Post from Michelle:
We arrived in La Fortuna in the afternoon. It's a small town that has become popular with tourists since it's neighboring volcano, Arenal, erupted in 1968 and now has lava flowing down its sides daily. Tourists come to watch the powerful eruptions.
Tim and I were spending the afternoon walking around the town when it suddenly started raining hard. Running across a soccer field we spotted a shelter by a church and darted towards it.
It was great to watch the rain come down under the protected covering while we gazed at the volcano in the distance. A local man from the town approached us. He spoke no English and we hardly spoke any Spanish so the conversation that ensued was quite amusing. Lots of hand gestures and shaking of heads to say "we don't understand". I couldn't tell if he wanted to sell us something, wanted money, or if he was just being friendly. He was very persistent though, trying to communicate the same message. As more time passed his gestures grew more animated and his words louder. He would point at Tim and then myself, make two circles with his hands and then put them together. What could he be telling us?
In the end, after much struggle, I realized he was asking if Tim and I were a couple. I guess he was interested in my romantic availability. When we told him we were indeed together, he smiled, shook both our hands warmly and continued on. Tim and I just laughed.
I felt I won twice. First, for the flattery of his interest. But more importantly, I at last understood what he was trying to say! Victory comes in small packages.
Tim and I were spending the afternoon walking around the town when it suddenly started raining hard. Running across a soccer field we spotted a shelter by a church and darted towards it.
It was great to watch the rain come down under the protected covering while we gazed at the volcano in the distance. A local man from the town approached us. He spoke no English and we hardly spoke any Spanish so the conversation that ensued was quite amusing. Lots of hand gestures and shaking of heads to say "we don't understand". I couldn't tell if he wanted to sell us something, wanted money, or if he was just being friendly. He was very persistent though, trying to communicate the same message. As more time passed his gestures grew more animated and his words louder. He would point at Tim and then myself, make two circles with his hands and then put them together. What could he be telling us?
In the end, after much struggle, I realized he was asking if Tim and I were a couple. I guess he was interested in my romantic availability. When we told him we were indeed together, he smiled, shook both our hands warmly and continued on. Tim and I just laughed.
I felt I won twice. First, for the flattery of his interest. But more importantly, I at last understood what he was trying to say! Victory comes in small packages.
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