My brother Joseph was here for 2 months and he took a surf lesson when we went to Jaco Beach, he did pretty well.

While we were in Honduras we visited these caves. The end has yet to be discovered. It's amazing to think how long it's been forming.

Seth's cousin visited and her and her friends cooked dinner at out house. I just made the drinks but the meal was amazing, chicken fajitas with homemade tortillas and guacamole

One of my more creative pictures. Here are two of my tenth grade couples. They've since broken up but such is highschool life . . . believe me highschoolers are the same in Costa Rica as in the states.

During "Semana Santa" (Easter week, schools have off all week and everything else is closed from Wednesday noon through the weekend) we (me, my brother Joseph, and Seth another English teacher) went to Honduras to visit Rev. Ernie and Betsy Langendoen. I had a great time visiting with old friends. It was especially fun because my spanish is so much better and I could have deeper conversations with my friends. In the picture are Eva (on top) and Davina, two of the Langendoen's children.

In Costa Rica ninth graders receive a certificate of completion (it's not really na diploma.) So I got the "priverlage" of being one of the teachers to hand these out. I had to read FULL NAMES IN SPANISH. I probably butchered most of the names but at least they understood me well enough to know when I was saying their name! Instead of shaking hands we give the diploma, I say congratulations (in English, afterall I am their English teacher and then give them a kiss on the right cheek.

The Graduating Class of 2008

Strong 6.3 Richter Earthquake Hits Panama, Costa RicaNo casualties reported yet
PANAMA CITY -- A magnitude-6.3 earthquake was registered early Wednesday along the Panama-Costa Rica border, but there were no reports of casualties or serious damage.The Geosciences Institute at the University of Panama said on its Web site that the temblor occurred at 1:10 a.m. (0610 GMT).The epicenter of the quake was around 220 kilometers (137 miles) southeast of San Jose, Costa Rica, and 55 kilometers (34 miles) west-southwest of David, Panama's third-largest city, according to the U.S. Geological Service.A spokesman for Panama's Sinaproc civil defense agency told reporters here that his office had received no reports of deaths, injuries or significant damage. EFE

Earthquake!

6.2 quake strikes Costa Rica, Panama frontier
12 hours ago
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — A 6.2 earthquake has struck overnight on the frontier between Panama and Costa Rica, shaking people in their beds but causing no damage or injuries.
Costa Rica's earthquake observatory says the quake struck just after midnight Wednesday, about 15 miles (25 kms) deep. Its epicenter was 7 miles (12 kms) north of the Panamanian frontier town of Puerto Armuelles. Red Cross officials say the quake felt quite strong but said they had no information about damage.

Costume party

The 10th Graders organize a good-bye party for the graduating class every year. It was a costume party. I went as a cowgirl.

Daniel and I are the highschool English Teachers. He went as a rapper.

11th graders singing karokee.

Most of the 10th grade class with their homeroom teacher (on the ground.)

11th Graders

Busy Weekend

Reformation Service October 26, 2008

Clint Preaching in the rain

soccer after lunch

singing during the service

It started to rain a little during our service but thankfully not too much.

I've had a too busy weekend. Friday night was a "Good-bye party" for the 11th graders. Every year the 10th graders host a party for the 11th graders. 11th Grade is the last grade here. I spent Thursday night getting my costume together. Friday after school I helped my friend Lau (assistent to the secretary) get her costume together. Friday evening was the party. We ate carne asada (grilled meat). Saturday afternoon I went to another birthday party from two girls from church. We had carne asada. Saturday night I went to another birthday party of a friend and we had carne asada. Today Sunday we had a combined service in a park for Reformation Day. I have papers to grade, and homework to do from my Spanish class. I want to take a nap but instead I'm uploading photos because my card is full. Tonight a friend is going to help me with direct and indirect pronouns which I can't miss because they're killin' me. ;)

