Hoy y ayer

Today has been a good day. I didn't have morning class, so I was able to "sleep in" and not be in a hurry about getting out of bed, which is really nice, especially since I have been so lethargic since we returned from our aventura to the hot springs and volcano. I got up and got ready and had breakfast. I was about to change clothes, and was at home alone, when I heard the voices of gringos calling my name outside my window. It was AK and DB, inquiring about a book that we are reading for Advanced Spanish. I let them in for a few minutes and we chatted and then they flitted off to school. I finished getting ready and did the same. While at school for a couple of hours I did some homework and reading for classes. I then returned to my casa, did some more reading, and then had lunch with my hermana. I then went back to school for class at 1. Class seemed to pass slowly today, but I always enjoy learning more about the language. If only I could speak it as much as I think it! Class ended promptly at 4, just in time for my next class to begin. DB wasn't feeling well so he didn't come to class, and I'm not sure why TC didn't come, but it was just me and the profesora tonight! It was fun. She talked almost completely in Spanish and I learned a lot and was able to pay attention easily. At the end of class she had an activity - I had to listen to about 12 different songs that she played and I had to guess what Latin American country they were from. I got some of them right, but just had to guess on most of them! After class she let me take home some of the CDs so that I could have the music! A lot of it is upbeat and fun. One CD is calypso songs from a 5-member group from the Limon province of Costa Rica. One is piano y bosque lluvioso, or piano and rainforest. Another has upbeat songs from each country in Central America. And the last one has a mix of salsa, cumbia, meringue, and some other different types of music heard here in Costa Rica. I have been listening to them all evening and have really enjoyed them!

Yesterday was uneventful but good. I had class from 8-11, spent time at the hospital from 1:30-3 with Claudia, and then spent the afternoon and evening at home doing homework and studying. I got a good bit done. My host sister and I had cafecito together while her parents went to run some errands, and we sat down and had a good conversation for about 45 minutes. She finds out within the next week what she made on her college admission test, which will determine whether or not she gets to go to medical school here! Say a prayer for her! I think she wants to go to medical school. She is very smart and I'm sure that she would be a great student at med school here. We talked about careers and choosing them, what we wanted for our lives and things like that. I really enjoyed our conversation! She is a sweet girl who is very smart and has a good head on her shoulders, and whatever she does I am sure that she will be successful.

For Advanced Spanish we are reading our second book. This book is by a Costa Rican author - Anacristina Rossi. The book is called La Loca de Gandoca. So far it seems like it will be an interesting read. It's easy to read and the language and subjects she talks about are familiar to me now since I have been here for nearly 3 months! I can hardly believe it's been that long, but at the same time it seems like it has been ages ago that I arrived here! One month from tomorrow, I will be departing Costa Rica to come back home. Ahhh!!!

Thursday my host sister has a graduation dinner with the family at school, and they were kind enough to invite me! The only problem is ..... I still have no dress!!! She and I are going tomorrow afternoon after lunch to find me one. We have a short amount of time, so I am praying hard that the right dress will jump out at me quick!!! She assured me that I would be able to find one easily. I need to find a cocktail dress of sorts. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I am also about 99% sure that I am heading off to the beach again this weekend, most likely somewhere in the Guanacaste area. I'm excited to see that part of the country and travel with my amigos!

Bueno, me voy a dormir! Que tengan una buena noche!