Wed 17 March

Today I woke up around 545am because I had to get ready to go to the Soy Farm. Rosie dropped me off at a gas station where I was then picked up by the farmer. His name was Jenor and he was from Brazil. His family has always been in the farming business and he moved to Bolivia fourteen years ago to start his own farm. One the way up to the Soy Farm, we picked up another worker named Mario. The trip took around four hours and it was a beautiful ride. There were fields full of crops and a sky filled with big fluffy clouds as far as the eye could see. If I didn’t mention before it was BLAZING HOT and the air conditioning in the car saved my life. When we got there, I was put straight to work. My job was to help run the Soy seed cleaner. Also, I had to unload the seeds from the dump trucks and trackers when they would come in from the field. I got the hang of it very fast and it was extremely fun. I got to jump into the back of the trucks huge trailers to push all the seeds out. It felt like I was playing in a bunch of play balls in the play area in McDonalds. Also I had to jump into the hole where all the seeds were being dropped into to make sure that they all got onto the conveyer belt. Later, after dinner, all the workers, Jenor, and I went to another farm to another camp to play soccer. I didn’t play because I was tired but I was fun to watch. After, we drove back to our farm and went to bed.

Tues 16 March

Today I helped make bread with Charito. Then, I played soccer with the students in gym. Ecmundo seemed to be more engaged with the group and with participating in general. Later, I worked out, Watched the movie Where The Wild Things Are, and then went to bed disappointed.

Mon 15 March

Today I helped make pan, then started helping Ecmundo with basketball again. He made some more progress and today he joined the other students and participated in the exercise drills. This is the first time he has done this! Also he started to talk a little bit more with me. After work, I went to the gym and met two people. A man from ARG named Seme and a girl named Fernanda.

Sun 14 March

Today I was invited by Charo, my bread baking partner, to go watch dancers in the plaza. When I met up with her, she told me that her group had changed plans and we were going dancing. We went to a night club that was open in the afternoon and started to party. I had a great time because there was an awesome dance floor and a bunch of cool lights and good music. Later, I ate dinner with the family, and then went to bed.

Sat 13 March

Today I went to FUSIDNO to help clean the building. I first cleaned the bakery, and then helped mop the floors. Later, I chilled at home and learned how to play a Chinese poker game with the family and some close family friends. After, I went to bed.

Fri 12 March

Today I made bread, and then ate lunch with the students. After lunch, I helped Dona Charo make a dessert that was made from flour, whipped egg whites, and then the rest of the egg, lemon juice, sugar, and dulce de leche. After work, I worked out, chilled at home, and then went to bed.

Thurs 11 March

Today we made bread to sell to the parents when they came to pick up their children. Then, I ate lunch, and then took a nap. After, I played basketball with the students. Today was really special for me because one student named Ecmundo finally started making progress with the other students by interacting with them more and becoming more active. I taught him how to dribble a basketball and how to pass also. It was rewarding and I felt very good after work today. Later, I went to the gym, and then chilled at home.

Wed 10 March

Today we made less bread because we weren’t going to bring it to the market. After, I helped the students with basketball. Then, after work, I helped Carol, the head chief’s daughter with English homework. Then, I went to the gym.

Tues 9 March

Today we made bread and brought it to the market. After, I helped the kids out with running and jumping in the sand. Later, I went to the gym.

Mon 8 March

Today was the starting of my second week at Fusindo and I was ready to get back into the groove of working everyday. Charo, Lindsi, and I made 10kg worth of bread and then sold it the market. After, I helped out with gym and we played basketball and ran. After work, I went to the gym to work out. Then I ate dinner and chilled with Pablo.

Sun 7 March

Today I woke up around 12pm and had a big breakfast. About an hour later, Freddy brought a close family friend home and told us we were going out to eat. We went to a really good restaurant that specialized in meat. After lunch, we hung out at the house. Later, we made empanadas with the friend and it was so much fun. We made ones with ham and cheese, cheese and onions, and for desserts ones with apples cinnamon and raisins. They were delicious and I couldn’t wait to make them in the states. Later I talked to friends on Skype and then went to bed.

Sat 6 March

This morning I went to FUSINDO to help clean the building. I worked with the staff by mopping and sweeping until 12pm. Later I chilled at home and went swimming with the dogs in the pool. Later that night, I hung out with Pablo and his friends and we went to a club. I was the youngest person in the club and it wasn’t my scene. We got home around 5am and I was ready to go to sleep.

Fri 5 March

Today I helped make bread and we sold it to the market again. Later in the day, I ate lunch with the students and then had nap time. After I helped Camelo with the ceramics and sanded the sculptures that had just come out of the molds and sand them until they were smooth. Later I went to the gym, then watched a movie called Rock and Rolla, then went to bed.

Thurs 4 March

Today I worked in the bakery again and we made a lot of bread for the parents and also for the market. While we were baking, we listened to my CD and danced the whole time. After selling some of the bread to the parents, I ate lunch with the students. After, Charito and I walked to the market with the bread on a huge pan that I had to carry on my shoulder like a waiter. When we got to the market, we sold the bread to a store and then they would sell it later in the day. When I got back to FUSINDO, I played basketball with the students and participated in the game. After basketball, I went to the sculpting classroom to help my friend Camelo with his projects. Camelo and other staff make different pieces of artwork from molds, paint then, and then sell them. The money goes towards the institution. Later I went to the gym and had the hardest work out of the week. When I got home, I ate a lot and then went to bed.

Wed 3 March

Today I woke up at 7am, ate breakfast, and then got a ride to the institution. When I arrived at FUSINDO, I went start to the bakery. I met a woman named Charito and she told me I could help by starting to roll pieces of dough into small balls. There was a certain technique to rolling the dough so they would become perfectly round and small balls. You had to use the palms of your hands and finger to keep the dough under your hands and roll them in a circular motion. After rolling all of the dough, we put cheese on the top and also sugar and flour on the others, then put them into the oven. After putting the rolls in, Lindsey a student and I helped by making empanadas. This was a bit harder to learn because there was a process. First we would put the dough through a flattener until there were small flat circles. Then we put cheese on top of the flat dough. After we folded them in half and the last part was the hardest. To close them you had to fold the outer edge to make little folds in a small pattern. The first day in the bakery was super fun and I learned a lot. After the bread was ready, we sold some to the parents when they came to pick up there children for lunch. After, I went home to eat lunch with my family, and then I got a ride back to FUSINDO for the second half of the day. I worked outside with the students for gym class. We first ran and jumped into the sand, then played basketball. Most of the students could play better than me and I was super impressed. The gym teacher was trained to teach kids for the Special Olympics and was super nice. After school, I chilled in the kitchen and met some of the staff. After, I went to the gym again. Then I ate dinner with the family, played Ping Pong with Pablo, then watched a soccer game with Freddy and drank Baileys.

