It looks like these blog entries will become weekly- unless more starts happening during the week! The weekends are just so exciting. Let’s see- last week our cooking recipe was Shrimp- they have huge shrimp here and they are really fresh too. Although I’m not crazy about seafood, I liked the recipe, which also included tasty coconut rice. Did I mention before that I tried coconut milk/water? We had it in Caldera- one of the locals that went with us started cracking them open and it to us to try. I felt like I was on a desert island. ;) I took my first test on Wednesday and although we haven’t received the results, I think I did well. We started learning Salsa in dance class, after focusing most of our attention on Merengue and Cumbia. We were just getting Merengue down- working well with partners, doing cool spins, keeping the rhythm, and then we went back to bumbling idiots with a new dance! I really love this class, sure hope I can find a dance partner when I get back home. We went out dancing at one of the common dance places- Pie Caliente. My mom knows the owner and he always greets me. They were playing mostly reggae tone (yuck), but Loren and I were able try out our moves on some songs. Kellie went with us and she found a local to dance with all night. Some of the local guys really are awesome dancers!
This was a short week, because Friday was independence day here. On Thursday night there is a parade of “faroles” (torches) where children make decorative bags with cut outs for candles to go in. Then they walk the town. I walked with the large group- it was cool to be part of a different tradition. On Friday morning there was a big parade, although we only saw the set up because we caught a bus to La Fortuna. It took us about 5 hours to get there- but it was so worth it! The group who went: Agata, Eric (her boyfriend who just arrived from the states- he will be living here with her), Tony, Josh, Derek, Loren, and myself. La Fortuna sits at the base of the active Volcan Arenal. I had read, and heard from other travelers that the volcano can be hard to see since it is cloudy there most of the time. In fact, Israel told us that he didn’t believe there was a volcano there at all since he didn’t see it once when he stayed there! We were really lucky because it was very clear and the volcano was magnificent! We settled in our hostel, Gringo Pete’s, where 5 us of had our own little cabin outside, and 2 others stayed in the dorms inside. It reminded me of many hostels in Europe- but nicer and cheaper ($4). We had a traditional dinner at a soda (these are little cafes all over) and walked around. The view of the volcano was still clear and the sunset was spectacular orange and pink. A group of people with some serious camera equipment were set up and their local guide told me this: “This (pointing to the sunset), this is a gift for you. I have been a guide for 16 years and you never see a sky like this (clear and beautiful sunset).” We felt very blessed to be seeing such a spectacular sight (especially after realizing how rare it was). We decided to go to one of famous hot springs in the area. It was a little pricey for our budget ($15- more than 3 nights at our hotel!)—but boy, are we glad we went. There were about 15 pools, ranging from cold to 152 degrees Fahrenheit. There were waterfalls, and all kinds of trails. It was really beautiful, but the best part about it was the view. We could still see the volcano (no clouds!) and we got a little show—lava! The activity of Arenal varies greatly, so we didn’t know if we would be able to witness it, and we did! None of my pictures really turned out, but if you do a google image search for “Arenal volcano” you can see some pics. Just take them and tone it down- the most impressive shows were about 8 years ago. I know Mt. St. Helens is pretty awesome, but I was awestruck by the flowing lava on top of a volcano that was about 10 miles away. Incredible. The next day (still clear!) we hiked to a waterfall that was just outside of town. It was uphill the whole way on a road that was filled with taxis and tourist buses flying by us. We appreciated the view on the way up and felt that we earned a cool dip in the blue water, unlike those dropped at the entrance. This was the largest waterfall that I’ve seen here- about 200ft tall according to my all-knowing Lonely Planet guidebook. We’ve taken to calling it “the Book” since we have lived by it during our travels. There were many people down by the waterfalls, but it was still gorgeous and the water was incredibly blue, and COLD! Later that evening we tried to go to the best viewing spot, around the mountain to catch a glimpse of the red stuff—but alas, the clouds we had heard so much about set in, so Loren, Josh, Agata, Eric, and I sat and had coffee, played cards at a very foggy café. It was still a fun night and made us appreciate our good fortune the night before. I was so tired after we returned Sunday- I have had a cold since Wednesday, which I regrettably gave to Loren. I am feeling ok, just tired and am trying to rest up for our next big weekend. We may go visit on of the very few indigenous tribes. So excited!
I do miss you all very much. It was be strange leaving my new friends and family in a few months to return back to Reno in the freezing wintertime.
So much love to you all!!

-McKenzi

P.S. I met a girl who was on vacation from the Peace Corps in Panama. She spoke with so much enthusiasm for the program, and I felt very encouraged, but who knows where life will take me in the next year!!