I have a plan for sharing some photos with everyone, finally. I created a Flickr account, and my professor is going to let me borrow his laptop to upload my pictures. They should stream to the blog at the top, I think. Stay tuned later today for (hopefully) some awesome pictures of Costa Rica!
Edit: All right people. Here's some pictures. They should be appearing at the top of this blog. You have no idea how convoluted it has been to get these to you, so I better see some ooooo's and ahhhhhh's in the comments section. I did my best to give them titles, but because the browser's in Spanish, and I don't read enough Spanish to change it to English, they are probably totally disorganized. So it goes.
Enjoy! ¡Pura Vida!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Friendly Ticos
When I told everyon that I was coming to Costa Rica, a lot of people told me, "Oh be careful of the crime, and pickpockets" and so on and so on. While that element is here, it's my belief that crime is actually lower here than most first world countries. Despite the barred windows and concertina wire, Ticos (Costa Rican's name for themselves) are very friendly, and very intolerant of crime. The deal with pickpockets and small theft like that is simply proximity to other people. Since we Americans go everywhere in our cars, the criminals have to move to other methods to rob us, viz a vi identity theft or whathave you. It would be just the same, and is, in big cities.
Ticos are typically very friendly and helpful. Case in point, on Monday some friends and I went out for dinner after class. We stopped and asked some guy in a store where a good restaurant was. Not only did he give us directions (there are no road signs or addresses in Costa Rica, and all directions are given by landmarks, let that sink in for a bit), but he later found us on his way home, because we were still hopelessly lost, and helped us get to our restaurant.
Then, at the restaurant, I caught this one woman in a big group of very drunk women watching our table. I raised my glass to her and said "Pura Vida", to which her whole table responded with a loud "PURA VIDA!" right back. This went on almost all night until, as we were leaving, they called us over and got some group photos with us. Good times, good times.
More later. Off to dance class (yeah, me dancing, that mental image should haunt you for a few days)
Ticos are typically very friendly and helpful. Case in point, on Monday some friends and I went out for dinner after class. We stopped and asked some guy in a store where a good restaurant was. Not only did he give us directions (there are no road signs or addresses in Costa Rica, and all directions are given by landmarks, let that sink in for a bit), but he later found us on his way home, because we were still hopelessly lost, and helped us get to our restaurant.
Then, at the restaurant, I caught this one woman in a big group of very drunk women watching our table. I raised my glass to her and said "Pura Vida", to which her whole table responded with a loud "PURA VIDA!" right back. This went on almost all night until, as we were leaving, they called us over and got some group photos with us. Good times, good times.
More later. Off to dance class (yeah, me dancing, that mental image should haunt you for a few days)
Driving in Costa Rica
I have to tell you guys about driving here in Costa Rica. If you think LA rush hour traffic is bad, you should come see Costa Rican's drive. I am no longer afraid to teach my girls to drive, because I have been completely desensitized to crazy driving. Lanes, speed limits, stop signs, street lights, when they exist are merely suggestions to a Costa Rican driver. If they need to pass you, they will, if it takes driving on the sidewalk, the other lane, passing stopped school buses that are letting out kids, whatever. Pedistrians do not have the right of way. In fact, the only right of way they have to to get out of the WAY RIGHT now.
So you'd think that with all the crazy driving, there must be massive death rates, accidents, and rampant road rage. Nope. They are crazy, but careful. They know the limits of their skill, which surpasses most NASCAR drivers, and the limits of their cars. I have yet to see an accident, an angry driver, or anything else. But it is the best e-ticket ride you will ever buy.
I rode in the front seat of a cab the other day, and held on for dear life. Brakes are for stopping RIGHT NOW, not gently coming to a stop. And buses, holy cow, buses. Imagine the same kind of driving attitude, but moving a several ton vehicle. Since they are so big, they have automatic right of way. I was almost ran over by one when my group crossed a street against the light. Es stupido Americano!
There's no maximum occupancy on the buses. The bus was so full coming back from a field trip that this one dude had to stand in the stairwell entrance. And this moring, a guy was sitting on the dashboard. Standing room only is the norm here.
More later, stay tuned!
So you'd think that with all the crazy driving, there must be massive death rates, accidents, and rampant road rage. Nope. They are crazy, but careful. They know the limits of their skill, which surpasses most NASCAR drivers, and the limits of their cars. I have yet to see an accident, an angry driver, or anything else. But it is the best e-ticket ride you will ever buy.
