Good morning!

Ms. Linda, I apologize for my Spanglish. I will try to stick to English from here on out.

Last night Cayman ended up staying on campus with me because it got really dark really fast and she had this fiesta that was at some casita that she'd never been to. So I had someone to sit with at dinner. Yay for friends.

We woke up early this morning to go milk the cows with Geovanny's papa. He's so cute. We got up at 5:20 because last time we just missed the milking when we got there at 6:08. But when we got there at 5:30, he wasn't even there yet. So we went and got some rubber boots and came back. He was just putting the saddle on his horse and when I asked if we could help he was like yeah, but it'll be about 15 minutes. I don't start til 6. Whatever better early than missing it entirely. So we hung around the stables until he came back with the cows. There were two big ones and a teenage one. While he was getting the black and white one ready for milking, I petted the brown teenage one. Too bad it turned out to be a punk. I stopped petting it for like a second to turn around and say something to Cayman and it butted me with its head in my stomach. So I kind of kept petting it to appease it but I stood as far away from it as possible. Then I escaped and stood really close to Geovanny's dad. He had just finished cleaning up the udders and tying the tail in this rope hanging from the ceiling, and once he got the udders going he offered me the stool. So I took a seat and started yanking. Udders are gross and weird. Geovanny's dad said I was good, though. I mean I had it going with both hands for a little bit and was going at a pretty good pace, but my hands got really tired really fast. Cayman sat on the other side and it took us so long to get like a quarter of the bucket full. Then Geovanny's dad helped us out. He is ridiculously fast. The worst part was when I accidently squirted the hot milk on my hand. Ew. Geovanny's dad explained that if you don't get all of the milk out, it will turn into cheese and will mess up everything. So he like full-on massaged the udders to make sure it was all out. When we thanked him after the first one, he was like you don't want to stay for another? And I told him my hands were really tired and he laughed at me. I like him.

Then I took a shower in the public showers because they told us that the public showers have hot water. LIES! It was ICE cold.

It's time to Dean it up.

chadios.

peace love and udders.

que pasa?

This morning I got up early to go spend some quality time with mis bebes. I think when I get back to Athens I am going to buy myself 100 chicks because they make me so happy. But then when they get to be about 3 weeks old I won't want them anymore. I will just trade them in for 100 new chicks. Problem solved.

When I came back inside, Marielos was just finishing up making breakfast. This morning we had gallo-pinto con salsa lizano, plantains, and that wonderful coffee. Her plantains are so greasy and delicious. I had like 5. I figured I would need the extra calories to make it to school. We had some more good convo over breakfast. Olivier is hysterical. I like that I know when to laugh at his jokes. It makes me feel good about my life. After breakfast I packed up my bag and told them hasta manana because they are going to San Jose tonight for the doctor's appointment in the morning. And so my journey began.

I made it all the way up the hill without stopping for a breather today. Go me.

I did not make it all the way up the hill without panting and sweating. Cayman, Abby, and Tess were all making fun of me when I got to the student union. They think they're funny. They're not.

When I was on the last stretch of road, this guy stopped his car and asked if I wanted a ride. So I got in. As I shut the car door, I realized wow, this is probably a really bad idea. Then I kind of started panicking, but I didn't want the guy to notice so I went ahead and carried on conversation with him. He asked who my homestay family was, and when I told him he said they were his friends. Good sign. I was like frantically looking around the car for the UGA emblem in hopes that he worked on the campus or something. No such luck. When we got to the very first entrance of campus, I was like okay this is good! And he was like oh okay I was going to take you to the main entrance, but he stopped. I sighed a great sigh of relief. He had told me his name was Olivier, so all day I was asking people around campus if they knew who he was. No one knows who he is. But, hey, I'm alive, right? Sorry, parents. Hope this doesn't frighten you too much.

Classes went well today. I got a 92 on my Spanish quiz. Go me.

The staff kept the basket of snacks full all day. Go them. It was zucchini bread again, and I had 3 pieces. Don't judge me.

Still can't make a bed.

I just realized that I have been wearing the same pair of socks for two days. Possibly three.

