Take Me To Post Comment Form Time has been flying. I’ve been putting off this blog and the next one because they will most likely be my last two, which means that my time here is almost over. Mixed emotions.

Two weekends ago was my last weekend in my host home. It was a blast. Friday after class, Julie and I went to their house. We hung out, laughed, talked- all the usual things. Saturday morning, we got up early and loaded up the car for a full day at the Ciencias Politicas de Costa Rica (CPCR) which is the science campus of the Costa Rican university. We took a picnic and hung out at the pools. We grilled out and hung out in the grass. It reminded me of a full day at Lake Burton or Lake Lanier. It was so much fun. Saturday, Saprisa (one of the local soccer teams) won the championship. San Jose was a crazy place that night. Mariela came back to the villa with Julie and I. We all stayed in my room because I didn’t have any roommates that night. It was a really great time to cut up and be girls. Sunday we went to church and then went out to lunch with the guys from my youth group. They are certifiably insane, I’m convinced; but very entertaining. Sunday night we had a guest speaker named Tom Mahairas. He was incredible. He speaks fluent Greek so he had great insights into the Word of God.

Later on in the week, all of the GAP kids went out to the University and had a big kickball game. I got a double and my team’s winning run, but by total luck. After the game, my church group and I cleaned up and then went out to dinner. It was our last outing as a group altogether. We went to the Italian place that we went to our very first Sunday together. We even sat at the same table. It was sweet and so fun.

I’m completely done with school. I finished my classes last Friday and then took exams all this past week. I did really well on my Bible finals and haven’t heard back yet about Spanish. Hopefully I did equally as well.

Having exams was so weird. We’d start class at 8:30 like normal, but then we’d be done with everything by 10am or earlier. My roommates and I took advantage of that time to go out to breakfast as a room. One of the other days that I didn’t have much to do, I dyed one of the girl’s hair. We put in “hot hot pink” streaks all throughout her hair. It looked awesome.

This past Thursday I hung out with some of my friends here. Julie, Jake, Evan, and I went to this weird restaurant called “Pizza en Cono,” which literally means “Pizza in a Cone.” It was not my favorite, but the boys liked it. After that we went to the movie theater. We split up to see two different movies. They wanted to see a scary movie, and I am not about those at all, so we went to see Robin Hood. That was a great night.

This past Friday Julie’s parents arrived in Costa Rica. We all went to my host home for a graduation party. That was quite a party, haha. So many weird and random things happened.

Today is Sunday and it has been a weird day. After the service, they had a church-wide
lunch in the GAP students’ honor. It was such a sweet gesture. One of the boys from the youth group, Gabo, wrote my fellow “Gapeños” and me a very sweet letter telling us how much he’s grown to love us and how much he’s going to miss us. Julie, Evelyn, and I sang “I Can Only Imagine” this morning for church. I’m going to miss everyone from my church so much. This was probably the last time I’m ever going to see most of them. One of the women in the church came up to us and said, “See you in Heaven!” A very nice sentiment, but also very sad. I don’t want to wait until we’re all dead to see them again. I hope God has it in His plan for me to come back to this place and see them again soon.
My parents are flying in tomorrow afternoon with our good friends, Ron and Pat Bishop. I’m excited to see them! This next week will be a time for me to show them what every day life is like for me here and to share a little of what I’ve learned. Friday is my graduation and then Saturday I come home.

I’m excited for both of the previously mentioned events, but also a little depressed about them. Something I have to keep reminding myself of is that God allowed me to have this season of my life in Costa Rica, making new friends, learning different things, and experiencing another culture, in order to use them in the next season He has for me. That next season is Samford in Birmingham, Alabama. I don’t know what God is going to do through me there, but I know that it’s going to be awesome because He has changed me so much here.

“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.”
Psalm 56:4