Self-Care: When Dying to Self is Killing You
One quick acceleration and I toppled backwards. An upended turtle, my view rocked from skyline to ceiling panels. Leading our first mission team in 2011, we did all the things. Teaching on culture, prayer, and how to brush your teeth with bottled water. We collected passports, had a packing party, weighed suitcases. I tagged every … Continue reading
How to Fall in Love with Normal Life Again
I got off the plane and stepped out into the height of rainy season. The hard stuff struck me like the honeymoon glow of language school blowing its first transformer. Mold in full bloom on our car seats and furniture. Trash scattered on the streets. The cramped feel of our house after the heartland’s big … Continue reading
Costa Rican Culture Shock: Cover Your Ears
Everyone’s stereo has its own groove. Culture is the same way. From headbanger to salsa, enjoy sound bites of daily life as heard by a prairie girl in small town Costa Rica. Some like it loud. Toucans and macaws fly the friendly skies here in the tropics. Their unique calls sound for miles, but they’ve … Continue reading
Costa Rican Culture Shock: Talking Trash
Culture quirks. Everyone has some, whether on a personal or national scale. Do you squeeze the toothpaste in the middle or from the bottom? Does the roll go in front or behind the end of the bath tissue? Talking today about some local flavor we experience as expats living in small town Costa Rica. Bathroom … Continue reading
Costa Rican Culture Shock: Up Close and Personal
Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home.” She’s right, but each nest has its own charm. Mission life is an opportunity to get cozy in many places. As we hug friends back in the prairie over the next few days, it’s a great time to share some cultural quirks of living in small town Costa … Continue reading
Eliana’s View: Learning Love Through Spanish Slip-Ups
Spanish–one of the heartbeats of Costa Rica. I joke with kids, give instructions, and connect with people, all in a second language. A knack for accents gives me some native flair, but I know grammar goofs aren’t hidden by trilling my r’s. Teams marvel at my conversations with the staff, but they don’t notice my … Continue reading
Light: How We Need It, How to Shine
Light. It does something good inside us. Our first year in Costa Rica was lit with cold, white CFLs. In language school fashion, we chose a house to rent over email from back in the states. A handful of snapshots was all we had to determine the best of our three options. We didn’t love … Continue reading
The Good News Family 