Monday, June 29, 2009

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!

Friday, June 26, 2009

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!)

Different Foods











A common breakfasts here is Gallo Pinto with Platano Maduro. It's usually served with eggs, cheese, and some type of bread. As you can see, I just opted for coffee!








The Fruit: the red prickly ones are Mamonchino! It was almost scary looking to me, but I tried it anyway! It ended up being my favorite. It was like a giant grape on the inside with a seed. A little different taste but delicious.








The yellow ones are Jocote! I can't really describe how this tasted. It was a bad taste, just not as flavorful as the Mamonchino! You can buy these both reddish, greenish, and yellowish!








Copo: this is a drink that you can easily find on the streets or at the park. It's like a snowcone, but they use sweetened condensed milk too! It was yummy. It tasted like a strawberry and cream smoothie!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

My Costa Rican Mother!


Let me tell you know, I am trying to figure out how to put Rosy in my suitcase and bring her ! She has and still is taking great care of me and we are having a great time! Only Rosy could get me up at 4:30am to go to Guadalupes! Yes folks, I said 4:30am! Funny thing is that Rosy used to live in Indianapolis, less than I mile from me! How funny! You can't help but to love her to pieces! So much fun and so loving! Look for her in my suitcase when I return! Pura Vida!

The Coffee




Let me just say, the coffee here is excellent. I didn't think it was possible to drink any more coffee than I already do, but here it's common to drink it all day. Wherever you go, you are offered coffee! Of course they have coffee makers just like ours in the United States. However, they prefer to make it 'the old fashioned' way sometimes....as they did here in the photos! Very strong coffee! (Oh....apparently the coffee makes you crazy too! Only coffee would make you pose like this for a photo! Pura Vida!)

El primero comunion











La Iglesia….
El domingo nos fuimos a una iglesia en Guadalapes por el primero comunión de Juan. ¡Teníamos que mandar un autobús por una hora y atravesamos las montanas! (¡Siento mucho pero no podia tomar fotos en el autobús! ¡Pero la vista estaba magnifico!)
Por el servicio por el primero comunión había muchas personas. Ellos no tenían espacio por todas personas y muchas personas no podían sentar por el servicio. Juan estaba muy feliz tener su familia y amigos por este día importante. ¡Mira los fotos por este día!
(Church)
Sunday we went to a church in Guadalapes for the 1st Communion of Juan. We had to travel by bus for an hour going through the mountains. (Sorry. I couldn’t take pictures on the bus, but the view was amazing.)
There were a lot of people there for the 1st Communion service. Because there were so many people there, many people had to stand for the service. Juan was very happy to have his friends and family there for this important day!

Rosy's Place







La Café de Rosy está muy lindo! Aquí tu puedes comer comidas típico de Costa Rico! Yo he comido aquí mucho! Y Rosy, el dueña, es mi mama aquí in Costa Rica! Qué lindo!

Lunch=party
















So, there was a plan to have a lunch on Saturday. It started at 1pm and just kept going! Apparently this is very common, and let me tell you....FUN! I am really enjoying the people here! Wish I had time to write more, but keep watching. I will try to post whenever I can. I am keeping very busy trying to take in everything! And about the weather.....it is spring here. It's about 60ish during the day, and maybe 40 or 50 at night. Very comfortable, but it rains every single night because we are in the mountains!

San Jose
















Hey guys! Sorry. I haven't had enough time to post as I thought I would. However, I am officially loving it here, and am not happy that I have to leave soon. We have all decided not to thing about it. Anyway...here are some pictures from San Jose. I will try to post more later tonight.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Family

I must say I am most impressed at how closely knit this family is here! I love that I can walk out the door, in my cute Joe Boxer pajamas, and be at the door of 4 other siblings and their family! You never know who will walk in to any house as they treat each house as their own! Though I had a few moments of missing my family and friends, it has quickly passed with such warmth and love here. I surely don't feel like a stranger! And about the over-indulgent Americans, it is quite true. I am one of them, I know, but true nonetheless! (In response to Shawna's comment.) Even now, because it's Saturday, they are preparing for a family lunch togeter.....just because!

Keep watching for new post. Next week, there are a lot of excursions planned where I will have plenty of opportunities for pictures and a different experience of the various cultures and communities. And....on Tuesday, I am going to a class at the University of Costa Rica! How cool is that? Alright....time to prepare for lunch!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Modern Technology


I must say that I miss my cell phone and laptop more than anything! You could have never made me believe how 'hooked' I am to the both. I often say I want to throw my cell phone out the window and live without computers! I am publicly recanting any such statement! I feel lost and alone without my connection to the rest of the world. The house I am staying at doesn't have any Internet connection. Some of the relatives have dial up. I am in the office of one of the families using their connection on my computer. We will go today to search for a wireless card that will give me more service. You all have permission to talk about me for being so connected and reliant on my technology! (It must be said that I wasn't trying to use my phone on the airplane. I thought it was funny the people who had to use theirs on the plane or as soon as the pilot announced we could, they were on theirs! I'm not that far gone!)

The River




Look at these! This was the view just a down the road from where I am staying. It's neat how you can find something like this just by walking around the corner. In Indiana, to see something like this, means a road trip! They said the water is very, very cold in the rivers!