Nobody likes you when you're 23.

Well, yet again it's been quite a while since I have written...I think that it's starting to become a trend....sorry about that!! But it's alright, because I have loooots to talk about. :)

I went to my first soccer game here on St. Patrick's Day. Liz and I were going to go with Gabriel to the game, but he is a super soccer fan and left the house to go to the game before I even got home from work, so Liz and I went to eat some delicious chicken before the game and then headed over to the stadium together. We were unable to find Gabe, but we had a blast. We were sitting in the "crazy" section of the stadium, and it was just craaaazy. Everyone around us was chanting profane things and screaming and jumping up and down. It was super fun. And, Saprissa beat their rival, La Liga....Gabriel is a Saprissa fan, so I was going for them as well...and it's super fun to say to people here that I'm "Saprisista" just to see what happens. It's like the Cubs and the Cardinals rivalry. It's awesome.

My parents game to visit me (and to go to the beach of course) a couple of weeks ago. We went to Playa Flamingo and we stayed in this AMAZING resort. It was incredible. I have never stayed in a place like that before, and I'm not sure I ever will again. There was a swim up bar and it was right on the beach....and when we arrived, they greeted us with complimentary beverages. It was AWESOME! I think that my parents liked everything...well, minus the food. Haha, it's really funny, because everyone here says that I don't eat and that I'm really picky, but when my parents came, I realized where I get that from. Haha. I think that my mom's favorite meal was Pizza Hut with my roommates. We also went to see my worksites...I think that my mom's favorite part of the whole trip was the daycare. Soooo cute.

Right after my parents left, I had one day to do a last minute rehearsal with the girls for the Living Stations of the Cross that I directed. It was ridiculous, and they were supposed to practice the whole week that I was gone with my parents but of course they did not, so I was terrrrified for Friday when we finally had the big show. But it ended up being reeeeally really good. And the nuns and teachers all loved it, and I think the girls really liked it too. So that was great. Kinzie and Juancho came to see it, but they got there too late, and Juancho brought me flowers because he was going to be missing my birthday on Sunday. It was so nice! We hung out and Kinzie and John had some coffee, and all the girls were drooling over Juancho. Such a good time.

Nobody likes you when you're 23. It's true. Haha, seriously, though, my birthday was super fun. I woke up to French Toast a la Liz and some signs that my mom brought for Kinzie to put up (a tradition in the Finch household...having signs with pictures of the birthday kid). Then we went to mass, and I came back and talked to family and did exercise, and then Kinzie made a lunch/dinner that was DELICIOUS. I loved it, and Liz made me some fabulous FUNFETTI CUPCAKES!!! Excellent. And on the Saturday before my birthday, Liz and Kinzie and I got all dolled up and went out dancing. It was a really good birthday. :)

And for Holy Week, all of us had the whole week off (awesome), and Jeff, one of the volunteers from FrancisCorps Syracuse came to visit us, so he, Kinzie and i went to Puerto Jimenez...which is RIDICULOUSLY FAR AWAY. Ugh, such a long trip, but it was a beautiful beach. We went to all the Holy Week masses and kayaked with dolphins. It was so cool. Kinzie and I participated in a Stations of the Cross, as well...okay, so I was GOING to participate, and then the woman who was supposed to read the station before mine thought that we were a station behind. So we got to the 7th station, and nobody stepped up to read, so the preist did it, and then we got to the 8th station, and she got there before everyone else, and started reading the 7th station. Haha, so I didn't have to participate, which I was really okay with, because my reading aloud skills in Spanish aren't super. So the trip home was absolutely ridiculous. We got to the bus station the day before we were going to leave, because it wasn't open until then, and we wanted to buy bus tickets, but there was no sitting room left on the bus. So...we bought standing tickets. And we were planning on standing for 8 hours. But I was super lucky and I was standing next to this pair of young people around my age, and after about 2 hours, they scooted over and gave me half a seat. They were soooo nice! I love making friends here :) But poor Kinzie and Jeff...I felt bad about that...but didn't know if I should offer them my half a seat since it wasn't really mine to offer. But they understood.

Anyway...that's what I've been up to in the last month....and here are a ton of pictures!!

Easter Vigil fire in the shape of a cross...Liz saw this picture and said, "Hmmm...KKK much?"


Beautiful sunset at the end of our dolphin kayaking.

Kayaking!

We kayaked with the dolphins, then went to a mangrove, and climbed over a little hill and we were on the other side of the peninsula! And we at some delicious pineapple and went and played in the waves. So fun.

This cat stole my seat!

Kinzie and Jeff's reaction to having to stand on the bus for 8 hours....hahahaha.

Mom, I put this picture in here for you...I apparently do the eye thing, too.

Hahahaha, our waiter took our order on this, and labeled our table as "Americanos." Awesome. At least it doesn't say "Gringos."

Kinzie and Jeff say that these were the best nachos they've ever had because of the bean dip. I don't like beans.

Classic.

Kinzie praying during the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.

I dropped him about 2 seconds later...I'm not as strong as I used to be!

Kinzie and Jeff excited to be at the beach.

Directly after Kinzie said, "This hurts my balls!" Apparently, she was trying to pull off "abbrevs" like I often do (ex: She obvs wants to hang out with us.), and was trying to say that it hurts the balls of her feeeeet. Obvs didn't work.

Jeff and I excited to be at the beach.

Kinzie, Liz and I getting ready to go out for my birthday!

Gloria, the cook at the daycare (my favorite person at work), and I when my mom and dad came to visit. Love her!

Moises!! He's such a little sweetie.

Dorian being adorable and trying to imitate my face.

My dad and I at the swim up bar at our resort...awesome.

Hahahahahaha look at my mom!!! We were supposed to be pensive....

Yay!

Daddy :) And a pretty sunset.

On the way to the beach. You can't tell, but my mom was rather terrified for her life.

On the way to pizza hut for dinner. I love my roommates.

I freaking love this kid.

Roommates minus Gabe.

A Spanish birthday song! At Pizza Hut. There were like 15 birthdays being celebrated I think.

My first soccer game here!

Eeee!

Liz and I enjoying our St. Patrick's Day with a Saprissa win. :)