Cambios and Customs

I have returned safely to the USA.

On the morning I left I saw Muni and JP and Paul at the airport, dropping off Muni's group. That big CPI buseta is hard to miss, in all its large and colorful glory. It was good to give everyone one last hug!

The strangest part of the trip back was going back to English; the whole way home on the plane I kept thinking and responding to things around me in Spanish! My flight actually left late from Juansantamaria Airport, the flight crew didn't arrive on time. I half slept through my wait, and slept a little on the plane.

My layover went smoothly, no misplacing my bags or missing my flight, the wait to get through customs was fairly quick and really easy: the guy at the counter pretty much waved me through.

I was feeling pretty sentimental through the whole trip. Leaving Costa Rica I was incredibly sad, and the view of Heredia from above made me a little teary-eyed, picking out Rio Segundo and spotting the familiar churches from above. It felt like leaving home, more than anything. Costa Rica really has become my second home.

Some things I find myself missing include:

-salsa and merengue on the radio

-big vehicles with "turismo" in yellow on the side

-the smell of perfumes and colognes that hit you as you walk through the street

-colorful clothing

-rice and beans

-bebidas naturales

-Spanish

-Sabores and Pops

My last night was very memorable, having the Barbeque with my Familia Tica, Nidia y Miguel, Jason and Jimmy. Marianita y Wilson (the neighbors) were there too for a little while, and some of Jason's friends came. There was lots of delicious food, and we all had a few drinks. Muni and JP and Paul all stopped by to pick up Muni's fridge from Nidia y Miguel, who were keeping it for her. They all had a little food, with the whole tour group waiting on the bus! Even Mauricio, the chofer, had a bite! We all laughed and hugged and said goodbyes, and I slept for about three hours before waking up and leaving.

After returning, things don't seem quite the same here anymore. Nothing seems difficult or impossible. Part of that is changes in me and the confidence I've gained over the last two months. Another part is the language! After doing some things in Spanish, like taking kids to the medic, anything in English seems simple! Returning is a little like culture shock: after a full immersion in Tico culture, I find myself surprised and re-adjusting to life here in the States. One thing is for sure: this summer has been an unforgettable and incredible experience (people, places, sights, activities). I am so thankful and have enjoyed it all, even the tough moments.

PURA VIDA mae : )

Birthdays and Ice Cream Runs: The Final Day at CPI Monteverde

Today has been quite the time, and a lot of fun!

Digna celebrated her birthday among secret cards, gifts, phone calls, and lots of singing! I think she must have been serenaded at least twice, if not three times! Tonight there are plans to go out to dinner and afterwards to the Bar Amigos in Sta. Elena, where I plan to join the festivities. There ought to be dancing, and of course lots of laughter and stories. Speaking of stories, sushi last night was GREAT! Jennifer and I met with Digna and Royner, and proceeded to consume vast quantities of food and raw fish...in addition to a specialty dessert made by Jesus. The best part? It was free! We must have eaten at least 40,000 colones worth of food, and it ended up being a gift! Incredible! I was dumbfounded! It was sad saying goodbye, it was my despedida too. I hope to come back next summer and bring a little more business to the sushi place. Today we also ended up doing another ice cream run: I got my coffee milkshake, and drove down the street in Alejandro's car. Funny thing, I got lunch there earlier in the day! They know me there at Sabores.

Tonight I have dinner with my familia Tica, who I stayed with last year. Then I have to do laundry, and visit with everyone at the bar.

Some changes in the weekend plans too. In the morning I am taking a private transport to the airport in Alajuela, and from there I catch the bus to Heredia and La Dehesa, the hostel. From there I call Leigh and Fish, and see what the plans are for the rest of the afternoon, and I can visit Gerry and Maria in San Joaquin, walking distance from La Dehesa.

Sunday go to mass, drop my things off at Nidia's, then figure out again if I can hang out with Leigh or Fish. Then prepare to leave at 5am the next morning...and I don't want to leave. Right now I am feeling very sentimental!

This little place in the cloud forest, in this wide and beautiful country, has become like a second home. The last two months have been a huge learning experience, in terms of language and professionalism and responsibility. What an opportunity! What a country!

COSTA RICA = PURA VIDA

Sushi Once More

All good things come to an end, and so it is with my summer here in Costa Rica. I have four more full days, and only one of those at CPI. Already I'm feeling sentimental about leaving behind so many people that I have grown close to here. Yesterday I officially hit the two-month mark of my stay, and now time is throwing me closer and closer to my departure date. These last two weeks have been a lot of fun, spending time in the office. The CPI Monteverde staff are such a great community, and its made my time here wonderful. I will especially miss Arelys and Jennifer, who I assist in the Groups Office.

Yesterday was a good day. I sent faxes, pasted reciepts, and treated everyone to ice cream from Sabores. A plus? Alejandro let me drive his car there and back to pick up all our orders. I can say that I have driven in Costa Rica, though I was a little out of practice with a manual. It was a highlight! Mocha Express was definately worth it!

In the evening I went to play futbol at La Cancha again, with a different group of students and mostly the same staff. Diego and Nico, Jonle's sons, were also there! Its funny how much thier antics remind me of my own brothers, especially Diego. Sitting next to him on the ride home I was constantly reminded of Peter! It was a fun night, though I still maintain that I am not cut out to play soccer at all. I am a swimmer through and through! I spent a quiet rest of the evening in Casa del Toro, stretching my legs and watching "The Illusionist" on HBO in Spanish. I always sleep better after running around on the soccer field, even if I am not the best player!

