


As part of the curriculum of the spanish school we are attending, the school offered to us a few extra outside activities to acclimate ourselves with the ways of the Costan Rican culture. This evening The Brook Team went for a cooking class at the home of a local Tica woman. I think her name sounded like Letrysa. When we arrived she welcomed us in her beautiful home and gestured for us to sit down. What we didn't know and found out quickly was that she had no idea why we were there! Yet, she was so kind as we just waltz in her home and sat down. One by one and step by step she had each of us share in making a typical costa rican meal. We first made a salad. We then squeezed the lemons to make some fresh lemonade, & then the corn empanadas. Delicioso! She topped it off with a wonderful unique dessert of iced milk with nuts and jello. She talked slowly and pleasant. Such kindness to share with us her love of cooking, her heart for sharing, and the pride of her country.
Costa Ricans are people who live for enjoying the present moments of their lives one day at a time and don't seem to be worried about tomorrow, but make the most of today. I love that and have longed for that simplicity. I am learning what it really means to slow down to stop and smell the roses.
I'm grateful too for the moments of today. It is all we really have by the way, at the moment.