fun fact friday!

DID YOU KNOW???

The last number on a license plate corresponds to a day of the week in which you cannot drive.  License plates are assigned to cars here, not their owners.  (If you sell the car, the plate goes with it.)  To control traffic flow, every car is assigned a weekday that it cannot be used.

The slower the water pressure, the hotter the water.  Water literally runs over a hot plate to be heated (a device called “the widow maker” -- a bunch of wires connected to the shower head).  So every time you take a shower you get to choose, warm water or high water pressure.

Ticos do not wear raincoats.  Even though it monsoons here on the reg, you will not see Ticos in rain jackets.  So, needless to say, we stick out in our matching blue rain gear...Gringas.

There are shoe stores everywhere.  Seriously, there are more shoe stores in this country than I have ever seen in my life!

i spy an american

Today marks two full weeks here in CR!  It feels like I’ve been here way longer than that, not really sure why but not in a bad way.  It’s still fun exploring the city and finding new shops and cafés.  Today, Rachel and I decided to take our time walking Avenida Central, the mile walk we have between our two busses.  It’s a pedestrian street downtown San Jose, lined with shops and restaurants.  I mean, it really has a little bit of everything.  Casinos, jewelry stores, shoe stores galore, KFC, pharmacies, an Apple store...kinda hodgepodge but great!  So much life and action and hustle and bustle on that street.    

Anyways, we found this sweet café that was two-stories up and overlooked Avenida Central.  So we went there, split a quesadilla, and played, “I spy an American”.

A few give-aways...Chacos, a rain coat, wearing your backpack as a frontpack.  Whoops, guilty of all three...

calm before the storm

YL starts up next week, which is crazy but so exciting!  I can’t wait to start meeting kids!! Our leadership weekend was a success -- thanks for your prayers!  It was a rich time of community, an intentional time of planning, and we are all stoked to start up next week!  I will be working closely with Alex, the Staff Associate, this year as the Young Life West-Side intern.  What does that mean?  Basically, that I will be overseeing high school ministry on the west-side of San Jose.  I will be getting to know kids at Country Day and Lighthouse schools, and will have the privilege to live life with them.  We will have Club every other Wednesday and hangouts every Friday on the weeks without Club.  I will also help Alex lead Campaigners (a Bible study) every week for high school girls.

THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!  Can’t wait to see the Lord show up and transform lives this semester!  Our first Club is September 4th and we’re doing color wars!  Aka, having a full out paint war!  Please join me in praying for this event.  Pray that kids come and experience Christ in a way they never have before.  Pray that the fun that we have is a snapshot of what life with Christ is like.  Pray that kids have open ears to the message of the Gospel.  Pray that we can present opportunities this semester for every kid here to meet Jesus Christ and follow him.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

  

Happy birthday, Alex!  Glad we could welcome year 25 with you with some Gringa food!! Looking forward to serving with these ladies this year!  Bonnie is on the left and Rachel on the right, both of whom are interns.  And Alex, who is on YL staff, is in the black.  We missed you, Jessie!  Safe travels back from Nicaragua!

fuego

So I’ve been going to Spanish church here (Viña Escazu) and I LOVE it!!  Obviously, it’s different.  For starters, it’s in Spanish.  It meets Saturday nights.  And it’s two hours long.  But it is a sweet picture of the Kingdom.  That we are all different  -- we look different, we sound different, we have different stories and sometimes it’s hard to communicate those, but we are united in Christ.  We are His.  And to Him, our differences are not important.

They have super talented musicians, (they actually do/record the music for all Viña churches in Central America), and every Monday they offer a sweet worship service called Fuego.  Basically, they just provide the space and a little background music and the time is yours.

It’s still a little hard for me to believe that this is real life.  That I LIVE in Costa Rica.  In a lot of ways, it still doesn’t feel real.  But why?  Why do I have a hard time believing that this is real life?  That the Lord desires such an adventure for me?  I find it frustrating that I wrestle with this because of course this is possible!  Of course this is real life!  We’re talking about The Lord here!  King of Kings, Lord or Lords, Creator of all things.  This is real life, purposeful life, life with Christ.  I am here.  And it’s not an accident.

I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you

and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; 

his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation commends your works to another; 

they tell of your might acts.

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty--

and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They tell of the power of your awesome works

and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They celebrate your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Psalm 145:1-7

be you.

I have a feeling I’m going to be coming back to this sermon a bit...If you’re interested in listening, click here.  It’s the July 21 sermon, “Bridging the Gap."

Faithfulness

(What I have where I’m at)

+

Kingdom Ambition

(“I want to be part of what God is doing”)

=

Fruitfulness

What would it look like for us to be a people who are intentional where God has us with what He has in us?

fun fact friday!

DID YOU KNOW???

When it rains, it pours...like nothing I have every seen before.  And it rains pretty much every day.  (It’s still rainy season until about the end of the year.)

100 meters = 1 block, regardless of how long/short the block actually is.  And directions aren’t based off addresses but landmarks.  Literally, this is the “address” we’d give a taxi driver if we needed a ride to class:  from north entrance (to parking area) of the San Pedro Mall, 2 blocks west, Calle Ronda, Barrio Dent, see signs on the street.

Ticos eat every meal with a spoon.  They never use forks.  And maybe this is just my family, but everyone has their spoon, with a unique design on the handle.

Ticos also brush their teeth after every meal.  It’s an interesting cultural/economic clash.  They are told as kids that if they don’t, monsters will grow inside their mouth and destroy their teeth.  Convincing kids of this, in theory, reduces the number of times they may need to go to the dentist.  A service that many, here, cannot afford.

