Getting to know the locals….

Yesterday Rich and I had a lazy morning, went for a jungle walk with Pica, and then walked up to Luca’s school to meet him.

I took advantage of the opportunity to take some photos. The grounds are huge, it is 106 acres in total, really hard to capture in photos how awesome it is, but hopefully they give you the general idea of where Luca is spending his days.

These are Luca’s Grade 5 classrooms

They had gone on a field trip to a nature reserve during the day and Luca saw a Quetzal, a rare sighting indeed, I was thrilled for him, he was so so pleased!

I had no idea they were going, and made me giggle to think of the pile of forms I have to sign in Canada for Luca to go or do anything when he is at school or camp, including skipping!!!!!!!!! I MUCH prefer the common sense approach here, it is what we have been seeking.

After school we walked to the CASEM which is the local hang out/meet up place for kids and adults alike. It functions like the town plaza, except it is not a plaza in the traditional sense, it is a field type area with coffee shop, co op and whole foods shop etc around the outside and jungle behind, the kids play and the adults chat, perfect 🙂 ! It is opposite Stella’s,(which I mentioned in a previous post).

We were meeting an expat for coffee and a chat, I had been in touch with them from Canada, so it was good to meet in person. His daughter Marina is in Luca’s class and they are reluctantly going back to the US because of work obligations, having lived here a year. David was really helpful with local information, hints, tips and links to different things. It really is quite the community they have going on, very diverse, creative, progressive and welcoming. David dropped me an email last night with the links and connections we had been talking about, and expressed his regret at leaving, and envy that we are just starting out on our adventure here. It is interesting, no one I have met so far, that is leaving, are happy to be going. They leave it seems because they feel a responsibility to go back, reasons of work and family are the most commonly mentioned. We have met numerous others that came and just never left, I wonder how we will feel in a year….

On the way home we stopped into our “local”, we have been meaning to stop here since we arrived, it came highly recommended and we walk pass it every day and drool at the smells coming out!

As it was my turn to cook, it seemed like a perfect opportunity! 🙂

Sam and Sally are from the US, but Sam is originally from Mexico, they moved here with their 3 sons, after spending the last 20 odd years in Colorado, and opened this Mexican cafe a year ago.

They are so lovely and the food amazing, truly authentic Mexican in food and hospitality! When we left, after much chatting, it was dark!!!! Significant, as the first time we had stayed out that late since arriving, we must be adjusting!! 🙂