Almost there...

Mostly PDFing and backing up our work on the hard drive today. I kind of ran that for San Luis I suppose. The system is difficult because organizing a semester of work into folders so that other people can easily understand it is...yeah...

The sun has been fabulous this week...it only poured badly once this week and we've been able to eat our lunches outside all week :)

Did lots of scanning of early schemes for the project but the big scanner was acting up so more to do that probably won't get done while we're all fighting to get things done in between spanish class and the beach tomorrow at noon. Fernando's bro, Tuto hooked us up with a friend who's taking us to Samara and back for 25 bucks. go team. Felo my mom's younger bro tried to help us out but he could only go from $32 down to $27. No worries. Still screwed on camping. Ug. Need to figure it out. Jairo gave me another number to call but that one didn't work either. He said if that place didn't have space then we should just show up because there are plenty of places...It'll be an adventure, I suppose. There are only 5 tents worth of people and the rest are staying in hotels so it shouldn't be too tough...otherwise we'll be camping in Jairo's front yard. Hahaha.

After classes Keith Amber and I went to play soccer with Alejandro, Ronald, Omar and Diego at the Friends School field...bad idea. It's on a slant, has long grass and lots of holes. Tweaked my knee. Boo that.

Grabbed soda with the guys then headed home for dinner with the fam and Ali. Headed out to the jokes of my family about my being a street walker since I'm always going outto meet up with people etc. Helped Jandro and Ronald paint Jandro's store and scored some hot chocolate out of the work! Yeah!

Beach tomorrow...so close :)

Bye Bye Familia!

Fam left today.

Spent the day working on the report again until meetings with the new clients this afternoon.

The number for the campgrounds at Samara isn't working. Had to call Jairo so he can find out a new one for me by tomorrow for me to call. Amber checked with her host dad, Nacho, in order to see if it makes more sense to take the public bus part of the way or just take private transport the whole way. Hoping to do this for less than 30 dollars without food/going out expenses. Fingers crossed. I think we're going to take the public bus because Nacho's price was way too much even compared to what we paid last time.

Chilled with Lins and Alejandro watching a movie tonight...Jumper. Definitely interesting...and never fully explained but pretty good nonetheless.

Still exhausted and in beach mode. Can't wait to go back.

Report time

My Tico fam:
Me, Marlen
Mariana, Daisy, Raul

Worked all day on the report. For some reason it as actually really difficult to get things done. I think it's because we don't have an immediate deadline. hmmm.

Jess and Raulito

Marianita!

Met the fam at the house today for a big family plus tico-famiy gathering. It was a lot of fun. Days like this I really wish I could spend more time with my tico-fam. They are very entertaining! After stuffing ourselves with desserts we hit up Johnny's...again. Heyner was there today--what a great guy! I think he's going to let me go to his family's farm in a few weeks which will be awesome.

Me @ Johnny's

Chilled with Alejandro a bit after we walked Amber home.

I'm having a tough time planning our trip to Samara this weekend...so many things to figure out in the next day or two to get 13 people to the beach! Ahhh. Tranquilo...it's all good.

Back in action...or not

Puppies on the loose on the walk with Dad to school!

Woke up after terrible sleep at the hotel and walked with Dad to the gas station. Ate breakfast with Daisy and got ready quickly then met back up to walk to school with Dad. As expected we had a round-table discussion of our vacations. I still think we probably did the most of anyone. The song "No Games" was in our heads all day...I really need to get that from Dan.

Wasn't too happy with tico-time today. Def are not prepared to start our next projects yet. The profs are meeting sometime this week and then we won't start until after that. Mom, Dad, Jess, and Alice went to the Butterfly Garden and the bridge walks through the canopy today. I am so jealous because had we known we wouldn't do anything until a brief presentation at 4, which was supposed to start at 3, I would have gone with them and seen more of Monteverde that we don't get to see since we're in class all day during the weeks. Oh well.

Went to meet up with Adolfo arounf 1:15...he was working already and Gabriel couldn't find him.

Amber and I walked down to the bank, and Ronald and Jandro gave us a ride part of the way. They can't give her money without her ATM card...bummer. Grabbed her camera from home then headed back to school. Saw Adolfo's bro and promised I would be at soccer around 5...they weren't there. It rained this afternoon so that was a bummer. Amber and I just ended up walkin to the cabin to see the fam.

From there we walked Amber home and hit up Tree House for dinner. Mmmmm Hamburguesaaaa! haha. The arroz con pollo was awesome too! On the way up to Johnny's we stopped at Amber's and Linsey's to see if they wanted to join. I made Alice ask Alejandro, in Spanish, if he wanted to come, too. Nothing like having non-english speakers around to force everyone to practice. Eric, Randall, and Luis were all working so that was cool. Still no Jainer (sp?).

Confronted Jandro about Ronald's interest in Amber...he seemed really upset about it so after we made our points we dropped it. The girls went home and I went to chill with Jandro and chat for a while. I finally found out that the name of the restaurant at the corner of the beach entrance to Samara is Barracudas...good to know!

I'm still exhausted from vacation. Tomorrow I'm going to start planning out our weekend trip to Samara (I just typed Canada, on accident...go figure-HI CAIT!). It looks like the field trip Anibal was planning wont be happening til next weekend which means that this will be our last opportunity since the weekend after the field trip will be the weekend before our final projects are due. Time is beginning to fly...yikes.

