Happy Loi Krathong!

It's hard to believe I've been experienced two consecutive Loi Krathong holidays in Thailand. That's two times more than I ever expected to pay homage to a water goddess in my life =) It just so happens that this holiday usually falls in November, due to the fact that it must correspond with the full moon in the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, which brings to mind other similarities to American Thanksgiving (which, by the way, this year I spent eating roast CHICKEN at an ENGLISH pub, haha). Loi Krathong is a day of thankfulness and time spent with loved ones (many Thais who live in Bangkok go back to their hometowns in the provinces to be with their families on this day). It is one of the most beautiful festivals I've ever seen in my life. The Thais construct small rafts (krathong) out of bamboo stems, banana leaves, flowers, candles and incense to float on any available body of water to apologize to and thank Phra Mae Khongkha (the goddess of water in the Hindu tradition), and to ask her for good luck. (I like the idea of apologizing and think this is something that should generally be kept in mind for our Thanksgiving too). It is also an honor to the Buddha.

On my first Loi Krathong last year, I purposely stayed in Thailand long enough that I would be able to witness the festival in Chiang Mai. The city in the north is unique in that in addition to loi-ing krathongs, they have a tradition of "floating lanterns" (khom loi). They really go all out. There are parades with intricate floats of flowers and electric lights (every float must be followed by another vehicle carrying a generator). There are Noppamas contests- a beauty pageant to dress as Noppamas, the beautiful consort of a king long-past who floated the first krathong and inspired the king to declare the holiday. There are fireworks of all sorts going off at all hours for the entire week prior to the holiday (including loud bangs at 3am when you're trying to sleep and mid-afternoon when you're walking down the street and children launch small firecrackers at your feet to scare you). Finally, on November 4, I went with friends to dine at a restaurant on the river, which was the perfect place to gaze in wonder at the thousands of orbs of light floating in the river and sky, making the swirling, flowing patterns seem like mirror images gliding across the twin shining surfaces. We finished dinner and went down to the river to launch the krathong that we had purchased, made a customary wish, and watched as our rafts floated away, hoping they would not capsize within our view so that our wishes would be preserved. Later we tracked down a khom loi and, standing and holding on as a group, released it into the night sky to join its twinkling would-be star sisters.

This year, I may have gained even more merit by making my own krathong and ensuring it was made of mostly natural materials. A Canadian teacher and our Thai events coordinator teamed up for an arts and crafts Social Club, where students were provided all the materials for making krathong. Many of our Thai students were old pros and quickly designed beautiful rafts with many tiers of banana leaves folded into origami-esque shapes. They were more than happy to then help our Japanese students, and myself =) I couldn't do the folding fast enough so one woman passed me banana leaves she had already creased and I pinned them to the bamboo stem in a pattern that resembled a forest king's crown. I added purple orchids and a marigold, along with a candle and three sticks of incense. We then went to Lumpini, the Central Park of Bangkok, and together with thousands of other people, placed the krathong into the water. I did alright as far as my wish last year, so I'm hoping for even better luck this year. Happy Loi Krathong =D

Bangkok is...

view from my first apartment

I know it may seem as if I have disappeared into Thailand... in fact, the Big Mango (Bangkok) does have a certain absorbant effect (this is actually pretty necessary during the rainy season to minimize flooding). I feel like I've been on a moving sidewalk (or possibly one of the escalators I ride everyday)... not really rushing or speeding, but also not stopping. I've been here two months and I still feel like I'm in the process of settling in. One of the lessons I teach is "What's it like?" in which I ask students, "What's Bangkok like?" I think the students' answers may provide some insight into my experience here thus far.

"Bangkok is traffic jam." -Not grammatically correct perhaps, but telling nonetheless. This city of around 10 million people is unbelievably busy. It is difficult to walk down the uneven sidewalk due to both the sheer number of people and the mass of street stalls piled on top of each other that they stop to shop at. Traffic really is horrible, so I stick to the Skytrain and motorbike taxis (By now, I've become a pro at riding side-sadle in a skirt. I even rode with another passenger recently for the first time- only for a short distance!)

"Bangkok is hot." -The weather here ranges usually ranges from hot to inferno. Now that the rainy season has tapered off into "winter" the climate has become milder, though by no means could it be described as cool. Breezes are a blessing that merits much appreciation, and I have ducked into a convenience store on more than one occassion just to get some relief (7-11 always feels like a refridgerator). Unfortunately the combination of heat, humidity, and pollution is not my preferred consistency of air. Funky smells are preserved and waft out of unexpected places as I pass by, and mold grows rapidly in my bathroom and kitchen. At least I never have to question the temperature of the pool at my condo- I can just jump right in, being assured of the refreshing effect of the water.

