Perdon Mi Foreignity

2009-04-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

Made it to Gordon

2009-04-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Stuck in Baltimore waiting for a flight.

2009-04-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

I am back in Miami and have yet to have a English speaking conversation with anyone who lives here. Cuban-Americans everywhere!

Recently Realizations of Austin

2009-04-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

1. He has amazing parents.
2. He has awesome brothers, grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins, sister in laws and soon to be sister in laws
3. He has awesome friends.
4. He will be seeing them all in not too long.

Haemulon Abedefduf - Scientific name for a Sargent Major fish

2009-04-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

My days consist of snorkeling on cool reefs, whale and dolphin watching, burying a dead whales, and lying in front of a fan. Leave for Cuba on Saturday and will be back to the states shortly after.

2009-04-05T19:22:00.000-07:00

Weekend Trip to Could Forest in the Rio Savegre Valley

2009-04-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Crash Landing!

2009-04-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

Children's Musuem

2009-04-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Went to an Organic Market

2009-04-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

Quick Run Down

2009-04-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

I got back from my environmental science concentration, it was awesome but I have a test over the last 2 weeks tomorrow so I need to study. Maybe I will get some pictures up before I leave on Monday morning to do fish and dolphin population counts at a reef! Shweet!

I am officially a professional Wedding Photographer

2009-03-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

"That Gringo looks like Colby"

2009-03-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

Sitting, drinking a smoothie and who else should walk up to me but Colby Schmidt in Granada, Nicaragua. Strange to see a Gordon person wandering around a third world country while I am studying there, but he says Gordon is good and has shared the following facts with me

1. Chelsea is the VP
2. Jordan is the P
3. Ben won Gordon Globes but can't remember what it was about.
4. There was a snow day.
5. Spring break is almost over for you guys.

Back from my homestay in Nicaragua

2009-03-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am back and good and don´t have much to say till I can upload more photos other than it was an extremely powerful experience to live with the poor in the country. In a hotel in Granada and going to Guanacaste for spring break soon. peace.

2009-03-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

Just in case I can´t get back on all night. I thought I should do a quick update. Went to the Cloud Forest Reserve this weekend and it was AWESOME!!! And tomorrow I leave for Nicaragua for almost 2 weeks, and I will be doing a 6 day home stay. Keep praying for me (and my spanish), the semester is over half way over and I am beginning the second crazier half.

Around the house

2009-02-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

My birthday presents from Janelle and Chelsea.

This is a spider, they are everywhere and don't seem to bother anyone.

The above 2 pictures are "doggie." I thought he didn't like me, but really he justs barks until I come pet him.

Bored on my bed

Other things in Cartago

2009-02-26T06:59:00.000-08:00

Really old ruins of a really cool church.

Indigenous artifacts of tribal leaders.

Caterpillar friend

Indigenous and natural plant museum.

All the people who have at some point lived in Colorado and are proud to admit it.

I got the CO backwards the first time.

Soccer Games somewhere near Cartago

2009-02-26T06:35:00.000-08:00

These are all out of order (not even reverse) and I don't know why.

The final score on my game. So maybe I let in 9 goals, but I don't think I did too bad because we almost tied at 8-9. And when the girls team lost by half I think it is saying something about my goalie skills that we only lost by one.

My new order of favorite animals

2009-02-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

Beau Jo
Sperm Whales
Dinosaurs with missiles on their backs
Dinosaurs and related ancient animals (including Megaladon)
Dogs
Wildlife
Cats
Killer Whales
Awesome Insects
everything else in the entire world...
dogs that bark

For Zach

2009-02-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

They like to share their minds here on the side of buildings and walls. I don't really know what this is suppose to be expressing.

