Another New Fruit - Hannah

If you're ever in Costa Rica and see these, pick up a few.

I don't know what they're called, but to eat them you open the pod and suck the fruit off the seeds. They look a little like cotton ball-covered cockroaches, but they're actually quite sweet and fun to eat. (I'm sure I just sold you on that description, didn't I. I should totally be a food blogger.)

To Really Live - Hannah

My heart has been heavy for a friend who lost her battle with breast cancer last night. She was diagnosed last fall, and recently the cancer spread to her brain and then throughout her body. Since then, the doctors told her there was nothing more they could do, and her health declined rapidly. She left behind a husband, three young children, and much loved family and friends.

In addition, I have recently been listening to radio episodes of Enduring It Well on the Mormon Channel. In the program, the host interviews people who have been through difficult experiences and talks with them about how they have been able to endure. The experiences range from dealing with eating disorders to becoming paralyzed, to dealing with loved ones who have been incarcerated, to dealing with chronic disease or death of a loved one. Listening to these various accounts I am struck by one of the common threads--how much even small acts of service mean during difficult times.

One man spoke of a tragic plane accident he was in, and how even though most of the passengers were killed, he survived but with badly burned and broken legs. He spoke of his trip to the hospital, and of the woman who held his hand during the transit, and how much that meant to him.

Another woman spoke of the tremendous gratitude she felt for a young man who saw her son (who was in his early 20s), out walking late one night. Her son had Asperger's and was struggling with many issues, and this man took the time to talk with him.

These stories, along with the death of my friend, have caused me to reflect on my life, and what I value. I have such admiration for people who see a need, and in that moment, reach out. They don't serve to be seen, and they don't serve to feel good about themselves. They simply serve because it's the right thing to do. I want to be that kind of person, but so often I fall short.

A couple months ago when we were going on one of our excursions, I learned of a children's orphanage which was near one of our destinations. I thought it would be neat to visit and help out how we could. But after I contacted some people, I got the sense that many people (especially foreigners) wanted to come visit, but it was sometimes disruptive to the childrens' routines. Many people wanted to donate items, but they unknowingly donated more mosquito nets than they'd ever be able to use.

I also questioned my own motives. Is this something I wanted to do so I could blog about it? Is this something I could do so I would feel good about including a service project during our trip?

Ultimately, we ended up not going to the orphanage, partly because I wasn't certain what good we could accomplish there. And certainly this doesn't mean I don't value helping with these kinds of projects, because I absolutely do. I have nothing but respect for people who embrace a cause and make incredible things happen with it.

But I've been feeling lately that sometimes the most meaningful service is the things we do day to day, with the people who are around us. It's everyday kindness and thoughtfulness.

I'm reminded of two women who approached me several years ago in a department store. I had been dealing with a child who was throwing a tantrum and I was trying to purchase my items and leave. These women came up to me and told me how they thought I had handled the situation very well. I was super frazzled at the moment, and so grateful for their comment. I'm sure they have forgotten that instance, but I have not forgotten their kindness and willingness to reach out to me, a stranger.

Marjorie Pay Hinckley said, “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”

That quote strikes me as interesting, partly because when people hear the phrase "[to] really live," it seems they usually think of things like travel, adventure, or success. But to really live, like Sister Hinckley suggests, means to really love.  And I believe that.

I wish I was more open with people, warmer, more complimentary, more thoughtful, less reserved. Ultimately, I suppose, that is what the Atonement of the Savior is for, to enable us to be more than we are. And I plan on becoming more.

As our Costa Rican adventure is winding down, I am reminded of the things that are most valuable to me--my relationships. I love the people I have associated with here, and I love the people I will be returning to back home. I want to show them that.

And can I just add that I hate cancer.

Making Apple Crisp - Hannah

Last Saturday we had a Young Men/Young Women activity at our home, where we taught the kids how to make apple crisp. A couple months ago, Julia said that they were planning some Young Women's activities, and were asked if anyone knew how to make apple pie. Julia said our family doesn't usually make apple pie, but could make a similar desert called apple crisp.

