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blog 16
Okay dokie kiddies
I am about 4 days behind on my blog so I am going to write four days or so all at once.I suggest to those of you who are at work to print this off and take it with you to the lavatory as its going to be a hefty read.
Lets go.
So far we left off from having my first nights sleep in Costa Rica.
I woke up the next day and to be honest that day, Saturday, was very chilled out.I didn't know much Spanish, well less then I do know anyway and was still very tired from all the travelling I had been doing.I was more then content on just mooching about the house, talking with my host and eating whenever she fed me.
Cecilia decided after lunch to introduce me to her family.All the people on her side live next door.They own a small street of houses where the whole family, by the looks of it, live.There must be about 5 houses on the street or more.Plus there is a really fresh looking bar right next to where I live which is owned by them as well.
I was introduced to her sister, a giggling lovely lady with a massive smile permanently sketched accross her face. She was very wild with her expressions so was easy to understand what she was saying.I then was taken to Cecilia's sister's house where she had two girls aged between 18 and 21 I think, I cant remember. They were really nice and spoke a lot of English so when I didn't know a word they would help me but luckily everyone is determined to speak Spanish so I am learning very fast.
We talked a lot about music as their favourite bands are Duran Duran, Beatles,Rolling Stones, basically they named a ton of really old bands that for some of them I don't even know if they are still alive! But that is what is popular here its so strange!Also one of them said they liked Deftones, so when I mentioned I had interviewed them for a tv show once she lit up with envious excitement.
Afterwards Cecilia and I went for a walk to see a bit of the area. I started thinking it must be really boring for Cecilia and Carlos as they must have students staying normally a week or two weeks at a time and the conversations that they hold must be the same week in and week out.What do you do, where are you from, blah blah.Only when the student gets to the stage where they can hold a decent conversation and then its time to leave!
I did however get to meet Diana.She is a Arizonion from Phoenix staying at the house as well.She's in her 50's or more I don't know, all I know is that she is a retired nurse, so I'm guessing at her age.She's really nice and speaks with a great Spanish accent but when she speaks English this hardcore twang erupts. It's very funny but I'm envious as she speaks Spanish very well.I hope I can get to that stage one day.
To be honest that was it for the day.I did some revision of the basic words I had learnt ages ago and after dinner went straight to bed.
Sunday
Today was Cecilia's cousin's 35th birthday and I was invited to attend.A very gracious offer as it wasn't necessary.
I have noticed that the girls here get married very young, or at least they used to.Cecelia was married at I think 17 or 18 years old and when she asked if I had a boyfriend and I said no, her eyes lit up and insisted that she introduced me to some Costa Ricans.Having not the slightest bit of interest to date another guy for probably the rest of my life I tried to explain that I didn't want a boyfriend that I had no time for them and no, it wasn't necessary and I just wasn't interested.However, unfortunately with my broken Spanish I fear I may have left her thinking I was lesbian.
Oh well.
We got to the party for 12ish.It was held on an open veranda, tables everywhere, music being played, open buffet with freshly cooked food by the on site chefs and a karaoke machine in view. As I sat down I eyed the karaoke machine with sever evils hoping that if I stared it out long enough it might evaporate into thin air.No such luck.
I was put on a table with the girls I had met the day before and a few other cousins of theirs all of the similar age. We all got chatting instantly and the first question that was asked was 'do you know the book Twilight?' I laughed, it's like my favourite book but it's like every teenager's favourite book, and I'm not a teenager!
I replied with yes and also added that I know a guy who claims to have gone to school with the lead, who in the movie plays Edward Cullens. They all squealed; was bizarre.They love really old out of date rock music but are into the most up to date books on the market. Interesting none the less.
We ate food and chatted some more, they were all drinking beer but I simply didn't trust myself. Beer for me is risky, when I drink it either none thing happens or I'm wasted within two sips.It's highly annoying, so I stuck to juice which was an incredible substitute as it was so fresh and sweet, mouth watering to say the least.
When everyone had finished eating and drinking the blasted damn karaoke machine was being switched on. Oh Joy.Really, please no, please don't make me sing, please don't make me sing.
