Hola Costa Rica!

Wow, I can´t believe I am finally here! The travel to Costa Rica went very smoothly. No problems at all. There are 47 people in our group and when we go anywhere we definitely make a scene. Everyone in the group is so nice and friendly!

We arrived in Costa Rica really late on Tuesday night. We stayed at a retreat center, where there were three people to a room. I woke up to the bright sunshine, birds chirping, and dogs barking early on Wednesday morning. The center provided us with HUGE meals of rice, beans, and even some chicken. The portions are so big that my stomach usually hurts after I finish a meal. For the entire day on Wednesday, we had orientation. LASP (Latin American Studies Program) doesn´t give us a lot of details. If someone asks a question, they say, Oh good question! and then they move on. So basically we knew nothing as we picked our host families randomly.

After lunch, we had a short orientation session where they herded us into a room where they called us one by one to meet our families. Finally after what seemed like forever, my name was called and a small older woman stood up and we kissed on the cheek and she took me to get my luggage. We went outside and met her husband who is a taxi driver. By the way, people drive crazy here and it is really scary!They took me back to our house which is really close to where my classes are. It is great because I will hardly have to take a bus anywhere! It is a cute little house with gates all around it. I have my own room and my own bathroom with hot water. I live with my Mami, Papi, sister named Brenda who is 25 and her husband Mike. We also have two dogs, Kathy and Molly, who are very cute and like to cuddle.

Yesterday, Mami and I watched Lake Placid 2 (with the big crocodiles) on television. It was in English and there was Spanish subtitles. It was cool to be able to understand the same thing. Mami and Papi told me that my Spanish was better than any of the other students that they had before. That makes me feel really good but I still usually have no idea what is going on!

Mami is a school teacher but Costa Rica is in their summer now so she is off of work. Last night we waited until Brenda got home and then we went shopping to a supermercado, or as they call it the ´super´ Mami said to me, Como (like) Walmart! I was completely overwhelmed in the store. I followed Mami around and I bought shampoo and toothpaste, my first Costa Rican purchase. After the super we went out to dinner. I had absolutely no idea what was going on Brenda helped me and I ordered fetticini alfredo with shrimp. It was the biggest plate I have ever seen. Mami also gave me some of her fish and I have never eaten so much food in my life.

When we got home, it was almost ten at night so I told them I was going to bed!

I got up this morning at 5:30am, (yes, mom, I got up early!) and I ate another huge breakfast and Mami and I went to the busstop. She helped me and we rode the crowded bus all the way into San Jose to meet the group. Today all day I have been with a group of 5 students and we were given a type of scavenger hunt all around the city of San Jose. We were given about 15 tasks to complete and some of them involve asking people questions. I know that we probably don´t make any sense to them but fortunately we haven´t gotten lost yet. Right now I am sitting in an internet cafe in the Mall in San Pedro. After this we have to take a taxi all the way to where our Spanish Classes are. We don´t really know where that is except for that it is near the Indoor Club (I don´t know what that is!)

I am liking it here so far and I am less homesick than I thought. I am exhausted though. Trying to figure out what people are saying ALL day is really hard and this morning I was ready to meet the group again and speak English. Thanks so much for all of your emails! I really appreciate them and I will update again when I have time! Miss you all :)