Hey.

Today was a very very long day. Bear with me.

This morning we woke up super early for our 6:45 am breakfast. I put on some bumpin tunes to get Abs and I moving. Apparently, our fellow Bungalow D residents had not woken up before Rihanna came blaring through the paper-thin walls. Oops.

Super delicious breakfast, but what's new. El cafe, las frutas, los huevos, el pan, el gallo pinto, y la marmalada. After breakfast, we got into our taxis that read "TOURISTAS" across their backs. Nice. We [slowly] made our way over to the Quaker colegio on the tico roads made of rocks and potholes. The school is way cute. It's a private school for pre-K through 12th grade, and there are 95 students total. The assistant director of the school, Risa, took us on a tour. First we went and saw the pre-Ks and kindergartners. Freaking precious. The woman who teaches them does Montessori-style teaching and alternates weeks speaking in English and Spanish. I want her job. Can't you see me doing that? So anyways we sat in on the high school "town meeting," which is where the students discuss various topics pertaining to school policies, after-school activities, etc. There were two "clerks" who led the meeting, and it was like pulling nails when they tried to get any feedback whatsoever. Everyone was just too cool to care. This one clerk was so adorable. I felt bad for him. Oh and also there was a Jesse Pisor look-alike taking minutes. I wanted to give him a hug because Jesse is my favorite person to get hugs from, but I resisted. After the town meeting we went into the Quaker meeting room, and Risa gave us the lowdown on Quakers. Would someone please tell me what the catch is? Why do we think Quakers are weirdos in the US? She explained it as being a way of life as opposed to a religion, with a focus on peace, pacifism, honesty, truth, etc. They have these "meetings" where they spend an hour in silence, and if you feel so inclined you may stand and preach a message. This message is not pre-planned, and may or may not include references to Jesus or even to God. Quakers can be Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, whatever. They have these meetings every Wednesday morning from 9-10 and every Sunday morning from 10-12. We are going to one. Tomorrow night, they are having a pizza dinner and a talent show so we will most definitely be hitting that up.

After the Quaker school we had like a half hour before our taxis came to get us so we ran over to the cheese factory for a mid-morning snack. Oh yes, at 9:30 in the morning we were all stuffing our faces with ice cream. I had mint chocolate chip. Oh my gosh it was so good. I really want to go back and try the "fried cheese." Apparently it's delicious. As are their milkshakes and cheesecake and just about everything else they have.. Yikes. There was one question mark, though. They sell "choco cheese." What. It's packaged like American cheese, but it's brown and makes me want to vomit. Apparently they just started producing it last year in hopes of appealing to tourists. Lo siento makers of delicious dairy products, but this tourista thinks that shiz is loco.

Insert more off-roading in old school taxi bus here.

We had one more esquela to stop at before lunch. It was a public professional and technical colegio. Unfortunately for us, we arrived just as the entire student body was getting on buses to leave for a band performance they had this afternoon. We didn't let that rain on our parade, though. We had a tour with the cutest little man named Heraldo. He was great and got so pumped whenever he said anything in English right. We got the history of the school and a basic run-down on the Costa Rican public school system. In Costa Rica, most public schools go from February to December and most schools only have half-days. You are only required to go to school through the 6th grade, and public schools only offer up through 11th grade. You know how I love fun facts. So we went on this nice little hike on a trail they have on campus. I very intelligently donned my rainbows this morning as we were getting ready, so hiking was good for me. We saw the most ginormous tree on the trail. It's this monster tree that actually starts out as an innocent-looking vine, then finds a tree to latch onto, and then conquers. Badass.

For lunch we went to Lucia's. For our appetizer, we had tortillas with beans, veggies, and the freshest guacamole and salsa ever. Then I had the eggplant con queso. It was so incredible, except thinking about it now really makes me nauseated. It was rich like you would not believe. And I just went to town. I was apparently really having cheese withdrawals. Jenny J, I think only you can appreciate this. So yeah I ate my weight in cheesy goodness, felt like I couldn't eat another bite, and then had cake. And not just any cake. Tres leches cake. I was kind of freaked out when they brought me a cake that was leaking slash forming a puddle on my plate, but then I took a bite and did not look back. Sometimes I wish I had self-control.

After lunch we went to the butterfly garden. It was pouring rain, but the whole first half of our tour was inside with all of the gross bugs and insects (two different things, remember?). Tarantulas, beetles, and cochroaches--oh my. Not to mention the praying mantus that ate a pregnant fly. As the praying mantus was going to town on the mama fly, all of these maggots were just pouring out of its mouth. Sick nasty. Then our guide Zack goes, "Oh man. Check out the babies playing with their dead mom's wing. That would be like if you were born and your mom was being eaten by a lion." Really, Zack? Really? Zack was crazy passionate about all of the different bugs and insects, and it made me want to find what the heck it is that I could be so passionate about. At one point, he grabbed a moth off of the wall and put it on the web of this huge spider in one ridiculously fluid movement so that we could watch the spider eat. And eat she did. She raced over to the panicked moth and wrapped that baby up in silk, but not before injecting it with her venom to kill it. It was pretty sweet. After that we went through the actual butterfly gardens, where we got to release the butterflies that were ready to be released. Very cool.

