Thanksgiving, Oeste Style.

I woke up this morning, totally overwhelmed by all that I was thankful for. This year I am going to dedicate this thanksgiving blog to Eseterillos Oeste, though it certainly extends much further than here, I feel a special connection with this place and these people.

I am thankful for Pat. After a month of traveling with me, I have been camped out at her house, in her bed, in her space...she is truly family. I tell her my thoughts and dreams and fears and she listens...with an open mind and open heart. Í'm thankful for her CONSTANT positivity and her ability to see the best in everyone. I am thankful for Mikey. He drove 3 hours to the airport to pick me up when I arrived from the states...along with my 9foot double board bag, my guitar, and my huge bookbag. Bah. THEN, a month later, he drove back AGAIN to the airport to pick up Pat and I. He is always there when you need him, and as apathetic as he always comes across, he is infinitely stoked and he certainly lives up to his nickname, THE LEGEND. I'm thankful for Soda Mary and the whole crew that makes up this wonderful group of rifraf. Brett. Lagarto. When Pat and I pulled into town late at night, everyone was waiting for us - cold beer, burgers and smiles and hugs. Brett, who drinks like a goddamn fish and has a heart of gold. I'm thankful for the love he gives me, the meals he cooks me, and his neverending want to make ya happy. I'm thankful for ADAM, that motherfucker. Love him to death. He hauls my ass around in the car to wherever I need to go, makes up some MEAN french toast and hashbrowns, and has let me store my boatload of shit in his spare bedroom. He is constantly busting my chops, but it's always out of love. I'm thankful for Cameron...for "Cam and Eggs", for his UNDYING PASSION for the water, he is a wave-slave through and through. I'm thankful for his shared love of food and cookies with tea...and I'm thankful for his soft-spoken kindness and constant generosity. I'm thankful for Noah, his simplicity...love of waves and weed, and for his inspiration in the water. I'm thankful for Adam's BEAUTIFUL girlfriend Maria, for welcoming me into the town and instantly as a friend. I'm thankful for her being patient with my shitty spanish and for her smile. I'm thankful for CRAZY STEVE, who despite being absolutely insane is an amazing, interesting, complex and talented person. I'm thankful for his rendition of ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER, his extravagant stories of being on the road with rockstars: sex, drugs and rock and roll, and for his passion of raw food -- I'm currently eating some figs he grew that are soaked in raw honey. BAH. Delightful. I'm thankful for Lika, little lika, the dog of a local gardener in town. She is small and fat and somewhat resembles a mini-pin, but she is so happy all the time that her body wiggles all over the place. The other dog in town that makes me so happy is STAINER, the local cooks dog who sets up his home wherever he pleases. Sweet to the core and one of the best dogs in Costa Rica. I'm thankful for Anne, allowing me to set up camp in her home for the next 5 weeks, for free. I'm thankful for every little act of kindness that everyone in this town has shown me, and there have been MANY. I'm thankful that despite being thousands of miles away from my family that I love so much, I still manage to feel at home. El Vago is having a thanksgiving feast today, and I'm thankful for the community that I will share it with.

I'm thankful for Oeste...for offering up a family in every sense of the word.

I am THANKFUL.