Well, I have discovered that the weekend here in Tamarindo is really not very exciting. There is really not too much to do here other than lay on the beach, relax at the school by the pool, look around at shops that all pretty much sell the same things, and go to a club at night. I have discovered through this that I am really not a club-goer. I get irritated with too many people and music I don't enjoy much. You can meet some interesting people (especially here since there are so many other tourists), but it's so hard to talk over the noise that even that is a little frustrating. I'm not all that good with small talk either. If it was Latin music and dancing I would enjoy it so much more, but on Saturday night we went to two clubs both of which played the electro/techno music - Europeans' style, not so much mine. I pretty much never listen to hip hop on my own, but I don't mind it in a club to dance to, and these clubs didn't even have that.
I do have to say though that Anne and I had a great dinner in a beautiful restaurant Saturday night called Nabana's. It is also open air, parts of which are under a canopy of thatch, but the other is just on the sand among the palms, lit with candles and pretty lanterns and lights. Our friend Silke was working there, so we went to visit and eat. It was comparable pricewise to the states. I ordered Hawaiian pizza - thin crust even but oh so good. I am not a fan of thin crust, but the only other time I remember having thin crust pizza I liked so much was on Lido Island in Italy with my brother Kevin. After a while, another friend Adam from Poland sat with us for awhile and helped me finish the pizza. Then, I introduced them to flan - which is a favorite of mine. This was coco flan (coconut), but I must say I was dissappointed. It was so dry compared to what I usually have. The best flan I've ever had though was actually made by one of my students a few years ago - I think all flan will be a let down after that. The waiter brought Anne and I shots of Miguelito(?) - and considering how alcohol does not agree with my stomach I wasn't so happy with it and tried to give it away, but they wouldn't let me. So, I tried it since so far that evening my stomach was feeling pretty acid-free. I must say it tasted like coconut with a kick - very good. Something I could get used to...but no worries...between calories, cost, and stomach problems, I probably won't ever get used to it!
After that we joined a girl from Denmark as well as her brother and his girlfriend who are here visiting and went to Bablyon - the first of two clubs in that evening. I was given some free alcohol upon entering since it was ladies night, but after a taste I tried to give it away again. We squeezed onto a booth, but the place wasn't that great and friends weren't showing up, so we left to find Silke who was supposed to already be off work and we discovered was not - her work time was supposed to be done at 10, it was already 11:30 and her bosss was still not ready to let her leave. We traveled up to Aqua - an overly crowded place with an open bar and techno/eletronic music. I dance a little, waited a long time at the bar for water (which people all think I am crazy for not taking the alcohol), and just continued to get irritated more and more with the crowd of people. Each new person that bumped into me, or that I bumped into made me just want to get away. I realized I was thinking rude things - and it was no one's fault, the place was just crowded - but that meant it was time to go home.
After my long weekend, that really wasn't all that exciting - relaxing yes, exciting no - I was very excited to go to church. I had found out from another student that there was an English speaking church and I had looked on line but there were no clear directions. I assumed a taxi would be able to get us there, the next morning I was practically skipping to find a taxi to take us to Brazilito. Anne came with me to see what church was like here since it sounded very different than her Catholic church back at home. I was grateful to not have to navigate it alone. Not having any idea where Brazilito was, I began to get a little concerned as our taxi took us farther and farther knowing I had so little money left on me to pay for a return ride and possibly even the ride there. And, I don't even think he really knew where it was himself - just knew Brazilito. I prayed and prayed on the way there that God would just make it obvious where it was and a ride would be provided home.
Luckily I had read that the church was just after a school, so when I saw the school I knew we were near. Then, a big sign showed us the way and after a little confusion with the taxista, we paid him and were on our way (now with certainly not enough money to get back to the bank in Tamarindo, so my hope was either a bank in Brazilito or hitching a ride). We walked up to the church which was BEAUTIFUL! It was nothing more than a large patio with a grass roof, ceiling fans hanging down, chairs lined up nicely on a large cement slab, some simple decorations - like a big wooden cross behind the altar, tropical plants and flowers, and a nice grassy playground area for the children. It is totally appropriate for a church in a tropical paradise.
I have to say that it was like coming home. It was so GOOD to be at church with other believers and feel the spirit of God there - which sadly I have not felt really in any of the places I have frequented lately. The music was amazing - I forgot how much I love just having a simple accoustic guitar, a keyboard, and some rhythm. It was the best worship I've had in a long long time. The pastor's message was great - a prayer for the New Year based on the first chapter of Colossians.
After the service, I went up and talked with the pastor who had been born in Garden Grove, same as me, and grew up in San Clemente. He had coached at Capo Valley, so we even had that in common. I asked him for a favor to see if there was anyone who could give us a ride back to Tamarindo since I didn't have enough money. I felt so bad, but as he said, "that's what the church is for, right?". We chatted for awhile and saw two other students from school there. I met the pastor's wife and the music pastor's wife. I tried to find out if there was anything going on that week, but nothing. Stacy, the music pastor's wife, I discovered, lives just down the road from the school, and invited me over anytime, so I think I will go over tomorrow. It's just nice to have a fellow believer to share with. A nice young man, whose name I can't remember, took Anne and I back. The world is certainly a small place. He was born in Venezuela but somehow grew up in Costa Rica and at some point went to learn English at SVCC and lived in San Clemente for two years. He is now back here actively doing a ministry in the skate park with the boys and then I heard him talking about a surf ministry he wants to start. Que bueno! It's so great to hear of these kinds of things going on - it is so needed.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Anne and I had a hot dog for lunch - but wow was it a good hot dog - and then went to the beach. Finally it was cloudy and breezy, but the perfect temperature for me to enjoy the beach. I didn't have to worry about my skin as much either since it was so overcast (I still had on my sunblock though). It spit rain on us a bit, but not before we had the opportunity for a guy from Australia that had met Anne the night before to come and join us. He has invited us out to see more of the beaches around, which I am tempted to do since I haven't seen much. I really need to do inland though, so I am looking forward to that this weekend.
We hung around back at school, and I taught some of the others a card game which was fun to play for awhile. The computer lab was locked, so even though I would have had plenty of time to post a blog, I couldn't. Finally around dinner, five of us piled into a taxi after stopping at the movie store to get back home where we discovered was mucho fiesta because Susanna's family was all there. I was so tired though - don't know why - all I do is lay on the beach or lay at the school. I tried reading in my room after dinner, but just fell asleep about nine. A few hours later I woke up and finished getting ready for bed and slept the rest of the night. Mornings are pretty early though - up by 6:00, so I guess 9p isn't really all that early...just seems so for me! Again, I think this forced relaxation and sleep are probably really good for me. I am so used to go, go, go, that it's been a little too slow around here on the weekends, but I probably needed it.
This morning Anne and I thought the school forgot to pick us up - and I am still not quite clear on whether they did forget or if it was just some other arrangement we made, but we saw a new car with three of our fellow classmates and joined them on the ride here. It's definetly more of an adventure since I don't know Spanish...just have to kind of go with the flow. At least here in Costa Rica everything is pura vida!
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