Arrival and Learning Curves

After a scary run- in with Delta Airlines over the visa that I didn’t have (and didn’t need!!!), my parents bought a one way ticket for me to Georgia so that I could tell Costa Rica customs that I was just a tourist visiting and then heading back to the USA. Only problem is that I already have round trip tickets, which really wouldn’t make sense to anyone. I arrived in Costa Rica a nervous wreck, knowing that they were going to take one look at my mess of tickets and turn me away. In line in customs: a very bored man took my passport from my shaking hands, swiped it, gave it back, and never gave me a second look. I was free! All I had to do now was go to the airport food court with wifi, comfy seats, maybe a phone for sale so that I could try and cancel my super expensive Georgia ticket…..just kidding. Food court, wifi, CHAIRS, nonexistent. Panic number two: asked in broken Spanish where the free wifi was, and got pointed to a little restaurant down the road. This was new home for the next 12 hours.

I Finally met up with other exchange students who were also waiting for the bus, I made lots of friends and had a really good time. At ten pm, the bus came and we all loaded on and headed for San Ramon. My host mom Jannette found me, and we talked on our way back to the house. My family is Jannette (host mom), Rafa (host dad), Marianna ( 9 year old granddaughter and my best friend J) , and  Jannette and Rafa’s daughters Patricia and Ginnete who I rarely see. They are all such fantastic people, and when we can understand each other, we have a lot of fun.

Spanish emersion works, but it is really exhausting! It is a nice break to speak English with the other exchange students, but we feel like we are cheating, so we have started speaking as much Spanish with each other as we can. A couple days ago we played tourist and went snorkeling on Turtuga Isla. No turtles, but there were hundreds of wonderful fish. It was great going back to the ocean, I have been an Idaho Mountain Girl for so long.

The city of San Ramon is very authentic. All the houses are wrapped in cages to prevent theft, and I feel a bit like a bird locked up. I finally learned how to navigate the streets here. Cars have the right of way, so that was a fast learning curve when you find yourself sprinting to safety across what you thought was a cross walk. There are murals everywhere, there is a muralist named “roy” and he painted most of the walls in the city. Everywhere you go, giant eyes from women, men, children, and monsters watch you as walk to school or the super market. I absolutely love walking the streets here in the day. The bustle is exciting and I have feel like I am walking in a move.

Haven’t made it “into the Jungle yet” but we are still trying to find trails. OH, I saw a toucan! First crazy Costa Rica wildlife I have seen!

Pura Vida!