Haven’t tumbled in awhile, I find myself busy with enormous amounts of homework and weekend trips. Apologies. It’s difficult to believe that tomorrow is already Thanksgiving, that means I only have 24 more days left.

Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Costa Rica, but my tika family, and others from the international program, are still respectful of the holiday. Tomorrow, I’ll be going out to eat at a local artsy cafe, then dancing at a salsa club.

Regardless of all the fun, this holiday is making me homesick. Really really homesick, I love thanksgiving, it’s my favorite holiday.

I want to eat turkey, with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and graving all mixed together. I want to eat pumpkin pie, with apple pie, and whip cream. I want to be there to hear about Alisa’s biking stories, to see aunt Bonita’s beautiful smile, or give Christina a big bear hug. I want to tease my sister about boys, to feel my cousin Heather’s baby bump, or to wrap my arm around my mother’s shoulders.

There are many things to be thankful for this season and I hope that everyone, has a wonderful holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Traveling to Costa Rica I knew I was going to be here during the rainy season, but I didn’t know it was going to be THE RAINY SEASON. It rains here every single day, in the afternoons or evenings between 3 and 7pm. October is the wettest month of the season with at least one week of non stop rain 24 hours a day. I have never seen rain like this, it can be described as torrential downpour with cats and dogs falling from the sky. Unpaved roads along the mountains collapse, highways are blocked, and I almost get swept away in the street walking from school. The locals say that November promises sunshine and December is the best. I’m ready to put away my umbrella.

Nicaragua! Going to Nicaragua this weekend was one of the most culturally eye opening experiences I’ve ever had. It is not like the United States in any way. Although environmentally beautiful it is a 3rd world country, with dirt streets, shacks, and kids who don’t have shoes. It’s like one of those places you read about in National Geographic but never get the chance to experience. I spent my time exploring the community of Granada and weaving my way throughout the artisan markets.

“Pura Vida”, I hear pura vida here everywhere. Local Costa Rican’s use it as a greeting, a goodbye, to describe how they feel, to describe the day, and even as a blessing to others. It means “pure life.” I see it on souvenirs and tattooed on people’s bodies. I think it describes the Costa Rican culture really well. Pure life. Costa Ricans are pure, they’re chill, all about honesty and living life to the fullest. They have a different sense of beauty here than people in the states. I don’t see women wearing lots of makeup, or fancy hummers down the street. Rather, I see kids kissing their grandparents goodbye in the mornings and a man making fresh orange juice outside my class room. A local tico described Pura Vida to me, as “whatever you make it”.

Sloth

Caribbean

WOOOW! I had a crazy time this past weekend. My study abroad group took trip to Puerto Viejo which is a small town, about three blocks wide and ten blocks long, built on sand right next to the Caribbean. Imagine Bob Marley on a ship from Pirates of the Caribbean. It had the ocean/pirate Caribbean-isk from pirates but also a laid back reggae feel. Imagine sandy dirt streets lined with small tents selling jewelery, open bars with wonderful pina coladas, streets venders selling spicy chicken kabobs, and bongo drum performers.

We spent our time watching the Brazil vs. Costa Rica soccer game, snorkeling among coral (I saw fish like in finding nemo! and sharks!) and laying out on the beach. It was amazing….