Last weekend I decided to go it alone to an organic eco ranch called Rancho Margot, up in Castillo, near Lake Arenal. I was being picked up from the Cathedral in La Fortuna at 6pm as a shuttle ran from there to the ranch. So 6pm came and I was waiting, and a truck pulled up with the ranch´s name on the side. However the truck was full of men, litrally hanging out the windows and It was not what I´d expected. So I put my backpack in the open trunck and squeezed into the back between some rather sweaty costa rican men. I knew it was over an hour to the ranch so I attempted some awkward Spanish chat, while hoping that this was really going to the ranch and I was not going to be chopped up into tiny pieces and hidden in the lake. The road was one of the bumpiest I´ve been on and trying to not fall on these guys was really difficult but it certainly broke the ice and they began chatting to me about how they were the kitchen staff and were coming back from a few days off in the town. We all arrived at the ranch just after 7pm and it was pitch black. The concept of the eco ranch was a little electricity as possibile so I was practically blink stumbling out the truck until a guy came up with a torch and shone the way to reception.
Once inside there was a really chilled atmosphere and zero 7 playing through the restaurant. I was taken by electric golf cart up to the bunk house where I had reserved a small room which fitted simply a bunkbed and some hooks. I grabbed my torch and headed back down the dark path to dinner. All the food at the ranch was organic, with over 60% of it being grown on the ranches farm. There were huge bowls of salad, fresh bread a vegetarian pasta for dinner and aI read my book while I dined. People seemed surprised to see me by myself but I had my trusty book for company and soon started having the odd chat with the staff and other guests. I was told yoga started at 7am in the morning so after my dinner I headed back to my room for some sleep before my early start.
Saturday 17 April 2010
Amureci and my big old face!
For the rest of the week I have been helping at Amureci which is the women´s group which make recycled products and are trying to relaunch their business in this tougher economic climate. Having finished re-furbishing the shop I spent my days here this week helping to make jewellery for them to sell. Now, I dont mean to blow my own trumpet but my range of bracelet was pretty damn good! I´d have bought on, I might even do that next week. They loved them and I was really proud as if they seel them it´ll be much more profit for them. One of the ladies named Myra asked meto make one for her, which I did on Friday and she loved it and I now feel really happy to think she will be wearing that in the future.
The work there is so relaxed and is like a family atmosphere and the ladies children and husbands come in and out, visiting and to have coffee or lunch. Although they all work hard at Amureci their husbands and children come everyday for a proper lunch and they dash around from eleven cooking full meals to be on the table by 11.30, when the children break at school for lunch. This thursday I got to join them in their lunch as myra had made a big amount of arroz con pollo, and she handed me this plate heaped with rice!
They are very friendly women and just busy around me, chatting ang laughing, and fighting! Its a totally different glimpse at Costa Rican women and I love the sense of community and warmth. Family is at the heart of everything here and coming from my family it is really familiar and comforting.
So for part two of the heading of this post ´my big old face´. On Wednesday night I was happily sleeping in my room when I woke up to a load buzzing noise which seemed preety noisy considering I had ear plugs in. Recognising what I though was a mosquito I thrashed my arms around and pulled the sheet up over my face and promptly went back to sleep thinking nothing more of it. Well, as you know I am very short sighted so once up and showered I went to look in the mirror before breakfast and was greeted by my GIANT swollen eyes and eyebrows! Not funny at all. There was a big bite on my left cheek under my eye and my eyes were so swollen I cpould bearly see my eye lashes. I quickly grabbed my dictionary and run downstairs to Mery, the cook and tried to explain. She took one look at me and said it was probably a strong reaction to some kind of mosquito, and told me it was because I sleep with my window open! Aparently there are mosquitos at the back of the house which come from the more open sewage system back there and ater 9 weeks of my window being open they had decided to feast on my face. Raffa took me to the pharamacy where they gave me some strong anti-histamine to take over the next few days and then I just had to wait for my face to go down. I looked like I had had a really bad eyebrow lift. Not a hot look at all. Thankfully by today my eyes are more or less back to normal, but that was not one of my favourite costa rican experiences.
The work there is so relaxed and is like a family atmosphere and the ladies children and husbands come in and out, visiting and to have coffee or lunch. Although they all work hard at Amureci their husbands and children come everyday for a proper lunch and they dash around from eleven cooking full meals to be on the table by 11.30, when the children break at school for lunch. This thursday I got to join them in their lunch as myra had made a big amount of arroz con pollo, and she handed me this plate heaped with rice!
