Costa Rica!

So, I'm in San Jose, Costa Rica, now, studying Spanish at Intensa Language Insitute. The city isn't very pretty, but people are nice here. I went to the beach last weekend and to the rain forest with my friends, Kevin and Tammy. No tan whatsoever!
Got bumped up two levels in classes for this week. This weekend, I'll be going to San Lucas, a private-access type of island that used to be used like Alcatraz for the US. Some friends will be doing an archaeological dig there and a kayak trip to there. So cool! They invited me to do vertical training with them the following weekend and maybe cave the next! Yay!
Anyway, can't wait till dinner tonight! I'm so hungry!

Chinn Survey Trip

So, this past weekend I went on my first major survey trip, and it was amazing! Survey....as in taking measurements to map a cave. Jeff and I had stayed the night with Matt in Conway so that we only had to leave at 6:30 am. Haha. It was still way early for a Saturday. We drove up to Batesville and met the team (8 people total). In a caravan, we headed to the Chinn Springs Cave, a wet cave about 10 min from town. The cave is privately owned and kept locked up. This was my second time to visit it.

In cave, we waded through (cold) water for 1-1.5 hours and then traveled through mud and crawls to reach the survey site. Jeff and I learned to read the compass and klinometer. I must say, though, that they are difficult to read with little light and when your eyes are having difficulties focusing.

I think I actually overheated in cave, b/c I felt very light-headed and weak for a few hours, but almost instantly felt better when we hit water on the way out. This was my first wetsuit trip, so maybe that had its effect.

Overall, the trip was great! We stayed in cave a little over 12 hours. Haha. The estimated time was only 7 hours to begin. We got out around 10:30 and left site by 11:00. McDonald's was amazing afterward. We were so hungry!

We finally got back at 3:00 am Sunday morning. A warm shower was definitely welcomed!

Finals

So, right about now, I really should be studying for my three final exams tomorrow...yuck. I really focused a lot on the one I took today and haven't studied much for the others. Finals week really stinks. As of last semester, ATU has a new rule that every class must give a final test during finals week. Used to, we could take a test early or even be exempt. If only it were so easy...

Next Monday at 5:30 am, I leave for Chicago for SIFE Nationals. Wish me luck. It will be a long trip, a long drive, and a long time not to see Chris. :( Hopefully, I'll survive!

What a surprise

So, I just found out that, even though I did not attend the meeting today, I was elected "webmaster" of ATU SIFE for 2008-2009. I was flabbergasted! I actually slept instead of attending the election meeting. What a bum! Anyway, last week, they decided that I should be nominated for an office, so I said, "okay, whatever." When they nominated me for webmaster, I said oh well, what a joke. Anyway, I actually got it! Crazy, crazy. Well, I better sharpen up my computer skills, I suppose. Wow.

Change of Heart

So, I changed my major the other day. It's not accounting anymore. Oh well. Now, I am studying economics/finance and Spanish. It's great fun. Well, I hope so. It really made me happier, so I think it was the right choice.
Plus, I already registered for classes for the fall and summer I session. Wow, so soon. Quantitative Economics is looking more fun every day. (I'm not sure if I meant that sarcastically or not...)
I hope everything is going well with everyone else. Hasta luego. (Till later.)

Hola

So, now that the Spanish Short Story class is over, I think I will try to use this blog to keep up with family. Life is so crazy. Maybe computers really will be a blessing in that respect.

Mi cuento

Tengo que darle una presentacion a la clase sobre el cuento, "El Sur" por Jorge Luis Borges. Se puede encontrado en El cuento hispanico en las paginas 136-144. Me gustaria saber lo que ustedes piensan sobre el cuento. Es ineresante? Comprendieron lo que ocurrio?

Esta es una foto del autor...