This Week

Hello Friends,

I thought I'd write a brief update about my week.
Sunday I got over to the Green's at 9 and ride in the church bus up to the church. We have Sunday school from 9:30 until 10:30. I "teach" the 2-3 year old classes. I have five kids in my class. We talk a short break and our service starts about 10:40. Usually the service ends about 12. After church I often go to the Greens for lunch after church. Sometimes I go home sometimes I stay there all day. At 5 we usually get together with a few people and play cards and eat dinner at the Greens.
Mondays we have staff devotions at 6:30. My first class is at 7 it is a double period elective English conversation class. I have classes until 1. I started taking a Spanish class a couple of weeks ago. On Monday afternoon-es until 11:30 and finish at 2:30 and then I tutor. On Fridays. I have class from 7-12:20 and then Spanish class in San Jose from 2-5.
A couple months ago the Lammaes moved here. Nick is working with CLIR. Rosie is scheduled to have a c-section tonight. I didn't have class today and right now I am babysitting for their two girls. I am going to be spending the night with them. It is pouring rain right now and has been all day. The girls are watching "Milo and Otis" for the first time. They are 4 & 5 years old and the perfect age to watch it. A was sitting on my lap crying because they got lost and then later running around the house yelling about the kittens and puppies.
That's my week, kind of. Usually on Saturdays I do my shopping and chores and try to do something fun too.

Dia de Independencia

Indepence Day

September 15 is Independence Day for Costa Rica and Central America. We have a 4 day weekend. We had no school Friday but had an assembly at school. It started at 5 and lasted an hour. This is the hour that the sunsets here and so when we began it was light and when we ended it was dark. In this photo: 2 Elementary School Teachers. Teachers wore red white or blue shirts with a panuelo (bandana) and jeans.

Abby and Amanda (Green's granddaughter) with their lanterns. Costa Rica became free from Spain in 1821. The celebaration usually begins the night before (the 14th) but we celebrated early this year since the 14th falls on a Sunday. The elementary students make or buy lanterns and bring them to school to be judged in different catagories. The lanterns represent the news of their Independence arriving in Costa Rica at night and being spread from country to country, provience to provience and city to city.

After the assembly the students take their lighted lantern and make a parade around the street.

After we came back and each class sold a different "typical" food. These eighth graders were selling warm churros con dulce de leche. (250 c. = aprox. 50 cents)

David and Goliath Play

We did a play of David and Goliath in English Conversation class and did it in Elementary and Primary chapel.
Israelites on left.

Narrators and Philistines on the Right.

Finally Another Post

Sorry its been so long!

I'm going to add some pictures.

Parque de Diversiones (http://www.parquediversiones.com/

A few weeks ago I went to an amusement park here in San Jose with Didier (social studies teacher), Laura (secretaries assistent at the highschool), and Jonathan (a Spanish student from Arizona who went to our church for 4 months.) A day pass costs aproximately $10. In this photo they are waiting for a spinny ride that I decided to skip. It was the day after a holiday and rained off and on so not very busy we went on somerides 3x in a row without waiting.

At the entrance to the roller coaster.

Part of the park is "Pueblo Antigua" a replica of old San Jose. They do shows during the day included typical dances like these.

El Torre, Laura and I went on this ride 4 times in row without waiting in line. We got off ran around and got back on. After 4 times I told her I couldn't do it any more. My heart was pounding and I was feeling so hyper because my adreneline was pounding.

A Few Links

These are links about the mission work in Costa Rica. Warning: some are pretty old reports.

• http://www.reformedmissions.org/index.html

• http://missionsurc.org/?q=node/2

• http://www.trinityurcwc.org/missions.html

My Birthday Party

to egg: to throw eggs at someone on their birthday

we both got egged for our birthday which was during the last week

Blowing out my birthday candle.

Smash. Thanks Sergio.



The first egg. I knew this was going to happen I did not know it was going to happpen at this moment.

Centro Educativo Cristiano Reformado

Elementary School Grandparents Day

The highschool students at parque nacional during a field trip.

Teaching 7th grade

Some pictures

We couldn't pass to playa escondido (hidden beach) because it was high tide (where the name comes from evidently but sitting here was great . . . until I fell coming out . . .

Just one of the monkeys at Manuel Antonio National Park

A casado pescado (typical lunch with fish) in Manuel Antonio.

snow cones made with powderd milk (which is much better here) and sweetened condenced milk on the top.