Luis and Laura

Back in early December we were told that Laura would win the election. She was the right handed helper of the president at the time.

This is Luis, one of the guards of our community (and our favorite). He doesn’t speak any English and knows we understand very little Spanish, but he’s super patient with us and loves to converse with us. He was pro Laura and got us green Laura wristbands when he got his.

Showing off the Laura wristband.

Luis got excited about the photos and posed with Jim and Sam the cat (one of the two community cats). Poor Sam the cat often gets her food snagged by Lita.

Side note on Luis: He stopped burglars from robbing our community, by hearing/seeing them (all dressed in black) scaling the walls on the west side of the community and shooting two shots into the ground to scare them off. Way to go Luis! No such problems since! (Knock on wood.)

Laura won and most people we talk to are happy. I was surprised though that leading up to the election many of these signs were splattered with paintball paint. Did you know that not only are all the alcohol selling establishments closed on election day, but the cops plaster the windows of such shops with black garbage bags? Dumb use of money if you ask me, but I guess they really don’t want you to drink before you vote because you know, your vote may be swayed. Another interesting thing about election day here in Costa Rica is that people volunteer their cars to their preferred party and people drive all around the country, taking people to vote.

January Goal Completed: Take a Surf Lesson

Alright. So I had been putting it off for ages. We moved here in September (4 months ago!) and I just had my first surf lesson. I was terrified. A year and a half ago I had a near death experience in the water in Dominical, Costa Rica that made me fear waves in a big way. Looking back on it now, it was clearly my fault. Jim and I went swimming as the tide was going out, when there were signs everywhere warning how deadly the riptides are. Then I had the excuse that I had severely injured my chest last year and I didn’t want to reinjure it. Fear. Fear. Fear.

Jim took his first lessons with “Surfer Mike” of Tortuga Surf School in Jaco, back in May of last year. It kicked his butt, but he loved it. When we moved here, Jim quickly took some more lessons which then lead to borrowing a board and practicing, to then buying a board and all the accessories (rash guard, board shorts, board wax, etc.) and surfing most days a week. He loves it and surfs most days a week now.

When Jim’s dad came to visit, he learned from Mike. When we had friends come into town and one of them wanted to take a lesson, he learned from Mike. It’s funny because truth be told, Jim chose to take his first lesson with the Tortuga Surf School because he liked the logo (Shhh! Don’t tell him I told you that.) When he was done with his first lesson he got a sticker from them that he promptly put on his laptop. BUT I’ve got to say, when people suggest surf instructors in town Jim and I almost get offended because we wouldn’t have anyone teach us or our friends and family other than Mike. He’s just that good. His standard of teaching is far superior to others we’ve seen from the beach.

Since we’ve been in Costa Rica we’ve befriended Mike. He’s the most cheerful and easy going guy. Mike is originally from the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. He grew up helping with his family’s fishing business, then worked for a diving school, spent three years in Canada, and now has his own Surf School in Jaco. When he was young his grandfather told him that “Wa-ta” is in his blood and therefore (if he knew what was good for him) would make a living off the water. He’s doing  just that!

He’s 135 pounds of lean muscle (check out the photos). I call him He-Man sometimes. He’s ripped, which is good when you’re teaching lessons to touristas who need someone to “tow” them out to the waves. He does this by throwing them his surf board leash and letting them hold on while he paddles for both of them. He hasn’t done that for me yet, but he did maneuver my board quite a bit for me.

For months, Mike has been asking me “When you going to have a lesson Sammy?” (Where he got the privilege to call me by that name, I don’t know.) I kept telling him I wasn’t ready due to the chest injury I had last year. I did tell him I was building up my strength though, which I was by walking, swimming, yoga, and practicing push-ups. As time progressed he pointed out that I’ve lost weight (25+lbs!), wearing different clothing, and look more tico than before (referring to my current tan as I was super white). I told him that by the end of January I’d have a lesson.

Yesterday (just barely making it before the month changed) I had my first lesson. Mike was incredible. He made me feel safe, he taught me SO much, helped me catch waves (including my first one), feel excited, have fun, and make me look good. Jim was such a trooper that he watched and documented the entire two hours. (See the fun video at the bottom which he created!) Sure I wiped out, sure I inhaled a ton of salt water, but I also pushed through fear, learned a ton, and had a blast! Later in the evening and into today I’ve been super sore (mainly tired and bruised muscles and bones) but I’m looking forward to practicing my “pop-ups” and getting out there for another lesson after we get back from our short trip up to Nosara next week!

Quading on the Beach with Reanne

I hadn’t been quading since I was a kid. All the neighborhood kids would get together and quad in the desert.

My friend Reanne who lives in our community invited me to quad down the beach to the estuary for sunset. It was fun riding fast along the beach where I walk every day. We did a couple jumps by the estuary and then chatted until the sun set. Riding back was fun too but with the light having gone a bit flat, I didn’t see a hole that I drove though. Ah well, just made for a more bumpy and exciting ride. I think we’ll go for a ride up into the mountains this week. Should be fun!

Euro-Wanna-Be

I got this from my friend Chris a while back as his way to inject absurdity into an otherwise “normal” email update.

HOW EURO-WANNA-BE ARE YOU, ANYWAY?
1. When you want water at a restaurant, do you order…
a) Perrier
b) San Pellegrino Sparkling Water
c) “l’acqua minerale”
d) “melty ice”

2. Your favorite type of cheese is…
a) Gouda
b) Camembert
c) capra valtellina
d) “that orange kind that comes in squares”

3. Which sport would keep you up until 3am?
a) Futbol
b) Futbol
c) Futbol
d) crystal meth

4. Which is your ideal retirement location?
a) a villa in Nice
b) a small farm in the Tuscan hills
c) a chalet just outside Zurich
d) anywhere within stroller’s distance to the bingo hall

SCORING
If you answered a) to all of the above, get a passport.
If you answered b) to all of the above (which I did), get a grip.
If you answered c) to all of the above, get a lobotomy.
If you answered d) to all of the above, get you a stereo and warm beer and proudly play you some Skynyrd at top volume, cos you are the white in Red, White, and Blue, muthafukk!

The Evolution Of Surfer Dude Jim

Jim took two surf lessons back in May when we where visiting Costa Rica with “Surfer Mike.”  Since living here he’s taken three more (two of them with his dad). In the beginning, Jim borrowed a board from our friend Mark. Just after we had decided he was going to buy himself a board his dad gifted him some Christmas money to get himself one. He got a board, leash, wax (called sex wax), and two pairs of board shorts (the old swimsuit was getting to be too big for him anyway). A couple weeks earlier he had got himself a rash guard. Jim has been very diligent about practicing and has surfed Bejuco, Esterillos Oeste, Jaco, and even Hermosa. All the paddling and pushing up to get on his board is transforming his body (as well as the walks he takes with me, the push ups we’ve started doing daily, and changing his eating habits). Since we arrived here in September he’s lost over 15 pounds and is gaining a lot of muscle. Here’s some of what I’ve been able to capture. Clearly, I need to take more photos of him actually surfing as he’s improved so much!

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