Please pray for me in this time of lots of hard Spanish

2009-02-18T17:29:00.001-08:00

I am working on my final for Spanish tomorrow. Wooo! Finals in February! Unfortunately I have to give an 8 minute presentation all by myself to 3 native Spanish speaking professors about Costa Rican National Parks. I am allowed one note card but I can't read from it at all. I am performing it for my dad a couple of times tonight but 8 MINUTES IS A LOT IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE!!!! Thanks.

p.s. I also have another Spanish test on Friday. My huge final paper due on Tuesday and a group presentation synthesizing our papers on Friday of next week. You know, if you felt like praying for someone's academics. I promise to return the favor double during your finals in May.

A little note I gave to Chelsea and Janelle

2009-02-16T05:43:00.000-08:00

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”
-Helen Keller

God has called us to life and often we have no idea what that looks like, but we do know where it begins and ends and that is in the person Jesus Christ.

(Sara Groves, What I thought I Wanted)
What I thought I wanted and what I got instead leaves me broken but somehow peaceful
I keep wanting you to be fair, but that’s not what you said
I want certain answers to these prayers, but that’s not what you said

What I thought I wanted and what I got instead leaves me broken and grateful
I am broken and grateful
I am broken and grateful
I want to be grateful
I want to be prayerful peaceful thankful graceful faithful grateful

Lovely day for a Volcano (pictures appear in reverse order)

2009-02-15T06:40:00.000-08:00

Drive to Limon

2009-02-15T05:56:00.000-08:00

Coffee plantation

San Jose

We went through a tunnel. In case you were wondering if they have those in Costa Rica, well they do.

The brown nasty river and the clear mountain river coming together.

That's Lindsey the intern, and her Tico boyfriend who is the youngest elected official in Costa Rica. I think he was elected at 19 or 20 years old. He works on the Cartago City Council which is an important city. He has met all these people from Spain and Taiwan and everywhere. He helps out with the LASP program and is really awesome.

Pineapple plantations! Fun fact: Pineapples don't grow on trees!

Banana plantation! Bananas do not grow on trees, they grow on really tall multi-generational plants. You only get one bundle from each generation of plant and then you have to wait for it to regrow.

Candid

Puerto Limon, they were on strike, I think because it is becoming privatized, so there weren't any ships out.

Sunrise in Limon

2009-02-14T07:08:00.000-08:00

That is the island that Columbus landed on during his 3rd journey to the Americas. He named the place Costa Rica because he thought people had a lot of gold and wealth.

These last three are actually pictures of our day on the beach.

My 21st was EPIC

2009-02-12T05:01:00.000-08:00

I wish I could show you pictures but is was really far too dangerous to bring a camera. I went to the Costa Rica vs. Honduras game and it was probably the most awe inspring event yet. We sat just to the right of a goal and stood up every ten seconds to cheer. We sang Esta noche tenemos que ganar or we have to win tonight. Walking into the stadium at field level and seeing all the people and how excited they were to cheer for Costa Rica is probably one of the coolest experiences since I have been here. My Tico mom was also very appreciative that I did not go out partying and she gave me a hug.

There is a reason she is part of Team Awesome

2009-02-12T04:54:00.000-08:00

I got this note in my student mailbox the other week from Janelle. I reread it often and remember what it means to search for God.

I thought this might help as a reminder of why we’re here, I know I needed one. We’re here to tell a better story, not just buy into the one that’s already being told. We’re here to love and appreciate people, to be beautiful. We’re not here to be insecure and worry about where we fit in, we have a purpose much greater than that. We’re here to add to the beauty, to be creative, to live in the confidence that God loves us more than we could know. We’re here to LIVE

Sara Groves Lyrics "Add To The Beauty":

Redemption comes in strange places, small space, calling out the best of who we are
And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
Shine with a light that’s burning up inside

It comes in small inspirations
It brings redemption to life and work
It comes in loving community
It comes in helping a soul find its worth

