A Glass Half Full

Is the glass half empty or half full?

That's a question I've been fighting with a lot lately. So many wonderful and awful things have been going on, that I just don't know which way is up sometimes! As they told us to expect in pre-service training, Peace Corps services is a roller coaster. In the same day, I can go from being ridiculously happy to crying my eyes out. Here's a rundown of the ups and downs of my last couple of months in site...

• Things got pretty rocky with my host family and I moved out sooner than anticipated...glass half empty. BUT, I now have my own adorable apartment all to myself and my puppy. Glass half full!
• I've really been missing home lately...half empty. BUT, I am more independent and self-sufficient now than I have ever been before in my life. Definitely half full! 
• Sometimes I just wanna smack some sense into my most disrespectful students, either that or pull my own hair out. Half empty. BUT, I've gotten to be close to a lot of these students outside the classroom and I feel like I am making a positive impact on them, even if classroom management drives me crazy. Definitely half full again! 
• My after school program has been driving me crazy, because the parents are so reluctant to commit and help, but they still want to send their kids to the program, which means me, alone, with like 30 kids at a time with zero assistance. I actually had to call off the last four weeks of the program before vacations in an attempt to get the parents' attention and get more support from the community. Glass definitively half empty. HOWEVER, I've recently started putting together a new committee for the program and have found a group of university students who will hopefully be reliable volunteers. Right now, despite all the stress of the last few weeks, it seems like the program might come together even better than I originally thought when school starts up again, INCLUDING a potential donation from the municipality of a lot to build a permanent youth center!!! Cheers with a glass that's most definitely half full! 

So, as you can see, in spite of some hard times, there are still plenty of glimmers of hope to hang onto and a lot of good work still left to be done. 

An old Peace Corps ad from the 1960s. 

This weekend was perfect.

This weekend was perfect. I am settled into my cozy, little apartment in Costa Rica. Yesterday, I had a relaxing morning, watched TV, made breakfast, snuggled my dog. I went to the farmer's market in Quepos and bought some delicious (and cheap!) fresh produce. I treated myself to pizza and a Coke. I planned for my after-school program and saw some of my kiddos. I stared out at the ocean. I Skyped with Alex. I made peanut butter cookies (healthy AND no-bake!). I learned how to make guacamole and margaritas with my co-teacher. After a few VERY rough weeks of homesickness and host family problems, I feel SO truly content and even more so because I am simply so RELIEVED that I am feeling that way again :-). If that makes any sense. I live in a beautiful country. I have a job I love and basically got to create and design for myself. I have a life full of loving, lovable people both here and at home. I have my own, beautiful little space. I have the three keys of happiness, if you will - something to do, people to love, things to hope for.

Farmer's market

Some shots of my new place

Lucky is settling in nicely!

Yummmm, cookies!!!

Love,

Rachel