ITS NEW!

Amber with her Tres Leches birthday cake...

ok so what's happened lately?

• I cut my hand on a bean can.
• I cut my thumb on a knife.
• I spilled burning wax down my hand and arm.
• I tripped on the way out of the mall.
• I wrote on my face with pen at work (luckily it was right before break so I could wash it off)
• The termites are attacking again.
• The kitchen roof is leaking somewhere- we came home to a lake in there yesterday.
• It seems the toilet has started leaking again.
• Amber's birthday was not good for her (including, but not limited to: she had to stay late at work, didnt get her paycheck on time, stood in the rain alone, and cried)
• But she's fine now, you know how you get emotional when you're birthdays not perfect=)
• I got a cell phone! Yay! 
• My cell phone number is 011-506-307-9833 (thats the country code/area code/ everything)
• I've been yelled at soo many times at Office Depot. It's kindof annoying when someone calls and instantly starts yelling at you- not knowing whether or not you're going to be able to help them. Today I had a man so mad about not having a price matched that he's calling the news stations and the newspaper in his local town and then he's gonna sue the president of Office Depot and everyone in the world is gonna know what happened to him...That was a fun call, I actually enjoyed it alot.
• The owner's daughter got a miniature poodle (smaller than Teenie, kind-of like when Aaron & Meghan first got her) and today they shaved off all her curls and shes so adorable!!!
• I can't wait till my next paycheck so I can look into getting a puppy of my own, now that the owner said it's ok!
• We only have 30 more days till we have to leave the country, thats when our visas run up. So we have to find a place to go for 76 hours- Nicaragua or Pananma, we'll see.
• At work they asked Amber, me and Alice (a girl from Australia) to come up with a plan for teaching business English at work. Kindof like coaching the employees they have to speak better English. We'd be getting a pay increase if it all works out.
• I've had 3 people thank me for speaking English when I answered the phone and then tell me how awful it was getting people in Indonesia and Central America who can't speak the same language (although all of the Office Depot employees have to pass an English exam- written and oral)
• Did I mention that my cell phone is probably the coolest one that's out right now?....I had to read the manual in order to operate it, I couldn't figure anything out...and the date is set for 1991 (haha haha) and I don't know how to change it...
• Tomorrow is our last Saturday at UNELA, thank goodness. Now we can sleep in on Saturdays. They are sad about it, but what can they really do- they aren't paying us!
• On top of our rent the owner tried to make us pay $26 for electricity and $20 for water. We later found out (after paying the electricity) that it shouldve only been $8 maximum for that. So we're not sure what happened. But we refused to pay the water because $6 is the normal price for this. We think she's trying to stick us with the bill for the entire complex.
• We're not as dumb as we look.
• How's summer at home? I can't believe I'm gonna miss the entire summer!
• Why have Aaron & Meghan not posted any pictures. I know they took pictures of the girls swimming. Where are they?
• If you plan on mailing stuff make sure you write out COSTA RICA really big so they don't lose it. It seems to have been an issue with some things that we haven't received yet.
• Thanks for the packages (to both set of parents) We were very excited...
• And thanks to the English students for the cards, I loved them! And I miss you guys!

Hmm.....what else?.....I'm sure theres more quick updates, but I can't think of them right now...if I do I'll add them

Me and my cool new phone!!!

Sorry it's been so long...Calm down!

I know everyone has been checking this daily wondering, "When will she post again? What's going on down there? Is everything ok? Have the bugs won that battle and the girls haven't lived to tell about it?" Well I'm sorry! But I'm back and I'm going to tell you exactly what's been going on and I am sorry for the wait...

Friday (the 4th) we went to see Spiderman 3 the night it came out. Not the midnight premiere, but that night- you know what I mean. 

This is me and Amber with Jorge-

she loves my 80s hairstyle here...

I have to say I agree with her.

Monday I moved my clothes over. So now I am officially living in the other bedroom. We got the bed and I slept there once to test it out, cause I was still unsure and I ended up liking it so I moved all my stuff over and now I sleep there. It's nice minus the bright yellow sponge-painted walls; the plain decor of the other room was so much better. Monday was also the last night TJ was in the country so they all came over to hang out here. Then, he went home the next morning, by bus (10 hours to the capital of Nicaragua, an overnight stay there, and then 10 more hours to his city in Honduras) Not a trip that sounds particularly pleasing to me, but I'd be willing to make it. Apparently TJ is one of the wealthier (or wealthiest) families there and he did offer for us to take a trip there in 2 months when our tourist visas run out. I think we may take him up on it. We'd know someone and have a place to stay (including meals) meaning we'd only have to pay the bus fare. Not bad.

Wednesday was my dad, and Katie's, birthdays. I called them both. Their gifts were the phone calls and the cards I sent haha, It's expenive to wish someone a happy birthday from another country, something we take for granted in the states...

Thursday after class we went to Giovanni's house to watch the first game (of two) for the National Championship (soccer, of course) And it just so happened that the teams playing were the two teams that Amber and I like. My team was winning 2-1 until the final minutes when her team scored and then the game was over. So it was a sad ending for everyone cheering for our team. At the house, there were two babies (3 and 4 months old) and one dog! It was like heaven! Only one baby woke up while we were there and I could only talk to him in English, I dont know how to say baby stuff in Spanish, plus he liked the English anyway...

I might be able to get a cell phone we're going to check into some prices and see if it can be done (not legally of course haha) Amber's getting hooked up through a guy at work.

