Underground Museum???

I must say, this was my one regret. The day I was
at this museum, it wasn't open and I never made
it back. This museum is 6 stories underground!
How cool is that? The top of the museum is just
part of a patio, but the entire museum is underground! Therefore, I find it only fitting to plan another trip to ensure that I can experience this museum. I'm returning in January! Anyone want to join me?
Pura Vida!

Vecinos

As I have told you before, the entire family, except for one sister, lived in the same little area. This is the main gate where everyone who lived here entered. The gate was electric for those entering with a car. They had something very similar to our garage door openers in their cars that would open the gate. The gate also had a smaller, non-electrical, door to enter without cars. It was kind of like, what we would call, an alley but lead to everyone's home. I lived in the first house to the left. Behind us was Tia, and Mirna's Family, Cesar's Family, and Yehudi's Family as well as two other neighbors not part of the family but joined in with parties and meals! I so loved being so close to everyone. I still remember my first morning, waking up and walking down the way until I found someone home. It turned out that Mirna was home and everyone was eating breakfast at her house. The family loved living so close together, but not together. I found this to be really neat!

Lorena

Lorena and Rosy lived together. Lorena was just too sweet! I enjoyed her terribly and looked forward to seeing her when I returned each evening. I most enjoyed watching Vecinos with Lorena each night. Vecinos was a variety type show, but was funny. I miss hearing her laugh too. Lorena, has recently retired, and is learning to quilt. She can often be found at the kitchen table working on her quilts! We would also go into her bedroom to annoy her too! (I was always snapping pictures!) Besitos Lore!

Homes

I have to admit, my first day or two in Costa Rica I compared everything to my life and how things look in Indianapolis. This quickly proved to be nonproductive and not helpful as there really is no comparison. Though things are very different, it was just how things were in Costa Rica. I would say, that for us, the homes on the outside were not esthetically desirable. Again, this is just how it was and I quickly accepted and appreciated this as part of the life in C.R. However, the inside of the homes were much like ours here in the states. I would say the one thing that was strikingly different was that most homes had tile floors throughout. (The house I stayed in, which was older that rest in this little neighborhood, had hardwood floors in the bedrooms, but tile everywhere else. )

Yehudith

Yehu is one of my now, surrogate sisters. (I like being the little sister of all these guys!) Yehu could always make me laugh! She was crazy, but I loved her! Some of my favorite times with Yehu was we were just sitting and talking at her house! Most days when I returned home, I would make sure I'd go and see Yehu! The day Michael Jackson died, she dressed up in all red and busted in singing, "I'm bad, I'm bad................" Hilarious! (I wish I had taken a picture, but I was laughing hysterically.) Our shopping excursions was fun too! I guess there is a little bit of crazy in me too! Besitos Yehu!

The Children's Museum

I don't know why, but I thought this was funny. The Children's Museum used to be the penitentiary.

Camera Shy....NOT!

Yeah! They were NOT camera shy! You could always count on a striking pose when pictures were taken! Gotta love them!

Spanish Immersion???

So, do I think my Spanish has improved now that I have returned from Costa Rica? I would say that my listening and reading comprehension has greatly improved! I had to listen a lot and closely to understand what was being said. I was around very gracious people who were patient and helpful. I could ask them to repeat it, or tell me another way so that I could understand. In general, I would say that my listening and reading comprehension is about 70%. My speaking isn't as far as I would like it to be, but people were able to understand me, and we were able to communicate. You all know that I am very social so communication was important for me. I knew I was doing better when I could use my cynicism in Spanish!

Also, all the big news here in the states was delivered to me in Spanish. All the information I had about Micheal Jackson, especially, was only in Spanish. This, unfortunately, was a great reading comprehension tool for me. Since I wanted to know everything that was going on with this situation particularly, I read the paper every day. It was also interesting to read the other news in Costa Rica to learn about the country and the culture.

This picture, unwillingly taken, is proof that I studied at least once! Also, the news about Micheal Jackson....en espanol!

Tearful Good-byes!