They are very friendly women and just busy around me, chatting ang laughing, and fighting! Its a totally different glimpse at Costa Rican women and I love the sense of community and warmth. Family is at the heart of everything here and coming from my family it is really familiar and comforting.
So for part two of the heading of this post ´my big old face´. On Wednesday night I was happily sleeping in my room when I woke up to a load buzzing noise which seemed preety noisy considering I had ear plugs in. Recognising what I though was a mosquito I thrashed my arms around and pulled the sheet up over my face and promptly went back to sleep thinking nothing more of it. Well, as you know I am very short sighted so once up and showered I went to look in the mirror before breakfast and was greeted by my GIANT swollen eyes and eyebrows! Not funny at all. There was a big bite on my left cheek under my eye and my eyes were so swollen I cpould bearly see my eye lashes. I quickly grabbed my dictionary and run downstairs to Mery, the cook and tried to explain. She took one look at me and said it was probably a strong reaction to some kind of mosquito, and told me it was because I sleep with my window open! Aparently there are mosquitos at the back of the house which come from the more open sewage system back there and ater 9 weeks of my window being open they had decided to feast on my face. Raffa took me to the pharamacy where they gave me some strong anti-histamine to take over the next few days and then I just had to wait for my face to go down. I looked like I had had a really bad eyebrow lift. Not a hot look at all. Thankfully by today my eyes are more or less back to normal, but that was not one of my favourite costa rican experiences.
Volunteering over the last few weeks
The one constancy here is the volunteering and the how happy it makes me every day. Its the main thing I will miss here as I feel far, far away when at work. One thing being here has helped me confirm is that working in the voluntary sector or public sector is the path for me, as working with others here has helped me feel complete and so motivated (despite all the challenges!)
My work at the elderly home has come to be my favourite time of the week, I have made some friendships there that I will find very hard to leave. This week has been full of triumph and sadness. Monteray is a gentleman which I have become good friends with. He is incredibly bossy and huffy but his never ending energy and determination to remain active is amazing. When I first started working at the home he was in a wheelchair but would take part in the exercises I did with them and would also practise walking it supports in short bursts. Over the weeks he has been practising more and more and when I arrived on friday morning he was sitting on a bench near the gate, not in a wheelchair! He is now walking with two sticks! I was like a child at christmas and I think I might have embarrased him, but I was just so happy. Regaining mobility is so important for longevity and positivity. Though he is quite traditional and didnt think all my fussing was necessary.
Unfortunately over the last few weeks I have been witnessing the slow deteriortion of one of the residents at the home and friday was very difficult for me. Weeks ago Alfonso was walking with a zimmer but after a weekend away I came back to find him in a wheelchair. One of the nurses told me he was sick and so I took him out for longer walks in the garden and babbled away to him in broken Spanish, even though he couldnt respond. Last week he was worse and wasnt eating, even when I tried to feed him and the nurses tried to give him a bottle of milk with nutrients. Other residents at the home have reacted differently with some finding it hard to acknowledge what happening and other spending time sitting with him and reading the bible to him. My heart sank when I arrived on friday to find him bed ridden and very thin and frail looking. I sat with him for a few minutes just smiling and rubbing his arm but I just didnt know what to do. I left on friday feeling sick as I dont know if he will be there on monday.
I cant pray for him as I am not religious but I just hope that if he is suffering it ends soon and if he can pull through he will.
My work at the elderly home has come to be my favourite time of the week, I have made some friendships there that I will find very hard to leave. This week has been full of triumph and sadness. Monteray is a gentleman which I have become good friends with. He is incredibly bossy and huffy but his never ending energy and determination to remain active is amazing. When I first started working at the home he was in a wheelchair but would take part in the exercises I did with them and would also practise walking it supports in short bursts. Over the weeks he has been practising more and more and when I arrived on friday morning he was sitting on a bench near the gate, not in a wheelchair! He is now walking with two sticks! I was like a child at christmas and I think I might have embarrased him, but I was just so happy. Regaining mobility is so important for longevity and positivity. Though he is quite traditional and didnt think all my fussing was necessary.
