A DOLLAR A DAY

breakfast i got breakfast at 9:30. we had fried dough with jam. i chose pineapple jam. there was no juice left, so i had coffee. afterward, i went by carmen´s to pick up phone cards, but she didn´t have c3000 ones. at first, i could not understand the lady, but another volunteer helped me out. then, she invited me to sit on the porch. we moved to the beach to play volleyball. more volunteers came by and it was nice to have some company. they were on tour with i-to-i. 3 weeks traveling with 17 other people. that sounds nice. i sort of regret not doing ISV. it has been lonely with just me and val. the station crew has their own clique and we are left out of the loop. hopefully, we meet more volunteers. there are two new girls next door, Ilona and Darian. on the way back to the station, i saw them on the beach and i sat with them 10 minutes before their hatchery training. it is windy by the beach and sunny unless you find shade. back at the station, i took off my contacts. it is hopelessly hot. i´m sitting on a hammock, but there is not that much wind and i am sweaty being still. val had a 6am to noon shift, maybe we can get phone cards when she comes back.


















lunch Judith´s boyfriend, Kenry, made our lunch. i think it is Lydia´s day off because i haven´t seen her all day. curry chicken wing, plantain chips and cabbage salad.

Canadian Neighbour Henry left a message for us at Sandra´s. it was an adventure to her house. we were with Ilona and Darian. Val and I didnt´know how to get there. we wandered into the yard of a big stone mansion. i saw a dog (mastiff) get up and come towards me. it barked and started running. i screamed and then we were all yelling and running. a man came out and we edged back onto his property to talk to him. he said Sandra´s house was further down the road. when we turned to leave, he said ¨don´t leave, you´re cute¨.


















Sandra's House we went to the restaurant and a volunteer living in Sandra´s house led us there. it was hidden behind a forested path, so it was good we asked for help. the volunteer helped us translate what sandra had to tell us. Henry said we would find living here better, but it was up to us whether we wanted to move or not. at first, we were hesitant, but she told us we could look around the house. when we saw the washroom, we instantly agreed! it was tiled with a big bathtub. now we don´t have to go to the washroom, walk 50 meters to wash or hands and another place to take a shower. it took us 3 trips to move all our stuff from the station to Sandra´s. Henry called us to make sure everything was okay. he said we could go to Maria Gonsalez to get phone cards. we gave her money so her son could go to sixaola tomorrow to buy them for us. we both bought 2 c3000 ones. we set up our rooms. val took the top bunk. there was nothing she could tie string to, so i lent her my tent poles. i used one of Sandra's mosquito nets instead. i sifted all the sand from my seashells outside and talked to chris, one of the volunteers living there. i also rinsed out my water shoes from last night´s patrol. i forgot my contacts in our old room, but Judith did not have a spare key. i tried to wait but she said stav would probably not wake up for dinner. i need to go at 7:30 pm. it will be dark then. i hope i don´t see snakes or get bit by bugs!




















































dinner fries, fried rice, and cabbage salad. we all sat down to eat together. Sandra´s son sat at the other table because there wasn't enough room. my bug repellent ran out and i got 4 bites all on my left leg.

Asdrubal and Anibal after dinner, Asdrubal stayed to talk with Noami. i brought out my spanish text book to study but i ended up listening to them joke and tease. they danced in the kitchen while Asdrubal sang, it was so cute. Anibal came home to eat a late dinner. we talked. i tried to do it all in spanish. he asked me how old i was, what i did back home and what sports i liked. i told him about dragon boat and he thought i meant dragon ball, the cartoon, because he´s never heard of dragon boat before (even though it is international, not many people know about it). at 7:30 pm, i went back to the station to pick up my contacts. the barking dogs in the dark scared me. i went back to see if Anibal could walk me, but he already went to the bar. i asked Aine and she nicely accompanied me. i didn´t want to disturb val napping before her 9:40 sector c shift. so i sat in the kitchen to study more spanish but the bugs soon drove me to my bed. Sandra doesn´t really speak english. i hope my spanish will improve with the new location. tonight has been the first time my ring has no felt tight since i got to costa rica. yay! i don´t have fat fingers anymore.