Plans for this weekend are set in motion: I will leave Saturday afternoon from Monteverde by public bus, arrive at the airport, and from there take another public bus to Heredia. I will stay one night in La Dehesa, a hostel affiliated with CPI. Since I have been working as a chaperona, I think I am getting a good price! I will then call my friend Leigh, a UD student who is studying in San Jose, and try to meet up with her for the evening. Sunday I will try to spend time visiting in the city, possibly with another friend, and that night I will stay with a Familia Tica in San Joaquin, where Maria is also staying. We will leave early in the morning for the airport, to catch our 8am flight home to the US of A. Outlining this now, it all seems very far away but it actually happens this weekend! In one more day! My sense of time is being stretched by my lack of desire to leave.

Later I will go to Sta. Elena and have my final sushi night with Jennifer and Digna, as a pre-birthday celebration for Digna! I also plan to buy my bus ticket for Saturday, and do a little souvenir shopping. Sad to say that I haven't bought very much in terms of gifts for those back home...I plan to remedy that this afternoon, before sushi!

Its raining here again, and the wind has picked up. Typical Monteverde weather, as you may have guessed by now...though I always appreciate sunshine, the lack of it has yet to affect me here. I'm too distracted by the natural beauty to be upset by the weather! This morning I took a picture on the road in front of CPI: there was a perfect, unobstructed view of the Nicoyan Gulf. It was breath-taking. How could anyone ever get tired of something like that?

I love, love, love it here.

Pura Vida : D

Feels Like Wintertime

Wind, rain, chill. Its all here today, with a vengence. It seems like the clouds have been holding thier breath for the last few days, the way the weather has been this morning and afternoon. Funny thing about the terrible conditions outdoors, is that back in Ohio it would be just a nasty fall or spring day. But here in Costa Rica, these conditions are reminiscent of winter. Arelys was amazed to hear that this would be our version of autumn weather, and that winters in my hometown are even colder, not to mention snowy. Right now I am mourning the fact that I do not have a decent raincoat! My umbrella is shot, and I have been borrowing one from CPI to walk home every day. At least I have rainboots! My feet have stayed nice and dry.

This week is a week of birthdays at CPI. One of the students had a birthday yesterday, and today was Sonia's birthday (she works in the main office here at CPI Monteverde). Friday is Digna's birthday! We plan to go out for sushi Thursday night, to satisfy both our cravings. I think it will be the last time I go, before leaving for the city.

Tomorrow I plan to go play soccer at La Cancha, the weekly CPI game. I am not soccer player, but its still fun to run around and give everyone high-fives!

Jonle, my boss, was in the office yesterday between days with the group she is working with. I stayed pretty busy, doing what I could where I could. This time of year groups are starting to slow down, and there isn't as much to do. More experienced chaperones, like Muni and Gerry, are the ones who are getting the groups now. We talked a little bit about next year, and right now there is a possibility that I might return to do this job again. As the next year runs its course, we'll see if the position will still be available to me.

Right now I am trying to decide on my weekend activities, since I leave Monday. I would like to go back to Heredia, and maybe see some of the city, but my housing and transportation through CPI isn't available until Sunday, the day before I leave. I would like to go Friday night, or early Saturday. Hopefully something will work out. I love Monteverde, but its lonely here! I am glad Jennifer is back in the office, after her trip to Nicaragua. She was missed!

The countdown has officially begun: six more days.

Pura Vida ; )

Chao Pescado

Its a rainy Monday, and no tengo ganas de salir! But, I have to go to the store and get breakfast for the next couple days, namely my last 7 days here.

This weekend was jam packed! On Friday I hung out with Fish at Chancho's, and we had a lot of fun dancing and drinking a beer or two. It was the first night in a long while that I satyed out super late!

On Saturday I visited with Muni and Gerry, who were both in Monteverde this weekend. We watched some of "Snatch" and went to downtown Sta. Elena. Gerry bought his bus ticket back to Heredia, and we celebrated with a sushi farewell at the sushi place, where Jesus called Muni and me his favorite chaperonas! (I think it has something to do with how good of customers we are) In my time here in Monteverde I have eaten more sushi than I do in a year back home! Its bee delicious. We topped off our meal with fried ice cream, and then bid Gerry good-bye. It was the last time we will be together, before I leave to go back home! Lots of hugs all around, and then Gerry was smiling his crooked smile and pulling his shades down over his eyes, shouldering his backpack and walking out the door. So long, my Cuban Hobbit brother!

Muni and I walked back to Casas del Torro, and we went on a laundry spree. We both had to do laundry for this week, Muni because she is travelling and me because I am out of normal clothes, being liberated from wearing my CPI polo. We watched Triple X and Fish stopped by to say adios before heading back to San Jose. When the llaundry was done, Muni and I walked back down to Cerro Plano and got paninis at Sabores, then went to her house and she organized for her leave to Puntarenas. We ended up watching Transformers 2, but I left mid way through because I was so tired! I plan to watch it again when I get home anyway. I hugged Muni good-bye at the end of the night too; if we're lucky we might meet again before I fly back.

On Sunday I slept in big time, til 9am. Then I walked down to visit the Monteverde waterfall, which is definately worth visiting. I stayed for at least an hour, just enjoying it. No one else was there on a Sunday morning. Around noon I walked down to Dulce marzo and got cafe con leche and a scone, my favorites. Then I walked home and spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the sun, listening to my iPod, and reading "Marley & Me." I got a new tan line, and I finished the book! It was very relaxing, and I was feeling very reflective.

I left at 6pm and walked down to Sta. Elena for evening mass, and it was unexpectedly an hour and a half long! It was Nuestra Senora de los Angeles, and afterwards got myself a HUGE hotdog at the corner stand on the way home. Dinner never tasted so good! The "yeye" was perfectly filling.

So my weekend finished up at my apartment, watching a tv movie, after saying goodbye to three of my close friends all in one weeknd...and so I am reminded of Jessica's tradiational saltue on her blog: chao, pescado.

Pura Vida :)