Rambutans, Toucans, & Blackberry Wine

Jenna with a handful of Rambutan

This weekend I made my weekly run to the Feria (farmers market). I love this weekly event, I never know what fun tropical fruits I may find. A few weeks ago, an amazing fruit known as Rambutan ("Mamon Chino" in Spanish) started to come into season. This weekend I found the best looking ones yet, and in two different color varieties (red y yellow). Some people call it hairy fruit, which makes sense. You eat these little self-contained snacks by popping the skin open and eating the white flesh inside which looks a lot and is the texture of a skinless green grape. They have a wonderfully fruity flavor which I can only describe as... Rambutany... with a hint of Lychee. If you don't know what that tastes like, well I guess you are out of luck, that or you need to take the next flight to a tropical country.Red and Yellow Rambutan

Speaking of Fruit, a few weeks ago we bought a bag of Blackberries at the Feria with the intention of making them into juice. Well, two weeks later we found them in the back of the fridge. The still looked okay, and I tasted one which also tasted okay but a little tart... or was that alcohol? Well we blended them up, added some sugar, and stuck the juice in the fridge. Tonight we went to drink some with dinner, only to find it wasn't juice anymore, but rather Blackberry wine. Oops!

Waterfall at Parque Monte de la Cruz

This past weekend I also took a little trip with some friends from the school to a park nearby, well nearby on the map. An hour and a half later, and countless stops for directions, we found the park... right as the rains started. Fortunately, after a lunch in the van, the rain let up long enough for a short hike to a waterfall and up a hill. Before this trip started, for some reason I had an urge to see Toucans. I have never seen them in the wild before and hoped to see some. Soon after we arrived, a couple flew out of the woods and into nearby trees! Unfortunately due to the rain I couldn't get a good picture but I had a fun time watching them!Emerald Toucanet

Well, back to the Spanish homework during one intense thunderstorm. I might want to get off the computer before it melts to my lap.

Catch up

Blue-crowned Motmot from INBioparque

First off, our latest newsletter is on its way. If you are signed up for an electronic version, you should have received it already. Also, I have downloaded some new photos from Costa Rica into Picasa. You can get to the albums by clicking on the slideshows bellow and to the right of this page or you can follow this link http://picasaweb.google.com/JayWeigner?feat=email

Last trimester was rather slow. I felt like I was riding on top of things, sometime running way ahead of life, now this trimester I've been run over and am now being dragged along behind. Classes are much more intense this tri and I have taken on a few more responsibilities. It is mainly the Spanish learning that is getting tough. Some days I really don't want to be learning another language when I already have one I can use. But I must admit, I am getting better at Spanish and it is incredibly rewarding when I can actually carry on a conversation. I've recently learned how to talk in the past and future rather than saying silly things like "I go to the store yesterday". Unfortunately, as my Spanish skills increase, my ability to speak and write in English seems to be waning.

Where's Weigner? Jenna trapped in a maze at INBioparque

One of the responsibilities I have taken on this trimester is to organize once a month "Paseos" or little trips from the school to other parts of Costa Rica. The first paseo was a little over a week ago to a nature center/zoo/botanical garden/farm place called INBioparque. We went with about 32 other students from the school and had a great time exporing their trails, observing wildlife, and checking out the farm that reminded me a bit of ECHO. You can see photos from this trip on the Picasa page. The trip I have planed for June is to Arenal volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world giving viewers a daily show of smoke and lava (if it isn't cloudy). Then in July the plan is to go to a little island off the coast, assuming people sign up for it.

Worship time at the men's retreat

A few weeks ago, the men from the school left their women and children behind, passed through the "corador of death", and vanished into a secluded little valley for a men's retreat. We slipped and slided our way down one of the worst zig-zaged mountain roads I've ever seen (and I've been on some bad roads) in the pouring rain dodging mudslides and trying not to slip right off the mountain. We survived and had a great time at a camp tucked away in a beautiful cloud forest valley known as "Valle de los Quetzals". We enjoyed time on the ropes course, rock climbing, hiking, playing paintball, and just hanging out. It was a great time to get away, relax, and reflect (and not speak in Spanish). We had some great speakers and spent a bit of time talking about our struggles and fears. Some times it is nice to be reminded that all these pastors and missionaries I am surrounded by here are are just as broken and are struggling with similar things as my self and everyone else. One of the topics was on fears that hold us back. The following is an outline we talked about concerning the fears that hold us back and their consequenses.
Fear of criticism leads to leagalizm
Fear of insignificance leads to over compensation
Fear of falure leads to paralisis
Fear of exposure/vunerabiligy leads to duplisity
Fear of loss leads to control
It was a great reminder to me to fight these fears that would keep be from living efectively.

Giant Silk Moth (Copaxa syntheratoides) from men's retreat.

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