Top 10's from Missionary Cody

A big highlight on Christmas Day was receiving a Skype-without-picture call from our missionary in Costa Rica. His emails have been about two sentences long (one sentence of which usually a movie quote), so we learned some things about his life these days:
1. He's doing ok! (Translation: He still knows how to laugh! He can still do "Edna Mode" from The Incredibles!)
2. He's walking lots of miles (has seen sloths and toucans) in and around in a small northern village called Pital, near Nicaragua, with many pineapple fields (so the workers carry machetes, and the local pineapple and juices are delicious).
3. In his lxuury two-person apartment, there is running water. However, it often stops, so they keep numerous bottles of water filled . There is no hot water and not much need for it (did someone mention heat and humidity?)
4. Forty people come to church, meeting in one-half of a house. No piano or organ, just a cappella singing ("I fit right in. They're all as tone deaf as I am!")
5. A ward member does their laundry. So spoiled, but it does take five days (the lady has a washing machine but then hangs things to dry, and since it rains just about every day, the "drying" is long and perhaps a bit exaggerated).
6. Ward members are very nice and cook for them. Also, when people have them over for a lesson, they often serve food. Rice and beans are served at every meal.
7. They are teaching many lessons. New to Spanish at full speed, Cody says starts with explaining he doesn't understand much. Usually speakers slow down for a few words and then quickly speed up again, so he feels lost.
8. He likes his companion, Elder Pons from Uruguay who joined our church with some of his family members seven years ago, who speaks little English and teaches Cody not to use "Mexican Spanish."
9. He receives mail only when he goes to San Jose for monthly conferences, a four-hour bus ride away (last time they went, they saw a diesel overturned on the "luxury" highway).
10. In San Jose, he saw "things like McDonald's and Burger King," and "bought a big jar of peanut butter."
(So far he had only received three Christmas cards, so I was glad I sent packages to Provo which he carried with him. He should have a bunch of helpful Christmas messages waiting for his next trip to the big city. Thanks to all his supporters!)