High summer

Well, we're into February, and probably the best month of the summer. Although I still have three weeks to go of my Saturday rotation, so it will be a while before I can travel.

The pic of the week is taken from a police sign to tourists in the Basilica in Cartago, but I've also seen it in bus stations. As I've said before, bad English also amuses me. At a restaurant recently the menu offered 'It Cremates of Clams' (Cream of Clam Soup) and 'Fish to the Iron' (Grilled Fish).

High Summer
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February is probably the best month of the year in Costa Rica. The days are beautiful and sunny, and we haven't seen rain since December. However, the evenings here in the central valley are still cold. Which is different from last year. I've just been out to the shops, and was sorry I hadn't put on a sweater.

President Sanchez
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I have a Google Alert for Costa Rica, so I get a daily email of any international news reports about the country. I was puzzled to get a note of a press release from the White House of George Bush's meeting with President Sanchez of Costa Rica some time ago. Puzzled, because President Arias is the president here. I then realised that they'd used his second last name, which is actually his mother's name. His full name is Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias Sanchez. Although, unsurprisingly, he doesn't usually use the Rafael de Jesús.

Names can be confusing over here. Most students have four, and the challenge is to find the correct first and last name out of them. I'd be Éamon Paul McDonagh Brady, for example.

Aguinaldo
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I meant to write about the Aguinaldo in December, and I know I praised it last year, but I have to sing its praises again. I'm sure it would be an election winner if someone proposed it at home. People in Costa Rica are paid a thirteenth month every year, in December. It's one twelfth of what they're paid for the previous twelve months. It's a legal requirement of every employer. To make it even better, it's tax free. It means that there's a lot of money around at Christmas. You can even see it in the availability of taxis and in the shops and supermarkets.

Tax
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Speaking of tax, for the first time I've had to fill in a tax return. It's a complicated process where you have to detail all your payments and expenditure. Allowed deductions are rent, utility bills, restaurant and (believe it or not!) bar expenses. So I've been saving receipts all year, along with those of everyone who've visited me. You have to fill many forms, and pull all this information together, and then go and queue in the bank to get them to stamp them all for some reason. Bank queues are usually at least an hour. However, for the cost of C5,000 (€7.40) I was able to get the accountant in work, currently out on maternity leave, to do it for me. I still haven't been asked to pay anything.
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Well, that's it for this week. I'm off now to a 'hip-hop' party in the Fiesta Casino to celebrate the Superbowl. In work we've Paul from Chicago and Emily from Indianapolis, so it's difficult to decide who to support. So far the Indianapolis Colts are 16-14 ahead.

So until next week,

Pura Vida

Éamon

Today's headline from La Nación: Only 27% of ICE employees are in the union (ICE is the telephone and electricity supplier)