Picking Coffee

So I will never complain about an expensive cup of coffee again, nor should you. This last Wednesday I went out with my father and sister to pick coffee. I fell into some holes, hit myself with numerous branches, and ended up with an ankle full of gnat bites. All for a total of 250 colones (about 50 cents) worth of coffee. This was about 7lbs of raw coffee. I was out there for only an hour and a half, but I think as a regular coffee drinker and as someone who has worked in various coffee shops its important to know what exactly goes into that delicious latte or mocha that you are drinking or serving. Coffee season goes from late October until December. I'm not sure if I'll be going back out into the field, but I'll sure apperciate my cafecitos in the tarde a whole lot more.

In other news, I'm on the HIV/AIDS safer sex practices committee (we're shortening it to the safe sex committee). December 1st is World AIDS day, and I am going to be making 500ish red ribbons for the volunteers to wear and hand out in their communities. I'm also going to be working on more talleres for the PCVs at AVC (All Volunteer Conference) and for school presentations. Wish me suerte!

Vacation Time

So, some of you might have noticed that I've been on the internet at strange times and well a lot more this week. Thats because I'm vacationing down in Uvita. Uvita is beautiful. It is small and quiet, but has an amazing beach. I know, I know, you're all thinking wait Costa Rica isn't vacation enough?! Well my life here has been pretty amazing, its true, but every job has it stressful moments and slowly but surely my life is getting filled to the brim with stuff to do. 2 different English classes, Monday-Thursday, my Association meetings and the upcoming general assembly (which we still haven't planned for, but I mean plans never actually work down here anyways), I just got news that I'm on the HIV/AIDS safe sex committee which means more meetings and a chance to get out to new communities and show off all my Spanish skills, and of course there's coffee season. Coffee season means, that after my fingers heal from shelling corn all day, I'll be going out into the field (with my machete for the snakes, of course), and helping my father or one of my other family members pick coffee. I can't wait... it will also make going home for Christmas all the sweeter.

A Little Update

Just a little update on my life here in Costa Rica. I've officially started my Adult English classes, which means I'm teaching English 4 days a week now. The class has about 19 students in it, from intermediate speakers to people who have never really been exposed to English at all. This poses challenges such as how to keep one group engaged while not going too fast for the others, and trying to give each student the necessary one on one time that they all deserve. I know all this will come with time as I get more accustom to my students and to the lessons.

I've also gone on a few adventures. I had my first Tico camping experience here. S'mores made with Chiky's (my favorite chocolate on the bottom cookie, kinda like the Kebler cookie with the hole in the middle) were delicious and the pollo asado, grilled chicken, that we made.

There will be more on this when I get a chance to come back to the internet, but for now I wish you all the best, and can't wait to see you Christmas (did I mention that you can see my pretty face during Navidad?) Well Pura Vida!