bagels, mermaids, and the name Christopher

So, after my traumatic week, I felt I deserved a treat, so I headed to Bagelmen's. I knew as soon as I walked in that it would be a good day. My favorite manager was working and waved to me while he finished helping another customer. Then, Carlitos (the hair-net guy) was there and said hi, asked how I was. He was leaving work, so it was weird to see him without a hair net. He got a haircut and it looks nice. Anyway, I threw them all off by asking for a dozen bagels (why not share my treat with the whole apartment?) instead of garlic bagel or garlic cream cheese. (Carlitos' comment is generally, you like garlic, don't you?).

The bagels were precisely what I needed. I bumped into Nick on my way home and we picked up extra cream cheese. I think that without Bagelmen's my Costa Rican experience would not be as rich or rewarding. I can always count on the staff's friendliness, the bagel's freshness (toasted too!), and the yummy goodness of cream cheese (which I think might be better than in the States).

Saturday, I met up with Ariel, yes like the little mermaid. We went to his friend's house for lunch. So, turns out he's the presenter for a Reggaeton program on national TV. I'm friends with someone who's practically famous!! Just wish I had a TV so I could say I've seen him on TV. The weird part of the day was that both he and his friend Leo are Panamanian...meaning I spent an entire afternoon without hearing the words mae, guevon, or pura vida. Very refreshing. Of course, the accents were difficult to understand and they do have Panamanian slang which was even harder to follow...but still.

I finally had a whole conversation with Chris, the guy who looks like Stacey's old host brother -Sergio. Nice guy, plays soccer, works at Yamuni (a department store), which explains why he's always well-dressed. Anyway, it got me to thinking why every guy I meet in this country is named Christopher (with the exception of Ariel, who has the same name as the Disney mermaid). Which then made me think about how none of the Ticos I know can say my name. And so it bugs me when Ticos ask me how to say my name in Spanish.

Look, if I have to say names like Jose Antonio, Alvaro, Natalia, Heiner, Yadira, Jose Pablo, and Manrique (Who names their child Manrique?), then they have to say Caitlin - not Katy, not Catalina. It's far more amusing when Kathleen's here because they say our names exactly the same way. Katlyn, Kalyn, or something like that. Very confusing. It's strangest when you discover that someone you've known 4 months or longer doesn't actually know how to say your name.

(which is not the same as only knowing someone by his or her nickname - which is my big downfall - chileno, guru, makako, huesos..who are they really?)

I will even make an effort to say Christopher with a Costa Rican accent (Krees to faer...or something), if people will please just call me by my name (or something close)