- Since universities in the US started getting out, the demographic in Heredia has visibly changed.
- My spelling abilities in English have gone down the tubes since I got here.
- I now appear to have internet again and thus be contactable. For the remaining 13 days of my stay.
- The US got their butts kicked in the futbol game on Wednesday. 3-1. And we barely even got away with that.
- I walked to class in the rain on Friday, got wet and then froze to death for the three hour duration of class. Cold. In Costa Rica. So strange.
- Costa Rican residence halls are very similar to those in the states, with a few exceptions: no carpets, larger refrigeradors, guys and girls share bathrooms, and every student has a rice cooker.
- I walked past a guy singing and playing electric guitar outside the Soda at the university on Thursday, thought to myself about how utterly horrible his singing was (he's not a bad guitar player but I'm pretty sure he's mostly tone deaf) and then managed to end up meeting him and hanging out with him for several hours on Friday night. Where, unfortunately, he decided to grace us (myself and friends) with his skills...luckily, he doesn't know the words to most of the English songs he plays. Led Zeppelin need not be quite so ashamed.
- I left the residence hall at 1:00, Saturday morning. Unfortunately, the guards lock the gates of the entrance so you have to grab a taxi outside. Even more unfortunately, the gates are not merely designed to keep out cars, but also casually-interested pedestrians. Ended up crawling under the gates (along with five others, not all gringos) while our bemused taxi drivers waited and watched from the comfort of their cars.
- I've been praying that my shampoo will last me til the end for the last month and a half. I think it just might do it.
- It will be good to get home where I know where the toilet paper is kept.
- We had a potluck dinner on Friday. I brought a loose rendition of Mexican Pinwheels (ie picante taquiticos mexicanos) and was surprised at how well it was received. If nothing else, I thank my mother for bringing that recipe into my life. It has saved me numerous times.
- They do not sell canned green chiles nor green onions (fresh, of course) in Costa Rica. Leastwise in Hipermas.
- Doesn't look like I'm going to make it to Arenal *sigh*
- They grandfathered me into the system! WA state recently changed a bunch of requirements for getting your endorsement in world languages. It was going to make my life very complicated. Luckily, they also put in a grace period...still only have to take one test! Not three!
- I think I'm going to need to come by some reading material for the trip home.
- This time, a year ago, I had nearly survived my first week in Nicaragua.
- I'm super psyched that I get to be home for Father's Day. Even if only just.
- "Even if only just." If that isn't a nightmare for someone learning English, I don't know what is. Barely makes sense to me, and I wrote it.
- I'm trying to figure out if I need to buy another bag to bring home the mountain of books and papers I've aquired. I don't think so...
- It's going to be very confusing to come home to PNW summer weather. Mostly, the sun going down between nine and ten. The sun has not set after six o'clock for the past nine months of my life.
- Speaking of which, I have a very poor perception of climatic "normal," right now.
- My friend asked me last night if I wished I had gone to study in Chile (which, from the things I've heard, sounds rather more developed and current than CR). I could honestly say that I did not. And it felt amazing.
- I have some friends who went bungee jumping. Watched the video. I couldn't do it. Kind of wish I could. But no.
- There's another host student coming to stay today (did I mention the last one in here?) I'm not really supposed to talk about it, lest word get back to the homestay coordinator. ISEP guarantees us a house with only one student, but my parents ran it by me (the student is from a different program and only stays for five days) and I don't mind at all. The last girl spoke no Spanish. My host mom speaks no English. I got to play translator for a week and it was kind of fun.
- Spanish capitalization rules make so much more sense than English.
- I should be studying.
- From my house, on various days, I can hear: futbol games, church bells, band practice, choir practice, choirs during mass and the beeping noise at the crosswalk two and a half blocks from my house. That last one is new. And rather annoying.
- Okay. I'm going to go study now.
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