Tues 2 March

This morning I went with Rosie and Freddy to visit an institute for children with Downs’ Syndrome. The building was beautiful and all the people seemed extremely nice. I was going to work there for the next month and start my mornings by working in the bakery. After, we went to Freddy´s office for a bit, and then I went with Javier and Pablo to get a gym membership for myself. Soon after I went home, got changed, and then headed for the gym. I worked with a personal trainer whose name was Alfredo and he had a good work out plan for me. After I felt great and was hungry. Later I had dinner with the family, played Ping Pong with Pablo, and then went to bed.

Mon 1 March

Today we woke up around 630am and got ready to go to the refuge. 15 of us volunteers hitched a ride from a trucker going in the direction toward the refuge. It was fun because this was the first time I had ever hitched a ride in my life and it was even better jamming 15 volunteers into the cab of this truck. Once we made it to the refuge, the people told us that we wouldn’t be able to help with anything of ever get to work with a cat because there were too many people. I decided I would return in a month or so because I had time. I hitched a ride back to Santa Maria, packed my things, hitched a ride to the bus station, and then was on my way back to Santa Cruz. When I arrived into Santa Cruz, I got picked up by Freddy and Pablo. I was super happy to see them after the long trip and felt at home again. When we arrived at the house, I ate dinner and then went to bed.

Sun 28 Feb

Today I woke up around 720am and got ready to go. Freddy and I left by 8am and made a quick stop to change dollars to Boliviano on the street (the black market), then made it to the terminal just in time as the bus was getting ready to leave. Freddy got me all set on the bus, then he was on his way. The bus left shortly after and I got to the park around 230pm. As I walked into the park, Spider Monkeys ran across the trail and at that moment I knew I had arrived at the right place. I met a man named Rob and he told me I could start by working in the quarantine for monkeys. When I got there, I started by helping dig out a small pool for the turtle cage. Other people were helping by laying bricks on the ground to make it easier for the turtles to get around in the rainy season. After work, the new people and I got a tour of the whole place which was helpful. Then we had a candle lit dinner because there is no power in the camp. After dinner, the new people and I had to leave to go to Santa Maria because there were too many volunteers in the park and there wasn’t enough room to sleep. When we arrived, we searched around the town for awhile until we found a shack that was the extra volunteer house. We got settled in and then chilled and went to bed.

Sat 27 Feb

Today I went with Freddy again to run some errands and check out the city. We went to a Saltenas restaurant for lunch and talked about business and Freddy`s upcoming business ideas. It was very fun and I had a great time. After we went and bought my ticket for the refuge. After, we went home and I chilled the rest of the day.

Fri 26 Feb

This morning I woke up later than usual because I had a good night sleep. I went down stairs and had breakfast with the family. After, I volunteered to wash the dogs because they were due for a good shampoo. That was fun and the dogs loved it. Then, Freddy and I then went grocery shopping and picked up some of my money for my trip to come. Then, we went to the bus terminal to check when the buses were leaving for the refuge and how much it cost. After, we went home for lunch and then I chilled. Later in the night, I went out with the daughter and her friends to a movie called Valentine’s Day. I liked the movie a lot and thought it was well done. After we got home around 2am and I went to bed.

Thurs 25 Feb

This morning I ate breakfast and got ready to go. While I was getting ready, Teo, the house nanny, told me that if I wanted good sound to come out of my Quenas, then I would have to find a deserted place, put the Quenas there over night, and then the devil would come and put sound into it by playing it all night. Then the next morning I could pick it up and there would be sound. I promised her I would do that when I got to Santa Cruz. Around 11am a taxi came and brought me to the airport. Once I walked into the airport, I finally got to meet Freddy. He was standing in the check in line and I spotted him before he spotted me. We waved at one another and then he waited while I got checked in. After, we walked to the terminal and waited for the plane to arrive. While we were waiting, we caught up and I showed him my Charango. Then it was time to leave. He was in the front of the plane and my seat was in the back so I had to walk to the back of the plane on the ground and then walk up the stairway in the back. It was so cool and I had never walked to the back of the plane from the outside before. The plane ride was about 55min and then we were in a small airport of Santa Cruz. When we got off, Freddy and I caught a taxi to his house and there I met my new family. The house was beautiful and there were two big black dogs to greet me. They showed me my room and then I got unpacked. We ate and caught up, and then later I went to bed.

Wed 24 Feb

Today I woke up in La Paz with a mission. I was going to purchase a Charango and two Quenas. They are instruments of South America and I love how they sound so I want to learn how to play them. The Charango is a small guitar with ten strings and sounds so cool. The Quena is a wooden flute that can reach the high octaves and lower ones too. I started my adventure walking from the house to the main street to catch a Trufi. A Trufi is like a taxi but it goes from one exact location to another and it only cost 3 Boliviano´s. I took one to the instrument district and then searched for someone who could help me with my purchase. I could not go into the stores because the first sight of me (A Gringo) would make the prices rise considerably and also they might cheat me on a quality instrument. I went to the Hostel that I stayed at the first night and asked them if they could help me. They said they would be more than happy to help any friend of Hugh. Hugh was my good friend in Carmen Pampa and I believe he must know almost everyone in Bolivia. A worker named Miguel said he would be happy to help me and we went to buy the instruments. We walked up the hill about two blocks and Miguel entered first, then me second so it wouldn’t seem like we knew one another. Miguel was super nice and talked to the man to get a Charango and two Quenas for a really good price and good quality. We walked back and I thanked him, then I returned to the house. When I got home, I had lunch with Irech which was very nice and the food was good. After, I practiced my new instruments by learning how to play them on the internet. Later, I went out to a late dinner with Jimmy and Irech at a restaurant called Papa Charlie’s. The food was very good but I got full quickly. After we returned home and Irech and I exchanged music and played some music too. After, I went to bed.

