Well, today is 2 years of being in Costa Rica. Sometimes it seems like it has gone so fast and other days it feels like it has been 20 years!
Although I have not been updating the blog (been so busy with busy team season), I thought I should do a special 2 year anniversary blog of things that I have learned while here....believe me, this is NOT an exhaustive list--just what has been swimming around in my head for the last day or so.
I just re-read our 1 month in country list, and I gotta admit, it is pretty funny to see how much we have learned and how new all those experiences were at that time and how part of our lives they are now....what a difference!
Here goes:
1. Yes, technology is wonderful. But it can also be bad.
Facebook has become my enemy. I have seen things that make me long for being back in the States and I have seen things that make me thankful that I am not living in 'Merica. I read things that make me more thankful that my children are NOT growing up in America, and other times think they are missing out on a lot (family, school, sports teams, American culture things). I have found out things about family through Facebook before I actually hear it from a person from my family. I feel left out of the loop more often than not. But then again, I find out about things really fast--thanks to social media. We have Facebook, email, blog, cell phones, Facetime, Skype, ooVoo, and a US land line--however, we rarely receive messages phone calls or the like. I feel like we are "connected" however, feel very disconnected. We see pictures of summer, fall, winter, snow, vacations, restaurants, family, lake time, new houses, new cars, new family members--and feel a little left out, forgotten and jealous of being so far away. But without technology, I think we would be worse off. It really is a catch 22.
2. Having bilingual kids is pretty neat.
I have a daughter who is in an all Spanish speaking public school and is flourishing in her language and in school. She really does amaze me. But what was really the turning point in her language is when she started being the interpreter in her classroom at school or in the daycare class when there were volunteers, and even when we have a mission team here and she offers to interpret. This confirms to me that she is getting more and more confident in her language. Her spelling has pretty much been shot! Spanish letter sounds and English words. Spanish words with English letter sounds. The girl is really sorting through all of this. School is not only Spanish, but also Academic Spanish and conversational Spanish--but on top of that, she has to learn all of the Academic English at the same time. Studying for tests are not her favorite, but she really is a trooper!
Leyton is a true bilingual kid. He has started his own Spanglish language. He will say a sentence in English and throw in a Spanish word here and there. He has also learned some words in Spanish that he doesn't know/can't remember in English, so he only uses the Spanish word. He will use a Spanish verb and use English grammar. For example, the verb tocar is to play (an instrument) or to touch. He said, " I just toqued it a little bit, not very fuerte." (I just touched it a little bit, not very hard). He will hear English words spoken really fast and will not understand them, and think it is a new word and asks what it means. For example, I said, "I juswanna....." (I just want to) and he asked me, "what does "juswanna" mean?" I had to speak it very slow and clear for him...then he laughed! Both kids will rarely speak Spanish with us (except on very special occasions or the forementioned examples), they rarely speak Spanish with each other even when they are playing with Spanish speaking friends. They will speak Spanish to their friends, but will switch to English when they are talking to each other. Then Emme usually explains what they said, because typically the Spanish speaking has a funny look on their face! Some of these examples are priceless and I really need to write them down, but I'm not any good at that memory stuff....so I just tell myself I will remember them.....yeah, doesn't work so good!
3. Driving in Costa Rica is fun!
There are a whole new set of rules when on the road. A stop sign is really not a stop, but kinda a roll through (have your hand on your horn). You CAN NOT DRIVE A CAR WITHOUT A HORN!! A horn is used to give people the right away--to enter in/out or to turn, a horn is a way to say "thank you" for being let in /out, a horn is used to warn people that you have the right away--not them, a horn is used as a way of showing support for the local soccer team (it has a special beat), a horn is used to express your disapproval of other people's driving. Then, while you have one hand on the horn, the other hand is used for many things as well. Your hand can be a turn signal, your hand can be used to express disapproval for someone's bad driving (in more ways than one!), your hand can give the person the right of way (driving or a person crossing the street), your hand can say "thank you" for the forementioned action, and your hand can be used to stop traffic so you can squeeze your way into traffic, even when it is not your turn or have the right of way--no worries, I waved my hand--that changed everything--now I can go! Motorcycles do not have to stay in a lane or on the proper side of the road, heck, they can go on the sidewalk. When changing lanes, always DOUBLE CHECK for motorcycles to be squeezin through the cars on either side! If there is an accident, you MUST wait for the police and insurance adjuster, and you CAN NOT move your car--regardless if you are blocking traffic. Knowing the back roads/side streets is a MUST for rush hour traffic. There is one day a week that you can not drive on the rotunda (round abouts) or in downtown San Jose (inside the pista/loop around San Jose) based on your last number of your license plate. All in all, I appreciate driving in the States now, with less road rage.
