november 3

This morning we had oatmeal with raisins, papaya and guava and apple, and a piece of banana bread. It was more than we needed, but so delicious. First paycheck today! We made $42.50 each. We feel rich. I spent most of my morning filling bags with dirt for planting cuttings. Not super fun, but its easy and relaxing and I could sit and think about grad school choices. While I was in there I talked with Leche a little also, in Spanish. He understood what I was saying, which was a miracle. It’s a nice confidance boost when I can get an idea across to someone. It helps that Leche is really good about talking slowly, and he enunciates his words well, unlike most people. I’ve noticed that in myself since being here, and I’ve slowed down my speech significantly. I couldn’t describe what my dad does to Leche though – that’s hard enough to explain in english, but with my limited vocab it’s harder in spanish. I also gave a tour for a couple from North Carolina. They were very nice, and they left a tip in the jar when they left. Apparently if a person offers you a tip directly you can take it, but oh well. I tookover for Kendra when she went to lunch, and immediately a couple from Germany came in. I showed them around the insect museum, gave them a run down of the history of the area, and took them down to the lab where Ana was working (Glenn’s wife, she’s from Costa Rica). At first I was nervous since she knows everything about all the butterflies, but it turns out she speaks next to no English, and she was very good about pointing out the names of each larva cage, opening up interesting cages for the tourists to see, etc. after I sent the couple down to the gardins I talked with her for a few minutes. I only understood about 40% of what she said, and I couldn’t really reply, but it was still nice. I explained to her that I was trying to learn Spanish, and she told me a lot about butterflies that I only marginally grasped. She mentioned something about her and Erika learning spanish. I’m not sure if it meant that I should teach them or not.
Lunch was leftover soup. In the afternoon I filled more bags with dirt until about 3pm, then I helped Grant plant vines in garden 5. after work Grant gardened at home while I went to use the internet at Glenn’s. I hate going up there to use it because it makes me feel intrusive. Plus, it gets dark on the patio by the bungalow, where I sit next to the outlet. I don’t know a lot about Glenn, or about funding for the Conservatory. A local started the project, but ran out of funding so he convinced Glenn and two other Americans to invest in the project. A few years into it, Glenn found out the local guy was pilfering money for his own project, which later became the serpentarium. Glenn fired the guy and took over managing the Conservatory as well as funding it somehow. He’s a libra, he speaks very american spanish (meaning is accent is terrible. While it’s easy enough for me to understand, the guys say its difficult for them). But, I don’t know much else about him. I’ll add more details when I find them out.
When I got back from using the internet Grant was making bread, but it didn’t rise a whole lot in 30 minutes, like the recipe said it would so he’s leaving it overnight. I helped make dinner, and then we started a curry stew in the crock pot before reading to bed.