I decided that by creating a blog, hopefully everyone who wants to look at it will be able to. Instead of me sending out dozens of emails to people who potentially might not be that bothered. Anyway that is the theory. I don't really know what im doing though so we will see what happens.
So, Last time i wrote was about a week ago, i was just settling in to Costa Rica. Not a huge amount has changed since then i guess but i am starting to feel more at home in this place. Most of my time is spent in the national Park with the other volunteers. Patrolling through the night sleeping a long time, swimming eating and playing volleyball. Its all good fun but after a week you really look forward to your day off when you can just get out and do your own thing, see a few people in the towns and feel urban life for a bit. We have started to work during the day now, mornings and sometimes afternoons so i get out less. There are very few arguments but occasionally people rub each other up the wrong way. Which is to be expected i guess as we live so close together. Food is great here, although pretty predictable. If i had a slap for every time i had been served rice and beans, i would be a bruised and battered boy.
Since friday, Shannon (my...girlfriend type person)has been away so i have been spending alot more time with the other people. Which has been interesting to say the least.It has been brilliant though and i am laughing all the time.
One of the things that is holding me back at the moment is my lack of Spanish. I thought i would be able to learn it quite easily but the problem is, everyone at the project speaks English, so i don,t have to. Its quite frustrating but i am starting to pick up bits and bobs from listening to people. What makes matters worse is that Shannon speaks perfect Spanish, so whenever we are out, she is gabling away and i end up feeling a bit like and ignorant Englishmen, and i just cant stop thinking about the 1 year of Spanish lessons that we had at school where i learnt more about how far you could push the teacher before she sent you out of the room than what were the most useful Spanish phrases.
Although i really like it here i am probably going to leave the project maybe 5 days early and travel with Shannon around other parts of Costa Rica as i feel there is alot more to see. I will try and hook you guys up with some more photos soon.
I suppose one of the main events of the past week was this sunday just passed when a German girl who was working on the project was leaving, so we decided to have a few chilled beverages to celebrate. After Patrol at 12 o clock we went down the track to the closest bar (25min walk) where we had arranged for the owner to open up for us. So we knocked him up and sure enough he emerged and sleeply turn on all the lights and set up the bar for us. Gave us a piece of paper to write down what we had drunk and then went back to bed!! This bar also happens to have a heated outdoor swimming pool running right alongside it. So needless to say it was a fun night. He also left us some 'free' weed. Althouggh it became pretty obvious why it was free once we had skinned up. I have had stronger cups of tea. Generally though the green round here is very very good.
So that i guess is a bit of an overview of what is going on in my world ant the moment. Fairly boring im sure and i would be impressed if you read to the end. Fact of the matter is, the way i look at things, people, situations is changing, which i guess comes from having to be independent. Anyway, its time to stop waffling and go and pick up my laundry from the shortest woman in the world. Please comment on here if you can, just so i know if your reading. Im going to try and post as much as possible. Maybe once a week when i can.
Adios
Long live the queen