Hola! We're here safe and sound. We're currently in Playa de Jaco, a beach on the west coast. Our days off are Tuesday and Wednesday, so that's when we'll most likely be checking emails. Everything is going well. Thank you for the updates. It's nice to get a piece of normalcy.
Jon spent his first few days working with a guy named Grant on surveying the property, and now he's painting. There's probably plenty of painting to last him the next 7 weeks. I am one of the "tias" (aunts) in the upper house. We have ten kids under the age of 10 I believe. Four are in the 2-3 age and pretty crazy. Plus three babies. 11 hours of being an aunt is busy but good. I feel bad for the tias who actually live in the house b/c theyr'e on 24 hours a day. We're living in the third house which is currently not in use. It's more than fine.
Jon here now. So a few interesting points about Costa Rica. Their money is called the Colon. The colon exchanges 500 colones for 1 dollar. I got off the plane and immediately got $20,000 in my pocket ($40). In europe our taxi from the airport to our hotel in Spain cost 30 euros so maybe $50. Today our taxi cost $700 colones or $1.50.
Costa Rica is much more westernized than Guatemala. We went to the grocery store and they pretty much had everything we needed. The weather is pretty nice. The blueist skies, few clouds, 85 degrees, 50% humidity and no rain.
For activities last night we took about 7 kids to the "mandarinas" trees. Mandarinas are more like clemintines than oranges. I think we picked about 50 of them. Jon!!! Aqui!!! Esto!!! which to translate, Jon come pick this one for me. Muy rico. It might be a good thing that American's are currently not allowed to adopt b/c I think we picked out 3 that we would bring home. Absolutly beautiful kids.
We spend our evenings eating a little supper and then we pretty much go straight to bed at around 7:30 or 8:00. I nearly lost my breakfast on the bus on the way here, but I guess that is to be expected. I might have to take double medicine next trip.
We love all of you. Hope all is well. Send us e-mail updates.
Jon & Jessica
