Que horror!

Well, I made it to Costa Rica, but the journey was anything but smooth. The first flight from O’hare to Miami went off without a hitch. However, Miami to San José was a nightmare. We boarded the flight on time, but then we just sat on the tarmac for about 30 minutes, not moving. It was hot as an oven! Finally, the captain came on and informed us that there was something wrong with the air conditioner and we needed to head back to the gate. However, there wasn’t a free gate available, so we had to wait. Once we got to a gate (about 30 minutes later), they said that we had to disembark. We sat in the airport for a while until they finally told us that the part that they needed was available, but someone had to come and install it.

In the meantime, I was freaking out because I was supposed to catch an MLSA bus from the airport at 5. No way was I making that! Luckily, I noticed two girls with MLSA packets. I went over and chatted with them. I immediately felt better because at least then I wouldn’t be alone in whatever awaited me.
We finally got on the plane….only to sit more. There wasn’t a gate crew to help us depart. Eventually one came and we were on our way…about three hours late! We arrived at SJO after a pretty smooth flight. Once there, we found out that the bus had waited for us. Yay! There were about 15 people or so that arrived on my flight, so we got to take the bus. I still don’t know how many other people there are in the program, however. Of the ones on the bus with me, it appeared that the majority were undergrads. I wish that I could have seen something through the windows, but all I saw was dark! It felt so late, but it was only 8 p.m.

My “madre” was waiting for me, along with another student. Wendy (the student) is from Hawaii, but studies in Alabama. She is super bubbly and friendly. My madre is the same. We were laughing and chatting like old friends. Additionally, there are two sons that live here, Alan and Kenneth. Funny that they have American names 

More to come on the house and the familia…I have internet (Hallelujah!.