Presentations and Hula Hoops

My first presentation for University is done!  It was a great group effort by my group!  We consisted of students from Denmark, Costa Rica, Indonesia and Korea.  It was interesting working together.  Our group was decidedly European with dinner meetings and wine taking precedence over timeliness.  This was difficult for my Virgo self to cope with but in the end, I am a better person for it!  But how lovely it was getting to know my fellow students so much more intimately.  The sharing that I at first considered so unproductive was the glue that held us together.  In the end, we helped and supported each other through the process of researching and creating our presentation on conflict and conflict resolution.

We chose to present on a current Costa Rican issue.  Costa Rica is quite which in gold deposits and there is a Canadian company trying to open an open pit gold mine.  The government was persuaded to life a ban on open pit gold mining but as soon as the general population caught wind, conflict ensued.  Costa Ricans are proud of the biodiversity and greenness of their country.  For many, it is their bread and butter.  So, they fought it.  It's still in the judicial system and Costa Rica may have to pay $1.7 billion in damages if the mining rights are revoked.  They cannot pay it.  It will be interesting to see the outcome of this issue.

Thursday had my group working all day for our Friday presentation.  As my third day of not having time for physical activity unfolded, I became quite temperate.  Moving my body is so necessary and if I don't, my mental state severely suffers.  I've always known this about myself but it's really difficult  to find the time here at school with all of our commitments.  So, as tired as I was, Thursday night found me at Zumba in town - way fun! and Friday we rocked our presentation.  After class and another meeting I ran out my frustrations in a great game of Ultimate Frisbee!  Then to town to shower and rest.  Except that my host family was eagerly awaiting my arrival so that we could all hula together.  The kids had received hula-hoops for day of the child. Yes!  I finally broke out my hula hoop!  I am so happy that bringing it here was not a waste.  I hula'd in my sweat clothes for an hour and then off to the close of the first class party!

Today I wrote and researched my final paper.  I still have so much to do but tomorrow there is a class field trip.  I mean really, the life of a grad student is beyond busy.  It's so difficult to do academic work all day and then part of the night but it looks like I better get used to it!  Lucky for me my host mom made me a nutritious lunch to fuel my brain.  I tried to compensate her and the family today by cooking  dinner but my tofu stir fry did not go over so well.  Such is life.  I should have known better!

Yummy lunch of potatoes, zucchini, beans and rice with guacamole.

Hula Hoopin' with the fam.