Pura Vida

The final dinner on Wednesday night was incredible. It was at Hotel Grano de Oro, a beautiful Victorian building converted into a small hotel. We had our own dining room, complete with a five course meal. It was so fancy! A famous musician played his favorite songs on his guitar in the corner of the room while we dined. We took pictures in the exact same spot the President of Costa Rica had stood in that day before. Waiters stood near the table to refill our water glasses as soon as the water went below the cup's halfway mark. Aside from some corny speeches, I really enjoyed my last meal with the entire group. The slideshow was great. I have a whole list of music I want to download to remember my summer. Eric gave each us a book about dreams. I thought it would be cheesy, but it's filled with creative doodlings and inspirational quotes. I love it. We laughed, reminisced and took millions of pictures, but finally, the night came to a close. It was so strange to say goodbye for the last time. I almost didn't believe it might be the last time I see some of these people. Neither Natalie, Amy or I could fall asleep when we got home. I think it finally started to hit me that I am leaving.

This last week has been just like any other week, and yet it has been so different. My routine has stayed the same. I've woken up to the sounds of roosters and washing machines and checked the mountain view out my window for signs of good or bad weather to come. I have gone on my regular morning commute, ignoring the car honks and resisting the temptation to take a taxi to work. I've sprinted from street corner to street corner, barely reaching the sidewalk before a bus blares past. I've given my usual salutations to the security guard, Eduardo, downstairs. I've sat at my desk, patient and diligent, organizing, working and waiting for lunch hour. My conversations with my co-workers have been the same. How do you say this phrase in Spanish? What are you up to today? I've wandered down Avenida Central, contemplating my minimal lunch options, always grateful that I remembered to bring my umbrella as the afternoon rain drops start to fall. I've boarded my usual bus, carefully pressing the stop button strategically after the red light but before the next corner so the bus driver stops in the right place. I've greeted my neighbors, fumbled with my keys and enjoyed afternoon coffee time with Patri and Amy. When more fish passed away yesterday, I found it both comical and metaphorical. I made a chapter of my life here. I was a part of my host family's life, in their home long enough to see beloved pets come and go. Living with them wasn't just a short trip or a temporary resting place; I became a part of their family. I've watched the news, munched on bread and cheese and laughed my last few nights away with Amy and Natalie. Should we go out? Should we stay in? I've completed my errands, walked my neighborhood streets and run into newfound friends along the way. I've teased Brandon, giggled at Jose David and joked with Juan Carlos. I've chatted with Patri and eaten second helpings of rice and beans. The only difference has been that every time I've done these things this week, I've stopped an extra second and realized, this might be the last time I do this.

Part of me knows that I am boarding a plane to go home tomorrow, but another part of me feels like I am leaving my home. I've created a life here. My hosts have become my family. My fellow group members have become my friends. My daily adventures have become my regular routine. Costa Rica feels more comfortable to me than I could have ever expected. Before coming here, I imagined my travels would feel temporary. I thought my host family would be like a dormitory, a resting place between work and travel. I figured my internship would feel more like a guest star appearance than an entire season series. I assumed I would feel foreign, almost invisible, in my eight weeks of travel. I never could have dreamed that I would come away from this experience with such a profound sense of belonging, personal growth and loss at the same time. I am leaving my new life here, and I am incredibly sad.

I am proud of what I have accomplished. I leave Costa Rica knowing that I can truly live in another country, speak another language and develop relationships with people completely different from me. In the end, religious, cultural and social boundaries don't matter. The barriers come down, and you see that all people can develop sustainable relationships despite the obstacles society has thrown between them. When it comes down to what really matters, we are all the same. I can only hope that I take these lessons with me into my future and never forget the feelings I have now.

With that, I am signing off. I know my written entries will never satiate the pangs to re-live my experiences, but I am hoping I have documented enough so that I can at least remember my time here in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida para siempre,

Lauren

La semana final

El Cuartel was great fun on Monday night. The live band played some salsa and reggae. They even threw in some Bob Marley songs. Our friends Randall, Leo and Eduardo showed up. David shortly found himself a dance partner, as he always does. Alira came along, too. We had fun, but we didn't stay too late. 

My family is panicking about swine flu. It is all over the media here. Yes, it is probably being completely blown out of proportion, but the minister of health is advising that people don't go out. Patri is totally frantic. She hasn't left the house, but she doesn't want us to leave the house, either. I can't just be housebound. I think Patri watches too much television. Brandon is apparently sick now, too. Everyone at work doesn't seem concerned. Regardless, I've been washing my hands so often that they are dry and chapped. I do not want to get that sick here.

Last night after work, I went bowling with some co-workers. Cesar, Rafa, Karol, Marilyn, her boyfriend Paolo and I went to the same exact bowling alley that I went to with the program. I stupidly forgot about these bowling plans, though, so I was inconveniently dressed in a dress and flats. Everyone in the office complimented my blue dress but kept asking me why I was wearing a summer dress in the winter season. I forgot that the wet season is considered winter here. It's still hot enough to be considered summer, but people here wear suede boots and pants all the time.

The bowling alley didn't sell extra socks, of course. I had to go to the nearby Auto Mercado and buy three pairs of stupid socks. I was so annoyed, and I looked ridiculous, but it was still muy divertido. I am a horrible bowler. I did improve throughout the night, though. I doubled my original score in the second game. Everyone was laughing at me, but I wasn't that much worse than the others. It was just for fun. I got home around nine, ate a late dinner and went straight to sleep. Bowling can really wear you out.

