It's Heating Up - March!

Hola gente!!!

Hope whoever is reading this is well! The days just keep getting busier and busier, but that's good! Here are some pictures from the last month about what I have been up to asides from academics.

Another trip into San Jose to visit Feria Verde and some new coffee shops! Me and Carla wandering around.

Me and Maia with our delicious fruit ice lollies from Feria Verde.

The finale of the school musical West Side Story happened. It was such an amazing experience with a great team of directors and actors behind it! I was in a few dances and I helped with costumes and sets, I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in it and can't wait for next years! Here is a snap shot from the dance and the gym.

Another image from the end scene with Maria (Becca) threatening everyone after Tony's (Margot's) death.

Me and Carla in our outfits for West Side Story.

We had Women's Week which was amazing and consisted of many different activities throughout the week. Here on the Sunday we marched through the streets of Santa Ana to protest against violence towards women, the sign reads 'No more violence against women', and the other signs include facts. 

Every now and again we would stop at pose in a violent position with a partner, visually and theatrically showing the violence and someone would shout out a fact. Like in the picture shown here. There was many different reactions some very surprised, shocked, angry but also some in support and some very positive reactions, which was really interesting to observe.

We also had a show in which people were selected to perform vagina and penis monologues, originally written by Eve Ensler. Some were funny, some angry, some plain weird and some serious, the emotion level was high. Me and Vitoria were chosen to do a vagina monologue together named 'My Short Skirt', hence the skirts. I looveeedd doing it, it was so empowering and rewarding and I felt a strong connection to the monologue which made it all the more special.

Here is the amazing group who performed a vagina or penis monologue. Here is a link to all of the monologues if you would like to watch any of them:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT3ihgiJutolkt8bHg1apjg/videos?sort=dd&view=0&shelf_id=1   

TWIN DAY! Something that is completely new and weird to me... of course... who would be a twin, right?
Sorry Sarah but me and Alison (yes another Alison, from Canada) decided to be twins together. We went all out double denim, as you can see in our picture, and bunches! Here is a selection of a few of the twins from that day!

Just chillaxing in the campus gardens with Pietro, Maia, Valentina and Theresa!

Relaxing by the pool!

Me and Kayleigh sunbathing by the pool.

A photo of us before the water fight at our last La Carpio session of the year, boo! It was an amazing session in which we reflected on previous sessions, shared delicious food from around the world, played games, wrote notes, had a water fight and slide and had tonnes of fun!

Here is the water slide, which was so much fun!

Asian week just passed which was amazing. Here is Rangoli, a decorative carpet that was put on our dinning hall floor, it is made up of coloured rice and flour.

The Brits, me, Dilly, Lucas, with our Indian , Amiya, at our incredible Holi celebration in which we got very wet and colourful... as you can see!

Everyone after Holi, covered head to toe in paint!

We had an Asian dinner with AMAZING food! Here is Valentina, Sheree, Maia, me and Carla dressed in our Asian outfits, mainly Indian because of Amiya's generosity! Sarah's gifts from India finally came into good use!

The Onion Fair arrived wooo! Lots and lots of onions in Santa Ana!

So I think that is it. This is just a quick post because work is really starting to pile up and time is seriously running out so I'm try to making the most out of what is left of the year! Its sad that it is now less than two months until I go home and I will miss people so much but I also really look forward to summer and coming back here, so mixed feelings! I am going on a holiday soon during Semana Santa (holy week/ Easter week) which I am so excited for and then I have a lot of exams for first year finals after that.

Did I mention I showered with a scorpion the other day?...

See you, I'll post after April has been and gone to tell you more about my crazy adventure!

Tarah,
Alison <3 

Adventures

Hoi,

Sooo February has been a crazy month and here is some pictures to tell you all about it!

Andre raising the flag for LGBT week.

Pele and I with our explanations of why we are allies of LGBT.

Life in Colour came to Costa Rica, it is a big concert with many DJs and a lottt of paint being sprayed everywhere!

Some of us who went to Life in Colour.. before the masses of paint!!

We had another La Carpio session on sustainability which was very fun and successful. Nikolaj and I led a nature walk around school explaining the varieties of fruits and plants that we have. 

J'ouvert party led by the afrocaribs, again with a lot of paint.

Vitoria, Carla, Me, Sheree, Eleanor, Kayleigh and Maia at the J'ouvert party.

Me, Maia and Sheree all matched that day, and it wasn't even planned!

Enjoying the Britt Café tour... with lots of free coffee and chocolate may I add!

Me and Marcela... I'm in a giant masky thing that is a big tradition in Costa Rica. These big costumes dance around to music, each  have a different meaning.

The incredible view from our rooms and hostel in Monteverde for our service week. We helped the maintenance of the national park by building trails and fences, for example.

The hammocks outside our rooms, where I spent a day sleeping and chilling in because I was very ill for the first time in Costa Rica.

