Day One

     I have made it to Costa Rica a little recap of yesterday … I got to the airport in San Jose and was so focused on getting luggage, exchanging money, and not getting sent back that I wasn't until I sat in the taxi that I realized that was probably the best and easiest chance I had for internet to look up all the numbers to call and the address for where I was going.

     Any ways I am in a taxi on the way to a bus station and San Jose kinda freaked me out so I just got on the bus and went to Puntarenas. I felt like a tourist loser with my giant suitcases. I am sure I looked helpless, but first impression the culture here is not friendly. They don't return smiles. So therefore they probably also thought I was creepy.

  I sat next to a girl, Viviana, about my age I am guessing. We didn't really talk on the 3 hour ride (extended from the 2 hours to fix a flat tire and a stop to allow a street vendor up and down the asile) but when we got near Puntarenas I inquired about internet. Her first reaction did not make it seem readily available but we eventually got to cyber cafe. We talked a little and after we got off she asked the bus driver for me and pointed me in the right direction. She said un metro I was like dang I wish I learned that word. But after asking directions again I found it. I looked up the numbers for USAC and my next adventure was finding a phone to call USAC and arrange to meet my family..
 

After  giving the pay phone 2,000 colones (~4$) I figured out how to work it and put in the necessary $0.25 and got a hold of USAC, the program I am traveling with, who arranged for my family to come get me from the center which I should now take a taxi too. So I fumbled once again and wheeled it back to the bus stop.

On the way I saw Jacob, the other Michigan Tech student, on the opposite side of the road walking with what I presumed were other students. We chatted briefly and turns out the group flight congregated in Miami, he just figured I wasn’t coming anymore. Haha

I caught a taxi with the help of a security guard/ police officer type man. There are these uniformed guys standing all over, is it weird that it actually makes me feel less safe… But then a quick taxi ride and finally meeting my host parents. They drive a nice mini van and are on the elderly sides of parents but oh man did I flip out when I saw they had a carseat! Turns out they like next door (which is like one wall) to their daughter and husband and their child Ignasio (the only name I have caught so far). At that point I thought they had just mistaken the 27 year old son or that my Spanish was really bad! But turns out he was just sleeping he is real but he doesn’t play soccer…who knows.

I moved into my room, we went for a walk by the beach and they took my on a driving tour of the town. Which is very small, maybe equivalent to the city of grand haven west of 31. They pointed out lots of things and I probably could not find them back. I wasn’t worried until they said this area is dangerous don’t go here, that’s when I was really wishing I knew where the heck I was. Maybe I will ask about that again later.

I keep having dejavu for Wisconsin. Just the same friendly family, the tour, the loving it but kinda not knowing what to do, the trying to grasp the fact that this is your house too. Granted I had no trouble understanding the Wisconsin accent.

The language barrier has not really been a problem. The speak basic English supposedly but we have kept conversation to slow elementary Spanish a lot of saying Como ? (what?) but so far I think I got everything. I do know that I conjugate all verbs in the yo form present tense. Apparentally I am doing everything right now.

I am doing well, I am not scared or overwhelmed, just kinda shocked. I thought for a really hard time on how to explain what it is like and I think Bosina is my best comparison. Maybe cross that with Mexico. Mostly tin roofs, kinda shack looking buildings. No tall or new things. I didn't dare take pictures I didn't want to stand out any more than I already did toting approximately 100 pounds of luggage through the town.

Other Initial Observations:

-No air conditioning and no screens which means bugspray is like underwear. First thing on and always on.

-One temperature water which is cold, but so far anything cold is good.

-Disappointed with the dog I could drop kick it 20 yards easily but it is growing on me. The cat is Lola that’s as friendly as we got. 

Gillian- An ant crawled up my leg while doing devotions I thought of you. Oh and I thought of all the day care when I saw hula hoops at the grocery store. I am going to practice and blow your socks of in August.

-One bathroom with a sink the size of a dinner plate. I couldn’t help but sing tengo una familia grande

- It just went from nothing to raging down pour in the time it took me to save this document.

-The weirdest part though is not being able to call home. I am not sure I should admit this but anybody who knows me probably expects this. I have talked to my Mom or Dad pretty much everyday since birth I went to Africa once and Mexico once. Thus my blog is going to be so long. They need updates! Lo siento.