And this is grace: an invitation to be beautiful

Butterfly Garden

2009-02-06T05:28:00.000-08:00

Winter Retreat 2009

2009-02-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

Here is a brief list of what happened that weekend:
1. Danced in front of everyone by myself.
2. Learned some line dance.
3. The driver of the bus got in an argument in the middle of the street with a man who hit our bus (don't worry no one hurt) but it was a new experience. He stopped traffic going both ways and stood in front of the other car before they finally drove off.
4. Played a really intense version of capture the flag.
5. Almost won a "jumping over the rope" contest that at first was a limbo contest.
6. Became friends with a very crazy and tall 18 year old Tico named Alfonzo.
7. Protected my egg from being smashed all weekend, but at first I didn't realize it was a game so I was giving other people my chicken eggs because I thought they were for food or something.
8. Played a game in which you had to put water in your mouth and then spit it into a bottle. My team one.
9. Used that same water two more times for two more games and we won all of them.
10. Gelled my hair.
11. Accompanied a Tica on a date to the cafeteria (didn't know this was happening till right before hand).

There are lots of pictures and videos of this but I don't have them so I will get them up when I get a hold of them.

I went on a Youth Retreat with my family's church in the mountains north of San Jose.

Mom I thought you would like this is a pretty plant/tree

San Jose at night from the mountains.

There was an unknown activity that night which the guys said I need to gel my hair for.

This activity turned out to be accompanying "dates" to dinner. We were each given flowers and had to walk up to the girls dorm and ask for a different girl they had assigned us to. I had Diane Castillo.

This is Mario being awesome as usual.

This flower is for Janet.

Jamie and Sarah hadn't been invited and were kind of upset about it because they were all ready for it. I am still very glad they came though.

Everything ended up being alright as Lauren's younger brother showed up to accompany the girls to the cafeteria.

Just to Spite Zach.

2009-02-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

This is where I have Spanish class every day for 3 1/2 hours.

2009-02-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

Hannah being the good RA that she is showed up to help me try out some dangerous fruits from the market.

I was brave enough to try a few myself and they weren't bad.

Then again they didn't look that great either.

2009-02-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

Walking to the park.

At the park. I had 2 Messiah guys stay at the house for 5 days at the very beginning. It was awesome.

I was also awesome.

We played basketball.

Well "chancho" or horse actually. (chancho actually is a pig or pig product)

Then we played soccer and I owned. Sorta.

Sunset

Sunset 2

This is Rex. He lives in an area on the side of the house and likes to greet me every morning for breakfast and night for dinner. He gets jealous that we eat in front of him and don't let him play games with us.

This is Vanessa and Mario. They're engaged and getting married Feb 14th.

This is Carmen. She lost every card game we played.

Costa Rica!

2009-01-26T06:19:00.000-08:00

So Sarah got Mrs. Farrell to pull some strings (that woman can talk herself into anything and anywhere) and got past DIA security to say good bye! She actually ended up sitting in front of me for the flight to Miami and we had lots of fun calling people and leaving messages (Mrs. Farrell also got them to let us use a cell phone in flight, isn´t she great!?)

Flights were long but I managed. I wandered around the Miami airport for a while before I ran into some college aged looking kids. We ended up sitting in a corner of the airport waiting for the LASP intern. p.s. I heard more spanish spoken in miami airport than english

In the airport and arriving in Costa Rica. There were a Lot of us!

We stayed in Christian compound. I was in a room by myself. or was I?

The girls had come to keep me company on my first night in Costa Rica! They all slept in one bed.

Last Night in Colorado

2009-01-26T05:58:00.000-08:00

I was a little surprised when I got this note the night before I left. Apparently Hannah and others had come to visit me on my last day in Colorado. I was a little unsure what she meant by ¨Check Outs.

However it became apparent very soon that Hannah wanted to have a lot of fun before we left!

Lauren got a little carried away and did some wild things. We ended up finding her hiding in my Christmas tree. As you can see she was pretty wound up.

Sarah was not going to have any of these Shinanigans and decided to go to bed, but had trouble sleeping with all the noise.

It was a pretty crazy way to spend my last night in Colorado and we had a lot of fun, but I think some of us (like Lauren) will need to be more careful so there isn´t a repeat of the next morning.