Giant photo of a past king in the mall

"Bangkok is modern." -I work in the heart of downtown, on the 16th floor of Siam Tower, which has a 360 degree view of the city. Our language school is surrounded by no less than 5 multi-story malls. I hop off the Skytrain and walk right through one of them to get to the school. The school I worked at before my transfer was actually inside a mall! My new apartment is a condo with a pool, internet, and entertainment system. I really love my comfortable little oasis in the midst of all the chaos.

There seems to be something for everyone in this city, especially in the way of nighttime entertainment. I can add to my checklist salsa-dancing at a 5-star hotel, wine-tasting at a restaurant with it's own private lake in the middle of the city, drinking tea under a tent in a garden at a Middle Eastern spa, various rooftop pool parties, company Halloween party at an amusement park, several hi-so parties sponsored by different liquor companies, and eating at countless restaurants with mind-blowing menus (new favorite cuisine: Burmese). Many of these things were free or cheap as well!

"Bangkok is convenient." -Any need or want can be easily fulfilled here in Bangkok. There is street food available practically 24 hours a day, there is a 7-11 every few blocks, grocery and superstores compete for the lowest prices, the Skytrain and subway manage to cover most of the city with buses, taxis, and motorbikes making up for the in-between, pirated DVDs are sold on every corner, international restaurants can be found everywhere, including McDonald's, which delivers (!?), public or private transport can take you out of the city to beaches or forests within a few hours, English-speakers are abundant in certain areas, and the airport is close and even connected to downtown by another line of the Skytrain! The only danger here is becoming spoiled by the instant-gratification, or if you are foreigner, sometimes being treated like a D-list celebrity (friends and I were put on the red carpet at a Grey Goose event). 

Restrictions on the subway

"Bangkok is confusing." -The second day I was in the city, I went to a salon in the mall I first worked in. I explained that I wanted my hair black, even pointed to a black swatch, and somehow it turned out blond! That was a low moment for me, because I had no one I could call in that moment (seriously, how have I become so paranoid about my hair?), but it was easily changed back. Another night, I was in the car with some Thai women from work, but the driver was not used to going downtown. We missed our turn and it took us an hour to do a loop, owing to so much traffic. We later joked that we had actually driven out of the city to the beach that night. 

"Bangkok is nice." -I enjoy my students. They are respectful and fun and I enjoy spending time with them. The challenge will be to get to know them better, because the school functions like a language machine- input English, test, send down the line. They really do receive quality instruction, so I am happy about that, but I would like to see the same students more frequently. While this is not "traditional" teaching, it has already helped me realize that I'm really looking forward to future opportunities when I can truly commune with students. The other teachers here immediately merged me into their family, no questions asked. They are extremely friendly and interesting people who I enjoy spending time with. There are even two other teachers from Wisconsin! I am hoping that having friends around will make not being able to be home for the holidays more bearable.I'm quite happy with my home away from home!

Back to Bangkok + trip to Khao Yai National Park

I had a very interesting first week getting settled in here. I had been told to be here by Sept 4 in order to start training on Sept 6, so Monday morning I was all prepared to go. After a long commute on foot, subway and skytrain (made longer by getting turned around frequently), I arrived at the head office. As it turns out, my orientation was little more than a powerpoint presentation, and then they sent me home because the director of my branch was not able to come meet me as planned. "Oh and we don't have anything for you for Tuesday so just go in to your center on Wednesday."

Another day of unpacking and then I did it all over again to reach my center. I met the manager and observed some classes, after which I was again told there was no training for me to do... until the following Monday! The other news that was dropped on me was that I would actually be working at a different center for the first month! That center was short one teacher so I would be helping out there until they could bring in a replacement in October. The only good things about this was that it was closer to the apartment I had been put in (which otherwise was a very random location) and that I had met the teachers there on Tuesday just because I happened to stop by. Needless to say I felt quite frustrated on my ride home that day. I decided that to reduce boredom and anxiety, and also because it would probably be my last chance to get out of the city for awhile, I decided to go to Khao Yai National Park.

