green eggs and ham

***This should have been published a WHILE ago. Like, in January.

Not what Costariccenses, or Ticos/Ticas, as they call themselves, eat. In fact, this morning, I was served the most delicious (non-green)scrambled eggs I've ever had--and I make lots of scrambled eggs. (It's one of my very few specialties.) My host mom, Norely, made them for me, along with toast and pineapple. Fresh pineapple, by the way, is so plentiful and popular here that I fear I may be in danger of eroding my esophagus with copious amounts of acid. Nevertheless, tonight my throat is still intact and I was able to read most of Dr. Seuss's most repetitive book ever with my host sister Dafne, a very intelligent and opinionated 9-year-old. She's learning English (and fairly well for having only been in formal classes for two years) at school, and the family is fortunate enough to have an anthology of Dr. Seuss favorites in English for her to read. So, we went through each rhyme, Dafne reading the English aloud while I translated it to Spanish. Best dual-learning technique ever. Even Pablo--my little three year old (adorable but energetic) hermano--got in on the learning: he repeated everything I said in Spanish as Dafne and I were reading. He and I played a little peek-a-boo game later, which he really enjoyed. He's alot of fun in small doses, but I know Norely struggles with him after a long day. Dafne took me with her to deliver the laundry to guests at the hotel where her dad works this evening, pointing out the beautiful moon and a deserted house where ghosts live. She and her mom are really invested in the political campaign this year (they vote on February 8 for the president of Costa Rica), as it's the first year a female president might be elected to office. Laura Chinchilla represents to them, especially to Dafne I think, the independence, confidence and authority that they want to experience.

***quick note: Laura Chinchilla did win the election, but alot of people thought she might not have been the strongest candidate, that she might have just been a replacement (with minority status) for Oscar Arias. Ah well, politics is not my strongsuit though.