Time flies when you have no idea what is going on.

2009-01-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

As things go here I haven’t had a lot of time to sit down by myself and type up anything. The little time I have to myself on a computer I have been using to write a three page paper in Spanish about my family. The prompt asked us not to simply ask questions and then state facts but to then synthesize the interview of our host family. I can’t even say facts in Spanish yet so synthesize was a little bit difficult. Spanish class is good, if not basic. We just finished ser, estar, tener, haber, hacer so we have a lot to go, but you know, that’s what a 3 ½ HOUR LONG SPANISH CLASS EVERYDAY ACROSS TOWN is for. Had my first test and got an A. (I am not entirely sure if I should have because we grade our own tests and we had varying answers for open ended questions and all she gave us one answer so… whatever I marked the ones wrong I knew were wrong.) My base seminar for LASP (if you ever get a chance, ask a native speaker to say LASP, it is entertaining, and more entertaining when you entire family is sitting around talking about your program and trying to pronounce it) is engaging to say the least. Perspectives on Latin American History and Contemporary Issues (or “that class in the morning” as we affectionately call it) is challenging how I view biblical history (we had a great speaker missionary who has a doctorate in linguistics and awesome knowledge of everything bible) and (North, Central, South) American history. Apparently Columbus did a lot of really bad stuff and was not a very nice guy at all, but you just don’t get that kind of information from the sciences.
On to non-academic and more important things; I have forgotten if I mentioned the Messiah guys who stayed with me yet. Well if I haven’t, then they are great, and if I have, then they left on Monday so I am officially the only English speaking person in this house. Last Saturday, I went to the farmers market with my parents and it was an amazing mix of color, tastyness, and some kind of juice I should have never tried. I don’t have pictures of it but maybe someday I will take a few. It has been unusually cold in Costa Rica. The upper 60s or so on average, but don’t worry, it has started to warm up. I think I mentioned that I live next to a cemetery, it is pretty, again, I will take pictures of it soon.
Dan Mac, if you are reading this, then I have managed to find computer and email your dad. Chelsea and I tried to flatter him with nice words about how much he knows about Costa Rica and so we are hoping to get a hold of him. (Side note: Phil if you are reading this then you should know that the brother that I never talk to listens to your kind of music all the time and sings along. For instance, right now he is doing it and I am kind of getting a headache). This weekend was a blast but I will try to write another post for it. Tomorrow Janelle and I (and whoever we run into or call) are exploring more of San Jose by visiting the Butterfly Garden. I appreciate everyone who has sent emails, I flash drive them all to my computer and read them again when I am missing Gordon and home.

2009-01-19T06:43:00.001-08:00

Left for the airport around 6am in the morning. I got everything checked in alright. This is kind of boring so I will skip ahead. I arrived in Miami and was suppose to meet an contact person at the check in desk for American Airlines. Unfortunately, American Airlines has 3 MASSIVE check in desks covering a good 1/3 of a football field. I wandered around being overwhelmed by Spanish. Probably about 70% of all conversations in the Miami airport are in Spanish. Eventually I saw a bunch of students sitting a circle and they looked slightly older than college students so I walked up hoping someone would say something. Luckily at that moment Janelle walked up and she let me know that we were suppose to have orange tags on our luggage so anyone with an orange tag is LASP (Latin American Studies Program). I missed/probably forgot this packet in Boston memo. Sat around in a corner of the airport for a couple of hours before we got our tickets for the plane. Biggest plane I have ever been on. One of those with two seats on the left and the right and four in the middle. Flight went alright blah blah blah. The airport was really busy especially with 48 Norte Americano students running around. Took a bus to a Christian compound where we slept. The next morning we had orientation and my Spanish immersion began because I sat at a table with one of the program directors who evaluates our Spanish and is a native speaker. Thankfully there was a girl at my table who was fairly fluent so I could listen most of the time and say something basic when I wanted to. More Orientation. The time came to meet our families and what they did was walk around with a guys pile of sheets and we just picked out a piece of paper with our host families name and information on it. Then 10 minutes later we met them and left for our house. Some family info:

