I am of mixed emotions as our final days in Costa Rica wind down. We are already discussing our return and have sniffed about the real estate listings on a couple of occasions. There is a tennis center nearby. I can see us as Costa Rica snowbirds.
Samara has been the perfect start to our trip, offering a quiet oasis for all of us to find our groove living in close quarters and being away from many of the comforts of home. I am tempted to dig out the Word Press tutorials for instructions on how to change the blog to oneyearinsamara.com. We are comfortable here- we walk down the street and wave to the fruit vendor, the taxi driver, and our teachers. Besides our ‘pelo rubias’ and ‘poco Español’, we feel like local Ticos ; ) We have made mistakes in the process of becoming comfortable in Costa Rica (leaving our bank card in the ATM, drowning a phone in the rainforest, bringing the girls to the wrong school on their first day, to name a few) and I am a little anxious at the idea of starting over again already. However, I guess that is what this year is all about- making connections and getting to know a little about life in many places around the world. Steve is excited to continue on…perhaps he feels he has saturated Instagram with photos and stories of this beautiful, quiet town.
Speaking of Steve, I am enjoying my new husband. He is a little hairier but he is very relaxed, he goes for runs and bike rides with me and he does yoga. This new version even COOKS. I’m keeping this one
Our trip out to Playa Ostonial wildlife reserve was certainly a highlight. The girls have summarized this experience in their posts, it was one that none of us will forget. Seeing so many Olive-Ridley turtles come to the beach to lay their eggs in the volcanic sand during the peak time of the year (the week before the new moon in the rainy season) was truly a natural miracle.
We survived our adventure at Wingnuts, the local zip line company. It was a throwback to our adrenaline junkie days. The girls loved every minute of it. Abseiling upside down off a platform is uncomfortable in your forties and exhilarating if you are under 12. However, sailing through the canopy on the zip lines with monkeys in the trees and flashes of coastline in the distance is quite spectacular at any age.
Learning Spanish is a great challenge. Steve and I have enjoyed our two weeks at Intercultura Language School. Besides the daily language classes, we tried the yoga classes (I could make out the names of a few body parts and very little else) and had an opportunity to practice our new skills with a group of local grade seven boys, who were learning English. We continue with our spanglish over dinner with the girls in the evening. Between the five of us, I hope we have gathered enough words to make ourselves somewhat understood in the coming weeks/months. The girls are picking it up quickly. Steve and I…well, we are trying.
The girls have loved their school experience at Samara Pacific- a small, private bilingual Spanish/English school. To our surprise/delight, they have even expressed interest in finding another school experience in our travels! Every day, they arrive home with plans to meet friends down at the beach for a swim or boogie board. Tomorrow, they will participate in the running of the torch in celebration of Independence Day. A lantern parade and festivities will be held in the main street at night. Unfortunately, the national huelga (strike) is limiting the extent of the celebrations this year as Ticos are opposing the increased taxes imposed by their new government, and the local celebrations are usually headed by the public schools. Fingers crossed that it does not interfere with our flight out of San Jose on Tuesday morning…
One Family, One World, One Year 