Oh my gosh last night when I was in that spot just before sleep, a moth flew right into my fleece. I freaked. It was disgusting. I caught it by awkwardly contorting my arm behind my back, then I just set it free. Which was dumb because then I was just paranoid it was going to happen again so I pulled the collar of my fleece tight around my neck and slept with the covers pulled up over my head again. I need that netting thing that you put over beds. Add that to my list of things to buy. And also peanut butter.

This afternoon we had computer lesson orientation with Sarah and then we walked over to the library, which is our project. Someone has already cleaned it up, so all we have to do is catalog and shelve the books, and then organize a community-wide event to let everyone know that the library is re-opened. It's a teensy library, so it won't be hard.

I'm glad I'm staying on campus tonight because I have so much homework. Ugh. I guess I should probably get started with that or something..

peace love and twinkies and chin bumps (so much love for meems. so much.)

I am obsessed with my new fam.

The walk to school this morning kicked my butt. At the end of the driveway, I looked at the road ahead of me and all I could see was uphill. I was panting within 5 minutes, sweating within 10. I literally had to stop and take a breather halfway up the freaking hill. I am a sorry, sorry excuse for a human being. It took me 30 minutes to get to campus, and another half hour to regulate my breathing and to stop sweating. Writing this for all to read really makes me feel sad about my life.

Oh another thing that made me feel sad about my life was my discovery that I can't make a bed. I thought it would be nice for me to have my bed all made up, but it just looked a hot mess. I guess that's what happens when your mother never makes you make your bed.

On a less pathetic note, I did not get lost. Woo woo!

Classes went well today. I got back my first paper in Environmental Sociology (A-) and my first composition in Spanish (100%). Go me.

I had English lessons with Jennifer and Susan today. I wrote up my very first lesson plan for it. We went over food, so I had a whole set-up with play food that Sarah 2 randomly had in her office and with stuff Geovanny stole for me from the kitchen. Jennifer brought in a recipe for watermelon rice pudding. It sounds delicious. It also sounds like it may get you drunk. Susan's recipe was for pizza with tomatoes, ham, and cheese. I was starving by the end of the hour, and the comedor was out of snacks! What? Don't they know that we estudiantes depend on those snacks to get us through our day? You can't just take something like that away. you just can't.

Well technically they had snacks today. We just ate all of the zucchini bread before lunch was over. But whatever. They should replenish.

After lessons, Tess and I walked back to mi casa because I am on the way to Tess's house (um, yes, Tess's walk is longer than mine. By about 15 minutes. And no she did not complain. It should come as no surprise that I tend to be a tad dramatic.). Tess wanted to come meet my awesome madre, but no one was at mi casa. I let myself in with the hidden key and Tess was like why don't you come over to my house and meet my mom? I wasn't too keen on walking more in the rain and then walking back home in the dark and in the rain, but food was promised to me so of course I caved. So 20 minutes down the road with more hills, we finally arrived at Tess's house. When we got there, her madre was fixing dinner, so I excused myself 10 minutes later when she went to serve dinner so that I could get back to mi familia. I made the trek back in the anticipated dark and rain only to find that my house was still empty. I could have sworn that my momma told me this morning that she had a doctor's appointment on Thursday morning so no one would be home on Wednesday night, but maybe I had misunderstood?? I called Tess's house to explain what was going on and to get the number to the campus. The campus number was busy, so I called Tess back and she said her madre said I could stay there. So I packed my bag and made my way back over to their house in the pitch black and stupid rain. Tess's mom fed me like I was pregnant with twins, and I ate what I could. Then came cookies and helado. Delicious coffee helado with nuts. Oh baby.

Tess's madre called up Lindsay to explain what was going on, and Lindsay was just as confused as I was because she had spoken with Marielos earlier that day about the doctor's appointment that she also thought was on Thursday. That made me feel less dumb. Then Marielos called. She and Olivier were at the casa. They had run to town to buy a few things and forgot to leave me a note. So Olivier came and picked me up in his car and I told him my lengthy story about my afternoon. I was pumped that I could articulate everything that had happened. Then when we got back to the house Marielos had me close my eyes and she led me inside saying she had a surprise for me. When I opened my eyes, I saw that mis bebes had arrived! One hundred baby chicks. I love all of them. I only had like 15 minutes with them before Olivier took them out to their little heat lamp casa. But they are freaking precious and I want to steal one. Or three. I'm going to get up at 6:30 tomorrow morning with Marielos so I can go feed them. Then I will just hang out before classes.