My mom: Albertina (Tina) 53 Housewife
She doesn’t speak any English at all and the first question she asked me after I told her what my name was “What is your Spanish name.” Because of the double vowel in the beginning it is really hard to pronounce my name in Spanish. I didn’t know what to say so I explained my middle name was Paul and she has now decided to call me Pablo. Janelle and Chelsea have also decided to call me Pablo
My dad: Mario 56 Retired
I think he used to be a professor and I know you use to fix a lot of electronics. He has decided to lead the way in teaching me Spanish and often he will spend an entire hour explaining one word but he really wants me to learn and is extremely patient (and a pretty good jokester too.)
My brothers:
Mario 28 I don’t really know what he does but he is awesome and likes a lot of the same television and movies. In fact we are watching the BSG special tomorrow in English and then again on Sunday in Spanish. I told him we could watch Heroes and BSG in Spanish but I might need to watch it again in English to really understand. I first met him when he was playing WWF wrestling on his PS2. He is the youth pastor of the church.
Alexis 24: I have never been properly introduced. The rest of the family said he doesn’t really like to talk. My bus goes past his work and I think he is a car salesmen. He likes hard metal music and I often hear him singing some weird stuff in the shower.
Carmen 22: She looks like she could be 17 or 18 and is really nice. She came to pick me up from the compound with her mother and then I had a 2 ½ hour conversation about not very many topics.
Rex: The dog that stands on its hind legs and looks through the kitchen window at everyone. Supposedly it doesn’t bite and seems friendly enough but I have no desire to find out.
Doggie: this is one mean dog about the size of my dog Beau that is kept in the garage on a rope and apparently will bite me so I am not suppose to go near it.

I have my own room. There are two other students here from Messiah college (Tim and Phil) till Monday then they leave. Their Spanish is probably worse than mine but who’s keeping score? It is nice to have 2 other guys to help me decode statements.

I spent Thursday walking around downtown San Jose with two girls as part of a scavenger hunt orientation. Their Spanish was fantastic which was great because I was pretty tired.

Everyone gets everywhere by bus and it is really extensive but not expensive despite the fact prices for most things are the same as the states if not more on many occasions.

Oh, Mario is getting married February 14th so I bought some “nice” shoes and I am really curious what this will be like. The most difficult word to figure out was the one for engaged and I still don’t really know it other than it begins with a “P” and I think it sounds like “promise” sometimes.

I visited my grandma and aunt the other day. The grandmother tried to explain to me how she lost her left but all I understood was that I think it happened in the bathroom. She then showed me her prosthetic leg. My aunt gave me some plaintains and then we went home. Fun Fact: I live right next to a very beautiful…cemetery.

I had my interview for placement into a Spanish class and it went just about as well as it could so I am happy about that. The institute is beautiful and with a tropical backyard.

Fun things I have done since coming:
Played Rummy and Rum (Ron) with my family.
Played a form of big booty with my family.
Had really long conversations about stuff with my dad while drinking a lot of coffee. He likes coming home and “practicar practicar practicar”
Explored downtown San Jose and the mall.
Enjoyed how it is summer here everyday and “Hace Frio” is nothing more than a little breeze.
Watched the Dark Knight with my family because Phil accidentally packed it.

For my mom:
Don’t worry I’m being very safe and carry nothing of importance on me. My passport is safely locked away in a safe at the LASP office and my computer doesn’t leave my room.

Aqui!

2009-01-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

I made it to Costa Rica alright but I do not have time to talk about it because I need to watch the Dark Knight with my host brother and the later I stay on the internet the later I get to bed and I have to wake up at 515 tomorrow. I would love to hear from anyone! Good night!

Dog Park

2009-01-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

Beau Jo really wanted to visit the dog park so I took him.

