torsdag 27. mai 2010

In the jungle, the mighty jungle..


* Warning. Long blogpost*


Hola chicos y chicas.


I have a lot on my mind these days. Really missing my friends and my family and looking forwards to see them again..and at the same time trying to figure out what to do with myself and my life. Buuut that’s not what today’s blog will be about.

I’m going to tell you about a very unique experience I had about a week ago.

On Sunday the 16th of may Bettina, Therese, Cristoph, Pelle (christoph’s friend from germany) and myself left san jose by bus and headed for bataan, a small town close to the carribean coast. After that bus ride, and the most uncomfortable taxi ride ever, and a quick beautiful boat trip we arrived on a small island where Cristoph’s project is located.

All I knew before coming was that they don’t have water or electricity, there are poisonous snakes, scorpions and tarantulas there, and they save sea-turtle eggs.

So we arrived Sunday after-noon and it was really hot but soo beautiful. We were staying in small cabinas (which by the way were not so appealing when we arrived. Full of sand and “left overs” in the toilet..) but they were like 10m from the beach, there were flowers around, trees with coconut, cashews and other exotic things, but it was a bit of a shock as well. Here is why.

When you don’t have electricity or water things are different.

  1. Hygine becomes tricky. There are normal toilets inside each cabina. Want to flush? Go with the small bucket and get some sea\rain water and flush. Want to shower? Go to the well\shower, pull up a bucket of water from the well and pour over yourself, or have shower parties with your friends (and swim wear!) to make things easier. Picture of the shower\well. However, in the heat you kind of just have to get used to being sweat, smelly and sandy 24\7, except maybe 10min right after you shower.
  2. Food. No fridge or freezer means that simple food is served. Breakfast was pancakes or empanadas. Lunch: Rice and Beans. Dinner: Rice and Beans. Yes, every day. But it was good rice and beans. There was a small kiosk at the project where you could buy cookies etc, so not too bad actually. Loved the little library that it included as well. Picture of the kitchen area.
  3. Heat. It was hot. Very hot. The worst thing was sleeping in the heat. Especially when my mosquito net fell down and tried to strangle me a few times each night.
  4. People. Lovely. We were a good group that went together so we had a lot of fun, and the people that worked there as well were really nice.
  5. Work. Yes we did work, it was definitely not a holiday. They have a small farm, butterfly garden, pigs etc so there was enough to do. Plucking weeds out of the paths and gardens, getting water from the sea, getting firewood from the beach etc. At times I really felt like a cave woman and\or Tarzan’s woman Jane. We did have free time too during the day and it was soo nice to jump straight into the ocean after working and chille in hammocks.
  6. Patrols. Every night there are voluteers patrolling the beaches to avoid local people steal eggs from the sea turtles. Each shift is 4 hour and we walk 14km every shift. I did 2 shifts and saw about 4 sea turtles this size (not my picture but a volunteer at a different project, but this is the size of the turtles we saw) the sad thing was that we didn’t manage to save any eggs on my shifts
  7. Night activities. Usually we sat in the club house, Cristoph’s little tree house, and played cards, ate cookies, watched the starts and talk about a lot of funny things\people\plans. Also went out with the boat on the river one night to hunt for alligators.

I must admit I hated it a little the first days. Especially the heat. I like to be dry and clean. But when the time came to go back I really didn’t want to. I really liked the way of life there, in the nature with monkeys, turtles, other volunteers, it was a simple life but it was soo much fun too. It really sucked to be back to civilization. Maybe because I went straight to san jose. I was excited to go back to have a proper shower, get back to my computer etc. but all the cars, pollution, noises and people really took away my excitement of being back.


It really did not help that on the bus ride back there was some guys that came on to sell food, very normal here, but I all of a sudden hear “Huevos de Tortugas!” (turtle eggs) and see one guy with small plastic bags with eggs in them for sale. Disgusting. I wanted to talk to him, scream, cry and spit on him all at the same time. But mostly I just wanted to go back to the jungle.

onsdag 26. mai 2010

Kommer kommer, neste sommer ;)

Yes da,

I know I promised a blogg about me as Jane in the Jungle, buuut will have to postpone it until tomorrow. Just don't have any energy to do that right now. Takes for eeeveer to upload photos too, buuut tomorrow will be the day. I think. Remember tico time rules here in tico land ;)

Work is going ok, a bit booring and I still want to leave the whole program and go travel about 350 times a day buuut gonna hang in there, not so long left after all. Next week I'm doing a presentation in a kindergarden for 5 year olds..gonna be interesting to see how much they will be able to learn about recycling buuut I have found the cutest story that I will read to them and also made some props I will use. Will show that here once it is finished! And tomorrow going with the truck to San Jose to help out with a delivery which is good. And friday Sabine comes to visit me and I'm sooo excited about that! Think I would have died slowly if I had to spend the weekend here alone.