Today, I went on an adventure to find greeting cards during my lunch hour. It was absolutely pouring rain, but I was determined. I found a Hallmark and bought the only "Gracias" cards they had in the entire store. I braved the rough winds and wet sidewalks to buy them because Natalie, Amy and I wanted to get a little something for our host family and the program directors. I looked for flowers, too, but the flower shop near my job didn't have anything very pretty. I might go back and just buy single sunflowers.

Tonight is the final dinner for my program. We're going to a fabulous hotel and having a corny ceremony. We'll watch the slideshow and eat a lot, I'm sure. It hasn't hit me yet that I am actually leaving Costa Rica on Saturday. I know I am, but I don't feel like I'm leaving. I am so adjusted to my life here. I have a home, a job, a routine...re-locating right now just seems silly. Natalie, Amy and I have been planning our last few days. We want to go out to Castro's tomorrow night. We were talking about going to El Pueblo on Friday night, but today Juanca mentioned something to Amy about maybe having another fiesta at the house. I suspect it's because Patri doesn't want us in the crowded bars picking up germs and the H1N1 virus, but it still sounds like the perfect ending to my summer. 

Pura Vida,

Lauren

p.s. Fish update: the other day, I came downstairs and found the fish tank in a cloudy brown state. All of the fish stationed themselves at the top near the filter; my guess is that this was the cleanest water they could find. Patri was convinced they were all going to die. She went to the pet store and bought another tube contraption. The store clerk told her she was feeding them too much food and that the extra food was settling and decaying, thereby giving the water its murky color. I tell her every day she feeds them too much! I joke and say they're not Latin. They don't eat as much as we do. She cleaned out the entire tank, even though she insisted you're only supposed to do it once a month, and installed the new filter. It was like magic! The tank is back to clear blue, and we thought all was well. I had to laugh at Patri. I took a picture of her in her self-assigned seat, parked next to the tank where she literally spends hours watching her precious pets dart in and out of strategically placed rocks and fake foliage. Today, Amy messaged me telling me that Dory has passed away. It is predicted that Dorito is going to pass away within the next day. This is a grave tragedy for our family. Keep your thoughts and prayers with the remaining fish, both named and unnamed, in our beloved freshly-filtered tank. 

Tamarindo

Ila has come and gone. We had so much fun! On Thursday night, Juan Carlos and Patri took me to the airport. Ila had only been waiting for five minutes, so it was perfect. Costa Rica was in the middle of an intense soccer game with Mexico. After a brief drive through the center of the city, Juan Carlos randomly pulled over at a bar. He wanted to catch the last bit of the game! It was really entertaining. Ticans go crazy over the sport. Well, really everyone in every country except the United States goes crazy over soccer. Although Costa Rica lost the game, Ila and I had fun hanging out with my host parents. Ila even bought one of Juanca's drinks which was nice.

On Friday morning, Ila had her first traditional Tican breakfast of gallo pinto and scrambled eggs. Patri put pieces of ham in the eggs as a special treat because Ila was there. Neither of us had the heart to tell her we don't eat pork. I've avoided all pig products all summer. Regardless, breakfast was delicious. We packed our bags and headed into the city.

I brought Ila to Summa to meet everyone. Marilyn wasn't there, but Ila met Cesar, Rafa, Luis Diego and all the other women in the office. Luis Diego immediately commented on Ila's Argentinian accent. She learned all of her Spanish from her Argentinian friends and sounds so different! It's interesting to hear the differences in pronunciation.

When we left Summa, I showed Ila all of the pretty spots in San Jose (there aren't many). It started to rain, of course, so Ila had to buy an umbrella on the street. Obviously Ila didn't get the memo about keeping an umbrella with you at all times. We had a coffee break and even stopped by the big Catholic church in the center of the city. San Jose really doesn't have much to offer, but Ila liked seeing a Central American city. We ate casados con pollo at a cheap cafe and wandered the streets until it was time to leave for our Guanacaste adventure.

We caught our bus at Hotel Balmoral. Private transportation was such a great idea. I can't imagine doing that five hour drive on a bus without air conditioning, leg room or bathroom stops. There were some cool people on our bus, including a Swiss guy traveling on his own and a group of three Mexican boys from California. We finally arrived in Tamarindo after a long and bumpy ride. I don't think Ila has ever been as happy as she was to get out of a bus.

Our hotel was adorable. It was whitewashed with wood everywhere. Our room was clean and spacious and lovely. We managed to make it out to a late dinner at a beautiful restaurant. I can't remember the name now, but it was set outside with candles on the tables and green leaves. On Saturday morning, we woke up miraculously early. After eating our cold leftover dinner for breakfast, we headed for the beach in search of horseback rides.

Guanacaste really is gorgeous. All summer, any and every Tican has insisted I go there, and now I understand why. There were white boats docked in the shallow waters on one side, and millions of surfers flocked to the bigger waves on the other side. There were black rocks and calm pools set in front of lush green mountains. The only problem was the amount of tourists, but what can you do about that? It didn't take us long to track down the horses. We bargained for a good price, pulled on our jeans (brilliantly packed just in case) and got going.

Tamarindo is real estate heaven. I discovered this while my horse refused to trot faster or go in the direction he was supposed to go in. There were all kinds of incredible beach homes, from wooden porches to white concrete to adobe brick to just plain huge. I had to switch my horse with the guide a few times, but it didn't matter. The view of the mountains and ocean was breathtaking. We stopped at a plateau and took pictures. I would love to own a house there some day.

