This is going to quite possibly be my best blog ever because it's probably one of my favorite stories ever. Beware: it may be graphic. So I've been sick for the last several days and today I deciced to go to the doctor. Now that I am on the Costa Rican social security system, I get to go for free...so I decided to brave the confusion. For some reason my costa rican mother couldn't go with me and everyone else was at school, so I sucked it up and did it myself. So you have to go early in the morning, before 7a.m. and wait in a line to get an appointment time. If you come later that 7, you have to just wait in line for hours until they can get you in. Anyway, Kate calls me at like quarter till 7 and tells me to get my butt down there. I threw on some clothes and walked down there. I got lost, but eventually arrived. After waiting in the wrong line and not doing the right thing, I finally got the guts to ask like 9 people what I needed to do. I'm not sure if it was the fever or if I was just nervous, but I was serioulsy sweating. I finally got attended to by a lady and she started a new a file and set me up with an appointment...which wasn't until 3:15...what??? So I went home and went to bed. At 3:15 I dragged my butt over there. I sat in the waiting room waiting for my name to get called and after about 10 minutes I asked someone if I needed to sign in...yes. Come on Tricia. Finally get called in and explain my symptoms. Everything is going well until she asks me THE question. Now... in Spanish: Papá=dad, papa=potato. The lady asks me if I want to do a routine papa....something. I didn't catch the last word, I had never heard it before. (the word was papanicolao). I told her my dad wasn't there. That didn't work. Then I asked, what about potatoes? lol that didn't work either. Then she starts in medical terms describing what this dad-thing or potato-thing was. I didn't catch any of it. I started freezing up in Spanish until I heard one key word (this is not for the faint in heart, sorry for any men reading this): the female reproductive organ word. WHAT??? Then it dawned on me. She wasn't asking about my dad or offering me potatoes...she wanted to give me a pap-smear. LOL what the heck. I went in for bronchitis...why would I want to do the most miserable thing in the world on top of being so sick? lol but thinking it was free and that I might as well kill two birds in one stone...I did it. lol as if the gyno isn't awkward enough in English...try having some Spanish dude giving you orders. It was absolutely humiliating. I finally got finished and tried to compose myself and then they sent me off to another room. I got lost. When I finally got there, they told me to drop my pants again. WHAT??? They were giving me an injection for the bronchitis in the butt. Seriously, Costa Ricans get injections for everything! Oh my goodness, I just lost it. Then the lady starts blabbing in Spanish and I heard her say, oh some of the liquid got out...you're going to have "some" pain. She should have substituted some pain with a serious butt spasm and inability to walk normal for an hour. It was unbelievable. Then they hooked me up with three perscriptions and orders to come back in 8 days for a full body checkup (well what the heck did they just do??). I'd say that was a pretty "full body" check up. I finally got out of there running. lol not running, more like sauntering because my left butt cheek was numb and because you never feel much like walking after the gyno. I laughed hysterically all the way home and of course had to stop to catch my breath because I can't breath with this dumb bronchitis. It was incredible. So in summary, today was productive: I learned how to handle the medical system here, I learned a new word, I got an injection, and I got a great story. Fue un exito! (It was a success)
People have been giving me a hard time about not blogging...so I thought I would send a quick shoutout. I didn't blog for so long because Kate and I moved to a new apartment. We were too cheap to buy internet for just 1 month and then have to pay while we were home on Christmas... so we didn't get it and we only used it sparingly at school. A lot of good things happened though. Our new apartment is great and we have loved living there so far. We are going to have to improve our eating habits and break down and spend the money we need on meat once in a while...although it is nice to pay only $5 for all the fruits and vegetables you need for the week. I also was able to return to New York for 4 days for one of my best friend's wedding. It was so incredibly fun. I loved being with Melissa and her family. 
The wedding was absolutely beautiful and I was even able to eat Thanksgiving there! It was wonderful...I mean except for the old turkey server man at the church dinner that called me big :). When I got back...it was pretty difficult but after two weeks of school and lots of Christmas parties, I was able to come home. It's freezing and there has been snow but I love it. It's been wonderful to see everyone and eat some great food. God has also been showing Himself in some wonderful ways. We've had a family living with us here. It's a long story...but their daughter fell really ill 2 months ago. They live near Dayton, but they were tranferred to a hospital here. Kiera is 22 and was first thought to have the flu...then the swine flu...then meningitis...the psychotic problems because her body started attacking itself. Anyway, they found out she had these awful and rare tumors on her ovaries that were making her lose her mind and kidneys shut down and all this other stuff. Well she had surgery today and she is doing well. They are hoping that taking the tumors out fixes everything. What was amazing was that Kiera was supposed to go to another hospital but her paperwork got screwed up and she was sent here...where a doctor was that is one of the only people that has ever diagnosed what Keira has and he did it almost immediately. Plus we have had the opportunity to share with Kiera's family about Christ and get to know them so well. On top of that...one night their transmission went out in their car and our friend Carl offered to put a new one for free labor...and our church came together and paid for the transmission. Just so many things have been wonderful and we're so thankful to see God's hand blessing this. Well more updates to come soon. Please pray for complete healing for Kiera. God bless and Merry Christmas!
Clearly paying attention to the game :)
Then on Friday we had a double header...except for the other coach forgot to bring his middle school team...lol. So we just played varsity. My guys played so good though and I even got the middle's in. We only lost by 6 and we were up for some of the game. It was so great :) Now we're house sitting for some missionaries here and just living the life: sleeping and eating. It's wonderful. :) God bless!
Kate was Sherlock Holmes, Eden was a pirate, we had the Joker from Batman, Michael Jackson...it was great. 
After that we had our first middle school basketball game. We got destroyed, but it was still fun. One of my players scored the first basket...given, on the wrong basket, but who's counting? 
Then, one of the highlights of the week- we went to the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" in Spanish. The reason it was a highlight was for one it was funny, and secondly, there were times that I didn't even realize it was in Spanish I was understanding everything so well. Amazing :) Thank you Jesus. 
On Saturday, Carolina, Kate, Peggy and I went shopping for a wedding dress for Peggy. It was so awesome. She was so excited. Finally, on Sunday, we went to see the Harlem Globetrotters play with my basketball team.
It was a lot of fun and a good team bonding time :). So that's a little summary. Sorry it's been so long grandma :) 
Then she told me the party wasn't there and we went out. Eddie was there and gave me a gold gaudy necklace. We then walked past the Jones' house and they gave me more gold chains. Then we went to my director's house, but the party wasn't there either. They gave me huge gold hoop earrings. Then we went to peggy's, but the party wasn't there...just a tiara. 
at this point...people are just dying laughing as I walk down the street. lol we were even offered drugs...don't think about that one too hard. After Peggy's we went to Medrano's and he gave me a bracelet. Then we went to Sondra's, which was the makeover house. Kate gave me this small bag with my outfit. I was nervous because it was so small. She found this amazing gold dress at a thrift store and then brown gypsy pants on which she sewed gold sequins. Then Sondra did my gold makeup and I was set :). 
Albin came and picked us up and we met at Erin and Courtney's where everyone else was. There was confetti cake and icing (that mom sent). The house was all decorated and Eddie made tacos. 
The cook. I love taco night. I seriously have the best friends here.
How awesome to have such cool people around even though you live so far away from everything that you know. We danced and sang and played games. 
It was so fun. Then today we went to church and my Tico family made a dinner for me and celebrated. It was just so great. I'm so thankful. Such a great birthday...thanks guys :)
