OT - Pura Vida in Costa Rica!!!
- ChrisLaughlin
- Posts: 2054
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
OT - Pura Vida in Costa Rica!!!
Okay, so as I sat down to write this post there was a rumble, the floor
starting shaking, the walls started rattling, and we got up and ran
outside as fast as we could. That's right - earthquake! Well, it was just
a little one, but it was really wild to feel the world shaking underneath
me. Earthquakes... I guess I'll have to get used to this.
You're probably asking yourself - 'Earthquakes?!?!? Where the heck IS
that boy?!?!' The answer is COSTA RICA!! After six months in Mexico I've
come down to Costa Rica to do my masters in international law and human
rights at the UN mandated University for Peace. It's heaven.
Costa Rica is ridiculously beautiful. I just returned from a three day
weekend, during which time I swam in some of the most beautiful beaches
I've ever seen, saw two volcanoes, drank coconut juice and rum by the
pool, got a fantastic tan, and improved my Spanish while dancing salsa
and merengue in the company of my beautiful Latina escorts and Latino
bodyguards. Life here is rough indeed.
Classes are superb. I've got 33 students in my program, from all over the
world and from a wide range of backgrounds. They are all brilliant,
interesting and have had amazing, amazing experiences. It is also the
best-looking group of students I've ever had the honor to be a part of.
The classes work on a block system, with core professors, top in their
field, and visiting professors from all over the world who come to
lecture for a week or so. Right now I've got three classes, International
Law, Human Rights and Peace Studies. My law professor is from Iceland and
a former judge on the International Tribunal for Law of the Sea. he spent
four years on the beaches of Costa Rica writing his book. My Human Rights
professor is from Brazil and has done all sorts of ridiculously cool
things - she was a professor at Cambridge in England just before she came
here. She also bears the distinction of being the most ridiculously,
downright hot teacher I've ever had. I had lunch with her and some of the
equally hot alumni/TAs (one of whom is my law professor's daughter!!!)
today and they were talking about how she (my Human Rights professor) has
way too much tequila and it needs to be finished so we've got to have a
tequila party soon. Doh! The Peace studies class is taught by a rotating
group of professors, each doing a week at a time. We read like heck (150
pages of international law for tomorrow's class), have tons of work, but
damn if we don't have a good time as well!
The campus is ridiculously beautiful - basically one huge garden on the
side of a mountain, with a small, yet beautiful, cluster of buildings for
classes, research, etc. Our student lounge has showers, a kitchen,
lockers, ping-pong, computers with high-speed internet, outdoor barbeque
pits, cable TV, a stereo... just in case we want to camp out on campus
for a couple days. Ping-pong is the unofficial school sport, and I must
say that I'm getting pretty good. We're working on getting together a
soccer league as well.
Weather is wonderful in the morning and then we usually get a storm in
the afternoon, but it's not that bad. It never gets too hot here nor too
cold - just right. It's rainy season right now, but come November it'll
get a bit warmer and a lot less rainy and will stay that way until May.
That's when I plan to do all my 'studying' outside.
I'm taking a real liking to Latin music and dance and trying to figure
out how I could mix Irish and Latin - I think it's just a matter of time.
They're both so much fun - I think if we mixed them together it might be
dangerous.
I'm immersing myself in research about modern day slavery and plan to be
a real authority by the end of the year. Right now I'm reading a superb
book on the subject called 'Disposable People' by Kevin Bales. I highly
recommend you pick it up at the library or book-store. It's an intense
read, but extremely well written and worth knowing. I'm in the process
at the moment of contacting him, Anti-Slavery International, and the
American Anti-Slavery group to see whether I might be able to do my
thesis in cooperation with them, making it something useful to their
organizations, and hopefully have it published as one of their official
documents. We'll see how it all works out and I'll be sure to let you
know as things work themselves out. No promises, but it's good to start
moving in the right direction.
