National Theater or Teatro Nacional depending on your language choice

Last night might have been my classiest night in San Jose. Our Young Life team went to go see a piano performance at the National Theater. Three of the five of us are headed back to the States in June, so we are crossing off things on our Costa Rica bucket list. Going to the Teatro Nacional was on all of our lists, and I'm glad we got to experience it in all it's beauty. However, it was there that I realized I am better suited for sporting events rather than piano recitals, because when everyone politely clapped I always wanted to let out a loud "Yeahhhh!" or an "Owwwww!" But I refrained, and was on my best classy behavior.
So the guy playing the piano. He was CUUUTE! A cute guy who can play the piano...umm...YES PLEASE! His name was Lanzo and we are the same age, so that's just perfect... a match made in heaven if you will. He was all fancied up in his tux, looking all spiffy and cute, and for real our eye contact was intense! I think I'm in love. Oh wait, I'm exaggerating.This was my first legit piano performance that I've ever been to, and shit, his fingers moved like they were on crack cocaine. SO FAST. I was mega impressed with the whole night!

Dear John

Saturday night marked the first time I went to a movie by myself. Yes, it happened and I'm not even embarrassed. It was pleasant-once I was seated. I found out Dear John was finallllllly playing in theaters here. All my friends were busy, but I OBVIOUSLY couldn't sit at home and not go to the movie. I finished reading the book a couple weeks ago (don't judge me) and have been anxiously awaiting for it to come to theaters in Costa Freaka.

So, I hop on a bus and make the trek to the San Pedro Mall. The movie theater in the mall is undergoing some major construction, so just keep this in mind. I bought my ticket and then looked around and was all "Shoot, where do I go?" cause the theaters weren't marked by number...due to the dumb construction. I walked up to the second floor, because all the other times I had seen a movie there the movie was playing in a theater upstairs.
So that decision just made sense. I handed my ticket to the ticket guy at the top of the stairs, and he told me in Spanish my theater was downstairs. So, I go downstairs and find another ticket guy. Keep in mind the construction. There are just doors, and you have no idea what theater is which. Even though my ticket said Theater 4, I had no idea where theater 4 was. I hand him my ticket to the ticket guy and say "¿donde esta sala 4?" He pointed, and I walked towards that direction. I saw a theater, and thought this must be it, so I open the unmarked doors and walk inside. I'm strolling down the isle looking for an open seat, the previews are playing, and then I feel someone tap on my shoulder. I turn around and it's the ticket guy. He said "señora" and then motioned for me to follow him. APPARENTLY, I had walked into the wrong theater. Woopsie-daisy. Thanks little ticket guy, for helping out the lost gringa!

My host dogs are idiots

So. The other night some of us went dancing. Oh the love for Salsa in this country. Anyways, earlier in the day I received my rent money to give to my host momma, and since she wasn't home, and I wasn't going to get home till early in the AM, I wanted to leave her the cash money. Ive left her notes and such things before on the corner of her bed, and it's the perfect place because I know she will see it, and its never been a problem before. So, I left the rent money in an envelope for Luchi on the bed, thinking this was a grand idea. Well...Pecas (Freckles, the Dalmatian) is a iddddddiot and eats anything and everything....including the $300 cash and the envelope for my May rent. Yes, the dog ate my rent money. FOR REAL. WHAT A DUMMY! Sounds like the classic "My dog ate my homework" excuse, but this really happened. I'm never petting Pecas again...or giving him any of my leftover breakfast that I cant eat. And now I am in the process of figuring this mess out and seeing what this means for my host family. DUMB IDIOT DOG!

And then there is Bruce...Bruce Willis. He's just a big large huge dumb dog. And that is coming from a dog lover. But he however, is just gross. Cute, but gross. Yesterday however when I was eating breakfast, he managed to impress me...which doesn't happen too often. He was standing next to me, begging for food (yeah, I feed my host dogs the food I can't eat, woops) and then out of no where he jumped up and ate a fly mid air! It.Was.Awesome. But none the less he's dumb, cause he ate a fly. IDIOT!

Irish Cream not Ice Cream

My life. Well, it´s funny sometimes. Like yesterday for example. I was at McCafe, the one, the only cafe inside McDonalds. Yeah yeah, I know what you all are thinking, but for reals, this place is legit. There are a lot of places to get good coffee in Costa, but if you want a good latte, well, those are a little harder to come by. BUT, McCafe, has lattes that are quite tasty...AND there is free wifi (which is pronounced wee-fee!).

