Costa Rica

Estoy en Costa Rica ahora. I made it here alright, despite 20 hours of traveling, a plane with broken brakes, needing to change flights, and arriving hours late. I was totally freaked out the whole way here, but I was picked up at the airport just fine and taken to my homestay with no problem. My mom here is named Vicky. She's the sweetest woman ever. She is this short little woman in her 60s with short hair that she dies dark red and she wears black all the time. Her house is filled with color though. She is a painter and the entire house is covered with her paintings which are absolutely beautiful and filled with color. She's painted the door of her room and the walls of her garden in the back of the house which is absolutely beautiful and makes things feel really warm and welcoming. She has the best attitude. I only just met the man that lives with us last night. He had been in the country with his wife but he returned last night and I was introduced to him. He is so young. He's like 24. I had read this in my email describing my family but for some reason I still pictured him as being older.
Today is our first day of spanish classes at the institute. We've spent the last couple days getting oriented and walking around San Pedro. Carlos, one of the assistants here, has been our tour guide. He's our age and we all feel like he's probably got the shittiest job, but he's a totally sweet guy and really helpful. (I may have just the tiniest crush on him.)
We walk everywhere here, at least so far, which is great. The institute is about a 20 minute walk from my house. It use to be a private residence of a really rich couple so the place is beautiful, but really oddly laid out. Apparently this couple that lived here modeled, so the house is covered in mirrors. Weird. The address of the place is really only for the international students, it's basically useless. None of the buildings have addresses or numbers. Postage and directions are done with land marks, and estimation of the distance from them, the left or the right and a description of the building (usually).
Everything is really green here because it rains every afternoon. It's a warm rain though so it isn't so bad. Things appear a little underdeveloped at first glance, but they really aren't lacking in much. Things appear to function pretty well, just at their own pace.
So so far so good for me. Next stop on the trip, Nicaragua. Thats not for a couple more weeks though (like in a month) so I will continue to write about Costa Rica until then.
Hasta luego!