August 30th. I wish Pentecostals would be more clear.

Today was interesting. My host brother and I went with his church to Escazu. Sort of in the mountains. I thought it would be super sweet. Little did I know what I was in for. I was told to bring a camera and expected good food at the end.

We left the house balls early for a saturday=8AM. Then we went to the church. Apparently we were supposed to leave at 8:30, but in Tico time that means 9:30. We left at 9:30 after about an hour of sitting around wishing I felt more conifdent. I find that I have the hardest time communicating with younger Ticos because they talk so fast and use slang all the time. The professors at school are so easy to understand. I don´t get it. Sigh.

Anyway we got on this huge van and drove to Escazu, which takes about an hour or so. The young Tico folks listen to the most annoying spanish music I have ever heard. After about 2 hours in a van I just wanted to break their stupid cell phones and start singing a better song very very loudly. As you can tell I am a bit put off. I think that this is because I am experiencing culture shock. I want to learn spanish better, but sometimes I get so frustrated and lonely not being able to communicate at the top of my game with these folks. Moreover I was hungry, carsick, and tired of their shitty music. Plus I am told that having culture shock makes you fatigued. Well. It´s true. I am fatigued.

On with the tale. We got to Escazu. Then the kids who until then were just strangely face-painted got out of the car and started to be mimes. They seemed to enjoy it. I did not. We passed out flyers for this food thing that a guy at the church who is very kind was throwing to raise money. Then we played music and little kids came and danced with us. God bless those little Ticos. They kept me sane. There was this one little boy who had a look on his face that said “what in the hell is going on?”…he went back to his mom soon. Other little kids seemed to enjoy themselves when we played this game similar to monkey in the middle but it was based on a “conejo” or “rabbit”. So then the mime looking people (I have photos, but I forgot my camera in the house) mimed something with Jesus…it was hard to get.

It rained a lot so I think our display was cut short. Then we sat in the panaderia that gave us electricity for awhile. Then we drove to the place where I thought there would be food. WRONG. We sat some more, the mimes did another mime in which people who smoked and played cards were clearly implicated as leading others away from the Lord…and then we left. There was food there. I saw it. We didn´t eat any of it. I was under the impression that we would get lunch there. In reality it meant that there was no lunch.

Then we drove back to Sabanillas where I live. It took a long time, The van was too hot, and I was hungry. The fumes from the exhaust thingers on big trucks seeped into the van adding to my discomfort. You know me. I get angry when I am hungry. I was angry most of the way back. I got home, ate some bread, and came here. Boy O Boy. Man O Man O Chevitts. I need some more food before I face another two hours of possibly not fun at “oculto de Jovenes” at church this evening. Seriously.

Maybe I should be more enthusiastic about my brothers and sisters in the Lord´s attempts to communicate the gospel. Although that would be faking. I wasn´t impressed, but it´s entirely possible that the Lord´s work got done anyway. I think I would be happier if I had more food in my stomach….or if Pentecostals would be clear…or if I could speak spanish better. Seeing as how it´s day three or so…I am not too worried. I am hungry though.