Life Day to Day in Puntarenas

Day to day life here is very different, but I feel like I still haven't really processed it yet. But a lot of people have asked about what life is like for Costa Ricans in general, so here's what happens in my house!:

Things I have noticed about my host mom, Lidieth: Firstly, Costa Ricans wake up early. Very, very early. (I woke up at 10:30 the other day and they were shocked at how late I slept in- typical waking time for me here is between 7 and 8:30am). Lidieth wakes up at 5 every morning and goes running for an hour along the beach with her friends. She claims that because of this, she never gets sick. It probably also has something to do with the fact that she eats very healthily and rarely snacks. The few times that does have a glass of wine before bed, she either hides it from us or offers us a glass. During the day, she is very busy with small errands and with her housework, which consists of making clothing for women. She says that she doesn't like to make clothes for men, but she has a plethora of female clothing laying around the sewing room at all times. Since I've been here, I've seen her work on and complete at least three or four wedding dresses. She is widowed, but she says that she enjoys the freedom and does not wish to re-marry. When she isn't cleaning the house or working, she is running errands or visiting friends and family around town. People here are very open to guests in their house. They are very welcoming and friendly. Even outside of the house, they are very welcoming. When I wanted to help teach an English class at the local college, Lidieth just called Tita and asked her if I could go. Lidieth seems to know everyone in town- she has endless connections. She knows where to get us cakes, bathing suits, and hobbies. She is extremely laid back and understanding, and she has a heart of gold. She reminds me a lot of my mom at home- always working on something, and very, very caring for everyone in her life.

Carolina, 26, is my host sister. She is awesome! I think she's a good representative of the typical Costa Rican 26-year-old female who does not choose to get marry and have children too early in life. She works very long hours at a bank Monday through Friday, and every other Saturday, too. She has a group of male friends that she hangs out with regularly, and they stay in and make mojitos, or go out and get drinks at the local bars. Sometimes we'll see her at "Happy Days", the local dance club typically inundated by the gringos, but I've yet to see her dance. She's adorable and her friend Carlos is desperately in love with her. She has a very sarcastic sense of humor, and she's a lot of fun to joke around with. Apparently my roommate Jennifer was telling her about "your face" jokes that we use in the states, and she thought it was hilarious. Carolina used to live in San Jose, but she has returned to Puntarenas, and for now I think that she is saving up to get a house when she is ready to.

The perception that people have of the US is pretty funny. Sometimes it has accurate pieces, but other times, not so much. I haveot go to class but I'll write about it later.

Around the house, things are pretty different. First of all, we don't have internet, although some families do. There is no air conditioning, despite the over-100-degree weather every day, but it honestly doesn't feel bad. We just use fans and everything is fine. We have an oven, but I have never seen anyone use it- it's been stuffed with plastic bags and extra things for the house since I've moved in. Lidieth and Carolina use a crock pot, a blender, a tiny hand-held grill, and the stove top to make all of their delicious meals. As Kristin mentioned, the houses are very open. We usually eat with many ants running around the table, but it's not bothersome. Sometimes a mouse will run through the kitchen, but that hasn't been a problem lately. I've seen a bat fly through the living room very late at night once, and I've also recently chased a gecko out of my room. It's wild! These things are totally normal to the locals, but I have heard Lidieth shriek in terror of the mouse once.

The street life is different, too. I live in the centro area, far away from the school, but everything is close enough for a 10 minutes or less bike ride. Kristin mentioned the cat-calling that happens, and it is really excessive, but they warned us about it before we came, so I've tried to just accept it as part of the culture and find ways to laugh about it. Sometimes we flash them our creepy smiles, and it just feels rewarding, haha! I asked Lidieth about the cat-calling, and she, a 50-something year old woman, has the same problems that we do. The Tico males don't discriminate- they do this to everyone! She said that when they say "Hola" or "Adios, bonita", or "Ay, hermosa!" she'll take it gracefully as a complement and say "Gracias!", but when it's a whistle, a bird call, a hissing sound, or anything like that, it's considered to be very, very rude, and she doesn't say anything back to them. It's frustrating to her at times, but other times, it's just a compliment- it's just the way of life.

This week begins the highly anticipated 'Carnival'; a raging outdoor fiesta that will begin this Thursday and last for 2 weeks. We've heard crazy, crazy tales. People come from all over the country. They party all day, all night, and eventually end up sleeping on the beach. Apparently the weekends are the craziest part, and there are many cultural events, as well as music, food, and other general things that you find at fiestas. I am very interested to see how it all works. Kristin's family seems to severely fear Carnival, but my host family is just kind of like, "Oh yeah, it's a little crazy, there's a lot to do!". Maybe the difference comes from me living in the slightly more "dangerous" part of town, and Kristin's family living in the safer end. Who knows!

This weekend we went to Poas Volcano. It was incredible! We have pictures on Facebook. We were above the clouds, and the bus ride of was on the edge of the curviest, steepest hill I've ever seen, but it was so beautiful. I'll try to put some pictures up on here, and maybe even a video!

Speaking of videos, Danger and I wrote a fantastic song the other day, and us plus Kristin made a music video last night. It's a fine work of art. We'll be sure to keep you posted about it. We call it, "La Casa de los Caballos", not to be confused with Cebollos or Cabellos... which I sometimes do.