Back to the mountain

Got up around 8:30...Amber and I had a 2 hour breakfast from our first coffee to fruit platters to mini buffet when the fam and boys finally made it to the table.

Got our last truly hot shower for at least a good week or so, packed, and said goodbye to Katherine. We'll be sure to call her when we head to Samara in a few weeks.

From there it was a long, cramped, trip back up the mountains. We made a business plan for a hotel in Samara: 4 hermanitas y un boy that speaks spanglish. It was pretty cloudy, which may even be better in some respects for pictures and the experience.

Dropped Amber off and I stayed home while the fam went to check in to Heliconia. I got all of my stuff put away, ate the lunch that Daisy left for me, and headed down to meet them at their cabin. We went to Johnny's for a brick oven pizza :) love.

From there, we took a walk towards Sta. Elena, stopping at Alejandro's shop to say hello. Walked around the town to familiarize everyone with the little triangle and the bakery, supercompro and liquor store...which is really a cheaper supermarket that also has alcohol. The fam got a closer look at "the hill" and the "not-so-handicapped-accessible" ramp (+2 steps)!


Everyone was tired.

So we stopped at Di'Kary for crepes and agua. Stuffed to the brim, it was back up the mountain where we are passing out from exhaustion.

Sports day at the beach!

Got a late start today after a lazy breakfast. We headed to Samara again to use internet before heading to the beach to check out the surf competition. I was dead tired and having a hard time keeping my eyes open. We got homemade sangria, went swimming, and attempted to play frisbee. It was pretty windy and it wasn't working too well so I just went back to chill on the towel for a bit. When Amber, Keith, and Dan got back I met up with Jairo and they headed out in search of Imperial towels. I chilled with Jairo before walking back up the beach to Tabanuco where Choco told me my fam had arrived for lunch and the other three came in through the beach access...nice timing :)

Even better timing was the kid with donuts which had holes in the middle but had dulce de leche filling in the dough...awesome. Heart attack waiting to happen. Some guys were playing Vball so Amber and Keith challenged them while Dan and I chilled on a log and talked.


Dan headed to use nature's toilet...

and then it was time for about an hour or 2 of soccer on the beach...which I'm sure I will pay for later but it was totally worth it! Some of the same guys as yesterday were there. One guy on my team, Kevin, was really nice and introduced himself and kept trying to help me out which was cool.

Back to the hotel for dinner...which consisted of an AWESOME plate of nachos and chicken fingers with fries and Frank's Hot Sauce, courtesy of Alice! On the way back to Tabanuco for a night of fun, Amber spotted a Potoo, which basically is a bird that flies really awkwardly like a bat...

We nearly forgot that while we are here in the 'Rica, many people are back home celebrating our independence day...in honor of that...4s for July 4.

The girls were a riot as they contemplated talking to the cute bartender who'd invited them to come to dance earlier in the day. Finally they got (a small amount of) guts and got his name, Hector, from Jairo. She's excited...cuz he came out to dance with her.

Amber and Keith returned after heading to Olas to play more fussball with Dan.

And FINALLY Jairo was free to leave the bar for the night to dance!

Cristian played No Games, by Serani, which has become mine and Amber's theme song for the vacation :)

When we got back to the hotel around 4:15 am the gate was locked and the guard was nowhere in sight. We sat around talking and no one woke up. Amber walked along the side to see if there was a way to hop the back fence, and Keith was genius enough to look up from where we were sitting on the porch waiting and to realize that we could climb the fence...and so we did. On the other side, Max the not-so-guard-dog was waiting for us wagging his stubby little tail, and in the room Amber, Keith and I killed my dinner leftovers of fries, salad and chicken...with Frank's of course. Keith also had tuna which we ate because we were still hungry and besides, when else was he going to eat it?? haha.

Dead tired now. I'm hoping to get up early to go to the beach before we leave tomorrow. We'll see how well that works out!

Surf Sun and Reggae

Started the day off around 10 o clock. We were a bit late for breakfast but they didn't seem to mind too much and kept the buffet open. I think there may only be one couple staying here.

That's Max, guarding the door...or not.



We met up with Jairo at 11ish at the beach to get Jess, Alice, and the boys set up for surf lessons. Amber and I were still a bit nervous about ging alone so Jairo came out with us and helped. I did it alone a few times-go me! The two of us moved up a level with our boards...they weren't foam anymore and they were shorter, so it was harder to balance but still fun. I ended up getting a burn on my elbow from the board, but it was all good because I was getting tired anyhow. After surfing at Choco's we grabbed some drinks from the supermarket and some food at the corner restaurant. We swam for a bit before it started to rain at which point we chilled under the surf tent and then played cards and ordered drinks from Adolfo at Tabanuco.

Mom and Dad came back to get us earlier than we expected, so we played soccer for a bit after the rain stopped and then headed to the hotel to get ready for tonight. When we got there the hotel had little kids doing traditional dance. They were so pretty! From there we hit up Tabanuco for the CR vs El Salvador soccer game in the Gold Cup.
Amber, Jess, Keith, Dan, Mom, Alice, Me, & Dad @ Tabanuco:

Of course there was more fussball to be played at Olas.

Keith Amber and Rob

Tabanuco...Reggae Night

Amber, Dan, and Me @ Tabanuco...and those are not all ours

Kiefer being a dork...

Amber, sporting Dan's eagle!

Keith with the eagle...not quite as fashionably...

I think the guard hates us for coming home at 4 am... :-o