Sorry its been so long!

Okay, so really you have probably already seen the photos of my summer vacation (winter in Costa Rica, or rainy season rather) that my mom took. Here are just a few- I enjoyed being home and seeing my family so much, but its also nice to be back in Costa Rica- where I can feel my feet when I go swimming! Also, the family is now planning on coming down for Christmas- got my fingers crossed it works out- and we will most likely rent a house around the Tamarindo area, where there are many beautiful beaches to explore, and I know my way around pretty well. Other than vacation, I have been pretty busy with school. We had one extra week of vacation due to the Swine flu- I hadn't actually heard of any cases in Liberia, but now that it is the first week back a lot of kids and teachers seem to be getting sick- not sure if its swine or just colds. During my week off I did some surfing and mountain biking (sorry no pictures) and then there were the fiestas in Liberia, which celebrate the Annexation of Guanacaste (when they decided to become part of Costa Rica, rather than Nicaragua). Below are a couple pictures from the fiestas, as well as some from my friend/roomate Angela's 23rd birthday party in Coco beach.













Me, teacher Amy and teacher Angela at the fiestas (basically a big party in a field with rides, tents music....)

(left) me enjoying the beach life in Coco



Angela and her adorable girlfriends dancing

With the birthday girl, and Angela posing with a Tico cow at the fiestas (also a lot of livestock there)

Angela, me and Olivier (Angela's tico boy/friend)

These are pictures from Playa Hermosa (the 2nd Playa Hermosa I have visited, the name literally translates to "beautiful beach" so there are a lot of them) Amy and I took a day trip one Sunday, as its not too far away. The weather wasn't perfect, but still a pretty

beach.

Belly dancer at one of the lounges in Coco for Angela's birthday- she was pretty impressive.