Tuesday: I studied all morning for my ecology test. Blah! I had a mini paper due in Intercultural Communication, and just studied for my test. It turned out to be pretty easy – just 4 essay questions- but I am glad I studied as much as I did because I had no idea what was going to be on the test. I think it went well, though!
Wednesday: This was a long time ago, so I don’t remember much (wasn’t too memorable of a day). I literally did my thesis/read all day. Had lunch with Hope and Kelsey at a Mexican restaurant close to school. I think the most memorable thing I did that day was walk to the mall for some ice cream with Rachel Braun. It was some really delicious ice cream and some good conversation!
Thursday: Chilled all morning doing my thesis stuff and enjoying a little me time. After Intercultural communication I caught a cab to my parents hotel and played cards with them for awhile. Then we went back to my house and I introduced them to Ana, who tried to speak English to them (she is so sweet!). My sister understood some of what she was saying in Spanish, though (she is so smart!). We went back to the school and walked around a little. I took them to the Dos Pinos store and introduced them to the strawberry yogurt with coco puffs in it : ) I gave them directions to a mall and went to ecology. I got out early and expected them to be awhile, but they had just gotten back. They couldn’t find the mall, but found Pequeno Mundo (which is a block from the mall).
We all went out to eat at Tin Jo, an Asian restaurant where Rachel Braun’s mom works. It was really good and actually pretty cheap. My food was so hot it burned my tongue off, though. Literally, no taste buds. Ouch. After dinner we decided to go to a movie, so I asked the cab driver to take us to the closest movie theatre. He said the name of one, then a few minutes later said there was another one but it was not as nice and not very safe. He said it was Mall San Pedro (where I go literally once a week). I told him just to take us there, so we went to the only movie they had playing at that time, which just happened to be the Green Hornet. It was actually a good movie, and I don’t even like Seth Rogen (who starred in it, co-wrote it, and co-produced it). It was action and comedy and something I think a lot of people would enjoy.
Friday: My family and I got breakfast at a soda then walked downtown. I was trying to find the artisan market but couldn’t. We walked around for a long time. Then we found a little place that had souvenirs and they shopped for awhile (but didn’t buy much because the market is cheaper). We caught a cab to Café Mundo, where we were meeting 6 of my friends for lunch. I was so excited for everyone to meet each other! My family loved my friends and thought they were just such good people and so sweet. My friends thought my family was really nice. What a good day : )
After the artisan market we went to the Centro Commercial del Sur, which is not too far from my house, and got some Mexican food. It was ok, but not worth the price. Then Maggie and I got some ice cream from Pops (which my mom shared, of course) and we headed out. I was really nervous because I didn’t know the name of the place we were going, just that it was a new artificial soccer field and that I could see the lights. We got there fine, though, and had a little time before Ben’s soccer game started. We watched another game for awhile (we were early), then they had halftime. After halftime the ref came up to us and asked something in Spanish. My mom said, “si… Maggie?” And I asked the ref what he said. He had asked if we were going to play after. I was like “Oh no! Just watching!!” Then we had to give my mom crap for just saying “si” when she didn’t know what people were talking about lol.
Saturday: We had breakfast together at the Restaraunte Grano de Oro (the restaurant in the hotel my family was staying in). It was pretty good. Then we had to call me a cab so I could go to the Coca-Cola station and catch my bus. It was sad saying goodbye, for sure. I just got in the taxi and drove away. I did tear up a little, but I was stronger than when they left after visiting me this summer in VA.
I got to the Coca-Cola station (where I had never been before) and waited for awhile out front. I was really worried because it was 5 til and I hadn’t seen anyone around. So I went searching a little and found Ben, then we walked back into the main area of the station, which I didn’t even know was there! Luckily I had found Ben otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to go that weekend!
The bus ride was fairly uneventful. We chatted with each other and with these 2 Tico brothers that were on their way to meet their family in Jaco. When we got to Jaco, we all crammed into a taxi (which is a little illegal) for the ride to our hotel in Playa Hermosa (a 10 minute ride). Our driver didn’t know where the hotel was, so he dropped us off at the wrong one. Luckily a little kid on a motor bike knew where the hotel was and helped us find our way, periodically driving by while we were walking to make sure we were going in the right direction.
After a long, hot walk we made it the hotel. We checked in and saw where we would be staying, which was a loft right next to the hotel. The owners were renting it from an Australian guy and it wasn’t as nice as the actual hotel, which means we got it for 20 a person and still had the nice pool, breakfast, and barbecue that the hotel offered. We all jumped in the pool for awhile to cool off, then walked to the beach, where we burned our feet off before we figured out that the black sand was very very hot. We grabbed some cheap but delicious lunch and spent the afternoon on the beach, alternating between laying out, being covered by black sand, and getting rolled by the massive waves. We watched a very quick and uneventful sunset then grabbed some dinner at one of the restaurants near the beach. We grabbed a cab back to the hotel. The cab drivers made us take 2 cabs, and they didn’t have their meters running and charged us $4 for what should have been a $1 ride. Ben argued with the guy, but it did no good. We both did what Joaquin told us and slammed the doors of our respective taxis (which is an insult). We spent the evening chilling in the pool and enjoying life in Costa Rica!Sunday: We had breakfast by the pool, then went and got changed. We spent all day in the pool and around it. The hotel had a barbecue, where we grilled some hot dogs and pineapple for lunch. I highly recommend grilled pineapple! We just played around in the pool and got a little sunburnt (though we put on lots of sunscreen!)
We got a ride back to Jaco at 4:45 from one of the owners of the hotel. She and her husband moved to Costa Rica 2 months before to run the hotel, which some rich man built for his son (a surfer) to run and take care of so he could visit a couple times a year. The son didn’t care about the hotel and spent all his time surfing, so the father sold the hotel to the couple from Chicago who barely knew English but were ready to take on an new adventure. They were really nice people.
The bus ride back to San Jose was a little chilly. I tried to sleep but it was uncomfortable and windy, so I just sat through the 2 ½ hour drive. We caught taxis back home, and I ate some pasta then headed to bed. The sun sucked all my energy!
Tuesday: Just a normal day of class. My internet didn’t work at all, so that’s why this is so late and I haven’t been able to contact anyone. Hopefully it will work tomorrow! I am a little stressed out because I found out I have A TON of work to do in the next week and a half. Like 3 presentations and parts of major papers. I know its just as much work as I have in a busy week at home, it just feels like more here cuz I’m not used to having homework at all! And I want to get a lot done this week because I start the hardest Spanish class next week and want to be able to devote my time to that. Tomorrow we are having lunch with a couple that Kelsey, Ben, and Joey met at church. They are so sweet and offered to make us lunch, so I am excited about that!
I will keep you posted on everything! (
Pura Vida!
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