Grammar, personal trainers, bananas and peanutbutter

Today was the first day of school. I kind of felt like I did the first day of kindergarten. My Tico mom had breakfast all ready for me, which I ate quickly so I would not be late. One shouldn't be late to the first day of school you know! And it looks like I'm going to love school. I spend the first two hours in Lenguaje/Fonetica which is a class that consists of myself, the teacher and three other students! The point is to practice lenguaje, or the language. For example today, we introduced ourselves in Spanish, and started with classroom vocabulary review. Basically this class is designed to learn vocabulary, and then use it! I have a wonderfully kind teacher named Eugenia, and I anticipate to become great friends with my classmates as well. I am grateful for the small and intimate setting of the class here at the Institue, it makes me feel less intimidated to take a chance with a response I am not sure of. Lenguaje is followed by a break, and then chapel hour. Chapel is only going to meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, which means that on the other three days, I will have a two hour break in between classes. The following two hours are spent in Gramatica - yuck. Gramatica is hard because I have to concentrate completely for the entire class, and think before each response. My brain was so tired by the end of the class, but I'm grateful for the teaching because this is the area where my Spanish needs the most work. And I already have homework to do tonight!

News from the weekend, I joined a gym! There is a new gym that opened not far from the school, so a few other girls and I decided to join and see if we could stay in shape after eating all of this rich Tico food. Before we could workout, we had to set up a time with the Personal Trainer to properly learn how to use the equipment. So I set off this afternoon thinking that the guy would briefly show me all of the machines and give me the dos and donts, and then let me on my workout way. Oh, no. I was personally trained today! The first thing was to take my height, weight, and muscle measurements. Then he asked me all sorts of questions (in Spanish mind you) about whether I wanted to tone, lose weight, build muscle mass etc. Pretty soon I'm following the guy (never did catch his name) upstairs where he puts me on a treadmill for 20min. So I think, okay, no biggie, this is about what I do to workout at home. By the end of the 20 min. I'm sweating like no girl should ever sweat (mainly because no Costa Rican buildings have air conditioning), and thinking that I had a great workout. I make my way back downstairs, where personal trainer Edwardo (that's what I've decided to call him) begins to take me through a weight lifting routine to work the chest, arms, thighs and gluts. Oh boy oh boy oh boy . . . By the time I've completed all these exercises I've been at the gym for about an hour, and feeling pretty good about myself. So I walk over to Edwardo to check in. Pretty soon he's taking me back upstairs and putting me on the stationary bike for another 20 min. At this point, I was secretly praying no one would walk into the room and have to bike next to this sweaty, smelly, obviously American girl who's huffing and puffing her way through the 20min "bike ride". When I finished Edwardo asked me how I felt, and even though I was wet and tired, I had to admit that I felt pretty good. He then preceded to tell me that my workout routine would be ready to begin tomorrow. Apparently I had just signed myself up for a program. Oh well, it won't hurt me!

All in all the day was pretty great. Class, a good workout, my second shower for the day, and one of my favorite snacks: bananas and peanut butter. Joy, you are a saint for introducing me to such a treat. I plan to spend a chunk of the evening reviewing what I learned today, and finishing my homework. I am ready to get into the swing of school, and I'm thankful that God showed me grace on my first day (I found all of my classrooms and didn't get lost!).

Already the Lord is showing me things, and teaching me life lessons. Last night was the most homesick I've been since getting here, and most of me wished I could get a plane and come home. I know that I've only begun my time here in Costa Rica, and my time as a missionary - but when you're sad and lonely, there is truly no place like home. I am thankful, though, to have a heavenly Father who watches out for me, who gives me strength each day to do what He has called me to do. I hope to share more with you on this subject in the future, as God continues to grow and change me into the missionary He intends me to be.

Blessings,
Bethany