Big News...

The big news this week is that I got my hammock hung. I now have two places to sit in my house. I am still sleeping on the floor but things are coming along. I also have new roommates... I havn't seen the spider in a while, which is not a bad thing. There are small, medium and one very large toad that hops into the house from time to time. I also have a little mouse that has decided to hang out with me. I am not really thrilled about this addition since he likes to run around on my counter. I plugged the hole he was getting onto the counter through and I am hoping that will keep him out. We'll see what happens, I really don't want to resort to drastic measures.

I am still without a phone. I have been denied a cellular line. I am tyring to see if I can get someone to let me get a line in their name. I have actually had a couple of offers but I think they are offering more than a phone line and I really don't want to confuse anyone.

I suddenly have quite a bit going on. I have two (possibly 3) groups of parents I am working with, two programs in the school, I gave a charla to HIV/AIDS patients this morning and my old lady aerobics class may actually take off after all. I am also starting and English class next week. The last week of the month I am going to be in San Jose working on the Cadena. I've also read 5 books inthe last two weeks, so there has still been some down time.

I guess the REALLY big news is that it is now winter. One day it was a billion degrees and the next day it started raining. So I am hauling around the umbrella (which keeps me dry above the neck) and tromping through puddles. My shower has turned into a mosquito incubator and I am hoping not to get dengue.

All in all things are things and slowly but surely days are days and life is life.

Back to (Tico) reality

I spent the last week vacationing with Mom and was able to partake in a good deal of pampering but now I am back to reality... or at least tico reality. It is always hard to readjust after a vacation and this time is no exception. Monday the 8th was a holiday for the change of government, for those of you who missed the news flash, Oscar Arias was elected to be president again. He was president before but the Costa Rican constitution does not allow for presidents to succeed themselves so very seldom does any one individual hold office twice. He is actually pretty well known internationally, mostly for having won the Nobel Peace Prize. We'll see how he does this time around.

So I bought a cell phone over the weekend and went in to the ICE (Costa Rican Institution of electrcity) office to activate an account... no such luck. Apparently I need further proof that I am a resident than what I had. I'm n ot sure if they are going to give me an account at all. We will see. Maybe one good thing that CAFTA will bring is cellular service, I don't know if it will make up for the "other stuff", but after sitting in a government office for two hours and leaving empty handed, oppression of human rights and a massive upsurge in poverty seems like a small price to pay for a little technological convenience.

I also found out that my best friend at my PANI office was fired over the weekend. Not for anything she did but because someone else wanted her job and they were better connected. Así es la vida.

Anyway, hope all is well. I don't think I will be near a computer tomorrow so Happy Birthday (early) Lisa. Welcome to 30!!! It is a lot like the 20s only less insanity. Theoretically at least. Anyway, I have found it to be quite nice. Pull up a chair and make yourself at home; the alternative is infinately less appealing.