As we descended the mountain, I couldn't help but laugh at myself as my horse refused to obey any commands. I was probably the problem, not the horse, but it was laughably difficult. We wound down the trails and past bungalows and rental homes until we made it to shore. Toddlers and their parents waded in the small pools in the black rock. This beach, Playa Langosta, was calm and serene. We stopped again for a beach photoshoot before continuing down the shore. Ila and I loved it.

The horseback ride ended up being almost two hours long. Afterward, we were sore and famished. We ate lunch at Copacabana, a friendly restaurant right on the beach. Ila insisted that we treat ourselves to fruity island drinks. We gorged ourselves on chicken, avocado and cream cheese wraps. It was heaven!

After lunch, we tried to find a snorkel tour for the late afternoon. We didn't realize that all the tours for the day had left during our leisurely lunch. Before we let ourselves get too disappointed, it started to rain. We would have been miserable out on the water anyway. We walked around the beach town a little bit before the rain became too much. After a brief swim in the rain at the hotel pool, we returned to our room for some well-deserved relaxation.

Once the rain stopped and we regained our energy, Ila and I got all dressed up for dinner. I wore my long dress. I had to; it fit in perfectly with the tropical summer atmosphere. We ended up going back to Copacabana for dinner, because we loved it so much. Ila really knows how to travel. We treated ourselves to fruity drinks and shared an appetizer and dessert for dinner. When you travel, you have to do it right.

A local bar called Sharky's was having 80s night, so we had to stop by. We immediately met Theo Rossi, a relatively well-established actor who no one has really heard of. Apparently he's on the TV show called Sons of Anarchy on FX. Anyway, Theo and his childhood best friend were a lot of fun. He bought us drinks and talked to us about his fabulous career (blah, blah, blah). We also ran into our three Mexican friends from the bus. All in all, it was an interesting night. We thoroughly enjoyed Tamarindo, I think.

On Sunday, we woke up bright and early to catch our bus back home. Ila made me proud. She only hit snooze nine times (this is great progress). Even the drive home from Guanacaste was beautiful. I hope the country protects it's naturally beautiful environments forever. We slept most of the way home and enjoyed a Burger King lunch when we got back. Ila insisted on taking a picture at one point, because she works for the world headquarters now. I still think fast food is disgusting.

We hung out at home for the rest of the night. Patri insisted that Ila write in her notebook for all of her students who stay in her house. It's so bittersweet reading the entries and writing your own. Time really has flown. I think Ila liked my host family, and I'm sure they liked her, too. She speaks really well and fits right in with the friendly culture.

Ila wanted to watch The Notebook last night for whatever reason. You can rent movies off of iTunes now. Technology really is taking over the world. Goodbye, Blockbuster? Anyway, it was a total rip-off. We weren't even halfway through the movie when iTunes shut down unexpectedly and we lost the download. Ugh.

For some reason, Patri was convinced that the highway was going to be closed this morning. Because of this, Ila left an hour earlier than she needed to. Osvaldo (Karen's friend and our beloved taxi driver) was going to have to drive through Escazu to get to the airport. The highway was not closed. I felt bad that Ila had to leave so much earlier. It turned out that her flight was delayed, too. I should have gone with her, but I think it was fine. Her trip was short and sweet, but I think she enjoyed Ticoland.

Today, I hung around the house. I napped, helped Amy with the slideshow and spent time with Patri (and her fish). There was nothing eventful, but it was great to just relax and rest. I can't believe my time here is coming to a close. It has gone by way too fast. Suddenly, I'm in my last week. I never thought I would have such a memorable and rewarding experience here. Having Ila visit made me realize how much I have learned and changed during these seven or eight weeks.

Tonight, we are going to El Cuartel for some live music and dancing. Last week in Costa Rica...vamos a aprovechar!

Pura Vida para siempre,
Lauren

The drama continues...

I am officially the worst go-kart driver ever. I had a blast last night at Formula Kart, but I truly am horrible. The first time around, I spun out so often that I might as well have been going backwards. I even broke part of the track in one of my many crashes. My claustrophobic helmet protected me, of course, but my reputation among the group was injured forever. I was put on the race track purely for entertainment value. My second time behind the wheel was much more successful; I managed to finish my laps without anyone having to help me out of a corner. It was a great night, complete with foosball games, chicken wings and a trophy ceremony for the fastest driver (Evan).

This morning I was completely blindsighted by an angry Patri. Last night, Alira came back to our house after go-kart racing. I showered (in ice cold water) and went to sleep, but Natalie, Amy and Alira stayed in Amy's room talking. I guess they were being loud, because Karen came out and shushed them multiple times. Apparently, Karen was up late studying and then couldn't fall asleep because of them. When we got home, part of the house's electricity was out (I wonder why). Marco woke up because of this and was trying to fix the problem. He couldn't fall back asleep because of their noise. Patri, miraculously, did not wake up, but she was livid when Karen complained to her this morning. These women are so dramatic. Patri went off on me the second I walked into the kitchen, saying we can't bring strange people into her house late at night. Karen had a test this morning; how rude of us to keep her awake. Finally, I told her...I wasn't with them. I was sleeping, but I knew that Karen had shushed them. They went into Amy's room instead of the kitchen so as not to disturb Patri, but instead they disturbed everyone else. Patri loses her temper before she even has the facts. Natalie came in the kitchen soon after and apologized. Patri said we always say sorry and never change. We tried to explain that we do try to respect her wishes. She was talking about calling Eric to complain about us. It was ridiculous. I wasn't even downstairs with them, and I felt like I was getting in trouble. From now on, we aren't bringing any friends in the house. I understood where her anger was coming from, but she blew up before she even knew the whole story.

