Nicaragua, here we come!

We're over halfway through our first of 3 trimesters.  Oh, how time flies!  We've been learning things like intransitive verbs, direct and indirect objects, and Jeff's personal favorite, food vocabulary!  We've also found out how Costa Rica solves the low water reserve situation during dry season:  they turn the water off sometime during the day and don't turn it on until sometime during the night!  After a few days of this, we were getting a little worried about how we could work our schedule to get everything that requires water done in the morning before school (dishes, laundry, rinsing and soaking fruits/veggies, etc.), but we're getting that routine figured out. 

We're headed to Nicaragua for our visa renewal trip later this week.  When you come here, the maximum your passport can be stamped is 90 days.  Because of this, students that don't try to get a student visa here in CR have to leave the country for at least 72 hours before their 90 days are up.  When you come back in, you request another 90 day stamp, and hopefully you're able to get it! We've only heard of a few instances of a border patrol officer not wanting to give out a second 90-day stamp, so we're praying for God to provide us with a friendly border patrol officer who's having a good day, as well as safety on the bus ride to/from Nicaragua (about 7 hours each way). 

There are a few things we hope you'll pray about in the coming weeks:

--Several of our fellow students have caught a stomach bug that's being passed around.  Missing a few days of class is difficult, and having a lack of water to flush toilets for most of the day makes having a stomach bug a little more interesting.  Please pray that God would watch over our fellow students (as well as us), that He would bring healing to those who are feeling ill and protection to those who have thus far remained healthy.

--This coming weekend is the most common for students to take their visa renewal trips.  With so many of us traveling, please pray that God would provide protection for us while we're on the road, guidance as we obtain the paperwork needed to leave and re-enter the country, and the blessing of an additional 90-day stamp as we re-enter the country.

Dios lo Bendiga!

Jeff and Leslie

Pensamientos

Since we've been here we've noticed the things we think about have changed. Here are some thoughts we never thought we'd think....

"I probably should leave my rings at home today since we're going to church."

"Do we have enough change to make it to church and back?" (we take the bus)

"I'm going to take my purse, but I'm only going to put (the equivalent of) $10 in it in case someone decides to rob me, and I don't really need my cell to go to the store so I'll leave that at home too."

"Yes, you can drink the tap water."  :)

Every morning when I get in the shower (without contacts) I have to remind myself that this spot on the tile is not a cockroach!

"Let's hang our clothes on the line today and save money by not using the dryer (electricity is expensive here)."

"Watch where you step! (There may be dog poo or a "gringo trap"!)"

"We better do the dishes before we go to bed tonight.....we don't want any creepy crawlies!"

"I'll just get in my car and drive to.....wait, no car, do I want to walk, take a taxi or the bus.....do I really need to go anywhere?"

"I just want to go for a walk.....let me unlock my 3 doors that stand between me and freedom... or is that safety?"

"The bathroom trash needs to be emptied again......because you can't flush toilet paper."

"I am so thankful that the bathroom does not smell like what is in the trash can."

"Fireworks again?"

"It's so nice outside, do I want to wear a skirt or pants?"

"Do I want to look out and see who is tapping on my gate?"

"If I don't have internet, do I really want to use data on my phone to check email/facebook?"

"Another cockroach?"

"Why are there ants on the bathroom counter where there is no food?"

These are just some of the many adventures of living in Costa Rica!  We're so glad you're along for the ride with us, thinking about us and praying for us.  To our friends and family back in the States reading this, we miss you very much!  And to our new friends here who might be reading this, it's been a blast sharing these new thoughts and experiences while serving here with you!