Bienvenidos a Costa Rica

This is my first blog. I've never really been much of a journaling person so this could prove difficult throughout the year.  But people have been asking me to keep a blog about my year with FrancisCorps, so here it is. I'll try to update it regularly.  I hope it is somewhat interesting.  Also, I have a feeling that I'm going to want to remember my time here with these wonderful people forever :) so I'd like to have something to keep.

We arrived safely in Costa Rica around 1:30pm yesterday (that's 3:30pm for Eastern time zoners).  It was damp and kind of chilly -- a total 180 from last time I came to Costa Rica.  We are in the colder, rainy season now and will be until November or so.  I am still amazed at the house we are living in.  It is gorgeous.  Big bedrooms, huge closets, wooden and tile floors, etc.  All the necessary appliances.  Our backyard has a hammock, clothesline, and a real banana tree.  The bananas aren't ripe yet but I'm sure we'll be all over that when they are.

The friars that live down the street are so nice and welcoming.  We went over there for dinner last night and talked with them for quite awhile.  My Spanish isn't terrific so I did a lot of nodding and "si, si" yesterday.  We will be having a community night with the friars most Sundays this year.

Upon arriving back at the house, the five of us hung out together, laughing hysterically at the epic photos of our dance party at the Syracuse house the night before.  Team 'Cuse, you are missed and loved!!  We also shared with each other how overwhelmed we are, especially with the language.  I'm glad that I'm not the only one.  Of course, we've only been here for a day, so there's plenty of time.

Today we got to sleep in and it was wonderful.  Breakfast was interesting -- the coffee was amazing, of course.  I still can't get over the milk being stored in the pantry.  And I've discovered that I need to learn how to cut a mango without completely butchering it.  I actually got about 30 seconds of hot water in my first shower, so that was a small victory for me!  We walked around Moravia, my town, today so Brother Jim could point out all the little shops and hot spots.  The grocery store was similar to any U.S. grocery store in most ways -- but in what Kroger would they give out free rum and cokes samples in the liquor section?  No joke.

We watched the Notre Dame - Purdue game on TV this afternoon (we do get a few American channels) and we've just been relaxing.  We are about to do our preprendials (sp?), a nice little custom that Brother Jim introduced to us in FrancisCorps. Before dinner every night these past few weeks we've put together a plate of cheese, crackers, fruit, etc. and opened a bottle (or two or three) of wine as a pre-dinner session to converse and relax.  It has been raining all afternoon and even though it is loud on our tin roof, it is so relaxing -- I'm going to sleep good tonight.  Matt is playing some amazing guitar music in the background and I smell rice cooking in the kitchen. 

I love this place.