RE: weekend [email to Pito]

things have been going really well.  spending most of my time with carlos since his schedule as a fulltime student is the most open to hang out.  jumped around where i sleep from zahyra to carlos to fabio.  fabio burnt me a couple of cds with photos and one with a bunch of old school, prob 1950s and 60s music, so i'll bring that back to show you.  so maybe send something for him.  he was telling me that he needs a new electric shaver (like the norelco ones), but that might be too expensive to send down.  if not, if you have a copy of buena vista social club that i gave you, then def burn a copy of that for him.  been to guapiles twice on day trips, i'll go there for most of next wk since i like the peacefulness out there.  haven't been to beach yet, but will go next wkend, aka in 8 days, to dominical.  other than that, my spanish has improved a bit since arriving.  everyone compliments me on how well i speak.  and i even sang karoake in spanish last night, didn't get in until 5am!  not sure what i'm doing this wkend, but i'm gonna pay one of carlos' friends $100 to rent his car for the rest of the time that i'm here, so getting around won't be an issue starting today.  mita has been doing other stuff, and i've been purposely doing my own thing.  like i said about jaco, i don't think i'll go there since everyone says its so bad.  but in the off chance that i'm near a computer when yorlen is with me, i'll open up the other email you sent to show her.  please take care of rocky & moda, i've been really worried about them the whole time i've been here.  thanks for helping out with them.  alright, gotta go now.  pura vida!

San Jose, Costa Rica -- morning

I'm back! And I guess I mean that in more ways than one. First of all, I'm back writing in this journal. That has a lot to do with the second way: that I'm back in Costa Rica.

I arrived here just three days ago. Today is Monday morning. I just woke up, and since no one else is awake or around, I decide to start writing.

Mita and I landed in San Jose on Friday around noontime. After going through customs and getting our bags, we met Carlos outside the airport. From there we drove to Marlen's workplace so we could all have lunch. I should also say that at that moment that we met Carlos outside the airport, I had to switch gears from English to Spanish. I've realized so far on this trip that at times I've grown tired of expending the energy necessary to speak and listen in Spanish. And unlike other trips in the past, as far as I can remember them, this time I don't feel so pressured to force myself to stay in Spanish mode. I'll either retreat into my own head to take a break or I'll just state that I'm gonna say something in English and then I'll say it. And really, with the level of English that people have here, it's usually cool. So I'll probably stick with that method, even while my Spanish naturally improves a little bit each day.

Anyway, returning to what I've done since getting here. Mita, Carlos, Marlen, and I had a nice lunch at an outdoor restaurant in the strip mall where Marlen works. After that, we drove to Tia Zahrya's house, where we saw her and Yorlen. Carlos had to leave to prepare and then go to his evening English class. So I just stayed at Tia Zahrya's house for coffee and then just chilled out for a while.

Later that night, after eating dinner, Yorlen, Said, Vicky (Yorlen's friend), and I went to a bar called Cavale. It was a really cool atmosphere because they played hip-hop and electronic music. It seems that the owner is some young-looking Swedish guy. I went out even though I felt a bit tired from the trip. But the funny thing is that once I got out, I was energized by the music, the women, and by the fact that I was finally in Costa Rica again. We went out thinking we'd be back easily by midnight. But we stayed until closing. Then, we even went to a late night food stand to get some gallo pinto with salchichon. By the time I went to bed, it was four in the morning.

The next day Tia Luisa, Tio Fabio, his wife Leticia, their little girl Alexandra, and of course Tia Zahrya and Yorlen were all hanging out by the time I woke up at noon. I took nearly an hour in the bathroom because I had to piss, shit, blow my nose, then take a nice long shower. So I finally saw everyone around one in the afternoon.

Well, I'm gonna continue writing later because Carlos is up now. So it's time to hang out.

ya voy! [email to family in Costa Rica]

el tiempo ha llegado para disfrutar la pura vida
porque hace tiempo que he tomado una pura birra
en solo unas horas estare volando en una nube
y cuando llego es cuando el volumen de la fiesta sube!

cuz the time has come to chill out and get loose
put on the tunes and drink a lil juice
cuz i'm comin' all the way from the double deuce and spruce
and i'm bringin' the engine if you supply the caboose!

Saw Beastie Boys at Festival Pier, Penn's Landing, for $49.50 with Jess.