I'm going to be real with you for a second--I really threw myself a huge pity party today. I'm not kidding, either. I laid in bed all day with the curtains drawn and lights out watching random movies on Netflix and eating peanut butter straight from the jar, only coming out of my room to eat meals with my family. Why? Because I feel a little bit isolated here. For one thing I'm the furthest south out of everyone in my program, at least an hour away from all the other participants. For another, I can still hardly understand anything. I'm a lot better than when I got here--I mean a lot--but I'm not where I expected to be after three weeks. I have myself to blame for that, I'm not putting in enough effort. It's much too easy to tune everyone out when you can't understand them. I was told that everyone went through a honeymoon period with Costa Rica, but I just haven't experienced that feeling yet. These feelings are also hard for me to admit because I've worked so hard to get here and I want to enjoy it and I want everyone to think I'm enjoying it.
So I'm screeching this pity party to halt. I'm changing things. We'll see how well I stick to it, but I've resolved to stay off of youtube, netlfix and tumblr from now on. It's just too much English! I'll also be listening only to Spanish music from now on. I'm going to try and read one of my host family's books rather than sulk in my room from now on too. It'll be a slow process but it will be better than watching Netflix all day! If I do need a break then I can watch Spanish television in my room. So other than my communication back home and Facebook, I'm going Spanish!
Don't worry, I haven't been sulking all week. I've gone out with my friends, taken some cool pictures and videos of the rain, and visited the restaurant to help a little! Going out with my friends and going to their house made me realize how much of a maze my town is and how little of it I've seen. And I loved going to the restaurant because free food! Woohoo! My host sister saw all of my pictures I've been uploading on facebook and proceeded to show it to the whole family while I sat there being self conscious. But they loved them! They want me to take pictures of their restaurant and the new business they're opening to sell their meat, fish, and fruit.
Proof that I actually have friends ;)
This beautiful guy got stuck in our shade
So we caught him
he was stuck for about four hours
