¡New Blog Title and Más Observaciones!

     While I'm in Costa Rica and the blog's posts focus more on my travels, I've decided to change the title. Naturally, I chose to steal the title of a U2 song. The title's a very vague allusion to the fact that Costa Rican streets...wait for it...have no names! I'd like to thank Bono for writing the song and letting me use the title, free of charge. As a token of gratitude, I'll post the song via Youtube, ensuring that the band will not make any money whatsoever from my usage.

     As promised, here are, as this post's title already revealed, more thoughts and feelings from my first week (and second Monday) here in the country with the most internet penetration in Latin America (¡22%!):

1. Yesterday I went to the beach for the first time here in Costa Rica. There were tons of people despite the fact it was overcast and drizzled for part of the time we were there. The beach was on the Pacific Coast (my first encounter) and the water was a lot warmer than Lake Erie back home in Buffalo...as it should be considering its geographic location and whatnot.
2. Also went to Mass for the first time here Sunday Morning. The sermon lasted 30 minutes and was hilarious, at least it seemed that way from the boisterous laughter coming from those who could understand the priest (i.e. everyone but me). Nevertheless, I was proud to have been able to participate in every "Amen" and most of the Our Father. Most importantly, Jesus was there in the Eucharist and that does not change regardless of what language is being spoken.
3. Randomly saw my beloved Buffalo Bills on the NFL Network at a bar. Unfortunately, the game was tape delayed from Friday. More unfortunately, they lost 38-7. Most unfortunately, I started watching at the start of the second quarter, when they were winning 7-0. There's no joy in Mudville...
4. The visa process here is frustrating, in part because it is expensive and tedious and in part because it is actually unnecessary. At the airport upon arriving, customs stamped my passport. This stamp allows me to legally stay in the country for 90 days. The rub lies in the fact that the semester is about 105 days long. The way to circumvent this is to, sometime after my 15th day in the country, leave (go to Nicaragua or Panama) and re-enter. Upon doing so, customs would re-stamp my passport, allowing me to stay in the country without issue. Our program, however, won't let us practice this creative evasion of rules and regulations, and so the long process of getting a student visa marches onward. As they say in Costa Rica, C'est la vie...
5. Almost went the whole day without rice and/or beans. But then both made an appearance on my plate for dinner.

More thoughts from my travels to come soon. In Catholic news, today is the feast of Saint Monica, the patron of mothers. She prayed for her son, St. Augustine, until he finally gave up his life of debauchery and became one of Catholicism (and humanity's) most eloquent writers. My mom is awesome too, so shout out to her (especially now that she has an iPad and can actually read these).

May you live every day of your life!