New Tricks and New Friends

I had my first dream (that I remember) in Spanish last night! It was pretty random, and I was talking to an Asian lady in Spanish, but nonetheless, I remember speaking it in my dream. Slowly like I do now, but it was a trip! 2 weeks and I am dreaming in another language.

Today I woke up bright and early (for drinking the whole day before) surprisingly feeling alright! 9:00 and off to Hope Progression Compound. 

On the way there, I stopped at On Wheels, the bike shop close by to say whats up and to see if they wanted to ride on their break. I ended up leaving the shop with the owner's bike to ride for the day. Thanks a lot Ed, so stoked!

We spent the first hour or so digging and getting everything dialed in, and then some kids came all the way from San Jose. Francisco's place is pretty much the best place to ride dirt in all of Costa Rica. There are other spots, but not like his. I am feeling so lucky right now that I live a 5 minute ride from his place! This place brings people from across the country, and I have met so many cool people already! Every day I am meeting new people and making new friends.

We had an awesome session and I ended up landing a nothing (no feet no hands) to no foot can (both feet to one side of the bike)! Gotta dial it in, but still something I have been wanting to do for years now. We rode until the rain came, and it came down hard. I have never seen so much rain in my life, but its all good. If anything, the rain prevents us from progressing too fast and getting hurt!

Tomorrow I am going to meet with a photographer here who has a BMX magazine and we are going to shoot at Francisco's house and talk about doing something together. I could not be more stoked and excited...one step closer to moving here in the future and having work! There is also a need for Anthropology here, and I am told that speaking English greatly improves chances of finding work, kind of like speaking Spanish in the US too (except its almost a requirement now for most jobs). 

I figured I have been here for a couple weeks now and am getting into some sort of routine. So here is my room in a normal state. Starting from the left, well first of all I have a pre-set Tahoe sticker! I have my homemade insect net, sunscreen and bug repellent, stacks of change (so much change here, and its heavy too!), razor and deodorant, then my nice shirts and stuff hanging, keys knife watch phone, books and hats. Spanish verbs and school schedule taped to the wall. Everything I need and more! The TV even has cable, my local phone card has 4g internet; I feel like I am in the US with all my goods and gadgets

Día Del San Ramón

Sorry for the lack of post yesterday. I spent the whole entire day out with Ana and her family. It was so much fun!

We started out a 9 am to go to the parade of the saints. It was pretty hectic with so many people crowded around, but a really cool experience. The floats consisted of people carrying different saints and then music accompanying them. There were a few different floats that were making their saints dance, which we learned in class is not traditional, but adds some livelihood to the parade for sure.

Ana seems to know everyone in this town

Family

Even the police had a saint

people everywhere..

Candy!

Hometown!

The King and Queen of the parade

After the parade we came home, I took a nap, than then we went out to meet up with more family at a club. It was so cool! There is no place in America that I can think of for older people to gather and dance their hearts out. The place was huge, and had live latin music with a huge dance floor and seating area. We drank a classic drink that consists of Cacique (alcohol from Costa Rica), Fresca, salt, and lime over ice. I danced with Ana (very poorly) and it was a lot of fun, despite how horrible I was.

After downing dancing until we were too tired, a few of us left and headed to the bar that their family owns. There was a couple from Newfoundland who was there to sing Karaoke for a woman who had taken their son in a few years back who had passed. This woman was Ana's family member, and it was my first time translating, telling her why they were here. Ana was very sad, but I was able to tell her that the woman had touched the lives of people across the world and how beautiful that was. Very moving.

Ana's cousin and nephews who we hung with the whole night

So that was my San Ramon day, full of saints and drinking, but more importantly spending quality family time and meeting new people!

San Jose

Today we went on a field trip to San Jose. We went to a museum and learned about the indigenous people. Very interesting, and very cool artifacts.

After that we visited a beautiful theater and then visited a market, where I got an Imperial (Costa Rica's beer) shirt and ate a very interesting hamburger (with 2 types of meat, an egg, tortilla chips, and lettuce). Very good!

Now I am about to head downtown to watch a horse parade.

