beach living

This week has been hot hot HOT. Here in Guanacaste summer is scorching, literally. With the heat and lack of rain there has been an increase of forest fires and you can see smoke rising all around as the ground slowly smolders and the fires spread. Not the fast burning forest fires (Bambi anyone?)but slow and steady fires that leave the ground scorched and some trees standing. It has been unnerving seeing the smoke so close to residential areas, but if we are in real danger we will be forewarned and evacuated. Today we visited Tamarindo and the kids learned to surf! It was so cool to see some of them get up on the first try. I always feel like a mother hen when I have kids this age...11 and 12 years old. I am thankful that they are very respectful and well behaved! It has been wonderful with them so far. This week I have also had a room-mate. One of my co-workers has been here at the school helping with all the little deatils for each group. I realize how much I miss having room-mates after having some good conversations in the evening. E and I are seriously considering an exciting work opportunity that would be for a few months. We will both be interviewing soon; all I will say is that is in tourism and hospitality. Well the evening is winding down and the sky is full of stars, seen so clearly over the Pacific ocean without light pollution from the city all around. There is a refreshing breeze and the air smells like dust and salt... What I wouldn't give for E's company and a glass of vino tinto :)) This is....PURA VIDA.