Pura Vida: Costa Rica here I am!

04/04/2011

The flight from Houston to San Jose was quite relaxing. This time I didn't have a personal screen but it was about a screen for 3 rows. I was well placed to see and enjoy the movie: "Megamind" and it was quite funny, especially as my neighbor has the same sense of humor and we were sometimes the only ones to laugh. They served us the breakfast: a pancake filled with an omelette, some pieces of fruit and a muffin. I slept nearly all the remaining time.

The Customs went smoothly, only one queue to check passport and answer the same question I had everywhere: "why did you fly from Spain to Costa-Rica through the USA and why do you come from Colombia to Germany?". She then asked me how long I was staying in Costa Rica and I didn't know what to answer. Should I say up to the 15^th of August but going out 3 days in the middle to have a new visa or should I just say a fake date? Well I opted for the first one saying that I didn't know exactly when I was leaving but that it was taken care by the CPI. She didn't ask me more question and put "90days" on the visa. 10 minutes later I had my suitcase and was going out of the airport. There was the driver of CPI waiting for me with a nice welcoming sign.

Going out of the airport was quite a shock: I was expected a cloudy sky and 20 degrees from my last check on the web...and SURPRISE: Shining sun and 29 degree...I won't complain lol but it's true that in jeans, walking shoes, T-shirt, light jacket and jacket...you start to get hot quite quickly :P

The journey from the airport to "my" family was quite quick, it took about 15 minutes by car and Alexis (the driver) was making fun of me because I was looking everywhere, amazed by the countryside.

 

I arrived at the family's house where I'll be each time I will work at CPI Heredia. Maria is a very kind person leaving alone. I have a big room with a double bed, wardrobe, desk and private bathroom with a gigantic shower!!

 

Asking her if she could explain to me how to go from the house to the CPI, she offered me to show me the way. I was hoping to take a shower and change to something a bit lighter but we went right away to the Center. It was a nice ride and a good way to know each other. On the way back, she showed me a shortcut, passing in front of a friend's house. We then entered the house and had a Guanabana's juice which was very good and refreshing.

  

Coming back home, a nice cold shower and a 2 hours'nap were well welcomed! PURA VIDA Jajaja

At 6pm it was time to have dinner. She made me taste a speciality: corn pancakes filled with meat and tomato sauce. It was excellent. The dessert called "mosaico" (mosaic cake) was a bit strange and very English: white gelatine cake with a lot of small and colorful chunks of gelatine.

We then watch TV for a short time: news and a tv series while waiting for Jeffrey to come. Jeffrey was the Spanish assitant in my mum's high school some years ago. He is now a French teacher in San Jose. He helped me a lot before coming, giving me some pieces of advice, information, explanation...etc I brought him some cheese in my suitcase... It was a...hum let's say... "pleasant" smell when I first openned my bag once in Costa Rica! Of course, I didn't think bringing him "normal" cheese...of course not... I brought him Munster, Roquefort, Camembert and Brie de Meaux... Nice smelly mix!

Bed time at 08:30pm...