October Madness Part I: Dustin's Visit

Since my last post many momentous events in my life happened: Sep visited me all the way from New York, I went to Bocas del Toro, Panama with friends, and then I climbed the highest summit in Costa Rica, Mount Chirripo. I have been plain lazy to write about these adventures until now. BUT everything has been catalogued in my Picasa Album. Check them out! Anyways, I’ll the first recap will be about Dustin's visit.

Although it was short, we managed to cram in everything I had planned—bonding with Marlon, befriending my students and colleagues, even eating at the much-hyped and too-often-discussed Truchero. His surprise birthday party was almost jeopardized by my friend Ronny who was passed us on our walk. “Where are you going?” I asked, my eyes nine times the size that’s normal. He looked at me funny and said, “I’m going to your house. The party’s at 6 right?” Horrified, I tried to lie and recover but anybody who knows me knows I’m the most terrible liar there is. In the end I rapidly spoke gibberish for 2 minutes and fled. Luckily, Sep hadn’t been paying too much attention and the surprise wasn’t ruined.

The party was a collective effort--Yeti and Rigo brought their the eye-wateringly strong moonshine, Hellen’s family made the arroz con pollo, and while I had been distracting Sep out on an evening walk Flor’s nieces helped arrange the dips, tortilla chips, and the salad. The cake was pre-ordered and brought in that morning by my extended host family. It was a fun way to introduce Dustin to all my favorite people in town. And perhaps the only way to get him to dance bachata with me in public.

The rest of the long weekend was spent at our gorgeous suite at Dantica Lodge in San Gerardo on Saturday, where we almost froze to death but had fun lighting fires in our fireplace. Sunday we spent at a bed and breakfast in Alajuela close to the airport. It was a short trip but sweet, and everyone in town is still talking about it.