After a busy morning, I met David for lunch at his favorite spot. I enjoyed a cheap casado con pollo and interesting conversation. David is applying for an internship that starts in January here in Costa Rica. It has something to do with human rights and Costa Rican government. He seems really excited about it. I didn't realize David loved Costa Rica so much. He wants to work here for six months, if he gets this position, before starting law school.

I helped Cesar today with some graphic design work. He taught me a little bit about the software program. I even got to authorize pages for the printer company in Mexico. Luis Diego is in Panama on a business trip, and Marilyn left early for an interview, so I got to leave on the earlier side as well.

I came home and helped Amy with the slideshow for our final dinner last week. The internet was being slow, though, which made it difficult to e-mail pictures. It's going to be a great slideshow. There were way too many funny moments documented this summer that I am sure will make re-appearances.

After the gym, I came home to find the house silent. Juanca, back from business in Tambor, and Patri were both resting in their room. All of the lights were out (surprise, surprise). Amy and I did our own thing, making sure to be quiet and not wake anyone up from their siestas. Finally, it was 6:30 p.m. We usually eat dinner around six, and we were starving. Patri had left dinner cooked on the stove, so we helped ourselves. Natalie came home from work a few minutes later. The three of us ate, washed our dishes and left.

A few minutes later, I heard Patri come into the kitchen. I went in to tell her that Ila's plane was a little delayed, because she is going to drive me to the airport. She proceeded to interrogate me about where all the food had gone. I was flabbergasted. I said...the three of us just ate. Patri asked again where all the food had gone. I repeated that we just ate. The food was in my stomach. Then, she yelled at me saying we took too much. There were still plenty of people in the house that hadn't eaten yet, and we ate almost all of it. For the record, I took one helping. Amy and Natalie took less than one serving, because they had plans to go watch the soccer game tonight at a wings restaurant. Patri was just looking for a reason to snap at us.

It's becoming a problem. Patri takes out all of her anger on the three of us. Usually, Patri encourages us to eat more and take seconds. She makes fun of me when I ask for less rice on my plate and tells Natalie she eats like a bird when she doesn't want a lot of eggs for breakfast. Now, we eat too much. I think Patri is upset about their money problems, but we paid to live in this house. Something is definitely wrong with their finances.

Now, Patri and Juan Carlos went out to eat because "there's not enough food for everyone." When they get home, they are going to take me to the airport to pick up Ila. Tomorrow, Ila and I are off to Tamarindo. I think getting out of the house for the weekend is necessary. Patri is stressing, and I don't feel like taking the brunt of her hostility.

I've grown accustomed to my life here. I like having my routine. I know my neighborhood and how to get around. My home stay has become my home (drama and all). I know a small group of people and can conversate easily with almost anyone. It's going to be sad to leave; I feel like I'm just getting started.

Pura Vida,
Lauren

Las telenovelas de Costa Rica

After an exhausting weekend, I was surprised on Monday when I received a call from the security guard downstairs (Eduardo, my best friend) saying I had a visitor. Eric was "in the neighborhood," and he wanted to shoot some video footage of me on the job. So awkward! I took him upstairs and did a tour of the office. I showed him my desk. I was so uncomfortable. "I have my own desk, chair and computer..." Marilyn, Luis and Cesar were laughing at me afterward for saying I have my very own chair.

I took a cab home and laughed the whole way back. My taxi driver was singing along with the radio the whole time. He wasn't just humming; he was actually belting out the lyrics and laughing at himself. It was great. I guess Costa Rica really is the happiest nation in the world...

Patri gave me sad news when I got home. Chumeco, also known as Michael Jackson (because he is small and black), passed away. Patri claims it's because he went to be with the ghost of Michael Jackson. She's also not upset about his death because Juan Carlos bought this fish and she only likes fish that are bigger. 

An old friend of Karen and Patri's stopped by Monday evening while we were getting ready to go out. He was a cool guy: young, scruffy, kind of a bad boy look. He sat with us while we ate dinner and had all intentions of going out with us later, when suddenly he got up and excused himself. When he was sitting with us at the table, Karen was shooting him death stares from her bedroom. She didn't like that he was talking to us. Latin women are so jealous here. Anything and everything makes them fume with envy. Whenever we went out with Amy's friend Leo and he ran into a female friend at the bar, that same girl would almost always text him after she left asking questions about the other girls he was with (us). Girls are just jealous.

Monday night, we went to El Cuartel, known for it's live music scene on Monday nights. We were slightly disappointed. It was swamped with students and young people from the United States. The bartender spoke to me in English. I hate that. After a while, we left to check out El Pueblo, a string of bars that Amy discovered last weekend. It was completely deserted with the exception of one bar that had maybe five people inside. We danced by ourselves for a while, but we left quickly. Amy and Alira wanted to go back to El Cuartel, but Natalie and I went home. Not impressed!

I finally worked up the courage to ask Patri if I could take leftover dinner to work the next day. Yes, it took me six weeks, but I finally did it, and she didn't mind at all. I didn't know, but Natalie has been taking her lunch for weeks. On Tuesday, I finally fit in at work. I brought my rice, beans and spaghetti with chicken and potatoes (such a strange combination of foods that is completely normal here) in a little plastic tupperware to the cafeteria. I felt so Tica. Someone at the table brought a bag of crujientes to share with everyone. Crujientes, as far as I can tell, are kernels of corn that are partially heated until crispy. It's not popcorn. Popcorn is the seed heated until it explodes. This is the kernel of corn removed from the cob and then cooked and seasoned (in this case, barbecue flavor). They were so interesting. Crujientes are popular snacks here in Costa Rica, but I have never seen them in the United States. Provecho!

