The new team has arrived!! (I am offically a leader)

Well, it has sure been an exciting week! All of that hard work and prep has definitely paid off. Last Saturday the Costa Rica team arrived and that is when my role as a leader offically began. For the past week we have been training the new volunteers about how to teach in the schools and how to live most effectively in a community together. We have had to give the new volunteers all of the information we learned over 3 weeks, but this time in one week. Lets just say it has been a bit tiring. It has also been completely worth it!

I really enjoy being a leader on the team. My role as a support person is to be the eyes and ears for the coordinator (who often does not have enough time to actually be with the volunteers). So far I am 100% this. I listen to what the volunteers say during their free time and if its necesary report back to the coordinator. For example if I hear people saying the way that the material was presented in the morning meeting was very distracting, I suggest to the coordinator to change the way she presents the material next time. Being a leader also means that I really have to put myself aside and truly care for the group and the group´s sentiments, instead of my own. For example, if I feel tired or bored I have to make sure I look the contrary. But in this action, I also have to make myself feel alert and positive so in a sense I trick myself into actually feeling this way! Its pretty cool. I am also really exercising my ability to be patient, and its been a little bit hard at times. Yet, through these challenges I know that I am learning more than I ever have in my life.

On a separate note, tomorrow we are going on a trip to a beach named Playa Hermosa (Beautiful beach). I sure hope it lives up to its title! I am so excited, I need that kind of break more than words can express! Then on Monday we begin teaching! I could not be more excited. This is what I have been waiting for for months.

Because of time I am going to highlight a few other exciting and fun things about being in Costa Rica with the new team:
-Our neighbor sells chocobananas...chocolate covered frozen bananas and you can get coconut and condensed milk on them too!
-I drank coconut water out of a coconut yesterday´-The food here is delicious!
-I have only 1 roommate instead of 4, and I love her!
-Laundry Machines
-the team is amazing, its been one week and it already feels like a family

Ok that´s it for now. Miss you all SO MUCH!

Liza