I apologize in advance for my lack of punctuation; I can't figure this keyboard out...! I am at an internet cafe in Cartago, Costa Rica with my Spanish class of seven kids from all over the United States and Europe. There are 25 of us in all, staying at an incredible organic farm called Finca La Flor. Its the most beautiful place I've ever been. Every morning, I wake up at 5 a.m. and help the women in the open air kitchen cut the fresh fruit from the farm. There are over 15 kinds of strange and delicious fruits that grow on the small farm alone. It rains a ton every day starting at around 3 p.m., and doesn't stop until the next morning. I absolutely love the kids here. We've all formed a tight circle, always laughing. My English is getting worse as my Spanish improves everyday. Yesterday we went on a nature walk into the bosque where we saw ants as big as my finger, trees that gushed what looked like blood when you cut them, a dazzling waterfall, bamboo 30 feet tall that creaked in the wind and a National Geographic worthy panoramic view of La Flor. The sun sets at around 6 p.m. every evening and after the six hours of interesting and fun classes we have an evening activity like watching "Motorcycle Diaries," or learning to dance salsa and meringue. (They say I'm a natural!) Two nights ago, there was a tarantula as big as my palm in my room, but my brave Austrian friend Paul rescued me. I'm trying very hard to disassemble all the gringa stereotypes, but it's a lot harder than you think when there are cockroaches climbing out of every crack in your walls and moths the size of both my hands landing on you while you sleep... I leave to go on my eight-hour bus ride down south to Ciudad Neily where my host family lives in three days. I'll be very sad to leave this amazing place and these amazing people, but I'm also excited to meet my familia adoptiva.
My time is almost up, but I love and miss you all, and would love contact of any kind from you.
Pura Vida Por Siempre,
Elaine
