Ave Maria and other pitfalls

It's been a couple of weeks since my first post and things are moving along smoothly. I have my plane tickets (for a mere $30 thanks to my frequent flier miles), my bus transfer to the bus station from the airport (aeropuerto) and my bus ticket to Quepos from the bus station. I decided to splurge and go for the air conditioned coach bus for the whopping sum of $29 for the three-hour journey. I pay more than that for the gas in my car to go that far! I was able to make the reservations on line and in English, making me wonder just how 3rd world this place is.

I have been having the debate (mostly with myself) about whether or not I can drink the water while there. I've found plenty of sites online that say you can and it's safe. Of course, I can really find plenty of sites to say just about anything I want them to with all the misinformation online so I don't know how true they are. However, my need for coffee and my desire to be as unobtrusive as possible in my host family's house is going to have to outweigh any possible ill-fated outcomes. I'm packing the Imodium and crossing my fingers. Please don't let those be my famous last words!

I have also been talking with my career coach, Linda, about other things I might encounter while in Costa Rica that will be uncomfortable for me. Right at the top of that list is the dreaded CHURCH. Since most Latin American countries have huge populations of Catholics (who actually practice Catholicism and go to church), I'm afraid I might be asked to go with someone to church. I think I'd rather have to have something go wrong with the water than to sit through a Catholic mass. However, in the spirit of immersion, I've decided that I'm going to do it. After all, if the mass is in Spanish, I'm not going to have any idea what anyone is saying anyway. I was kind of surprised that this was my top concern though. Sometimes I forget how traumatizing it was to be forced to go to church as a kid. Thanks mom. (Just kidding. I know she meant well and surely did not foresee this outcome!)

I'm really excited to be in CR leading up to Christmas though. I remember this time of year was my absolute favorite in New Mexico. I loved all the decorations, the smell of pinion in the air from people burning the wood in their fireplaces, the overall air of festivities and happiness that saturated Santa Fe...all great memories. I hope that being in another highly Catholic setting will be just as positive; where the emphasis is less on church and more on family traditions and good will.