I miss hot showers

You know the feeling when you have to wake up in the morning but don't want to? But then you realise you can go stand into hot shower and let that amazing hot water run through your body making you feel all warm and fuzzy? Or before putting your yammies on, you hop into nice and hot shower to wash all that sweat and stress you got that day? Yeah... I miss that feeling. The feeling when the water is so hot it feels like your skin is melting off, the feeling when you just know that every drop of sweat is leaving your body and you feel so relaxed and happy. It's funny how you miss certain things only after you don't have them anymore. Now I sound like I haven't had any hot showers here.. Well that's true hah. Yeah I've had maybe couple warm showers and the rest are...well...not so warm. I sound now like spoiled little princess but what can I say, I like my showers nice and hot.

Okay I guess that's enough about my showers hah..

So last week I started my volunteer work in an orphanage. It's a bit weird not be able to talk with the kids because I don't know Spanish that well yet... But I guess you don't need to know how to speak when playing tag or pushing the kids in the swing.
It's sad to think that it's not a daycare center; to go home and know that the kids will stay there because they have nowhere else to go, no one else to take care of them, no mom, no dad, no one. It's so good to see the kids all happy and laughing but... Then to remember that they aren't supposed to be there.. That they are there because their parents didn't want them. Found from the streets having nothing. Taken away from their parents because they were assaulted. But at least they have the people in the orphanage who takes care of them. Who give love and food. Who gives roof on top of their heads. Reads them a good night story. Hugs them. Make them feel loved and wanted. I'm so happy to be part of something that make the kids happy.

I could write million sentences about how amazing all the children are but it's too sad to say all those amazing things and then realise that they aren't wanted by their parents..ARGH! Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts...

So I've had three weekends here already and every weekend I've travelled somewhere and done some tour thingy. Fist weekend I spent in La Fortuna. Did a Volcan Arenal tour and went to hot springs (wohoo hot water! haha). Second weekend I spent in Manuel Antonio. Heaven on earth! Spent Saturday just laying on beautiful beach and getting my tan on. Heaven. Buuuuut after that day I might have been more red than brown (oopsie). And in the evening me and my friends went dancing. Last weekend I was in Monteverde. The weather was nice and cool (other weekends had been way too hot so this weather was so welcomed). On Saturday went zip lining (sitting normally and like superman)! So awesome! Even though it rained it didn't ruin the experience. End of the zip lining was Tarzan swing: 40meter free fall and then the rope catches you and you swing like Tarzan. That was the best thing in the whole zip lining thingy! I wish I could have done it over and over again.

I've loved all the travelling but spent way too much money doing that.. Now all I can think of is "save money, save money, save money, you are going to be here still 16 weeks..saaaaave!" Well next weekend I'm gonna take it easy and just stay at my host family. And sleep. Gonna sleep so much. Just sleep. Nothing else. Okay maybe netflix. 'Cause netflix is life.

And now some awesome pics

Volcán Arenal

View from my hostel in Manuel Antonio

Perezoso <3

Crickets (?)

Manuel Antonio

Night out in Quepos

Don't have any pics from Monteverde 'cause all the zip lining pics are on CD.. Will put some here when I get them on my laptop! Good night for now and Hasta Luego!

When in doubt, just nod and smile

I don't really know when exactly I should write a new post; everyday, once a week, when I have done something special or just when I feel like it. So I decided just write when I feel like it, even though I have really nothing to say. It is quite easy to write a full page of something and really not say anything. As you can see I just wrote three sentences that have no meaning to this post whatsoever (now four).

Okay, fine let's talk about my trip..

So I arrived to Costa Rica last Saturday. The flight from Miami was over two hours late because of the rain. RAIN. I mean come on! It wasn't that bad. At least not to me. But well what do I know. I'm not expert on when planes can fly and when not.

Let me just say that if you ever plan on going to Costa Rica, arrange your transportation from the airport to wherever you are going beforehand because when you go outside of the airport it is crazy! There are so many taxi drivers just yelling "Taxi? Taxi? Taxi? Taxi?", over and over again. They just come to your face and you feel so overwhelmed by all the people and yelling that it is hard to find what you are looking for. It took me few minutes before I found the person who was picking me up and driving me to my host family. (Or sure you can just take a taxi)

So my driver took me to my host family. And they are super nice retired couple (Mary and Danilo). It's just that...well.. they only speak Spanish. Yeah they do know maybe couple words in English but that's it. So it really is just me nodding and smiling when they say something to me. Luckily I understand something. And when I say something I mean... well I think I know as much Spanish as they know English. I did take private Spanish lessons in Finland but well.. Let's just say I should have listened my teacher when he said I need to remember to study on my own.

On Sunday I went for a walk with my host family and during the walk the mom asked me what is my religion. I am catholic so I said that and the next thing I know I am attending a mass. I know church isn't the place that should make you laugh (and it didn't!) but it is a bit funny just to stand there and have no idea what they are talking or singing about (yeah yeah I am a horrible human being for almost laughing in the church).
I didn't really do anything for the rest of the day. Just watched Netflix and tried to stay awake (jetlag). Oh I must say that I do love the American netflix! So much more choices! But at the same time it takes twice as much time to pick up something to watch. And yes I know what you are thinking "You are in Costa Rica and you are spending your time on netflix?".. Please don't judge me, it was my first evening and I had (still have) jetlag. And I am boring and lazy. And netflix is life.

So today I had my first day of school (Spanish lessons) and I ended up in the group that knows the least Spanish (no surprise in there). Got myself local sim-card and I got to know new people. Mary took me to school and picked me up but from tomorrow onwards I need to know how to do it on my own. I do hope I won't get lost..

Hasta luego!

Let there be first blog post

Okay, so.. This will be my very first blog about anything (and probably the last). I have no idea if I am any good at writing and there will be many spelling mistakes. Just stating the facts before you end up thinking that you just wasted your time on something boring and wondering why I did not give you heads up. So here is the heads up, this blog will probably suck. Or maybe for some reason you just realized how amusing and oh so funny I am and you will continue reading and waiting for more of my wittiness. Or not.

Yeah, so the reason why I started this.. Next Saturday (6th of August) I will travel to Costa Rica to do some volunteer work (aka getting myself some good karma... Yes yes I know I am horrible human being thinking like that). I will not be there for long (going to be back in Finland 19th of December) but I hope I am able to help as much as I can and that I will make lots of good memories.

I am not going to do volunteer work the whole time (oh no I am not THAT good of a person). Last five weeks I am going to travel around Costa Rica (and maybe other places). I hope at least someone will be bored and have nothing else to do than to read my blog. Lets see how many times will I mess up putting pictures here or something else hah..

What else can I say than LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN! (on Saturday..)

P.s. What to do now that I have already packed my stuff..