Then we went to this weird conservation talk. I think it was a conservation talk anyways. Something about the children's rainforest? I wish I could tell you what happened, but I'm pretty sure we all nodded off at one point or another. Yikes. I felt bad for the very strange man who was doing the power point. But I mean he seemed to be having a good time. He laughed a lot--at himself. Plus he had on this great hat. It was like a houndstooth newsboy cap. How can you not be having a good time in a hat like that? What mostly freaked me out about him though was his really disgustingly long pinky nails. All other nails were normal lengths, and then there were those pinkies. Ew. I don't want to talk about it. They had snacks, so I guess that was nice. He also had a semi-cool story about how he came to be in Costa Rica. It sounded to me like he was a fat hippie back in the day. Unfortunately, 43 years later, he is giving power points to sleeping audiences. And doing cocaine--question mark?

After the thrilling power point, we all decided that Bar Amigo was probably not going to happen tonight. Well, Tia and new Sarah went to town in hopes of watching the debate on tv, but the rest of us came back for dinner and One Tree Hill. We started season one tonight, and I am loving it. It's about time I understand the incestuous relationships of Lucas, Nathan, Peyton, Brooke, and Haley. Quality stuff right thur.

There is a new fam on campus. The momma teaches at the University of Utah, and so Dean found it appropriate to jump up and give her a cheer-- arm movements and all. The man just gets better every day. I can't get enough of him. Dinner was good but I wasn't that hungry and I don't want to talk about what we ate because I feel sick. I know exactly why I am feeling sick, too. Last night, the hot chocolate made me SO sick-- to the point that it woke me up in the middle of the night. Then tonight, because I have no self-control, I talked myself into having half of what I had last night. Did I take the hint when I went to pour the hot chocolate and the spout was clogged with cow fat? Of course not. Did I take the hint when I went to take my first sip and had to stop and spoon out a piece of skin/ cow fat? Of course not. I went right on drinking until that last quarter inch that was chunky enough to make me stop. So gross. Tonight's dessert was rice pudding. I still am not sure if I liked it. I think I did. I mean I finished it. I just don't know how I feel about the texture..

Wow I just re-read that and I sound REALLY fat. I'm going to go drown my sorrows in cake or something.

Deuces.

peace love and choco cheese.

We just finished dance lessons with Geovanny. He is too freaking cute. We learned the meringue and the cumbia. It was so much fun. We were seriously lacking in males, though. So Abby and I traded off being the boy and being the girl. I'm not going to lie--we rocked it. We are really great partners. Dean didn't show, and neither did Jeff and Tom. I was beyond livid. Dean will definitely get an earful at breakfast.

We are having breakfast at 6:45 am. Aios mios.

Since dance lessons went so well, we have all decided to stay en la ciudad tomorrow night and get our dance on. I am so pumped. Apparently the place to be is Bar Amigo. I can't wait to show off my new skillz to all the ticos. Numba one gringa--right here.

English lessons were fun today too. We went over articles of clothing and played this game where Susan and Jennifer chose pieces of clothing for me, Tess, and Ann to put on. I ended up with a black bra over my white tee shirt, multiple pairs of socks, shorts over pants, and a fancy scarf. Tess and Ann looked equally great. A guy came up to me and asked what I was doing and if I had mental issues. I told him it was a good possibility. I really love teaching Susan and Jennifer. They are too cute. Today Jennifer kept confusing the words "hat" and "fat." I gave her a really hard time when I pointed to my belt and asked what it was and she responded "fat." On Tuesday we are going to go over food, so hopefully I will have some fabulous recipes to post for you.

I lost my umbrella. I don't know how it happened. I still have its case and I remember using it coming from English to lunch, but now it's gone. My life is over.

Dinner tonight was horrible. Bahaha yeah right. We had this delicious tomato soup with onions and bell peppers in it, rice, tamales, salad, veggies, and these incredible lemon bars with coconut. Easily a close second to banana bread in the category of favorite desserts. I also drank more of our makeshift mocha.

I have a list of things to buy when the opportunities arise:

-a bottle of salsa lizano

-a hammock

-a new umbrella

-a new mother. Why will you not respond to my email?!

peace love and secret love affair.

hola gringos.

Today has been our rainiest day yet. And the coldest. Carla said that this is what we can expect for the entire month of October. Nice.

This morning I woke up three times because my legs kept cramping up. It was horribly painful. I think my legs are going through spin class withdrawals. Sad times.

This morning for breakfast we had coffee, rice and beans with salsa verde, fresh fruit, plantains, an unidentified [but tasty] jam, and this delicious bread that tasted like the bread Ms. Nash makes. Oh my gosh so good. They have it out again for snack. Woo woo!

Today was our last day of classes for the week. Four-day weeks rule.