This giant pot was the same as a keg nowadays. 

An Almost Visit

Today I had Latin American Literature in Spanish. One person dropped the class, so it is just the two of us and the professor now. The good news is that we will be going from 9-11 (instead of 8-11) and we will still receive the full amount of credits! 

My good friends from home, Peg and Natalie have been traveling around Costa Rica the past week and they were going to come meet up with me for the night. Unfortunately, after 4 buses and 3 cabs, they could not make it. I am not sure where they were coming from and I am no help in navigating, but thanks guys for trying!

Oh, I found Ranch dressing! I had to get a large thing of it because it was the only one in the store, but it is so good! They are huge on mayonnaise here, it takes up a section about 8 feet long and top to bottom. No one knows what ranch is here, I even got questioned about it by a Tico when I was buying it, but I am going to change that with my family. 

Didn't really take any pictures today, but I will leave you with two dragonflies mating from today on my break.

Pallasos

Today, went to class and learned about insect functions. A lot of information, but it needs to be banged out so we can get to the cool stuff.

Got home, ate lunch, and went to watch a mini parade with my family. This whole week is San Ramon week, so every day there is festivities and something different. Pallasos (pai-ah-sohs for you gringos) means clowns. These kids were prancing through the streets to music and ended up at the church.

After that, I decided to make my own net for capturing insects for my class. Got some bamboo from the reserve on campus, and some other supplies with the help of Antonio.

On another note, there is a photographer here who has a magazine. He hit me up today and wants to collab on something! We shall see what the future brings..

So good! The bottom is filled with chunks of pineapple and papaya, then a layer of jello, and then the ice cream! Less than 3 bucks!



Oh yeah, time to kill some insects..

Happy Monday

Today was nice and relaxed. Had class and learned about the Incas! Then headed downtown and walked around for a bit.

Got home and took a nap, then woke up to a bunch of Ana's family over having a little prayer service in the center area. We drank some coffee and ate some good food and talked for a bit afterwards.

I was talking to a fellow student today, and it made me feel so fortunate to have taken Spanish before I came here. He had never taken a class before and pretty much only knew "hola". He was talking about learning the differences between ellos and ellas (them, masculine and feminine) and el and la (the, masculine and feminine). We all have to start somewhere, but I would feel so lost if I were in his position.

I definitely am learning a little here and there, but mostly cementing Spanish into my brain from what I have previously learned. I am feeling more and more comfortable each day speaking and listening to people, it is so cool! 

Hollo con carne

Some coffee and snacks

Ana is so funny. So young at heart, here she is dancing around in a yellow bulb mask thing

Progression

Ah! Today was unreal. Woke up at 8 and headed to Francisco's to finally have a day of riding! The weekends are when all the kids come, so there was a good group of about 10 or so of us. Francisco named his place Hope Progression Park for a reason. This is cliche, but we really do feed off each other and push each other to learn new things. 

I learned slow barspins, supermans, dumped threes, and no foot can nothings! 

Francisco learned opposite superman seatgrab to tailwhips! Nucking futs.

Got to ride until I couldn't, didn't have any bad falls, and got to take a bunch of photos. What more could I ask for?

I got home around 4 to my family chilling in their outside area singing to latin music and drinking some whiskey...to say I love it here is an understatement. 

Here is what I came out with today, enjoy!

Jimmy "El Toro" Torres no hands

Francisco 270 whip

Another angle

El Toro, Andres, Francisco

Francisco oppo whip

Francisco 270 table

This guy wakes up at 5 and rides 30km here. Bad Ass. So good too! Gama

 I have been putting in hours digging with these two

Me! Getting my 3s dumped

Just learned this today! So scary

Just learned these too!

Photo by Francisco, Gama getting dumped

This kid is 11 years old! And he was getting them fully extended

Simultaneous no handers from Francisco and Gama. They didn't stop there. No way 

Craziness! Double tailwhips almost perfectly in sync

Francisco with a regular superman seatgrab to tailwhip

But no, that wasn't good enough. Opposite! Progression.

Singing!