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Okay, I'm doing this old school, aka typing the blog while using the internet, not at home. So, since I'm doing it on the fly, please bear with me on any funky symbols or punctuation marks. I think I am getting more adept at using the Spanish keyboards though.

Anyway, disclaimer aside, what can I say? I had a pretty good weekend. Oh! I did my first Nonformal Education session. I am working with a group of 5th graders, and it went pretty well. The teacher went AWOL as soon as I got there, so I was on my own. And yes, these kids only speak Spanish. I think I was fine saying what I wanted to say, but I couldn't always understand what they were saying to me. We did an activity where they got in pairs and told the story of how they got their name and then they presented their partner's story to the class. To match them up, I handed out cards with one half of a famous couple, and they had to find the other half. I think they liked it, if I do say so myself. The activity had two goals: one, for me to learn their names (duh), and two, to roll into the self-esteem stuff with a little discussion about identity, which names are obviously a big part of. Anyway, it went well, but I think next time I will nix the big group discussion and try to do more stuff in small groups, since 30 hyper kids is kind of a challenge.

Anyway, Saturday we had a project fair at the PC office, which consisted of current volunteers talking about some of their projects. It was great to get real project ideas and advice, and lots of them gave out handouts too. After that we were free, so I had lunch nearby with some of the people in the other program (CED), and then we went downtown to use the internet. After that, I split off and just walked around by myself. It was raining, and I didn't have an umbrella or raincoat, but I didn't really care. It is nice to be by myself sometimes, and I really actually need to do that, or else I get cranky. Anyway, I came home and watched Baile por un Sueño with my host mom and Marianela (her granddaughter age 9). It is the CR equivalent of Dancing with the Stars, more or less, but the winner gets money to give to some charitable cause they are supporting. It was the premiere on Saturday, so it was a big deal.

Then Sunday, let's see. I went to church with my host parents, felt like I was going to throw up, thought about running out of church, decided I would wait till I was actually feeling vomit come up my esophogus, made it through the mass, went home and took a nap, and felt fine afterward. I later went to a party at Angela's (a fellow trainee up the road), and a lot of CYF (my program) was there, as well as a bunch of Ticos, so it was a pretty good time. The Ticos were teaching some of us some different dance moves, like merengue (sp?) and salsa, and Angela has gone dancing with some of them in San Jose, and she said the next time they go, she'll let me know, so that would be cool! By the way, it was really really great to talk to all of you that were around on Sunday night. I guess you could say I am starting to get a tinch homesick, so that really helps. I think it is just a mid-training slump, if you will. Things have settled down, we aren't quite as busy, but I am a long way from being at home here. Plus, this isn't even my real site, so I am not trying to get all integrated and whatnot. Furthermore, even though I am friends with the other trainees, they aren't like friends from back home (duh) or family, so...yeah. Training gets really busy again soon though, and before I know it, I will be off to my site and who knows what that will entail.

I just got done with a long session of training today, and I must say, they are really boring most of the time. I have another one tomorrow too...aaaahhh. Everyone says training is the worst part, and it feels like forever, and there are lots of hoops to jump through and you just gotta do it. So, I guess that is where I am with that. It isn't that bad though, and I don't always feel like this. It comes and goes, and that is normal I would say. Well, I am almost out of time, so I'll wrap this up. I am literally soaking wet right now (I really need to invest in an umbrella) and I hope it isn't still raining when I go outside. If it is though, no biggie, I am already wet. Well, I am reading the Kite Runner right now, and so far it is really good, so I will probably read more of it tonight. I finished the Alchemist which I would recommend to anyone. It is a really quick read, but it is a neat little story. Some other people told me it was good, and I liked it. One good thing about going to the project fair was that I got to visit the PC library (aka bookshelf) and grab a stack of books! I am already on my eighth book, too. I guess that is the upside to training being a little slow--more time to read! Okay, later, keep up the comments and emails! I love reading all of them! Bye!