So here I am once more...Manuel Antonio and Quepos. Now that the traveling is finished, I can settle in here, and find my bearings. A lot of stress has lifted. I didn't sleep much last night...a combination of the loud city noises and the worry about the traveling day ahead kept me up.
I left the hotel at 7am...no breakfast, because the breakfast room wasn't serving yet. I hopped a cab to the Tobias Bolano International Airport, and the driver tried to take me to the Juan Santamaria International Airport. He was upset, when I told him half a minute into our drive in broken Spanish that he was going the wrong way...how I knew this, I have no idea.
When I got to the airport, they couldn't find my flight reservation, so I had to wait around for 30 minutes. I met a couple of people from California, Wisconsin, and Massachusettes. Finally, I went back to check, and they had magically found me in the system. Well then there was the whole bag check deal. I had to pay 25 to check a second bag, and then my carryon weighed 16 pounds, and you can only take 10, so they made me put my computer in the checked luggage with my big camera, and stuck a fragile lable on it. Well, at this point, I was not impressed, and I finally got to go up to the cafeteria to get breakfast...well this included a package of 3 graham cracker (and a cookie that I had saved from the flight over). At least there was water.
We finally got to board the flight, and as we are leaving, they tell us that there was too much weight, so they would have to bring the luggage on the 2pm cargo flight. Well of course, I would be in class then. So we get on, and we're squished, because there are these fat old American men (who probably put us over the weight limit), me, and three awesome people from Laguna Beach. (I sat with them). I took video of the take off, but I am in an internet cafe, so I'll have to post it later, along with the pictures. It was not as bad as I had thought. There were a couple of moments when I thought we might fall out of the sky, but we landed safely in Quepos, and I shared a taxi with my new OC friends (which cut the cost from $14 to $4 for me...yay).
Of course, I had to be that one person who came in late. The class is AMAZING! Lots of really cool people from all over: the US, Canada, England, Wales, and Poland! We get to take lessons in Boruka, so we know what it feels like to learn a completely foreign language. There are only 13 native speakers, and 11 in a group who are trying to bring it back...and then us TEFL students...haha, we probably sound like idiots!! But the language is really cool. We are going on a field trip this weekend to Boruka to do a homestay on the Indian reservation there with Omar, one of our teachers. We get to learn weaving and mask carving, and participate in a ritual bonfire and see the dance of the devils...oooh!
I did get my luggage back, but I had to pay another 14 dollars to catch a taxi from the school to the airport and then to Vista Serena. I am in a room with some person I have yet to meet, and the locker has no lock...something I need to find ASAP. Oh, and they don't take credit card, so I have to pay a few days in advance...this is going to be crazy...I didn't come with too much cash!
I am very excited, and a little nervous still, but I am having fun!
I need to run to the grocery store before it gets dark!
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