Muy Estraño.

Let me begin by telling you all how strange it is to be here at Christmas time. There are Christmas trees, Christmas lights, Christmas stockings, Santas, Ornaments, Nativity scenes, and a whooole heap of fake flocked foliage on everything. One of my favorite places to eat has Christmas-themed tableclothes...and this is not the type of place you would expect to even have tableclothes...and the curtains...the curtains! They are also a lovely pine-forest green with candy canes, wreathes, and santas.
I...I just don't know how to handle this. I am a million miles away from familiar yet Christmas is still here. It's just different.

Por ejemplo: Last night I went to a community Christmas show with two other students from my school. We did not know what to expect. We were going because our latin dance instructor was a part of it and we wanted to see him do his stuff. However, we got something quite different than expected.
It was at a bar/hotel called the Roca Verde, a hot spot for locals who want to dance dirty on a Saturday night. However, it had been converted into a theater for tonight's review. We kind of thought that this was a community event, but we didn't know it was a gringo community event. I'm serious. This place was packed with white people. More than I had seen in a long time. And the little community review was really a showcase for local talent. I have no idea where these people came from, were kicked out of, or how they all managed to come together in such a festive way, but it was quite a show. There was a British guy who must have been on Broadway, a old chick in feathers who could have kicked young Glinda from Wicked little heiny, and even our bartender could have made me weep with the way he sang. My god, these people had pipes. Not to say that the performance was perfect...far from it. But there were some beautiful moments. A sanskrit song, bartender making me cry with O Holy Night, and realizing that I'm not just missing Christmas with my family this year, I'm missing Christmas entirely.

And then we got a ride home with a man who had won the Baja 500 four times.

Sometimes, this place makes me feel like I am dreaming.

So, what did they say?

I never thought I would be so bad at understanding another human being. Perhaps I just have good days and bad. Since I woke up this morning and said "Buenas Noches" as a greeting, I think today might be a little bit of a struggle. I'm not saying I have the skill of a Spanish Orator right now, but I think I can do a little better than Good Night.

Perhaps it's because I did a dance workshop last night and practically irrigated the dancefloor with my sweat, thus dehydrating my body and mind to the point of idiocy. I shall drink in abundance today. Perhaps it's because I spoke more English last night than I have in the past three days (and I haven't been silent) which worked against the delicate neuronic pathways, newly-forged in the language center of my brain. Darn you, English, for being my first language!

It's just hard. If you know me, you know that I like to talk...about anything. And this language barrier is barring me from my happy paradise in the sun. Ok, not really. I am perfectly content...I'm three miles outside my comfort zone, but yo soy mucho contento. Did you know they speak Spanish outside my comfort zone? Well, they do.

Ok. Must go study.

My Inaugural Blog.

I have never been much of a blogger. In fact, I have never blogged, which always sounded like the action of removing some slimy substance from your body via the closest orifice. Blog.

But here I am! I have a computer up and running. I have a catchy blog title. I have a camera with which to take groovy pictures of my epic life. I am ready. To blog.

So. How does one do this? And one must ask the question: WHY? Why blog at all? Why not write emails to people, buy phone cards, or simple make new friends if you're all that keen on staying connected? Yes, yes...I could do all of those things. But...

I have many friends, and I WILL write to them.
Phone cards are expensive and shall be used only in emergencies and cases of dire homesickness.
I like the friends I have. I want to keep them in my life.
And...I like hearing myself write. (typety type type typety type!) So cheerful!

So, I shall henceforth be a blogger. I shall blog with abandon. And I shall shall begin my blogster life with my trip to Costa Rica. My flight leaves tomorrow morning (EST) at 8 am. Wish me luck, kids...