.....first accounts.....

A quick appreciation to all the friends and family that decided to send us off at the airport on August 17th at an unpleasant 5:00 am. Thank you.

After a long day of flights, motion sickness, layovers, and famous San Fan chowder bread bowl specials; we arrived to Costa Rica. Humidity and a joke for customs us and our over sized baggage. Molly's family was like Christmas lights in April shining and flashing their personalized welcome sign. My 'mama-tica' was hidden among the brute taxi men.

The day began in excitement and adventure and ended with uncertainty and adventures. My family, Olga and Jorge, welcomed me with a 'beso'. Yes, yes you heard me right, Olga and Jorge! Perfecto! Back to the 'beso'. This is a cultural greeting in which one kisses the other on the right cheek/ear area. Kinky, but delightful. My Tico family navigated me to my new room which was a surprisingly two times bigger than my North American room! Again, Perfecto!

My night continues to dive deeper into our adventure as I had Jorge instruct me on how to use the shower. With much confusion, hand motions, getting into the shower (with clothes on), and turning the water on; Jorge managed to complete the instructions to the gawking Grinda. The gawking came from the startling image of 1) Jorge hopping into the shower with the clothes on to get his point across. 2) The open electrical wires managing the shower head that should be poring out upon my head. 3) Oh and did I forget to tell you my host family speaks as much English as I do Spanish -- nada.

Yes you may laugh. I understand you cannot make this things up so soak up the impeccably great first impression i made with Costa Rica. (smile of uncertain delight). I go to bed to drumming, drunken cheers, and sckadadling across my ceiling.

My morning begins with a simple breakfast and lack of communication. Olga takes me around Heredia and then to Molly's house which is a fantastic 2 minute walk from my from gate. We get rained in at Molly's homestay house for an hour and a half of pure thunderstorm. The rain flooded the streets, the thunder and lightning shook the earth, and I sat happy as a clam witnessing the entire thing. There were a few crack, boom, and kapows that made me yelp. But all the better to laugh at my dears.

Molly's Tico brothers, Richard and Kenny, took us on a brisk tour of Heredia. Praise Jesus because they spoke incredible English. With these boys, my favorite moments of my day evolved. First great laugh came from Kenny stating the Spanish word for a sea anemone which is pronounced like "an en.o.ma." Sound it out.
My second event was Kenny and Richard translating cultural ghost stories to Molly and myself. The best story surrounded the plot of gnomes stealing babies form palm trees on beaches and something about rainbows. The boys couldn't for the life of them understand why we were laughing so hard as they tried to persuade us that the story is most definitely an real account. Oh gnomes.

Mi madre hacer bueno! Let me repeat that for you.
My mom cooks well! She made me Chinese for dinner, fried platanos (bananas), and fed me the coolest fruit I have ever bared witness to. It is red, spiky, and fuzzy. It has an indescribable flavor and texture, but boy oh boy is it good to eat! I wanted to serenade my mama tica with a "simple bare necessities of life" cover. Yah man...
The best part of this unique fruit is its easily mispronounced name. It is called manon chino which I guess sound like some other funny word our Tico brothers would not embarrass me with sharing. I am fairly certain it might have been a little naughty. Google manon chino fruit, you'll be jealous. (wink)