Tues 23 Feb

Today was my final day and I was sad but knew that my next adventure was waiting to begin. First I said goodbye to all of my buddies in my dorm and took their picture. Then I got packed and ready to go. I headed up to the higher campus, then said goodbye to my worker friends. After, I had lunch with my family and close friends. I got a small flute from Carlos Yo-Yo, and a Carmen Pampa shirt from Hugh! After I took one more look around Carmen Pampa, said goodbye, then Javier drove me to Coroico to set me off. When we got there, we chilled at the terminal until the bus was ready. Once it was time to go, I said goodbye, then I was off to La Paz. When I got to my new families house, Veronica was there and she let me in. I ate some food and chilled with the family for a while. Then I skyped with my family, then went to bed.

Mon 22 Feb

Today I chilled at the house and rested in order to get better. Also I had the kitten to keep me company while I chilled. Later I decided to get some fresh air, so I took a walk to pick up the other weed whacker to bring to the lower campus. Once I did that, Don Oskar and I set up the Weed whacker and tested it out. Then we had a student come and try it out. After I had dinner with the family, then went to the dorms for my final night.

Sun 21 Feb

Today I went to Coroico with the students. We missed the first mini bus, so we hopped in the back of a truck. When we got there, we ate at a family owned restaurant and had some good food. After, we went shopping for a CD and vegetables for me, and a scary movie and other things for my friends. When I was waiting outside of a store, Sarah pulled up with Javier and asked me if I wanted to go to the falls. I hopped in and we went to visit the falls for a while. Later in the night, I felt sick due to the food or water I believe. Later we watched the scary movie, and then I went to bed.

Sat 20 Feb

Today I woke up and went to work at the Carpentaria. When I got there, the workers and I put together the weed whacker for the top campus. Then we tried her out on a section of grass that hadn’t been cut in a good while. The men were intimidated at first, but then got used to it. I also gave them a few tips from my previous experience when using them in Costa Rica. After, we went to work on the beds some more and I worked until 630pm. After, I had dinner with the family, and then played a movie for the students. After, I went to bed.

Fri 19 Feb

Today I woke up early and met up with Javier so we could go to La Paz. We walked down the mountain and picked up the car and we were off to La Paz. Once we started driving, I found a CD with a bunch of Bolivian music on it and Javier and I jammed to it all the way to La Paz. Javier especially liked the song Loba by Shakira and I think we must have listened to it about 15 times throughout the whole trip. Once we got to La Paz, we went to the bank to take the money out. I had forgotten my passport so it was extremely hard to get the money out. After going to about 7 different banks, I got out about $800 so we decided to go with it. After some searching we found the store and bought two weed whackers for about $360 each. With the rest of the money we first purchased spare parts for the weed whackers, then safety equipment for the students such as leather gloves for working, safety goggles, and breathing masks for dust in the wood working shop. After our shopping spree, we took a taxi back to our truck and we were on our way back to Carmen Pampa! Also Shakira was also a big hit on the way back and we must have listened to it another 10 to 15 times. When I got home, I was just in time to have a quick dinner, then go to the dance the University has hosting to welcome the new students. When I got to the dance, the students were in their ordered line dancing but I didn’t let it get to me this time. This time Sarah and I went right into the middle of the line and started dancing until the lines were messed up. The music was great and my friends taught me how to dance the Bolivian music. Later it started raining but the students kept on dancing until the party was over. We were soaked but I had so much fun!! After I took a shower then went to bed.

Thurs 18 Feb

Today I planned for my trip to La Paz to buy the weed whackers. Then, I helped out Eddy again with the project.

Wed 17 Feb

Today I went back up to the wood working shop and helped Eddy with the bunk bed project some more. Later, I had dinner, and then went to bed.

Tues 16 Feb

Today was the day that the Bolivians Chiya everything. This is where they bless their house, car, and pretty much anything else that needs luck for the New Year. We decorated the car with streamers and confetti. We threw small pieces of sugar candy over the house to give it good luck and then splashed alcohol in every corner of the house. After, we all got in the big truck and headed for the other school that was run by one of the sisters to bless a new room, and a tractor. After sitting in the back of the truck driving on the bumpiest roads for about 45min, we finally got there. First the bishop did a ceremony to bless the new room. Then we took this beautiful hike up the side of a mountain to get to the farm where the new tractor was. After blessing that, we went back down and had a huge lunch. Later when we got back to Carmen Pampa, the children from the small town where having a water balloon fight and we decided to join in. After 5min we were soaked and Balloons were flying everywhere. Soon after the college students took over and we went from balloons to buckets of water. It was boys against girls and we grabbed people and threw huge buckets of water on them. Later when we were done with the girls, we switched to were the boys and girls went after people who were dry. Once everyone was soaked, we waited outside for the mini buses to arrive with the students who were coming back from La Paz. They had all their luggage and back packs but that didn’t stop us. We grabbed them, took off anything that was important, and no matter what excuse they had saying why they couldn’t get wet, we soaked them anyway!!! HAPPY CARNIVAL!! Later we had dinner and I then went to bed in the dorms.

Mon 15 Feb

This morning I woke up and had a nice breakfast with the family and we had a long discussion about Bolivia and Evo and Politics which was very interesting. After Breakfast, Sarah left to return to Carmen Pampa, but I stayed to chill with the family for a couple hours longer. Once the daughter Irech woke up, I got to meet her and we went out to lunch. We had food called sal-tain-yas which were baked bread with meat filling inside of them. They were so good! After we walked back to the house and I then left for Carmen Pampa! When I got home, I met to visitors who were staying for two days longer. We all watched a movie outside called La esposa de mi hermano. After, I went to bed.

Sun 14 Feb

Today we woke up after having about 2 to 3 hours of sleep and we were back at the Carnival. We got there around 5am and stepped over drunken people who had fallen asleep on the sidewalks or other places near the carnival. We got our seats and started to watch the parade as the sun started to show its self from behind the mountains. The dancers were incredible and everyone was super happy and in such a good mood for so early in the morning. We watched for a while from the stands but then decided to go down to the street to watch from close up. The music was great and the dancing was even better. Around 9am this parade was over and then it was back to the place we went to the night before, for another parade. The parade was with the same bands and performers, but the order was different and the dances had changed a bit. Also now that the sun was up, it got hotter, so the water balloons were put into action. There is a war during the parade with the crowd. It’s the people in the stands against the people across the street in the stands and also the people on the street. Soon Water balloons were flying and everyone was getting wet. There was silly string foam being sprayed into people’s faces and kids had water guns to shoot at people. Everything that would cause a fight in the U.S. was going on but everyone was in good spirit and knew this is what to expect at the carnival. Soon, our group bought some water balloons and started throwing them at the crowd across the street. About 2min later we had a rain storm of balloons coming back at us. Sarah got hit in the face with one and other people got hit while walking. That when we fought back. We must have bought about 40 balloons for about $1.30 and we went crazy. Other people in the stand started buying balloons too and joined us because we were on the same side. Soon our section was in an all out war and the people in the parade were getting hit too. I wish I could have taken a picture but my camera would have been destroyed by all of the water. After a couple hours, Sarah and I said goodbye to our group and went to the bus station to get a ride to La Paz. I called the brother of Freddy, the man I am going to stay with in Santa Cruz, and asked if we could stay at his house for the night. He told me to call when we got into La Paz. Once we got to La Paz, we took a taxi to the southern part of La Paz and waited at a church for Jimmy to pick us up. As soon as we got out of the taxi, Jimmy and his wife pulled up. We went to a nice pizza restaurant and got to know one another better. After we went to their house and chilled for a while. Jimmy showed us pictures of the family while I played the piano. I was so excited to see a piano because that had been the first one I had seen in 6 months. After talking with the family, we went to bed.

