Alison does Costa Rica

Don't get excited. I didn't actually see a cougar. But I am learning that I have the potential to become one. Seems the 18 year old Costa Rican boys have quite a thing for me.
It started on my kayak tour yesterday, when I noticed that my 18 yr old guide was quite flirtatious and trying to impress me with his kayak skills. We shared an inflatable kayak on the 3.5 hour tour (note: the adventurous Alaskans* took real kayaks that can tip over, which I was not about to do in alligator infested waters)
* note: my Alaskan friends are an ex Army couple who went to Iraq and are currently living in dry huts with no running water in Alaska. Obviously a bit more hard core than NYC girl.)
Anyhow, 18 yr old guide was visibly disappointed to hear I was 30, he was sure I was only 22 which I guess is within his age range. Next day after tour I saw him and he told me he would really miss me (?????).
Then on bus ride yesterday there were a bunch of school kids in uniform sitting in back of bus as seniors tend to do worldwide because back of the bus equals cool. One confident boy was encouraged by his friends to come talk to the random gringo (me) and find out if I had a boyfriend. While this was happening his friends shouted that my new amigo "Le gusta chicos! He is a gay!" . After which my amigo told me I was bonita, though I think he was just trying to prove his heterosexuality.
Anyhow, where am I you ask? I decided to go off the beaten track a bit as I was in a lot of touristy places where only english was spoken. So I found a random town and got to speak plenty of Spanish. (aside from Alaskans, and Utah tour group in rainforest with lots of hippies, including one woman who had the longest armpit hair I have ever seen, male or female) We went to a chocolate farm and learned to make chocolate which was really fun (note that CR is not famous for chocolate)
Yesterday was tedious as I had to take FOUR buses and a boat to get to Tortugero... but fabulous as I spoke Spanish all day.
Bus rides:
1< La Virgen to Sarapaqui- where I was hit on by high schooler in uniform
2< Sarapaqui to Guapiles , made an amigo who was illegal immigrant from Nicaraugua
3< Guapiles to Cairias . Don't remember much about this ride, was delirious with heat and sweat.
4< Cairais to Pavona. more like a freight truck than bus, local farmers kept getting on with fruit bags and unloading at different stops. I spoke with some, one gave me a guava and told me about the man in front of the bus whose 3 year old son was eaten by a gator 10 days ago. (note: I have since heard that they are on a gator witch hunt here, killing every gator trying to find little boy's body. very sad) Also I made friends with an old man who resembled Junior from the Sopranos but I couldn't understand a word he said so just smiled and nodded.
As if 4 bus rides wasn't enough, we were dropped off in field, climbed a fence and walked to river. Got on a boat to ride through canals to get to Tortugero Island. The ride was the coolest ever, it felt so jungle like that it couldn't be real, almost like I was on a ride at Diesney world. Only locals on boat. We dropped some people off at cabins on river and then I got off on the island. it is so cool here, just a tiny village! I couldn't explore much because it was getting dark and I am responsible and safe (note to Mom and Dad) but I had dinner at a great Caribbean restaurant below my hostel.
Today I have made a German friend and we are going on a walk. He just told me that there is a boa outside eating an iguana but I am not going to go look at it.
There was a 2 inch bug crawling on me in my sleep last night.