So yesterday I went up to McCafe to read and to enjoy a nice latte. When I ordered(in Spanish) I said I would like a latte with Irish cream. The girl taking my order looked at me confused and told me no, that they couldn't do that. The conversation was all in Spanish at this point mind you, and I was confused as to why she couldn't put Irish cream syrup in my latte A.) Because I´ve had it done there plenty of times, and B.) I saw it on the counter right behind the chick, so I knew they had it. Ive never had any trouble ordering this drink before, but homegirl just wasn't getting it for some reason. She looks at me again, confused, and says in English ¨No, we cant do a latte with ice cream.¨ Oh gosh, she thinks I want ice cream. I even said cream in Spanish...crema, but she was really hooked on ice cream for some reason. Dannnngit.

At this point I was real flustered, which didn't help the situation. She then said no hielo crema. Hielo is the word for ice, and crema the word for cream...WHILE the word for ice cream is helado, WHICH I clearly know. I mean come on, I may not know a lot of Spanish, but I definitely know the word for ice cream! With out pausing she then again says in English ¨No Ice Cream in latte.¨ This was quite the mess of an order going on right now.

I figured the Irish cream wasn't that worth it, so I tried to tell her just a normal latte...AND then, she goes ¨Ohhhh, I know what you want!¨ and then pulls out the bottle of whip cream, WHICH is right next to the bottle of Irish!!! I tried countless times to point to the Irish cream bottle of syrup, but she would just shake her head and say ¨No!¨ So, 343 minutes later I got a normal ol´latte...with no Irish cream, or ice cream, or whip cream for that matter. And then today I went to McCafe again, and just ordered an Americano to save me the trouble. Oh Costa Rica.

Lets try this again...

Ok. Who was I kidding. A picture a day? Or even a picture (almost) a day? Ha. Turns out this is going to be more like a couple pictures once or twice a week.


Oh you know, just a couple of ox going down the road in Escazu. Yes, this really happens here.

At the National Museum in San Jose with my college friends, Sofi and Carolyn


1 liter smoothies. Yes please!

Fish Taco bar in Jaco. Delicious food and swings as chairs. So fun!

Is there any better way to spend my day off?

So, I only have one full month left here in the Rica. SO freaking crazy. One would think that since I've been here for quite some time now, I would be a pro at life here. Wrongo! I'm constantly learning new things. For example, the other day I figured out a new bus route that cut down my walking time from 30 minutes to 5 minutes. This would have been so helpful to know about ohhh umm...maybe....9 months ago! I'm glad I know now though because rainy season is starting back up and it's a pain in the junk to walk for 30 minutes in the rain. I've learned that umbrellas don't really do a a whole lot.

Other things I'm still trying to figure out...when my host fam eats dinner. It's roughly anywhere between 5pm-10pm, not sure yet. I was in bed the other night reading at 10:15. I heard my host mom get home a couple minutes earlier, and then I hear a knock on my door. She asked me if I wanted dinner. At 10:15. PM. Dinner. I kindly said "No" and then went to bed. Because it was 10:15. At Night.

Ohhhhhh, and another thing I'm learning. Tengo hambre and tengo hombre have 2 very different meanings. Tengo hambre means "I have hunger." But when I'm hungry and mistakenly tell my host mom tengo mucho hombre, I'm telling her "I have man." Which is funny and dosen't make sense all at the same time. Woops!

WYLD LIFE CAMP!

We had Wyldlife camp last weekend and IT.WAS.AWESOME! Straight up! Here are some pics.

Bumper Donuts!!!!
High Ropes!

Ropes Swing at the lake!

Reto Selva...aka..mud opstical course...aka...the nasties/greatest thing EVER!

The whole gang!

What I really meant was...

So. I was very optimistic with the whole ¨A Picture a Day¨ thing, but now I´m starting to be realistic, and it´s going to be more like ¨A Picture (almost) a Day.¨ I kinda forgot that I don´t have internet access every day-minor detail in this whole thing. But I am for sure going to post as often as I can. And just a heads up (Susan Doyle) I´m going to be at Wyld Life camp this weekend so pictures probs wont be posted until Monday...or Tuesday.

¡Pura Vida home slices!