Four Days in Costa Rica

This is a big boy in a tree, four stories up ... next to our room

This is a little guy we named Geico

Gary - Trish - Helen - John ... enjoying life together in Costa Rica

Windmills in Nicaragua - very near the border of Costa Rica

Because we're not residents, Nicaragua requires us to leave the country for at least 72 hours every three months. On the third month, it is possible to pay about USD$50 each in order to stay in Nica. BUT, the sixth month - we have to leave. Gary and Trish were approaching their sixth month in-country and NEEDED to exit. So, we seized the opportunity to go with them - extend our visas also - and enjoy the time together as a foursome.
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We stayed in an "eco-friendly" all-inclusive hotel - which means animals are allowed to walk the grounds. We dined by the pool with many a large iguana (who have learned to beg for food). There are also green iguanas who are nearby but not easily seen. They are camouflaged in the GREEN trees. At night, semi-domesticated raccoons wander into the open-air lounges. They are smart ... they are a larger variety than those we have at home. It is comical to watch them climb on the counters and snatch sugar packets - and then eat them, paper wrapper and all. They also stand on top of each other in order to gain enough height to open trash receptacles and then share the spoils (literally). Much to our surprise, the employees tolerated them ... so, we enjoyed watching something we otherwise consider strange. C'est la vie (aqui)!
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We are driving back to our reality today, back to the boys - to Louie - to our new housemates (Holly and Melissa) and will be back to our routine tomorrow. The break was short, but it was good!

Sharing our Home

Holly and Melissa spend the weekend with us, visit our projects in the Leon area, and then Monday morning we all return to Casa Bernabe to continue our "volunteer" painting of team houses (below)

We cannot say life is dull here by any means. We've opened our home to many North American visitors, new friends and old friends alike, and the coming 'summer' months will be shared by three more ... Holly (Portland), Melissa (Virginia), and Angela (Portland). Both Nahum and Gener recently told us they really like to have guests as they get to meet a lot of people AND also have a chance to practice their English. Our home is the place of regular BBQs with friends - a good opportunity to share and compare life experiences here in Nica.

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Most recently, we've met Holly and Melissa. They didn't know each other before they arrived in Nicaragua in March (within 2 weeks of each other), but they volunteered at the same orphanage and became "instant pals" as they learned to navigate together in a foreign culture by 'immersion.' Melissa will live with us until the end of June when she joins a team from her home town and then returns to Virginia in early July.

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Holly will also live with us until ???? (maybe a loooonnnng time), as her volunteer stint at Casa Bernabe is ending and she's taking a job with the Nehemiah Center here in Managua. BTW, this is a different Holly ... she's the same age, from the same church in Portland ... but is not our first Holly. Both Holly and Melissa have joined us in our work with Manantial, and will soon be part of the household here.

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Then in late July, Holly will continue to live here and we'll welcome Angela from our home church in Portland. Angela will spend a month and experience a different sort of adventure after she completes her first year at U of O. We love her entire family, and look forward to having her join ours for a time. She and Holly will have a chance to talk about "the Ducks!" as they're both from the U of O, and both also speak Spanish! Fun is ahead ...