The public bus to get there took only just over two hours (a time period I now consider short for transportation). My guest house sent a shuttle to pick me up at the bus station- a deal I got for purchasing a trek. I settled in and went to sleep very early, owing to the last remnants of jet-lag and the fact that I needed to be up early the next morning. At 7am I was ready to go, jumped in the truck with a few other trekkers, laced up our leech socks (a necessary precaution during the rainy season), and we were off. Our guide had grown up in the town near Khao Yai and knew exactly where to look for animals. As we wound through the dense forest and attempted to avoid slipping in the mud (fail!), we came across spiders, scorpions, and giant millipedes. We almost ran right into a venomous green snake that was luckily pretty groggy, due to being noctural, and not to mention busy digesting the previous evening's meal. Suddenly, we heard a sound overhead like a fleet of helicopters rushing in- it was actually the beating of the powerful wings of one of the species of hornbill native to the park. Later we heard hooting ricochetting off the trees and followed it to find a family of gibbons using their long arms and legs to swim through the highest layer of the leafy canopy.

Even though we didn't see any elephants, the excursion was memorable, and best of all... just what I needed for relaxing. I befriended a family from Pennsylvania and exchanged travel stories and jokes with them the entire time. We swam under a massive waterfall, just out of sight of a sign that may or may not (but definitely did) say "No Swimming". I ran into a ballet of blue butterflies at the park where we ate lunch and filmed them as monkeys looked on in lust after our food. We walked down a paved path that ended in 23849890741 stairs (it was a lot ok!) to see another waterfall, and then had to hike all the way back up... taking frequent breaks, of course. I was exhausted by the end of the day but felt amazing- I had gotten to breathe fresh air, exercise in multiple ways (hiking, swimming, climbing trees and... does involuntary mud-sliding count?) and have good conversation with real live human beings for practically the first time since I had landed (that's what I get for not understanding Thai yet). AND my leech removing skills (grabbing them, rolling into a ball and flicking them away) apparently reached a professional level- I was one of the only trekkers who didn't get bit! More getaways necessary- pronto!

Cuentos de Costa Rica- Puro Paseo AGAIN! ♬ the Ballad of los Come-Huevos ♬

Pri, Mary, Luis y yo!

It seems I am always on vacation in Costa Rica (well of course I am, because I’m sure as hell not working!)  I’ve been actively traveling since I arrived, and that is due to the intrepid spirit of my compañeros aventureros. I was invited to go with Pri, Luis, and their friends to a place they spoke of with great excitement- La Fortuna in the region of San Carlos.  We would be staying for a few nights in a cabin outside of a town in a rural province, a base from which to set out for the incredible natural formation there…

Volcan Arenal

The car journey took a few hours, and my friends noticed that I was exceptionally quiet the entire time. I had to explain with some embarrassment that, although I did know Spanish, I had NO IDEA what they had been saying! It then dawned on them that they had been speaking in almost pure Costa Rican slang… they could not stop laughing! We arrived at our cabin and unloaded our belongings, but we were eager to go see what we came there for. So we packed some snacks and drove to find a spot for come-huevos- literally: “egg-eaters,” it means experiencing for free what you would otherwise have to pay for (they finally started teaching me the slang!) We used this phrase a LOT during the trip, as by the end of it we had fully converted into come-huevos. My initiation began in a spot along the road where we could see the dominating feature of the landscape: a 5,358 ft high cindercone volcano rising sharply and dramatically from the otherwise flat terrain, the impressive Volcán Arenal. We then drove to the national park to do some hiking. At the entrance, I passed for Costa Rican and thus got in to the park for free! (come-huevos strike again!) We spent awhile there and took some amazing photos of the volcano and then went back to the cabin to eat and prepare for what we had planned that night.

We drank some birras (Costa Rican for “cervezas,” don’tcha know) and made our way back to the volcano to try to see an eruption. We were extremely lucky that the summit wasn’t obscured by clouds, as that is the case on almost every other day of the year. From our viewpoint in the national park, we could see the crater ringed in fiery shades of red, orange, and yellow. However, there wasn’t much activity. Mariana decided that we couldn’t just sit around and hope something would happen; she took matters into her own hands. She began a very entertaining lava chant. We all laughingly joined in and, surprisingly enough, the gods of geothermal energy answered! Hot lava burst diagonally out of the top and bounced thousands of feat down the peak, explosive splashes of color igniting the side of the mountain. We squealed in delight and celebrated our success with dancing and of course more drinks!

