Phone numbers, bullriding, and cowboys

Well, a lot has happened since the last time I wrote..and that was only a few days ago. This past Thursday, I went to the famous Qbico again to hang out with some of the teachers. Naturally, I was sitting there like a dufus ogling Douglas, but too shy to say anything. Suddenly, things started happening. Douglas walks over and brings me my customary Pilsen michelada. However, I had already ordered my usual one. Naturally, I´m hoping that maybe he´s seen the light and decided that I´m the one for him, when he leans over and whispers that the beer is from the gentleman sitting behind me. Of course.... Anyway, I accept the beer and the accompanying phone number. sigh...the irony of it all. So, I go over and introduce myself to a big group of people and thank the guy, his name is Jhonny, for the beer. I find out that they are all med students studying here. Some are from Canada, France, Cuba, a really nice mixed group. We make some plans to go out on the weekend, and then I return to my group.
Naturally, I´m excited by this sudden turn of events, so I muster up the courage to have more than a three-word conversation with Douglas.
I lure him over to our table with a casual, "Douglas, tengo una pregunta." By this time, he´s looking slightly skeptical and maybe a little frightened? A moment of silence, and then in my wonderful Spanish, I procede to grill him as to why he hasn´t called, etc. I really was just kidding, but I think he looked a bit scared and started rambling on about my phone number being on a little piece of paper and how he lost it, and whatever other excuse he could think of. So then, I ask him why he didn´t ask me for my number again..mind you all in Spanish now. He then starts muttering something about how I come there so sporadically (lie of the year) etc. The last time I checked sporadically meant "occurring at irregular intervals." I don´t know if going there once week for the last 5 months really fits in that category.
All the while, I´m giving him the look I give my kids when I know they´re lying and doing a piss poor job of it. The whole hands on the hip with one eyebrow raised kind of thing. I thought I did a pretty good job.....scaring him away for good. I really was only kidding, but it´s hard to tell when you´re communicating in another language, in the dark with the music blaring, and people everywhere. The effect just really isn´t the same. sigh... Ah well.... I don't think he'll be calling anytime soon. D'oh!
I also went to a rodeo a few weekends ago at the Escuela de Ganaderia. It's kind of like A and M, but smaller. This focus primarily on agriculture, livestock, etc. I saw some crocodiles, sheep, bulls, Tepezcuintle, and hot Latin cowboys - one in particular, Orlando Castillo. The rodeo was never so interesting. Anyway, Tepezcuintle is a type of rodent that supposedly tastes delicious, but its endangered because so many people kill it for its meat. I'll try to post some pics this weekend.

Christmas is almost here!!!

The weather is starting to finally clear up and it's looking beautiful down here. The air is dry and it's been sunny for most of the day instead of raining all afternoon. Thank God! This bimester will finish up mid-December and then I've got three lovely weeks of vacation. Friends will be coming down, and we're planning on going to Arenal, Monteverde, and then to Guanacaste and the beach. I'll be sure to post some pics for those of you reading this thing.
I'm still struggling with the racism thing down here. So for those who don't know, Costa Ricans HATE Nicaraguans. Yup..the whole country. There was an incident where a Nica broke into someone's home and the guard dog, a Rottweiler, chewed on his hand until it reached the bone. After that, sales of Rottweilers went up drastically. I also still hate being called "China" by disgusting men that work on the street and being stared at like a piece of meat EVERYDAY!!! Apparently that's what they call all Asian people here, but I'm sure they wouldn't like it I started calling them Nicaraguans simply because they're Latino. As for the disgusting men, perhaps I should start flicking them off...I'm sure they wouldn't expect that from a little Japanese girl.
People here are also anti-CAFTA because supposedly American businesses won't pay for bringing electricity to the poor people in the countryside. Hmm...as if a little competition is a bad thing. Perhaps service would improve and foreigners could actually get cellphones, etc.
I'm planning on going to Nicaragua at the end of the bimester on a boat trip down the river. I can't remember the name of the river, but I think it will be a neat trip. I'll be sure to take pics! Until next post...