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So I got the school bright and early the next day to get them to ring the private bus company and ask them to return my camera.
They couldn't find it.
Yeah, bull.
I made her ring the company again and got her to speak to the exact driver and explain that they can keep the damn camera for all I care if that's what they are playing at , I just want my memory card back with all my pictures from the weekend on it. She said they were still denying finding it.
B+stards. I know they have it. I know its there. I rememebred dropping it when I dropped my bag. Arh lying peasants. And I gave them a good tip too for the journey. Oh well.
So after school I had to grab a taxi and traipse all the way across town to the police station, or the buildings of justice as they are called here, and get them to fill out a signed form saying it had been stolen. After about ten minutes of trying to find someone who spoke English as I wanted to get the story straight and didn't really feel like risking my insurance claim on the fact I didn't know a few Spanish words, we finally got it all sorted.
I now have two copies of my claim forms which I need to send off this week.
I went straight to the San Pedro Mall which is right next to the school and bought a new camera. If I wait till the insurance money comes through, IF it comes through, I will miss out on a lot of memories. So I took the plunge and bought a new one, an expense I could really have done without but en essential one none the less.
The rest of the week panned out to be pretty much just school and work but I love it. . I love the school and the learning.My teacher, Melissa, who is brilliant and really zones in on your strengths and weaknesses and is focused on making you learn that you really want to work for her. She is so cute as well.She is pretty short with a very stylishly cut dark brown haircut which she wears two clips to pin back the sides each day, that or a head scarf. And always a cute little outfit. Anyway one day last week I was being asked a question by her and god I had no idea of the answer and unfortunately we had only just gone over it and I hadn't quite got it but had intended on revising it when I had got home. Well she wasn't having any of it. She nailed me on it the second she knew I didn't know and got shall we say, angry at me.I hate disappointing people and especially if I am trying as hard as I am out here to learn what I can so when she got angry at me couple of tiny tears may have trickled out of the corners of my eyes but were immediately whiped away by the back of hand in case anyone saw!It was turning out to be such a fab week! Not.
Thursday turned out a little better. It was Robin and Steve's graduation day as they were leaving that weekend and that was a proud moment for us all .
That night I went out for dinner to an Italian Restaurant with the girls down the road, Pamela, Mariana, Milena and Daniela, all cousins from the party a few weeks ago and neice's of Cecilias who live next door in the houses down the street.
It was a very pleasant meal and I tried Gwa-na-ba-najuice which is a fruit indigenous to Costa Rica.It's a fruit I haven't tasted before, it was very sweet but very refreshing.
We went out to a bar afterwards for a couple of beers, (my first alcoholic beverage since Canada).It was a bar right next to the University and was where all the students went after classes.It was a nice evening but I really didn't understand much that was being said and everyone speaks so fast!Hopefully one day I will get it! Seeing as they had Uni and work the next day, we hopped on a bus and got home around 10.
The next day, Friday, was my day off school and I had booked myself a bus ticket to Jaco, the nearest beach from where I was staying.My housemates, Robin and Steve were off to see the volcano I visited last week and so having not really bothered to make many friends actually at the school (sad as that seems, I just can't be arsed for idle chit chat that no one really cares about ) I decided to go to the beach alone.
I know that sounds pretty miserable and the journey on the bus is about two and a half hours however after using my brain 24/7 throughout the week at breakfast, during school, on the bus, during dinner, then homework, then more chatting in Spanish my brain really appreciated the quiet time.
I took a bus into town to get a taxi to the big bus station that I was told was incredibly dangerous and when I told my family I was going alone to the station they were all in an uproar and telling me to be careful and to tie my bag up and carry as little on me as possible and to scream if anything happens and yeah, filled me with so much confidence.The Coca Cola bus station here is known to be very dangerous but I felt I had to do it, I need to learn to be as independent as possible if I want to live in the states so I packed my towel and put on my swimsuit under my clothes and set off at 6.00am to catch the 7am bus to Jaco.
It was easy, no problems at all.I got the taxi driver to drop me right outside the actual bus I was going to take and I handed over my ticket and got on.
It was a nice coach and once inside you are safe so I relaxed.I was seated next to a lovely French girl who happened to be from the same school as me but was off to another location and was only hoping to visit Jaco for a few hours later that day.