Unfortunately over the last few weeks I have been witnessing the slow deteriortion of one of the residents at the home and friday was very difficult for me. Weeks ago Alfonso was walking with a zimmer but after a weekend away I came back to find him in a wheelchair. One of the nurses told me he was sick and so I took him out for longer walks in the garden and babbled away to him in broken Spanish, even though he couldnt respond. Last week he was worse and wasnt eating, even when I tried to feed him and the nurses tried to give him a bottle of milk with nutrients. Other residents at the home have reacted differently with some finding it hard to acknowledge what happening and other spending time sitting with him and reading the bible to him. My heart sank when I arrived on friday to find him bed ridden and very thin and frail looking. I sat with him for a few minutes just smiling and rubbing his arm but I just didnt know what to do. I left on friday feeling sick as I dont know if he will be there on monday.
I cant pray for him as I am not religious but I just hope that if he is suffering it ends soon and if he can pull through he will.
Tuesday 13 April 2010
A proper post for last weekend will arrive soon!
Do not fear, I will let you all know about my exciting last weekend at the Eco-ranch by Lake arenal, expect yoga, organic vegetables and turning vegatarian. Stay tuned for the next installment, coming soon.........(probably tmw or thursday) xxxx
Semana Santa and Monteverde
Over Easter we gained an extra day for travel on Good Friday as all things are closed on this day. Me and Jocelyn decided to use this day and leave on the thursday afternoon and travel back to Monteverde, our favourite place so far. We had to book a taxi to take ups to the boat across lake arenal as even by thursday afternoon things were grinding to a hault. It was such a hot day and we simply backed in the back of the cab. The driver was a young guy and having successfully haggled his price down by $10, he spend way to fast, obviously to make up for lost time. The journey to Monteverde went smoothly enough, just like the last time with the jeep-boat-jeep and we arrived at our hostel by 6pm.
The hostel itself was really cool, lots of hammocks, continous reggae music and lots of stray dogs wandering around! A bit different from European hostels. The people were really friendly and helped us plan our activities for the next few days. As we had more time than usual we took things at a slow pace and decided thursday would be ´date night´ as both of us were missing our boyfriends (yes thats you Robs). We found this cool restaurant, with tableclothes, check us fancy pants, and a guy playing costa rica music while we sat there. We shared a bottle of wine, tres romantic and pretended to be as sophisticated as the other people there even though in hiking boots and jeans.
Unfortunately it turned out that night that out roome was INCREDIBLY noisy and we didnt sleep well, so the next day we promptly switched rooms into a double bed room near the back of the hostel. So that Friday we headed to the Santa Elena Reverse, which is the other smaller cloud forrest in the area, and we walked the massive hanging canopy bridges. They were completely amazing as it allowed us to take our time walking high up among the tops of the trees and spots various birds. The cloud forrest is an odd place as it is essentially in a cloud, and everything is eery and surreal. There is a constant dripping from the leaves and all the trees are covered in a thick layer of moss and vines. Some plants near the grounds rarely see light due to the layers of vegetation and so they look so different from other plants. The rest of our Friday was spent chilling in the hostel, eating burritos and chatting with other travellers, one of which told us we had to visit this Argentinian cafe which sold chocolate, supposedly ´near´the hostel. It was meant to be a 20 min walk straight up this hill, so not wanting to miss a chance to eat only chocolate for diner we set off. Well, it can only have taken 20 mins if this guy had been a sprinter (and by the looks of him he wasnt) as the walk ended up being an hours walk up this hill, along a road, down a dirt track, up another road, and then some stairs! By the time we arrived we tired and hot and ordered only two desserts, a brownie with cream and a platter of truffles, a healthy dinner!
By the time we got back to the hostel we were so tired and headed straight to bed, only to have yet another eventful night as someone broke into our room while we were asleep! Luckily jocelyn was quick of the mark and swore at the guy and he left, we think he was just trying to find somewhere to sleep but I certainly didnt sleep well after that!
Our Saturday was designated Monteverde reserve day and we headed off at 7.30 am to start our 5 hour trail through the cloud forrest. It was immense, no other words really, we barely bumped into anyone, it was quiet as quiet can be and we walked mostly in silence just taking in this amasing place around us.
We have set aside the afternoon to check out the various art galleries in Santa Elena as many costa rica artists settle here as they find the place so inspiring. There were a lot of craft cooperatives set up so that all local people, mostly women could display their work for tourists to buy. There is a lot of interesting stuff and all incredibly colourful and lively. Inevitably I ended up in a clothes shop (its art too) and bought a lovely dress, think purple grecian style, and managed to make jocelyn buy a lovely dress too. Another great day in the cloud forrest. The whole weekend was brilliant you just cant go wrong with a weekend of walking, nature, chocolate and shopping!
