Pura Vida

             Pura Vida is like the catch phrase of Costa Rica. It perfectly embraces their easy going culture. When things go awrye they just say Pura Vida and brush it off. When things are goinf great they say Pura Vida. This weekend involved a lot of Pura Vida. 

            The first alteration started when I arrived at school on Friday and everyone said grab your stuff booby (this is my new nick-name along with bovement, boov, the german, and boover) we are leaving at one. I had no real plans just to visit the beach and run some errands, I needed more bug spray I am already on bottle two.So I packed up my stuff  and headed to the bus stop. Pura Vida!

            We had a great ride talking about high school and stuff but the 1 and a half hour ride turned out being a 2.5 hour ride. Pura Vida. Of course it was raining when we arrived so we headed straight for the Hostel that our teacher told us about. I learned on this walk through San Jose that my second biggest fear is getting poked in the eye by an umbrella. It was like a nightmare every person, and there were a lot of people had an umbrella.

            We made it to the hostel and it was really cool,  the walls were all uniquely painted, it had stairs and hallways going every which way perfect for hide and seek. We had some trouble pay and getting a room together but eventually we settled. Pura Vida.

            The original plan was to catch a movie and go out to dinner kinda like a Date night with America. Once the plan was under way people however changes their mind and we decided to do a fancy dinner instead. We found a nice looking place owned by a hotel and headed in, this place was really nice. Stained glass windows, wood floor, and a super fancy waiter. I was happy I got a super delicious salad bar but no one else liked their food, pura vida.

            We then were on a mission for a store to get some ice cream/ desert and had a nice walk around the town. It was nice to explore it all empty but this all meant everything was closed. We meandered for about an hour and eventually gave up, the good news is when we returned to the hostel there was a 24/7 mart right across the street. Pura Vida.

            We spent the next day shopping in the big city. We went to this cool super market all indoors with all the touristy souvenirs you could imagine. The streets were line with shoe shops and clothing stores. Some people left for a mall in a nearby town but I stayed to explore here. We shopped until about lunch and hit up a taco bell  (Pura Vida), went to a small museum in the Historical Theatre and  then headed for the bus stop. We got to Puntarenas and ate at Mitobes,  probably the nicest restaurant in Puntarenas. I ordered a delicious chicken salad big enough to feed a family of four. Pura Vida.

            I stayed up late doing homework and catching up with friends from home but woke up early to go to Church with Annemarie and her family. I did however sleep through my alarm but was ready in time. Pura Vida.

            I was excited for church and new it was going to be an adventure but turns out is was way more of an adventure than I anticipated. We left around 8:30 and has to catch a bus, the church was in Miramar about 30 minutes away and Annemarie’s family is too big to all ride in one car. When we left Annemarie, her mom, and I were the only people on the bus, that was different.

            We got to the bus stop and had to walk for about 20 minutes to the church, it turned out we were in the mountains now and the church was this beautiful complex set back into the woods overlooking the cost of Costa Rica. It was nice to get a perspective like that. Pura Vida.

            On our way up the hill though we saw a funeral procession coming down the street, an ambulance followed by a hurse, then about 40 people on foot and a dozen cars. A 20 year old boy of the church had had a heart attack. I was very sad and church was delayed until 10:30.While we waited we played games like patty cake with Annemaries sisters.

            When the service started it was very excited to watch people and attempt to translate what was going on. Some of the songs even had the words in Spanish but we could sing along. This fun lasted for about the first 60 minutes of the 2.5 hours.  It was really weird to the children came up from bible school early and the general population was just talking during church. I could follow what the Pastor was saying but it was hard to collect significance when thinking so hard. The theme was lying and I know it is bad so I think we can call it pretty much good. Pura Vida.

            I was very thankful when it was over but was slightly antsy to get home for our family barbeque ( Unfortunately from the Spanish I did really actually know if there was one or when it was for sure) , but I wasn’t even close. We all piled into the family car and the three of us got dropped off at a bus station. Where we waited, and waited, and waited… for 2 hours. Some excitement did happen a homeless guy developed a crush on Annemarie and wouldn’t stop scooching closer to her and touching her so annemarie’s mom called the police after warning seven times, I also made fun with a little diva 3 year old, and a lady brest fed a boy who was old enough to walk. I was so thankful when I got home. I had missed the barbeque but still ate good. I was really bummed cause I was looking forward to having a social activity. It was a little harder but I eventually could say Pura Vida.

            The story ended up providing plenty of entertainment too. When we took our Sunday night ride around Puntarenas and we passed the bus stop my Padre asked me if I wanted to get on one to Miramar.