Lists, cont'd...

Yesterday's lists were nearly all accomplished; I am almost done done done in the office (with the exception of just needing to print out some instructions to go over future tasks with Lindy, Andrew, and Priscilla). Also accomplished yesterday was changing the van's brakes... for the second time in the last month. (See visual below.)

7:30am to 1:30pm, I was waiting in Heredia, receiving various updates from time to time. They thought it'd only take about two hours, tops. Which isn't worth taking the hour-long bus ride back up to campus, only to have to turn around and come back. So I thought I'd wait, as I had stuff to keep me occupied while I waited... for the first three hours, that was. I got hit on repeatedly as I sat in Parque Central (Mel, you can relate, right?)--I was asked by one man to take off my sunglasses so that he could see the color of my eyes. I have no idea why I obliged. Another man sang me a traditional Costa Rican love ballad, which he creatively substituted MY name, Lara, instead of "dama" (dame/lady) at various parts. This was the man who started touching my rings and telling me they were so pretty. And why was it that I did not have a Tico novio (Costa Rican boyfriend) after living here for so long. And why was my Spanish so good? And why didn't my family live in Costa Rica, and why didn't I want to go back to the States, and, and, and... at 8:30 I excused myself to go meet my "colleague" at some undesignated location, looking at my phone and actually wishing for once that it would ring.

In addition to the normal comments of: "Hey lady," "Hey beautiful," "Adios, mi reina," "Que rica," "Qué hermosa," "Ay, qué macha más guapa," "Muy linda," (yes, I was actually keeping a list during the morning since after the first three it became entertaining and another way to pass the time), and the hissing and whistling to get my attention, I was also offered candy kisses (for free; not just the suckers that you pay for to support various charities).

After the first hour, I changed parks, in order to try to get some of my work done in peace. There, the Jehovah's Witnesses approached me, gave me a pamphlet, and we chatted for a while. I wished on multiple occasions that Bean had been there to save me, as we oftentimes had to play wing-girl and think up excuses to help the other get out of sticky situations. Although, as I was recounting some of my encounters, Lindy was quick to comment, "But Lara, you've lived/interacted with Latin America for how long now? Don't you know how to bat your eyelashes and get out of these predicaments by now?" I think that batting my eyelashes could only make situations like these worse, but I confessed that, yes, I am capable of saving myself... to which Lindy replied something about, "Well then, you must just like the flattery--which is an indication of true assimilation into the culture..." ...of machismo? I'm not so sure about that!

I moved to the National University, where I used to take classes as a student. Couldn't connect to wifi. They're on vacations right now too. So I sat and read a newspaper. Scorched my forehead. Called the car place. One more hour. Not enough time to go back still. This was a fiasco that was taking all morning, and I had lists of things waiting for me! Never assume car repairs will just take a couple hours, no matter what anyone tells you. Just leave and come back later in the day when you can!

So I went to Cosechas, then got myself one last falafel sandwich wrap at my fave little Persian food restaurant, and entertained myself talking to the restaurant owner for an hour. It was nearly noon by then. Car place called to say 12:30. Relocated to another park (I was getting a lot of good exercise, and a lot of sun, apparently. Even though I did have SPF on the face, I am a bit red today! There, I played on my iPod (logic puzzles, to increase the weaker side of my brain, of course), while a pile of old sausage in a bag was being dissected by flies and ants just a few meters away from my park bench. Gross.

Finally, I arrived at the AutoPits taller (auto shop), at 12:30, where one of the mechanics explained and showed me why our brake pads go so quickly, and since it was in the 30-day guarantee, he replaced them with a better brand for free. We'll see how long these ones last! Around 1:15pm, I was driving out of the shop.

The depleted brake pad is on top, and the new one is below, in my hand.
In three weeks, who would have guessed that a 2-ton minivan going
down a mountain multiple times a day could wear away the pad so quickly?!
Dumb automatic vehicle. Stupid mountain. Ay, only 3 more days of driving it!

Back on campus after running some errands, I did some office work until the power went out. Good old Costa Rican electricity; you can always rely on awesome timing to cut your work day short! Dinner in the dark.

Got my coaster as a souvenir!

Then drinks at the Trova pub, Old Parr, that Bean and I, in all our time living here, had never visited. It was sort of on my CR bucket list, so I'm glad they dragged me out (still haven't started packing yet.) Turns out that our group of nine--the Ed students, Lindy, and Andrew, and myself--was the life of the early party; arriving at 6:30, and by the time we left at 8, I'm pretty sure the waiters were ready for their normal Friday-night crowd to arrive. It turns out it's a pretty nice restaurant after all Bean--with around 200 cocktails to choose from! I imagine it's smoke-filled and loud with music on Friday and Saturday nights. And I asked about the sign outside, if José Jakamo was playing all the time, or why the sign hadn't been changed for two years, to which the waiter replied, that yes, José Jakamo still plays every weekend, just with different accompanists. And Lindy, tried and true in his joking nature, had to ask if the guy played every weekend there because he was just that good and everyone liked him, or if he was so bad that Old Parr was the only place that would have him. It was the former, obviously. (I think it's like Casa Mejía Godoy, possibly.)

Trava Restaurante Old Parr bar signs that haven't changed since
before I moved back to CR nearly two years ago.

Today's lists for souvenirs and gifts for people was 70% completed, I'd say. Very productive and not too expensive, on my minimal salary and relocation expense stipend, hah. 4am and 6am airport runs in several short hours to bid farewell to these awesome people from the Education group, and then on to enjoy a last CR beach day, before returning to pack and get more things checked off the lists!