Update Numero Dos

My first international volunteer experience has begun. (Dun dun dunnn)

I have been welcomed into Pani, the orphanage and I will be working at for the next few weeks. Each child there has an entertaining and unique personality. To name a few:

-Estayon: extremely playful and a ladies man with the women who are volunteering
-Ruth: adorable but very emotional, one minute she is crying and the next she is giggling
-Natan is one of the young babies who always has a smile on his face
-Gensis is learning how to walk and often refuses to be carried anywhere

I never know what to expect when I arrive each day. The kids are muy loco (very crazy) but all in a good way. The two oldest boys, Juan and Decal, find it amusing to pick on the volunteers, seeing as we don’t know what they are saying most of the time. I guess that is just part of their fun while we are visiting.

Because I did not want to disappoint any of my friends or family, I did receive my first injury of the trip. A helpful hint to others: playing chase on cement floor is not always the greatest idea. Minor cuts and scraps plus a somewhat-worthy-of-at-least-a-low-five scab on my knee have helped me to achieve such a difficult goal. (I hope my sarcasm is still evident on a computer screen)

Life with my host madre is very welcoming and relaxing.


(Outside view of the home. Muy bonito)

Cameron has an adorable dog, clearly the same model as the famous “Yo quiero taco bell” pooch. Chicky is her name and being timid and shy is her game. Regardless, she is sweet and I admit I am jealous because she understands far more Spanish than I do. My mission to find a Spanish tutor is now complete.


(The dog is beyond adorable.)

Cameron’s granddaughter, Camila, resides upstairs with her madre y padre (mother and father). Taking after the dog, she is somewhat shy but she opened up to me quite easily after I asked her “Café por favor?” (Coffee please? I hope you are enjoying my unnecessary additions of Espanol… Oops I mean Spanish)


(Such a cute girl. She kept hiding her face behind the guitar.)

A walk through San Pedro proved to be an adenture in itself. Locals walking behind Lindsay and myself noticed our cameras and continued to chant “Foto! Foto!” until we would talk their picture. And to think I was wondering if people here would want their picture taken. Problem solved.


(They were perhaps overly excited but I did not mind at all.)

I am off to Manuel Antonio this weekend to explore more of what Costa Rica has to offer. Stories of enjoyment and most likely injury will be soon to come.

Buenos dias.