I think I am at the point where I am too tired and ready to go back home...or almost. I think I feel ready partly because I am tired and partly because they changed our Spanish teachers on us, very sad to no longer have Marinela for a teacher. I wanted to update on things I have learned of the culture and done in the last week.
As recently posted we went to Musade last week, I took a trip to Sarchi for shopping with some girls, and we left for Arenal on Friday. Sarchi is famous for their oxcarts, which are hand painted and very colorful. We took the bus to Sarchi and just barely made it in time to get three seats on the bus. I ended up sitting next to some guy with a guy standing next to me and bumping into me on every turn while I tried to eat my whopper (yes I bought a fast food burger in Costa Rica, sometimes you miss food from the states). We got off at the beginning of Sarchi and looked at a bunch of stores than talked to a woman about whether there were more stores in the center of town. Really, a classmate that is pretty much fluent talked to her. So instead of attempting to walk on the side of the crazy windy road with no sidewalks we waited for the bus again. We got off in the center near the church and had to venture around looking for this big souvenir shop but eventually found it, spent money and had to wait for the bus again to go back to the first cheaper stores....it was a fun trip and we made it home before dark.
We also had a little fiesta for students that were heading back to the states on Thursday. Which was very fun, as we got out for the evening, except it was a very busy day with no time for homework except if you can do it on a bus while winding around turns and up and down hills. Makes me car sick thinking about it. This fiesta was very fun but we had to say goodbye to quite a few of the Portland State students. Many of the other students continued to party afterwards for a fellow student's twenty-first, not me, I was way too tired. Oh and of course since we were too busy we decided not to do our homework, which worked out since we never had time to go over it in class and switched teachers this week.
Friday, after class, we took our trip to the Arenal Volcan. We had an amazing hotel with a fabulous view and great pools right near our rooms. This volcano was considered dormant until 1968 when it erupted. They say it was considered dormant because it was so quiet. Turns out it being quiet meant pressure was building up but once a scientist realized this no one would believe it would erupt. Now it has little eruptions all the time which allow it to release pressure. We hiked through the national park on Saturday morning exploring the animals, plants, rocks and the view. Unfortunately, I never got any night time eruptions on my camera as I wasn't constantly carrying it but was able to catch a daytime one and see part of a night time eruption. It was a great weekend which included many hours in the hot spring pools each day. They even had some cocodrilos, mariposas, ranas, and hormigas at the hotel. I viewed the hormigas from a far as they traveled through their house with their leaves, it was cute.
The weekend finished with going to see Toy Story 3 in 3D with my host family last night. I of course was dressed very casual because I was sunburned (from 10 minutes by the pool without sunblock) and I was very tired. We got to the mall, where the movie theater is, and shortly after I felt very out of place, not just as the gringa in the mall. It is apparently the place to be with your family or boyfriend on Sunday night. Everyone was there for dinner and a movie and dressed up. The girls all had their heels on and shirts similar to what we would wear to the bar or club in the states. I felt incredibly out of place and too tired to speak Spanish. I even had trouble saying I was going to get popcorn and a drink and paying for it myself. I know how to say that really...Oh and they have caramel topping for their popcorn at the theater. I didn't try it but smelled very good. I also had Taco Bell while at the mall and it came with fries...plus the guy taking my order kept speaking English to me cause he didn't think I understood.
This week I started class with a new teacher, and I am still unhappy with changing as I don't think it will be as enjoyable. I am thinking we are going to be forced to really work on our grammar this week...but trying to keep an open mind. Still missing the teacher with all the social work knowledge to chat with who is our age and shares interests, as I hear her class laughing down the hall. Sad that we got used to her and got to know her this week and now we are with a new teacher. Switching is supposedly so we don't get used to the same voice in Spanish but we have a Tico family too.
Oh another tid bit I realized today. The tv news here seems so much more informative than in the states. It is very interesting to see the difference. I like that it seems like you get more of the whole story here, however, I don't like the somewhat limited confidentiality and video shown. For instance, they show people being arrested but have them cover their face with a shirt or blanket or something but they also show injured or sick people going to the hospital as well as those who died in car accidents. They do not show the face and entire body but just cover the person where they are in a sheet...so you can't see their face but can see that they are dead and possibly some blood. Wasn't really what I wanted to see while eating breakfast. On that topic, Costa Rica is definitely similar to the states when it comes to social problems. Last week a high school student (I think) shot his school principal, which has been all over the news. I am unsure why but sure it was similar to teens in the states. I will try to update with photos and more information before the end of the week.
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