Sat 13 Feb

This morning Sarah and I left for Oruro and had a long trip ahead of us. We took a bus from Coroico to La Paz and got in around 1030am. When we got to the terminal, the place was filled with people who wanted to go to Oruro. The problem was that there were only two bus companies that were open and they didn’t have any buses there at the time. We waited for about 2 hours in the lines and finally around 230pm Sarah found a bus that would be going through Oruro and we hopped on that bus and we were off. The bus ride was long but beautiful too. We were driving through the Alto and it was all flat land that you could in to the distance for miles. When we were driving we saw a storm on one side of the road and the other side into the distance was sunny. It was amazing. Finally around 830pm we made it into Oruro and met up with the mom of one of the Carmen Pampa's teachers. She took us to their house and gave us dinner. Around 930pm Hymenia the teacher and Lucia another worker at Carmen Pampa came to pick us up to go see the Carnival. We took a taxi and arrived at the filled streets of the Carnival. We walked and got to the main road where the parade was going on and got seats. The parade had been going on since 8am and would go until 4 or 5am the next day. Then at 6am the people would go to another part of town to celebrate to the gods and have a parade there too. When we sat down and looked up to see what was going on, I was in shock because this parade was the best Parade I had ever seen in my life. There were fireworks going off and sparklers sprinkling down over the performers. Also all the costumes had been wired with small lights that made then come to life. There were crazy dragon outfits, fat bears, Devils and hundreds of dancers with the same outfit and masks. There were 40 marching bands in the parade all together and each band would represent a different part of Bolivia. Some of the dragon costumes had flame throwers on their heads that spat out fire and made the parade crazy. My first thought was this would never ever be allowed in the U.S. which made this so much more special. Another cool part about the parade is that you could go into the parade and take pictures with the dancers of people in costumes and you could even dance behind them if you wanted. I’m pretty sure that my group and I were the only ones who weren’t drunk. The whole crowed was wild and was dancing in the stands and jumping into the parade and dancing until they fell over. It was so much fun and it was easy to lose track of time because there was so much going on. After buying three chocolate dipped apples, and pop corn, and watching band after band march through, it was 130am. We decided to go home and sleep until 4am or 5am and then go to the other parade. When we got home, we jumped into our sleeping bags and got about 2 to 3 hours of sleep, then we had to start all over again.

Fri 12 Feb

Today I worked on the beds and helped Eddy with putting together the frames of the beds. Later Sara and I planned our trip to go to Oruro the next day for Carnival. The Carnival is a huge deal in Bolivia and all the different dance groups from Bolivia go to Oruro and have a huge parade and festival. During this huge festival, there is a huge water balloon fight with everyone. Also everyone uses foam spray and squirt guns to add to this war. We decided we would leave the following morning at 7am.

Thurs 11 Feb

Today I continued working on the bunk beds and got out around 5pm. Later I played Futsal with the students. It’s just like soccer but on a small court. After I had dinner and then went to bed.

Wed 10 Feb

Today I woke up around 5am and got into the ambulance with Don Salvador. Today was the day I would get to shadow the nurse while she did her rounds through the different small towns not too far from Carmen Pampa. Our tasks were to weigh new born babies and measure them. Then give them their first shots. It was an amazing experience for me because I helped with everything and I learned a lot from the nurse. We got back around 11am and I then went to continue my work in the Carpentaria with my good hand until 5pm, then the family went to Coroico for dinner. We first did some shopping and Sara and I waited in the plaza for Kyle and David to get their visas renewed. After we walked around for a while, and Hugh and I sang West Side Story until we had sung all of the songs from the movie. After we went to a Swiss restaurant and had cheese fondue. Later we got a taxi home and then went to bed.

Tues 9 Feb

This morning was the ceremony at the church to welcome all the students back to the university. The bishop came and it was a big deal. The church service was wonderful and there was a band made up of students who played Bolivian music and it was amazing. Later, I had a painful day at work. My job was to use the heavy duty sanding machine to sand down small pieces of wood for the beds. Everything was going fine until my hand slipped and flew into the sander. It took only a second and I had sanded away a good part of the tops of my middle and ring fingers. It started bleeding and I was in shock so I stood there until I realized what had happened. After getting a grip on what just happened, I went to the Nurse Post and got bandaged up. The rest of the day I worked on other projects with my good hand. Later I had dinner, and then went to bed.

Mon 8 Feb

Today I woke up and worked in the Carpentaria. Were making head way but we have a lot a head of us. Later ate din din with the family, then went to bed.

Sun 7 Feb

Today I woke up and thought about what I could do on my free day. I talked to some friends and we decided to go to the waterfalls outside of Coroico. We hopped in a mini bus and headed for the falls. It took about 20min to get to Coroico, then another 25min to get to the falls. When we got there we had to pay one Boliviano, and then climb a side of a mountain to get to falls. When we arrived, we were amazed on how beautiful the falls were and we didn’t waste any time in getting in. The water was freezing cold but after awhile we became numb to the feeling. We swam for a bit, and then headed home. Later I had dinner with the family and then went to bed.

Sat 6 Feb

Today I woke up and walked to the higher campus to work with Eddie. On the way up I met a young boy whose name was Oskar. I found out he was Don Oskar´s son. The whole day I worked on the bed project. Then, later after dinner, the students had a bon fire and we watched a scary movie. After, we sat by the fire and listened to some students sing and play guitar. After, I went to bed.

