Tutoring Center Blog

Also follow along with the Tutoring Center and check out the new English classes Tara started in cooperation with the Sports Site on the Tutoring Center's own blog:

centrodetutoria.blogspot.com

Returning for a Visit

There’s always a lot of uncertainty in returning to a place that used to be home, a place you’ve invested so much of your heart and life. People have changed; you’ve changed. Will you be overcome with homesickness for the place and people? Will it cause you to question your decision to leave? How strange will it feel? But in spite of all this possible uneasiness, we long to go back. And most often when we do, there is a great reward in reconnecting with those we love but had to leave behind. This was my experience last month. Even though the timing was complete craziness, I bought a plane ticket to spend a week in Costa Rica, returning to California only 2 days before I had to be in New York for grad school. And every bit of chaos was worth it!

 It was so wonderful to spend time with those friends who had truly become family during my 3.5 years in Costa Rica. We didn’t do anything extra ordinary, just engaged in the regular day-to-day which reminded me how different life is in Costa Rica. The morning appointment to check out a piece of property that turned into a whole day excursion. Or us spending 3 hours in line at immigration trying to get my deposit back, only to be told it’s still not ready after 8 months. (Thank you Tracey, for hanging out with me and letting the immigration office be our “coffee shop” for the morning). Or gratefully getting “stuck” at the Mendozo Soto’s house for several hours because it’s pouring and lightening too much to safely leave the house. Each of these experiences and countless others, reminded me of things I love about life in Costa Rica. A part of me will always miss it, but in visiting I was affirmed that my season there is finished, at least for now.

 A huge piece of this affirmation came through seeing how well the Tutor Center is doing in the hands and hearts of José and Tara. I was privileged to spend several days working alongside them in the Center. There was a great mix of old and new kids filling the benches, working together on multiplication facts and reading books to each other. It is such an incredible blessing to know the Center will continue to serve the kids of Los Guido long after I am gone. It’s not my work, I was just an instrument to get it started. What a privilege it is has been to be a part of it all!

Felicia, the best host mom ever!  We both had cut our hair super short.

I had a great time staying with the Dixons. Unfortunately I did a terrible job of documenting all the fun we had together. 

(Sawyer, Oliva, and Lynnea) 

Special dinner at one of Cailah and my favorite restaurants, Cafe Mundo

A morning session at the Tutoring Center with José and Tara

I got to lead the craft one afternoon. We made awesome  airplanes out of foam plates

Hanging out with the Mendoza Sotos

Catalina and Alicia, these girls helped found the Tutoring Center.  Now they are both doing great at the local high school! 

Las Viejitas, the breakfast club of girls' group.  It was so good to get to hangout with these girls and see that they are all doing well.

The new expanded girls' group.  Tracey has done a great job continuing to care for these girls each week.  Since Tara has joined the Center, she's been able to start building relationships with them as well.  It so exciting to see things continuing to grow.  

It worked out perfectly that SI had a Family Night planned for while I was there. We had a blast playing games and being silly together. 

The theme of the party was stripes, in case you weren't sure.

And of course, a quick trip to the feria before heading to the airport. Sadly I couldn't take any of the beautiful produce with me, but Jeff and Tracey made a great send off breakfast with some of the bounty from the market.

 While I don’t know specifically when I will get back again, I will continue to hold my family, the kids, and life in Costa Rica close to my heart. They will forever be a part of me, and they continue to inspire me, especially here in 

New York.

L'abri

I’ve experienced a bit of a climate change. While I can’t say I’ve learned to love the cold, I do have a new appreciation for wool socks, giant sweaters, and hot water bottles. (If you don’t know what those are, do some research. They are amazing!) Even though it has been quite a bit cooler here than I’m accustomed to, I’ve still been able to get outside and go for long walks through the beautiful English countryside. And while the landscape is nothing like that of Costa Rica, having the time and space to process my last 3 years there has been so helpful. If you want to learn more about L’abri or see how beautiful the house in the spring time, check out their website here.

England + Last Newsletter

You may be thoroughly confused by the title of this post. "Doesn't Krysta's family live in California? What is she doing in England?" To find out and hear a little bit more about my last few days in Costa Rica you'll have to read my last newsletter. If you didn't get it via email, follow the link below.

Last Newsletter from Costa Rica


And yes, my family does live in California, where we shared a great couple weeks together over Christmas break. It wasn't nearly enough time, so it's nice knowing that after this stint in the UK I'll be Stateside for awhile and able to spend more time with them.

One of the few photos with majority of my family. We were all together for over a week, which was amazing! But it's really hard to get 14 people together to take a picture.