One word: trango

Here are a few bits of info I've learned about Costa Rica:
The water really is fine to drink, at least here in Quepos. I drink about 3 liters out of the tap every day.
There is a reason that "hot water" is advertised at hotels: it is a luxury. You should be prepared for cold only showers.
Costa Rican coffee = awesome.
Toilet paper (or anything else not produced from your body) cannot be flushed in most toilets. However, my home here has some sort of special plumbing so I can flush toilet paper. Whew!!!
Sidewalks? What sidewalks??
For about $3 US, you can get a casado: a meal w/ rice, beans, salad, plaintains, salad and meat.
Sometimes the power goes out. Sometimes there is NO water. Deal.
Costa Rican men are called "ticos" and women are "ticas".
If you're running late, you're really just on schedule for "tico time." Relax.
Monkeys like to steal whatever they can from your bags. They know how to work a zipper too.
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I'm slowly acclimating to life here in Costa Rica, although the whole "pura vida" thing is a hard concept for me. I'm so used to rushing everywhere, always having something to do, that truly relaxing is not easy. So, I don't really relax and my days are pretty filled with activitiy. I joined the local gym: Gimnasio Musculo Mucho which is actually air conditioned (score!) and am now one with the local meat-head population. A few of my fellow students joined as well and I love how well we all get along. It's on my way home from class, so no excuses! Well, aside from the fact that it's really freaking hot here and the humidity makes it difficult to breathe at times. However, no complaints! Better than the 47 degrees I see Boston was today.

I'm picking up more and more Spanish every day and at times find myself thinking in Spanish, which is a very good sign. I was quite discouraged the other night, as I've felt alienated in my host house because I don't understand more than 2 words out of every 50 that are spoken. However, my host dad asked me out for beers two nights ago and he took me to a local fisherman's bar. He works at a seafood export company and is in with the local fishermen. After making our way down a couple of alleyways and down a dirt road, we arrived at an open air bar, complete with view to the Pacific. This is a place I NEVER would have gone on my own and I'm psyched he took me there. He introduced me to a new drink: trango. The waitress brought over two shot glasses, two tumblers of ice and made the drink in front of us. Basically, it was Costa Rican rum, poured over ice. On top of that, a little Pepsi (from a glass bottle). Then, she brought a plate of cut up limon (a green fruit that is orange on the inside and kind of like a lemon, but much sweeter). We squeezed the limon over the drink and stirred. Really, really good! Next, he ordered me ceviche (which I absolutely loved) and some sort of white bean soup with pork. I have no idea what part of the pig it came from and don't want to know because it was fantastic!
Victor, my house dad, speaks less English than I speak Spanish and we spent a couple of hours practicing my Spanish and actually communicating. It was amazing!!! He was totally patient and encouraging. I actually know more than I thought I did and he was a very good teacher. This was definitely a turning point in my trip so far and at a much needed time when I was feeling very overwhelmed. He reminded me that I had only been here a few days and it would come with time. I'm so grateful for his invitation and this, I am sure, will be one of the highlights of my trip. This was the truly authentic Costa Rica I wanted to see and feel.

On that note, I'm off to study and hit the gym! I welcome all emails from people and any news from home!!!