I rode in the front seat of a cab the other day, and held on for dear life. Brakes are for stopping RIGHT NOW, not gently coming to a stop. And buses, holy cow, buses. Imagine the same kind of driving attitude, but moving a several ton vehicle. Since they are so big, they have automatic right of way. I was almost ran over by one when my group crossed a street against the light. Es stupido Americano!
There's no maximum occupancy on the buses. The bus was so full coming back from a field trip that this one dude had to stand in the stairwell entrance. And this moring, a guy was sitting on the dashboard. Standing room only is the norm here.
More later, stay tuned!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Begin at the Beginning
Hola!
Where to start. This place is amazing. Today is my first day at Institute. No English. Only Spanish. Just buying time to write all you people was an experience. But on to some fun stuff.
My host mother is a sweetheart. She´s a retired schoolteacher,and keeps me well fed. She lives in a beautiful home,with a TV nicer than mine. Her home is in a kind of gated community, but she still has a barred gate in front of her house and concertina wire on the wall of her rear courtyard. The difference in wealth is drastic between her home and downtown Alajuela.
My first morning,I think I almost got arrested. I saw some children playing in a park down the street, so walked down there with my camera. As I walked, this guys was giving me the 'I'm watching you' eye. As soon as I got near the kids,their mom called them home, and then then gate guard rode by on his bike. That's when I decided it was a good time to head back. Oops!
It's quiet here at night, well except for last night. Some ugly Americans were partying across the street. "Beer! Vodka! Wiskey!" Seriously. But the night before, it was like camping in the woods. When there was no car driving by, it was silent. No ambient car noise or hum of lights. Just deep quiet.
I watched the Spanish version of American Idol last night, "Nace Una Estralla" or A Star is Born, I think. It was like Idol, minus the drama, which was refreshing. My host mother was on the edge of her seat the whole time. And the talent was amazing.
America is everywhere here, and at the same time not. The airport is surrounded by KFCs, Burger King, and McDonalds. The ads on TV are mostly for American goods. And the mall, Holy Cow the mall, that will have it's own post. But for now, suffice it to say that the International Mall looks like the Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, only PACKED! It's like the place to hang out. Lots of youth, either in packs or hanging all over their 'amores'. But at the same time, the people are still Costa Rican. They may wear Ambercrombie and Finch, but their easy attitude and laid back lifestyle is so counter to American 'consume, conform, concern' manners. It's interesting tojust sit back and people watch.
So, in my infinate ugly American ignorance, I didn't even think about getting pictures from my camera to the computers here. Don't they all come with SD card slots? No, señor. The space bar on this keyboard barely works, and I think the computer it's attached to was new when Bush was in office. The first one. So I'm going to have to find a way to get pictures off my camera and onto the Internet in some other way. I think a few other students have laptops, so maybe we can work something out. Cross your fingers. I already have some pretty neat photos. Sorry Sherri, nothing dead yet. But I do have some cool flowers and trees for Karen. Shiny!
Last night, my host mother and I were trying to figure out dinner, and the conversation completely broke down. We worked it out sort of, but after she left my room, I just started laughing. Like hysterical, can't stop kind of laughing. It was like a nervous break down of sorts with less tears and institutionalization. It's unreal how absoultely disconnected you feel when you can't really even discuss the show your watching on TV together. But at the same time it's very cool, just really, really overwhelming.
Off to lunch. More hopefully tomorrow. ¡Pura Vida!
Where to start. This place is amazing. Today is my first day at Institute. No English. Only Spanish. Just buying time to write all you people was an experience. But on to some fun stuff.
My host mother is a sweetheart. She´s a retired schoolteacher,and keeps me well fed. She lives in a beautiful home,with a TV nicer than mine. Her home is in a kind of gated community, but she still has a barred gate in front of her house and concertina wire on the wall of her rear courtyard. The difference in wealth is drastic between her home and downtown Alajuela.
My first morning,I think I almost got arrested. I saw some children playing in a park down the street, so walked down there with my camera. As I walked, this guys was giving me the 'I'm watching you' eye. As soon as I got near the kids,their mom called them home, and then then gate guard rode by on his bike. That's when I decided it was a good time to head back. Oops!
It's quiet here at night, well except for last night. Some ugly Americans were partying across the street. "Beer! Vodka! Wiskey!" Seriously. But the night before, it was like camping in the woods. When there was no car driving by, it was silent. No ambient car noise or hum of lights. Just deep quiet.
