The First Day

After a loooong journey, I finally arrived in Costa Rica.

I got to Costa Rica very late because the flight Miami-San Jose kept on getting delayed and when we finally boarded, they had to exchange the flight crew because they had been on duty for too long. So I waited. And waited. Aaaaand waited. But finally we went into the air (around 19 or so, Miami time). When I arrived in San José, my suitcase had gone missing. This was the closest I got to having a meltdown, but fortunately it arrived the next day, so no harm done.

The first day I went with Maris to a very poor barrio, which name I have forgotten. She´s teaching the local kids to play guitar, her mother draws with them, Gretchen (Maris' niece) teaches them to play the violin and another kid teaches them drumming. Of course I was matched up with Gretchen, because we both play violin and are around the same age. I couldn't play however, because my fingernails are too long, and also, it was a bit hard to communicate as I hardly know any Spanish and the people there knows absolutely no English. 

Fortunately I didn't miss my chance, because they do this every Saturday! The project has been running for around 7 months.

When we got home, I took a (much needed) one-hour nap. It's really hard coping with the eight-hour difference between Costa Rica and Denmark!

Afterwards I went with Maris to "Tips and Fun," which is held at her mother's house right beside her and Jorge's. "Tips and Fun" consists of kids from around this neighbourhood and Tomás and Manuelas friends from school and is run by Maris, her mother and her sister. They make all different kinds of activities. Today Gretchen was ‘visiting’ to teach the kids how to make collages (I did the top of a box - very neat!)

Afterwards we had a little snack break and one of the kids, Victor, showed off his guitar playing skills. Quite impressive!

Later, we tried to play Cranium, but it didn't work out so well as the kids didn't know the game and I didn't know much Spanish. It didn't last long before one of the kids suggested a game of hide and seek instead. I was getting really tired at that point so I didn't join in. Instead I talked with some of the others at the table.

I have no pictures from my first day as I didn't take any.