The hostel itself was really cool, lots of hammocks, continous reggae music and lots of stray dogs wandering around! A bit different from European hostels. The people were really friendly and helped us plan our activities for the next few days. As we had more time than usual we took things at a slow pace and decided thursday would be ´date night´ as both of us were missing our boyfriends (yes thats you Robs). We found this cool restaurant, with tableclothes, check us fancy pants, and a guy playing costa rica music while we sat there. We shared a bottle of wine, tres romantic and pretended to be as sophisticated as the other people there even though in hiking boots and jeans.
Unfortunately it turned out that night that out roome was INCREDIBLY noisy and we didnt sleep well, so the next day we promptly switched rooms into a double bed room near the back of the hostel. So that Friday we headed to the Santa Elena Reverse, which is the other smaller cloud forrest in the area, and we walked the massive hanging canopy bridges. They were completely amazing as it allowed us to take our time walking high up among the tops of the trees and spots various birds. The cloud forrest is an odd place as it is essentially in a cloud, and everything is eery and surreal. There is a constant dripping from the leaves and all the trees are covered in a thick layer of moss and vines. Some plants near the grounds rarely see light due to the layers of vegetation and so they look so different from other plants. The rest of our Friday was spent chilling in the hostel, eating burritos and chatting with other travellers, one of which told us we had to visit this Argentinian cafe which sold chocolate, supposedly ´near´the hostel. It was meant to be a 20 min walk straight up this hill, so not wanting to miss a chance to eat only chocolate for diner we set off. Well, it can only have taken 20 mins if this guy had been a sprinter (and by the looks of him he wasnt) as the walk ended up being an hours walk up this hill, along a road, down a dirt track, up another road, and then some stairs! By the time we arrived we tired and hot and ordered only two desserts, a brownie with cream and a platter of truffles, a healthy dinner!
By the time we got back to the hostel we were so tired and headed straight to bed, only to have yet another eventful night as someone broke into our room while we were asleep! Luckily jocelyn was quick of the mark and swore at the guy and he left, we think he was just trying to find somewhere to sleep but I certainly didnt sleep well after that!
Our Saturday was designated Monteverde reserve day and we headed off at 7.30 am to start our 5 hour trail through the cloud forrest. It was immense, no other words really, we barely bumped into anyone, it was quiet as quiet can be and we walked mostly in silence just taking in this amasing place around us.
We have set aside the afternoon to check out the various art galleries in Santa Elena as many costa rica artists settle here as they find the place so inspiring. There were a lot of craft cooperatives set up so that all local people, mostly women could display their work for tourists to buy. There is a lot of interesting stuff and all incredibly colourful and lively. Inevitably I ended up in a clothes shop (its art too) and bought a lovely dress, think purple grecian style, and managed to make jocelyn buy a lovely dress too. Another great day in the cloud forrest. The whole weekend was brilliant you just cant go wrong with a weekend of walking, nature, chocolate and shopping!
Tuesday 6 April 2010
General Costa Rica observations
Ok, so I know I am not up to date with the travels but there are some odd costa rica things I feel like I need to document/ share with you all back in Scotland/England.
1. All the songs on the radio here are from the late 80s or the 90s. Every day is like a person trip down memory lane. Today for example Ace of Base, Madonna, The Blood Hound Gang and Blink 182 were all playing on the radio! It is all the things we used to listen to growing up! There is also always that dance tracks from compilations like Now 29 or 32 that I never know the name of. The bus to placement in the mornings is always fun as it results in some kind of fun sing-a-long with Jocelyn.
2. Mannequins, yes I know, weird point BUT all the shop dummies here are very different. They have HUGE and I mean HUGE breats which are pushed up and out and tiny waists. Not only this but their bottoms are stuffe with foam, proper JLo style. They are all like this, I find them disturbingly sexual but it seems to be the norm here. I will take a picture before I leave so I can show you all what I mean.
3. Stray dogs, there are a lot of stray dogs in here, a least one every block and they all look addly similar. I figured out what I found so weird about them recently. They are all pretty cute but they all look like they have had their bodies enlarged and their legs shrunk. They have really short stubby legs but the bodies of normal sized dogs. I dont know if this is a reaction to something in costa rica, like the heat or something (I know I am clutching at straws) but it is just so weird! Again I will take more pics to illustrate.
