I Haven't Written in Awhile, But I'm Back!

Hello! I'm sorry I haven't written in awhile, everything got really busy really quickly. However, I have been uploading vlogs to my YouTube channel, so feel free to go watch those.

I decided to post something a little different this time around. I've been making a list of unique, different things that happen and exist here in comparison to the U.S.

So without further ado, here it is:

• In the winter in the U.S., critters and insects try to get into houses to escape the cold, but usually die because of it before they can try. Here, there's no weather to do that, so bugs and other critters get in anyway. Because things get in with or without houses being sealed, they don't seal houses. It would be pointless and expensive to do so, which brings me to my next bullet point.
• Bugs and small critters are going in and out of the house constantly, so everyone wears shoes all the time. You don't want to step on something, or have something crawl over your bare feet.
• It is also necessary to check your shoes before you put them on- you never know when a spider, scorpion, or other creature could be hiding in them.
• If you are outside, it is best to avoid brushing up against leaves. Some of the most poisonous caterpillars in the world live here, and poison you if you touch the teeny tiny hairs on that cover their whole bodies. Their favorite places to hide are on the undersides of leaves, so caution is a necessity. 
• Continuing with the theme of critters, it is also wise to check the shower before you get in- especially before you remove your contacts or glasses. For example, almost two weeks ago, I got in the shower without checking first and their was a tiny gecko hanging out on the wall (they enjoy the steam from the hot water). However, this was a best-case scenario. My cousin has taken a shower, gotten out, and looked back in the shower with glasses on and found that there had been a giant tarantula in there the entire time. Straight out of a horror movie if you ask me. 
• Ants are everywhere- and sometimes they bite.
• Unless you get extremely lucky, mosquito bites are inevitable. I have never had so many in my life. 
• There are coffee plants everywhere, and it's so good that I drink it black.
• Food has to either be sealed super tight or refrigerated all the time, but especially during the rainy season (May-ish to November-ish). Because the humidity levels are so high, if food is left out for even a few minutes, it will get stale.
• I carry a pack of gum around with me all the time, but it's so hot and humid that it has melted into mush.
• Also because of the high humidity levels, when paper comes out of a printer, or is left sitting somewhere, it absorbs the moisture and the edges roll up.
• The moisture in the air is also has its benefits. My skin has never been so moisturized, and my hair and nails have never been so strong and healthy.
• On average, the humidity levels are at 80%-95%.
• Everything has to be locked up when we leave the house and before everyone goes to bed as petty theft is very common.
• What we consider potholes are more like pot-craters or pot sinkholes here. The mass amounts of rain wear down the pavement. While they all get fixed, they're washed out/worn away every year.
• When it rains, the thunder sounds like a plane taking off or a bomb exploding. A lot of the time it feels like an earthquake.
• Almost every day without fail, it's sunny until around noon, and then the clouds start rolling in and it rains for the second half of the day.
• A couple days ago, it was raining on one half of the house but not the other. 
• The rain is so heavy that you can turn the TV up to the highest volume and still not be able to hear it. 
• There are 140+ species of snakes in Costa Rica, 23 being venomous. Boas and coral snakes live on my family's property here. However, they are more scared of us than we are of them, so they don't see them very often. 
• In the U.S., junk food is typically less expensive than fresh/healthy food. But because most of the junk food here is imported, junk food is more expensive than fresh/healthy food. 

I'm positive that more things will occur for me to write about, but this is all I have for now. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to leave a comment below. I will do my best to answer it to the best of my abilities. Thanks for reading, much love. 

10/27/19

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Tiny Gecko 10/18/19