My first days in Costa Rica

Hi everyone!

Okay, so first of all, let me apologize for any typos that occur in this post because 1) I have difficulties typing under normal conditions 2) this computer has Spanish spellcheck so nearly every word has distracting red squiggly lines beneath it and 3) this keyboard is weird (for example, this is a key: ç).

I survived my first two days in Costa Rica! My family is so nice and I have my own bathroom and bedroom complete with cable TV. I like it a lot, but it´s just a little different than home. I have a big window in my room and I can see the mountains, which have proven to be a bit prettier than the hill I can normally see across the street at Prairie School. I also get woken up at about 6 every morning by a very noisy bird, which although he sounds like he is in the room with me, I have yet been able to locate (I picture him to look somewhat like Toucan Sam). And last night, when, to my delight, Big Momma´s House was on TV, it had Spanish voiceovers!

Of course, there are some other differences, like the fact that everyone here speaks Spanish, that are a little more difficult to adapt to. I always thought I understood Spanish well in the classroom, but it has proven to be much more difficult to use in conversation. I am constantly messing up my conjugations and forgetting words, but, honestly, it´s hard to be upset about it when people are constantly giving me food. I don´t think I have ever eaten so much in my life. Just now I finished some type of chicken lasagna and I´m about to have chalupas (which, believe it or not, are way better than the ones at Taco Bell).

I had my first day of class today and I also made it to the bank to exchange my money. I feel pretty safe here, but my host mom told me that everyone notices that I am a gringa (because I am so tall and so very white) so Costa Ricans think it will be easier to steal from me. That´s why I tucked my money in my sock today and showed up to the bank with some very moist dollars.

I think that on Friday my little sister, Valeria, is going to be on TV. Of course, I could have understood this very incorrectly, but I think she is going to be on some kind of televised talent show where the people who watch vote on who they want to stay on the show. I met her dance crew on Sunday, and they all seemed very nice and they shared some marshmellows with me (they obviously know how to get my vote).

I´m also excited for this weekend because we are going on a field trip where we get to go zip lining and horseback riding. It should be a lot of fun and, if I don´t get to update the blog before then, I will definitely try to do it afterwards.

I hope you all are doing well in the United States! I miss you all a lot! And, mom, please don´t worry about me; I´m still wearing the SPF 55!