Hmmmm what else? Can´t think of any more right now but will add to this post as I notice more things! Love love xxx
1. All the songs on the radio here are from the late 80s or the 90s. Every day is like a person trip down memory lane. Today for example Ace of Base, Madonna, The Blood Hound Gang and Blink 182 were all playing on the radio! It is all the things we used to listen to growing up! There is also always that dance tracks from compilations like Now 29 or 32 that I never know the name of. The bus to placement in the mornings is always fun as it results in some kind of fun sing-a-long with Jocelyn.
2. Mannequins, yes I know, weird point BUT all the shop dummies here are very different. They have HUGE and I mean HUGE breats which are pushed up and out and tiny waists. Not only this but their bottoms are stuffe with foam, proper JLo style. They are all like this, I find them disturbingly sexual but it seems to be the norm here. I will take a picture before I leave so I can show you all what I mean.
3. Stray dogs, there are a lot of stray dogs in here, a least one every block and they all look addly similar. I figured out what I found so weird about them recently. They are all pretty cute but they all look like they have had their bodies enlarged and their legs shrunk. They have really short stubby legs but the bodies of normal sized dogs. I dont know if this is a reaction to something in costa rica, like the heat or something (I know I am clutching at straws) but it is just so weird! Again I will take more pics to illustrate.
Hmmmm what else? Can´t think of any more right now but will add to this post as I notice more things! Love love xxx
Lava and Cano Negro
In a bid to keep this blog on track I amwriting up the weekends I havent yet blogged on. The last weekend in March was a fab weekend, but was unfortunatley marred by me losing my debit card and left me a little diisgruntled, and thus less willing to reflect!
However since I did have a lovely trip I want to write about it. So on Friday, as per usual I head off after work to the bus station. There I headed on the La Fortuna and the hostel I had booked into for two nights. The hostel is one of the nicer ones I have stayed in here and has a swimming pool, which was very welcome as it was so hot that day. After arriving and sitting for the pool for a while I left to go on a ´Lava Tour´. This is an oppertunity to view the volcano Arenal at night and get a glimpse of the lava rocks flowing out at night. The reserve itself is closed at night so I needed to sign up for a bus ride which takes you to designated viewing points after dark. When the bus arrived we trooped out and before we knew it the sky exploded with orange and amber embers. The slow rumbling and crackling sound grew and layers of sparks flowed down. The top of the volcano couldnt be seen in the dark so I had to start at the darkness until a rumble was heard and orange sparks, like sparklers appeared in front of me. It was so odd to be standing watching a volcano erupt, me watching a volcano erupt! This country is so extreme, I just keep becoming more and more complacement with the beauty and natural wonders. I have become too used to seeing these things every week.
I had arranged to travel up to the wetland reserve of Cano Negro on the Saturday, which is about an hour from the Nicaraguan boarder. The journey took 2 hours so we left at 7 am. The landscape up through Costa Rica change dramatically through the journey and become much flatter and more agricultural. There were fields and fields of sugarcane and pinapples, with big processing plant dotte about. This area is full of immigrants from other parts of costa rica, both legal and illegal, so there are many police checks along the roads.
I had chosen to visit Cano Negro as it is one of the best reserves for wildlife spotting. It has a large river running through the reserve which attracts a huge variety of migatory birds, the biggest variety of birds in the whole of costa rica. It is also a relatively small reserve which means the rainforrest isn´t so dense and the animals are easier to spot. I had signe up for a 3 hour boat trip down the river with guides to help spot all the wildlife. I was not disappointed and within 5 minutes I was snapping away like a crazy person!. There were hundreds of caimans (small crocodiles), river turtles, igaunas, big lizards, hundreds of types of birds such as amazon kingfishers, hummingbirds, egrets, storks, I cant even remember the rest!
