(Pictures: top left-the family dog Mily and me; top right-host parents Alfredo and Ana; bottom-me and Poás Volcano)Ok. So you would think it would be easy to update this when only a week or so has passed…but it’s not. So I’ll do my best to summarize, but before I summarize, I would like to make a comment. Even though as a foreigner you may tend to stick out, it is better to stick out that blend in. Why? Because when you blend it people start to talk to you…asking questions, making comments… And then you just have to stand there looking dumb because you don’t know what they said or attempt to say something other than sí. On Monday I was standing at a bus stop waiting and an older woman asked me something about a bus and where it came from…I couldn’t tell you exactly what she said. So I told her I was a foreigner and that I was waiting for a bus to go to Heredia and it came from that road and came by the stop that I was standing at. Then she said something about how kind I was and made the symbol of the cross over her chest. I’ve been living in San Pablo for what…11 days…and I’m giving bus route advice. Not good. I hope she found wherever she was looking for because I did hear her say something about a hospital…
Anyway, last week I did a few minor things…I saw National Treasure 2 in the theatre with Ana’s nieces (Lucia and Jimena). We also watched Stick It at Lucia’s house. Fortunately for me, both were in English with Spanish subtitles. My host mom, Ana, and her sister (Lucia’s mom) and her brother (Jimena’s dad), and her mother all live in the same gated area…like 15 feet apart.
I also played with Ismael, Ana’s grandson a few times this week. We played hide-and-seek and rock, paper, scissors, and animals. He really likes to play animals. For some reason he really likes me…and usually little kids stay away from me and I stay away from them and everybody’s happy. On Sunday I went with Ana, her daughter Christina, and Isamel to the town Atenas to a swimming pool. I played with Ismael, and then Ismael and I went for a 3 minute horseback ride around the trees near the pool. It was a nice day. And then Monday he came over for lunch and we played animals again. At lunch he informed everyone that I am the champion and therefore only he and I were going to play. He’s a funny little guy.
Anyway, the biggest events of the past week happened on Saturday. I went with the university to Café Britt (to learn how coffee was made and get free samples) and then to Poás Volcano. It was cloudy at the volcano at first, but then it cleared up long enough for me to get a few pictures. My first volcano!
Oh, and speaking of firsts, I experienced my first “temblor” which translated means earth tremor. It’s kind of like an earthquake except not destructive. Exciting…I know.
Oh, and on Saturday night I went to Palmares (google it). It’s the name of a city but it’s a pretty big celebration/fair thing. That was intense. However, I ended up getting beer thrown on me from a balcony while standing in line to use a pora-potty that I had to pay for…which smelled like diarrhea (by the way). So it was good to go and experience it, but I don’t need to go again.
Ok…one more thing, and then I swear I’ll be done. I asked Ana for my address so my family could send me stuff if they wanted to. This is what she wrote:
Ana I. Chacón Gutierréz
San Pablo de Heredia
Costado oeste de la Escuela
Costa Rica, A.C.
Interesting note: “Costado oeste de la Escuela” literally means “west side of the school.” They don’t have street names or signs here, and when they do have them they don’t use them. How does it work? I don’t know that it does. I’ve heard a lot of students saying they didn’t get mail that was sent to them. But I guess if it’s good enough for the Ticos (Costa Ricans), it’s good enough for me.
Oh, one final thing. I played soccer today, and I sucked.
The End!
Anyway, last week I did a few minor things…I saw National Treasure 2 in the theatre with Ana’s nieces (Lucia and Jimena). We also watched Stick It at Lucia’s house. Fortunately for me, both were in English with Spanish subtitles. My host mom, Ana, and her sister (Lucia’s mom) and her brother (Jimena’s dad), and her mother all live in the same gated area…like 15 feet apart.
I also played with Ismael, Ana’s grandson a few times this week. We played hide-and-seek and rock, paper, scissors, and animals. He really likes to play animals. For some reason he really likes me…and usually little kids stay away from me and I stay away from them and everybody’s happy. On Sunday I went with Ana, her daughter Christina, and Isamel to the town Atenas to a swimming pool. I played with Ismael, and then Ismael and I went for a 3 minute horseback ride around the trees near the pool. It was a nice day. And then Monday he came over for lunch and we played animals again. At lunch he informed everyone that I am the champion and therefore only he and I were going to play. He’s a funny little guy.
Anyway, the biggest events of the past week happened on Saturday. I went with the university to Café Britt (to learn how coffee was made and get free samples) and then to Poás Volcano. It was cloudy at the volcano at first, but then it cleared up long enough for me to get a few pictures. My first volcano!
Oh, and speaking of firsts, I experienced my first “temblor” which translated means earth tremor. It’s kind of like an earthquake except not destructive. Exciting…I know.
Oh, and on Saturday night I went to Palmares (google it). It’s the name of a city but it’s a pretty big celebration/fair thing. That was intense. However, I ended up getting beer thrown on me from a balcony while standing in line to use a pora-potty that I had to pay for…which smelled like diarrhea (by the way). So it was good to go and experience it, but I don’t need to go again.
Ok…one more thing, and then I swear I’ll be done. I asked Ana for my address so my family could send me stuff if they wanted to. This is what she wrote:
Ana I. Chacón Gutierréz
San Pablo de Heredia
Costado oeste de la Escuela
Costa Rica, A.C.
Interesting note: “Costado oeste de la Escuela” literally means “west side of the school.” They don’t have street names or signs here, and when they do have them they don’t use them. How does it work? I don’t know that it does. I’ve heard a lot of students saying they didn’t get mail that was sent to them. But I guess if it’s good enough for the Ticos (Costa Ricans), it’s good enough for me.
Oh, one final thing. I played soccer today, and I sucked.
The End!
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