has anyone seen the month of June?

It is hard to believe that half of the year is already over.
It freaks the heck out of me that it goes by so quickly! I can hardly feel it, the way the time passes.

Speaking of time, my watch broke. I need to get another one or see if it is worth getting repaired...it's just one of those cheapie popular plastic ones, but I liked the color a lot and it was very practical for the job. The screen no longer flashes the date and time...it just flashes bits and pieces of lines that make no sense, or it goes blank. I have gotten used to having a watch, I need to go get another one...!

Well, I am back in the big city. Although San Joaquin de Flores is not really the big city, it sure feels like it in comparison to Monteverde. I said goodbye to my group from Arkansas yesterday afternoon and will be picking up my new group from Alabama shortly...with so much Southern exposure it's no wonder that my gringo accent sounds so country! Folks from the southern United States are really quite nice. Their hospitality and friendliness is famous! But at the same time some parts of the South are also famously racist. I think on the whole people from the south are pretty good cultural ambassadors, and at least in my experience they have been a pleasure to work with.
Funny story, this group I will be with for the next three weeks came for the very first time last summer, and I was their chaperone. This year they are returning, and the professor who organizes the whole program specifically asked for me! The group was my absolute favorite last year, they were so energetic, nice, curious, culturally conscious. I am looking forward to meeting these kids! From what I know there is one "repeat" in the group, a student who came last year and is doing the program again. It will be interesting to see how her Spanish has improved.

While I am here in Heredia I will be sharing an apartment with Jessica, my fellow chap. Looking forward to hanging out with her here, it is a treat to have my co-workers in the same place at the same time... when we have groups we are so busy we don't get to hang out! I am also trying to plan a visit to see my Mama Tica, Nidia, my Familia in Llorente, and Fresia wants me to teach her and her sister-in-law English. Also I have a friend from Dayton studying in Costa Rica for the next five weeks, so I want to make a date with her too! There are just so many people to see.
And of course I need to make time for mi amor.

Busy, busy. But I like it that way : )
Adios, June. Hola, July...

Pura Vida