Class representative elections are coming up next week and I've been
nominated as a candidate for rep for the law program. It would be a lot
of work, but really good work and I'd be happy and excited to do it. I'd
also be happy to have anyone else in the class do it as everyone else
seems more qualified - but hey, if it happens it happens and I'll do my
best. It's cool because it doesn't seem to be competitive thing in our
class, which I would hate to be a part of. I'll let you know how it all
turns out.
So, yeah, Costa Rica is pura vida (pure life). Every day I feel more
blessed, honored and just full of joy to be here. It's hard not to smile.
Be in touch.
Peace, love and lots of fun!
Chris
P.S. - Here are links to some photos from a recent UPeace party. I
thought you might enjoy them
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4 ... ode=invite
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4 ... ode=invite
starting shaking, the walls started rattling, and we got up and ran
outside as fast as we could. That's right - earthquake! Well, it was just
a little one, but it was really wild to feel the world shaking underneath
me. Earthquakes... I guess I'll have to get used to this.
You're probably asking yourself - 'Earthquakes?!?!? Where the heck IS
that boy?!?!' The answer is COSTA RICA!! After six months in Mexico I've
come down to Costa Rica to do my masters in international law and human
rights at the UN mandated University for Peace. It's heaven.
Costa Rica is ridiculously beautiful. I just returned from a three day
weekend, during which time I swam in some of the most beautiful beaches
I've ever seen, saw two volcanoes, drank coconut juice and rum by the
pool, got a fantastic tan, and improved my Spanish while dancing salsa
and merengue in the company of my beautiful Latina escorts and Latino
bodyguards. Life here is rough indeed.
Classes are superb. I've got 33 students in my program, from all over the
world and from a wide range of backgrounds. They are all brilliant,
interesting and have had amazing, amazing experiences. It is also the
best-looking group of students I've ever had the honor to be a part of.
The classes work on a block system, with core professors, top in their
field, and visiting professors from all over the world who come to
lecture for a week or so. Right now I've got three classes, International
Law, Human Rights and Peace Studies. My law professor is from Iceland and
a former judge on the International Tribunal for Law of the Sea. he spent
four years on the beaches of Costa Rica writing his book. My Human Rights
professor is from Brazil and has done all sorts of ridiculously cool
things - she was a professor at Cambridge in England just before she came
here. She also bears the distinction of being the most ridiculously,
downright hot teacher I've ever had. I had lunch with her and some of the
equally hot alumni/TAs (one of whom is my law professor's daughter!!!)
today and they were talking about how she (my Human Rights professor) has
way too much tequila and it needs to be finished so we've got to have a
tequila party soon. Doh! The Peace studies class is taught by a rotating
group of professors, each doing a week at a time. We read like heck (150
pages of international law for tomorrow's class), have tons of work, but
damn if we don't have a good time as well!
The campus is ridiculously beautiful - basically one huge garden on the
side of a mountain, with a small, yet beautiful, cluster of buildings for
classes, research, etc. Our student lounge has showers, a kitchen,
lockers, ping-pong, computers with high-speed internet, outdoor barbeque
pits, cable TV, a stereo... just in case we want to camp out on campus
for a couple days. Ping-pong is the unofficial school sport, and I must
say that I'm getting pretty good. We're working on getting together a
soccer league as well.
Weather is wonderful in the morning and then we usually get a storm in
the afternoon, but it's not that bad. It never gets too hot here nor too
cold - just right. It's rainy season right now, but come November it'll
get a bit warmer and a lot less rainy and will stay that way until May.
That's when I plan to do all my 'studying' outside.
I'm taking a real liking to Latin music and dance and trying to figure
out how I could mix Irish and Latin - I think it's just a matter of time.
They're both so much fun - I think if we mixed them together it might be
dangerous.