I helped edit a few pieces and researched banks in Panama for the upcoming August issue. I worked with Cesar to make the changes on his computer. He makes design look easy. We talked about how he entered the drawing for Green Cards to the United States and lost. Part of him wants to move to the United States and be successful, but another part of him doubts he'll ever actually go. He thinks he would miss his family too much and have trouble creating a successful career for himself. He loves the States, though. His 10 months as an Au Pair in Michigan turned him into an English fanatic, so we practice speaking together.

When I got home last night, Patri and I had another one of our many heart-to-hearts. She told me all about Marco's family and his personal problems while we watched her favorite telenovela (soap opera) on channel 6. She loves this telenovela; the acting is horrendous. Marco's life could be its own telenovela. He had a sister with cerebral palsy who died recently, and he has another sister who his parents shower with money, love and attention. His father is super machista and believes that Marco needs to be independent. His father is strict and traditional; the wife does not work. She does all of the cooking and cleaning. They do not support Marco in any way financially and haven't for years now. Marco paid his way through university and now works full time. He pays rent to live with Patri. He's been having girl problems, because his love interest, Jessica, told him that she won't be his girlfriend unless he changes. According to Patri, he has been raised without affection and doesn't know how to pursue women or show affection. He's been secretly seeing a psychologist to deal with his family problems for weeks now, but he doesn't think Patri knows. He tells her he has meetings for work on Saturdays. Karen told Patri the truth in confidence, and now I am sworn to secrecy as well. So dramatic! Patri also asked me if I believe in heaven. I said I wasn't sure, but I would like to believe there is somewhere you go after you pass away. She agreed with me and told me that after her near fatal accident, she felt her soul leave her when she was in a coma. She said she felt an incredible sense of peace that didn't leave her for months. It was fascinating, but part of me thinks that Patri has been watching one too many telenovelas.

I found a gift in my room from Karen. She gave each of us a decorated coffee cup filled with candy and little figurines. There was the sweetest note attached. Karen is leaving for Mexico on Saturday, so we have to say goodbye early. The sadness is setting in. I also wrote in Patri's journal yesterday. She keeps a book for all of her exchange students to write her notes before they leave. It was cool to read the previous entries. Some of the students had the same inside jokes as we do, and almost all of them picked up the same funny slang we always use (tuanis, chiva, etc.). I wrote a long message, leaving every member of the family a small note. I should record it here. It made me realize how fast my time has gone here and how much I'm going to miss living with my family. 

Later, Patri took her three hijas (Natalie, Amy, me) across the street to her friend's house for pedicures. She showed us her old house on the corner and their old soda (a little convenience store on the street, usually with sandwiches and drinks). Her friend was a doll. She works in her salon during the day and lives upstairs with her son and father. She wanted to hear all our gossip. Natalie filled her in on her boy situation, and we were pleasantly surprised when she understood all of our slang English words for bad boyfriends (I'll leave them out here). She was hilarious. She told us that her job is half salon, half psychology with all the advice she gives.

After our pedicures (I tried a bronze color for a change - I like it!), Natalie and Amy had Burger King cravings. They are such bad influences! The four of us took a cab to BK (also known as Beh Kah) for a late night snack. I'm still fascinated by the prices of fast food here. It's so expensive compared to everything else. Fast food is costs just as much, if not more, than it does in the United States. Patri told us she likes hanging out just the four of us. I think she's going to miss me!

Natalie, Amy and I have been watching The Comeback every night. It's about an actress (played by Lisa Kudrow) who used to be famous for an old t.v. sitcom and is now trying to make a comeback with her own reality show. It's funny but painfully awkward to watch. I feel bad for her. 

This morning, I ate gallo pinto y huevos alone. Patri had some errand to run. I'm leaving in less than two weeks, and I can't believe it. What am I going to do without gallo pinto? Without Patri? Without Costa Rica? I don't want to think about it yet. I have a lot of planning to do before Ila gets here. We're going to have a fantastic time in Tamarindo. I don't think Natalie and Amy are going to Guanacaste anymore like they planned. They went to spend one more weekend relaxing and going out here in the city. They're going to go to some farmer's market with Patri. I'm jealous, but I am looking forward to spending time with Ila. After she leaves, I can let the depression sink in. I don't want to go back to the U.S. 

Tonight, the group is going go-kart racing somewhere near Cartago. They're calling it the Grand Prix. Much better than a boring guest speaker, verdad?

Pura Vida,

Lauren

p.s. Rafa just gave me old Costa Rican money. Costa Rica used to have paper bills for 5 colones. The coin for 5 colones is futile now; I can't believe they had a bill for it in 1989. It's colorful; there is a purple lily on it. Cesar told me that within two years, the Costa Rican government is going to make new bills. Right now, 10,000 colones is the largest bill. Soon, there will be 50,000 bills. Their economy is changing so fast. Ok, ciao!

Note to self

After much chaos and confusion surrounding Harry Potter all last week, Sam and I finally met up Friday afternoon to take a taxi together to Escazú. We were so thrilled with ourselves when we managed to find Natalie's place of work without trouble. Natalie met us downstairs, and we went into her office to take our movie tickets. Her boss was nice enough to call a taxi company she uses often to take us to the nearby Multiplaza. The plan was for Sam and me to get in line and save seats. Natalie was to meet us after she got out of work.

