Oh hey parents... look over there....
Ok while they’re distracted I can quickly tell you about the drama of the past week. First- there’s been a moider (murder) in our tiny, sleepy town. Apparently a drug dealer was killed by a pirate taxi driver (illegal, not really a pirate, many times I have been disappointed by the lack of in-car parrots). This is the second murder in Ciudad Colon in 10 years and apparently the man killed was the suspect in the first murder case! So suddenly things have gotten dramatic- but if you haven’t been sufficiently distracted parents don’t worry, as long as I am not encouraging people to snort the plank I’ll be fine.
Secondly- last Friday we had a 5.9 Richter scale earthquake. You’ll be pleased to hear I kept my cool so while I did admittedly run out into the garden shouting I managed not to scream “this is it, it’s the apocalypse, the sky is falling.” Our Japanese flatmate came out to find me and the other two girls bouncing round the garden and, having felt many an earthquake before, gave us the most withering look possible, while still vibrating slightly.
To recuperate from all this excitement and from a three week crash course in international public law me and three friends (Marion (France), Isabelle (Sweden) and Ben (UK), took a long weekend to a place called Arenal, four hours north of San Jose. As we stiffly dragged ourselves off the bus we were warmly welcomed by the sight of a huge volcano looming over the town, its peak hidden amongst cloud and smoke. Had to hope the rule of threes wouldn’t come into play- didn’t need any more drama, especially with an active volcano so nearby.
We grabbed some lunch, found a $10 hostel with a pool and jacuzzi then headed off on a 6 hour tour. It started slowly with the guide showing us a coffee plant and saying “look- have you ever before in your life seen a coffee plant?”!” to which we had to reply, well we drive for 20 mins through coffee plantations every morning so you’re going to have to up your game buddy. Fortunately things got awesome pretty quickly when we rounded a corner to see an amazing, wide waterfall. Within seconds we’d stripped off and plunged ourselves into the freezing, turbulent water below. It was great fun getting bashed around by the current and battling to get ourselves hidden behind the waterfall. Other people were climbing up the side and jumping off but the best our little group got was me divebombing off a log at the side of the pool.
From there we headed on up hills and across cable suspension bridges back to a lookout in the shadow of the looming volcano where we watched the sun go down and strained our eyes trying get a glimpse of the red-hot lava dribbling from the mountain.
Having warmed up with mint tea and coffees we headed off in a minibus only to come screeching to a halt to look at a snake and two, tiny, brightly coloured frogs. Having got our fill of the cold blooded we moved on to trail our way to the edge of a fast-moving river. By this time it was pitch black and we only had a few torches showing us the way. No amount of light could have prepared us for what came next though; we peeled off our still damp clothes and stepped into the river- it was boiling! Hot springs, warmed by the underground magma turned the river into a bubbling, natural Jacuzzi. We started on a concrete slab, were instructed to sit down and then without warning were pushed down, off the ledge waterfall into the natural pool below. It was blissful lounging in the river. The fast current meant staying in one place was a challenge but if you lodged yourself tightly behind a good rock the river pummelled you a natural massage.
I had one of my most beautiful moments since coming here holding onto a creeper hanging from a tree at the river edge, lying star-fished on my back and feeling the hot river holding me up and pulling me away. Above us the stars peeked through the trees and were echoed by the glimmer of fireflies flickering in the trees above. Magical. (I also discover less spiritual fun, the fast pace of the river meant, holding onto the creeper, you could hurl yourself forward like Tarzan swinging through the trees- think my screaming broke the peace a bit.)
We also discovered that the concrete ledge we had slid off created a little waterfall that you could duck under. Underneath there was a gap and if you held your breath and ducked under that there was an airpocket below and a secret cave.
