Washed Away

Thank you all for your concern, but I really should be fine. I know it is a scary that I got my things stolen, but I guess if I told you it happens al the time that wouldnt be very reassuring either... I will be fine, unless I die of my cough. I have had a cough since I got down here and today all of the police officers keep telling me that I will die in the next week if I dont get to a doctor, I keep telling them that it doesnt seem that bad, and that I dont have insurance so I cant go to the doctor, but they are very persistant. I think that the police have special sway here because Andres is going to take me somewhere where the doctor will give me medicine for free. I dont really think it is as bad as they do though, it just seems like a nasal thing that has migrated into my lungs, I havent had a runny nose for two days now and my mucus is clear, but I still have a cough that is very deep, but nothing comes up when I cough (those are my symptoms if you want to venture a prognosis). It has been raining really hard lately, we had a crazy storm last night where you could see lighting strikes all around and the thunder was so loud that it shook the building. It was funny when it happened because I was at the police station eating dinner with Andres and Nuria (shes like my adopted police mom), and when we started seeing the lightning they unplugged everything (stove, refrigerator, tv, computers, (from the wall and and the power strip) as well as disconecting all of the wires from the back of the computer to the printer and speakers) so getting it up and running was a little bit of a chore this morning. Andres also took all of the radios and phones (cell or otherwise) and put them in a closet, because according to him they atract the lightning and we could all die if we are near them in a storm. For how much it storms here I thought they would be a little more used to the lightning and thunder, but they jumped everytime a big thunder clap went off. After the storm passed, (well not really it just stopped raining as hard), we set up the tv outside so we could all watch the soccer game with mexico. It didnt go very well. I think i learned a few new spanish cursewords, and one of the police Mauricio was absolutely balistic about how bad the Costa Rican team played (and i have to agree their defense was absolutely terrible), this was the game that they needed to win to advance to the world cup and now it looks as though they need to beat Argentina to get in, which I dont think they believe they can do. A little bit earlier in the day Andres told me that my host family was `going on a trip`and so I would be moving to a new house today, which is absolutely fine by me, I think the bed I was sleeping on usually belongs to the dog (it had quite a special odour). So this morning I packed all of my things and my host mom was actually nice to me and talked with me for awhile, but I think it was mostly because I was leaving. So when I got picked up this morning Carlos (one of the police officers, who always drives the car) was all about telling me how much better my new family will be and how he doesnt like the people I was living with before. In his words my old host mom is mean and is always frowning and my new mom is very nice and always smiling, so that could be good, unless shes on a prozac drip or something. Andres also told me that she has experience with Americans and that I wont have to eat breakfast at the station anymore, which will be nice. The breakfast is always gallo pinto (rice, beans, and onions) and coffee, but andres says my new mom will have American things like doughnuts and cereal. I will also have my own room with a tv `so you can sit around and watch tv all day, instead of being at the station` according to Andres. I think im headed over there when I get this posted, except for all of my things are in the car, which they are using to patrol right now so I dont know what I will do when I get there, but I guess there is always TV. I guess Sundays are pretty calm here, not many tourists, no class to teach for Luke and I. It has been raining Really hard here for about two hours and I asked Andres if it ever floods but he said that only happens in the south, I dont know what can happen with all of this water but I guess there is good drainage around here or something. Andres said that if it is not raining tonight he will take Luke and I to go night swimming in Lake Arenal, which I guess is illegal except for if you work for the tourist police, he also told me that he can get me into pretty much any tourist excursion free, so I think Luke and I are going rafting in a few weeks time. Yesterday afternoon I went over and met lukes host family, I so wish I could be living with them as well. The dad is a furniture maker, and his furniture is absolutely amazing, lots of layered woods and hand turned legs on chairs and tables and things. They also have a huge house with two tvs, internet, and guitars (which I played with Lukes host dad for a while, afterwards he told me I can stop by anytime, so now I have 3 places I can head to). Lukes host brother, Fresno is also very nice and eager to talk so I will have someone to hang around with when Luke leaves. If it ever stops raining he said Luke and I can go with him to look at the volcanoe, I guess if you go during the night you can watch the lava flowing, which sounds amazing/slightly terrifying. Im really starting to like it here, life is much slower, and Im hoping that when I get settled in with my new family it will get even better. My bag getting stolen isnt really on my mind, and as much as i wish i had my knee brace the things i had in my bag would have allowed me to isolate myself with the same old books and music, so im taking it all in stride. I will probably write another post this afternoon and let you know how my new family is, oh and 430 central time is a good time to chat with me on gmail if you have that capability.