All was going according to plan. Sam and I found that there was no line for our movie yet, so we went to buy some sandwiches for dinner in the food court. I was feeling great. I ordered Sam's sandwich (she doesn't speak Spanish), I ordered my sandwich, I even made a joke with the woman who was helping me...I was on top of my Spanish game. When it came time to pay, however, panic set in. My wallet was missing. I swear my heart stopped. I had just paid my cab fare with my wallet in the taxi. I frantically had Sam pay for my food and instructed her to wait in line for the movie to save seats. I ran outside and jumped in the nearest taxi I could find. I needed to get back to Natalie's work as soon as possible; her boss had the number of the cab company. Note to self: never let a cab drive away without looking at the number on the side of the car first. 

Of course, this taxi driver had no idea where Natalie's building was. I had only been there once before, and the mall was coming from the other direction than the way I had come. Suddenly, I saw a street lined with cabs in front of a shopping center. One of these cabs could have been my cab! My time frame was small. Surely my original taxi driver had picked up new passengers by now. Surely those passengers would have seen my zippered tan Coach wallet pouch in the backseat. I jumped out of the cab and searched every car. No one had my wallet. I was sweating, stressing, panicking. My heart was racing. 

Suddenly, I recognized Natalie's building in the distance. I sprinted in that direction, disregarding every pedestrian on the street and all traffic signs. I fled up the stairs and through the entrance to the Aerocasillas office. I flung myself inside, sped around the corner and burst into Natalie's office. I screamed, "NatalieIlostmywallet andIthinkit'sonthetaxi andIneedthenumbernow helpme!" 

Silence. The general manager of all Aerocasillas in the Central American region was addressing the entire room. I have only met him once before when he was one of our guest speakers. He is kind of a big deal. Humiliation set in. I blathered, "Ohmygawd. You are running a business. Iamsosorry. Losientomucho. Iamsosorry Iamsosorry." Luckily, he was understanding, but I am still mortified. 

Natalie's boss called the cab company and informed that they were sending another cab over to the building to take me back to the mall. I kept asking, "But do they have my wallet? Do they have it?" All she said was, "I'm not sure. I think so." Um, hello? I need that wallet.

A few minutes later, I still wasn't breathing properly. Natalie and I went downstairs. I held my breath as we climbed into the taxi. The driver turned around and handed me my tan wallet pouch. Hallelujah! All was right in the world. I checked inside. All of my identification, credit cards and money was accounted for. Note to self: never let my wallet out of my sight ever again.

The adrenaline rush turned into an endorphine high. I glided back into the mall, back on top of the world as I awaited the start of Harry Potter. My nervous anxiety turned into excitement. Natalie, Sam and I discussed our favorite books while we waited in line. There is nothing like Harry Potter conversations between avid readers and fans. We finally made it to the theater, all limbs intact and all belongings in tow. We found perfect seats and chatted away until the previews started. Escazú is not like most other towns in the area. It is the wealthiest area, and it was obvious from looking around that most people were affluent. A family in front of us was speaking Spanish and English. There were many ethnicities there, from Indian to Middle Eastern to Asian. Peoples' overall appearances were just wealthier. 

Finally, the movie started. I was pleased, merely because Harry Potter can always make me happy, but there were a lot of changes. The romantic interests were played up much more on screen. The Weasley's house was burned down. There was no battle with the Death Eaters at Hogwarts. There was no funeral for Dumbledore. The special effects were fantastic, though. Quidditch games never fail to amuse, and most of the scenes were accurate. It's always going to be a challenge to condense such large volumes down to two-and-a-half hour movies. For me, the books will always trump the movies. Note to self:  re-read the series.

After the movie, we jumped into the first taxi we could find. We forgot to ask if he had a meter amid our post-movie chatter, and by the time we did, we were too far to get out. He didn't have a meter, and he planned to charge us 7,000 colones to go back to Zapote. It should have been 3,000 - 4,000. We asked him to take Sam home first, given her recent mugging incident. This was a little out of his way. When we finally pulled up to our house, he demanded 9,000 colones for the change in route. Unbelievable. I told him he was being ridiculous, but we had to pay. We were completely taken advantage of. Note to self: never get in a taxi without a meter. Ugh! Whatever. I had my wallet, at least, but now it was empty.

On Saturday morning, we were at Veritas by 7 a.m., ready for white water rafting and zip lining through the rain forest canopy. I slept easily on the 90 minute drive and woke up just in time for our arrival. Unfortunately, we were a few minutes late. The 9 a.m. rafting group had already left, and we had to wait until 11 a.m. The wait wasn't too bad. We ate a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, watermelon, gallo pinto and tortilla with cheese. We walked around the facilities and found a butterfly garden. I love butterflies; I admire their colorful grace. 

We had to tie rubber bands onto our flip flops so they wouldn't fall off in the river. Note to self: don't forget Tevas next time. The bands were so uncomfortable, and the second we stepped in the water, our flip-flops twisted and almost fell off. I was annoyed with myself for forgetting. Once we were in the rafts, though, it didn't really matter. All of the recent rain had caused the water in the river to rise. The conditions were around 3 to 3.5, with 5 being the highest, deadly/professional level. It was exhilarating! I absolutely loved it. Natalie, Amy, Evan, Eric, Karol and I were in one raft. The rest of the group was in the other. The river water was brown from recent mudslides and bad weather, but it didn't affect the natural beauty of the surrounding trees and forestry. We definitely got thrown around a bit. Amy slammed down on her leg at one point and seriously injured her ankle. She can barely walk now, but she managed to make it all the way down the river. It started pouring rain in the middle of our tumultuous ride. We were soaked, and I loved it.

