Hey Everyone,
Sorry I haven't written in a while- we went to Arenal- with the hot springs and whatnot, and I rode a horse for the first time in my adult life. I felt like I was going to fall off and die at first, but it's all good. We went to a huge waterfall and got to swim around. We also went to the hot springs at the base of the Volcano- Mom, you would have absolutely loved it. We saw gigantic iguanas, and a sloth, and it was really, really cool.
When we got back, I was so tired, and school started right up again. We went through the last of our curriculum, and did a quick review, and had the test yesterday. One of those nights, Crystal, Sarah, me, and a lot of other people from our group went to Caccios- a bar, and then Cuartel, a dance club with a live band. The band was good, but the atmosphere sucked. If I want to be rubbed up against and sweated on by 130 other people in a dim room, I'll go to an orgy. So, it was lame, and I left early, but it was nice to get dressed up and go out with my friends, anyway.
On Monday, Crystal and I caught a cab to the central market, which has a ton of stuff, but not exactly the kind of souvenir type stuff we wanted. It's funny- I kept picking up stuff here and there, but putting off just getting the shopping done, because I thought Oh, I have a month, etc. etc. But then I realized that I had like two days. So I did the rest of that, and now I think I'm pretty much done. Well, almost. We'll see what the situation is at the airport. lol.
So, my flight leaves at 7, which means I'll be up at probably 3, and out of the house at 4:30, and in the airport forever. I'm sad to leave. I'll miss the people I met here- my roomates and fellow students, and the amazing coffee, and Platanos- which they might have in the states- plantain chips with lime and salt. Mmmmm. And the Casado- the standard lunch meal. And the incredibly cheap prices. And the sunset. I wasn't much on sunsets, but the sunset in Costa Rica is the most beautiful I have ever seen. Hands down, it just doesn't get any better. I was riding the bus this week, and it had been a long, long day, and the bus was full, and it was standing room only, and I felt like I was gong to pass out. Then, I noticed the sun setting, and I no longer wanted to punch the people on either side of me. Well, I didn't want to punch them as much.
Did I mention the coffee? You don't know this, guys, but Starbucks is complete shit. Complete, utter shit. Costa Rican coffee makes Starbucks taste like piss. I gotta find out the brand they use at school, because even the crappiest coffee here is worlds better than the gourmet stuff at home.
Stuff I won't miss: The cold shower. The crap food that my host family serves- When you pour your cereal in the future, be glad it doesn't have bugs in it. Here, at least in this house, there's a 90 percent chance you'll find bugs. That's why I haven't had cereal for a while.
I won't miss being the different one. I'm sure Alicia knows what this is about. In Costa Rica, I obviously look different than the locals. I'm hugely tall, I have red hair and white, white skin. Everyone else is short and brown, with black hair and black eyes. It's nice having Crystal with me- she's my height and blonde, but we are both obviously not from here. For that reason, most of the people we saw in the market spoke English to us. I'd say Hola, Como esta? to them, and they'd say Hello, I'm fine and how are you? to me. Even when I tried to keep speaking spanish, asking "Cuanto Cuesta?" or something like that, they'd tell me in English, in dollars. I was like W. T. F.? Plus, people stare at you, here. And it's not unusual for me to be a head taller than the grown man walking on either side of me.
Another thing I won't miss- the clothes. There are simply no clothes, here. The Latin American culture is much more sexually free, I guess you'd say. I mean, jeez, there are two sex shops just in the Mall San Pedro, and two more places with just Lingerie. So, what I'm getting at here, is that a lot of people wear very tight, and/or brightly colored clothes, with sky high heels. And anything from the US is 3xs the normal price because it's imported. I'm serious, all the chicks walk around with their bits on display. I'm a girl, and even I feel uncomfortable. I miss America, where you can wear a tshirt and jeans and not feel like a boy. Oh, and did I mention that not everyone has the body to be wearing these skimpy clothes- they don't care. There are just as many rolls on display (to be crude for a moment) as there are bits. It's normal.
Well, I'm going to go upstairs and brush my teeth- I'll try to update again tonight with pictures and whatnot. I just wanted to get something posted because I've been too busy to write lately.
See you guys soon!
-Mal
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