The birthday girl did the first song, or her boyfriend did, I cant remember and then it was our tables turn.One of the girls insisted on singing Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen as a group so I was all up for that.It was hilarious and not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
The rest of the tables had a go, singing mainly Spanish ballads full or romance and despair. After I watched the first 6 people sing I was ready to try it out.I picked no other then Paramore's Decode.Awesome tune however a little on the rock side in comparison to the other chosen songs but the girls were very encouraging and ensured me people wouldn't mind.
Seriously, I have no problem getting up on stage and singing my little heart out to thousands of people, in fact I adore it but when I took hold of that plastic microphone and the entire family of less then 50 people were staring at me and listening with interest to this foreign stranger I was bricking it.I don't remember when I had ever been that nervous.
I got through the song unharmed and was able to relax.The singing went on for a while and then we all gathered round the birthday girl to sing happy birthday or Feliz Cumplianos while she blew out the candle on her beautifully home made mauuussive cake and returned to our tables to watch the sunset over the mountains and volcanoes that surrounded us. A truly beautiful sight.
Cecilia and Carlos left to go welcome the two new students that were arriving that day to the house, both from Texas and so I stayed with the girls and continued our fun.
We got home around 7 ish and I was introduced to Robin and Steve a married couple in their 30's, or so Im guessing. Such a sweet couple.Robin is black and has that typical 'mummm hummmm don't go there girlfriend' kinda humour but its AMAZING.She's so funny!She's an amateur runner and is damn fit, pure muscle.Her husband Steve, a tall white shy kinda guy, a policeman originally from Savannah who now works for the army in Iraq.Both are two of the sweetest people ever and it was great to welcome them into the house.
Having less Spanish then myself the conversation at the dinner table that night was highly dramatic with hand signals and motions being thrown left right and centre, without the permission to speak English it was a sight highly worth seeing.
We finished up the beautiful home cooked spinach and egg dish and headed off to our rooms to prepare for our first day at the school.Luckily we had Diana to help us get there in the morning.Diana had been here a week already and had one week left to go till she returned back to Arizona.
Monday
Today was the first day of school, it was brilliant.Exactly what I was hoping for.
We got to the school for 8am having taken the bus that drove us through the city for 20 minutes until arriving close to the school.The school has everything you would want as a traveller or a student.There is a quaint garden with lounge chairs and garden furniture to laze on while you sun bathe in the afternoon or while studying.The office is incredibly helpful.They book all your bus tickets for you, change your travellers cheques for you, hand out maps, offer free lockers to keep your belongings in if you are travelling outside the area and need a place to stash your bags.
There is free internet, although slow, its still free, free salsa dance lessons, free gym (depending on how long you stay), free cooking classes, and free coffee. Costa Rica is famous for its coffee and damn straight! Its so delicious.Unfortunately I drank way through waaaaay too much on the first day and didn't sleep a wink that night .
When we got to the school we were given a one-to-one aural test to estimate which level we were at and to allocate us to a specific group.
I joined my group of 5 girls and we got started straight away.
We were given free text books to keep and lessons are from 9 till 4 with and hour lunch and two 15 minutes breaks in the middle. Its basically school.
We covered so much in the first day.Seriously I was frazzled, I didn't know my brain could take in so much at one time, we flew though the pages on our book.Normally I would ask to stop and recap however I wanted to see how much I could actually take in and if it was too fast for me, Ill ask to move the next day.
Fortunately you are speaking Spanish the entire day.My teacher, Melissa, doesn't speak a single word of English in the class so all the lessons are done in Spanish plus when you get home no English is allowed in the house so the only time I get to speak English is in my lunch break and to and from school on the bus with my housemates. Its seriously intense. But its working.I've been here4 whole days now and I'm understanding almost everything being said to me, it just takes me a whole to construct the sentence.The more I hear the more I can remember.Basically, I've learnt more Spanish in four days then I did when learning French at school twice a week for two hours in total for 6 years.
I know I'm not finished with the day but I'm exhausted.I have one more day to go and I am up to date on the blog.Daddy should be ringing tomorrow morning before school so I wanna make sure I get my sleep so I can wake up early enough.
Ta Ta for now!
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