Tonight it was just me and mis padres because the boys are already at their grandparents house for the doctor's appointment. It was so great. We just had this wonderful conversation about all sorts of random things. We talked about drinking and soccer and what makes their marriage work as well as it does. I wish I could speak Spanish as well as I can understand it, but I manage. I told them I think that I have the best homestay family. I totally do.

I'm really looking forward to coffee in the morning. Mi familia has the best coffee ever. No lie. It's grown right around here and is totally organic and natural and amazing. I told Marielos about how I drank like 5 cups a day last week and so I'm trying to cut back and now it's a running joke. I have a running joke. In Spanish. How cool is that? So cool.

Oh and also today Marielos called me su hija. Ah!

I do have one problem with my homestay: flying bugs on steroids. I stay up later than the rest of the fam so my light is the last one on. There are no tops on the walls so every bug in the house gravitates to my beacon. I killed three of satan's spawns with my poetry book last night, and then just went to bed with my covers pulled up over my head. Not before I searched my bed, mind you. No cigarette burns on my lips, so my efforts were not in vain. I have yet to kill any sizable ones tonight, but I am not opposed to using force if given reason to. Obviously.

Missy has pretty much stayed away from me, but she did push open my door a minute ago, which freaked me out. The door is locked now. I really just do not understand the appeal with cats. Ew.

Oh and also my biological mother is out of the doghouse in case anyone was wondering.

ciao.

peace love and mis bebes.

So far so good. I got to my homestay at 4 this afternoon and I was kind of freaking out. On the ride over I quizzed Lindsay on the names of all my family members and asked what the heck I was supposed to do in the 2 hours before we ate dinner. Fortunately for Lindsay, I was the first to be dropped off in our truckload of estudiantes so I only had time for a few stupid questions. She hopped out of the truck, said hey to Marta  and Marielos, then got back in the truck and peaced out. Marta was on her way out when I got there because she has classes tomorrow morning at university. So she and Olivier, mi tico padre, left and it was just Marielos and I for the afternoon. It was surprisingly not awkward at all. We talked for the first hour and a half straight. Like legit conversation. She understood all of my broken Spanish and even some of my misplaced French, and I understood most all of what she was saying. I think that I am going to love being here. Marielos is a fabulous cook and says she will teach me how to cook some things. She mentioned tortillas.. She also told me she will teach me how to dance because she LOVES to dance. She also does a lot of embroidery and painting and jewelry-making, and is really good at all of it. She has two birds that she loves. They are named El and Ella (he and she). At some point in our conversation, she took me to the backyard to see their chickens. They sell chickens to the community. They have like 500 out there. It's crazy. There are different sections for each age group in the shed. There's a little room with a heat lamp for the babies (which are currently mia), then four caged-in areas: one for two weeks old, one for three weeks old, one for four weeks old, and one for the ones ripe for the pickin. Marielos let me help feed them. I didn't want to feed the oldest ones because they are psychotic and violent, but I fed the two-week old babies. They're cute. Marielos picked one up for me to hold while she went and got their water. Then she explained the process of preparing the pollo for sale. They have three plastic milk jug-looking things stapled upside-down on the fence with the bottoms and necks cut out, and she explained to me that you shove the chicken in there face-first so you can chop their heads off. Bah! Then they stick the headless chickens in a vat of boiling water to loosen the feathers slash make sure they're good and dead. Then they pluck all the feathers off and clean it up. It's a whole family affair and they do this every Saturday. Unfortunately for me, I am not around on Saturdays, but Marielos said we might can do it during the week this week because she has a woman wanting to buy some on Thursday. Woo woo!