The next day we headed to the hot springs! A magma-heated river flows away from the base of Arenal, and as a result several resorts have set up shop, purchasing this land and charging for access to the heated water. Again, the come-huevos foiled capitalist intentions. We drove along and looked out for more of our kind… cars parked on the side of the road indicated their location. We pulled up and found a whole bunch of come-huevos! We all went down to the stream, which didn’t have paved walkways or railings to hold onto while getting in the water, but this didn’t deter us because we were happy to be in untouched (and free) nature!

la poza

Later on we did give in and buy a day-pass to one of the resorts. We had previewed another one and weren’t impressed- we explained this to the proprietors in a conversation made quite awkward by the fact that we had a farting machine in the car (funny in any language!) We decided on the most famous resort, reluctantly legitimizing its claim to this natural resource, but wow was it cool! It had dozens of pools of varying temperatures and we thoroughly enjoyed soaking in them. But we could not deny for long our come-huevos customs. We had seen another place along a bridge where several cars were parked, although we had no idea why. Our curiosity overcame us and we stopped to investigate. There, 30 feet or so under the bridge, was a waterfall! The rushing water had also created a poza (swimming spot) a deep pool perfect for swimming. The other people there were locals, who explained that they came almost every day, and showed us all the secrets to enjoying our time there- a rope swing you could throw yourself off of into the water, a place on the waterfall you could stand and jump from, even a way to get under the waterfall by alternately swimming and pulling yourself along the sheer rock wall against the strong current. We spent hours there amusing ourselves, and even went back again the next day!

The entire trip was great- the sights and activities themselves were amazing- but it was made all the more fun by the fun-loving company I kept … and also I am now a professional “egg-eater” =)

Cuentos de Costa Rica- Puro Paseo

I'd like to offer some "snapshots" into what I've been up to, because every day here has been amazing =)

puesta del sol

-Went on my first solo "paseo" (literally: "pass-time"… in English, think "excursion"). As per the suggestion of my adopted family here, I took a bus to Manuel Antonio, a tourist beach next to a National Park of the same name. Set back in the trees, my second-floor wooden hotel room was scorching. The only relief could be found right by the water's edge. I found a stretch of beach that was somewhat calm, away from the chaos of the expensive restaurants and bars and the package-vacation crowds that frequent them (my "Mami" had sent me with enough fruit and sandwiches to last the days I would be there so that I could avoid having to pay steep prices for my meals). I laid down in the shade of the palm trees and held a staring contest with an arm-length iguana perched near me while listening to the waves crashing against the shore. I stayed until sunset, which was of course gorgeous (I am seriously spoiled for how many sunsets-on-the-beach I have experienced in my life). 

playa del Parque Manuel Antonio

-The next day I woke up early to get to the park before it was hot. I was shocked that I appeared to be the only person who was not in a tour-group. Guides carried their telescopes and set them up for sloth viewings. I never saw a sloth while I was there, but the other wildlife wouldn't disappoint me. I made my way down the trail and suddenly a small bejeweled beach appeared out of the palms, its sparkling aquamarine water calmly brushing the sand. The water was surprisingly warm and I floated in the waves for awhile until I noticed activity on the shore. A band of white-faced capuchin monkeys had come to entertain the beach-goers with their antics! They played and lazed around in the trees, some of the bolder ones even coming down to the ground to have a look at the people. But it wasn't the people they were interested in; it was their food. My lunchtime picnic was punctuated by pairs of eyes intently watching me eat. I spent the entire day on that beach, alternately reading and taking dips in the crystal water, later taking a long walk back to my cabin along the beach, trying to remain in the shadow of the trees to prevent sunburn. I enjoyed my short time in that gorgeous place, and then it was back to mi familia and Chepe (San Jose’s affectionate nickname).

capuchin cansado (tal vez perezoso)

Tito, Mary y yo en la Volcan Poas

-Tito knocked on my door at 7am. "You want to go to a volcano?" My excitement was only partially dulled by my grogginess. I showered quickly and got into the car and we were off: me, Tito, Mariana, her mom, and her mom's boyfriend. On the drive we stopped to buy some beautiful fresh strawberries that were grown on the mountain. They were demolished by the time we reached the summit. Volcán Poás is one of the only volcanoes in the world where you can drive almost all the way to the crater. It has earned the nickname as the "World's Biggest Geyser" because it nearly constantly spews a smoke of sulfuric acid. The rancid smell did not have the chance to detract much from the sight though. Wildflowers in hues of purple and pink grew around the rim and acrobatic swallows twirled and dove from invisible trapeze to catch unseen insects. The combination of smoke and clouds finally cleared for several moments to reveal a cyan colored lake in the crater below.

