Life in Puntarenas

Hello to all!
The following blog is some thoughts and anecdotes from daily life, including the return of the prodigal daughter, the dog that yips a lot, heavenly pizza, and multiple attacks by the same bird.
Ok, so my host family has talked about the last student they had, Jennifer. She knew some Spanish coming in and (I just learned) loved to play football (soccer). My mom told me that when she left, the family cried for 3 days. She said the Mario and her were best friends and hung out everyday. Ok, time ok. Mario has NEVER wanted to hang out with me (plus I have a really hard time understanding him) and they are not going to cry when I leave. As if being the 2nd best daughter isn’t bad enough, she’s coming to visit next week. They are so excited, with one exception- she can’t stay with them because they have a “new student” (aka ME) that is living in HER room. I feel so special. ;)
Side note: they are still a wonderful family and are very nice to me. I get lots of privacy (a rarity here) but they are willing to include me in whatever they are doing (usually tv watching!). I’m very grateful to have such a lovely family, because I’ve heard some not so pleasant things about other families.
Next subject, Sophia got a new dog as a present (not sure who it was from), Becky (a chihuahua). It’s a nice enough dog, although for the first week it barked at only me, like I was a stranger, like it knew I wasn’t a member of the family. I don’t mind it barking at strange people walking by the house. However, this dog LOVES my mom. When she leaves for work, it cries- the highest pitch, yippiest bark you have ever heard. It’s piercing, going right through my blaring headphones. I have considered “leaving the gate open.” I guess I am a bad daughter!
Since Josh, Agata and Erik don’t live with a family, they have to come up with their own meals. To Josh, this means drinking instead of eating dinner a couple days a week and to Eric and Agata this means eating pizza everyday. The 3 have discovered the BEST restaurant in town Matobe’s, which just happens to be Italian food, and not typical Tico. It’s an awesome, cute, hole in the wall place with 5 outdoor tables and a white and red awning. We first went for awesome focaccia, which is actually a focaccia sandwich with awesome cheese, tomatoes, ham and basil. Then we tried the pizza. Ohmygoodness- to DIE for. They cook it in a wood-burning oven and I can understand why Agata and Eric eat it everyday. Josh got a little wild and crazy one day and ordered the only other thing on the menu, the pasta. He got a huge plate of fetticini with an awesome salad and garlic bread. Each item mentioned about is less than $4 and totally filling. Better than most $15/plate Italian places. When I just can’t eat another plate of rice and beans, I go to Matobe’s, “where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” Well, they don’t exactly know our names, but it’s the same waiter and cook and we’re pretty much the most consistent business they get.
Finally the bird, oh, the devil bird. So about a month ago, I was riding my bike from the separate building that the Track I (beginning Spanish) students have class in, to our main USAC building, when I feel something hit my head. I look over and I’ve just been dive bombed/pecked by this mean looking black bird. I look around for a witness, but no one is to be found. I forget the incident until… the SAME thing happens again. Out of the blue- I’m attacked at the same location. Then later that same day, I’m riding my bike in the same spot and I see it coming for me and I dodge it. Some Ticos saw me this time, and think it’s hilarious that this bird is attacking me. I think it’s less funny to be harassed twice in the same day by a little bird. So I decide to start taking a different route. I actually go out of my way to ride around where the bird lives. It’s sad. Finally, I tell the story in class, and find out he’s been attacking every blond that rides a bike. It’s pretty hilarious. I haven’t seen him for a couple of weeks, so I’m going to assume he’s moved on, or collected enough blond hair to decorate his nest.
That is all for today. Hope you enjoyed hearing a little about my silly, daily life here.
Oh, and I’ve pretty much finished my Peace Corps application. I am refining a couple essays and will get my references together when I get back. I think I will be ready to submit everything early next spring. Exciting!
Much love to all.