The best thing was one guide spotted a three toed sloth high in a tree, but not only that it was MOVING!!!! I have seen quite a few slots now since being here but I have only ever seen them curled up and sleeping. This sloth was actually coming down the tree, it was the funniest thing. They are so so ugly and it litrally took 15 mins to move down 4 branches. The guide said it was coming down to poo, they only do this once a week so this was a rare sight! Not only this but we came accross a family of squirrel monkeys playing in the trees, over 10 of them with babies. Later we only saw white faced monkeys and howler monkeys. It was such an amazing day, I had plucked up the courage to talk a bit in spanish with the guide who had no English and I managed to hold some kind of conversation. It was so hot further up north and by the end of three hours on the boat I was well and truly fried. At the end of the trip the guide asked the people on the boat to sit for 2 mins in silence to show respect to the rainforrest and listen to all its sounds. It was just breathtaking, so loud but calming. I felt a million miles away from Scotland, yet really at home and happy. Nature is just overpowering in Costa Rica, and the people here are so protective of it. I really respect Costa Rican´s love for their country and its landscape and animals. For a country which struggles economically, everyone still feels passionate about the environment.
The trip took the whole day and I arrived back at La Fortuna in the early evening. I had arranged to meet a friend from the programme and go to some hot springs called Tabacon, which are expensive but the most natural and nearest to the volcano. However once we arrived at the hot springs I realised I had lost my debit card and I deducted I had left it in the ATM machine!!!! Oh I was not happy and ran to make a collect call to mum and dad for help. I just felt like such an idiot- me! Do something as stupid as that! It definatley knocked my confidence for the last few days, and is partly to blame for my lack of blogging. Coming out here alone and then beginning to get the hang of things, speaking the odd bit of spanish, talking to guides, travelling alone, I just felt like I had reversed all that. I felt like a kid, who had made a stupid mistake.
I am feeling better now but it definately knocked my confidence.
That was all two weeks ago so things have been better over the last week. When I returned to ciudad quesada that weekend, I instantly felt better, it feels like I am coming home here. The staff are so friendly and I knew Jocelyn would be home so I felt welcomed and not at all lonely. It is really comforting to think that in 2 months, somewhere accross the world can become a little corner of home.
However since I did have a lovely trip I want to write about it. So on Friday, as per usual I head off after work to the bus station. There I headed on the La Fortuna and the hostel I had booked into for two nights. The hostel is one of the nicer ones I have stayed in here and has a swimming pool, which was very welcome as it was so hot that day. After arriving and sitting for the pool for a while I left to go on a ´Lava Tour´. This is an oppertunity to view the volcano Arenal at night and get a glimpse of the lava rocks flowing out at night. The reserve itself is closed at night so I needed to sign up for a bus ride which takes you to designated viewing points after dark. When the bus arrived we trooped out and before we knew it the sky exploded with orange and amber embers. The slow rumbling and crackling sound grew and layers of sparks flowed down. The top of the volcano couldnt be seen in the dark so I had to start at the darkness until a rumble was heard and orange sparks, like sparklers appeared in front of me. It was so odd to be standing watching a volcano erupt, me watching a volcano erupt! This country is so extreme, I just keep becoming more and more complacement with the beauty and natural wonders. I have become too used to seeing these things every week.
I had arranged to travel up to the wetland reserve of Cano Negro on the Saturday, which is about an hour from the Nicaraguan boarder. The journey took 2 hours so we left at 7 am. The landscape up through Costa Rica change dramatically through the journey and become much flatter and more agricultural. There were fields and fields of sugarcane and pinapples, with big processing plant dotte about. This area is full of immigrants from other parts of costa rica, both legal and illegal, so there are many police checks along the roads.
I had chosen to visit Cano Negro as it is one of the best reserves for wildlife spotting. It has a large river running through the reserve which attracts a huge variety of migatory birds, the biggest variety of birds in the whole of costa rica. It is also a relatively small reserve which means the rainforrest isn´t so dense and the animals are easier to spot. I had signe up for a 3 hour boat trip down the river with guides to help spot all the wildlife. I was not disappointed and within 5 minutes I was snapping away like a crazy person!. There were hundreds of caimans (small crocodiles), river turtles, igaunas, big lizards, hundreds of types of birds such as amazon kingfishers, hummingbirds, egrets, storks, I cant even remember the rest!
