Life as a Grad Student

This last week has been a whirlwind! I am not sure where the time goes down here in paradise. The parents arrived on Friday and it was the weekend of the cultural festival in Ciudad Colon. Friday night we went to a music festival up at the UPeace campus, and all day Saturday and Sunday there were live bands and dance performances in the town square. We even managed to see a marimba band play! Of course dad tried to chat them up, but there are not many English speakers here in C.C. so it didn't work out to well. I took my parents to the awesome swimming hole, Poas Volcano, and on a tour of the campus. We had a pizza party with my friends here and ate lots of delicious ice cream! Then I sent them off on their own to explore a bit till I can meet up with them after my class ends tomorrow.

And of unfortunate note, the MICE are back!! We have now killed 12. 9 the first round and now 3 in the last few days. And they are still scurrying around. There are frequent screaming episodes and hiding on top of couches. We had a new roommate move in yesterday. Her name in Ariga and she is from Armenia. I think she will fit in quite well and be an awesome addition the the craziness that is our house! On any given night, you can find 6 or 7 people chilling in our living room. We are also getting quite the reputation as the town internet cafe. I love the socializing down here. And I am frequently having to remind myself that I am in school and should be somewhat responsible...

2 weeks and counting till the start of the transition to the rainy season, whatever that means. Everyone keeps saying the rains here are unbelievable downpours. And with tin roofs everywhere, they are incredibly noisy. It might be fun for about a week. Today at my SFS (student, faculty, staff) meeting they said it is pretty much guaranteed that the only road to UPeace will wash out this summer. So unless the UN gets their shit together soon and fixes the road, things might get interesting around here.