AARRGH! It´s National Talk Like a Pirate Day!!

So...photos....Yeah, I know it´s been promised, but i´m currently experiencing some difficulties in formatting? Is that a viable excuse?
In the mean time, the quick update is that we´re still in Orosi, and we´ve committed to another 2 weeks of Spanish classes. Our teachers are awesome, and i´m not just saying that because Marjorie (Scott´s teacher) is sitting next to me. We really like this little town in the mountains.
This week we´ve been joined by a bunch of Americans. Which, obviously, everyone in this hemisphere is American, so we find ourselves at a bit of an identity crisis when trying to describing our nationality. So, to clarify what i was saying, this week we´ve joined by a bunch of United Statesians. There are three guys, all traveling independently, and a couple who just moved to Orosi (they´ve been missionaries in Holland and Belgium for the past 20 years, but are from California).
so, we really haven´t gotten out much. We study often. And I think we´ve already learned a lot in our first week here. Scott does a Frankenstien style of communication, and that gets him pretty far. I´m a bit more timid (not surprising) but at least starting to understand what´s going on around me.
Oh, and there´s a restaurant in town that has the Best Burgers in America (and I mean ALL of America) for only $1.00!! So, that´s where we´re going right now! mmm. so good...

Orosi & the curious incident of how I shouted; "wrong-eyed Jesus!"

Ok, I robbed Jim White of that title. (folk artist)
So team, we're in a central valley pueblo known as Orosi. This place is a much needed change from San Jose... which was beginning to wear on us (Scott). It's probably 4000 people in this little mountain valley. We are enrolled in language school, and we just completed our second day. We found a great deal, in a great place. It's nice and quiet here and off the traveller's circuit. It is also monsoon(rainy) season here, which helps.
So Annie and I are staying at a hostel called Montania Linda, which we love. The place is empty save for two Dutch girls (who speak perfect English, German, French, Polish, and of course Dutch... and soon Spanish). There's also a Frenchman here named Lorenzo, who is a perfect French version of Lewis Smirl. Seriously, it's creepy. He is ridiculously intense in every mannerism. We love him. He has been travelling in Latin America for over a year.
Our classes are three hours a day, one on one with our own teachers (Margoth y Marjorie). Much of our time in the next three weeks will be studying and practicing Spanish. The school and the hostel are owned by the same family.
On my birthday we paid a driver, along with our friends from Holland, to take us to the top of Volcano Irazu which is the tallest active volcano in Costa Rica. We were suprised to find a crazy green caldera (lake) at the top. It was practically fluorescent. Hopefully we can post some photos soon.
Happy Birthday to Mark and Judy of course...
Thank you all for your comments, keep them coming. Mamas we miss you - Amy you are hilarious, we are so jealous of your time with Amora... punk.
It's time for a run with Lewis substitue, Loro (Lorenzo)... Adios.

Titulo; perspectivo!

Hey team.
Turrialba was a nice mini version of San Jose. Kind of a hub mountain town. This country is a hurricane of activity - or at least it seems that way on foot. Even if it´s a pouring monsoon rain, Ticos (Costa Ricans) are everywhere doing everything on foot themselves. They would probably think a place like I-80 in los Estados Unidos was a similar frenzy.
We took a bus up further in the mountains one day and checked out a pre-Columbian ruin. It had aqueducts feeding some pools and irrigation canals that were built around 1400AD and were still working. Remember ya´ll - they didn´t have the wheel.
Annie and I are trying to find a spanish program\school. We have some great leads. We´ve been here a week now and have learned much (espagnol- see!) on our own. We truly know that is our primary goal here. We don´t have much of a desire to ´adventure seek´ just yet. We haven´t even been to the coast yet- we just want to communicate so badly. Why do anything if you can´t do that? This place is not simply mountains, jungle, coast etc. -- it´s a people. We want to know them foremost.
Hey we miss you all. Glad we can communicate like this.

P.S. Anybody want to get a new perspective on how great and humanitarian America is? read Understanding Power: the Indespensible Chomsky. For those of you who don´t like politics, don´t worry- it´s more history.

San Jose and Socrates

So, after a super-chill weekend here at the Tranquilo Backpacker Hostel...with its reggae music blaring into the wee hours of the night and its Oreo Cookie theives...We're heading out.
We're going to catch a bus to a small town about 2 hours east of San Jose...Tarriabla.

Our Spanish is still non-existent, so sorry, Beth...I have no idea what you said! pretty bad, huh? Scott's actually researching spanish schools as we speak. I'm trying to learn what I can from a small phrase book we have.

In the mean time, we've been getting a visual tour of the city, and discussing the basic elements of moral philosophy- As Socrates said "We are discussing no small matter, but how we ought to live." We don't have any obligations at this point in our lives, no real responsibilities or even needs. So how do we know what we ought to do? What is right? What is best?

Well, I hope all your labor day picnics and weekend getaways are going well! And Happy Birthday tomorrow, Mom!!

The Basics

Hey!
We made it...safe flights all around. We got a taxi from the airport to our new little abode- the Hostel Elvis! that´s right...pictures of Elvis everywhere. I don´t really get it. But we actually slept most of the day after our overnight flights, so tomorrow we´re planning on getting out a bit more to do some exploring.

My goal today- learn how to count. I thought I knew how to count, but my failed attempts at conducting routine purchases has shown me otherwise.