San Jose, Costa Rica -- afternoon

I really shouldn't be surprised, but I'm sick. It's such a pain in the ass that - it seems - every time I come to Costa Rica, I get sick. And this time I took precautions like washing my hand frequently and getting to bed early while sleeping-in in the morning. I think I would have been fine if not for the fact that Yorlen was sick on the day we got here. Then, a couple days later, with Yorlen still sick, Mita got sick too. Mita's defenses were definitely down since she didn't sleep for two nights prior to getting here, and she was barely sleeping when we got here. So I guess just being around two sick people, and since the bacteria/viruses here are different than those in the States, I also inevitably got sick. I had a terrible fever last night, sweating so much in bed that my body was stuck to the sheets. Talk about a shitty feeling, feeling trapped like that.

Today I also feel like shit, but I think its already breaking up since I've got a lot of mucus coming out of my nose, and I have that gut feeling that I really am getting better, despite - or perhaps because of - the symptoms. So on account of my sickness, I've done nothing but hang around Zahyra's house. The only thing to speak of is that yesterday morning Yorlen and I went to the Mercado Central in San Jose to buy a bunch of vegetables and other ingredients for her to make tamales navidenos. I went along to keep her company and to help her carry the ton of stuff we picked up. It was towards the end of that outting that I really started feeling sick and weak. I paid for a taxi, which was less than $3, and since then I've been holed up here like a hermit.

Mita is having a blast here. She seems to be the happiest I've seen her in a long while. Even now that she's here she continues to talk about buying property here in Costa Rica. And it seems like every five minutes she's making a comparison with the United States, where of course Costa Rica is better, or else she'll just make a general, disparaging comment about some aspect of life in the United States. I think half the time she's exaggerating, but I don't say anything.

She changed her mind, though, about wanting to live in Alajuela once she saw how steep the roads are there. Then when I told her that she would have to learn to drive stick if she lived in Alajuela, she gave up the idea. But even despite an obstacle like that, I think she's better off living down here. In the U.S., I live only half-an-hour from her, and there's no way for her to visit me unless Jessica picks her up. And that's not a realistic option any more now that Jess lives two hours north of Mita. I just get the impression that Mita's condition would be much subdued here in Costa Rica. Even though she's seemingly between a rock and a hard place, I think the choice - although difficult - is obvious. But I've gotta try not to say anything; Mita's a grown woman who has to make her own decisions.

In the meantime, I'm gonna take a backseat on this trip. Everyone is excited to see Mita, so I'll just come along for the ride.