First Day Nerves

Today is my first day in my internship placement. I am currently working as I compose this post.

Yesterday I had a relaxng morning before I met Carolina, the ELAP coordinator, to go to my placement for a little orientation. It is about a fifteen minute walk toward downtown. Centro de los Amigos para la Paz owns a hostel called Casa Ridgway. The hostel funds the center and its projects. The hostel is very quiet and peaceful and there are rules in order to keep it this way. It is very cute and decorated. Many of the rooms in teh hostel are themed for different peace and civil rights leaders like Mother Theresa, Ghandi, MLK, etc. The building also has a library, computers, and free wifi for visitors to use. There is a nice sitting area and conference areas as well as other offices. Carolina showed me around and we talked with Marta. She explained that the center is struggling financially because they have not had much attendance in the hostel. They are working on creating new programs to attract groups that are traveling to San Jose or college students who can stay for an extended period like renting an apartment instead of a night by night hostel.

I became worried because Marta was busy doing other things for quite some time and we were still waiting. I was unsure of what I would actually be doing still and didnt know what we were waiting for. I was also nervous because of the financial situation. I wasnt sure if they would have projects for me to work on. Eventually, another woman, Annacecilia, came. She is in charge of the centers projects. She discussed their two main projects with us and gave me a better idea of what I would be doing. She said that most days I will come to work at 9 or 9:30 and help Marta with the hostel, reception, and administrative work. I am also going to be working on the website. With Annacecilia, I will be working on one of the main projects on the coasts. I will be travelling and staying at the coasts with families to help work on projects there and learn more so that I can better understand and work on the website. I am not entirely sure what we actually do to help the people there. She said I also may help with a turtle project. I was instructed to take a lot of photos to which I assured her I could do. She wanted me to go on a trip with her this weekend but Carolina said I should stay for my first weekend and I can go next weekend.

I am pretty excited about this. I didnt think I would be travelling for this internship but it sounds great.

So today I got lost on my way here. I was in the right area but somehow got turned around. So I arrived late, though I dont think it mattered. Immediately upon my arrival Marta said she had to go to the bank. She introduced me to Rosa, the cleaning lady, and showed me a few things in the office, gave me her phone number, and instructed me to sit down and do whatever I wanted on the computer.

So here I am just hanging out in the office and praying no one calls. I wrote some scripts and things I may have to say on the phone and tried to familiarize myself with the reservation book. Marta is back now but I am still in the office. The phone has rang a couple times but I really dont understand how it works. Sometimes it is jut one short ring so I dont know if I am supposed to pick it up. There are also two phones on the desk and I dont understand which does what and which I am supposed to answer. So I feel nervous and overwhelmed. While Marta was gone, I did speak with a current resident who wanted to stay another night. He was french but spoke spanish so that was interesting. I said he could and hoped it was okay that he would pay later. Marta seemed okay with it when I filled her in.

So I am not sure what the rest of my day will be filled with. I know that I am supposed to stay until Annacecilia comes later today so I can talk to her more.

Anyway, yesterday I finally got a local phone. My friend, Jenny, and I went to the Mall San Pedro to find phones. Jenny is the only other student with the custom program like me with ELAP first and Summer Session 7 afterward. We think that the people at the phone store were trying to rip us off but they eventually lowered their price when they figured out that we were confused and talking about leaving. Still, it was a little more than some other students paid. I feel better having a phone that works at all times for phone calls and not just my computer or iphone in wifi. Now I can call the ISA office or CAP, etc if I need to.

My housemates and I also walked to AutoMercado. This is a grocery store. I liked this experience much better than Walmart. I think I will stick to going there from now on. Maritza told us it can be expensive but we were also told that about Walmart so Im not sure where the cheap places are.

It felt great to FaceTime/Skype all my favorite people last night, even for just a few minutes. I think I have been too overwhelmed and busy trying to figure out life here to be homesick yet but Im sure it will happen eventually. I certainly miss everyone already though. But seeing my dad, Rachel, and Robby made me feel better.

P.S. I dont know how to use these keyboards so please excuse the lack of apostrophes.

Your new CAP/CasaRidgway receptionist,

Taylor