Buenos dias from sunny Costa Rica. I am now in day 5 of Spanish language training and last night over dinner, I was able for the first time to carry out a conversation with my host. She is a 70 year old woman who lives alone and does not speak any English, so up until last night we were communicating via charades. This is the end of my first week of class - 3 more weeks to go!

Here's a quick recap of the week. I arrived on Monday at 1pm and by 230 was sitting in the classroom learning my first few words of espanol. these ticos don't mess around! I have two classmates, Canadian hippies who are getting married on the costa rican coast in early april. we've become good friends in this short week and have had a lot of fun together walking around town and attempting together to communicate with the locals. On Wednesday, we met an american expat retiree who spends six months in CR and six months in Minnesota. He takes the bus into Heredia (the town where I am staying) each day to people-watch. Two years ago he rode his Honda Goldwing all the way from Minnesota to CR. He says there is nothing to do in CR... He did seem kind of bored and talked to us for a long time.

Anyway, on Wednesday, I met my first CR cock roaches pronounced by my host, "cocka rochas!" They were BIG and in my bedroom! My poor 70 year old host had to kill them for me as I am not quite to the point that I can do that. They're just so BIG.

After the cock roaches, my host took me to a church thing in one of her relatives homes. It was 6 January, which in spain and some hispanic cultures is the day that gifts are exhchanged (its the day the wise men gave gifts to Jesus). Not being Catholic, it was all new to me. There was a live band there and a big nativity scene and they read through one of the mysteries, 10 readings and 10 songs. Then they brought out the food. Asked my professor about it the next day, and he said the food is the best part.

This posting has turned out longer than I intended and unfortunately I have to go do my homework before class starts! I will write more next week. After class I am off on a school trip to visit Arenal, CRs most active vulcano, a cloud forest, some waterfalls, and I think I will be doing a zipline through the rainforest too. See you Monday!