Celebrating 2 years in Costa Rica

Saturday marked two years of creating a life in Costa Rica.  While I don't have a huge post planned, I didn't want it to pass without acknowledging it.

We celebrated our two year anniversary by going to Uvita beach with the group we swore in with.  Our group started this adventure with us two years and 4 days ago.  We struggled to understand the customs and language of Costa Rica together.  We struggled with finding our purpose within our Peace Corps service together.  We relied on each other.  We asked each other's advice.  We visited.  We talked.  Cried.  We laughed a whole lot.  These people became our family.

First day in Costa Rica....babies

Old pros now

Before our trip to the beach we attended our Close of Service (COS) in San Jose.  What is a COS conference?  It is a conference to prepare to finish up projects in country and to help us navigate going back to the States.  We had sessions on reporting on final projects, reverse culture shock, medical options after Peace Corps, job options after Peace Corps, interviewing, and how to write a resume.  We also had a chance to share our experience with the staff through videos, sticky notes, and games.  

The post it notes behind us represent things we have done like how many students we have reached, how much gallo pinto we ate, and how many hours of conversation club we facilitated 

Attending this conference means that we are now in the process of returning to the States.  What a weird feeling that is!  We have labs, medical appointments, final interviews, Spanish test, signatures, three major paper reports, and good byes between us and going back to the States.

Check out our legacy video...this is a glimpse into our lives while serving in Costa Rica...watch here! (if the video below doesn't work)

The Hubs and I will be returning soon!  In April!  

Caring for your Volunteer

This post comes from almost two years of experience of living and serving abroad.  This post comes after talking to other Volunteers about what we wish those we left at home knew.

  We miss you.  Some days we don't want to get out of bed and face what the day might hold without our friends and family.  But sometimes we surprise ourselves and realize while we still miss everyone back "home" we also call here "home".  We learn we have two homes.

We try not to show you our dark days, our failed projects, or our frustrations.  But sometimes those slip out.  We need to be able to talk about those at times, but we have great days too!  Ask us about what went well that week, month, or day (however often you talk to us).  Ask us about what is our favorite thing, funniest thing, greatest achievement!  That helps us in many ways as well as connects you to Peace Corps and our host country.

Initiate the conversation.  Send the first text, facebook chat us first, or send a card/care package for no reason.  We love to be reminded that we are remembered even though daily life gets in the way here and there. We LOVE having something in our mailboxes!  There is something special about snail mail.

We try to do the same.  But sometimes mailing a card is expensive, our internet is finicky, or we have no money on our phones for a text.  But we try to bring you into our world.  We are missing so much by being here.  Graduations, babies, marriages, deaths, and knowing your daily life.  We want to be a part of that.

We carry you with us where ever we live.  We talk to other volunteers about you like they know you.  Our neighbors have seen your pictures.  Our students have sung you happy birthday.