Costa Rica: The Quarter Report

     So we (really just I) have made it through the first 4 of my 16 weeks in Costa Rica! "Made it through" really isn't an adequate description to assess how things have gone so far. A month ago, there was a lot of excitement, but it was certainly checkered with a lot of unknowns. I was going to a country I had never visited to study with classmates I had never met and live with a family I had never seen who spoke a language I had never spoken for any meaningful period of time. I wouldn't say that I doubted my ability or even that I doubted how I would acclimate to any of those challenges individually. I will admit, however, that facing all those factors simultaneously was a bit daunting.

      Four weeks later, I can say that this experience has toped all of my expectations and I feel I've really grown a lot in just this short period of time. Most of all, I feel a sense of peace and comfort here that I didn't expect. There are severals factors that have helped me attain this equanimity. First and foremost, my faith has been the key element of my life here. I won't speak at length about it in this post, since the majority of this blog is a chronicle of my faith journey. That said, having that correct ordering of priorities in life has been such a blessing. I think I was able to travel here without the weight of other's expectations of me. I was given a clean slate here in Costa Rica, and I have utilized it to try and live the more of the life I have always known I am capable of living yet never felt able to actually put into practice.

     Secondly, the other students on this program have been some of the best companions for this experience that I could have imagined. I've been able to forge close friendships with a few already. I know that may sound like an overstatement given the brevity of our time together, but sometimes you can just sense that certain people are going to have a good rapport with you. At risk of offending all those wonderful compañeros who I do not mention by name (I tolerate you all! .... mas o menos...), I shall give three special "shout outs":

• First, there's Colin. He has taught me more about Kalamazoo College, a small school ironically situated in the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan (which I knew only as the birthplace of Derek Jeter!), than I ever dreamt possible. But all the "K"-nowledge is the least of why I am mentioning him. He's also a Christian who has been rediscovering his faith on this trip, something I can relate well too. Our Thursday morning coffee dates have produced some of the better conversations I've had the pleasure of engaging in on this trip. He usually wears a smile, and that's a challenge sometimes during our long school days. His joy is contagious and challenges me to be a more positive person.

• Next is Jill. Jill is many things. She's environmentally conscious, picking up plastic bottles and carrying them the duration of a 15-minute walk to properly place them into a recycling receptacle. She's extremely healthy, eating more carrots than Bugs Bunny and yet somehow managing to exercise enough to burn the copious amount of calories she consumes therein. She's got a great sense of humor! Whereas my sarcasm is usually apparent, her humor flies under the radar and sneaks up when you least expect it. But what I find most respectable about Jill is her sincerity. An air of genuineness permeates everything she does and says in a way I have never witnessed elsewhere. She asks questions that are so straightforward yet insightful that I have to pause and think in order to give an answer that matches the quality of the inquiry. I feel like I am a better person for just having met her, and I hope our friendship only grows as the semester continues!

• Last, but certainly not least, is Peter, who was gravely scorned by yesterday's blog post being titled, "On Peter", yet containing no reference to him. Therefore, his "shout out" merits special consideration given the emotional distress to which I subjected him. So where do I begin? I'm fairly certain he and I are kindred spirits. I'm pretty sure our friendship on this trip began due to our similar comedic style, which I'll term observation sarcasm. Once we got to talking, however, I found that we also shared much more. Behind the silliness and jokes, there lies a very perceptive and shrewd thinker. We have very similar concepts of how one ought to live a good life and what is important in terms of values. We both hold community service in high esteem, and don't like when people are disingenuous and hypocritical. He likes to think for himself and does not do things for arbitrary reasons. My comfort level with him is something I've only shared with a few of my best friends. I feel I as though I can share anything with him and not be afraid of being judged or having my trust breached. His friendship is invaluable to me on this trip and, hopefully, will be beyond it as well.

     If it seems unlikely that I could have formed these three friendships in a mere four weeks, then I agree with you. I never expected to make such strong connections with people I had never met. When I look back on the numerous choices I had regarding where, when and even if to study abroad, I cannot explain my finding my way here by any other means short of God's grace. Last year, someone told me, "The will of God won't ever lead you where the grace of God can't keep you." That expression has taken on new meaning for me this past month. I have no doubt I am here for a reason and to fulfill a purpose. I signed up for this program because of classes on human rights, but I have learned more about humanity from the people I am surrounded by than I could ever learn from a textbook.