Ryn has recently discovered her love of the outdoors and now I can't keep her indoors so she decided to come out to Colorado for a quick visit.

I found this note on the picnic table from Hannah. I assumed she was around and I thought it was really nice of her to visit but I could not understand where she had gone for "check outs."
I found her a little later "checking out" parts of the dog park.
Jamie and Sarah also came to visit me. But I think they were hoping to do something a little nicer so they did not seem happy about going to the dog park and were ready to leave.

Austin (Stuck) in Boston

2009-01-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of people are really worried about this climate change but I have to admit that after having this snow get me stuck in Boston I am all pro global warming. Just kidding, (but seriously). Anyways I stayed at Kevin's house and he was very generous. Alicia (God Bless Her!) helped clean my apartment and in return she got a a few groceries. Anyways if you have never visited apartment (something) on the Third floor of Tavilla then you are missing out on some great ladies. In fact, they are so nice that some of them decided to come by and keep me company while I was waiting to go home.

Sarah and Jamie showed up. I think they might have been on their way to a ball or something because they were definitely dressed up. As you can see they were unhappy about the snow as much as I was. It was really nice.
Jamie was actually really prepared had her goose ready to fly her and Sarah home after they had kept me coming for a while.

Lauren could not make it because she was on another one of her fancy schmancy, rich, shnazzy cruises around the Mediterranean. She was pretty excited to be there away from the snow.

Thankfully, Lauren's brother was kind enough to show up and make some tea for all of us.

Hannah left me this note on my pillow after everyone else had worn me out. I don't think she realized that I was stuck in Boston. And I am not entirely sure what she meant by "Check outs"
Although later we found her outside the house. I didn't really mind as long as she wasn't eating any yellow snow.
While she may not live in the awesome apartment it is always a pleasure to have Ryn drop by Kevin's house. As you can see, the whole house was snowed in and we put bright colors on the outside to make sure that people could see the house form a far.

Thanks to everyone who made my stay in Boston during the storm a lot more fun.

You've Got Mail

2009-01-12T08:28:00.000-08:00

Austin Mueller
Latin American Studies Program
Apdo. 54-2070
Sabanilla, Montes de Oca
San Jose, COSTA RICA

The program discourages sending packages because they say it will take a lot longer or might get lost. Try not to send anything too late in the program because it can take a little while to reach me. As always email is the best way to reach me. Gordon being the one I will check (and have to empty all the student news stuff from). Email me anything you like just try not to make it so large that it fills up my inbox.

p.s. I might make exceptions to large attachments of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

Travel Companions

2009-01-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

This is the Kelty 6650. It is utterly amazing and is going to be used a lot in the future. Costa Rica will be our first journey together and everything I need (minus a few stuff I am putting in my other backpack like my laptop) will be in here. I will not go into all of its features...but we may be in love.
All good things come in pairs. This may or may not be my other love...the Kodak Z1012. It has amazing zoom and image stabilization for those of us not blessed with perfect motor control. If you care to follow this blog...I imagine you will see a lot of pictures courtesy of this beauty.

This Janelle. She is from California. Our story begins way back in freshmen year with a little thing called Team Awesome. She is really good with these foreign things so I'm very glad to have her along.

Costa Rica while safe compared to most countries can have dangers of its own. So I decided to bring a danger of my own. This is Chelsea. She is gangsta through and through and speaks the espanol like nobody else. Tough as nails and raised like a spartan man, no one should be too concerned for my safety as long as she is around. Unless of course you make her mad.

Please be praying for all of us and those students and Ticos I have yet to meet.

Costa Rica

2009-01-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

I leave for Costa Rica in less than 24hrs supposedly. The current weather in Denver is "Let's freak out Austin by having a sudden snow storm." Not to worry, I looked at the forecast and it looks like stuff ought to clear up soon. I woke up at 7:30am Mountain Time and couldn't get back to sleep and since I still have a lot to get done today I figured, meh...I might as well be mildly productive and work on this blog business.