Senetor Obama’s victory last night has gotten quite the reaction here in Costa Rica. The national and local media are focusing on the fact that he is the first black president to be elected in the United States. There is a general sense of good will towards him and Costa Rican are excited about the prospect of working with him. They are worried he may cut back on free trade, which has proven to be very beneficial to Costa Rica and their economy. This morning, as I was walking out of my house, my Costa Rican neighbor high fived me and said “We won!” Of course, with neither of us being American, this was a strange thing to say, however, I can understand why he felt that way.

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Please, Please, Please, DO NOT FEED MONKEYS!!!! Highly detrimental.
1.Monkeys are highly susceptible to diseases from human hands. They can die from bacteria transferred off your hand that has no ill effect on you.
2.Migration to human-populated areas to be fed increases the risk of dog attacks and road accidents.
3.Irregular feeding leads to an aggressive behavior towards humans and other species.
4.Contrary to the stereotype, bananas are not the preferred food of monkeys in the wild. Bananas, especially those containing pesticides, can be upsetting to the monkeys’ delicate digestive system and cause serious dental problems that can lead to eventual death.
5.Feeding creates a dangerous dependency on humans that diminishes the monkeys’ survival abilities.
6.Feeding interferes with the monkeys’ natural habits and upsets the balance of their lifestyle centered on eating wild fruits, seeds, small animals, and insects.
7.Contact with humans facilitates poaching and the trade in illegal wildlife.
8.Pregnant females who are fed nothing but bananas during their pregnancy will not give birth to healthy infants. The babies will be malnourished, or never develop to term, and die before birth.
9.Monkeys need to travel an average of 17 kilometers each day to be in good physical condition. If they know that food is available in a particular location, they will not leave that area.
10.Not only do we pass on diseases to animals when we feed them by hand, but they can pass diseases to us as well.

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Today I jumped on a bus to San Jose to find a cheap guitar. There was a two-hour direct route on a long winding bus route to get to San Jose. Since I had the whole day, I chose the long scenic route. So beautiful. A narrow road wound through lush green valleys and past tiny fincas. One beautiful site was that of a lone white cross atop a hill that was surrounded by a field of tiny yellow flowers. The narrow road wound around a steep hillside and climbed in elevation over the pass. The green labyrinth of the rainforest dropped into deep ravines below the road. Waterfalls spilled over rock tables and tumbled down hundreds of meters below. A cool impenetrable mist blew through the high elevations. As we wound around the tight corners of the road and sliced through the mist I wondered how the cars kept from crashing into each other on this thin mountainous road. I wondered, but I wasn’t scared. There’s no point in being scared. Here, I rely on faith. There’s no other way. Shortly after this contemplation, the bus rounded a corner and a truck slammed its breaks on and skidded straight ahead towards my section of the bus. The truck smashed into the side of the bus. Everything came to a halt except the mist that blew past us. All the passengers looked down at the truck diver and he wasn’t hurt. The front end of his truck was compacted but that was it. The bus and all the passengers went unscathed. What was strange was that I felt unaffected by the whole thing. It felt like I was just observing the accident but wasn’t actually involved.
Sometimes traveling gives you that feeling. I probably won’t be taking that route again soon, not because of the accident, but only because the windy road made me want to puke. I did manage to get to San Jose and ask a taxi driver to take me where I could find a cheap guitar. He dropped me off at the local market and I wandered around until I found what I was looking for. With guitar in hand I hopped another bus and headed home. I was proud of this trip, because it signified my ability to speak enough Spanish to travel solo.

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Emergencies 911
Ambulance 128
Fire Department 118
Police 2222-1365
Highway Police 2222-9330

It is faster if you dial the ambulance, police, or fire department directly:

OTHER HELPFUL NUMBERS
Embassies:
• United States - 2220-3939
• Canada - 2296-4149
• France - 2223-1156
• Germany - 2232-5533
• Great Britain - 2221-5816
• Holland - 2296-1490
• Italy - 2234-2326
• Spain - 2222-1933
• Sweden - 2232-8549
• Switzerland - 2221-4829

Credit Cards
• First, try 175 for international collect call and the calling number on the back of your credit card. Your credit card company should accept your collect call. If you have no luck with this or can’t find your card try the following numbers.
• VISA International - 001-800-847-2911
• VISA Costa Rica (Spanish) - 2224-2631 or 2224-2731
• Master Card and American Express International - 001-800-2458-2733 or 001-305-2272-3027
• Western Union - 800-2777-7777

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1. Avoid calling the people from any country locals, it makes them feel like tribesman.

2. Don´t claim North America to be a unique continent. Latin Americans are taught that South and North America make up one continent, not two.

3. When using public transportation, try to keep your voice down.

4. Make an effort to speak the local language, and at the very least the basics such as hello and thank you.

5. Don´t EXPECT people to speak your language, you are no longer home.

6. Don´t leave small change as a tip. It is just as insulting as back home, maybe even more as you will come across as thinking that your small tip is actually a lot for them and therefore makes you a good person.

7. Don´t ask silly questions like Do you guys have McDonald’s here? Or How long have you guys had Nike?

8. Don´t refer to a person´s country as being a Third World Country, even though it can be considered that in most countries. It´s just not a great conversation starter.

9. Be sensitive to the issues that are close to a nation´s heart.

10. Avoid binge drinking at all costs.

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Many times the quickest and easiest way to save money is to read up on where you are traveling. Pick up a travel guide to whichever city or country you are visiting to find out where the best deals can be found. Also, make sure to find out where the tourist traps are and stay far away from them.

Get a free room upgrade

Naturally it will be much easier to accomplish this if you travel during low season. Make sure to ask for a room upgrade before they hand you your room key. It is best to ask right away. Remember, the only way to receive this is by asking kindly. Tell them it is a special occasion such as an anniversary to increase your chances of your request being approved.

Find out what a Coca Cola costs

Try to find out how much a Coca Cola costs in the country you are traveling. The reason for this is that it will help you gage whether or not the places you are visiting are trying to rip you off. The best bet is to go to a grocery store as they rarely inflate prices.

Find a local travel agent

Don´t be afraid to contact a travel agent in the area to help you plan your trip. Travel agents can help organize your trip to make things go smoothly and to help you coordinate everything to maximize your fun. A travel agent can also point you in the right direction regarding the best and most economical places to see in the area. Travel agents receive commissions from hotels and activity providers and often times will share their savings with you as long as you book through them.

Find a friend

In today´s world, it has become very easy to meet people throughout the world. This could prove to be the single best way to save money as new friendships could potentially lead to very valuable information and possibly even a free homestay. Of course, this works best when traveling as a couple for safety reasons.

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This should also lend a helping hand to the tourism industry as further investment and more jobs can only help an already booming industry.

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Here is a simple list to ensure that your current or next trip to Central America goes smoothly.

1. Leave your passport somewhere safe and travel with a photocopy
2. Do not exchange money at the border or airport. You will always get a better rate at a local or national bank
3. Brush up on your basic Spanish prior to traveling, especially for directions
4. Do not bring any flashy jewelry
5. Be respectful of local customs such as leaving your shoes on in a household
6. Do not rely heavily on travelers cheques as very few merchants accept these
7. Stay in hotels that have a security safe in your room for the safe keeping of your valuables.
8. Always ask a taxi driver to turn on his meter when applicable
9. Ask you travel agent to give you more information regarding your security and well being.

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1. Coco Island
2. Arenal Volcano
3. Poas Volcano
4. Cerro Chirripo
5. Monteverde
6. Rio Celeste
7. Tortuguero

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