Job searching, shopping malls and thunder

Right now, I'm not sure if the noises I can hear are firewords, thunder, or gunshots. Most likely the former, as today is the first day of the village fair, which will go on for ten days. They've been setting up for it all week, carnival rides and food stalls. It is just opening, so shortly we will venture into town and see what all the commotion is about!

I also hear the buzz of a weedwhacker, and the smell of freshly cut grass here smells like cilantro. I'm not sure if the grass just smells like cilantro or if it grows wild, but either way, it smells great!

Today's adventures involved the post office and job hunting for Alistair. My trip to the post office was brief - no wait. We'll see how long it takes for the mail to actually arrive at its destination!

Then Alistair and I went out to take a look at some English schools nearby that might give him a job. There were two located in this fancy office tower complex. He wasn't able to meet with anyone, but got contact information and has an appointment tomorrow to go back for an interview. Progress!

We just decided the noise is thunder. Doesn't bode well for the outdoor festival!

Next, we decided to check out a nearby shopping mall, just to see what was there. It's a huge place called the Mulitplaza, and it looks like any mall you'd see in North America, even with some of the same stores. We managed to restrain ourselves and just buy sunglasses - much needed in this climate. I lost mine on the airplane on my way here, which was an unfortunate thing to lose, as I've been squinting for the past week.

Again we traveled by bus, and decided that bus travel here feels like sucking on an exhaust pipe. You can see the trucks and cars belching out big black clouds of emissions, and you can feel it in your nostrils and lungs as you breathe. This is only in the high traffic areas, and not around where we live.

Costa Rica has such a reputation for being an eco-friendly country, and I'm sure in a lot of ways it is. It is definitely at the forefront of ecotourism, and is a leader in peacemaking. It seems to be behind in its emissions regulations and in littering, which are also problems. However, it is still a country with a lot of poverty, and until the issue of poverty is addressed and improved, these relatively minor issues of emissions and litter will remain.

Students are gradually trickling in, and everyone is getting more and more excited about classes starting.

Off to investigate the fair!