Home again.

I've probably written this same blog entry the last time I spent time with Mamá Tica, and if not, I should have. I just love being here because I feel at home. She tells "mi casa es su casa" (my house is your house) and she truly means it. 

This woman is literally like a second mom to me, the way she cares for me. And I feel right at home here. It's funny there's an American student she's hosting right across the hall from me. That was me just a few years ago. Most from my study abroad group unfortunately haven't stayed in contact with their host families, or if they have it's been an email here or there. I can't even count how many times I've been back to visit Mama Tica.  And the difference in staying in contact is not to root toot my own horn, I'm just trying to emphasize how grateful I am to have been placed with this loving woman in 2011.

This trip is different. Sometimes I just pop in and spend the night after flying into Costa Rica and sometimes it was a night before flying back to the United States. But she's never made me feel like a burden. She always has a bed for me. This time, like I said, is not just a drop-in. We discussed this in my last visit to see her in September. She invited me to spend some time with her around Christmas time. I've never been at her house in December, but here I am. And without the stress of having to wake up and drive an hour to catch a 6 am bus the next morning for a 6 hour bus-ferry-bus trip all to signify that your vacation has truly ended and it's back to work.

No, this time I'm just "paseando." Going with the flow, no time constraints. Don't even know when I'm going to take that dreaded 6 hour trip to Cóbano. That's the joy of it: I'm actually on vacation. 

So I did see Christmas in Costa Rica last year while I was living in Cóbano with a host family. I loved all her unique hand-made beachy decorations. I wasn't sure what to expect in a city home such as Mamá Tica's, but she has every nook and cranny decorated. A real tree, too! I could have helped decorate it, but I napped through that--go figure! It's just all so pretty.

The holly lights up at night!

Oh hey there, Gia!

Somebody is getting a gato for Christmas! 

So that's just a few, there's just too much to take pictures of everything! 

I got a good night's sleep and as she does every time, without fail, Mamá Tica had my breakfast ready and waiting for me when I woke up. And it's always in "my spot" every time I visit. I say "my spot" because it is the seat that I sat at for breakfast and dinner for the summer that I lived here. Just look at this:

I certainly did not need all of that rice and didn't even touch the bread, but boy have I missed me some gallo pinto. (And Lilliana's pinto is the best)

That is all for tonight. Buenas noches y que Dios les bendiga. (Good night and may God bless you.)

❤️, 

Morgan