U2D, Pt. I: Tico Livin'

Danny and I, out to dinner with Carmen during our final week in the house

Chiki, in a hooded sweatshirt. She has a variety of different looks to choose from

My room, complete with sinking bed

I've been a very naughty traveling blogger.

I've been gone for two months and I've only managed to post four lousy times. I'm sorry.

Here's the part where I bring you up to date...

Sooo, after the Mexico/Guatemala adventure, I arrived here in San Jose, Costa Rica at around 9:30 pm on May 21st. From the airport, I was taken to what I now affectionately refer to as my "Tica house" where I met my "Tica mom", Carmen. I lived with Carmen, her chihuahua, Chiki and her three kids until June 19th and as much as I wish I could say I was sad to leave, I wasn't. It wasn't like my experience was bad, just kind of awkward and uncomfortable. Carmen's children were grown and not the friendliest. Oh, and no one spoke English, which is fine, but that made it even more awkward. Again, not horrible, not mean, just kind of cold.

Also, the food was...not great. The first morning I woke and Carmen had made me a piece of toast and before I could reach for it, she was squirting cheese from a bag onto it...not a little cheese from a bag but a LOT of cheese from a bag. Oftentimes while eating, I felt like a little kid again- chewing quickly and swallowing with my drink. Yuck.

My bed was downright hilarious. The mattress literally sank in when you sat on it, as if the person that had occupied the bed for twenty years prior to my using it was three-hundred pounds. At first it was fine, but over time I found myself enjoying the stiff hostel bunk-beds on the weekends much more. "You mean that firm, paper-thin mattress is MINE to sleep on all weekend? For $12?! THANK YOU!"

I realize I sound like a prissy fool, but if it were just the food and the mattress that were weird, I wouldn't have taken issue, but it was more the attitude around the house. I was a person that was staying in a room and Carmen was a nice, but not warm host, and wacky but not endearing. When she would see her dog in the morning she would say, "ChikiChikiChikiChikiiiii! Que pa-SO, Chiki, que pa-SO?!", while literally swatting at the dog. I think the swatting was intended to be affectionate, but frankly, I think it frightened and confused the dog. I know that's the effect it had on me. It was hilarious and odd.

My second week there, Danny from DC arrived and stayed in the room across the hall. He was here studying Spanish and his skills were far more advanced than mine, so that made communicating with Carmen much easier. He was cool, chill and fun to chat with while riding the bus to school in the morning and at the end of the day, before bedtime. Danny made my stay at the house much more bearable and I affectionately referred to him as my "brother" while we lived together.

Am I glad I did the home-stay program? Sure! It gave me a wealth of Carmen impersonation material to bring to class each day! But seriously, I think it was a good thing to actually live with a real, Spanish speaking family and to experience the genuine "Tico" experience first-hand...bagged cheese and all!