¡Uff da, que lluvia! (and not as much theology)

So, my weekend plans have now changed somewhere around 347 times. Last weekend I did not go to Volcán Arenal as planned, because the trip organizers changed some plans, people dropped out, etc. So we were going to go this weekend. Then we decided not to, and instead go to Guanacaste. Well, it’s been raining in Costa Rica like you wouldn’t believe. And not just like, “Well, duh, you’re in Costa Rica, dude” rain. We’re talking serious rain. It makes the locals a bit worried. So, of course, buses to Guanacaste aren’t exactly running like normal right now, so we’ll be finding
something to do around Heredia/San José this weekend.

In other news, I just gone done with a final exam in Spanish 410, and I think it well. Tuesday I start 411, and after that I’m not sure what comes next as far as classroom Spanish. Some classes are a little slow, others are very interesting, and just like back home, a great deal depends on the quality of the professor. I can only imagine how difficult it is for these professors to organize a curriculum that roughly suits and fits in with what we students are doing in our various universities all across the states (or, in some cases, all around the world). Some days I have moments of “Oh, yes, I’ve always wanted to get into this area of language in more detail!” Other days, it’s more of a “Um, didn’t we learn this the second week of high school Spanish?” I would say, overall (to put it in such a way wherein I really would not like to come off as elitist or uppity), that my Augustana professors did a pretty darn good job. ¡Muchas Gracias, Sr. Ogdie y Sra. Herman!

I’m still in search of a comfortable faith community down here. Sooner or later I’m going to go exploring in San José for the alleged Lutheran Church that I have such high hopes for. In some ways, I do feel very much (at the risk of sounding hypocritically heretical) “spiritually fortified” down here. Maybe “theologically tested” would be a better term. The fact is, I’m living in a country in which the state religion is Catholicism, my host family consists of staunch Pentecostals, I’ve been approached by at least five Jehovah’s witnesses (one of whom I took twenty minutes to argue theology with), likely the only Lutheran in my entire city is an agnostic Norwegian, and the best friend I’ve made in my program here is an atheist. I was talking to Anna last weekend on our way to San Ramón, and we both seemed to agree that we feel a fairly daunting lack of the religious communities and theological discourse we both had become accustomed to back in the states. In short, I miss worship at Spirit of Joy and Augie’s chapel, and I miss debating theology. Lost in translation doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Speaking of the Norwegian (by the name of Marius), I have a short story I’ve been meaning to share. I was speaking with him one day with some other kids in our group, and he was teaching us some Norwegian words. For some reason, we wanted to know how to say “cheesy.” He said they don’t really use the word much, but asked for a scenario in which he used it. I said something to the effect of “Well, imagine you and some Norwegian buddies are in Mexico, and you bite into a really cheesy tortilla, and you want to say ‘Uff da, that’s cheesy!’” Time sort of froze just then (for me anyway), as I proceeded to mentally beat myself for being such an ignorant punk and for even daring to say such a stereotypical thing around a Norwegian. I can’t describe how stupid I felt. Imagine my surprise, then, as Marius immediately responded to my comment with a very amused chuckle and said “Ah, I see you already speak Norwegian!” I didn’t really have time to realize he wasn’t offended before another girl asked “Wait, what did he say?” to which Marius responded “Uff da. We use it all the time. I haven’t heard that for a while!” and went on to explain its meaning and use, complimenting me all the while for knowing the expression. Whew. The cultural things you learn when you study abroad…I tell you what....

That’s about all for now. Last night I went with my dance class to San José to see a dance performance at the Teatro Nacional that was very.......modern. Yeah, we’ll go with that. I’ll save a fuller description until later.

Until then, take care of yourselves. Challenge someone’s faith back home for me. =)