Costa Rica thus far

So I am now starting my third week in Costa Rica, and it feels like months since I have been in Seattle, a very strange feeling. Living in San Jose has and has not be what I expected. Or as my favorite spanish phrase has changed from "No entiendo" to "Entiendo...pero no entiendo".

On the weekdays I get up at around 6:20. Desayunar es a las sies y media, entonces tomo una ducha, me pongo la roba, doy mis libros and saligo para escuela. aka I eat, shower, dress and head to school. The bus that I catch is always full and in the morning it takes about 40 minutes to get to into the city center literally stopping every other street. The seats are way to close so I, and only I have to ackwardly put my legs in to the aisle which is full of standing people. not a big deal though.

School starts at 8, an hour of conversation and then three of grammer fun. Then it is off to hang out and people watch in San Jose before yo devuelvo. (go home) The bus ride home is ussually quicker and only about half full, aka more pleasent. More than likely I am forced on to the bus do to the afternoon rain shower that happens just about daily between 2:30 and 5.

I live in a barrio just outside the capital, houses are no bigger than they need be, every block is a continous fence with the houses behind them of course, the sewage runs down the side of the street at least to some extent, quickly flowing underneath the streets though. Garbage is everywhere outside the house but inside is probalby more sterile than most american hospitals.

the people are warm and friendly for the most part, I have only been yelled at once and made fun of a few times, although I did not let them know I knew what they were saying so I think the joke is kind of on them.

As long as I do not speak in english, people assume I am from europe. As they say I am too tall and too skinny to be an american (I guess that is okay with me).

I play basketball twice a week where the next tallest person ussually comes to about my shoulders. The costa ricans find it quite humorous.

On the weekends its time for the beach. Get up early on Saturday morning to catch the 6 or 7 oclock bus to the beach of your choice 3 to 5 hours away. Spend the night and return the next day. The beaches a quite impressive, but the rainforest may be equally if not more impressive.

Sadly though the towns surrounding the beachs are quite the stark contrast, dirty does not ussually begin to explain it and the more popular CR becomes the more filth abounds and the more spills into the water destroying CRs beauty.

Well that is enough for one post, but in my next post, I will have to get to what has suprised me, and all the strage parts of my personality that are being tested and put on display via living in Costa Rica.

Ciao,