Nos dieron una tarde libre...y por eso

Mama Sonia y la casa! It looks kind of bleak from the outside, doesn't it? But all of the houses in San Jose have the high gates and bars to ward off robbers. I'm living in a quiet neighborhood in Curridabat, a city about a 20 minute bus ride from San José. It's a 10-15 minute walk to ICADS.

We visited an organic coffee farm in the mountains of Aserri. It was really pretty and we had fabulous views from the bus. San Jose is located in the Central Valley of Costa Rica and these mountains are part of the Cordillera Central, Central Mountain Range.

Coffee here = Amazing. And cheap. This is a capuccino real con miel de abeja, a cappucino with honey at the bottom. Mmm.

Mama Sonia! Cooking ropa vieja, this delicious Cuban dish. Mmm.
A nearby colegio came to show us/teach us traditional Costa Rican dances. This poor adolescent boy had to dance with me...he looked terrified. I think I traumatized him.

We had a festival de frutas-- tried a bunch of new things. Honestly, not all delicious. I like starfruit and mamon chinos.
con Tia Julita y Mama Sonia.Volcano Poas! The cloud of sulfur smoke smelled bad, but worth it.

I'll put up more photos/actually write stuff if I ever get more than 15 minutes of internet time. I miss you all and I wish I could be more in touch!

Next week I'll be in Nicaragua with my class for the whole week. We're learning about the political histories of both Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

mas fotos del centro (San Jose)

teatro nacional-- very pretty on the inside. note that my purse is wrapped around to guard against pickpockets. you can't see it in this photo but i also carried an umbrella to beat any who tried.
mercado central. kind of dark...they sell lots of interesting animal parts here. saw huge cow tongues, shark bits, etc.
plaza de las culturas!

fotos

landing
my room
el jardinICADS building (much prettier on the inside)

where I have spanish class.

aaaah i have more photos but the building closes in about 5 minutes...

Endearments

My host mom calls me:
most often, "bebe," but also "bebe linda," "hija preciosa," "chiquitita linda," "reina de la casa," and "angelita."

I love this woman. She also showers me with hugs and kisses.

Before I sleep she makes the sign of the cross over me and says: "el padre el hijo y el espiritu santo." No joke. She did it this morning too, when I told her that our class is having a scavenger hunt to explore the city.