Leslie Auvenshine Review of CISA

Tuis, Cartago, Costa Rica. In two short weeks this small, rural town has captured my heart. The pace of life here is very different than our suburban life in Texas…think slow, like sloth slow. 🙂 I quickly realized though that slow and rural is not bad. It means that a random stranger will walk with you on your way to school and give your kids a short Spanish lesson, and that you can let your kids can go ahead of you on the 10 minute walk to school, out of sight, without a real means to communicate with anyone, and be completely safe.
Spanish immersion programs are not new for me, 9 weeks total, 4 schools, 4 homestays. And this one had a greater impact on me than all the other 3 combined. My Spanish progressed well and I began to have actual and real conversations. My teacher was amazing and our Tico family loved us and treated us as their own. We laughed a lot and told all sorts of stories from our lives. For the first time, I left CR knowing I had made real Tico friends. Ones with which I would actually keep in touch.
Life in many ways is more difficult in Tuis than in the US. Money and opportunities are easier to come by in the States. But with that, seems to come the need to make the most of what is available and before you know it, every hour of the day is filled with some sort of activity. Here in Tuis, resources are not so available, days are not heavily scheduled, there is more time to spend with people. In our tica home, family and friends were in an out all day, greeting everyone with hugs and kisses, and just enjoying the company of our Tico family.
While I know we have many blessings in the US, blessings do not have to be in monetary form. This little town of Tuis is greatly blessed. There is a warmness and genuineness to the people here that does not exist in the suburban US. It is this that so many long for in our own country.
I am so thankful for our experience here. All three of our hearts have been changed. I want to especially thank my sweet husband for working so hard so we could afford to go, and for always giving 100% support of us going on this crazy adventure. Thank you also to all of you who have been praying for us along the way!

Leslie Auvenshine