An Unfinished House

Ok, ok - I know, it's been more than a week since last I blogged (getting on 2 actu ally) but to be honest I have good, solid reasons for my lack of communication. Last week was perhaps the busiest I've had while living here in Costa Rica - Farewell Parties, Birthday Celebrations (I'm now 26), a Futbol Game & Graduation Ceremony. Couple that with the fact that I took a trip to Costa Rica's northern border this past weekend with a Tico friend and that I've been without internet since Friday and you can begin to understand my plight. I realize it sounds as though I'm whining and trying to justify my sinful ways but alas, that's what I do best. Anyway, this is it...this is my last week in Costa Rica, Sunday at 6:30 a.m. I fly for La Ceiba, Honduras to begin my life there. To be honest, I'm ready - I'm ready to say goodbye, to move on and start working. I've been slowly saying farewell to people for about 2 weeks now and I'm ready to be done....

So app arently Christmas comes a mite early in Costa Rica…no my neighbors haven’t started erecting Christmas Trees and Nativity Scenes; though I wouldn’t be surprised if we started seeing signs of yuletide cheer within the next month. What I mean is that Steve Shank, the Area Representative to the Americas for EMM, my boss and incidentally, a dead-ringer for Santa Claus, bestowed upon me quite a little gift the other night. As most of you are quite aware I’ve been bemoaning the fact that my time here in Costa Rica is rapidly drawing to a close and the feelings of sadness and hurriedness have been almost overwhelming. I’ve been struggling with how to end my time in school on the 25th, say goodbye to my family, Tico friends and the boys from La Carpio and find time to pack up my life here to be ready to fly on the 26th. Anyway, Steve was in the country on official EMM business last Friday and asked to have dinner with me – never one to pass up a free meal, I eag erly agreed…over Burger K...

Hola Amigos and welcome back; I hope you're all in good health and good spirits, es pecially now that the weather has started to change for the warmer. Lest you think I'm gloating over the fact that I live in a tropical paradise take heart; the weather, within the last week, has made a surprise change on us. We’re now no longer blessed with idyllic temperatures, a light breeze and ne’er a cloud in the sky, on no dear friends we now find ourselves right back in the middle of the rainy season - it’s as if some cruel joke has played upon the entire country. What I mean is…it NEVER rains this early, Flora saw a drizzle back in February and thought the world was coming to an end, now we find ourselves in the middle of rainy season, daily 3-4 hour thunderstorms in the afternoons. This type of weather never occurs this early in the year. Needless to say, Flora has started marking off the days until Christ returns, she’s convinced it’ll be in 2008 “How couldn’t it, it’s raining in Mar...