I survived my first exam today. I can now conjugate over 100 verbs. I am sure I did good on my test so no worries. I now get to study for my exams for next week in phonetics and language.
This afternoon I woke up from my nap to an earthquake. This is common in Costa Rica and many ticos can warn you when one is taking place and can help you determine how strong the earthquake is. The one this afternoon was strong but it only last for about 10 seconds. In case of an earthquake, we all go to the courtyard in the middle of the house and if I am at school we go to the parking lot.
Since, I am talking about a different culture let me point out some other cultural differences. The water in San Jose is safe to drink and is fresher than most of the water in the world. They get the water from streams and purify it making it safe to drink. If you have ever been hiking up in the mountains you know how good and clear that water is.
Also, here it is not common to flush toilet paper down the toilet so there is always a trashcan in the bathroom. Clothes are also hung out to dry on a clothesline in order to preserve energy. Coffee here is not just a drink it is a way of life. Starting at birth some mothers will mix a little coffee with milk and put it in the baby's bottle in the morning. It is very common for a tico to drink two cups of coffee a day. One in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Meals are also important here. Most people believe it is important to eat breakfast so there is a small meal for breakfast, a large lunch, then a small dinner. Most ticos also do not snack during the day. It is also uncommon to tip if you are out to eat because the tip is always included in the price of the food.
