Red Line Runway Show

Biola circa 1908
In Los Angeles, circa Hope and 6th street
The founders they decided “a school we must found,
And maybe in a hundred years they’ll still be around”
We are.

So we had Lyman Stewart, and RA Torrey you know
And TC Horton, he was great but his wife ran the show
And things they were growing, as God was on their side
But if you were a guy with long hair they wouldn’t let you apply
The decades they went passing one by one by one
The school was getting bigger so they turned to Sam Sutherland
He said “Now we’ve found a few acres, in the fields of La Mirada,
It’s a big open place to expand our school and complaints, well I’ve got nada”
Nothing.

It’s here we met Bob and Betty, and Ron Hafer, what a pal
And the giant Jesus mural, well, he watches over the café
Things are better than ever, due to Dr. Cooks awesome reign,
But now my friends, it’s time to board the Dr. Corey Train.
Tickets please.

So happy year one hundred dear school that we love
We like your new ID cards and the renovated SUB
And welcome to the redline, and the end of my song
So Biola here’s to another hundred strong.
Good years.

Written by Josh, the run way show emcee

limón y sal

Tengo que confesar que a veces
no me gusta tu forma de ser
luego te me desapareces y no entiendo muy bien por qué
no dices nada romántico cuando llega el atardecer te pones de un humor extraño con cada luna llena al mes.

Pero a a todo lo demás le gana lo bueno que me das sólo tenerte cerca siento que vuelvo a empezar.

CORO:
Yo te quiero con limón y sal, yo te quiero tal y como estás,
no hace falta cambiarte nada,
yo te quiero si vienes o si vas,
si subes y bajas y
no estás seguro de lo que sientes.

Tengo que confesarte ahora
nunca creí en la felicidad
a veces algo se le parece, pero
es pura casualidad.

Luego me vengo a encontrar con tus ojos y me dan algo más
solo tenerte cerca siento
que vuelvo a empezar.

CORO

Solo tenerte cerca
siento que vuelvo a empezar....

processing the spring semester...

The first advertisement I remember reading about the Latin American Studies Program (LASP) began as follows, “Your showers will be cold and your clothes hot and sweaty…” You would think that this would be a real turn off to signing up but instead it challenged me to leave my comfort zone and go where I felt God was calling me to serve and study. Choosing to participate in LASP is more than just an opportunity to study abroad, it is immersing yourself into cultures so diverse from your own and learning that outside of your comfort zone there is a world of discomfort that you can make a positive impact on. I signed up and began an adventure that was to be more than just completing my Spanish minor; it was a life enhancing experience that will be forever in my heart, mind and soul.
Unlike most other study abroad programs we lived with host families in every country we visited. During the semester we stayed with our primary host family in Costa Rica but made side trips to Nicaragua, Panama and Guatemala where each one of us was housed with a local family. Each host family shared themselves openly with me giving me a perspective on their lives and culture that few people get to experience. Part of the immersion experience is to participate fully with your host family as if you were truly a member of their family. Significant to this immersion is of course speaking only in Spanish! The host families are instructed not to use English but to encourage their host son or daughter to think, speak and live in Spanish. As you can imagine this at times was more than a brain could take, but in no time I found my Spanish going to a whole new level and communication with my host families got easier and more natural. Not only could I maintain a level of conversation to accomplish tasks but now I could fully participate in dialogues where ideas, hopes and dreams were shared. Much to my surprise my Costa Rican host family could understand and speak English very well but they admonished me to speak only Spanish and kept me focused on improving my language skills everyday by pretending they didn’t know what I was saying if I slipped into English.
Each one of my host families contributed immensely to improving my Spanish along with helping me to understand their cultures and the critical issues they face daily. Several of the families I lived with were challenged economically and each day was met with faith that God would provide for their needs. These families welcomed me into their homes and they did not hesitate to share the little that they had with me. Their faith and hospitality was sometimes so overwhelming that it made my heart rejoice and ache at the same time.
The education gained from this type of study abroad program is immeasurable, not just from the academic stand point but from the interpersonal relationships that are forged by staying with families and living their daily lives with them, seeing the world through their eyes, ears and stomachs and wondering how I can make a difference. How can a North American Christian journalist like myself take what I have lived and seen in Latin America and make a difference not only in my world but in the lives of those in Latin America? I am much more empathetic now; my comfort zone has been stretched, pulled and broadened. I have a deeper understanding for the problems that Latin America faces and for how I will respond as a citizen of the Kingdom and of the world. I am open to God’s leading as I continue my journalism studies and excited to see how he will use this study abroad experience to further his kingdom.

Claire Scholl
EagleVision News Team-- Latin American Correspondent
www.biola.edu/eaglevision

freedom

I am getting so tired of just lying in bed all day! Kelly Charest decorated my cast with tons of plumerias, a sunset and island and a shooting star! So my cast is beautiful thanks to her! Yesterday I drove in my car for the first time since I have been back, it felt wonderful! I even have a handicap placard to hang in my rearview mirror. People stared at me when I pulled into the handicapped parking spots, but then they saw me get out and hopefully stopped judging me.

This weekend is going to be very busy. Aana is graduating from Westmont and then she is having a party. I am excited to see some old friends at this party. Sunday I am having my party, just kinda like a welcome back home thing. Not to big but it will be fun to kinda have a first bbq of the summer!

I miss all my friends from LASP so much. We have talked about a reunion but I want it to actually happen. Like really where could we all meet?

I might have a job working for a friend from church, please pray for me that this goes through!

Love you all!

Clara

back in the USA...

Greetings everyone from the comfort of my own bed! I am back in North America 6 days earlier than expected. While on my service project in Guatemala, I fell off the monkey bars (yes you read it correctly, the monkey bars) and rolled my ankle really bad. My ankle swelled up so fast it looked like I had an apple attached to it. In one of the pictures you can see my ankle. I went to a hospital in Guatemala City to get x-rays, they said I needed surgery but I would not be able to leave the hospital for a few days after and our program is heading to Miami today, so I would have missed that. I did this on Saturday and flew home on Sunday.

Needless to say, I am feeling a mixture of emotions as I am back home. I am so sad to have left my friends at LASP so early, I am in pain because of my ankle, I miss Latin America a lot but yet I am very happy to be living in North America where the air is so much fresher and life is a bit safer. So I am going through this time processing what I have learned and how to function with a casted leg.

I have never had a cast or crutches in my life so I am kinda wabbley and need help doing everything.

But before all this happened I had a wonderful time in Guatemala. It was hard leaving my family in Costa Rica, but I have emails and home addresses to write all of them. When we arrived in Guatemala we stayed at a Christian Theological seminary. We had charlas (seminars) with the party leader for Rigoberta Menchu's party. She is currently in third place for president of Guatemala. She is indigenous and 85% of the country is like her, but during my service project I talked to many non-indigenous and they said they would not vote for her because she does not represent the whole country.

My service project was at a NGO called Patronato Pro Nutricional Infantil. They weigh and measure kids under 6 years old, monitoring their growth and weight. They also provide lessons to mothers about nutrition and health. During our time there we made galletas (cookies) that are vitamin and fat packed. They actually taste pretty good and we made over a thousand of these galletas. In one of the photos you can see me pounding out the rounds.

These past four months have been truly amazing and I will always think of it as my best semester. I encourage everyone to study abroad if you still have time to do it. I enjoyed being in Latin America and not being labeled a tourist. I felt that being a student in someone else's country humbled me because I was there to understand and learn what realities Latin American's are faced with.

One of the other pictures is of me and my sisters in Costa Rica on my last night at the house. I love those girls so much.

This will be my last letter to you all. Thanks for reading and sending notes back to me. Feel free to ask me questions about what I experienced. I have over 600 photos and I would love to show all of them to you. Thanks again for allowing me to share these four months with you! Have a great week!!!

--- Clara

Last day in Costa Rica....

Hola familia y amigos!
This is my last update to you from Costa Rica. This whole semester has gone by pretty fast actually. I am in disbelief that we are leaving for Guatemala tomorrow.

Anyway since the last letter a few things have happened. Easter Sunday was very relaxing. We had Chinese take out for lunch/dinner and we rented a movie. So this was an interesting experience out of my normal North American Easter day. What I missed most was saying "Happy Easter" to people.

The weather has become so different. I love that it rains in the late afternoon. I have had language class everyday and we had our final exam and I a 94%. The test was on using the subjunctive and I am just so proud of myself. My Profesora was very proud too. We also did more group presentations and my group focused on the power language has to oppress and liberate people. We each had different roles and I played a prostitute who had to sleep with men to fed my family. I bought some clothes at a thrift store and really got into my part. When I came home with my clothes I asked my Tica mom to help me cut the skirt and shirt. And my Tico dad looked at me funny and I said "sorry this is my new profession." He said, "well that's great. you will be able to pay for university." I was surprised to hear this joke come out of him. But this just shows, I think, how closed me and this family have gotten. I will miss them so much.

After our presentations, the students in my concentration had to go back to the language institute for an Oral Proficiency Exam. This is like official business. We get a certificate with what level our Spanish is at and we can show it to employers. I am very excited about this because I think I did well.

We had Guatemala Orientation and I will be working for an organization that works to bring nutrition back to poor infants and children. I will be staying in Guatemala City with 4 other students painting and doing manual labor for this non-profit.

Last night was my "despeida" fiesta. We had Henry and Laura (friends from church) come over and we had toastadas and flan de coco! I was in heaven, no rice!! My Tico dad sad really nice things to me about how I will always be a part of the family, that they will miss me and never forget me. I started to cry and could only mutter a "mil gracias por todo."

Well that is is until after Guatemala and Miami. Thanks for sharing in this journey with me, I have appreciated all your encouragement and little notes trough the semester. Have a great week!



Clara

Lenguaje y Literatura

Now it is April in Costa Rica and like clock work the season is changing. Since April first it had either sprinkled or rained. Today, actually right now, it is pouring rain with thunder and lightening. I love it!!

Since we got back from Panama we have started more language class and have been having charlas (seminars) over various topics within the subject of "Los Excluidos". We have had discussions with prostitutes who are living in a rehab type of house. we heard their stories and got to share a meal with them. Then we talked to a group in a really poor area of San Jose about their ministry. Then we visited another ministry that works with children in the street. They provide Bible studies and assistance to the families of these children. The this week we talked to a woman about "machismo" and women in Latin America. The last charla was about homosexuality and we talked with a guy who organized a group for gay Christians in San Jose. Many of these topics are hard to talk and see while others are topics that pose more questions then answers. Everyday we have 2 hour grammar class with a wonderful professor, Doña Elly. Today was our last day of class this week because of Semana Santa. Much of San Jose shuts down today and for the rest of the week. My Tico family normally goes to visit other family but they decided not to this year. So I think for Easter we will just be hanging around San Jose. Which is good because I have homework and a large project.

A story I would like to share is about a song I learned back in my sophomore year of high school on a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico. It is called "Tenemos tanto" (we have a lot). It is a fun song with simple words all in Spanish and cool hand movements. I learned it from a wonderful lady named Anahi who was the music minister at the church we worked at during the trip. Many know her story but for those that do not I will give it to you in a nutshell. She was very sick in Mexico and one of the parents, Bob Samario, on the trip made a great connection with her, brought her across the boarder by the grace of God, had her live at his house and he helped her get better. Well she had a heart problem and after awhile got a new heart and live longer then expected. But she died back in 2006. Ok how she relates to me right now is amazing.

In every community we visit we are expected to teach songs and games to the kids of the churches. Since "Tenemos tanto" is such a cool and easy song I have been spreading this song throughout Latin America. I taught the song in Wapy, Nicaragua, in Kuna Yala, Panama, in Costa Rica with the kids in the street ministry and hopefully with the church I meet in Guatemala in one week. Thus, the Anahi is still living through this song I believe and I think of her smile every time I am teaching this song and then I see the smile on the kids faces and thank God for her being in my life. The most recent time we did this song was with the kids in the street and I shared this same story with my classmates and professors and I just burst into tears. I am just so happy to be using this song to remember Anahi and see other kids sing the song with smiles. In every country I shared the song, the music leader of the church has asked me to write down the words and hand motions. This has meant so much to me and I know Bob and those who knew Anahi will be blessed by reading this.

This week I went to a Saprissa soccer game with my sister and Tico dad. Saprissa is the San Jose team, unfortunately there were no goals but it was fun to see how much pride Ticos have for their futbol teams. Easter is my last Sunday in Costa Rica. Sunday April 15th we all leave for Guatemala for 2 weeks doing service projects. I hope everyone has a blessed Easter and a restful Easter break for those that get one! See you this month!!

Claire Scholl
EagleVision News Team-- Latin American Correspondent
www.biola.edu/eaglevision

================================================================================
Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. Philippians 4:13- The Message

And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. 1 Timothy 4:12- The Message

Ice Cream!

The best ice cream shop ever! I love lavender ice cream!!!

Allie, me, Tiffany and Amanda

The Panama Canal!

all the qirls with our favorite cook!

Kate, Amanda, Marlena, Heather, Allie y Clara

LASP Students in Kuna Yala with our Kuna amigas!

Back from Panama!

Wow! It has been an amazing 2 weeks out of Costa Rica! First we ended core seminar portion of the semester. Now we are moving into our concentrations. I got to spend time in Panama and with the indigenous of Kuna Yala. The attached photo is of the group of us and our Kuna friends wearing traditional molas. See if you can find me! The second is of my Kuna mother and my house. We spent a day and a half in Panama City seeing the old part and ruins of a cathedral. We stayed in a Hotel during this time. Panama is known as the Miami of Latin America, so if you can imagine there is a lot of life and culture there. Although there a lot of North American influences, Panama City is fun. What I really noticed was the public buses. There were all the same bus but they had art wort all over with music and flashing lights on the inside. The best word I could use is "pimped" out! We never got to ride these buses because we had our own driver for our time there.

The night before we left for our homestays in the San Blas, we had a wonderful Chinese dinner. I had chicken curry chow mein. I loved it so much! To get to Panama from San Jose you have to take an 18 hour bus ride. We left San Jose at 1pm and arrived at our hotel at 5:30 am the next day. It was brutal to say the least. Ok so now lets move on the the stay with the Kunas. Nuedi! is what you will say to greet your new Kuna friends. Many of the people spoke Spanish as a second language. So we had something in common from the start...Spanish is our second language! In my family only the father and some of the sisters spoke Spanish. My mother only spoke Kuna. To get to this island we had to take a poodle jumper plane and fortunately they had recently built an airport so we got to land on the island. Then took a canoe ride to our part of the island where the water is turquoise and the palm tress are heavy with coconuts. Food on the island consisted of plantain soup, avocados, hot dogs, bread, fresh fish, a wonderful hot chocolate drink, lobster and more plantains! One day for lunch the whole group was invited over for food at one lady's house. She made us this five start lobster and crab soup. It was hearty enough to be a winter soup but we had in the middle of humid 90 degree weather! For flavor there was shredded coconut in it. I loved it so much! I did not get sick at all while I was there, I am so thankful.

During our stay we played with kids, took a canoe ride to a river and saw the cemetery for the Kuna people. We went to the local congress and saw two being reprimanded for steal someone's coconuts. Every where in Panama they use dollars but on the island the use coconuts also. One coconut equals 10 cents. It was neat to see people buy things with coconuts. You would think that being surrounded by water there would be beaches but here there is only one area of white sand, which is not even very big. I was so happy to go swimming that day. The water was turquoise and so refreshing. For church on Sunday they had a different style to their service. In the morning was Sunday school for all the kids. All of us students visiting where the leaders for the service. We organized games and songs and even a little skit. Then at night was the regular service. It was in both Kuna and Spanish. Sunday was our last night and when the pastor started to share his thanks for us being there he started to cry and he said that the community will never forget us. This brought all of us to tears too.

We left the island on Monday and it was very hard to leave my family there. We had created a great connection even though I could not speak their own language. My family gave me a beautiful mola in a frame. I will never forget my life with the Kunas.

Once back in Panama at the same hotel we did a lice treatment wash and sent out again to tour the city. What a quick transition from island to city. So crazy! We were all craving something cold after the hot island so we found this wonderful French ice cream shop. They had amazing flavors such as earl gray, pineapple, basil, honey and many more. I got the lavender flavor and it tasted just like a field of French lavender. I also had a taste of the basil ice cream and it was wonderful too. For dinner that night we went to a an Italian place. Me and my friends shared our meals. We had a pesto and spinach fest, yummmmy!!! The next day we visited the canal at the Miraflores locks. We saw 3 huge boats passing through the canal and walked through the museum. I liked being the canal. There is so much history there. My father in Kuna Yala even worked on the canal. After we went to this huge mall called Albrook and had a typical Panamanian lunch (not much to write home about). Then we went to a market full of indigenous stuff. I bought some molas and things. Then we went to dinner at an Indian place and I had coconut shrimp curry. I went through so many food cultural experiences. That night we got back on the bus to San Jose for another 18 hours of my life sitting on the bus. This time it was worse. I am so glad to be back with my Costa Rica family.

I only have 3 weeks left in San Jose then 2 weeks in Guatemala, then one week in Miami and home eon April 27th. Start the countdown! lol Alright folks thanks so much for reading this far down! I am really excited to share more with you all when I am home!!

Love always,

Clara Marina

mac people are the coolest!

andrea, allison and me in the LASP office!

My Tico Family!

Chilling.....

Hello all! I have finished my big paper for the semester and tomorrow we have group presentations tomorrow. Thank you for the prayers during that time! I did eleven pages about the Latin American Film Industry in Spanish.

This week has been very relaxing, not much homework so I have really appreciated this down time. Since I have not had much to do when I get home at night me and my host mom have had some great conversations. We about things ranging from family life to tattoos. I really value this time we spend together because one we are talking in Spanish so I am learning and two we are building a great friendship. My family here is very quite and as I have said before I am outgoing and like to joke. I have always been myself while I am here but I feel now that the family is starting to get my humor and laugh together a little more.

Spring break starts this Friday and ends on Monday the 12th. So technically we only have one day of break and then the weekend. My Dad from the USA is here and we will be traveling to Monteverde (zip line and jungle) and then maybe Puntareanas. Since Dad has been here I have had the chance to be a tourist in San Jose for a bit. We took a tour of the Teatro Nacional and the Gold Museum. Both very interesting and fun. On Sunday Dad came to church and then to my house for lunch. My host mom made a great meal, yes I am talking about food again! The desert was the best, she made baked plantains with a brown sugar cream cheese dressing! YUMMY! I wish I could send you all some! Then me and my Dad went to go see Babel.

We are starting concentrations next week. I am in Language and Literature track, there are 12 total in this track. First we will travel to Panama for ten days and live with and indigenous tribe called the Kunas. They live on the islands of Panama. They use U.S. dollars and coconuts for money and live in palm tree huts. And Spanish is their second language so it will be fun to learn some of their native tongue. After living with the Kunas we will tour the Canal and then hop back on the bus for an 18 hour ride back to San Jose.

I am so glad to be done with that paper and moving into our concentrations. The Latin American Studies track gets to spend ten days in Cuba. One girl told me she wants to smoke a Cuban cigar on the beach! I can't wait to hear stories from their experience.

Talk to you all after Panama! Hi Grandma, I love you and thanks for all the cards!
The picture is of me and my friend Angie on the way back from Nicaragua listening to my new reggaeton CDs!!!

Claire Scholl
EagleVision News Team-- Latin American Correspondent
www.biola.edu/eaglevision

Nicaragua

Buenos dias familia y amigos!

I am back from the campo (the countryside) in Nicaragua. I had such a beautiful experience there. First we had a few day in the capital Managua where we visited historical parks and spoke with a man in the National Assembly. We ate bastante comida (a lot of food) at various restaurants. Next we did a week of homestays all over Nicaragua. I went to a campo town called Wapy. There were no paved roads for about an hour and a half to get to the town. They only had electricity from 5-10pm and no running water. So I took bucket showers all week with freezing water. My family consisted of a mother and her son and daughter. The daughter, Karla, is 6 years old so we instantly became friends, especially when I gave her the pretty hair clips I brought for her. Attached is a picture of her and I. The other photo is of me and the other students that stayed in Wapy. Other groups went to the north of Nicaragua and others to both coastal sides.

During this week we did many fun things. For a service project we painted the Sunday school room with a bright turquoise color, we got to swim in the near by river with all of our clothes on, normally this is a river for bathing and washing clothes, we visited a farm, which was a hike and we would volar la lengua, which means talking. For most of the day we would sit in patio chairs and just talking about various subjects. I really enjoyed this because I got to build a nice relationship with this family. I have many funny stories to share but I will choose just one for this email. I had become sick last Sunday, I had to force my self to vomit, I had horrible stomach pains and the doctor had to come visit me, which only cost 5 dollars by the way, and it was just a bad day. The doctor determined that it was an amoeba in my intestines, so he put me on some pills. So two days later I started to feel almost 100%, and my host mom asked me "are you afraid at all to eat our food now?" and if you know my humorous personality you will understand the way I responded. I said "No I am not scared, I love animals in my stomach!" And the room just fell silent and their faces dropped. :) Then I said oh it was a joke, I am feeling better and then just shoved more food in my mouth. So it was a memorable experience in Wapy.

After the homestays we made our way to Granada a city outside of Managua. It is a colonial city with great old churches and next to a huge lake. We did not get much time here, but I hope to visit again. We stayed at a wonderful hostel that had a pool and real showers. I loved not having to work to make my self clean. Next we traveled back to Managua for a final dinner in Nicaragua. We went to this restaurant called Ola Verde (Green Wave) and it was all food made from organic local farmers. The restaurant was a dream come true after a week of salty and carbo type foods. Oh yeah speaking of foods for lunch one day in Wapy my host mom served me cow brains and we are told to eat everything and yes I did eat them. I stuff a portion in my tortilla with rices and beans and chewed fast! It was literally a whole cow brain in broth! But back to the organic restaurant, we had spinach chicken wraps and a wonderful tomato bisque soup. The owner is a North American and her mission in life is to educate Nicaraguans about organic farming and healthy cooking. This place was just what we needed after our homestays. We took a bus to and from countries, it is a 12 hour ride, so I slept a lot and chatted with friends.

Now back in San Jose for school I have a big paper due Monday on Latin American Cinema. Please pray for me as I go through this. Then tomorrow my Dad is coming to visit for 2 weeks, so I am very excited to show him around. The next portion of my semester will be in our concentrations. I chose Language and Literature. For this part we travel to Panama on March 12th, so soon I know!

Alright, I hope letter this finds everyone wonderful!! I will be back in 2 months! Love you all!

Claire Scholl
EagleVision News Team-- Latin American Correspondent
www.biola.edu/eaglevision

ketchup and mayop

Hola! So I have been in Costa Rica now for almost a month and I am loving life here. Though there are some struggles life taking the bus everywhere, people smoke everywhere and men whistling at you as they pass.

Anyway, two weekends ago the LASP group went to Limon, which is a province on the Caribbean coast. The weather was very humid and hot. On the bus ride there we stopped at a coffee plantation. I tasted a bean right of the bush and it was kinda bitter. Then we went to a Del Monte banana plantation and saw the whole process from field to shipment. Everyone in the State should be thankful for our bananas because there are some high standards for this fruit. Such as if there is but one brown spot it is labeled as 3rd class and the most aesthetic bananas can be shipped to the U.S. and Europe. We stayed at Hotel Miami in Limon, it was very pleasant to have a change from the daily routine of San Jose.

We got to talk with a women who won teacher of the year and who was a member of the Costa Rican government. English was spoken a lot in Limon so it was great to not think as hard while I speak. Then we went up the road a ways to the indigenous tribe Bri Bri and spoke with a leader of that community. They have an iguana preservation project so we got to see various sizes of iguanas and learn how they are protecting this animal. After that we went to the beach...finally!!! The beach we went to was Playa Cahuita, it was beautiful. The water was turquoise and the sand was tan. I found a whole coconut on the ground and had one of the guys open it. I shared the milk and meat inside, it was so sweet! Saturday night we went dancing at a club for one of the professors birthday! We danced to reggaton so that was lots of fun!! Then on Sunday I went to an Episcopal church and had lunch with some members and their kids. After a long hot weekend in Limon we went back to the city.

On February 2nd we meet with two people from the U.S. Embassy and learned what their jobs looked like and their prospectives on U.S./Latin American relations.

This past weekend me, a bunch of girls from LASP and my 2 host sisters went to the beach in Puntarenas which is on the Pacific coast. It was great. You pick up the bus in San Jose, it lasts for only 2 hours, then we stayed in Hotel Cayuga. Very cheap for 2 nights. Now in Costa Rica it is very common to have ketchup and mayo with your french fries. So here is where I have slipped into the culture even more. It tastes great. they do not have mustard here so the mayo works well. At this beach I got my first sun burn, it is not that bad, but it will work just fine for a base tan! lol

This is my last week of language school and then next Monday we all leave for Nicaragua!

Love you all!!

hello

tuesday january 23 2007

so since my last letter i have become much more confident with the bus system and how the tico culture works. everyday for the next 3 weeks i will be at language school for 2 classes, grammar and conversation. i have a great teacher, same one for both classes. she reminds me of an abuelita, a little grandma for all you non Spanish speakers. lol some days i have Latin American studies , LASP, classes in the morning which involve a speaker about different topics. a lot of them are political oriented so i struggle sometimes hearing all that stuff. but i am learning a lot about the Costa Rican government and issues.

since i am in the language and literature track every single homework assignment has to be in Spanish. crazy but i am doing and learning so much. i have found some words different than from what i learned, but no to much. ticos do have a different way to talk about future events and things. but i love my family they are so understanding.

last Friday a group of my friends out to dinner at a really gringo place called news cafe, but i loved the name. it was fun people had hamburgers. there is this really greta place to get ice cream called pops there is one on almost every corner, i recommend the coconut. lol yesterday i found a great place to get a chai frappe, it was so good. that will be my weakness as i pass through san jose.

this weekend the group is of the Limon which is on the Caribbean coast. i am so excited to go to the beach finally. dad i bought a sarong and though of you. hahaha bc we can only take a backpack to this trip, so packing will be hard.

well it is getting dark and i must get home, attached are two pics one of me and a group of friends on our 3rd day in CR. the other is of the house i am staying in. it is the salmon pink color one.

ok love to you all. bye.

Buenas tardes!

wednesday january 10 2007

¡Hola familia y amigos!

I am in Costa Rica now. The flights were very long but God provided some great people to talk with on the plane. We flew into Costa Rica at night se we saw all the beautiful city lights. San Jose is a very colorful city of 2 million people. The weather is everything a Santa Barbarian could ask for, lots of sun, mild temps and clouds that look like they are bursting with rain!

I have meet so many new people and it is safe to say that they are my freinds already. All the LASP students spent the night in a retreat center and had a one day orientation to the Costa Rican culture and how the program will work. We did an activity that asked us to make a collage about the North American culture. Everyone seemed to be cutting out negative and bad images of the USA. So I told my group that we should try to find some positive views of the North. Some students came up to me after and said they apprciated our groups positive outlook. I can see where the direction of this program is wanting to go. On the other hand LASP is wanting us to form our own opinions about issues and that is a valuable trait.

Today we recived our families via a raffle. My host mothers name is Guiselle Machado Tencio. She has a husband and two teen age daughters. I share a room with the oldest who is 16. I have just had a completed a tour of the house. I am writting this on their home computer. They have pretty fast internet! I think these ticos might be well off becasue they have a great phone and alarm system in the house. It has ben a very emotional day full of new information and thinking and speaking in Spanish.

The meals have been pretty large so far, but my host mom said they do not eat large dinners. So I think evreything is going to work great with this family. Tomorrow we have to meet at the Teatro Nacional to do a ¨scavenger hunt¨ type thing around the center of San Jose. The program directors have pretty much left it up to us to figure out the bus systems, banking and other culture elements. However I anticipate the Wards adevice and assistance in this city.

My house is 30 minutes away from the school, in a barrio called Del Pali de Calle Blancos, so I think every morning will be an early one. I apprciate all your prayers and thoughts as I fordge through this new culture.

That is all for now. I am not sure when I can get on her again but maybe every 2 weeks or something....
I really like it here and I have a lot of freinds that are going through the same thing here with me!

I love you all! Have a great weekend!!!

Claire Scholl
EagleVision News Team- Latin America Correspondant
www.biola.edu/eaglevision

day before school!

sunday january 14 2007

Hello again family and friends,

since my last email many new things have happened. LASP took us to Clinica Biblia to get a health orientation so we may be prapered for what illnesses may come our way. so far i have not gotten sick. i drink straight from the tap because the water is treated. all the food is wonderful. my family, i feel, is not into the same type of meal each day. we have had great sandwiches and fresh fruit drinks. i was prepared to live really scarcely but this family is amazing. my host mother loves to buy new cookbook type magazines and she saves them all. kindas sounds like someone else i know, my real mother. lol

it has been kinda cold actually i wish i brought more jeans and one more sweater, maybe i will do some shopping. :)

Dad, before i forget please email the exacts dates you plan to come because we have to let LASP now, along with my family.

this is my 5th day in CR and i already feel like my Spanish vocabualry has grown. every day i am trying to learn a new phrase to incorperate into my daily dialouge. today i went to church with my family it is called Iglesia el Divino Salvador. it is just like Harvest, lots of great hand-clapping music and Biblical teaching. today there were lots of north americans there so i got to chat with them for a while. one group was students here for 3 weeks from PA and the other was a church group from VA that is like a sister church with the Costa Rican one. ¡the church is alive and well in CR!


i am feeling more and more connected with the family. i bought some shampoo and stuff and put in the shower so i dont have to keep hauling my toiletry bag in and out of the shower. it is the little things in life that make you feel at home. also i had a homework assignment to interview my family about various things. i learned about their educational background, what they like to do in their free time and that the U.S. government is not generally liked in CR.

something more on the funny side, they way ticos great each other is by a kiss on the check. can you see where this is going? well even if you have just met the person you do it anyway. so these guys from the youth group came over to the house and of course greeted me with a kiss on the check. 2 of the 3 were cute but i can assure there will be no amor during this semester! do you guys think we could implement this custom in the U.S.?

so it is the day before school and i am very nervous to take the bus. my parents have been through the routs with me once but i am still very unsure about the stops and waht not. so please pray for me and the bus system. i am sure i will become more familar with it as the days go but right now i have butterflies in my tummy.

thank you all for your nice emails from the last letter! hope you all have awonderful week!

love from costa rica,
clara

3 days left...

Here is my mailing address while in Costa Rica....

Claire Scholl
Latin American Studies Program
Apdo. 54-2070
Sabanilla, Montes de Oca
San Jose, Costa Rica

The program recommends that packages are not sent becuase they will get
stolen in the mail. But letters are wonderful I suppose!

I have begun packing today. I am bringing only one large suitcase, a small duffle and then my new back pack. So in a sense I will be traveling light for a four month trip!

I leave in 3 days and I am getting very excited! Thank you for your continued prayer! Have a happy new year!