Tico Talk

I had SO MUCH FUN tonight. Finally, this is exactly what I have been looking and hoping for this whole time.

I was actually kind of feeling sort of depressed earlier in the day. I had a good time watching the fúbol game: it was fun to watch even though Mexico destroyed Costa Rica. However, I have just been having a hard time connecting with the family because of the language barrier. When they're all together, they all talk really fast and it's so hard for me to connect and understand what they're saying. As the night went on, it got better and better though. I talked with Max more, as well as Iris, about random stuff in my life, like family and friends and things. I had a good time. We talked more than usual.

However, around 9, when I didn't think there was anything left to do, I got offered to go with Iris to hang out with some "crazy nephews and nieces." I was like, sure. Why not? I don't really do anything at night anyway. I WANT to do stuff and I get so bored just sitting at home all the time. So I went. We walked for about a minute (that's how close these people live). Pretty much the whole family lives right near each other.

We got to the house and I instantly knew why they were called "crazy." Some of them were smoking, there was loud music, and they were all drinking. But they were all just hanging out, talking. I was a little timid at first, since I didn't know anyone and was scared I wouldn't be able to connect with anyone, but quickly, that changed. This couple immediately brought me into the group. They started talking to me and really acted interested in me. I just really haven't gotten that much here. The girl didn't really know much English at all but she REALLY enunciated every word, so she was VERY easy to understand in relation to a lot of other people around here. And the guy apparently had lived in Oregon for a year, so his English was really good. We spoke in Spanish 80% to 90% of the time, and I used him for translation or if there was something I just couldn't figure out how to say in Spanish.

Seriously, though, it was SO AMAZINGLY FUN. Although I've had some good experiences talking with people in Spanish, this is the first time I've really felt comfortable with it. By no means is my Spanish perfect. But with their great enunciation, their understanding of needing to talk kind of slowly, and their ability to translate when needed all mixed together and became a really really cool night. Even though there was some language barrier stuff, it was fun to deal with instead of feeling like a burden, like it does a lot of the time. It just felt like we were friends, hanging out, drinking some beers. Sometimes, I even forgot that I was speaking/listening to Spanish, which is a REALLY good sign. I just hope I can hang out with them some more because it's EXACTLY what I've been wanting. I've been wanting some people/friends with whom I can hang out who I can regularly speak Spanish with. And I can actually really understand them! The family I live with is great but they're VERY hard to understand. Once I get a little better and more fluent, it will be easier, but they're lazy with their words and most of the time I have no idea what they're saying. Tonight, the Spanish was more on the backburner than usual. We were just hanging out, talking, albeit in Spanish. There were other people there and I talked with them a little bit, but most of all, I talked to the couple.

I just felt so good because earlier in the day I was really feeling crappy. I was feeling like my Spanish wasn't very good at all and that I would never get very good at it. But when I hung out with them, I was really talking and it felt SO good. And they were complimenting me on it a lot and saying that my Spanish is very good (which made me feel SO cool).

They live in San Jose and they said they would be happy to bring me there and show me around (because it's not really a good idea to go alone, since it's pretty unsafe and I don't know the language well enough to do that). I just hope I can hang out with them sometimes because they're so cool and I really have been hoping for some actual Tico friends. I have WANTED that. More than anything. Truly. I want Tico friends who I can hang out with and speak Spanish with on a regular basis.

FINALLY.

I just had a great time and I hope to do it again!!!