Three Days In

Parrots. Buses. Umbrellas. I don't think I've ever seen as many of these in one place as I have in these first three days. I've discovered how to end the rain here in Costa Rica: have a girl from Saskatchewan buy an umbrella. It's the same reasoning, only reversed, as washing your car.

I took the bus by myself to and from school today. I think it took an hour to get there, and 15 minutes to get back. It's all about being at the right stop at the right time, and having a driver who shows up. Some of the buses are quite nice, others have seen better days a long time ago. None of them have air conditioning. They are crowded at certain times, but each time I've seen men stand up for women of all ages to have a seat.

After the school, I dropped my things off at my apartment and took the Sabanilla - San Jose bus, with the intention of getting off at the San Pedro Mall. Well, I got off the bus somewhere downtown San Jose. In my defense, it looked like a mall. It had a sign in English for a food court! Thankfully I went into a shop looking for an umbrella and found a very nice clerk who spoke English. She pointed me towards a Mas X Menos, where I bought an overpriced umbrella, and told me where I was. I should have stayed on the bus a little longer and I would have been at the mall. Hopped on yet another bus, after being assured that this bus would go to the Mall San Pedro. They have men at some of the busier stops just to load the buses.

Found the mall, though after the bus had gone through the traffic circle. It's quite daunting to be on one side of a large, two lane traffic circle and have no idea how to get across. Crosswalks are really only near schools, and aren't really recognized. There was a young man waiting as well, and he seemed to realize that I didn't know when to go. He said something like "Follow Me", and I did. He and I got to the mall safely!

The mall itself is rather strange. In between dollar stores and kitchy stores, there's a Tommy Hilfiger and a Gucci jewelry store. I bought a few books (stop rolling your eyes): a conversational Spanish book and a verb conjugation book. I know I have a verb book at home, but I'm pretty sure it's in storage. In storage translates to unaccessible unless dire circumstances occur. I looked at some shoes, but I really hope I can wear sandals of some sort to teach in. I had Wendy's for supper because I wanted something familiar; it was and it wasn't. Instead of ketchup, they put bbq sauce on the burger. I bought a few cinnamon buns from the Cinnabon, and took the bus home. You can get just about anything here.

What I've seen in the first three days:

• A man driving a motor bike, carrying two large fruit boxes on his lap. And in Canada you can't even text and drive!
• A school bus that had a tv in it for the driver.
• A woman riding a vespa in the highest heels I have ever seen. I think I want a Vespa.
• Two parrots sitting on a telephone wire. It's very strange to not see them in a cage. My first reaction was that they had escaped from somewhere!
• A bush on my street that has the "Roxy" flower. I think it's called a hyacinth, but feel free to correct me. I am not a horticulturalist.
• Spongebob Squarepants in Spanish. It's no more intelligent en Espanol than it is in English.
• A thunderstorm in the middle of the day. The lightning cracked and the power went off in the school. Poor Trent was in the middle of a course syllabus, and tried to restart three times before he gave in to Mother Nature.
• My classroom! It's on the stage, in the gymnasium. It could be very loud at times, I think. I am more worried about what to do in there if the power goes out; it's pretty dark in there.

Ok, enough for tonight. It's only 7:18 here, but it's dark, and the rain has finally started, so it's cooling off. The sun likes to rise before I do, and I have some Spanish to learn! Buenos noches.