The end of classes and Canopy Tour

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[youtube=GHuYnOSAmms]

Once again there will be an English version after the Spanish! Don't fret.

Tengo mucho escribir. Hoy, el domingo, fue un día ocupada. Salí de Monteverde a las ocho de la mañana y encontré la familia que voy a vivir con por las próximas dos semanas. Y no pude dormir anoche porqué tuve miedo que voy a perder mi paseo de Monteverde a San José. Pero antes de hablo sobre hoy, necesito escribir sobre miércoles, jueves, viernes y sábado, 4 días en Monteverde.

Miércoles:

No recuerdo mucho de miércoles. Tuve clases y después de clase, pudimos cocinar almuerzo con la cocinera de la escuela. No recuerdo que se llama el plato pero fue delicioso y tuvo arroz, carne (estofado), ensalada, y plátanos fritos. Creo que después de este, regresé a casa e hice nada excepto mi tarea y leer mi novela. Era mucha lluvia y no me quería salir.

Jueves:

Más o menos igual por la mañana y después de clases regresé a casa para cambiar ropa y obtener dinero. Primero fui a la pizzería De Kathy para comer (comí una pizza con queso y piña, mi favorita) y luego fui al centro de Santa Elena y compré un paragua y suvenires. A las siete hubo una clase de baile para estudiantes a la escuela. Asistí a la clase y aprendí un poco de salsa. Salsa es un baile muy fácil, y en una hora puedo aprender mucho. Era solo tres personas más el instructor. Me gusta mucho la salsa. Creo que cuando regreso a Seattle, voy a tomar más clases. ¿Quién quiere unirme?

Viernes:

La día más aburrida de la semana. No hice nada. Terminé mi libro, lavé mi ropa, y cociné pasta con pollo. Me acosté a las diez, muy temprano para viernes, ¿no?

Sábado:

¡Hice mucho en sábado! Me desperté a las seis y comí mucho comida como huevos, pan tostada, fruta y jugo de naranja. Un bueno desayuno, ¿no? Después de este, salí para un tour de canopy. El tour fue más divertido que todo lo que he hecho en Costa Rica, y quizás en mi vida. Tenía mucho miedo pero me gustó nunca menos. Hubo doce líneas y 3 fueron más de 500 metros (más que 1500 pies, o 5 campos de fútbol americano). Me ensucié pero no me importó. Cuando regresé a casa me duché y luego fui para comer por la última vez en Monteverde/Santa Elena. Fui a la pizzería de Johnny y fue fabulosa. Ordené una pizza con pollo, pesto, brócoli, y pepes. Voy a tomar mi familia allí cuando visitamos en noviembre. Después de comer, visité el centro por la última vez. No era mucho para ver porque fue mi tercer viaje allí, pero necesitó caminar un poco después de comer. Regresé a mi apartamento para mirar el partido de los Sounders y luego empezaba empacar mis cosas. Traté irse a cama a las diez pero no pude. En realidad, no pude dormir para nada.

Domingo:

Está mañana me levanté cera seis y quince para cocinar desayuno. Luego terminé empacando mis cosas y a las ocho salí a San José. Llegué al aeropuerto en San José a las diez y media. Mi papel dijo que va a tomar cinco horas para viajar de Monteverde para San José pero en realidad fue solo dos punto cinco horas. Por consiguiente, tenía esperar por más de un hora para mi familia de acogida. Ellos son muy amigables y puedo conversar con ellos más o menos bien. Una vez más, ¡ellos me dijeron que hablo español bien! Tengo mi propio cuarto con una cama, armario, y escritorio. Ellos están construyendo otro cuarto porque quieren tener dos estudiantes a la vez. Comí comida típica para la cena, frijoles, carne asada, verduras, sopa de frijoles y arroz. Miremos las noticias juntos y pude entender 50% de que se hablaron. Fue una incidente horrible a un partido de fútbol dónde un aficionado fue golpeado por los otros aficionados. Era locamente y de miedo. Ahora estoy tomando mi examen de mi nueva escuela y luego voy a irme a cama. Tengo que acostarme a las seis. Buenas noches amigos.