The best thing was one guide spotted a three toed sloth high in a tree, but not only that it was MOVING!!!! I have seen quite a few slots now since being here but I have only ever seen them curled up and sleeping. This sloth was actually coming down the tree, it was the funniest thing. They are so so ugly and it litrally took 15 mins to move down 4 branches. The guide said it was coming down to poo, they only do this once a week so this was a rare sight! Not only this but we came accross a family of squirrel monkeys playing in the trees, over 10 of them with babies. Later we only saw white faced monkeys and howler monkeys. It was such an amazing day, I had plucked up the courage to talk a bit in spanish with the guide who had no English and I managed to hold some kind of conversation. It was so hot further up north and by the end of three hours on the boat I was well and truly fried. At the end of the trip the guide asked the people on the boat to sit for 2 mins in silence to show respect to the rainforrest and listen to all its sounds. It was just breathtaking, so loud but calming. I felt a million miles away from Scotland, yet really at home and happy. Nature is just overpowering in Costa Rica, and the people here are so protective of it. I really respect Costa Rican´s love for their country and its landscape and animals. For a country which struggles economically, everyone still feels passionate about the environment.
The trip took the whole day and I arrived back at La Fortuna in the early evening. I had arranged to meet a friend from the programme and go to some hot springs called Tabacon, which are expensive but the most natural and nearest to the volcano. However once we arrived at the hot springs I realised I had lost my debit card and I deducted I had left it in the ATM machine!!!! Oh I was not happy and ran to make a collect call to mum and dad for help. I just felt like such an idiot- me! Do something as stupid as that! It definatley knocked my confidence for the last few days, and is partly to blame for my lack of blogging. Coming out here alone and then beginning to get the hang of things, speaking the odd bit of spanish, talking to guides, travelling alone, I just felt like I had reversed all that. I felt like a kid, who had made a stupid mistake.
I am feeling better now but it definately knocked my confidence.
That was all two weeks ago so things have been better over the last week. When I returned to ciudad quesada that weekend, I instantly felt better, it feels like I am coming home here. The staff are so friendly and I knew Jocelyn would be home so I felt welcomed and not at all lonely. It is really comforting to think that in 2 months, somewhere accross the world can become a little corner of home.
Monday 5 April 2010
It's been too long!
As you may have noticed it's been a wee while since I last updated my blog, I have been keeping notes so I can eventually document it all but I have been suffering from blog fatigue. I also lost my debit card last weekend which meant I didn't feel like remembering that weekend! So, the last week of march, and my sixth week I spent in a few different placements. I had my last day with the kids and I showed them some postcards of Edinburgh and the castle, their eyes went really wide, they couldn't believe what a castle looked like, they were asking if it was my house. I wasn't sad to say goodbye to them, I don't know what this says about me, maybe I am little heartless, but I just didn't get attached to them. It wad sad to say goodbye to Marlane, the lady who runs the centre as she has been really lovely to me and helped me pick up Spanish. I started helping at another placement called Amureci, which is a women's group set up with the focus of making products from recycling, like banana paper. It's aim is for female empowerment through work and embracing our responsibility towards the environment. They have been suffering due to the lack of tourism in the area and so have been refurbishing the store so I have been helping them scrub walls and paint the shop. It's been really tiring but totally satisfying. It's looking really good and we will be starting to put more products ou this week.
On of the women's uncles is a man at the elderly home who I often take for walks. He is almost blind and has no teeth so he can't talk easily. He is so sweet and hops his head everytime wenplay music at the home. He is not very mobile but always wants to try to take part in the exercises. Over the weeks I have seen him become more enthusiastic which is just brilliant. The work at the elderly home is going really well. It is both rewarding and sad at the same time. I have started being required to feed some of the more immobile ladies and another guy who is blind. At first I was really daunted and uncomfortable with the idea, however when I started it wasn't weird at all. It was good, i just kept smiling and encouraging them. I havso much respect for them, life must be so hard when you grow old and are in their situations. We have made Fridays nails day and Purna and I have been painting the ladies nails for them. It goes down really well and they seem so cheered by having pink and red nails. It's a way for us all to grow closer and have fun together.
On of the women's uncles is a man at the elderly home who I often take for walks. He is almost blind and has no teeth so he can't talk easily. He is so sweet and hops his head everytime wenplay music at the home. He is not very mobile but always wants to try to take part in the exercises. Over the weeks I have seen him become more enthusiastic which is just brilliant. The work at the elderly home is going really well. It is both rewarding and sad at the same time. I have started being required to feed some of the more immobile ladies and another guy who is blind. At first I was really daunted and uncomfortable with the idea, however when I started it wasn't weird at all. It was good, i just kept smiling and encouraging them. I havso much respect for them, life must be so hard when you grow old and are in their situations. We have made Fridays nails day and Purna and I have been painting the ladies nails for them. It goes down really well and they seem so cheered by having pink and red nails. It's a way for us all to grow closer and have fun together.
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