Food here is served as it is ready.  So if you’re eating out with a group, your food will likely come at different times and you are not to wait to start eating.  This is true at home, too.  You don’t wait for everyone to be served before you start eating.  It’s pretty much a Tica mom’s worst nightmare for your food to be cold.

The price of an international stamp is based on when you buy it, there is no set price.  That said, if you’re interested in having a pen-pal I promise to write back!  Here’s my address:

Kaylee Regula

Apdo. 858-2050

San Pedro, Montes de Oca

COSTA RICA  

lost in translation

Why all the change??  Oh, that’s because I insisted on buying a $1.10 candy bar with a $40 bill...whoops!  The candy bar was actually only 650 colones and I thought the cashier was saying 6500 colones (which would have been the worlds most expensive Milky Way at $13).  No wonder she wasn’t super excited about making change and kept asking for something smaller.  Lesson...practice Spanish numbers.  Haha.

On a different note...we have our leadership retreat tomorrow night and Saturday!  I’m so excited to meet the other volunteer/student leaders of Vida Joven in Costa Rica!  If you could please pray for this time.  That it would be a rich time for us leaders to learn and grow together, that Christ gives us a vision of what Vida Joven should look like this year, and that kids of Costa Rica would come to know Christ.  Thanks!

 

¡buenos días!

Welcome to my morning commute!  This is about one block from my house, and I walk down this street every morning to catch the bus in Escazu Centro.  It’s beautiful (and hilly) here!

what sound does a dog make?

What sound does a dog make?  Woof, woof.  Seems obvious, right?  NO.

For my first five weeks here, I’ll be in Spanish class for four hours a day.  Today we played a review game that had all sorts of questions...what’s the weather like, what did you do last night, what are you doing in CR, what do you like to do, describe your daily routine, describe this picture...and I was asked WHAT SOUND DOES A DOG, CAT, AND ROOTSER MAKE IN SPANISH?  I thought it was a trick question.  I was wrong. Who knew dogs (and most animals for that matter) spoke other languages?!!  Mind.  Blown.

So...what sound does a dog make?  In Spanish -- guau, guau.

How ‘bout a rooster?  Cockadoodledoo.  WRONG.  In Spanish -- quiquiriquí.

Be enlightened...

Also managed to master the public bus today!!  Rachel, another intern, and I successfully got ourselves to school in San Pedro and back -- about an hour commute each way because of traffic.  Success!  

fun fact friday!

TODAY WAS MY FIRST FULL DAY IN COSTA RICA!!!

I spent the morning unpacking and getting sorted here.  Then I walked to lunch with Alex and Rachel.  Alex is on YL staff here and Rachel is another intern.  Had my first taste of the local cuisine -- patacones con guacamole!

It is now my goal for all of these fun facts to come from my own experiences here.  If the last 36 hours were any indication, I am going to be learning a ton here!  So...

DID YOU KNOW???

Patacones are fried green plantains.  They are typically served with guacamole, beans, cheese, or pico de gallo.  They were delicious!

http://www.google.com

Ticos don’t go barefoot in the house.  Because of the heat, the floors are tile and are thought to be dirty (they’re not).  So they either keep their shoes on when returning home, or change into a pair of flip-flops or house shoes.

It gets dark early here.  My flight got in at 7:30 PM and it was pitch black.

Lastly, “casonas" are what they call houses built out of adobe.  Now, most construction is concrete.

i have arrived!!!

Well, I made it!  After a chaotic couple days leading to departure, it’s so great to finally be here!  Travel was easy and the airport was much less chaotic than I was expecting.  Although today is Mother’s Day here, so I think I just got lucky...

My host family is great!  I have a host mom and dad, brother (19), and sister (27) who I still need to meet.  I can tell they’re full of life and laughter and love already, and I can only understand about every third word.  Haha.  Can’t wait to pick up the Spanish again so we can actually communicate!

Thanks for your prayers as I traveled today.  Still can’t believe I’m going to bed in COSTA RICA!!

3 days out!

I leave for CR this Thursday!!!  I'm so excited!  Seems like a lot of talk about going the past few months, now it's time to take some action.  Here's the packing list YL provided:

PASSPORT!
Cell Phone with SIM card
Insect Repellent
Sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)
Sunglasses
Hat
Bandana (to keep sun off neck)
3 Bath Towels
Work Gloves
Swimsuit
Comfortable Clothes (jeans, long skirts, casual dresses)
Long/Dress Pants
Rain Gear/Umbrella
Graduation/Wedding-appropriate Dress
Grubby Work Clothes
Comfy Walking/Running Shoes
Socks
Fleece Jacket/Sweatshirt/Cardigans
Chacos
Flip Flops
Water Bottle
Fanny Pack/Drawstring Bag
Spanish/English Dictionary
Headlamp
Bible & Journal
Greeting Cards
Toiletries/Medicine/First Aid
Pictures
Host Family Gift
Mothers Day Gift (Mothers Day is August 15 -- the day we arrive)
Laptop
Snack Stash (peanut butter and favorite candy)
Favorite Books

Now hopefully I can fit that into 2 suitcases!  Better start packing...

fun fact friday!

DID YOU KNOW???

Costa Rica's marine area (580,000 sq km) is approximately 10 times larger than its land area (52,100 sq km)!

fun fact friday!

DID YOU KNOW???

Rice and beans mixed together for breakfast is called Gallo Pinto (That's "spotted rooster" in Spanish).