It's funny because I've heard from a few different people how much Costa Rican's love apple pie, but no one seems to know how to make it. Also, I have heard that some Mormons here have this mistaken idea that Mormon women from Utah are great cooks, especially when it comes to baking. I fall very short in that category, but I do know how to make apple pie, thanks to my mom who taught me to make it for Thanksgiving dinners growing up. And I would have gladly helped them make some apple pie, but our oven is so unreliable I'm afraid it would burn. But apple crisp is a little more forgiving, and so we made that instead.

At home, apple crisp is a relatively inexpensive dessert. But here, apples are fairly expensive because they're imported. Butter is also quite expensive, about $1.50 for one cube. It's also not super common for people to have ovens. Many people just have a stovetop for cooking. So even if many of the kids know how to do it now, I'm not sure they'll be able to make it again in the near future. But I think they enjoyed it anyway.

The youth in our branch are a good group of kids, and I'm glad we were able to do spend the afternoon with them.

Easter Eggs - Hannah

Easter egg dyeing poses a challenge for me, since there are no pre-made dyeing kits at the store. That's been my exclusive dyeing method for years. 

I know. I'm boring.

So this year I went to Pinterest to find an alternative. After sorting through the super intricate designs for the non-design challenged people out there, I found a simple idea. Basically, you color the eggs with crayons while the eggs are still warm, so that the wax melts onto the eggs. We broke quite a few eggs since it's hard to carefully hold a hot egg. 

But we still had fun and I think they turned out pretty well. 

Return of the Rain - Hannah

We thought we had until May before the rainy season started up again, but we are already in the thick of it. It started a couple weeks ago. It hadn't rained for days, until one day it rained hard, and then again every day after. Strangely, it wasn't gradual but just switched from dry to rainy season in one day.

There are things I love about the rainy season. Already, the grass is turning from yellow to green. And I love the booming sound on the roof when the rain falls in torrents. I also like the fact that dust no longer covers the roads and our car. The rain is packing things down nicely. I'm also hopeful that we'll see some frogs again--I'm guessing they hang out elsewhere when it's dry.

However, there are also downsides. It's difficult to get the laundry to dry. There were a few days this week where the sun stayed pretty hidden, and when it did start to rain, we had to bring in the wet laundry and hang it around the house. The rain also makes for more inside afternoons, and for children who have a tendency to go stir-crazy, that can be a challenge.

All in all, though, it's nice to see the rain again.

Dolphins - Hannah

Saturday morning was absolutely incredible. We went on a tour of the bay and came across the most amazing thing I've ever seen--a pod of about 300 pan-tropical spotted dolphins.

The dolphins were jumping and playing all around us. It was amazing! Some of them swam right in front of our boat, literally inches away from our fingertips. I was impressed with how fast and agile they were, speeding right along with us. This vacation, probably our last overnight trip in Costa Rica, was truly a dream come true for me.

Jonah's favorite part was driving the boat

We got a good view on the air chairs.

We were also able to spend a little time snorkeling--cool and in a beautiful location, but our favorite snorkeling spot is still Bocas del Toro, Panama.

After the snorkeling, we saw some more dolphins. This time they were bottle-nosed dolphins, just like Flipper. They were bigger than the other dolphins, and also very playful. Our boat guide was telling us how intelligent dolphins are, and that it takes intelligence to play. I like that idea. . . it takes intelligence to play.

After saying good-bye to the dolphins, we went up a mangrove-lined river and saw some big pink roseate spoonbills birds sitting high up in the trees. They have a pretty pink color, just like flamingos, because of their shrimp diet. It felt very quiet, almost eerie there, with the bird and jungle sounds seeming to echo all around.

Julia said that if Saturday was the only vacation we had in Costa Rica, the nine months would be worth it. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for us.

Kayaking on Drake Bay - Hannah

On the southern Pacific side of Costa Rica, by the Osa Peninsula, is a heavenly bay called Drake Bay. The water is calm and warm--probably around 80 degrees. This weekend we were able to make a quick visit and it was awesome.