*Side Note- I just got a call from a man looking for Maria Somebody and he had the phone number right, but she doesnt live here. She doesnt even live on this side of town. So after we cleared that up he asked who I was and all these questions like we were having a normal conversation and then it got really awkward so I was like ok, well im sorry you had the wrong number and he was like ok, well Sara- it was nice meeting you maybe I'll give you a call another time. And I just laughed and said ok, well, bye.

Oh, also last week we went to this store- Hiper Mas- and it's just like WalMart! It has everything from yard stuff to stuff for the house, to food, plus a pharmacy and, well, everything...it was great. Although all I bought was a blanket, some cereal bars, and American peanut butter. Something I've missed, and the national brands here just don't taste right for some reason.

Sunday was mother's day. I did send my mom a card, thank you very much, and she did get it before she left on vacation (man I'm good)...I also called her- a 12 minute/$36 call...that she'll be paying for =) haha, thanks Mom...Sunday night was also the championship game. We were up 1-0 at half, then the other team scored after the half and then we scored immediately after and it was 2-1 for a long time. Then the other team got a corner kick and they scored making it even...then right at the end of the game they got a direct kick close to the goal and the ball bounced off someone then goalie was down everyone was scrambling and then someone passed it back into the mix in front of the goal and then with 5 guys (yes we counted during each replay) offsides they scored again. The linesman acted like he didnt even see their whole team offsides! It was frustrating, but you know, I'm not a passionate fan (since I just started supporting the team a month ago) but as a third party I didn't think it was fair that the other team won the National Championship while 5 guys were offsides....

The came over for the game too...

I can't spell his name and her's is Melissa.

Today was our first day taking live calls at work (!) it was scary but we survived. I think only one of all my calls was normal. I had people who needed me to match prices, accept coupons, find 22 leather chairs in a certain price range and have them delivered before friday, one woman needed a table no taller than 22 inches tall and preferred it be under $200, a woman who was looking for a portable DVD player at a certain Miami location, a woman who needed checks for her company, oh so many weird things. I think I got a lot better with the calls by the end of the day but I was sweating SOO much during each call! It was awful. I did make a joke today, I was so proud of myself. The woman ordering checks works for an eye doctor, and their fax number ended in 2020, and I laughed and told her about how convenient that was and she laughed and told me she'd never realized (I'm glad she laughed). Still makes me laugh a little bit right now thinking about it...tomorrow will be better. Wednesday they'll start listening to our calls and rating us (no pressure)...

Well that's about all for now!!! How do you feel now that I updated? So relieved I'm sure...

PS...Thanks for calling Luis Molina =) It was so good hearing from you!

Andres- I thought about it and I think this is what I'd like for you to send: (any of the following is fine, pick something) 2 bags of Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, Double Stuf Oreos, Rice Krispies, and/or candy...So now you have something to choose from =) Double check the address with my mom, It may be different than what you have.... Thanks Andres! =)

If it's not one thing, it's another...

So its been almost a week and this time stuff has actually happened...

Saturday we walked to Plaza del Sol, it's behind our house and one major street over. But there was an Auto Mercado there that has almost everything! But the prices are not good. There was a small bottle of Dove body wash for $6, a little ridiculous. But while we were there we saw a little puppy at the pet store sleeping in his food bowl cause he was cold. He was just the cutest little dog and I'm gonna talk to the owner here about getting him! He's a brand new puppy for only like $100. It's almost too good to be true. Plus we have the little extra room here that we dont use that has a gate on it already- perfect for an animal....so we'll see.

Monday morning we started our training for Orbis (the Office Depot company) The first two days were pretty slow, we didn't do much since the computers weren't ready for us; so we sat and listened to pretty much an 8 hour lecture. It was ok though because they gave us all notebooks and pens to take notes with so I ended up drawing a lot of cool pictures. Wednesday we started on the computers and started learning the ordering system and how to do the different operations. So far we're understanding it pretty well. But we haven't learned the difficult things like making returns, giving credit, customer complaints, etc. I guess that will come later. Today I was alone in the training room working on my lesson plan during a break and our two trainers were having a little spat. Gary told Westley- "I don't feel like we're even a team anymore" and Westlley sounded a little annoyed and kinda said what he thought and then Gary said, "I'm just expressing how I feel." It was pretty funny, and a little bit awkward too since I was the only person in the room while they were fighting- I tried to look busy.

House News: We got our second bed!!! Not that we have any big plans on using it anytime soon but it is there if we need it haha. They also sprayed in our ceiling for termites since we've had an outbreak- or ome sort of plague...it's been terrible...but hopefully itll be better soon. Also since the insects aren't really a problem right now of course something else has to be happening, an that is- the toilet is leaking. We don't know from where or why, but in the mornings we go in there and theres a lake around the toilet. Tomorrow theyre sending a plumber to check it and see if it's our fault or if its just old or something. If they think it's our fault we have to pay, if not they pay. But we really have no idea how it could possibly be our fault.

Last night we went with some friends to watch the Saprissa game against Heredia (the spelling may be off but you don't know otherwise) Well Saprissa is like the huge team here cause they're from San Jose but I don't cheer for them because they're purple and white (a little gay in my opinion). So I cheer for the team from Alajuela- they're red and black (so much more manly). However, I haven't cheered for them at all because I've never seen them play! =) But after the game last night we (Me Amber & 4 Ticos) drove up one of the mountains to a look-out point where you can see all of San Jose and Heredia and it was so beautiful cause it was night time and there were soo many lights. I was really glad we went there.

But for now this is all I'm gonna write because we're supposed to be going to the premiere of Spiderman 3 at midnight and I haven't heard from our friends yet. So I need to go call them and get ready. I'll also try and get some pictures up here...Love you guys!