I made it back!

After 10 amazing days in Bogota, I am back in Costa Rica and ready to hit the road running. I have a good amount of school work to catch up on and plenty of thinking to do. I learned a lot while in Bogota and I have a better idea of how things will be once I'm living there. I was reminded that I definately love "big city" life. There's just something about polution, 9 million people, and big buildings that feels like home. Go figure. I learned that, while the culture is different, people are....well, just people. We may speak differently and look differently, but at the end of the day we all deal with similar things. We go through hard times with our family, we worry about money, we work hard, we like to laugh, and we serve the same God. Here's a video of the week. Its 5 minutes (I know that's lengthy) but the last 2 minutes are the best part so I hope you'll take the time to check it out.

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers during the week. I have 3 1/2 weeks left here in San Jose. I hope to make the best of it! Until next time.

I love Latin Travel...

Well, I went to the aiport today to head back to Costa Rica and...they said NO! I have to wait 3 more days to fullfill the 10-day requirement. Its the 10 days after getting the Yellow Fever vaccine. I think they call it an incubation period??? Well whatever it is it was a bit frustrating but...they waved my $50 fee of changing ticket dates so I was very thankful for that. It does, however, mean missing 3 days of school which will be a challenge but I brought my books here so I´ll do some studying. This also means that I won´t have my fun video up and running until wednesday or thursday but it´ll get there and when it does...I hope you´ll get to see it! So, que sera sera right? Blessings to all!

Shots, servants, and Semana Santa.

Short update to let you all know the happenings in Bogota this Holy Week. Many of you already know that I'm here during my Easter Break from school to attend a conference with my future ministry. I can't possibly write this without telling a short story.

On Monday morning I arrived in the airport of San Jose to catch my 2 hour flight to Bogota. I get to the ticket counter (after first going to the WRONG airline's ticket counter) only to be informed that I will be allowed to leave San Jose but not allowed to return. Why? Because I havn't had the yellow fever vaccine. Hmmm....how interesting that I didn't have to have it to get in the first time. Such is Latin life. So, I said that I would take my chances and hopped on board. Once in Bogota, at the airport, I went ahead and got the shot. Yes folks, they give shots in airports apparently! HAH! THEN, I was also informed that I would have to wait 10 days after receiving the shot before I could leave the country. OH GREAT! Considering that I have classes to get back to that really wasn't going to work out for the best. So, I spoke to some Colombians and they said to not worry, they only tell me that 10-day thing to make money off of the ticket-change. Well, we'll see how it goes but I just might land in Costa Rica only to find out that I have to be sequestered for a few days.


Anyway, I have some AMAZING pictures from this week but I don't want to let the cat out of the bag. So, I'll be sure and post a fun video first thing Tuesday! I will say that the topic for the conference is how to SERVE. This is definately a topic that we all benefit from and I have enjoyed the information. I would also add that I have had moments of pure frustration with the language. Its like I'm either hot or cold. I either walk away from a session or conversation feeling like I have conquered every nook and cranny of Spanish. Or, I feel like I know nothing and never will and wasted 2 hours of listening to somebody speak in weird sounds and tones. I have gotten to see how much I have learned and how much more there remains to be discovered. Well, be sure to check back in on Tuesday cause its going to be a good one! HAPPY HAPPY EASTER! Christ is RISEN!

Easter is a'comin

Hello all! This is a tiny update to let you know that I am headed to Colombia in the morning for a week. There is a conference going on so I have a very busy week planned. Sorry that this isn't more exciting but I'll be sure to post a fun video when I get back. Have a wonderful Easter!
Celebrating Christ's resurrection,
Zoe

Spiritual Emphasis Week

The upcoming week is called Spiritual Emphasis Week at school. Generally, we have two chapels per week, Tues. and Thurs. Well, this week we have two chapels per day except on Friday. While they are not a requirement, they come at a very convenient time in the trimester. About now, students are starting to pull their hair out.
All of the information has built up and serves as one of those block towers that you built up too high as a child: it comes tumbling down!

So, this week, the teachers are not allowed to give any homework or tests. Classes carry on, but we have chapel every morning and every evening. The school has brought in a missionary couple from Ireland to be the guest speakers. I have plans to go to most of the sessions and am looking forward to a time of refreshing. After that, we will have the week off for Holy Week.

Many of you may know that I will be in Colombia for that week. It happens that there is a conference/retreat going on with my ministry their during that week and is a very good time for me to come down. I will be meeting the national UCU staff as well as 50-60 students leaders. Of course the whole thing will be in Spanish, so we'll see how well these classes pay off! Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the two weeks ahead.

Blessings,
Zoe
p.s. for those of you who have kept up with Colombian news and may be worried about my safety, things have settled down and the presidents have reconciled. There is no need for concern at this point. Keep praying!

Monday afternoon Jessica and I took on a project. We decided to try our hand at making homemade Baklava. Cooking? This may sound simple to all of you, and it wasn't really impossible. But it sure does make it interesting when you have to convert the measurements into the metric system, find Phyllo dough, pray you get an oven that cooks evenly, and use somebody else's kitchen! Well, it was a great success! The first few pictures are of the 2 1/2 hours of making the delicious treat. Why Baklava?

Well, a fellow-student, Cameron, is of Arab descent and wanted to make a tasty meal for some of the students. So we all headed over to Mike and Erin's place for dinner and desert. It was a great time of fellowship and a nice break from the typical Costa Rican dishes that I've been eating for 2 months. NOT that I'm complaining, but change can be a good thing sometimes!