Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday...thank you for remembering. This weekend, I did not have interent and that is why I have not written in a few days. This weekend, I went with a family that lives in Alajuela to their house and to a park with a pool and beautiful trees. The view was very beautiful. It is amazing how you can grow to care so much about people after such a short time. This family in Alajuela and my family in Heredia mean a lot to me. I already feel close to so many people here. It is very cool.

The morning of my birthday, I was serenaded in both English and Spanish and went with friends from the Boston area (who are friends of my parents) to a special biogolical park called Envioparque. We were quite a large group--about 12 people in all, some ticos, some gringos. It was a very beautiful place to spend my birthday. It was sort of like a small jungle, with trees creating a canopy over a path of contrete. There, I saw a sloth and it was very cute, but I could not see its face. We walked though a jardin de mariposas (butterfly garden) and saw some very pretty butterflies. I tried to capture them on my video camara, but it was a little challenging because they moved very quickly. The park also had banana trees and coffee plants.

At then end of our day, I was planning on going home to my house in Heredia, so I told my friends about is. Debbie, the mom, said to me, oh, we were thinking of maybe going back to the house for some cafe, but, we can take you home now. Before we left, they sang happy birthday to me in the parking lot and (in both english and spanish) and gave me a gift. It was very sweet of them. I got in the car, and wanted to change my mind!! I didn´t want to return to my house by myself on my birthday, but I felt bad about changing the plans. Luckly, the woman I was riding with told me that Debbie was planning cake and icecream for me. Well, who could turn that down? Not I!! So, we changed plans, went back to their house and had cafe, some interesting tropical fruits (that were a bit slimy!), dinner and a cake with candles and sherbert. And, once again, they sang happy birthday in spanish and english. It was a great day and I felt very cared for.

I am grateful to everyone who brought me into his or her life that day.