So instead of sending out countless emails I figured I'd blog my Costa Rica trip and anyone who cared to know all the amazing (or not so amazing) things I'm doing could read up. I'll keep all the personal reflection, well, personal so you won't have to read all my whining.

Week in Review

Sunday 1/4/04
I had a whole lot of trouble on my way over. Seems I was headed to San Jose, California instead of San Jose, Costa Rica. After a whole lot of mess I retired to my free hotel at the Holiday Inn. People, never, NEVER fly American West. Just don't do it.

Monday 1/5/04
Finally get on the plane to Costa Rica. After a five hour flight I arrive, sans luggage. Meet my fabulous new tica (slang for Costa Rican) family which consists of Ligia and her two daughters: Pamela age 10, and Nicol age 7. They live about a fifteen minute walk from school and our living set up is pretty cool. I get my own little room and bathroom. Their roms are upstairs so at night I'll get the bottom floor to myself. Plus my mamatica makes my bed, washes my clothes and cooks for me. It's kinda cool.

Tuesday 1/6/04
Start classes in Universidad Veritas. Mornings consist of four hours of Conversation and Grammar. Head to downtown San Jose to buy some much-needed underwear. San Jose is this dirty city full of air pollution, but with an amazing view. It's a lot like the border towns in Mexico, but not nearly as hot. The school offers free Salsa classes which all the gringos are all over. Watching that many pairs of stiff hips sway is muy funny. Still no sign of luggage.

Wednesday 1/7/03
Classes as usual. At night I headed to a local bar called El Pescadito with Luis and Josue, Ligia's nephews. They told me that a lot curse words in Mexico aren't bad here. It pains me to call my favorite herb cilantro, culantro. Culo to me will always mean asshole, literally. Also, in Mexico (and by default Texas) coger means to fuck. Here it means to take, as in "Voy a coger el bus" or to pick up as in "El cogio su perro." It still boggles my mind to hear that

Thursday 1/8/03
Classes in the morning and again late afternoon. I'm taking Afro-Latin studies which may be kinda interesting. During my break we went shopping to this mini-mall kinda place to pick up some essentials. Note on tico style. The girls are skankarrific. I have never seen pants so tight or so many midriffs and cleavage.
I had another dance class at night which is the highlight of my week. I'm gonna improve so much when I'm here. You guys better be in the mood to go dancing when I get home, or all this will have been for naught.
Still no sign of my bag.

Friday 1/9/03
Woke up sick so I slept in. When I got out of bed Ligia was making a picnic for us so we went to this great little park right around the corner. As pretty as Costa Rica is, San Jose is in a valley and there are no emission regulations here so the air is so nasty. It's kinda hard to enjoy a park when busses keep spewing fumes your way.
Was feeling really homesick so I opted not to go out. Talked to my amazing mom who managed to find my luggage. This cheered me up immensely.

Saturday 1/10/03
American West sucks. They just do.
7PM Luggage FINALLY arrives. I have never been so happy to see a pair of Tevas in my life.

Sunday 1/11/03
Went to a great restaurant up in the mountains. The view from these places is breath-taking. They're called miradores, which means look-outs and indeed they are.
At night I finally headed to a local hot-spot called El Puelblo. It's this really cool little village looking place with bars and clubs. We had a blast watching the ticos dance on stage. They really like choreography here, and EVERYONE knows how to shake it. If you can believe it, the taxi ride to and from, plus three shots of tequila only cost me $3. I love it here. Did you hear me? I said three dollars! What are you waiting for? Book the ticket over here already.