9 Hours in San Jose

Flight was a total of 6 hours. We are exhausted. We had orientation as soon as we arrived and had to take a Spanish test. Turns out we suck at Spanish. Really bad. I last practiced in early high school. I can pick up some words and I can communicate with words rather than sentences but overall, it's going to be super difficult. Our driver and host family do not speak any English. I did get across that I am a vegetarian very well. The grandmother is crazy amazing. There a are three other American girls in this families home as well so we got a background about the program and the host family. The grandmother apparently gets paid $10 for each person which is really low. And she does so much, dinner was amazing and apparently breakfast is to die for. Dinner tonight was soooooo good, I have no idea what it was but it was damn good.

Money here is weird. For one American dollar is 531 colons. So if something costed 8,000 colons...we are really paying 16$. Because you multiply it by 2 and remove three zeros off the end. The shower is complicated apparently but I just took one and it was fine. There is a motor to heat up the water and the lower the water pressure, the more warm it is. And you cannot flush your toilet paper, or else. Then Michaela and I got split, I'm with two girls and she's with one (the one that knows both Spanish and English). I'm on top of a bunk bed. I sprayed myself with bug spray so I won't get bit. Breakfast is at 7am but the girls say it's actually more like 6am.

Our schedule is 9am to noon and we will work in an orphanage. We plan on going to a mountain that has a dog park. The park is filled with dogs. Hundreds. We'll go on Saturday because they are only open at 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday's. It's more like a humane society, just filled with stray dogs. Next Saturday we are thinking to pay for a trip to either the rainforest or an island or the volcano. The one that is most active. The taxi driver told us that ash is occasionally in the air because it erupts often.

Also the host family is large. Nine grandchildren and a dog with the grandma and grandpa. They seem super nice. I wish I knew more Spanish. Michaela and I don't plan on taking the classes because they cost money but we are just going to study phrases and words and try to catch on. Overall San Jose seems sketchy but has a character to it. I don't know but I feel a little uncomfortable but if we figure out the bus system and how to order a taxi, and where the home is exactly compared to city center and the program's place then I think I'll feel a whole lot better. Guatemala is apparently more developed so that'll be good. Mexico's volunteer house is where I'll stay, I guess it's not through the IVHQ program like Costa Rica and Guatemala. I get a bunk bed with everyone else and a kitchen and a pool. Looking at the calendar makes me home sick already though. I don't know but the experience is what matters. I'm going to bed. I'll update you when I can.

Also mountains are gorgeous because of the clouds. So many clouds. It's rain season. Seems like from what I hear, it's always rain season. It's going to storm everyday. The girls say there is sun in the morning for a little bit.