¨Sometimes you wanna go . . .

. . . where everybody knows your name, and they´re always glad you came.¨

There´s nothing like a homecoming. During a conversation with Diego Tuesday at lunchtime, we decided why not pass the evening in Silencio. So it was that I found myself on the bus that afternoon and of course ran into a Silencio native who told me I was the absolute last person he expected to see in the bus. I saw most of my friends and family that evening after I arrived, and there truly is nothing like a homecoming. Everyone DID know my name and everyone was glad I came, including me.

And then I surprised them all again (except Diego who had some sixth sense) by showing up Thursday to live again even though I had just told them all I´d be back Friday. It was an excellent decision as there was a huge party that night in the albergue. A group of Americans had been there for a couple of days and were leaving Friday. Of course, Silencio knows how to capitalize on the presence of a bunch of young Americans--throw them a party with lots of American music and sell them alcohol!

This trip to Silencio is a brief one, I believe, as I need to return to the States for a brief visit soon. And because of that I want to enjoy it as much as possible. Rented a car yesterday for the weekend, which makes it so much easier to come and go as I please. Diego, his brother and I went to the pool in Santo Domingo. Were the only ones there. And then later he, a friend, and I came to Quepos to spend a little time with his other brother and hang out at a bar where there was some really, really bad Spanish karaoke. Today I´ve popped into Quepos to hopefully pick up my package from Mom (which will finally allow me to download some more pics), and then Diego and I are heading to the beach.

For now I´m simply trying to enjoy every moment that I have and spend it with people who know my name (even if I don´t always know theirs) and are glad I came.