Niños

Last night we had our staff meeting and then went for dinner at a restaurant in the main street. The whole time we were eating people were coming up trying to sell stuff. Even small children selling cigarettes. Then when I'd finished this little boy kept tapping my shoulder holding out a carrier bag coz he wanted my leftovers...I just gave him the whole plate and have never seen anyone eat so quickly :(
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Las escuelas

Today I had my induction meeting for volunteering in the schools. First a girl from Nicaragua told us about the program; that they work in seven schools and work mainly with primary school children helping with Spanish, maths and computers etc. Then the older children they teach them English. I will be in the English team, helping to teach English.

Then we got shown around all the schools that they work in. Most of them were closed today, so didn't see a lot. Apparently they have lots of days off here. All seemed quite normal. The schools had classrooms with chairs and desks in, and lots of posters and displays on the walls. Then we drove through to some more schools, down this dirt road which was full of houses like shacks. They were like sheds made with scraps of wood or scraps of corrugated metal..

This is also the most foreign I have ever felt in a country. Everyone has dark skin, dark hair, like latino. Everywhere else I have been I was able to blend in because there was a mixture of colours, and they'd only realise I was foreign when I spoke, but here I don't think it would matter what clothes I wear because I will always look white and foreign. It's really nice here though. And all the other volunteers are really nice; Germans, Swiss, Canadian, Spanish.. and we all hang out in the pool at the end of the day.

First day in the schools tomorrow!
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Costa Rica to Nicaragua

So today I had a looooong, cold bus journey to Nicaragua. The bus left at 6am and was 9 hours long..that's like as long as my flight to Cuba was! So after about 5 hours we got to the border of Costa Rica where we had to get off the bus and queue up for immigracion while a million people asked me to change money. I now have 3 currencies in my purse, getting very confusing! Then they just stamped my passport and we got back on the bus.

The border!

Then 2 minutes down the road we get to the Nicaragua border. Here I had to pay 8000 colones ($16) for the visa and they collected all of our passports. Then we had to take all of our bags off the bus so they could be 'checked'. They didn't even look in my bag. While we were waiting there were lots of people trying to sell me stuff and beggars, just looked like a market! One lady had fried chicken in bags, another had funny little chicken models made from shells, and lots of sandals. I like people trying to sell me stuff, so I ended up buying a bag of cashew nuts and a reggaeton CD off a man who I made promise he would call me if the bus was leaving while I went to the toilet. Then they gave back my passport with my new visa in, and we got back on the bus for the last 100km to Granada.

Fried chicken in bags

I arrived in Granada and got a taxi to the volunteer house, and was met by a German girl who is also volunteering. The house is nice, I have a big room with a bathroom. Granada is also very nice. Lots of different coloured painted houses, more tourists than I imagined. The girl said normally she goes to the pool in the afternoon, so I thought that sounded lovely so we just got back from the pool which is in some hotel up the road. She said volunteers can pay $35 for the month and you get a free massage! I will be joining tomorrow.

The hotel pool (this is not where I live!)

Judging by the price of the piña colada at the hotel, it is much cheaper here than in Costa Rica! Just $2.75 instead of $5. And judging by the skinnyness of the horses it is even poorer than Cuba. Very skinny horseys.
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Hostel Tranquilo Backpackers

This is the nice notice they have up in the toilets of Hostel Tranquilo Backpackers in San Jose. Crazy, angry owner. Shouldn't he think about making his hostel nicer, before putting up angry signs about not being in Lonely Planet anymore...and learn to spell.

Back in the city

Same Big Mac, same terrible service. If only I was mystery shopping here, he would have got a very bad report!!
Back in San Jose. It's raining. Feels like I've just got back to England after a lovely holiday at the beach coming back to the cityyy. It's also cold. Well, 26c the sign said, so don't know how hot it was in Cahuita for me to feel cold!

So strange the temperature changes in which ever part of the country you're in, especially as it's such a small country. Was really hot at the beach, Caribbean side and Pacific side, cold in the mountains, and then in between everywhere else.

Just been shopping to get supplies for Nicaragua. Leaving Saturday morning at 6am..! In desperate need of clothes so got some tops, and some makeup and a brolly. Can't find leggings or shower gel anywhere!!
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Chalet Larissa, St Anton

This is the chalet I'm going to be hosting from the end of November, how exciting :D

http://www.skitotal.com/accommodationdetails.aspx?accomId=3028

Check it out and get booking your holidays with me!! Friends n family get a 5% discount (y)
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Rodeo

Went horse riding on the beach yesterday with a real cowboy ha!

Then I got to go to a bull fight or rodeo they called it. Was very strange. Everyone was sitting around the edge of the ring, where there was even someone walking around selling wands with flashing lights as if it was bonfire night.

So first they would have the bull in a box at the front. When they were ready they open the door and the bull comes running out, bucking and trying to kick the man riding him off... Then the man falls off and runs away before he gets trampled, while all these other people are running around trying to annoy the poor bull who then charges at them. Then two cowboys come out on their horses and try to lasso the bull and get him back in the box. They then did this over and over again with different bulls for about three hours...!

One man came away limping after getting thrown off and stood on - I thought served him right haha!! But at least they don't kill the bull I suppose, and was interesting to see a tradition we don't have at home, especially as I was probably the only foreign person there..have now seen the real Costa Rica!
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