Selfie by the waterfall in Monteverde.

Chilling after lunch outside the hostel.....we did also work hard, I promise!

Biggg spider, one of the many animals in Monteverde. It is one of the most bio-diverse places in the world, we also saw  snakes, kinkajous, frogs, fireflies and muchhhh more! Mark Wainright and his son came to give us presentations about the biodiversity and led a cool night walk. The stars were amazing there, you could see so many because of the little amount of artificial light.

Yesterday, me, Clara and Vitoria went exploring in San Jose. Firstly we went to Feria Verde, an awesome organic fair that sells amazing food and hand made items.

Me and Vitoria at a stall.

Me and Clara after just finishing our scrummy fruity lollies.

We visited some lovely Cafés including this one, with lovely views across the roof tops of San Jose and with a lovely art section attached. 

We visited a lovely art gallery with a nice library to chill in.

We also went and explored the thrift shops, in which me and Vitoria found the best jackets evveerrr lying right next to each other :)

Well that is just about it I think, well the major events at least. Trimester 2 has ended and now it's time for the final trimester of this year, which is rather daunting. I'm doing well and looking forward to the rest of the year!

Tarahh,
See you lateaz potataz,

Alison <3

Finally Sun Burnt :D.

A collection of events.

Quick flash back to the end of last term.

The Sadhana Friends (off campus community engagement) had practiced and prepared a Diwali theatre performance to show on campus. We held a show which included silks, hip hop, Bollywood and of course the friends great performance. The show was followed by samosas, drumming and dancing to end a great day.

Second term starts.

Winter Soiree with some Brits.

Me, Saloni and Kate.

Interdisciplinary Expedition Hike.

Roomie and me.

The gang.

Exeat (Above holiday).

A group of 27 went to Dapoli over a long weekend. Finally i could relax on the beach, banana boat, and buy my first coconut. Good times.

Of course, this is where i burnt my back....for the first time in years. Oh the joys.

Also, i made the fire service team, after training to get my strength back :D.

We had a college wide game of capture the flag. With wada 2 an 4 against 3 and 1. Was a brutal and hilarious night. To run around in the dark, jump across roofs and end with many casualties. Unfortunately, wada 3 and 1 won. I blame that on their extra people and advantage of more closed off wadas :p.

Its theatre season at MUWCI. So far, i have seen Angels in America, worked lights and sound for Chandalika (starring my room mate Joyti), Lost in the Borderline (picture can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/uwcmahindracollege doesn't do the play justice though) and i am so excited for Mamma Mia this weekend.

Link to all the performancs. http://issuu.com/uwcmahindracollege/docs/theatre_season_2014.

Toot toot beetroot.

Sarah :).

January

Hi,

Costa Rica is heating up but no silly sunburn yet! Again I have been very busy especially since the end of Trimester 2 is upon us, so I'll explain my 2014 Costa Rican experience so far in pictures.

Snake in my Psychology class!

Excited for something!

My new roommate Chiara from Austria arrived!

Me and Julia chillin' like villains.

Mal Pais (one of the residences) traffic light party!

Ready for Hatchet!! Which is a 2 day hike and a night camping. We had 2 groups who were going to start at either end and cross over in the middle to camp together. However my group got to the camp site and the others didn't therefore we didn't risk going to the hard route the next day so we came back down the easier route that we previously climbed. Butt we had to improvise with tents as we had little and not all the pieces, the other group had the rest, and we did not have a lot of food  also we had the fuel but the other group had the stove soooo dinner didn't happen. When we got off the mountain we ran to Mas X Menos to buy so much food, it was amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K-4xNgiqxk&feature=youtu.be    -here is the link to an amazing video of  my Hatchet experience, made by Julian, a student who helped lead it.

Morning views on Hatchet!

Sunrise across beautiful Costa Rica, on Hatchet!

Our school organised and UHMAZING TEDx event which consisted of many incredible and inspiring talks by students, teachers, explorers, professionals, a rap by a guy from La Carpio, a light show and sooooo much more. There was great food and great people, my fellow Cahuita girls Vilde and Becca gave INCREDIBLE speeches!! It was a good chance to get out into the community in such a great way!

Mingling with friends and teachers at TEDx   :)

Also many national committees, national and international board members visited our school for meetings and the TEDx event. It was great to meet so many people, and even my national committee, from all over the world and hear their stories, I even got a present off Sarah from a guy from Mahindra who visited my school, that was a nice surprise. Of course he had to do a double look because he thought I was Sarah at first! We also had a BBQ with all the members and our school to do something nice seeing as we're all together and also to commemorate Nelson Mandela, who was the honorary president of UWC.

Oh and also there was an earthquake!! I was sitting alone in the study room when it happened, not fun, but fun in retrospect!!

So that's all I can think of for now! Now to go work for my end of Trimester 2 exams anddd it's LGBT week next week so I have that to look forward to.

Adios,

Alison :) <3