adventures in costa rica: random rica

this week has been one of those weeks where i'm doing a little of everything, here and there, visiting different projects and things. i was getting to a point that i wasn't enjoying my project anymore because no kids were coming and i felt so useless so i decided to take a few days and visit other projects with friends. so last week, along with the daycare i already wrote about, i also went to another soup kitchen. this one was so different because it is very organized and well-run so the kids come in and know the routine and don't give you any grief. tha major difference here is the manners and respect the kids show you....they are so polite, using their manners and even addressing/greeting you in english. you don't realize it but those little things really make a difference when you're dealing with them on a daily basis. now that the kids are back in school, a lot of them come and go quickly after eating their lunch but the women that run the soup kitchen are really nice and very friendly and they weren't afraid to put us to work when there were only a few kids, having us help with the dishes!

dave, scrubbing the pots and pans

last wednesday was also my house sister's 22nd birthday so i thought it would be nice to do a little something for her. i went to the local flower shop and told them i wanted a bouquet and only wanted to spend $15-$20...however, i didn't realize how far that would get you in a costa rican florist. the bouquet was beautiful but absolutely GIGANTIC...to the point where i was almost embarassed carrying it home!

aside from the volunteering, it's always nice to treat ourselves to a little something throughout the week. last week maybe have gone a little overboard with the "special treats" but oh well....a good friend keeps reminding me that "YOLO"---you only live once! so might as well enjoy it while i'm here, right?!