We showered off at Pozo Azul and got ready for our next adventure, zip lining, but were stopped short when they told us that the combination of the bad weather and a bee nest infestation on the lines meant we could not go into the canopy. I was so disappointed. Zip lining was what I have been looking forward to all summer. After another delicious meal, we lounged around in comfy chairs that overlooked the rushing river. As it poured rain, I watched the smooth black stones disappear under the white foam rising on the banks. We hung out at Pozo Azul all day doing nothing. There was a brief soccer match between some locals and the boys in our group, but no one could keep score or see what they were doing in the heavy rain. They mostly just slipped in the muddy grass and ran around.

After a long, relaxing afternoon, I was looking forward to a hot shower and our "tent" facilities that were rumored to be pretty upscale. Amy, Natalie and I navigated our way through the trails to our tent. It had a large wooden balcony and two full beds inside. There was a nightstand with a lamp and vase of flowers, and a complete bathroom was attached. We were thrilled. It was a hotel room with sturdy tent flaps instead of concrete walls. It was camping with a twist. I opened the bathroom door to check out the shower situation and fumbled around for the light switch. I turned on the light, thoroughly impressed with the quality of our lodging and suddenly I screamed. 

Yes, I screamed, louder than I ever have before (and I reach volume levels that only the heavens can hear). There was a spider. No, I wouldn't call it a spider. There was a monster the side of a softball on the wall above the sink. I thought creatures like this only existed in movies or in boxes in science museums. The only spider I have ever seen even close to this size was made of rubber and safely packed in plastic wrapping in the aisles of Party City around Halloween. It was the size of the palm of my hand. I think my heart stopped. 

I cannot document what happened next, because I can't remember. I blocked out the anxiety attack that followed. I was told that the security guard heard my screams (along with every other guest in a three mile radius) and came running. He tried to kill the spider but only managed to injure its leg before it ran behind the cabinet, out of reach. Eric tried to convince us that it was safe, but I knew better. The second the screams stopped and the light went off, the monster would come out of hiding and crawl into who-knows-what. How could I shower knowing there could be a spider in my hair? How could I sit on the toilet knowing an eight-legged insect could be lurking under the seat? How could I sleep without feeling a distant tingle crawling up the blankets? No. No, no, no. My reaction was completely justified. I was not being high maintenance in the slightest. This was so unbelievable it could have passed as fake. 

Of course we changed rooms. After three ice cold showers, our tent was flooded. Annoying, yes, but I would take a flood over a killer arachnid any day. We ventured out of the wild and back to Pozo Azul for our third meal there. The hot tomato soup as an appetizer was just what I needed to calm my nervous after my near-death experience. We were just digging in to our grilled chicken and vegetables when our bus driver came inside with some bad news. 

The thunderstorm was causing so much water surge from the rain that the river was rising too rapidly. There was a flash flood warning for the bridge and road leading up to our lodging. We went outside. The water was coming up so fast; it was scary. We had to leave right then. Everyone was saying, "Go now or don't go at all."

So, we left. No dinner for us. We gathered in the storm and played team Scrabble (Spanish and English). Alira, Natalie and I came in second place! I was amazed at how my English vocabulary has worsened. I couldn't think of words in either language. Everyone retired to their tents early given that there wasn't anything else to do. Natalie and I did a full bed scan before we got in. There really was no point in getting in bed, because I didn't sleep at all. Thunder, lightning and pouring rain is not conducive to a full night's rest. Note to self: never use sounds of the rain forest on noise sleep machines.

Sunday morning finally came. We found out that Pozo Azul's zip line still wasn't up and running. Luckily, it was arranged for us to zip line at nearby location instead. I would have been so upset if we hadn't gone. Zip lining was so much fun! There were a few other families there. One group was from Holland, and one was from Belgium. The zip line employees spoke English with them. I marveled at how English was neither groups' first language, but it was their only way to communicate on the same level. 

The rain forest was beautiful. I zip lined over the river and through the trees. We were supposed to brake at every platform, but I had trouble slowing down. I wanted to go faster and faster. There were a few hikes between the platforms and even one ladder to climb. I liked the platforms high up in the canopy, though. They felt like tree houses. By the end, my clothes were splattered with oil from the lines. Two of the guys working the zip lines told me I speak Spanish really well! I was honored, but who knows if they were just trying to deliver top notch customer service...

After a shower and another scrumptious lunch, we hit the road to drive the 90 minutes back to San José. I was just getting excited for an afternoon of relaxation at home with my host family, when we came to an abrupt halt on the highway. The bad weather had caused a mudslide. The mudslide, or errumbe, was blocking the pista (highway) and had to be closed. We got out and watched the soccer game on television in a roadside restaurant. Then, we found it the road was going to be closed all night. Note to self: always know shortcuts when you travel.

We had to take a five hour detour through the mountains to get back to the city. I was so annoyed, but it had to be done. We stopped at a pharmacy in a random town at one point. Natalie has had a strange rash on her stomach for almost two weeks now. I thought it was ringworm (there was a red dot surrounded by a perfectly round, raised red circle), but the doctor in the pharmacy said it was a fungus. I think she got it from the sweaty disgusting exercise mats at the gym. I hope the doctor is right. I think ringworm is contagious...

We finally made it home by 8 p.m. The family got a new fish and a new refrigerator over the weekend. I couldn't believe it. Now, we have five fish: Dory, Dorito, Duck, Chumeco y Miranda. Yes, Miranda. 