Fri 5 Fed

Today I went to work with Don Oskar on the lower campus. I helped by trimming shrubs and cutting dead leaves of banana trees. Later I went up and chilled with Eddie and then had a meeting with Carlos about my weed whacking project. We had a good meeting and he told me he would help me find the right machines for a good price. After Hugh told me I could move back into the dorms but this time on the lower campus with the Eco-Tourism students. Later, after dinner, Hugh took me to the dorms and I met all of my new room buddies. We talked for about two hours and I showed them pictures of my friends, family, and also Minnesota. They liked all of the pictures and wouldn’t stop asking questions which was fun. After the conversation, my tongue was tired from talking so much Spanish and it was a good feeling. Later around 12am, 25 students came into our room and grabbed a kid from his bed. They started singing happy birthday and carried him out of the room and to the bathroom. Then the next sound I heard was a shower starting. Then I heard the students counting and a scream for each number. It took me a minute but then I realized that the students threw him in the shower and then whipped him with their belts for how old he was. So they got him 22 times. Everyone was laughing and I couldn´t believe what had just happened, but I guess it’s a tradition here. Next some of my friends asked me when my birthday was, and I told them not for a long time thank god!

Thurs 4 Feb

Today I worked with new machines at the wood shop which was nice for a change. I worked on sanding different sides of wood until they were smooth. The machine had this wheel that had sanding paper on top that spun around extremely fast. I was a bit nervous at first but then after a while got the hang of it. The wood shop is getting closer to finishing the bed project little by little I believe we will finish on time. After work, Eddie, Brian, and I went to Eddie´s room to play on his electrical drum machine. I played on it for a bit but told them I was better on a drum set and would be happy to show them sometime soon. After I had dinner with my family and then went to bed.

Wed 3 Feb

Today I sanded again and worked with some other kids which made the day go by faster. During lunch I had English class with Brian and he did well. After, I left work a bit early to start getting dinner ready because it was my night to cook. I made pasta with vegetable tomatoes sauce and garlic bread. It was a hit and I got more confidence in my cooking skills. Later I watched The Wire and then went to bed.

Tues 2 Feb

Today I went back to the wood shop and did the same sanding job all day. Little by little I got closer to finishing one stack, but then found out there were so many more stacks of wood to sand! During lunch I started teaching a student named Brian English. He is a super nice kid and I am happy that he is so motivated to learn. Later in the evening, we had dinner and then I watched the Wire. After, I went to bed.

Mon 1 Feb

This morning I walked up to the higher campus to work in the wood working shop. I met both of the workers Eddie and Edgar there and they put me straight to work. There building about 86 bunk beds that have to be finished by the end of February and need help. I helped by filing down the edges on pieces of the bed so they could slide into the other pieces of the bed more easily. I worked from 9am to 530pm on this project and had a great time. Later I met two students who had just arrived and talked to them for a bit. Later I came home and had a good dinner that was made by Kyle. Later we watched The Wire and then went to bed.

Sun 31 Jan

Today was the chill day. We didn’t have work so we chilled at the house and practiced yoga. Later we got out kitty and brought her home. The whole day she was crying and not happy and it was a bummer. Later, we showed another movie outside for the students, but then had to stop it because it started to rain. Then, we went to bed.

Sat 30 Jan

Today Kyle and I went to Coroico to visit one of his friends to go shopping. We went to lunch at a small restaurant and had soap and a salad. Then we walked down this road on the outside of town, were Kyle’s friend took us to a small house that was a yoga place/cafe. We had ice-cream and then took a tour of the house. After, Kyle and I went shopping and then headed back to Carmen Pampa. Later I made pesto and Kyle made pasta for dinner. Then we showed a movie outside for the students to watch in the courtyard. After we watched The Wire and then went to bed.

Fri 29 Jan

Today I helped up on the top part of the campus with getting students registered. After we had lunch, and then Kyle, another volunteer and I decided to walk to San Juan. The walk took about 45min and was amazing because the view of all the mountains were incredible. When we got there, Kyle and I looked for his friend who was supposed to be there to meet him. After searching for about an hour, we went to the small town store, the size of a closet. We bought the Bolivian type of Coca Cola which tasted pretty much the same but had a reindeer on the front of it. After we walked back and then chilled at the house. Later that night we started the first season of The Wire and got hooked on it. Then, we went to bed.

Thurs 28 Jan

This morning I walked down with all my stuff and then got right back to work with washing windows. There were more students helping today and it was fun to have more help. We cleaned the rest of the rooms and the bathrooms and then we were finished. I watched a movie called PUSH and it was a good action movie I thought. Later Sara #2 made amazing pizzas and then for dessert, Sara #1 and I made crêpes and Hugh made this fruit sugar glaze that was wonderful! After, I went to bed.

Wed 27 Jan

This morning I walked down to the lower campus and helped a student clean the dorm rooms and wash windows. It took all day but it was fun speaking Spanish to her. After we had a nice dinner and I went up to the upper campus for my last night. When I got there, my roommates had switched to a different room and then I found then and slept in the new dorms.

Tues 26 Jan

This morning I woke up and took a freezing cold shower at the dorms. I then walked down to the lower campus to help Don Oskar with more work. I first filled in a trench that was made to carry out the waste from the bathroom. Then I started helping Don Oskar with chopping the grass. It took forever and we only got a little bit done because the machetes were so bad. After I tried some coca leafs and chewed them. I found out that there were different kinds and some were super sweet because it had its own natural sugar. After, I had dinner with Hugh, the Sara´s, and another couple. After dinner I walked up to the campus with the dog Tyson who was nice enough to walk with me and show me the way. Once we got there, I said goodbye and then went to my dorm. I then watched an action movie about a subway train hijacking in New York with Denzel Washington and John Travolta which was very good. I then went to bed.

Mon 25 Jan

This morning I woke up around 7am and had breakfast with Sara. After we walked up to the higher campus and Sara gave me a tour. After I met two students named Devid and Juan Carlos. I helped them cut grass all day with machetes which took all day to do a small section of grass. After, I had lunch with Sara and we went back down to pick up my stuff. Once I got my clothes and stuff for saying in the dorms, we drove back up and I finished helping the boys with the grass. After, I came down to the volunteering house to eat dinner with Sara and the other Sara who had just arrived. Then I walked back up and met some more students. Then I went to bed.