On Friday we woke up early to drive the six hours down, checked into our hotel, and spent the later afternoon kayaking on the bay. The bay is lined in mangrove trees, which are cool looking trees and unique in the sense that they are able to grow in salt water. They're also very picturesque.

One of the coolest things we saw on the bay were some flying fish. These fish get chased by bigger fish, so they shoot out of the water and "fly," or more precisely, glide, near the surface for over 100 feet. One of them even hit Julia mid-flight.

We also saw quite a few birds. We learned that there are more bird species in Costa Rica than in the United States and Canada combined! Wow! That evening we saw lots of parrots and scarlet macaws.

There was hardly anyone else on the bay and we all loved it.

Two Priesthood Holders - Hannah

We now have two priesthood holders in our home. Caleb received the Aaronic Priesthood recently and did a great job passing the Sacrament for the first time today.

And he's excited to have his ordination certificate in Spanish.

The Friendliest People on Earth - Hannah

In researching Costa Rica before coming here, we came across several resources claiming Ticos (Costa Ricans) are among the friendliest people on earth. Granted, we can't claim to verify this because of our limited world travel. But we have found Costa Ricans generally are very friendly.

Here are just a few examples:

• It's very common for people to wave to you as you're driving by. Sometimes you know them, but most of the time you don't. It might be a thank you wave for letting them pass, but more often than not it's a wave simply because you happened to make eye contact.

• Since my grandpas and Michael's grandpas have all passed away, I will claim Armando as my grandpa. He is the teacher for the English class the kids and I have been attending, and is the sweetest man ever. Once I lost Julia's iPod (I felt especially bad about this because I had confiscated it from her and it had been in my possession). I was worried I had left it at the class so I contacted Armando. He had already left for the day, but went back early the next morning to check around for it, because he knew the cleaning lady would be coming later that morning. To my relief, he found it there and was able to return it to us.

• In 1948, Costa Rica abolished their military. They currently have no permanent standing army. That either fits somewhere under the category of friendly, brave, or foolish. I haven't quite decided which.

• The common way to say hello and good-bye: the kiss.

The cheek-to-cheek kiss-the-air Costa Rican kiss

• While getting an oil change today, the guy helping me called me mi amor (my love). I've been called that multiple times in unexpected contexts.

• Once Michael and I were looking for a government office and were a little lost. We pulled over to ask a woman for help. She went completely out of her way to help us. She called a couple people for us to find out where we needed to go. She even got into her car so we could follow her to the correct building. 

• Recently there was road construction on a main road that completely blocked passage. If you wanted to walk down the road, there was no sidewalk and the only way to bypass the construction was down a steep hill, across a small creek by way of a wooden plank, and up another steep hill. By these hills, there were several men there to take the women and children by the hand to guide them across. What gentlemen! 

Homeschool for Julia - Hannah

Well, Julia couldn't handle school anymore.

I don't blame her. The school is pretty crazy. She says the students go to block class (a 4-hour morning or afternoon class) and everyone just sits around for two hours until the teacher begins the class. She's constantly coming home early because school lets out early. And she's tired of not being able to communicate sufficiently. She says she's exhausted the get-to-know-you conversations and the what-music-you-like conversations and so she spends a bit of time alone. During those frequent down times, she often reads. Julia is a very social girl, and I know it's been hard for her.

I was more hopeful in February when she went back to school that things would be better. There were a couple days she asked to stay the full day--until 4:30--so she could help in her conversational English class. And she wanted to stay later in the cooking class too. Also, she told me about a fun conversation she had with a friend about the "rap" lyrics in Justin Bieber's Boyfriend song and she had been posting cute Facebook pictures with her and her friends at school. I feel like the kids from school have been kind to her, but there does seem to come a point where you crave meaningful conversations, and friendships have difficulty progressing without them. I feel the same way.