Just when we thought things were over and we were heading out the guide showed us this long tunnel made from a big bridge going over the river (about 50m long). If you went up river you could lie down in the very shallow, warm water and let the current pull you head first and backwards down the tunnel, through the darkness, towards the light of the guide’s torch at the other end. It felt the way people describe dying: floating warmly towards the light. Thankfully the guide was there to catch us at the last minute before we tipped over the waterfall to certain pain below.
Exhausted, damp but incredibly happy we headed back to town and grabbed a rather fancy dinner. We met up with another girl from uni then a few of us headed to a very sleazy club, full of 14 year old boys. Stuck it out for an hour then home to much needed bed.
The next day we went on a half hour walk down a big hill and found another massively tall waterfall. Absolutely freezing but had some more swimming fun then I had a great time exploring jumping from rock to rock, felt just like being 8yr in Wales again. I now have the same bruised and grazed shins as I had then too. Dragged ourselves back up the hill and back onto the bus for 4 hrs, most of which were taken up with Ben regaling us with tediously long and funny stories. Another brilliant weekend but ow my body aches afterwards!
Other than that uni is going fine and I have started volunteering at a kind of childcare/after-school centre in a under-privileged neighbourhood of San Jose. It takes about an hour on two buses to get to the centre: a tiny room packed with toys. To get there you walk down a dusty dirt track next to the railway line, in the shadow of a huge factory. As soon as I arrived though I knew it was worth the trek, I had barely gotten through the door when I was jumped on by 25 2-10yr each one giving me a massive bear-hug and then eagerly showing me how they could do cartwheels (in a room the size of an average bedroom. (Not my average bedroom, that would be ridiculous)).
I was quickly force-fed a feast of plastic food and then squeezed (one arm at least) into every dress-up outfit they had. It turns out entertaining children is easy- they were all ecstatically happy if I just lifted them up, so tired arms but happy children. So far I have just spent my time there drawing them lions and elephants (I had requests for flowers but I told them that is boring, they’ll have to have cartoon jungle creatures and like it), playing games and reading stories (great for the Spanish, if I don’t know a word I just say “where in the picture is the XX” and those gullible little angels point it right out- mwahaha).
There is one silent, very shy little 6 year old boy, the other day I was playing cards with a group of girls and he came up behind me with a fireman hat on which I said looked great. I would turn round every couple of minutes and he’d be stood there silently with one other fancy-dress item on. By the end I turned round he was wearing a fireman’s hat, a knight’s shield, comedy glasses, a Mickey-Mouse nose, a dragon head-piece and was holding a painter’s roller. I think I cried laughing and got a big, very rare smile from him.
They can’t remember my name so they just call me “La Gringa” (the foreigner). I probably need to come up with something educational to do next time though, just picking them up is probably not that beneficial to their long-term development, though it is a good work-out for me.
Yesterday I went again and at the end there were just 3 little 5 year old girls left. We’d been cutting and sticking and they decided to make themselves paper-moustaches and in that moment I suddenly massively missed my London ladies (every night out would inevitably end with Ella making us elaborate paper-facial hair) and realised how we had exactly the same sense of humour as 5 year olds. So when the lady that runs the place came over she just looked at me as if to say- why would you let children glue paper to their faces?! I think my shaking with laughter gave my response- because they look flipping hilarious and just like my best friends!
Last night I also met up with a Scottish girl called Laura who I met when we were at Amnesty in Chile. She knows one of my uni mates from when they lived in El Salvador (tiny world). We went to a Salvadorian art display then for food and drinks in San Jose. Was great to see her after 4 years.
So better go, have a presentation to give tomorrow on a case brief on a case that happened in 1946, never say International Law is boring! Off to the beach this weekend so just need to hold on til then.
Lessons learnt:
Bashing yourself on rocks makes the water feel less cold- I think it is the blood rushing about. It will not, however, be a great look when you get out.
Children all the world over are united in their love of slapstick (it is even funnier if you fall over by accident).
When a teacher introduces a module as “perhaps the most exhausting and boring week of your life” he is most certainly not lying.
The children are our future, and the future looks like a career-confused Disney character.
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