I have only been in Costa Rica since yesterday afternoon, but so far it is wonderful. Two other girls from the ACM program were on my flight to Costa Rica, so we were able to help each other figure out customs and find our families. It was all surprisingly easy and the people we met in the airport were extremely helpful. My host mom (Flor) and I drove Megan and her host mom back to their house, and Carly drove with her host parents separately. It was nice to have someone else in the backseat of the car that spoke English, especially because the drive home took a really long time because of construction on the main road. While we were stopped in traffic, my mom bought us cashews sold by a man standing in the road. Other men were also selling chips, mangoes, and popsicles. People drive much more defensively here than in the US. In some places there were only two lanes on the road, but everyone ended up making three to try to get around each other. We passed the University of Costa Rica on the way home, although we never saw the ACM building which is very close to the University. After dropping Megan off at her house, my mom and I arrived at our barrio (neighborhood). It turns out that Carly lives only one house away, and another girl from ACM lives just down the street! Our parents will help us get to and from school at first until we get the hang of it, but luckily the three of us can help each other after that.
When we got to the house, we were greeted by an extremely enthusiastic Ruffo (French poodle). My mom gave me a quick tour of the house and explained all of the basic things I need to know like how to get hot water, where to put my dirty clothes, and where to put toilet paper (turns out toilet paper can’t be flushed here because it will clog the pipes). While I settled into my room, my mom was fixing a delicious dinner of vegetables (verduras), rice (arroz), and beans (frijoles). After dinner, the two of us sat and talked for a while. She told me about her family, explained what we will need to do in the next few days (like get a cell phone and exchange my dollars for colones), and let me ask dozens of questions. I still have more, but I need to find a dictionary before I can ask them 
I went to bed really early last night (around 8:30). Being thrown into a foreign country with a different language is really tiring! I slept well, but I ended waking up around 5am. I laid in my bed for a while listening to the sounds on the street, but I was rarely able to identify any of them. I heard the occasional car or footsteps, a cat, a few birds, and about 30 other sounds I’ve never heard. One of them sounded like a herd of goats walking past the front door, and another was a weird mix between a crying baby and a cow. My mom woke up around 7:30, and we made breakfast together. She taught me how to make delicious corn tortillas which we ate with white cheese, watermelon, sweet bread, and orange juice. I could definitely get used to this kind of breakfast.
Classes don’t start until tomorrow, but we will be very busy today. First we are going to exchange my dollars for colones, then head to the market to get fresh fruits and vegetables, and then we need to buy a birthday gift for her grandson. We may come back to the house for lunch, but then we will be off again to her son’s house for the birthday party. I’ll get to meet all 4 of my mom’s sons, 3 girlfriends/wives, and 2 grandsons. It’ll be a big change from the quiet house here.
I’m really excited for classes to start tomorrow to catch up with the girls I met yesterday and to meet all of the other students in my program! I’ll try to take pictures later today of the house and my family (and Ruffo).
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