Traffic

My first day in Costa Rica and the Calle Principal (main road) to my house is closed. This meant that we would be stuck in a traffic jam for over an hour. Considering I didn't really have a better place to be, I didn't mind the traffic.

People drive a lot differently here than they do in Minnesota. There's a lot more honking (which, for me, means that it has significantly less meaning than it does in Minnesota) and a lot more weaving in and out of lanes. Everybody drives really close together and motorcycles are constantly zipping in between the lanes. There are also people who stand in the middle of the road selling snacks. I wouldn't mind having that on 394 in Minneapolis during rush hour.

Two things I learned: 1) Pedestrians do NOT have the right of way; 2) I would not want to learn how to drive a stick-shift in San Jose

Taxis

Day #1

It has been a long day - getting up at 4:45 am to catch a 7:00 flight to Charlotte, NC and then another plane to San Jose, Costa Rica. Luckily, I was not as nervous on the plane as I expected to be. Carly was with me on both flights and we met Emily F in Charlotte. After going through customs and getting my luggage from the baggage claim, I met my host mom Marta. She was waiting for me with a sign with my name on it, although I recognized her right away since we are already Facebook friends. Marta drove to the airport with Flor (Emily F's host mom) so the two moms and the two of us Americans drove home together. Unfortunately the main road back to my house was closed so there was a lot of traffic. Two hours later, we got to my new house (a ride that was only supposed to be 40 min). I got a tour of the house, unpacked, and learned some of the house norms (how to use shower, where to find glasses for water, etc.) Then, my first dinner and my first cold shower in Costa Rica (which I know how to use correctly now, I think). Time for relaxing. Now off to bed. I can't remember the last time I went to bed at 8:30.

First Costa Rican food: cashews sold from a man walking up and down the street
First Costa Rican meal: peach refresco (koo-laid like juice) and spaghetti noodles with ham, corn, parmesan cheese
Accomplishments of the day: 1) Getting through the day. I thought it would be really hard. It was awkward and nerve-wracking at times, but it wasn't that bad; 2) Killing a Daddy-Long-Legs on my bedroom wall. I can do this.

Palabras nuevas:
cashews - semillas de marañón
to try - intentar
sink knobs/tubes - tubos
peaches - duraznos
sheets - sábanas
mass (church) - misa

Two Week Notice

I have less than 2 weeks until I leave for Costa Rica. I have a lot of things to do before I leave . . . most of them being activities I want to do or food I want to eat for the last time before I go. At this point, I have bought almost everything I need for the 4-month adventure.

There are a few things that I have done in the past week that have helped me get ready and in the future, I think I will be glad to have done them:

1. I talked with somebody I know from Lawrence University that went on the trip last year. She was able to give me tips about what to expect in Costa Rica and about the packing list. (Thanks Sarah!)
2. Since I am the only student from Lawrence going on this trip, I decided to meet up with a girl who will be going on the program with me. She attends St. Olaf college but she lives near me in Minnesota. Carly and I were able to talk about things we were going to bring, our feelings at this point, and really just get to know each other. It is a relief to know that I will know somebody when I get to Costa Rica.
3. I decided to get a plane ticket next to Carly. I figure I won't have to sit nervously on the plane for several hours alone. We will be able to chat and discuss our hopes and fears about what the next few months will bring.
4. I am reading Harry Potter in Spanish so that I can keep up with the language during the summer. Although there are some words I don't know, I am pleasantly surprised how much I am able to understand. And I have learned a lot of new words too. If I ever need to know how to say "wand" in a sentence, I can do it now: varita.
 

First Blog Post

Starting in mid-August I will be studying abroad for 16 weeks in San José, Costa Rica. I will be a student participating in the ACM (Associated Colleges of the Midwest) Fall 2012 program.