Some Nicaragua Pictures

A bunch of surfer boys live in here. Its the only building on the beach.

Volleyball!

The beach at sunset

Joey and Steve cooking in our makeshift kitchen

Nicaraguan music at our coffee break in Grenada. I looked like I was about to pass out...which is pretty acurate.

Our beach

Lago de Managua

Grenada

Grenada

Grenada

NIcaragua Trip Installment 2

On Sunday when we woke up pretty much right after we ate, we went into the ocean for a swim, then we waxed our surfboards and had a 5 minute lesson from Carlos that consisted of him saying "This is how you pop up, and when you fall off come up with your hands on your head for protection. Go for it."
And we did. All of us went into the ocean and attempted to surf. Carlos and Dunia were swiiming around giving one on one help, which I accepted. Dunia helped me for most of Sunday.
Our day was spent swimming and surfing, only really coming out of the water to eat.

Monday was more or less the same, but with several pick up games of beach volleyball with us, Nicaraguan surfers, and a european tourist. I played a full game to 30 points, and even though every time i touched the ball the other team seemed to get a point, it was really fun. I surfed less that the boys did on Monday, but i did do a lot of swimming and reading in the beach, and i was enjoying myself. But then I fell asleep and woke up with my face feeling hot...I decided it was minor, but that night washiong my face was super painful- It should have been a sign.

Tuesday was our last morning at the beach. Only Steve surfed, the rest of us sat around and broke down camp and complained about our sunburns. Mine was terrible- I won't go into graphic detain for everyone's sake. Late morning we got into the van and headed for Grenada, a colonial city about 2 hours from San Juan del Sur, where we were. Grenada is a GORGEOUS city. Well preserved, and with far less grafitti than anywhere in urban Costa Rica. We found where we'd be staying, showered, ate a little food, and collapsed until it was time to go see more of Grenada. We went to a spot that lots of people go to, both Nicos and Tourists. It overlooked Lago de Managua.
I'll continue later.

I haven't posted on this in a long time for several reasons, two of the biggest being:
1. Terrible internet in Curridabat in general.
2. 5 days in Nicaragua

I have a lot to say and a lot of pictures to put up so this will definately happen in installments.

So, on Saturday the 13th at 6am we packed up the car and began our drive to Nicaragua. We have to leave the country every three months; the process to get student visas requires, apparently, a country stay of more than 6-8 months, so we leave every 90 days when the passport tourism visa runs out. This out of country trip was to Nicaragua to go to a beach, camp, and learn how to surf. We had two people that are not usually with us along to teach os surfing, Dunia (i have no idea if thats how you spell it) and Carlos. They were both really nice.
The drive was supposed to take 6 hours. It ended up being more like 13- and the border crossing took more than 3 hours. We declined an offer to bribe the officials who check the cars, and it was our belief that that set us back at least an hour.
When we finally got to the beach it was far too dark to see anything and we set up tents and went to sleep amongst huge amounts of crabs, hermit and regular.
I woke up at 4am to the evilest noise i have ever heard on my life. I was in a tent by myself in the dark in a rainforest in Nicaragua. But then i remembered howler monkeys, and i convinced myself that that was what it was. When we woke up the next morning one of the boys put it the most accurately- "I heard satan this morning."
I am in no way exaggerating.

I will begin Sunday tomorrow.

Exotic Plant from Lankaster Gardens

Las Ruinas in Cartoga

A view of Costa Rica from the drive to Irazu Volcano

An orchid from Lankester Gardens

Más fotos

This is my latest work in progress. Its not an original idea, by the way. My new painting teacher told me I couldn't do my own stuff, i had to copy someone elses. Weird logic. I guess i was spoiled with the art teacher i had for the last 2 years of highschool.

This is my bedroom.

This is Kacie. We share an apartment, and since she's the only other girl, we have spent a good amount of time together.

Kacie and I put sid inside a sweatshirt. I don't think he liked it very much at all...

Kacie and I tried to make cupckaes. They were kind of ugly...It should be noted that none of the boys we lived with had a problem eating them, anyways.