Hi guys, hope all is good with everyone! Happy birthday to Amanda and Katie!

Last week, it worked out that I was only the only person in my class so I had one on one lessons which was great, normally you would pay lots more to have individual classes at the school. I am really enjoying it but it's very hard sometimes too, I HATE IRREGULAR VERBS!!! Sometimes we get to have our classes on the beach or at the market to practice our spanish by talking to locals.

Last weekend I was immersed into some american culture too...I went to watch the Amrican Superbowl with my housemate Maggie coz she supports the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately they lost, but it was funny to watch, I didnt really know what was going on! I was jus happy soak up the atmosphere and tuck into my Sloppy Joe's, a typical american 'dish' apparently!

This weekend was quite eventful...I got a 9am bus to Santa Cruz on Saturday to get a new camera. The journey is meant to take an hour but in Costa Rica they like to dig up roads without any warning and divert buses down narrow dirt tracks and through rivers so the journey actually took over two hours! The bus very nearly tipped over a few times too, so I was grateful to arrive in one piece! I thought there was a bus back to Tamarindo at 11.30 coz I needed to get back for a sailing trip that me and my friend had booked for 1.30. Turns out that in Costa Rica they also dont really believe in sticking to timetables so the next bus wasnt until 1.30, aaahhhhh! But then another bus was leaving there and then to go to Huacas which is about 15mins away from Tamarindo. So I got off the one bus and had to get straight back on another bus without having a second to look for a bloody camera!! Thankfully I made friends on the bus with a Costa Rican lady and we ended up hitching a ride together with a French guy, from Huacas to Tamarindo! I made it back with 5mins to spare, to run back to the house, grab my stuff and run to the pick up point! After a stressful morning and still mo camera, me and my new housemate Callie had a great afternoon sailing from soem beautiful islands and stopping off at Playa Amor. It was a completely secluded beach and we got to snorkel too - we saw an eel, and yes I did freak out! Then we sailed back while watching the sunset and making the most of the free wine onboard! Callie is a trained yoga teacher so I have been doing yoga on the beach in the mornings with her. Great way to start the day!

Yesterday, my friend from school called Kerri, who has just moved to Tamarindo and is like my surrogate mum, offered to drive me to Santa Cruz after lessons to look for a camera. I enjoyed the more relaxed car jouney that only took 45minutes! And I finally found a camera that didnt need batteries and wasnt 5 years old!! And I practised my best spanish with the guy in the shop and he gave me a 10% discount! I am soooooooo happy now I have my bank card and a camera, I know money doesnt bring you happiness but when you have nothing at all, it makes life very difficult! So now I can bore you all with loads more photos!

And a massive thank you to Ros who sent me a new guidebook too, I feel complete again hehe! Not only can I now buy things and take photos of things, I can work out where I'm going next!

Lots of love from me xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx