ReOrientation

After returning from Nicaragua, I came home to one of the more eventful days we've had as a community in Costa Rica. Early on Thursday morning, I got up early to work out and realized when I was done that our water had been shut off. Awesome. It's early, I'm sweaty and thirsty, and no one else is awake. Slowly everyone got their day going, and we got in touch with the right people at St. Francis to call the water company. Then, next thing we know, Amanda comes running and screaming into the living room because she had spotted our 6th roommate: a rat. (Or maybe a giant mouse? We're not sure. Gross either way!). It was perched on top of a curtain rod on the kitchen and appeared to be sleeping. Rodents move pretty quickly though, so we think it may have been on its way to its end, even without our help. So, next thing we know, all five of us are closed in the kitchen area with all sorts of tools in hand to try to catch and kill the little guy. It was quite a dramatic, traumatic event, but Margie and Molly bravely got the little guy into a box and took it outside to end him.  Now we were desperate to bleach all the surfaces in the house where it had been...but didn't have any water to start cleaning. So, we wait. Finally, a few hours later the water is turned on and the house is torn apart and rat poison is scattered in various parts of the house. Later than night, we accidentally left our gate open (a remote controlled gate that leads to our driveway). Around midnight, our neighbors come up our walk yelling at us to close the gate. The woman was pounding on our door telling us we should check our backyard for intruders. Terrified, we called the convent and Jordan and Fray Victor came over to search the yard in the dark for us.

Overall, I think Costa Rica kicked our communal butt that day, but it was certainly an exciting way to start off the rest of our time together!

Last Friday, we headed back to Alajuela with Friar Rick and Jordan for our ReOrientation retreat. We spent three days with the friars there learning more about Franciscan spirituality and revising our community goals for the year. We put together the following presentation for Rick and Jordan when they asked us what we planned to do for the second half of our year...and it took them a while to realize we weren't being serious at all!

Volcanic hot springs!

On Sunday, we all went on a little trip to La Fortuna, a town at the base of Volcan Arenal, an active volcano. La Fortuna is home to natural hot springs and has turned into a tourist hot spot. After checking into a hotel outside the town, FrancisCorps treated us to an afternoon and evening in one of the 'spas' where the hot spring run. It was an absolutely beautiful place, filled with people from all over the world and beautiful springs. We spent a couple hours in the baths and even hit the wet bar for a drink! 

The next morning we went to a series of suspension bridges and walked through all different levels of the rain forest that looks out on Arenal. Again, it was absolutely beautiful .We saw some cool wildlife and had great weather. Unfortunately we never got to see the top of Arenal because it was so cloudy. We seem to have bad luck as a group with clouds and volcanoes! Nevertheless, it was a great trip :)

Suspension bridges

Me and Margie!

Since Centeno is still closed, I went to work with Margie and Molly this week. I spent most of the week at Margie's day care hanging out with the little ones. They're so fun to be around and simply shower us with affection and silliness. They remind me of my Urban Compass kids, but are even younger. I'll be there for the next two weeks until the school year starts!  The highlight of being back has been that the weather has certainly changed...it's sunny every day and hasn't rained much at all. FINALLY! I'm hoping to 'aprovechar' (take advantage of) the good weather as much as possible in the next few months before it changes back to rainy season again!