Though these photos show happier times, spending my last day in Costa Rica and saying good-bye has been sad and tearful. I could have never imagined how much I have enjoyed the family I have stayed with particularly. They alone have made my time in Costa Rica some of the best times in my life. We have all joked about how I was introduced as 'la muchacha' or the girl on my first day, to now being introduced as their sister! Though I knew Glenda, the sister that lives in Indy, I didn't know the rest of the family, nor did they know me. So, no one really knew what to expect. However, in the end, we all enjoyed one another terrible so....thus a tearful good-bye!

Keep watching the blog. There is still much more to post and so much more to tell. For now, I am drying my tears and missing Costa Rica, but looking forward to being back home!

My Sugar Daddy or Cabana Boy!

Well, we all know that I was searching for my Sugar Daddy or Cabana boy! Look! I found him! His name is Cosmo and he loved me to pieces! And, he's pretty hot too! Besitos Cosmo!

Family Bonding

I think one of the things I will miss most is just 'hanging out' for no particular reason. Well, there was usually food involved, but mostly just because they could. For meals at home it was often plenty of food and people. And....home was anyone's home that had food. "Home is where the food is!" Or, coffee could be a reason for gathering, but then you had to have food! I have eaten more and drank more coffee here than I care to tell about! (the good thing is that I have walked sooooo much too! the hills are a bear!)

Colones

Costa Ricans use Colones as their currency. Let me just tell you that I had the hardest time using Colones! We were laughing, but it's true, Americans can't count that high! Our dollar equals about 585 Colones. Imagine purchasing something for 13, 500 Colones! What the hell? Who can count that high? When I was alone and couldn't figure out how much to pay, I'd just give them money and let them figure it out. For all I know I could have been hustled out of money! Lessons learned.....learn how to count in the thousands!

Besitos!

In Costa Rica, and in all Latino Cultures it is most common to great one another with a kiss! This is very different from American Culture. Because I have many Latino friends I knew this and have been accustomed to this for some time. Now, this is usually for people that you know or someone you have just met. It is the polite thing to do, when you meet or are introduced to someone, to say "mucho gusto" and offer a kiss. For other friends and family, you offer a kiss too and a hug if you want. However, the kiss is most common! And with this family particularly, you pretty much greeted with a kiss whenever you encountered them! I had rode the bus with some in the morning, and an hour later we ran into one another again. Yep! You guessed it! Besitos! (kisses) Muchos besitos!

La feria del agricultor

Cada sabado (y en algunos lugares el domingo) por la manana en las diferentes comunidades del pais, los costarricenses salen a la calle par addquirir frutas y verduras a precios mas bajos y mucho mas frescas que en el supermercado. La "feria del Agricultor" no es solamente un mercado. Se trata de una alegre fiesta de colores y aromas, de apretones de manos, de risas, de conversaciones y de chistes. En las ferias no solo se ofrecen vegetales, en la actualidad, muchos vendedores ofrecen sombreros, juguetes, peceras y otras cosas!

Rain, Rain, Go away!

In Costa Rica, there are two season.....wet and dry! This is how it was, jokingly, explained to me. Apparently we are in the wet season now. It has rained every, single day since I have been here! I am not talking a little sprinkle or light shower. I am talking inches of rain! Of all the many things I will miss about Costa Rica, the rain isn't one of them!

Pedestrians

Here, Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way. Thinking that you have the right of way here, is purely suicidal thinking! Buses have the right of way 1st! Then taxi's, then service trucks, then cars, then motorcycles, then bikes, then any other vehicle, then dogs, then and only then are you able to risk your life to cross the street! People say good-bye to their families as if they will never see them again before leaving out in the morning because walking, which is a neccessary, makes you risk your life each time!

I wish I could have gotten a better picture, but as I told you....my life was at hand!

The Mountains

Yeah...you can pretty much see the mountains from anywhere! These pictures are taken from different places....e.g. San Jose, Guadalupes, Coronado, etc! (I wish I could give you more details but I can't remember everything!)