Ocatal Beach at Sunset, Costa Rica

Our Assistant Country Manager in Costa Rica, Matt, sent in this post for the blog. It makes me want to leave this weather behind and get to Costa Rica!

It’s been a funny old week here in Costa Rica. We had some baking hot sun from Monday through Thursday then as soon as Friday hit, RAIN! Torrential thunderstorms. It was about 3pm and the clouds came in, the sun disappeared the whole place went dark and just rain and lightning for an hour or so. After that, sun, for the rest of the day, Crazy.
I just realized I started the blog by talking about the weather – how very British of me. Tea?
Well actually, I did bring some tea over with me, and a teapot, and a tea strainer. Is that excessive? Well maybe the bisto gravy was!
Here is Costa Rica the life is nice and tranquil, especially during the dry season here. In the middle of the day, it is much to hot to do anything productive. I presume it is like that in the other Projects Abroad destinations too. Like Ghana, Thailand or Mexico? Am I right?

Therefore, our days start early, at maybe 6.30am with some traditional rice and beans, and maybe a little fruit, and then out to placements. Some of the teaching volunteers have morning placements, and some afternoon placements (some more hardcore volunteers go all day!). Lunch back at the host family is some variation of a Casado. Some kind of protein with a little salad, plantain and beans and rice (I love beans and rice). The afternoon is taken at a smooth pace. Sometimes volunteers visit the swimming pool and sometimes Hermosa Beach less then 1hr away. The sun leaves at about 7pm and then things begin to wind down as dinner is served throughout the country. Later in the evenings is a social time, either with the host family or out and about. We have a fortnightly quiz here in Liberia as well as an air-conditioned cinema (bring a jumper – no, seriously!) and we have been known to organize the odd bit of karaoke. There are also loads of other things to do in the evenings and at the weekends. I am myself a big fan of scuba! When not scuba diving I can go and visit hot springs, cloud forest, volcanoes, rainforest, lakes, waterfalls, National Parks, beaches the list goes on…
You know you want to come over!