All night the electricity was going on and off. This morning, Patri said something to me while I was in the shower about the hot water affecting the lights. I couldn't really understand her, so I just told her I would shower quickly. I'm annoyed. How can they afford a new fridge and new pets when they can't even pay their electric bill on time? Note to self: always pay the utilities bill first.

I'm happy I survived my rougher-than-intended weekend. It was a lot of fun aside from the unforeseen circumstances. I think we definitely got the full rain forest experience in Costa Rica's wet season. 

Tonight, we're going to El Cuartel for some live music. We're all going go-kart racing on Wednesday. Ila comes Thursday! I can't wait.

Note to self: expect the unexpected in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida,

Lauren

Harry Potter madness

Another person in my program was mugged yesterday morning. Sam was walking near Veritas around 8 a.m. on her way to work, when a man (similar description to David's) held her at gunpoint and took her money. I am so scared. 

Eric sent out a huge e-mail with specific instructions. We're not to walk anywhere alone anymore, we should take a taxi directly from our houses at all times, we shouldn't carry around a lot of money with us, etc. etc. I just can't believe Sam was mugged in daylight. Last night, I had a nightmare about a man with a gun. It's obviously on my mind. 

I did notice yesterday walking back from the gym that there were more cops and security guards on the streets than normal, so that is slightly comforting. 

Last night, Amy and I helped Karen straighten her hair for a birthday party she was going to. I like spending time with Karen. She's paying her own way through university to become a speech pathologist. She takes night classes and works as the secretary for her dad's business during the day. She and I practice our English and Spanish together all the time. She speaks in English, and I correct her mistakes and vice versa. We have a good system going. Right now, she's a little upset because her boyfriend, Billy, is in Zarcero. His sick grandfather is most likely going to pass away soon, and Karen can't miss any of her classes to be with his family because she is going to Mexico next week.

I successfully stomached the most disgusting dinner I have ever eaten in Costa Rica. Patri made her usual rice, beans and cabbage salad with tomatoes. The main dish, however, was tilapia cooked in some kind of creamy, white disgusting sauce. It tasted fatty and salty and all wrong. It was just...bad. Bad, bad, bad. Latin women are very sensitive about their cooking. They take it extremely personally if you don't like their food. Natalie, who has been having some personal problems this week, didn't have much of an appetite last night. Without fail, Patri asked, "What's wrong, Natalie? Do you not like the food?" Of course, we all respond with, "Que rico, Patri! Me gusta mucho esta comida. Gracias!" Ugh, I could vomit.

We had plans to go out last night, but given the recent crime in the area, we weren't in the best of moods. Instead, we piled into my room and watched an episode of a T.V. show that Amy has on DVD. It's called "The Comeback." It's an HBO show starring Lisa Kudrow. She's supposed to be an ex-sitcom star who is trying to make a comeback in the industry by having her own reality show. It was amusing, but the filming was very rocky. You were supposed to feel like you were actually the camera crew filming her. I don't always do well with that kind of filming. I was nauseas in United 93. No es bueno. It was nice to just relax and hang out at home, though.

I slept horribly last night, probably because of the mugging situation, and maybe because my neck has been killing me for weeks because of my cement mattress. This morning, Natalie and I (both late, as always) rushed to get ready. We woke Patri up by accident (we can never win with Patri when it comes to sleeping). I had slept in an oversized T-shirt and boyshorts underwear, and Patri exclaimed that I was a gringa chinga! A naked gringa! It was so funny. Don't use that phrase in any other Latin American country, though. "Chinga" is the most vulgar word of all vulgar words in Mexico. Patri made us eggs for breakfast, along with fresh bread, of course. We got taxis together. I don't want to get mugged! I told the taxi driver what has been happening. He couldn't believe it happened in the early morning.

Today, Natalie and I are executing our master plan to see Harry Potter 6 tonight. Harry Potter really is a global success. Contacting movie theaters has practically consumed my entire week. First, I Facebook messaged her the movie times for the Multiplaza Escazú theater. Natalie is going to go there during her lunch hour and buy tickets. Natalie Facebook messaged me directions to Aerocasillas, her work. I will take a taxi directly from Summa and meet her at her building to get the movie tickets. Then, I will go to the mall and futz around until I meet Natalie at a designated location. Most likely, I will get to the theater early and save seats for us. By the time Natalie gets off work and meets me, it will almost be time for the movie! I can't wait. I hope the plan runs smoothly.

I've also been spending time trying to plan Ila's visit. After great debate, I think I want to go to Tamarindo. It's in Guanacaste, the most beautiful region of Costa Rica, and everyone keeps telling me I have to see it. Hillary recommended an adorable place she stayed when she went there, and the pictures look fantastic. Travel takes so much coordinating, though. I have to figure out transportation, lodging, meals, plans...everything! I think I want to take a snorkel and turtle tour. Apparently, leatherback turtles gather in Tamarindo to lay their eggs and you can travel by boat to see where they all live. I want it to be perfect. Ila is only staying for a long weekend, so we don't have much time. She's going to meet my host family and my bosses. I keep warning them that she is crazy. No one understands...

Tomorrow, the whole group is going to Hacienda Pozo Azul, and adventure tourism place about 90 minutes outside of San José. I chose to go white water rafting and zip lining in the canopy. We're also supposed to be camping out, but our tents look more like hotel rooms. Either way, it's going to be another memorable weekend. 

Amy volunteered last Wednesday to make a slideshow for our final dinner with pictures from the whole summer. I volunteered to help her, so I need to compile my best photos and send them to her. I hope we can make it really creative and funny.

Fabulous weekend ahead!

Pura Vida,

Lauren