I watched the Spanish version of American Idol last night, "Nace Una Estralla" or A Star is Born, I think. It was like Idol, minus the drama, which was refreshing. My host mother was on the edge of her seat the whole time. And the talent was amazing.
America is everywhere here, and at the same time not. The airport is surrounded by KFCs, Burger King, and McDonalds. The ads on TV are mostly for American goods. And the mall, Holy Cow the mall, that will have it's own post. But for now, suffice it to say that the International Mall looks like the Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, only PACKED! It's like the place to hang out. Lots of youth, either in packs or hanging all over their 'amores'. But at the same time, the people are still Costa Rican. They may wear Ambercrombie and Finch, but their easy attitude and laid back lifestyle is so counter to American 'consume, conform, concern' manners. It's interesting tojust sit back and people watch.
So, in my infinate ugly American ignorance, I didn't even think about getting pictures from my camera to the computers here. Don't they all come with SD card slots? No, señor. The space bar on this keyboard barely works, and I think the computer it's attached to was new when Bush was in office. The first one. So I'm going to have to find a way to get pictures off my camera and onto the Internet in some other way. I think a few other students have laptops, so maybe we can work something out. Cross your fingers. I already have some pretty neat photos. Sorry Sherri, nothing dead yet. But I do have some cool flowers and trees for Karen. Shiny!
Last night, my host mother and I were trying to figure out dinner, and the conversation completely broke down. We worked it out sort of, but after she left my room, I just started laughing. Like hysterical, can't stop kind of laughing. It was like a nervous break down of sorts with less tears and institutionalization. It's unreal how absoultely disconnected you feel when you can't really even discuss the show your watching on TV together. But at the same time it's very cool, just really, really overwhelming.
Off to lunch. More hopefully tomorrow. ¡Pura Vida!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
I made it!
Well, I´m in Costa Rica! I was the first one off the plane, so I get points for that. As I write this, the spellchecker is saying that every word I write is spelled wrong because it´s English, not Spanish. Culture shock much? When we landed, the first thing we noticed was that everything was in Spanish first, English second. That was our first signal that we weren´t in Kansas anymore. No pictures right now, just a quick note back to the family to say that I´m alright and already missing them! More later!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
T-Minus 36 Hours, But Who's Counting
Monday, June 20, 2011
Okay, NOW I'm ready
No adventure is complete without an authentic adventure hat! Where would Sherlock be with out his deerstalker cap? Indiana Jones without his Stetson fedora? European Imperialists without their pith helmets?
I'm too sexy for my hat...
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Check out this wicked sick bag!
So this is the bag I'll be living out of for a month. Made by my awesome wife, of course.
+1 Internets to the first person that can tell me where she got the idea for the patch.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Welcome!
Hello friends and family! If you're here, that means you either received my email or someone conned you into following a link here. Surprise!
For those of you that don't know the details, I am a part of Rogue Community College's Study Abroad program here in Grants Pass, Oregon. Myself and 14 other students are headed to Costa Rica for a month. Two weeks of Spanish language immersion, and two weeks of field biology and ecology. For the first two weeks, we stay with a local Costa Rican family. For the last two weeks, we stay at three different research stations. The first is in Monteverde, a non-profit reserve in the cloud forest mountains in the northern part of the country. The next is Cabo Blanco, a private nature reserve on the western Nicoya Peninsula only open to students. Our last stop is the La Selva Biological Station, a research station in the rain forest near the eastern Caribbean Coast.
Time and Internet access allowing, I am planning on updating this blog with witty stories, beautiful pictures, and enlightening commentary on my travels in Costa Rica. So be sure to follow me to keep updated on all the awesome details that will be coming! I leave on June 25th!
Pura vida!
For those of you that don't know the details, I am a part of Rogue Community College's Study Abroad program here in Grants Pass, Oregon. Myself and 14 other students are headed to Costa Rica for a month. Two weeks of Spanish language immersion, and two weeks of field biology and ecology. For the first two weeks, we stay with a local Costa Rican family. For the last two weeks, we stay at three different research stations. The first is in Monteverde, a non-profit reserve in the cloud forest mountains in the northern part of the country. The next is Cabo Blanco, a private nature reserve on the western Nicoya Peninsula only open to students. Our last stop is the La Selva Biological Station, a research station in the rain forest near the eastern Caribbean Coast.
Time and Internet access allowing, I am planning on updating this blog with witty stories, beautiful pictures, and enlightening commentary on my travels in Costa Rica. So be sure to follow me to keep updated on all the awesome details that will be coming! I leave on June 25th!
Pura vida!
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