2-weeks gone

This weekend marked the half way mark of my rotation in Costa Rica. I felt both happy that I have made it this far, but also a wave of home sickness has come upon me. During my other trips that lasted more than one week, I often felt homesick after only 9 days. This trip is much longer than 9 days, but it is extremely busy. You really never have any free time to yourself. There is always something to be done whether its spanish homework, working on charlas for la Carpio, MBA homework, trying to talk to needy family members at home, taking a 30 minute bus ride to your pharmacy, and rushing to get lunch during break. There is not a wasted minute in the day and by the time you go to bed you just don't want to think anymore. So naturally this is my only time I'm able to call and talk to my husband. He gets off so late from work and I just want to go to bed, but I miss my husband so I stay up a little later to talk.

At two weeks I notice that I have begun to think of things I miss from home. I miss my cats and dog more than anything. I miss sitting on my couch with the heat turned on, under two fleece blankets, and two cats sitting on my lap watching HGTV (who knew it could be so chilly in San Isidro at night). Steven says he misses driving most, but I like the simplicity of walking almost everywhere. It only becomes annoying when I really want to go to the mall or some other place and I realize a taxi will be expensive, the bus stop is not really that close, and I need a second buddy to go with me. Let's see...other things I miss

• my own comfortable bed and pillow
• drug names that I recognize (there are some off the wall medication names in my pharmacy)
• diet coke (it's expensive here)
• green beans (I've had my fill of black beans and rice)
• my closet
• my full length mirror (so I know what my outfit looks like)
• my wide selection of shoes
• wifi 
• real ketchup
• I miss being alone (in the united states I had so much time alone, quiet & peaceful, but not here)
• salad
• sanwhiches from Panera
• real cheese (like cheddar or swiss-the cheese here is just strange)

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining about my experience thus far, these are just things that I miss. There are several aspects that I love about Costa Rica including the people, the fresh fruit, the amazing weather, and of course the spectacular beauty of the country. I have three more weeks in Costa Rica and I will be sad to see them fly by. My best recommendation to keep your mind off home is to have something to look forward to each weekend. For example, the last two weekends I have had trips to Manuel Antonio and Arenal. I have no trip planned for this weekend except for a possible day trip to volcan Poas. Currently, all I can think about is when my husband will get here and will he be able to find his way to San Isidro? Will he have time to meet mi familia tica? It really exciting to have the opportunity to show someone what you've been doing for month in another country. I have not previously had that opportunity and I look forward to it now. I saw amazing things on my trips to Europe and Belize, but I feel like I could never express the importance of my experience through pictures or words. I'm looking forward to my next two weeks in San Isidro and hope that they do not go by too fast.

 ELEC

Frutas y Veduras

 la inglesia de San Isidro