Pura Vida in Costa Rica

If I were to explain culture shock, I would define it as simply as overwhelming sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and all sorts of feelings. For example, this computer I am using in an internet cafe is extremely different, I dont know how to use most of the punctuation on this keyboard, not even an exclamation point. Also, Spanish words are constantly floating around in my head and in my ears and trying to escape from my mouth. I never realized how much I took for granted communicating whenever I wanted or needed to... but culture shock isnt necessarily a bad thing, just very different. I really cant complain tho... Costa Rica is absolutely amazing. Everywhere I look no matter where I am outside here, there are mountains and exotic plants and markets full of fresh fruits and vegetables.
So far I have traveled around the little town I live in, Tres Rios, with a friend, Jenny who leaves next Monday. I have taken so many buses to a couple other cities, like San Jose, San Pedro, and Cartago to see other markets, shops, and people. Last week I went to Pueblito with my aunt Kathy. It consists of 18 houses all put together like a little community for children without parents, or parents who can afford to take care of them. We played soccer and basketball, jump roped, played cards and they taught me some dance moves... really they just need affection and friendship. They dont have a lot, but they have the biggest hearts. I will be going back there quite frequently I hope. When I left, a lot of them gave me little presents, like one of their stuffed animals or a bracelet they made, but my favorite things are their hugs.. and when they call me allison, because its easier to pronounce than allie... but when they say my name it sounds like allie-sown.. haha i love it.
Over the weekend, Jenny and I took an adventure to Montezuma, which is on the peninusla. We took a few buses and a ferry, eight hours later we arrived and decided to stay in a hotel right on the beach of this small town. I cant really think of anyone else i know, besides maybe my brothers, who would want to stay in that hotel, but it was awesome, no matter how small and kinda dirty. So there we were, hanging out in the hut outside and attached to our hotel on the beach, drinking a costa rican beer Imperial, listening to Bob Marley music while a guy in a hammock played the bongos. It was raining, one of the things I love about it here is that it is usually sunny in the mornings and rains later on in the day or night. It was so relaxing being there. Jenny and I made a lot of friends there and ended up playing cards the whole night and walked on the beach. The next day we went to this girls really nice hotel where we went swimming in the pool where only a few yards away were mango trees with monkeys swinging from them and throwing the mangos down to the ground... it basically made my day, possibly trip in CR to see those monkeys!! (hey i figured out the exclamation points!)
The ride home was much better because we got to take a jet boat with some of the girls we made friends with there... don{t worry, I took a short video of it if anyone wants to see it!
Okay, on request, I will tell you about my host mom and her house. Her name is Flor, shes my tica mother.

• Tranquila is her way of life, which means relax and go with the flow.
• She loves to dance and has taught me the salsa and the merengue! Shes a riot.
• Her food is very healthy and sooo good, it reminds me of being home. All her foods are made from fresh fruits and vegetables.. I highly recommend making a watermelon batido, or smoothie. Also, she loves coffee just as much as my mom and me.
• She has herbal remedies.. did you know that old coffee grounds and eggshells blended with water is nutritious for plants? haha, yep. Also, she took care of my irritated eyes by making tea nice and hot, then chilling it and dropping it into my eyes.. then I had to rest, and felt all better when I woke up.
• Finally, she is always giving advice and words of wisdom, along with interesting lessons during dinner with lit candles for a romantica atmosphere!

Her house, like most houses here, has a garage with a barred door where you enter. Right when you walk in, there is a seating area and to the left is her 30 year old sons room. In this room there are her some of her babies.. aka, plants. In her kitchen, there are things you would find in any other kitchen, but her best cooking appliance is oddly enough, her blender. There is a little back patio where she hangs clothes to dry and where there is a hammock to take naps in and also, more flowers. My room is actually very nice, with a big bed, and my window overlooks the patio, but when Jenny leaves, Ill have her room, and with that is my own bathroom. There are 2 other bedrooms, Flors and her nieces, and then a living room and one other bathroom. I guess Ill have to put up pictures at some point because its hard to describe it all.

Anyway, next week I will begin student teaching.. this week I am helping out at a different foster home where there are 37, yes 37, children.. its muy locisimo, or crazy, if youre muy rusty in spanish like my dad, haha. Hasta luego, Until Later!