Okidoki folks, hope everyone is well and take care!

Much luuuv xxx

Oh by the way, Marthe, only 4 months until our birthday! Vi må jo fortsette med vår count down Ungomsskole style:D

mandag 24. mai 2010

Her kommer Pippi Langstrømp, tjolahopp!



Tjenare!

So, ages since I've written now. A lot has happened. Happy birthday to my darling little nephew who just turned one. Look how cute he is :):)


I really wish I could be two places at the same time sometimes. Hate missing things like this. And Happy birthday Norway! Cant believe this is the 4th year im out of norway on this day. Seriously, if anyone wants to travel to norway make sure to be there on the 17th of may. It's such a nice day, the country is just so happy. Unless it snows.



So yes, what's happened lately? My leg is working now. Stiches out and it is pretty much healed.
I can bend my knee again. Thats exciting stuff.



I went to San Jose on the 8th of May for a week to work on the international day. The first weekend I spent in my second home here, hostel 1110 with some other volunteers. We had a birthday party for Therese and went out to one of my favourite clubs in SJ, Rapsodia. It was SUCH a good night. Loads of free drinks all night, beautiful people, dancing, talking, laughing, and then some;)


Pic of me, Therese and some great people we've met randomly during these months. The cake was my birthday present for her. Chocolate and strawberry cake. I think it is THE best cake I've ever eaten.






The following Sunday I went to my temporary host family for the week with Therese. And monday work started. And it was alot of work, but also so much fun. All volunteers had to make a stand from their country and present it the following saturday. I was swedish. We worked during the day and had some drinks and fun at night. All happened at the office of my organizations. Fet soo bad for them. They had to work while 50 some volunteers turned they office into a construction space. Cutting, painting, taiping, clipping, sewing and partying and all happened in their offices. haha. it looked sooo shit there after just one day.




On the day it self I was Pippi. It was very funny. I made quite a lot of money making Pippi hair for those who wanted with metal wire. So 20 some people were walking around with their hair sticking straight out of their head. Germany had the best stand tho. A train with info inside the train. Crazy stuff. But yea, it was a good week. Met a lot of new people, got to know other people better and life was good.
Pippi made friends. Here with her friend the Empire State Building and an unnamed Viking. ALso an example of what another stand looked like. We all did such a good job!




I had an even better time this week, but will write about my jungle adventure in another post. Dont want to bombard you with stuff either. But yes. Life is exciting. I never though I would enjoy myself as much as I'm doing. And I have met some of the most amazing people ever. It is very strange to think about the fact that it's coming to an end soon. But I have so much to look forward to so not going to complain! Planning a trip to Panama with my BFF, Vicky Valentine coming and joing me on adventures to Guatemala and Cuba, looking forward to catching up with friends and family in Norway and then who knows. Norway? Spain? Costa Rica otra vez? Que será, será!


Pura Vida love to all. xxx

fredag 7. mai 2010

Skuffaaaa

Oh yes. Im sooo dissapointed now I almost feel like crying. Got up early today, went to the doctor and was so excited to get the stiches out of my leg. Buuuuut the doctor didnt want to remove them because she said my leg was still too swollen. So I have to continue taking my pill coctail for breakfast for 5 more days. More penecillin and all that..

The part that sucks is that if I cant take out the stiches tomorrow I will have to stay here over the weekend so it doesnt get worse..and it suuucks because my plan was to go to san jose tomorrow to our beloved hostel and celebrate thereses birthday (for the 4th time:) And it would so suck if I cant go. I have stayed in almost all week and im sick of sitting on my ass doing nothing, its driving me a little crazy. I went to work wednesday but nobody will pay for my taxi (not the insurance or the organization) so then I couldnt work. shit shit shit.

