arrival & first day

2-12

So, February 12 finally came! I was so excited and nervous and happy. My flight out of Columbus sat on the runway for a really long time but then it eventually took off. It was actually a good thing (for me, not for the other people on the plane that missed their flights) that it took so long to get in the air because then I had less time in the Houston airport. Instead of a five hour layover, I had a three hour layover. The flight to Costa Rica was a little turbulent but overall it went well. However, there were these guys that were really loud and obnoxious at first, but then they settled down. I finally arrived in San Jose really late and arrived at the Pura Vida Missions "base" at about midnight and after briefly looking around, fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Today was a little overwhelming, I said goodbye to my family, traveled on 2 different planes, and entered a foreign country by myself. It was harder to say goodbye to my family than I anticipated, I mean, I knew it would be hard but there is a difference between knowing and feeling.

2-13

Waking up in a place other than your home is always interesting, but today was even more different because I really couldn't wait to just get up and explore. I really like Pura Vida missions- it kind of reminds me of a Costa Rican version of summer camp. This morning, I woke up and had a little time to myself before my mentor Gloria Hoover gave me a tour of the facility. I learned about the history of the place (fun fact- the building the Pura Vida is based in used to be a mushroom farm) and got to see where everything is. Then I sat down with Gloria and she kind of introduced me to the organization. It was also a chance for her to get to know me and she asked me a few questions about myself. Afterwards, Gloria, her husband Delynn, the three other volunteers that are there, and I had this kind of informal singing-praying worship time. It was really simple and an easy way to first interact with the other people there. Then I helped pick up Gloria's daughter so I could get off the base briefly. Gloria and Delynn's daughter is so cute. She is really outgoing and talkative. After we got back, we went to this property that PVM wants to buy so they can expand (they don't have enough space right now) and we had a intersessional prayer time. The property is up on the side of a mountain and it overlooks the whole central valley area and apparently on clear days you can see the Pacific ocean! It was so beautiful! everything about it was so amazing. I really love the mountains. Every time I am around them, they evoke a sense of awe is me.

Today was a good day but I really can't wait till tomorrow when I will go to Bella Flor, the woman who I will be staying with when I am not at PVM. It was an easy day and I am really looking forward to getting into the full swing of things.