Sun 24 Jan

This morning I woke up about 7am, got ready and waited for my bike tour group to pick me up. Once I was picked up, me and 9 were off to go down the World's Most Dangerous Road. We drove through the busy streets of La Paz and started climbing the side of the mountain in a small mini bus. There was a driver and two tour guides in the front who had some mix tape with a bunch of old songs from the 90's playing. As we kept climbing, it go colder and soon we were in the clouds. Finally after a 45min trip we arrived at a small area on the side of the road were we got ready. It was freezing and super foggy so we couldn't see anything. We got coats and gloves and pants from the tour and then got our bikes. The man told use to stay in a single file line while going down the mountain, then he showed us the different signals and signs he would use to tell us to slow down or to stop. Then we were off. Before I knew it the clouds disappeared and I saw what we were up against. I was on the side of a cliff and there were no railings to stop me if I lost control of my bike. It was fine thought because we were on a two lane asphalt road and it was fun going downhill really fast. Every once and a while we would stop to take photos and then we would be off again. At 10am, we stopped at a check point in a small town and went into a small restaurant that could barley hold 10 people and had bread, jam, and watered down hot coco. Then we drove for about 15min with the bikes on top of the mini bus once again until we reached the starting of a dirt road. The guide told us, this is where the real ride starts. He couldn't stress the fact of how careful we must be otherwise we will lose control and that will be it. After we starting going down the hill, this was the point where I finally met my biggest fear. We were on a small one lane dirt road that was hugging the side of the mountain. If you looked to your left, you could see for miles and miles were mountains and a small slit in the mountain which was the road we would be traveling on. Once we started going down I was a bit scared but couldn't help but looking over the side. We went for about 3 hours down the hill and there were sharp turns and waterfalls pelting on top of us. Not to mention the road was wet and very slippery under the waterfalls which made it extremely hard to steer our bikes. Soon we became a little bit more comfortable and went faster. This ride was extreme and I couldn't believe that I was actually doing this because I am afraid of heights. At the same time everything was so beautiful and the scene was breath taking. We were going down the hill super fast now and zooming around these sharp corners even though nothing would catch us if we messed up. Everything was good until we hit one sharp turn and the guide in the front stopped really fast and jumped off of his bike. There was a big truck coming the opposite way and we still had bikers behind us that hadn’t gone past the turn. He stopped all of us and then got the rest to stop just in time as the truck was beginning to turn. Once we got to the end of the trip, we got all packed up and then went to lunch. After lunch I took a taxi to Corico and then a mini bus to Carmen Pampa. When I got to the lower campus, I found the volunteers house and then was greeted by Sara. We ate dinner and then watched the second season of The Wire. After, I took a shower by candle light because the light wasn’t working. Then, I went to bed.

Sat 23 Jan

Today Hugh and I woke up around 730am and went down for breakfast. I had some Te de Coca and I felt a little bit better but still had hard time breathing. After breakfast, we got packed up and went to the next hostel about two blocks away. A man carried my bag all the way down the stairs and to the next hostel which was amazing because he saved my life from dying. I probably wouldn’t have made it if I had to carry that. Once we got settled in, we left and went shopping in La Paz. First we went to the electronic market place to look for a DVD player for Carmen Pampa, and then we went to the food market. There we streets filled with markets and all types of food. Everything was so colorful and all the food looked fresh and good. After taking care of the shopping list, Hugh and I went to a Italian restaurant to meet up with two of his friends. Wendy and Yoval met us there about 10min after we got there and we had really good pasta. After, Wendy, Yoval, Hugh, and I went and looked around La Paz because there was a big fair that was getting set up that would start the next day. It had to do with the New Year and good fortune. There were a million shops set up with small symbols to represent different things people would want for the New Year. For example, the shops sold fake money from around the world but it was tiny like monopoly money. Also they had miniature cars and houses and things for good health. After, we went to look at some churches and museums and take some pics. Later Wendy, Yoval came with me to help me buy sweaters made from Alpaca while Hugh went to a meeting. Also I signed up for a biking trip down the world’s most dangerous road for the next day. Later at night, Hugh, Wendy and I went to dinner at a nice Indian restaurant, and then went to see Sherlock Holmes. After then movie, we walked Wendy home, then went to our hostel and went to bed.

Fri 22 Jan

Today I woke up at 5am to finish my packing. I drove to see Claudel and say goodbye. She gave me some hot sauce from Belize which was nice of her!! After I said goodbye to Wendy, Delanie, and Daniel. Around 9am Lilyana and Victor came to pick my up to go to San Jose. I had a good talk with Lilyana about her life and the movie The Secret. After dropping her off at the Airport, Victor and I went to a mall to have lunch. After he dropped me off at the airport and I got on my flight. I arrived in La Paz around 1:30 in the morning. Hugh was waiting there for me which was nice. I couldnt breath very well and when we got to the Hostel, there was a staircase we had to go up. When I got to the top I didnt think I was going to make it. The best way to describe the feeling is if something is forcing you to take small breaths and you can never take in a full one. When we got to the room, we went to bed. I couldnt sleep because I couldnt breath so that was tough. But Im in La Paz!!!

Tues 19 - thurs 21 Jan

These days I woke up and worked on getting my lists of things I had to do over with before I left for Bolivia. I spent my time up at the campus and chilled with friends and talked to the workers. Later I would eat in the comedor and then go home. Thursday night was my last night in Costa Rica. I first went to a performance done by the first year students from all the countries. They would either dance or do some sort of skit to represent their country. It was ery funny and all the first years did a good job. After all of my close friends came over to my house for my going away party. Wendy had cooked up quesidias and chips and salsa!!! It was so good. Also, Alex and Alexandra came over to chill too. They brought me a merengue cd which we listend to while we ate. After we had a small dance party thanks to Alexandra for starting it. After, I drove everyone home and then started packing.

Mon 18 Jan

Today was my final day at the Finca Organica. We spent the whole day cutting the grass around the perimeter of a field to build an electric fence. Once we were done cutting, we started installing the post´s, then put the electric string around it. It took the whole work day and we finally finished at 2pm. After work, I helped Manuel and Pedro work on our garden at my house for two hours more. Then I went to the campus to see all my friends. Later I chilled with Tonio and caught up with him. After I went home and watched Scrubs for a bit then went to bed.

Sun 17 Jan

Today I slept in until 940am! I got up, had breakfast, and then watched some episodes of Scrubs. After, I went to the gym to work out. While I was working out, a first year student came in and asked me for help. I was more than happy to show him the ropes on how to lift and work out, just like Ike had taught me. After I went home and helped clean up the house and helped prepare food for the dinner party. The dinner was really nice and the dessert was exquisite. The people were really interesting and fun to talk to also. After dinner, I drove up to the campus to see who had made it in. I visited Virginia and she gave me a present from El Salvador. She gave me a letter B that had been painted by an artist that had birds and nature and very colorful things on it. After I went home and got some rest.

