My (not so) normal life

So, while my wife is in Chicago visiting family and drinking beer that doesn't taste like piss water, I decided to stay in Monteverde, Costa Rica to improve my Spanish.  While I am here, I am staying with a Costa Rican family, going to school, and, in general, doing some pretty "normal" things.  However as this is Central America and not the Central Plains, things tend to not be so normal all of the time.

Normal:  Wake up, eat breakfast, and walk to school.
Not-so-normal:  On the way to school, I pass by a swarm of vultures feasting on the dead carcass of some animal.  I'm glad I ate breakfast before I saw this.


Normal:  I go get my haircut.
Not-so-normal:  When I arrive at the barbershop, the barber is busy practicing with his marimba band.  I wait until they are done to commence my hair cut.

Normal:  I go to the park to eat lunch.
Not-so-normal:  The park is the Monteverde Reserve, a large track of cloud forest.
Not-so-normal-again:  While eating lunch, one of my sandwiches is stolen from my by a wild pizote.  I should have pet it when I had the chance...


Normal:  I watch "Dancing with the Stars" on television.
Not-so-normal:  It's not really dancing with the stars, it's called "Bailando por un Sueño".  It's basically like dancing with the stars but with less production and with fomosos from Costa Rica, none of which I know.

Normal:  I give directions to a stranger.
Not-so-normal:  The stranger is actually from somewhere in Eastern Europe who doesn't speak English, but knows some Spanish.  In summary: I give directions to an Eastern European in Spanish while in Central America.  It's a small world...

Normal:  I attend a sporting event.
Not-so-normal:  The sporting event is actually rec-league 5-on-5 soccer.  By the reactions of the people and the intensity, you would think they were playing for the World Cup.  There was an "America's Funniest Videos" moment when one of the goalies got a soccer ball right in the "man-area".  That never ceases to be funny.  Priceless.

Just goes to show you, no matter how routine or normal traveling life becomes, there's always something lurking around the corner to remind me just exactly where I am.