25th October

After lots of tears and emotional farewells, lack of sleep and bad turbulence, I wasn’t sure if Costa Rica was going to be worth it. However, as we started our descent, I got to see my home for the next few months - a gorgeous place so green and fabulous! You can see the perfect beaches and landscapes look like they’re from a movie. Jurassic Park was filmed on the Isla del Coco (just off the Pacific Coast and by just off I mean 36 hours by boat) and I expected a t-rex to be waving at me in the plane!

Arriving in San José

It looked so calm from the air but after landing I did get mobbed by men trying to get me a taxi. Ignore them all unless they’re actually from your hostel in which case, they’ll carry a sign. Once I’d escaped from the hoards, I managed to sample my first taste of the city. San José isn’t the nicest of places. It has a McDonalds and lots of busy streets, (the drivers here are a little crazy and the traffic can be hard to figure out) and as there isn’t much order to anything, it can be quite intimidating. But if you take some time to look around, there are some fantastic places to just sit and people watch. Directions around the city are a little confusing too however my hostel, the bank, OTEC - BUNAC’s partner in Costa Rica - a supermarket and a bakery selling the best doughnuts ever were all on the same circuit of streets. As long as you know what you’re looking for, you can find your way around.

This is the first time I’ve travelled alone or worked abroad so I was a little nervous about the whole experience. No one else signed up for my departure date so I didn’t get to meet any other volunteers until later on. The hostel is a great place to meet people though, there are more solo travellers than I expected. Everyone has stories to tell, tips on places to stay, things to see etc. As soon as word spread I was living on the Caribbean coast I became very popular and was enlisted as a guide for when they come to stay! I was also reassured by Sylvia, a representative of OTEC, who was very helpful and friendly and answered all of my questions at the orientation. We also had a guided tour of the Central Avenue of San Jose and a very detailed history of Costa Rica.

Laid-back locals

Then off I went, packed into a bus with my Spanish phrasebook, taking in my surroundings. The bus wound its way up the hills and four and a half hours later I’m in paradise! The pain in my back from my excessive backpack didn’t matter because there was sun, sea and most importantly an extremely attractive man wandering my way without a top on. Cahuita is a tiny town but it more than makes up for it with its charm, music-filled air and the crazy locals. People take time to say hi and ask how you are and no one is in a rush. You’re never far from the quiet unspoilt beaches that aren’t lined with 5 Star resorts but a National Park instead. My new work place! It’s not quite the same as my cashier’s desk back at home.

Then appeared Shirley my adoptive mum! She sang my name as she wandered over to me and straightaway took my bags and got me a taxi even though the house was only five minutes away. My room! It’s like heaven, my very own double bed and a place to unload all of my clothes, DEET sprays and most importantly photographs that my new family were keen to see. Shirley has six children, only Mario the 14 year old 50 Cent fan lives at home but the others visit a lot which usually means a party. I felt at home straightaway. They want to know all about you but give you time to yourself too! The food is one of my favourite things here. It’s never the same thing and I think Shirley should be employed in some fancy restaurant in London or Paris!