, and was totally in the zone and wanting to get my resume stuff done. I froze. I had no idea what to do. Well, I had an idea of what I wanted to do, I just had no idea how to do it. How do I tell Luchi that I want to come, but I had already planned on knocking out my resume, and I really need to be productive with applying for teaching jobs? Yeah, how do I say all of that in SPANISH???????? Resume...resumeo? Heck if I know. So....I called my trusty friend Boo, and told him the situataion, and then I gave my cell phone to Luchi, and Boo gave her the skinny. I felt like I was playing Who Wants to be a Millionare, and I used my Phone-A-Friend life line.

The end.