In the land of corn...

I have many friends who have studied abroad over the course of the last couple years. Many of these people have set up blogs with the express purpose of reporting back to loved ones from far off places, and in many cases, these sites get abandoned after the students return stateside. I have followed suit with that pattern... until now. I have decided that amaneciendo bien is not an attitude or a mantra that is limited to the land of pura vida. Blogging is certainly a worthwhile venture, both to share my thoughts with others (although, eight months between updates, there aren't many that check this site anymore) and to arrange digest my thoughts in order to express them. So here I go, resurrecting this blog, documenting life's happenings beyond my experiences abroad.

At this moment, I am sitting on the living room couch at my summer residence in Des Moines, IA. Sara and the dog just got home from a romp in the park. Both the air conditioner and the TV are on, and I have plans to heat up leftover macaroni and cheese before I head to Spanish conversation table in a couple minutes.

The last couple weeks have been somewhat of a blur. Three weeks ago, I was simultaneously studying for final exams and packing up my life (again) to move out of my apartment in Morris. A mere thirty six hours after moving out, I hopped an early plane to Boston to spend with my mother while she is receiving treatment at Massachussetts General Hospital. We had a great week together, seeing the sites, pretending to talk like Bostonians and riding the train. It was a good way to kick off the summer. After a week in Boston, I returned home to help my dad hold down the fort for a week and preparing to spend my summer in Des Moines. We planted the garden for mom, while tending all the things she normally takes care of in addition to our normal responsibilities. My father has a lot on his plate taking care of the house solo.

Then I got things packed into the car to move down to Des Moines.

Being back in Des Moines is great so far. My living situation is very comfortable and enjoyable, and I am excited to be working on another HPV study. I find that after my experiences in Costa Rica, my Spanish has improved to an extent that makes communicating with Latinos in the clinics much less stressful and much more enjoyable. In the past months, I have taken great joy in any opportunity to use Spanish, and hearing it on the streets anywhere still brings a smile to my face.

Also, in my new location, I find myself in the center of a fabulous network of biking trails that I only had scarce access to last summer. There is much more to discover and enjoy on my bike this year.

Here's to a good summer... to be continued :)