Geckos Chirping from the Ceiling

I have finally arrived safe and sound in Atenas, Costa Rica! It is just as I left it four

Frenchie Pre-Haircut

years ago, well, with a few new stores of course. While walking down the street earlier today I ran into my old Spanish teacher and her son, whom I was close with the last time I was here and have been in constant contact with, that was wonderful! I have also seen a few other people and have really began to get my Spanish back, slowly but surely. I am absolutely in love with my host mom, she has two daughters, nine and nineteen, who I haven't met yet but the nine year old will be home tomorrow and I can't wait to meet her. We also have two shaggy dogs, Frenchie (featured to the right guarding me as I write in my journal) and another one who I haven't actually seen yet because it never leaves one hidden spot in the back yard. I had to bribe Frenchie to like me (he doesn't like strangers) with pieces of granola bar when I came home from my walk yesterday and now we are best friends. Staying with a family will only enrich my experience and help integrate me into the town more; no one in my family speaks English so Spanish all the way it is!

Today, although I only got in yesterday, was my first day of work at Su Espacio. Luckily I am already familiar with the center and the job, so learning it from the other

Entrance to Su Espacio

end of things (the administrative end) has been wonderful and interesting. I learned how to check all the emails (there are six or seven different accounts, lots of fun), writing invoices, getting prepared to answer any question that might be thrown my way in person or via the phone (in Spanish, of course), updating the blog and social media, learning how to review, organize, and assign volunteer application to projects and host families, and finally my special project of organizing and recruiting more group projects to come to town!

So apparently I am already going to be left in charge, alone, at the end of next week, so we will see how that goes! I am confident in my abilities and will (hopefully) have a cell by then so if anything does arise there will be back up, but I guess there is no better way to see if I am ready than to do it. The center is picking up more groups, or trying to at least, because it brings in much more revenue to the town than single volunteers do. Therefore a lot of my time, besides coordinating the volunteers that want to come and orienting new volunteers to their projects and town, will be surrounding recruiting more groups to come down. It is exciting being the first intern at this organization because there is so much that I can start to implement, new ideas to work on, and connections to make. I am also starting to research grants or some other form of funding because even though the center does make enough revenue to sustain itself, it doesn't have a lot of extra money to expand or invest in new projects. Got to get back to work, until next time, ¡hasta luego!

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So I have been left in charge today!! Tina's husband is sick so she is out and I am apparently ready to run things. Well, I mean I think I am ok, but I wish my Spanish

My Beloved Su Espacio

would come back even faster! I've only had to make one call to her to help me understand what the ladies who came in wanted (turns out they wanted a signature). My host mom got locked out of my house last night, so the robber that I thought was trying to break in was actually her, thankfully. The dog got a haircut yesterday too and he looks ridiculous, I will post a photo later, his tail is like a little rat tail! He seems much happier, though, which is nice... although he still barks just as much. I took a dancefit class with Tina this morning and am still just sweating and I should have brought clean clothes because I smell awful. Oh well, it's hotter than hell here so I could care less. Alright, back to work for me, more updates later! 

Today, my life is just Shelby.