Each day starts with an Energiser Session - Ninjas, Rooster Fighting, etc.  Fun exercises to get the blood flowing.   We have classroom lessons to bring us up to speed with how the projects will be run, Comms, Crisis Mgt, Safeguarding, Finance, etc as well as job specific training.  

Each night we have a Fun Session to get the group bonding - Karaoke, Dance Aerobics, etc - I will spare you the karaoke videos!.  We take it in turns to cook dinner - I paired with Fernando and Georgie to cook Tacos with Mango/Pineapple with coconut ice cream to follow.  Plus of course Sol and Corona beers!  

Karaoke Starting!

Warm up before Dance

Mexico Night

We will need to be able to get around the country making many food drops to the Trek folks and buying supplies, etc., but we had to have a driving test first.  Firstly on safe roads around the local agricultural centre - CATIE.  The Raleigh field base is on CATIE farm land with cows roaming around.  After we seemed okay driving the trucks then we were let loose on the Costa Rica roads.  Main challenge was dealing with the steep hills and crazy overtaking drivers on blind corners.  Passed!

Driving test - 

Don't think this guy passed his test ......

Day 4 we went out on the town - Turrialba:

Loco's Restaurant for a night out

Met up with my fellow advance team volunteers today and we were taken to a local British School to spend the night.   Was not looking forward to sleeping on the floor but turns out they had nice padded mattresses.  Also assumed it had hot showers as there were two taps in the shower - hot and cold right - no cold and cold!  One is from the mains water supply and the other from a tank on the roof that collects rainwater.   We were up at 45am to start the journey to Turrialba where the Raleigh International base camp is located.

Not so hard floors!

We were up at 45am to start the journey to Turrialba where the Raleigh International base camp is located.  The base is on a farm and consists of a main office building and CasaBlanca, which is a small house where we will be sleeping.

My bunk room

Main office building

Outside classroom

My fellow volunteers - Three are DOCs - Deputy Operations Controllers looking after volunteer manager training and smooth running of the program and two Logistics - ensuring the food, equipment and materials are coordinated and supplied for volunteer teams at their project sites.

My fellow "Advance Team Volunteers"

We have 6 days of training ahead of the volunteer managers arriving.  My role is to get all the necessary food ordered for field base and the three phases - Trek, Natural Resource Mgt and Community Projects and ensure each team has the right tools and comms equipment.  Food is made a little more challenging with preferences (vegan, vegetarian, etc) and allergies.  

Kitchen

Our office areas

Inside classroom

Off to Costa Rica!! 

Julie and I have signed on with a volunteer organization called "Raleigh International" (https://raleighinternational.org/) and will be working with young adults (17-24) who are looking for adventure. The organization aims to empower young people from across the world to develop their skills, build confidence and take action on the issues they care about through challenging and fun international volunteering experiences. At least that is what the brochure says! 

 I will be working at the "base office" as a Logistics Officer and Julie will be out in the field chaperoning the young folk.

For some unknown reason I have to pop out 6 days before Julie - guess I need more training.  So am flying to San Jose, Costa Rica at the unsocial hour of 12:50am on January 24th, arriving 4:30am.  

Empty airport - ridiculous time to fly!

Have decided to spend one night in a hotel before the program starts.  Last chance for a beer and decent food.  Its three months of no booze and beans/rice after that.  Actually I settled for coffee and cake!

                                 Too early to check-in so hit the pool