Tomorrow we are going on a field trip. We are going to visit a Quaker high school in the morning, then to a town meeting, then to lunch at Lucia's (which is Sarah #1's fave), then to a butterfly garden and then back to campus for dinner. We might just hang out in the city, though, instead of heading back to campus right away. We'll see. It will probably depend on how well dancing lessons go tonight..

During lunch today a cloud was literally in the student union. Like the entire porch was hazy because we were inside a cloud. Basically it was the coolest thing ever. It made my hair frizz up like nobody's business, though.

I'm about to go have English lessons with Susan and Jennifer again. Wish me luck!

peace love and clouds

I finally got my siesta. I barely made it through Spanish class. I was seriously dragging. As soon as Carla said adios, I went straight to my bungalow and curled up in my bed. I woke up because I pulled my nose ring out of my nose in my sleep. Don't ask me how I did it. It occurred to me that I definitely did not bring a back-up so if I lose this one then my nose will close up. I know this will upset Christina Serra if no one else.

After my siesta, I grabbed my Environmental Sociology book and went and found a hammock to read in. As I was reading, so many birds came to hang out with me. There was this one hummingbird that freaked me out because its little wings are so freaking loud and it was right behind my head. There were a bunch of others and they were all very chatty, but I managed to get through my chapter.

At 5, we had a community service orientation with Sarah #2. At the meeting, we were introduced to the FOURTH Sarah that arrived on campus today. She's here until next week I think. Dean flipped when he found out that there is a fourth Sarah on campus. But anyways we have all this different opportunities to get plugged into the community, and I'm so excited to get started.

Dinner was at 6. We had this fancy salad with raisins and avocado, veggies with beets, this fried deliciousness that I think was some sort of local veggie with ketchup, rice and beans, and flan. I think the flan had green beans in it. It was really weird. But everything else was incredible, as usual. Then I tried the hot chocolate for the first time. They have it out every night, but I'm more of a coffee girl so I hadn't tried it before. It is ridiculous. As Cayman so eloquently put it, you can taste the cow fat. I copied Abby and did a half-coffee, half-hot chocolate. It was really good.

After dinner, we went and watched Sicko with Dean in the indoor classroom. Oh Michael Moore.

Today I rocked my high blue hiking socks and a green bandana. Unfortunately, everyone saw right through my attempt at hiding my disgusting hair.. Oh well. I looked cool just the same.

My bug bites have significantly gone down in swelling and level of grossness. Go me.

I'm really upset because I feel like today wasn't a very exciting read. Tess told me today that she read one entry of my blog and needed a break. Ouch! So I will spare you, and bid you adieu til tomorrow.

peace love and cow fat

buenos tardes, muchachos.

This morning Cayman and I got up to go milk the cows with Ontonio, but he was already done by 6:08! He said they didn't have a lot of milk this morning, and to try back at 3 for the afternoon milking. I was so bummed. Then we went through the botanical garden in search of some animales, but had no luck with that either. So we ended up at the student union on our laptops until they served us breakfast. I think this morning was the best breakfast yet. They served us these crazy huevos that were like fried eggs in a bowl in this orange sauce that were so so delicious, and rice and beans with the salsa verde, fresh frutas, tortillas with sour cream and salt, and coffee. Oh my gosh I just went to town it was so good. After breakfast was Environmental Sociology with Dean, my main squeeze. Today we talked about why the heck our population is so outrageously huge and about our carbon footprints and offsetting those. Good stuff. Dean's carbon footprint is 12 earths! He makes me feel good about my life. At 10:30 we met for English class. We read like 50 poems today and did this exercise where we had 10 minutes to write a 10-line poem using a certain phrase and 5 words from a given list. I did not perform well under the pressure, but whatever. Tonight we have to write 3 or more haikus so hopefully I don't screw those up too.We just had a delicious lunch of rice and beans and salsa verde, salad, veggies, beef (eh.. not so much on the beef for me) and warm banana bread. Seriously I cannot get enough of that stuff. It's amazing. I also had more coffee. I am averaging at like 4 cups a day I think... but it's okay because their coffee is half-caff. So no worries.

I drink tap water here. It's really delicious because it's legit mountain spring water fresh out of the spring. So go me.

The sky was so incredibly blue this morning when we got up. It's usually so cloudy, but today it was just gorgeous. Now, of course, it's raining, but the sunshine was nice while it lasted.

I wore socks in class today because I am wearing my sweet hiking boots, and Dean was rather taken aback. I feel I should stay barefoot for his sake.

Tomorrow night we have our first dance lessons with Geovanny and I am SO excited! We are going to learn to do all these different dances and it will just increase my hardcoreness all the more. I can't wait.

Then Friday after dinner Tia and Sarah #2 aka cheesecake are going to give a rugby workshop so that we will understand what the heck they are talking about when they go into rugby mode in conversation. Then maybe we will go out on the town. Who knows. I have a feeling things are about to get crazy, though.

Okay time for spanish class. Later.

peace love and crazy huevos.