I have been a desp. housewife today and baked cookies. So im gonna go to work and say goodbye (because im not going to be there for 2 weeks) and give them cookies for their daily coffe break. How nice right?

I did walk back from the doctor today, major accomplishment..haha the furthest I have walked in over a week! It was a little bit painful, and I walked very slowely (slower than tico pace wich is slooooow.) but I managed to get home! All by myself. Hurrah.

Sooo fingers crossed for tomorrow! Want that black thread out of my leg!

Adios. xxxx

mandag 3. mai 2010

Ja må hun leva???

So I discovered the unsensured version of the swedish birthdaysong and it's soooo brutal!! It's like : "Hopes she lives a houndred years, but then she must be shot, then drowned, and then hanged!!!."

And Nope Therese, it does not help that she is supposed to be drowned in champagne after being shot, it's still disgusting! Buuut it was very funny to sing on our way to the club..

ALso forgot to mention, I saw MONKEYS this weekend for the first time:D It was sooo cool, like 12 monkeys chilling out in a big tree, very Pura Vida style :D

Pictures from Montezuma

Alrighty people. Here is a small selection of pics. It makes more sense to start at the bottom and go upwards..and dont forget to read my earlier post first, that also makes more sense:) Enjoy!
Therese and Thomas chilling inside the waterfall:)
Crazy person jumping


Our little waterfall.



It was sooo cool! ca 20 meters..



Getting to the waterfall, this is actually close to where I fell.


More daaancing
Dancing? Or just standing on the dancefloor talking??


Jedd and Kasper enjoying their Imperials


Hahaha, I HAD to include this. This is what we looked like after swimming in the ocean after the club...

Me, Jedd and half of Therese;)


The very cute danish couple
The scandinavians:)


Chilling out at the hostel


Louise, Therese and Therese's HOT body ! Our hostel had a pool table, we played alot, I was very bad alot so I lost alot:)

The view from out hostel...sweeeet!


Arriving to Paquera after a 1h30min boat trip, but they sold beer so we survived!


Muuuusic on the boat
On the boat




Yet another Paradise discovered




Aloha!
I know it's been a week since last time I updated, BAD! I'll try to get better.

It has been an eventful week and weekend!
The week first. Had a really good week at work. I am currently working with some gringos that are very up for helping us making coferene a bit more efficient so that's good. And I only worked there three days this week:D Wednesday I was ill (eller egentlig ikke, min vertsfamilie ville ta meg med til en vulkan) and friday I took off to go to Montezuma for a long weekend.
This is the volcano Poas:





Therese came thursday, or friday morning at 3am after a looong journey. We first thought she couldnt come at all because a road is closed because of a lot of rain and some volcanic activity (no not the one in Iceland;) buuuut she went with her host brother but there was an accident so she arrived here in san ramon 3am. We got up 6am to take the bus. And then we took ferry
and then another bus. And then we arrived in Montezuma. Had such a nice weekend there with many scandinavians (mostly Danish) and some americans. We lived in a hostel ON the beach, not the best hostel tho but really good people (exept a beggar that kept asking for bread and rum) and good atmosphere.

Friday we drank good amounts of rum and coke, went out, danced alot, laughed alot and went for a swim on our way home (hahah I even lost my bra in the ocean...)
Saturday we went to the waterfall. It was my first waterfall EVER and it was soooo beautiful. The coolest thing was to swim up and go behind the fall itself...amazing:)

On the way back tho I did something not so amazing. (SNubblefot slo til igjen;) I tripped, fell and cut my leg..not so big cut but deep enough to see my bone so I went to the hospital and they sewed it up with 3 stiches. Went back to the hostel chilled out, went for dinner and then out again at night. I just needed some help to walk and didnt dance that night. Buuuut it was nice:)
Went back on sunday, slightly painful and uncomfortable but with the help of my lovely BFF

I got back safely Sunday evening. We baked THE best chocolate-chip cookies and chilled out.

Today, monday, I didnt go to work because I cant really walk. Went to the doctor because it is very swollen, got some antibiotics and ibuprofen to take and also took an x-ray too check that everything was ok, and no bones are broken so that's good news. Think I will stay home tomorrow as well to rest the leg and then hopefully I will be able to walk better. Stiches are being removed friday or saturday.
Because blogspot is being shitty I will make a new entry with more photos:)
Hasta Luego baby.