The bus arrived at the beach and I immediately went and bought my return ticket for 5pm.You really need to be in a safe environment before 6 as it gets dark at that time and its really not the best time to be travelling around on your own.
I walked through the little surfer village and looked though all the little market surfer shops taking my time casually as I went taking in the sea air and the new exotic beach surroundings till I found a little street that took me straight to the beach.
I was surprised to find the beach was not of sand but of pebbles.I had been informed that all the beached were beautiful and sandy and yet this one was although very pretty , not as outstanding as I had imagained from the descriptions.I had found out later that if I had opted to travel a few more hours up the cost I would come across stunning white sandy beaches with palm trees but since I only wanted to be at the beech for one day, this beach was more then sufficient.
The waves were beating down and it was one of the beaches where the annual national surf competition was held earlier that month, or so I believe.
I stripped down to my new swim clothes and rubbed a thick layer of sun screen factor 45 all over my body and set off for a slow stroll along the beach.
As I watched the waves roll in and out amongst themselves I started to get jealous of the fish that I could see swimming around my toes as they scuttered past as I paddled. I really was itching to get properally submerged in that water as it was so warm to the touch and I knew it would be simply delightful to swim in it with the waves taking me out to sea and then bringing me back in but it just wasn't meant to be.There was no way I was risking leaving my bag on the beach alone unprotected while I went for a dip.Until I saw a sign saying 'Surf Lessons'
AR HA!
I walked over and asked how much for a surf lesson and did they have any way of looking after my bag when I was in the water.
A very cute and completely tonked looking olive skinned guy looked up and told me for $50 I would get two hours of private tutoring, a free lunch and water, free baggage safety and a surf board to rent for 24 hours.Also if I wasn't standing up on the board by the end of the lesson I would get my money back.
Bargain.I paid instantly.
We started off with lying on the ground and practicing the 'pop' up method, he added in a twist of turning your back leg in at an angel so you are basically already half standing up when you move.
After about 15 minutes of continuous practicing we grabbed my board and made our way off into the waves.
We started basic chit chat, which was nie and I started to relax with this guy. Once in the water his first question was 'so, do you have a boyfriend'
Oh lord, here we go, and I thought he was going to be a nice guy. why do they all have to be so lame.
'no', I answered, quickly and sharply. (I don't do lying, as much as it would have been so much easier to have done so, I just can't do it. My face screws up and I go nervous.)
Silence fell as we waited for a good wave to start to break.It did and I tried to stand.I failed.Miserably.
I returned to him after I picked myself up to be entertained with another question.
'Do you want a boyfriend?
'No'
'Oh'
Silence again.
I have kinda gotten used to this kind of small yet unbelievably direct way of questioning ones status out here, gone were the days of pursuing, lets cut the crap and get straight into the nitty gritty.
He continues…
'Did you have a boyfriend back in England'
'uh….' And I left it there.
Silence again.
I took three more waves after that without further questioning. I even managed to stand up on the third attempt.
Ever so pleased with myself I swam back to him ready to try again, mounted my board got into position, and as he swam behind me holding up the board lining it up for a perfect wave he approached the next question, which he seemed to have been thinking about for the past three waves, with grace and dignity, style, thought…
'so, you're into women then?
Wow.
No really
WOW
Just because I had kindly and politely suggested with my answers that I wasn't interested in him and the boy immediately thinks I'm gay.
Lord.There is just no winning these days.
After establishing that no I wasn't gay but no I wasn't looking and no I'm not 18 years old and yes I am older then you, the rest of the day was great. I managed to stand up a lot on the board with his help and he was indeed a great teacher.I had a little trouble with the paddling part as my wheeny little arms have lost the power they used to have when I used to row but I got the hang of it after a while.
They gave me a big box of fresh fruit for lunch and a bottle of water which was great.
I spent the rest of the day laying on the beach, writing music, reading my childrens books I had bought in Spanish to improve my comprehension and trying more attempts at surfing on my own.
At around 4.30 I grabbed my things and made my way to the bus station, hopped onto the bus for San Jose and snoozed on the way back and got home all safe and sound.
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