It is funny to think I have only been here a week- I don’t know if it is the open, nature of the country or the friendliness of my school-mates but it really does feel like I’ve been here a lot longer. Me and a new Argentian friend Lucilla had a moment on Thursday when we realised if we were this emotionally attached after 3 days at school how on earth would we all leave in a year!
The past few days have been full of lots of orientation sessions at uni and lots of getting to know each other sessions at the pub- culminating in an amazing welcome party on Friday night. The uni had had a no-alcohol policy this year but after 3 days the UPEACErs showed their diplomacy and lobbying skills and got the ban lifted. This all happened in the space of a few hours and by the time we came out to the outside terrace for our party a load of beer and wine had miraculously appeared. So we had bbq and nachos and liquid refreshments and before long the dance floor was seriously shaking. There was lots of big dance circles and dance-off type displays. I feel I represented UK pretty well with my running man moves and Ben (the only other person from the UK) educated everyone on the British art of dancing with you arms rather than the Latin America hips. We’re going to introduce them to dub-step... just so they’re fully warned of its awfulness.
Had some great Shakira and Coolio moments (me and a US guy bonded instantly through our joint knowledge of every lyric to Gansta’s Paradise- wait til he hears me rock it out on the ukulele!) My big-fish-little-fish moves were slightly overshadowed by the arrival of a samba troupe with drummers who did an awesome performance and got us all into a massive conga.
The party carried on at the local bar Oskar’s where while taking part in a magic trick I managed to violently smash a bottle thus completing the UK chavesque moves of lairy dancing and broken bottles.
The next morning I was up dull and early at 6.30am ready to go to Tortuguero to see the turtles but my travel partner was ill so we didn’t go. Shame but will hopefully make it next weekend and have met a Mexican guy called Rafael who was always my favourite turtle so I guess that is ¼ as good as the real things.
Have spent this evening up at the massive house of some friends, eating nachos, drinking guaro the local firewater and discussing everything from getting mugged to reiki healing. Tomorrow we’re driving to the beach (a whole week in Costa Rica without hitting the beach! I need to sort it out!)
Lessons learnt:
People from Korea don't have leg hair above the knee! My friend Hansoal was completely shocked to find out everyone else had hairs on their thighs. Now I feel like a gorilla around her. Gorilla.
In Costa Rica they don’t have house numbers or addresses. Instead you just say I live 100m from that big tree and next to the large rock. This makes finding friend’s houses hard.
We live 100m north of the cemetery gates- this means I constantly have The Smiths in my head.
My biggest lesson so far is that I now drink coffee! Any of you that have see my pathetic reaction to it (or most caffeine) in the past know this is a big deal. It is so smooth here- not bitter at all. On the other hand I am buzzed all the time.
Have just started the reading for the first course- uh oh apparently conflict resolution is quite complicated... our reader is about 20 cm thick.
I haven’t seen any sloths or monkeys yet. I must rectify this soon.
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