el bosque nuboso

-From that crater we hiked to its inactive brother on a trail through a very unique mossy forest. Trees twisted around each other like gnarled fingers intertwined, not aggressive or overbearing but in perfect harmony. Silence was strung between the branches like a spider's web, catching conversation and stopping it dead. We emerged at the edge of the crater overlooking a lake, this time filled with actual water. The forest crept down over the side to stand mesmerized by its own reflection at the water's edge. A group of nuns were gathered at the overlook and we decided to go talk to them and ask them where they were from. The women were of the order of the Missionaries of Charity, established by Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and the group represented all of the countries in Central America and many from further abroad as well. The woman we spoke to was from India and had spent much time with Mother Theresa towards the end of her life. We spent more time talking with her about Costa Rica and traveling before we headed back to our car.

el lago volcánico

-On the way back home, we decided to make a detour to a waterfall garden. While we were driving it soon became apparent that the landscape had gone through a change recently. My companions informed me that only one year ago a major earthquake had devastated the area, including a landslide that had wiped out a small town. The family I stayed with had worked in their community to collect relief items (food, blankets, etc.) and brought them to the area for the people who had been affected by the quake. They told a story of a factory which had to shut down its production as a result of the disaster, which would have meant the loss of hundreds of jobs for the local people. However, instead of packing up and relocating, the company saved the jobs for the workers and the whole community worked to speedily re-start production. I was very inspired by this story. Although it was evident that there was a lot of work to be done, I had no doubt that this community, along with wider support from their country, would be able to get back on its feet before too long. We arrived at our destination, a torrent of white water, loud and fast, falling hundreds of feet from its origin, against a backdrop of a dark cliff face covered with brilliant green plants that spilled over the rocks like runny oil-paints. We posed for funny pictures and avoided sliding in the muddy trail. Then, lamenting the end of our "paseo", we got back in the car and drove home to the city.

Cuentos de Costa Rica- Now about that rich coast...

los surfeos

On Sunday, I went with the oldest cousin Tito, his mom, and his girlfriend Mariana to the beach. Jacó is a very small town that nevertheless sees a lot of action due to its proximity to San Jose. This day there were not too many people stationed on the dark sand and therefore it was perfect! Mariana taught me how to use a boogie board in the ocean waves. Catching the waves (or rather, the waves catching me) was extremely thrilling. I even screamed in surprise at one point when I found my board pointed downward instead of parallel as a wave pushed me all the way back to the water’s edge. Later, Mariana told everyone how I was “having as much fun as a little kid!”

las puntadas de Mary

After eating a picnic lunch, we decided to have a surf lesson with Tito. Mariana and I followed him into the water. Mariana, who has done surfing a bit before, went first. She practiced standing up, something that I could picture taking a long time to learn. After one such effort she came out from under the surf and started making her way back to us in deeper water. Suddenly, the board that was attached to her ankle bucked up into the air on top of a wave and came crashing down on her face! She stood still for a moment, looking a bit dazed, but seemed to be no worse for the wear. Suddenly, blood started gushing out from a cut on the bridge of her nose. We ran for her, and Tito helped her back to the beach. We doctored her as best we could, cleaning the wound with water, using napkins and ice to stop the bleeding. When it had stopped and we were able to see the wound more clearly, it was apparent she would need stitches. Tito took her to a nearby hospital and we all waited for them to come back. So I didn’t get to surf, nor would I have wanted to anymore that day, but I was content to play in the waves.

I had been trying to stay out of the sun all day but I would be leaving with my usual souvenir from every visit to a beach: a painful red sunburn. Before we left, we took a drive up a hill to a lookout point. The hill itself was heavily forested and as night was approaching we could hear many birds and insects singing serenades. Native animals frolicked in beautiful stone reliefs that lined the dirt road. We then walked along another smaller path through the jungle until it opened into a long and elliptical balcony painted and set with white tiles. Stairs wove in and out and up and down, the railings adorning them like lace trim. An electrical cord with a few lit bulbs was strung across the length of the structure; where it would provide light in the space of half an hour, it now only served to contribute to the charming atmosphere. The view was incredible, the balcony and tree branches providing a frame for what could not be enclosed. My sight stumbled and rolled down the hill to the beach, laid out in front of me like an infinite-course meal; my eyes could not eat and drink enough of the spread.

I declared I would like to live there forever, even if I must bring a tent. Actually, it is already a house, or the skeleton of one, and skeleton is the correct word to use, for there is a rumor that the Italian who left the house unfinished just up and vanished, possibly taken away by the police. But enough of the macabre. From here we watched the sunset, a red glowing orb sinking down into chalky blue water. Then we got into the car to drive “home,” as I’m all too easily starting to think of San Jose. On the way, I related some of the tales of my travels. My companions listened patiently to my stories that probably took more than twice as long as it would take a native speaker to relate them, and then they were still gracious enough to praise me by saying how well I spoke Spanish!

