I slept in until 9 this morning which was nice! After a shower and breakfast Teva (21 year old Costa Rica girl I'm staying with) and I took the bus into the center of San Jose. We got off one bus to stop and exchange money. The first bank was closed, so we walked down the road to another bank. They only allow one person in to the back at a time, so it was scary cuz they let me in without Teva. He told me in Spanish to open my bag and he checked it. Then he let Teva in. You have to take a number and wait like at the DMV. We watied about 15 minutes and then I gave them $100 in twenties. They wouldn't take one of the twenties because it had a very small tear. A few of the bigger stores take American money so I'm going to try to use it there.
Once I had some colones (Costa Rican money) we got on another bus. This was was really full, and oh my.....what an expereince! I thought I was going to die! There were no seats and it was PACKED for standing up. We were crammed at the very front of the bus and they drive with the door open. They drive so crazy here, and I was holding on for dear life! When we finally got off my hands and arms were sore from holding on so tight.
San Jose was very bustling with vendors and people everywhere. Tomorrow is Mother's Day here, so there were people selling all kinds of things. I wanted to just go in all the shops and just look around, but we were in kind of a hurry because Teva had to be back for a church activity. I got an alarm clock finally....I've been sleeping in a room with no clock and that drives me crazy. And yesterday Teva was supposed to wake me up at 6 and she forgot until 7 when we were supposed to leave. Anyway, I have an alarm clock now and I'm very happy about that. It was ridicuoulsy priced though...it's just a battery powered little clock and it was almost $30 US. I also bought some flowers for Cenia (the mom of the family) because of Mother's Day being tomorrow, and a Spanish/English Dictionary. I saw a vendor selling fresh produce, so Teva and I bought some avacodos for the family. They are soooo good here!
Then we caught the bus home. This one wasn't as full so we got to sit down the whole way. When we got home we ate lunch. I've had a little down time, and I'm about to leave to go back dowtown with Raul and his girlfriend. He is the son/brother and they family but he has his own house and car. He and his girlfriend have to go downtown anyway, so they are taking me so I can buy a cell phone. Apprently you have to go to one place to get a phone, and then another to buy a phone line. The phone line places are closed today, so that will have to wait until I can get someone to take me next week.
I'm hearing thunder as I'm writing this. I don't see any rain yet, but it's gotten really couldy. It sounds like it's going to storm. When it rains here, IT RAINS!
Well, Raul is here so I better go. More to come.
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