That didn't take me as long as last time! I must be getting better. It was strange, today while driving from Monteverde to San Jose I was thinking in Spanish a lot. They say you are fluent when you dream and think in another language! Anyways, I'll recap the last few days for your enjoyment:

Wednesday:

Not much to write about here. Went to class, made lunch at school with the school cook (weekly activity they have) and ate it. It was nothing complex, fried plantains, rice, stew meat, a salad with fresh veggies. Nothing spectacular. After this I went home and sat around on the computer and did my homework. When the rain is coming down you have no motivation to leave your room, hence my actions.

Thursday:

A bit more to do on Thursday. After class I went home and changed clothes, got some money and headed out to grab a bite. I frequented a pizzeria I had been recommended and was the only one there (it was also 4 in the afternoon, not a busy time in most restaurants). I ordered a pineapple pizza (that's how it came on the menu, I swear) which hit the spot. After this I walked into town to buy an umbrella and some souvenirs. I found a cool shot-glass or two but that was about it. I finally got a notebook for school too. A little late but now I have one. I had to get back in time for the salsa lesson at 7 so I hailed a cab and changed clothes before the lesson. It was a lot of fun and I plan to pursue salsa classes once I get back to Seattle (I'm going to try and take a few more here as well!).

Friday:

Probably the most boring day of the week in all honesty. I went home from class and did my laundry and finished my book. Really bad weather and an early morning Saturday left me no choice.

Saturday:

What a day! It was awesome. I got up early and made myself a big breakfast before departing at 7:15 for my canopy tour (zip-line). The canopy tour was amazing and definitely worth more than the $30 they charged. In the US something like that would cost at least $50. There were 12 cables, 3 of which were more than 500 meters (one was 1080 meters!) as well as a 100ft repel and a "Tarzan swing" which was the scariest part. I went first and didn't know what to expect. They have you hold on to a rope (harnessed in of course) and squat down at the edge of a platform. Then wham! a quick nudge of the arse and off you go, screaming your lungs off as you soar out a good 200+ feet over a deep ravine. All in all, the canopy tour was the best experience I have had yet in Costa Rica. I'm shaking just writing about it. My heart was pounding for the next few hours and my legs were so rubbery I don't know how I made it back to the van.

Once home I had to shower (you get really dirty out there, especially on a wet day with dirt, and oil flying off the cables into your face) and do more laundry. Then it was back into the town for one last excursion. On the way I stopped in at another restaurant (Johnny's Pizzeria) which was excellent. I'm definitely taking the family there. After this I walked to town but there really wasn't anything more to see. At least I got to work some of the pizza off. Back home it was and I watched the Sounders win yet another exciting game before packing up all my stuff. I tried to go to bed at 10 30 but I couldn't sleep all night. I kept freaking out that I was going to miss my ride in the morning despite having two alarms set. I am not 2/3 through another book though...

Sunday:

I ate the rest of my food for breakfast and right before 8 my ride showed up ready to go. I answered the door with toothbrush in mouth and asked for a 5 minute reprieve. After packing my belongs into the back of the van we were off with a feverish pace. The ride was quoted to me as 5 hours (so I had my host family meet me at 1 PM at the airport where we were getting dropped off). I was at the airport on the curb ready to be picked up by 10:30. Wtf? So I had to use my broken cell phone (the screen doesn't work, but everything else does) and call my host family to tell them I was 2 and a half hours early. An hour later they parents where there to get me. They don't speak English (which is good in the end!) and the dad speaks so fast I can barely understand him. The mom is very sweet and speaks at a much more reasonable pace so I can understand most of what she says. We were able to have a halfway decent conversation on the car ride home.

Once arriving I was shown my room, and given a quick tour of the house. I get a small room with a bed, dress/shelf combo and a small desk. I guess it will encourage me to spend time with the family rather than in my room. Next door to my room they are constructing a second room so that they can host two students at once. They really enjoy having students and I am number 8 or 9 I think.

The two sons are both great, the eldest is 18 in January and I was able to have a good conversation with him regarding school, soccer (and other sports), music (his main passion/hobby) and a few other things. After taking a nap and unpacking we had dinner, mostly traditional food (rice, beans, bean soup, carne asada, and veggies). The host mom's sister and her husband joined us and complimented me on my Spanish as well(that is 6 people since Thursday!). Now I am filling out my placement exam for school tomorrow and then it is time to shower and get in bed. I will be up at 6 since it is the first day and I need to be shown the route to school (only 5 minutes not the 35 written on my sheet!, what a relief) and do some first day things. I hope you enjoy the pictures and the post. Oh and I linked to a video of the Tarzan swing too. Enjoy.

-Matt

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