Sat 16 Jan

This morning I picked a lot of weeds and feed the chickens and other animals. Work only went until 11am and then I went home. Later in the day I went to lunch over at Alex and Alexandra's house and had a wonderful time. We had this really good beef steak and some sort of Italian pasta made from potatoes and flour. After lunch Alex and I worked on Sudoku and then we both took naps on their hammocks. Later I went home and chilled with my family and Alexandra and her mom. Later in the night, Delanie, Alexandra, and I had a chocolate craving, so we convinced Wendy to make us fudge!!!!! About 45min later we were in heaven eating hot fudge with bananas and milk for a midnight snack. After we watched UP and fell asleep. I woke up and went to bed.

Fri 15 Jan

This morning I cut sugar cane with the workers out in a field for about an hour. Then I did the normal chores around the farm with feeding the animals and cleaning out their places. Later I helped clean up and pick weeds from an EARTH display. After work, I said goodbye to Sara because she was leaving for Florida, and wouldn’t be back until I was gone. Then I went over to Alex and Alexandra's house to visit with them and they invited me for some drinks and coffee and breads. Later I had dinner with the family and Delaine and then went to bed.

Thurs 14 Jan

Today I started out my day by cleaning the stable and putting the waste into compost. Then we prepared land for planting, and then planted cilantro. After, I worked on weeding pineapple beds and other plant beds. After work, I worked out for a while. Then I went to a concert that the Costa Rican Youth Symphony Orchestra was having in the gym. It was very good and it reminded me of high school and band. After, we had dinner with a daughter and her dad from the states. The daughter wants to come here in the following year to take some classes. After dinner I went to bed.

Wed 13 Jan

This morning, Daniel, Sara, and I went to Santa Ana for two reasons. One was for Sara to see The United World College that she wanted to attend after her high school. Two was for me to go visit my family in Santa Ana, and go and visit my teachers in Conversa and say goodbye to them. When we got there, I went and saw my host mom and sister. After chilling with them for a while, I took a taxi to conversa. When I got there, I went straight to Gata´s office to see her. Then I went to go visit the rest of the teachers at lunch time. The place was jumping! There were 80 students in Conversa! When I went there, there were no more than 20. After visiting Conversa, I took a taxi back to the house and then left with Daniel and Sara, my other family to go back to EARTH. Later that night, I helped Matt move into his duplex, then I went home read and went to bed.

Tues 12 Jan

Today was my first day at the Finca Organica. I woke up at 5am and biked about a mile down the main road in the poring rain to get to the finca. When I got there I met three workers who were sitting in a porch waiting for the rain to die down. I met Santo, Ciena, and Jorge. They gave me a tour of the whole farm, then we got to work. My first task was to help Santo dig up Yucca, which is some sort of potato. After I helped him clean out the Chicken houses. The first house had about 24 chickens. The second one had about 295 chickens. They were very funny because when we let them out to roam around their yard, they would follow you because they thought you had food. My next assignment was to pick up all the old and used coconuts on the ground near and around the chicken houses. The coconuts were a big part of the chickens diet so there were wheel barrow loads of coconuts. Next we carried huge sacks of feed on our backs for the chickens that had to have weighed at least 150 pounds. Once that was all taken care of, work was finished and I then biked home. Later I chilled with Matt and downloaded some more music. Then read and went to bed.

Mon 11 Jan

Today was a relax day around the house. It was raining so hard that I decided not to go to work. I slept in, and then ate some breakfast. After I Skyped with friends and family, and then practiced guitar. After I read for a while then listened to music. Later I went to the Cafeteria with Matt for the first night that it was open. Then I went to Matt's house to download more music onto my IPOD. Then I hit the hay.

Sun 10 Jan

Today I chilled around the house, went and worked out with Matt in the Gym, then made fudge with Wendy. After the Fudge was made, I picked up Matt and he came over to watch the movie The Secret. After watching that, we all ate dinner as a family. Later I went to Matt’s to start picking out music to put on my Ipod. Then I went to bed.

Sat 9 Jan

This morning my family and I went to San Jose to run some errands, visit some friends, and then go see the movie AVATAR in 3D!!!!!! So after doing all the shopping and stuff, we went to go visit some family friends who were really nice. Then we went to the movie theater and watched the best movie of this year so far. I had seen it before but in 3D it was even better. After the movie we drove home and went to bed!

Fri 8 Jan

Today I chilled at the house and got caught up on all my blogs and talked with people on Skype. Later I went to go work out for a while. After I had dinner with my family and chilled with them. Then I went to go visit Matt at his apartment and we talked about the Secret and he got really pumped about it. After I went home and went to bed.

Thurs 7 Jan

This morning I got packed up and ready to leave. I got a ride from Jaco to San Jose from a family friend of Malia. After, I took a city bus and then a taxi to get to my bus station that would take me back to EARTH. Around 6pm I got into EARTH. When I got home, I helped make dinner. Later I sat and chilled with Wendy and Delany and then went to bed.

Wed 6 Jan

This morning Lupe, Malia, Lika, and I went surfing at Playa Hermosa. It was so much fun and I finally road a wave on my board. The waves were smaller but good for me to learn on. Again we saw things splashing in the water but we decided to keep surfing. Later while we were surfing, we started to get stung and found out we were surrounded by Jelly fish. After surfing, we went home and swam in the pool for a bit. Later in the evening, we went surfing again and the waves we a little bit bigger and more coming in. It was awesome because not only was I surfing in this beautiful beach; I got to watch the big Lion King sun go down into the ocean while I was surfing. This time I was catching wave after wave and it is the best feeling to get up on that board and ride a wave. After watching the sun go down, we got out and went home. Lupe and I got a ride to the small store to buy ingredients for a cheese cake. After we walked home and started to make it. After Malia, Lupe, Austin, and I went to Backyard bar to go dancing. When we got there, the club was filled and the place was rocking. They were playing American music which was so nice because I missed this music and I finally got to dance it again. We danced non stop until the bar closed and we were the lasts ones out. Later we went home and went to bed. Fun night!

Tues 5 Jan

Today we went to the beach around 7am to find that there weren't any good waves to surf. Later I went to yoga, and then chilled around the house. During the day I went to the pool with Buddha, the dog, and played with him. Buddha loves to swim and will jump in right after you and chase you around the pool. In the evening we watched the movie UP which was so good and it was fun seeing it another time. After the movie, I went to bed.

