Signs of the times

Well, It's been longer than I thought since my last post. I was hoping to get to this pretty regularly during the last part of my time here in Costa Rica, but that has proved more difficult than anticipated. I'm down to just over a week left now. It's going both quickly and slowly at the same time. (yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either) It seems like the more I think about getting to go home and how little time I have left, the days seem to creep by, but then when I look at how much time I've actually spent here I wonder where 4 and a half months went so quickly. It seems almost surreal that I'm almost done already, and things have just been getting busier as December 23rd approaches. I'll try to catch you up on all that's been going on.

It was strange being away from home for Thanksgiving. There really hasn't been a major holiday that I can think of that I've been away from my family. I think what made it more weird than a normal day is that I knew exactly where I would have been and exactly what I would have been doing if I was still at home. Every year we go to my aunt's house where she prepares one of the most delicious meals I eat all year and my grandpa and great uncle sit around picking on each other and drinking $3 wine. Luckily I'll be around to sample her cooking and the family atmosphere for Christmas. It was nice, at least, to be able to see them all and talk on Skype. It was the first time I'd actually "seen" some of them since before I left. Of course everyone had to comment about my hair being longer and the fact that I appeared to be losing a little weight. (No need to worry, with Christmas food and a few trips to the Mizzou Cafeteria next semester I should be back to normal in no time) I did however, get a chance to celebrate the holiday myself. There are several faculty members here from the states and they all gather with their families every year to give thanks and have a good time. It was nice having an evening of English and the food was amazing. All the usual stuff was there: turkey, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, and canned cranberry sauce. (Canned is always the best) They even had pumpkin, apple, and pecan pies for desert. It was a good night and I got to meet some really interesting people.

From that point on school started to pick up a little, and it was the first time this semester that I felt like I was really in school. Things had been difficult up to this point but really only because of the language stuff. In the past couple weeks, with classes coming to a close, projects and papers had to be turned in. I've done three presentations (all in Spanish, luckily the professors cut me a little slack I think), written a handful of papers, and had to finish up a research project that I started at the beginning of the semester involving rooting hormones on pineapple. While most of that is behind me now, I still have a few loose ends to tie up and a couple finals to take next week. I've only got a couple trips left to the golf course and we've actually been getting some nice weather and have been able to do some more stuff there. I think I'll probably stay there to round out my last few days in the country. Can't beat the free room, and it'll be easier to get to the airport from there than from the University.

There hasn't been much else going on, but I have already had to say goodbye to a few people. A couple of the other study abroad students opted to take their finals and everything early and left today to do a little traveling before heading back to their respective countries. Another will be leaving Wednesday and I think I'll be among the last to head out. Graduation for the fourth year students was yesterday as well. It was a good ceremony, but man was it long. It took three hours to graduate 90 people. (That doesn't make me to excited about my own graduation in May) I didn't know many of the fourth year students as I only had class with about 9 of them, but it was another few people to say goodbye to and campus seems a lot emptier with only first and second year students left. (All the third years are doing internships) We've had a few more sunnier days lately but have still gotten a lot of rain. I'm convinced that the day after I leave will mark the start of a 4 month sunny season. (I seem to have that luck... When I went to San Antonio a couple years ago it snowed for the first time since the 80's)

So, it's hard to ignore that things are wrapping up. Thinking back to the day I arrived and my few weeks at the language school seems like forever ago. Even when I try not to think about it, I have little reminders all over the place. The jar containing my malaria vaccine has acted as a little orange translucent hour glass losing one pill every week and now I'm down to just a few. I have a daily devotional book that I read and the number of pages between where I'm at and the back of the book is getting pretty thin. Christmas decorations are now in full swing. (granted they started back before Halloween) It seems funny to me that they celebrate Christmas the same way we do, with images of snowmen and reindeer even though most people here have never seen snow and complain about being cold in weather that could easily pass as shorts weather, or at most a light jacket.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset that I'll be done soon. I'm definitely ready to come home and see family and friends again. I wouldn't mind exchanging rain for snow either. So no, that's not it, I'm not upset that it's ending but rather just trying to take it all in. The fact remains that I still have about a week and a half left and, like I've been saying for the past couple months, I don't want to check out early. I still want to experience what's in store for these next several days and let God use them how he sees fit. I want to use these days to prepare for coming home, not mentally booking a flight back to Missouri. I want to take advantage of the time I have with the new people I've met here. I finished my last blog with, "Let's finish well" and maybe that's even more important now. So, keep me in your prayers. Pray that I'll be prepared for coming home and beginning the next chapter. Pray that I'll leave with great new relationships and friends. Pray that I continue to listen to God and not just focus on the calendar in my head, checking off days as they go by. There's only a little left and I can't wait to see you all again. I'll probably try to write again just before I leave. Until then I'll leave you guys with a verse that I've really come to appreciate being away for so long.

Phil 1:3-5
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now