Typical Day

Dear Lauren and Readers,

Thought I'd write a bit about my daily schedule. Every morning I wake up (between 6:30 and 7) and roll out of bed. I have no alarm clock, so I just rely on my own body and the light that comes in the crack I leave in the curtains. I pull back the curtains fully every morning for maximum light and open my window. I greet the dogs which anticipate my appearance and pop their heads in to get love (I decided Anusca just had a seizure or something. He has seemed fine ever since). I have class almost every day at 8am, so I get ready for school. If I have extra time in the mornings I sometimes write in my journal.

My host mom Nena goes to her exercise class every morning at 7, so she leaves my breakfast on the counter which I either heat in the mircowave or just eat. Breakfast always includes fresh fruit and usually either a fresco (blended fruit drink) or café if I requested it the night before. Breakfasts range from gallo pinto con queso (the typical cheese here is white, does not melt and seems to squeak slightly against your teeth) to bean empanadas to cereal.

Getting in or out of the house requires passage through three ports: The outside gate encompassing the house and yard which locks automatically and always needs a key (if you are coming) or the push of a button in the living room (if you are going). The gated metal door just before the front door, and the front door itself. At night the security gets even better, as the formidable looking and sounding dogs are released into the front yard. All this security, but there is really very little if any crime here.

I go to class from 8-11, come home for two hours during which I eat lunch, then go back for my spanish class from 1-4, umbrella in hand. Lunch varies, but often includes rice and beans plus some something (fried platanos-plaintains, meat, fried shrimp packages, soup etc). There is always another fresco with lunch (today I had manzana-apple, but one of my favorites is maracuyá-passionfruit).

Here is my class schedule:

M 8-11: Society and Environment

1-4: Spanish

T 8-11: Tropical Ecology

1-4: Spanish

W 5-7pm: Latin American Dance

Th 8-11: Plant Taxonomy

1-4: Spanish

F 8-11: Natural History of Mesoamerica

After classes I don't have a typical plan. My day could include going somewhere downtown, homework, socializing, taking walks with my binoculars, dancing, etc.

The classes here are so far quite a bit easier than those at Chico. Of course, with all my classes only meeting once a week (except spanish), I've only had most of them twice, so they will probably pick up a bit.

Pura Vida,

Ellie