San Jose routine

In between my weekend escapes to warm, tropical places, I have a fairly monotonous schedule during the week. I've only been here 3 weeks and I've already fallen into a routine. I learned the word for schedule in class- horario.

Entonces, este es mi horario.

Wake up at 7AM (those who know me, won't believe me, but it's 9AM in NY so it works). Shower and then breakfast is waiting for me at 8AM.

Get to the bus stop at 8:30 and pay only 200 colones for the bus (about 40 cents). Start class at 9AM.





Short break before lunch, then an hour for lunch at 12. I've been trying to vary my meals. I even ate Taco Bell at the mall and then realized why I don't eat it at home either. Back to class until 3PM. After classes, I hang out with other students that I've befriended. They are from Germany, England, France, US, and Oklahoma!

After school, we may go downtown and walk around. We have a route. Up and down the same main road, passing the same buildings. Stopping at the Artisan Market, even though we've been already many times.




Or we go to the mall nearby- yesterday we watched Karate Kid at the mall in Espanol. No subtitles or nothing! They coat the popcorn in caramel and I can't stop eating it.

It rains a lot in San Jose, so sometimes we play cards at school or just go home.


It's also very crowded. (mucha gente)


On Wednesdays, I go to the Cooking class at school. Yesterday we made empanadas.


I get home around 6PM and do my homework or write out more flash cards. Then we have dinner around 7 or so with various members of my "tico" family and usually end up talking for awhile afterwards. I usually understand about 50%, but it's been progressing. I was actually able to laugh at the same time as everyone else yesterday during our conversation! After dinner, I study or read my book (I'm reading Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali) and sleep around 11PM (1AM in NY- so I am basically on the same sleeping schedule).

This is mi vida en Costa Rica, as a "tica." I do know how lucky I am for this experience and I feel very blessed for it all...

As they say in Costa Rica, Pura Vida!

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

In San Jose for a month for intensive Spanish classes at CRLA. 5 hours a day for 5 days a week for 4 weeks and at a home stay with a Spanish only speaking family. The school is great and the family is wonderful, but the weather, not so much. Escaped the bustle of the city to the Carribean coast of Puerto Viejo to find the sun.

Here is it! :)


and here's the moon... if you look closely.


We rented bikes and rode the 12 KM along the coast to find beached for swimming, sunning, and snorkeling. Along the way, we heard a terrible noise and looked up to find it was monkeys in the trees.


A random reminder of home...

Even the dogs have fun here.


As they say in Costa Rica, "La Pura Vida."

A brief pause before heading back to the city to learn more Espanol and to try to not get hit by a car...

El Morro Fortress- Old San Juan

We walked the whole length of the fortress wall to find that there was no staircase on the other side. It was painfully apparent that it is the biggest fortress in the Caribbean as we walked all the way back.



Notice the group of cats on the bottom. They were all over the place! Muchos gatos!

Surfing in San Juan

It's on my list, but I haven't built up the nerve yet. Still just a spectator, watching with awe.

Old San Juan- New Years Eve

Beach vacations to warm places is how to maintain your sanity in the winter. This time, we decided to spend New Years in beautiful Puerto Rico. A great way to start the year!

Figuring Old San Juan was a good place to bring in the new year, we wandered around in search of a party. We followed the live music to this plaza, not knowing what we would find...


On the way to the party, some random sightings on the streets of Old San Juan.

Adventures in Amsterdam

Even the graffiti in Amsterdam is charming. This was the first picture I took in the city.


I can't explain this. I was watching out for bikes but I wasn't expected a hoard of rollerbladers. They came out of nowhere and then they were gone. Just like that.


One of my favorite things to do is watch outdoor movies. We caught Rear Window the first night in Vondelpark with a blanket and picnic spread, wine and all. Another outdoor favorite- eating!

Subtitles in Dutch! We kept laughing before everyone else.


For those who've never been to Amsterdam, this is their association. For a newbie, I didn't see the big deal. I just ended up cotton mouthed and had to calm down my at first chatty, then paranoid friend.


and the music! I caught the train to Haarlem for the Jazz Festival. I think I am a Jazz Festival junkie. Montreal is my favorite. But have yet to go to New Orleans.

World famous jazz club- Cafe Alto. No wonder I loved Amsterdam. So many favorite things in one trip.

Beautiful Amsterdam

My first time in Amsterdam and I can't believe I waited so long. I loved it immediately!
So warm, inviting, and so colorful... The people, the weather, the scenery...


I love it that you can travel anywhere you need to go by bike. Though it's not so fun when you're a pedestrian. I don't know how many times I almost got run over by a bike.



or you can travel by canoe! The canals were breathtaking.