HOMESTAY CONT'D

The next day I went with both Carmen's to school across the street for a teacher's cooperative meeting which recognized various people for various accomplishments.  Here's a picture of some of the students, as well as the teachers.

 That night we went to visit her other daughter who lives in Heredia, in an upscale home and enviroment from where I was staying.  Then, next day, time for an adventure!  Olga, the daughter who lived next door and spoke no
English, and I took a bus to Puntarenes on the ocean for an overnight stay.  It was a good time!

Olga, who did not swim, eventually did go into the swimming pool at the motel, and with encouragement from another "local", went waist deep into the ocean.  Here's a street-food dish that we had for lunch:  Vigarone.  Pork rinds, cabbage, tomatoes, vinegar and oil dressing.

Olga, her aunt, my hostess Carmen and her husband

COSTA RICA HOMESTAY

Prior to meeting the team for the build, I arranged a homestay with a SERVAS member (an international hosting program) for a week.  I flew to Houston on March 26th, stayed at a motel near the Airport, and my friend Vicky Valero came with food from a deli and visited for a couple of hours.

On Easter Sunday I flew into San Jose.  We arrived on time, but when the plane taxied to the terminal, we got stuck in a "hole." The pilot called for a tug, but the tow bar broke and they had to get another.  The line for immigration was very busy due to the holiday.  Carmen Mora Mora gave me a ride to her house, she fed me some lunch of a cornmeal type of bread with some type of filling that was pretty good.

 I thought she knew English better than she did, but I had no problem understanding it was necessary for me to stay with another SERVAS host also named Carmen.  So off we go about a half hour away, and I stay with Carmen and her husband.  I have an upstairs bedroom to myself, and these folks don't speak any English except a few words.  Both Carmen's are retired teachers.  I just hung around Monday, and arranged for an all-day tour the next day, going to a coffee farm, volcano, and waterfall park that also had different areas for frogs, butterflies, monkeys, etal.