Caleb and Dylan at least have each other, and since they have recess at the same time, they always talk during those times. Before we came to Costa Rica, Caleb and Dylan did not get along and we resorted to putting them in separate rooms to help the situation. But I think that needing to rely on each other has strengthened their relationship. Of course, they still have their moments, but things are so much better now. I pointed this out to them the other day, and they both smiled and recognized their improved friendship. If nothing else comes of this experience, just that will make it worth it.

But back to Julia . . .

We only have a little over a month left of school here, and so I was a little torn on how to approach Julia's situation. We had bribed the kids with a friend party at home if they went to school every day they were supposed to. Jonah lost his party a while ago (though we reassured him that he'd still get to enjoy the other kids' parties). Caleb and Dylan are still going strong, but Julia decided it was no longer worth it.

Since Julia still has opportunities to work on her Spanish--she goes to weekly Seminary, has been working weekly with the Sister Missionaries, goes to a weekly language class, and goes to church and church activities--I felt okay about transitioning to complete home schooling with her.

So yesterday we came up with a plan.

Julia will work on school assignments from 7:00-2:00 each day. A couple of those hours will be working on her Spanish online. She will also continue to follow along with her Math class back home, do some kind of P.E. activity, and then she will do a lot of self-motivated reading and reports on that reading. We tried to find books she was interested in, covering a range of topics in science, history, and literature. Right now she's reading Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen Dubner, Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, and Yearbook by Allyson B. Condie.

I know Julia's counting down the days until we get home, and that she has lots of summer plans with her friends. I'm pleased with how much she has learned, and how much she is continuing to learn. I know she's learned to appreciate her blessings, and see things from others' perspectives.

Just the other day, as we were listening to General Conference, Julia mentioned that she thought the talks should be given in the speakers' native languages, and that the English speakers could read subtitles on a few talks since the non-English speakers never get to hear it in their own language. Not many adults would make that observation, let alone teenagers, and Michael and I were both pleased with how she was able to see that.

I am happy to report, though, that even though it's been tough for Julia, she tells me she is glad we came to Costa Rica. But there will be no complaints from her when it's time to go home :).

Visiting Teaching - Hannah

Recently, a new branch president was called to preside over our little LDS branch in Puriscal. He doesn't live in Puriscal, but in San Jose about an hour away. He has been emphasizing the importance of visiting teaching and home teaching--I've seen copies of the Visiting Teaching message being distributed and have had people ask me about my assignments.

I haven't had a visiting teaching assignment since being here. Although I've been nervous about how I would communicate if I did have an assignment, it was nice to finally be able to do some visiting teaching last week. I miss the personal discussions and friendship of visiting teaching.

I didn't exactly receive a specific assignment of women to visit, but the Relief Society president asked me if I would go with her to visit a few women who live farther outside of town. Since she doesn't have a car, it's more difficult for her to make the visits. And the places we visited were definitely off the beaten track. At one point the car got stuck in a rut on the road, but I was able to get it out after several tries.

We visited three older ladies, who seemed grateful for the visits. It felt good to be able to contribute in a small way.

Pineapples - Hannah

I used to think pineapples grew on trees, but they don't. They grow on little plants like this:

It looks a little like I just set a pineapple on a bush. I promise I didn't.

Baby Chicks - Hannah

Our neighbor Renzo just bought a dozen or so chicks to raise. My kids are in love with these fluffy guys. Who wouldn't be?

The Mango Farm - Hannah

On Sunday our friend Erik invited us for a picnic at his family's mango farm. How awesome to grow up with about eighty mango trees?! Though for Erik, he doesn't like mangoes much anymore. He says he can eat about two a year :).

We enjoyed a great lunch of green papaya picadillo; beef, chicken, and chorrizo in tortillas; salad and melon. And then we went off to pick some mangoes.

Erik, Silvia and Jonah

What a handy little tool. It has a basket on the end that the
mangoes can fall into. I need one of these for our peaches at home.

Thanks to our great friends, we were able to bring home a huge bag of mangoes, and the last couple days have enjoyed fresh mangoes, mango smoothies, and mango crisp. What else can we make with mangoes?