Mami y yo

Buena gente- good people. Good people are why I keep doing this, packing up and getting out into the world larger than my home state and country, putting myself in unfamiliar places, experiencing levels of discomfort varying from slight to great. Good people are why I only spent one night in a hotel the entire month I was in India. Good people are why I kept going, staying away three more months than planned and visiting four more countries than I originally intended. Good people are who first inspired me to leave (twice!) and who encouraged me to continue despite difficulties faced. Good people are why I travel. I mean sure there’s also a lot of cool stuff to see, but I never would go see them or enjoy them half as much if it weren’t for the people who sent me or found me there. I’m so pleased to say I’m staying with some of the best right now =)

Cuentos de Costa Rica (stories from Costa Rica)

I have been in Costa Rica only a short while, and although I have just seen the Coast for the first time yesterday, I had already been experiencing the Rich-ness daily since my arrival ;) My friend Claudia’s cousins picked me up at the airport. Pri, who I had been communicating with by email, gave me a hug and as we drove provided helpful orientation to the city. The family received me into the house with the warmest of welcomes and showed me to my own room! (which had actually been appropriated from the youngest brother, Luis). The next day poor Luis also drove me around to do errands. When I changed money in the bank the teller only spoke to me in Spanish; I was pleasantly surprised that I could complete the transaction with not even a day’s warm-up!

The next few days were spent planning and carrying out job interviews. Again Luis drove me to both of them and even waited for me for 45 minutes at each one! I really do not deserve this much kindness. The interviews went well- I was offered both jobs! Now I just need to complete a third interview today and then it seems I will have my pick =) The cousins have spent significant time with me taking me around. I was able to get my fix of the English language in healthy doses as they all spoke English very well (I never realized I’d be so grateful for this, but when adjusting to a new country that one has just moved to, it is very helpful to be able to speak one’s native language, not only for logistics but also for emotional support). Luis drove me around downtown pointing out landmarks. Pri took me with her on the bus so that I could get to know the mind-boggling process of transferring =/ They both explained Costa Rican directions over and over to no avail; I still don’t get it. *Example: this section of that neighborhood, 50 meters south and 75 east of the field, the yellow house on the right with orange trim. Yes that’s the “address” of the house here!

Tomorrow for my interview I will need to get on the bus to go downtown, then I need to walk to the park past a church and stay on the side of the bank to find the green buses that say they’re going to Hospital Mexico. I will tell the driver to drop me off at the Toyota dealer and then head east, away from another park, until I see a Subway (the American sandwich chain, not an underground train), then I turn right and walk 200 meters south and the building is there across from yet another park. What a headache! I have to pysch myself up more for arriving at the interview than for the interview itself! While this all might seem ridiculously confusing right now, I know that in a few months I will probably be a pro at using the buses and determining directions and I won’t know what I ever thought was so difficult about it.

On the weekend the cousins invited me out with their friends. One unforgettable meal was an extremely greasy (and extremely delicious!) empanada filled with chicharrón (fried pork rinds). This alone could be the deciding factor in whether I can ever become a full-time vegetarian. I tried out different combinations of sauces and condiments on the divine morsels: lemon juice from lemons that are green with a light orange interior, only slightly sweeter than yellow lemons; a sweet tomato salsa that I liked best; a mix of carrots and cabbage that had an almost clear sauce dripped over them, disguising the reality of its spiciness; and a Costa Rican favorite, salsa Lizano- a brown sauce in a bottle that is both spicy and sweet and smells delicious due to its quantity of cumin, which Pri assured me would not be good with chicharrón but which I was determined to try regardless (result: not bad!).

Indeed it’s hard to go wrong with the food here. Claudia’s aunt Vilma (originally from El Salvador) is a very good cook and we often eat meat flavored by various succulent seasonings. But there are two staples that I eat everyday that would be sufficient for me even though they are not considered main dishes. The first is gallo pinto; the second, maduros. Gallo pinto is a mix of red beans that have been cooked in, you guessed it, salsa Lizano, along with plain white rice (¡Qúe rico!) And then there are maduros. I think anybody who has ever had these just loves them. Sweet, firm plantains fried in oil. Simple, but soo good! And sadly, a habit I will have to kick soon (all that oil is really not good for you).