Room with a View

Hola, Muchachos!

We are nearing the end of the rainy season, which I kind of liked.  Mornings were sunny and then, around 2:00 pm, the skies opened up and the rains came.  This meant that everyone tried to do errands or activities which require travel in the mornings.  The only downside for me was that QiJian couldn’t get his afternoon walk, because he does not like the rain.  So now we’re back on schedule and he’s a happy boy.

The picture at the top is the view from my office, which I love.  As I mentioned in my last post, I am not going to move for at least another year.  I got the landlady to reduce the rent; and since staying here means I don’t need a car, the savings are greater.  Also, since this is QJ’s final year, it’s better not to stress him out with a move. (I already rocked his world last November when I pulled him out of the only house he’d known and brought him here.) And I love the house.

I’m still consulting via Skype for my client in the desert; our collaboration has had great success; we’ve been awarded at least two big grants and passed accreditation with a perfect score.  Now I’m guiding them through the compliance process as well as program improvement; all this is in preparation for their mid-cycle report.

I’m also working with Costa Rica Gay Traveler, the first and only government-approved LGBT travel agency in CR.  I’m helping with editing their website in order to perfect the English; the owners are completely fluent, but they want the website to be in professional-level English.  I’m also helping with marketing to the US agencies. By going through each page of the website, I am learning a lot about tourism in CR; for a small country, it has an astonishing number and variety of unique and beautiful places and activities.  I’m hoping that I will soon be visiting places here so that I can attend different events around the US to promote the agency.

On the home front, I finally made it to the weekly mercado, or street market, which takes place every Saturday morning.  Farmers come in from around the central valley to sell their fruits and vegetables; they sell the freshest food imaginable.  My dilemma was that I didn’t recognize half of the foods they were selling.  Next time I go, I’ll bring a local friend with me to explain what’s what.

Another new experience: Last week, while taking doggie for his evening walk, I heard a lot of yelling coming from the houses I was passing. Young guys were screaming “Puta! Puta!” which means “whore,” I quickly surmised that there was a soccer match going on, although I was and still am unclear as to the choice of cheer.  (People here go nuts for soccer. When my niece Jen and I visited the rainforest and waterfalls, a game was being broadcasted in an open-air lunch place.)  Sure enough, when I asked someone, it was a match between Costa Rica and Honduras. It ended in a tie, so both teams advanced.

I’m still waiting for my visa.  Although it was approved in mid-August, it has not been granted.  (If you ever figure out the difference, please let me know.)  My lawyer has an appointment next week, so I’m praying that I’ll actually get the visa at the end of the month.

I’ve been adding articles/chapters to my ebook about the changes in the US. Check it out at www.nowwillyoulisten.com.

Bye for now.
And Pura Vida
Don Nick