4. I miss receiving mail.
You know how most people hate receiving junk mail? I actually miss it. Here in Costa Rica, you don't have mailboxes (except PO boxes at the Post Office, or buzones (only for bills). Heck, they don't even have street names or house numbers or much of a mail delivery system here. Addresses are actually directions from major landmarks. Our direccion is :
De la Escuela Villas del Salon de actos
100 metros este, 300metros Sur, 75 metros oeste
Tercera casa a mano derecha, porton cafe.
When you order something--food, paperwork, etc., when they deliver, you usually receive a phone call asking how to get to your house, they usually deliver on motorcycle, and when they get "close" to your house, they drive up and down the street beeping the horn to get you to come out of your house. After about 2-3 times of driving up and down and beeping to no avail, be ready to be asked by the delivery driver where this house is, or how close your direccion is to the the one they are trying to find!
5. You must watch where you are walking.
Even after 2 years of being here, you must pay attention to where you are walking. I have almost been hit by a car and a bus; I have fallen, tripped, slipped and lost my balance too many times to count; I have almost fallen into holes on sidewalks, roads, parks, grassy areas; I have stepped on dog poop, trash, dead animals, bugs and cockroaches, puddles of what I hope was water. Emme almost got taken away by a closing garage door; Leyton stepped on a dog (today, mind you); I have ran into poles, parked cars, walls, spider webs, and tree limbs, just to name a few. And God forbid we actually try to text and walk at the same time. This is the only place where we have told our kids to stop walking on the sidewalk and to WALK IN THE STREET--because it is more safe!!??
6. Time goes really fast here.
I think that the last 2 years have gone really fast. With friends coming and going all the time, you make plans to get together. Days turn into weeks, weeks to months and before you know it, they are gone (moved to another country) or you realize that you haven't seen each other in months. You make plans and before you know it, it has been over a month since you have talked with them....there are never enough hours in the day. I always end every day and think to myself, "I need to call so and so, or I need to sit down and write some emails, or I need to get a hold of so and so, or I need to wish so and so a happy birthday--and before you know it, it is the end of the day and all I want to do is go to sleep. I get up the next day and start all over--and then it's the end of the day again....this happens for about 1-2 days and time has gotten away from me all over again--Does this only happen to me!!??
7. Relationships are hard.
Keeping up with family, keeping in contact with friends, talking and corresponding with supporters, new friends and relationships here in Costa Rica, fulfilling dates--lunch, dinner, cafecito, making time to let the kids play with friends, family time together.....and then expecting the same in return from family, friends, supporters, new friends, kids' friends. Whew! It is hard. I have come to learn that I am not the best in keeping relationships. I always just expect things to be the way they were when we last talked, but things never stay the same. Just as everything has changed for us, the world continued on for everyone else--without us. As much as I want everything to stay the same, I know that it is impossible. I think I trick myself into believing that time has stopped back "home" and when we talk with people or return for a visit, everything will be the same--but of course it isn't. Relationships are lost, weak, in limbo or forgotten. But sometimes, SOMETIMES, relationships have changed, but it is a good change. Some have gotten better, stronger and those relationships is what makes me realize how important keeping those relationships alive really is. Especially when you are living far away. Sometimes the idea of "out of sight; out of mind" can really affect those relationships and make them seem less than they really are.
I can say over the last 2 years that I have learned a lot. About all of the above, but most of all about myself. I have learned my strengths and weaknesses, I have learned where I needed change and where I am still working. But most of all, I have learned that I need God everyday--for everything. Without Him, I'm not sure that I would still be here in Costa Rica. I am so thankful for all of the experiences and I hope one day that I can be a better person and hope that others will see that in me as well.
Totally humbled and grateful for everyone of you reading this. Thank you for thinking of us and praying for us! It really is something that helps us get through our days!
In HIM,
the crawfords
