Leaving Home/ (almost) Homecoming

Well, here I am. Back in Costa Rica. I've had three weeks to settle in, figure out my work (or at least make it look like I've figured it out), find, rent, and begin to put together my house, and otherwise generally get back into the tico swing of things. We're about to get into the rainiest months of the year, but I got my first sunburn on Sunday, watching Chris' football (soccer) game.

It's been nice and I'm glad to be back. I'm still feeling a bit disconnected, though, especially since I still don't have my cell phone and I haven't had much time to email, blog, or talk with everyone back in the US or over in the UK.

I thought a fitting first post, therefore, would be a list of things that I had forgotten I love here:

• Geckos. I officially have my first gecko living in the roof of my house. I have named her Lizzie the Lizard (oh so creative, I know), and Chris and I cheered her on the other day as she set to hunting mosquitoes. Hurray for bug-eating lizards!!

• The evening. It's such a nice time of day, as long as you don't think about the traffic jam that will inevitably be between San Jose and wherever you live. If you concentrate on the pink rain clouds (they're much less threatening when pink), the way the neighborhood smells because it used to be a coffee plantation, and of course, your very own cup of coffee, it is one of the nicest times of day. There is a great feeling of de-stressing (unless you're Chris, who leaves work stressed, arrives home stressed, and remains stressed until he's cleaned everything in sight) and of things slowing down even more than usual.

• The Rain. I love it as an excuse (oh sorry, it's raining, we'd better cancel that meeting!) and as an auditory experience (aluminum an plastic roofing being required for a complete rain experience). I love how when it decides to rain, it RAINS. It doesn't piss like in the UK, it doesn't even storm, like in NJ. No, it RAINS in the sense of the heavens opening upon you.

OK, I'm sorry, I'm giving up. There are lots of other things, all to be added in due time, but for now, I'm reaching the end of my work day. Tomorrow begins orientation for the new study abroad students, so I have to go home and pack for that, make dinner, and hang out with my new gecko friend. I also need to do more work, but we all know that won't happen without more coffee. And the coffee-maker is off. I'm taking that as a sign.

More later.

love, me