Random update

I recently moved from my overpriced closet to an oasis.  I now have a kitchen, and although I have yet to cook and actually fix myself something other than a sandwich, it's nice to have the option.  I also have wonderful neighbors- a Nica family in the main house, their son Andres & Joseph (a gringo) in a two bedroom apartment and Joce (Nica but lived in the States til high school) in the studio next to mine.

There is also an awesome terrace with a hammock.  There's also a grill area, beautiful grassy areas, immaculate gardening and a tamarindo tree with patio seating.  I sleep with the windows open because it's so cool here and I really can't remember the last time I did that.  And I get to use a washing machine myself (this is exciting people- I don't have to pay 50 cents per item anymore!).  Plus there are people here that I love hanging out with and who I plan to mooch off of as much as possible- cooked dinners, free internet, great company, rides to the grocery store, stick shift driving lessons and maybe even some guitar lessons.  What else could a girl ask for?

My new home involves a lot of animals, which is kinda fun.  First, gotta give a shout out to the gecko that lives on my walls who I still need to name.  Then there's the 4 guard dogs, the 2 cats, the millions of ants and the myriad of birds that wake me up every morning with their pleasant chirps.  And tonight I met a scorpion while watching Glee on CastTV in the chair outside my apartment (where I can get an internet signal), eating my turkey sandwich and the gummy worms the gringas gave me for my birthday.  The scorpion was very nice, just walked on by. 

Which reminds me: the moms at church were laughing at all the ridiculous things they say that they never thought they would.  Like "kids, don't go outside until I check for scorpions first." Or "Ok, you can go play, but not with the machetes."

Luckily, I am not responsible for any other living things, other than "Merma," my cactus.  Let me explain the name.  In Spanish, "merma" means the loss or shrinkage- basically what you lose of the beans once you clean them, take out the broken pieces, etc.    My coworker thinks this is just hysterical because I am so good at killing things that I've already killed off multiple leaves of la Merma- which in Spanish means I've lost some of the loss, or the loss really isn't doing so well.  Anyways, it's a fun word to say and a very cute little cactus. (picture to come later, if Merma lives long enough).

Fun fact: I actually knew the word "merma" before I came down here because of all the random Spanish literature I had to read in college- surprisingly this is not a common word here unless of course you're chilling with the bean producers.  I also know strange words like "mamut" which means "mammoth."  And apparently I say this word as if I am a professor, which Emily's nica boyfriend thinks is absolutely hysterical.  And no, "mamut" did not come up in conversation- I found a way to work it in.  Talented?  I think yes.

And that concludes the world's most random blog ever.  But at least you had something to read.