So, I found the list of different things here in Costa Rica that I made at work the other day. Here are some of them:

1 Most all students work full time too, like all the people I work with go to class at night.
2 Rat-tails and Euro-mullets are popular hairstyles.
3 Beyonce sings in Spanish here! The pople at work didnt know if she spoke spanish or not so I guess she is pretty good.
4 Most people wear jeans or khackis everywhere , no shorts. I am by far the most underdressed person at work with shorts and sandals on usually
5 All women greet other men and women with a kiss on the cheek, evertime. Strangely enough, I am used to this and do it without hesitation! lol
6 you can buy eggs in a plastic bag at the grocery store with no container at all !
7 It gets dark about 6 pm and light about 5 am
8 most people brush their teeth at work, after lunch.


I got back from Panama on wednesday and worked the rest of the week. Mike, Mason and I went to a quiet little town in called Boquete. It was a 10 hour bus ride from San Jose. The ride there was okay but the Panama Border was no fun. It was confusing and the bus just drops you off on one side and you get picked up on the other side with little to no direction of what to do in between or where to go.

In Boquete we just hung out and explored the town. Mike and Mason went on a coffee tour but it was more money then I wanted to spend so I just went to some art shops and this private, free, huge, garden and walked around for a while by myself. The town was really cheap, I bought breakfast one morning for 2.80 (they use US dollars in panama) and got eggs, ham, 1 pancake, and coffee! Boquete is apparently a very popular place for retirees to go and so there were a lot of big houses in the surrounding mountains. I think because of the perfect climate and cheap prices. I decided not to go to Panama City with Mike and Mason and just came back to Cartago instead. I didn't want to take the 20 hour bus ride from Panama City and San Jose, or go to a hot crowded city. I am spoiled by the perfect, cool, weather here in Cartago and Boquete and I really didn't want to go on a bus with no air conditioning for that long. The Panama Canal would have been cool to see but I was excited to get back to Cartago for a weekend with no plans or visitors, the first yet for me.

So I got back to Cartago and worked the rest of the week. I got in a nice routine of running in the morning before work, going to work and coming home for luch, then relaxing and reading in the evengings. Everyday for lunch and dinner we eat at the house some type of homemade, fresh dish. Beans and rice are a common favorite and I have not gotten tired of them at all. We have lots of fresh salads, vegitable plates, and juices or smoothies. Last night for dinner we had a really good chicken soup made by Ingrid. The food is one of the best parts of being here. I am trying to learn some of the recipies so I can make them back in Arkansas. I did get to use some of the skills I learning on thursday mornings making breakfast in Arkasas the other morning. I made omlets for everyone, 9 in total I think. They seemed to like it.

Yesterday Ingrid went to join a new gym at a local university here in cartago so I went and joined it too. It is pretty nice. Last night I borrowed her bike and used my headlamp to ride to the gym. it is 10 mins away by bike. I am learning my way around the city pretty well by now. It is still intimidating though because of the lack of streeet names or signs. You have to completely rely on remembering landmarks which are usually just little stores on corners. I just keep thinking that if I get completely lost, like when I go running in the mornings, I can just get a taxi back to the Jumbo and then walk to the house from there. the Jumbo is a big supermarket that most taxi drivers know.

At work, one entertaing part is listening to some of the guys try to say certain English words. The guy who works in front of me, Andres, is learning english and is pretty good. He is always turning around and asking me how to say something. Yesterday he was trying to figure out the different pronunciation of "were" and "were". It was so funny. All the people at work are so nice and friendly with me. I enojoy talking with them and walking to the pulpuria, the corner convience store, just about everyday on our breaks.