Mon 4 Jan

Today I woke up and went to Yoga! After Lupe, Malia and I went to waterfall and bathed in mud! It was so much fun and your skin felt super soft after washing off the mud. Later I went surfing with Lika. We had to get out after a while because one of our friends saw a shark about 20 yards from where we were surfing. Later we watched the movie Choke, then went out to a bar to dance. After a while we went home and went to bed.

Sun 3 Jan

This morning we woke up and had french toast. Later the kids and I went to their uncles house to visit. Later Diego drove me to the bus stop to go to Jaco. I said goodbye and then went and bought my ticket for Jaco and waited for 2 hours until the bus came. While I waited, there were three men who would take turns preaching about the bible and it got super old because they were yelling it and I had to sit there and listen to three of them taking turns for 2 hours. Later when I arrived in Jaco, the girls picked me up and we went to a dinner party for a bit. Later we went home and went to bed. It was nice to see the family again.

Sat 2 Jan

This morning we woke up, had pancakes, and then went to a university campus to go running and exercise. The campus was beautiful and it was a cooler day because a cold front had come into the valley of Cartago. We ran for a while through different trails and then left to go get ready to have a late lunch at Diego's dad's house. We picked up meat and other food and then headed over to the house. When we got there, we started grilling. We ate at the same time that we were grilling and the meat was very tasty. Later we played baseball out in this open lot with one of the neighborhood friends. It reminded me of the movie Sandlot because we only had two gloves, a bat and a ball and we hit it way out into this open lot. The only exception was that we were in a valley and surrounded by mountains and a volcano. Later that night, we went to go see the movie Avatar. The movie was super good and I cant wait to watch it again. After we went home and then went to bed.

Fri 1 Jan

This moring the family left to drop Yoomee off at the airport in San Jose. Zack and I left later in the day and I called Diego to see if I could stay at his house. Once we got into San Jose, Zack dropped me off at the national theater to catch a bus to Cartago. When I got there, Diego was there waiting for me and we went to his house. We got there and I met his wonderful family and talked with them for a bit. Later Diego made these sub sandwiches that were out of this world that he made from random food that was in the kitchen. Later we watched the rodeo on T.V. and then went to bed.

Thur 31 Dec

New Years Eve! Zack and I went to pick up Juan from his house. We then drove to a beach that was hidden from the tourist and only known to the locals. It was owned by the mafia or used to be at least and it was beautiful. This beach was a camping ground also because all the Tico families brought everything and there house to this beach. The waves were super strong and the current was even stronger. We chilled in the water for a bit, then went waslking down the beach to explore. When we got to the end of the beach, there was a wall of piled up stones that Juan later explained that it was a naturally made wall. Also at the end of the beach was a river that we swam in too. When we were walking back, we saw a group of drunk guys holding up signs that had numbers on them when girls walked by, so that was funny. Later in the night, the family and I went out to french restaurant and then went back to Carlos's house to celebrate the new year. We lit off fire works and sparklers to celebrate. Later we went to bed.

Wed 30 Dec

Today we went to the beach in the morning. Sara, Yoomee and I went out and road the waves and floated in the water. After a while, Zack and I went to another beach to meet up with some of his friends from school. We went to another beach and chilled. We heard about a huge party that was going to be going down that night in Playa Flamingo and we decided to go. So Zack and I went back to La FLore, got dressed up, and then set off for Flamingo. When we got there, the place was packed and we were lucky to find a parking spot. As the night went on the streets filled with people and we couldn't get into the club to dance because there were too many people. Later that night I saw one of my friends Courtney from Conversa, the immersion school I attended, and talked to her for a while. Later that night we went to there house to chill, and then drove back to La Flore in the morning.

Tues 29 Dec

This morning we got up bright and early, and headed for Guanacaste. We arrived in La Flore, EARTH's other campus in Guanacaste around 1pm. Later that night, the family and I went to Alex Mata's house for a dinner party. We had really good food, and we danced to a live band. Later that night, we went back to La Flore and then went to bed.

Mon 28 Dec

Today I woke up at 6am to go to lecheria. My task for this morning was to find horses for Sara, Yoommee, Zack, and and Michael to ride. When I got up to the Lecheria, Toto told me to get his horse from the pasture for a start. Then I could ride down to the Caballeriza to pick up more. So I grabbed a lasso and went out to the field to catch this horse. When I got out there I got the lasso ready and then I started walking toward the horse. The only problem was that the horse knew exactly what I was doing so right when I was about to walk up to him, he rain away. This meant only one thing, I had to lasso him. So for the next fifteen minutes I tried and failed to lasso this horse until I finally got it! I took him back and got him all saddled up and ready to go. I got another horse and got it ready for zack to use. When Zack got there, we road to the Caballeriza and started to look for more horses. I took us a while and we searched through different fields until we finally came across a group of 15 horses. I saw horses that would be good to ride so we decided to take them all back to the barn to choose. Zack and I then herded them through the roads until we got to the barn, but right as we were turning into the gate, 10 of the horses decided to keep going straight. Zack quickly chased after them as I got the remaining 5 into the barn. Zack came back shortly with all 10 and then we started saddling up. The others arrived and then we were off on our horse back ridding trip. We went through different fields and got to run as fast as we wanted with the horses. The whole trip lasted about an hour. Then, when we got back, we cleaned up and Zack Michael and I took the horses back to the field. Then I road back to the lecheria and then got picked up by Zack. Later the family watched a movie called Food Inc. which was about how bad the American farming corporations are and how they are hustling all the farmings so they will always be in debt. Later I had dinner with the family and then got packed for our trip to Guanacaste the following morning. Later I went to bed.

Sun 27 Dec

Today Zack and I went to the beach for a bit. The sun was out and it was a gorgeous day. The water felt really nice and the waves were calm and fun to just float in. Later in the day, we took a bus back to EARTH and got in around 7pm. We had dinner and we met a friend of Sara's who had come to visit Sara from New York. Her name was Yoomee. After dinner we chilled at the house and then went to bed.

Sat 26 Dec

Today Zack and I went to Puerto Viejo with Eduardo around 8am. When we got there, Zack and I went to the beach and chilled all day. Later we went out for dinner and then went to Johnny's to go dancing. Zack and I danced with some girls from San jose which was a lot of fun. Later we drove home and went to bed.