So I think I might have fleas. Mi familia has two dogs and a cat. I didn't touch the cat because cats are gross, but I did play with the dogs a bunch. The cat's name is Missy and the dogs are Sassy and Boni (like bonita). The dogs are adorable, but there's going to be hell to pay if I have freaking fleas.

Olivier's dad came around at one point. He was there to get las drogas from Marielos (nothing sketchy, it was packaged medicine). I tried talking to him but could not understand a word he said for the life of me. He spoke really quietly and barely moved his lips like his teeth would fall out if he opened is mouth too wide. He didn't stay long, but he lives just down the road so I'm sure I'll see mi abuelo again soon.

Marielos showed me some pictures of the fam and what her future house is going to look like, and I showed her pictures of my family. She couldn't get over how young and beautiful my momma is :) Oh, and they have a picture on the wall of the three kids and two of the guys I danced with at Bar Amigo! Marielos said Leo is her bff. It's a very small community, getting smaller each and every day.

My brothers came home a little after 6 from collegio. Kevin is 18 and Kaylor is 13. Yeah definitely a boy.. oops. When they came in we did the kiss thing. I love the kiss thing. They were both really nice to me but we didn't talk all that much. Olivier came home shortly thereafter. I know that this family has had so many students pass through, but I totally felt like I made them feel awkward at dinner. I don't know why, but no one was really talking. And as much as I enjoyed my convo with Marielos, I was not about to lead a dinner conversation. I was kind of worn out. But, whatever, dinner was delicious. Rice, beans, salad with lots of tomatoes, and plantains. And salsa lizano, mi favorito. We drank this disgusting thing that was like water with this weird dairy-esque powder stirred in. Ew. I hope no one saw the faces I was making each time I swallowed. They didn't offer me anything else and that's what everyone else was drinking, plus Marielos said it's good for the stomach, so I just suffered through it. Tomorrow night I may have to go back to my new love, though: tico tap water. After dinner we watched a little TV before I excused myself to go study. Which is what I should be doing now. Ugh. Dean, why all the reading?!

Tomorrow morning I will be making my first walk to campus. By myself. I know I am going to get lost. It doesn't matter how simple the walk is, it is a thirty-minute walk involving more than one road. Thank you, Gunters, for my fabulous sense of direction.

Wish me luck. I will most definitely be needing it.

hasta manana.

peace love and the kiss thing.

buenos tardes, muchachos.

Katie Yang has suggested that I write too much about myself and not enough about mis amigas. So here's an update on my peeps:

Cayman dropped creative writing today because she was taking more classes than the rest of us were and it was crazy stressful for her. So she discovered a downfall of the small classes: the awkward situation that presents itself when you have to go up to your teacher and tell him that his class of three is now a class of two, and then have lunch with him an hour later. Yikes. But she already seems happier so yay for her. Our homestays start today, and the advice she received was if the oldest son, Ronald, tries to molest her, kick him. So that's exciting. Also she posted pictures on facebook. It took her like 2 hours to upload an album so you should check it out.

This morning Abby woke to find her clothes under siege. An entire colony of ants made their way into her laundry bag last night and literally ate her clothes. I am talking full-on holes. Shirts, pants, sports bras, you name it. Eaten. She is our volunteer superstar, of course. She has taken on more projects than anyone else combined I think. We won't be roomies for the next two weeks, which is sad. I will miss waking up to her beautiful shining face. And I'm sure she will miss me keeping her up at night with my coughing fits.

Tess thinks she has the flu. She gets nauseated whenever she tries to eat anything and is tired all the time. Poor Tess. She even skipped out on our waterfall adventure. I love her just the same, though.

Ann is super stressed out about starting homestays in addition to everything we already have going on, but she will be fine. She's so sweet.

Tia is crazy as ever. I love her very much. I think she has been included in my blog a fair amount lately so that is all. She's awesome.

This morning I woke up and FREAKED because I had a bug bite on my lip. Bad news. My first thought was the kissing bug, which Zack talked to us about at the butterfly garden. If it had been the kissing bug, though, it would have looked like a fat cigarette burn and would have killed me in 30 years.

Okay I am leaving for my homestay now. Wish me luck!!