I'm immersing myself in research about modern day slavery and plan to be
a real authority by the end of the year. Right now I'm reading a superb
book on the subject called 'Disposable People' by Kevin Bales. I highly
recommend you pick it up at the library or book-store. It's an intense
read, but extremely well written and worth knowing. I'm in the process
at the moment of contacting him, Anti-Slavery International, and the
American Anti-Slavery group to see whether I might be able to do my
thesis in cooperation with them, making it something useful to their
organizations, and hopefully have it published as one of their official
documents. We'll see how it all works out and I'll be sure to let you
know as things work themselves out. No promises, but it's good to start
moving in the right direction.
Class representative elections are coming up next week and I've been
nominated as a candidate for rep for the law program. It would be a lot
of work, but really good work and I'd be happy and excited to do it. I'd
also be happy to have anyone else in the class do it as everyone else
seems more qualified - but hey, if it happens it happens and I'll do my
best. It's cool because it doesn't seem to be competitive thing in our
class, which I would hate to be a part of. I'll let you know how it all
turns out.
So, yeah, Costa Rica is pura vida (pure life). Every day I feel more
blessed, honored and just full of joy to be here. It's hard not to smile.
Be in touch.
Peace, love and lots of fun!
Chris
P.S. - Here are links to some photos from a recent UPeace party. I
thought you might enjoy them
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4 ... ode=invite
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4 ... ode=invite
- glauber
- Posts: 4967
- Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: I'm from Brazil, living in the Chicago area (USA)
- Contact:
Why? If they're still friends, they should be happy for him!
He's living la vida loca!
He's living la vida loca!
On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog!
--Wellsprings--
--Wellsprings--
- ChrisLaughlin
- Posts: 2054
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- MurphyStout
- Posts: 737
- Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: San Francisco
God damn, I don't think I've ever been so envious... I'm thinking about starting a new rumble thread out of jealousy. But I guess I'll have to settle for being way better looking than you, way better at ping pong than you could ever be (even if you played 24 hrs a day for your whole life), and the fact I'm now the better flute player between the two of us Seriously though, I'm glad you're having a blast down there and that there are some sexy women too(and it sounds like shootin' fish in a barrel if you take my meaning, which I think you do). I couldn't be happier for you! It sounds like a trustifairies dream come true.
take it easy,
Jack
take it easy,
Jack
No I'm not returning...
-
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 6:00 pm
It's good to hear you're taking an interest in Latin music. I've been doing salsa and merengue for nearly two years now, ocassionally I do a bit of cha cha too. Hopefully I'll be able to start flamenco in the not too distant future. As to mixing Irish and Latin music, well, L.E. McCullough tried that in his Feadanista album. I've not heard and haven't managed to find it for sale anywhere yet (I would like to get a copy). There's also Salsa Celtica, a half-Salsa half-Scottish group. Personally, I don't think there music works, having a funky proper slasa turn into a jig or reel. Just sounds too weird for me. I'm learning to play just straight salsa on my whistle and bouzouki, which is fun.
TTFN.
TTFN.
- TomB
- Posts: 2124
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: East Hartford, CT
Turtle: Did you see this link?pipingturtle wrote:As to mixing Irish and Latin music, well, L.E. McCullough tried that in his Feadanista album. I've not heard and haven't managed to find it for sale anywhere yet (I would like to get a copy).
TTFN.
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=14223
All the Best, Tom
Edited to include the link- Doh!
"Consult the Book of Armaments"
- Jens_Hoppe
- Posts: 1166
- Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2001 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Cees
- Posts: 783
- Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Tell us something.: I became interested in the beauty and versatility of Irish whistles and music over 20 years ago when I first found the Chiff boards. Yes, I do have WHOA, and I love my whistles. :)
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
- Contact:
- ChrisLaughlin
- Posts: 2054
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
Jim -
I really hate to break it to you, but I'm a tenor too!
In college I travelled all over the US and also to Italy performing in a 70 person choir. I can't say being in choir helped much when it came to picking up women... well, except for that one time when I was singing in the Duomo and when I sat down to wait for the next movement some young Italian girl ran up, right in the middle of the concert, and gave me a note that said....
Well, nevermind.
Just to make you all feel better, today I had two of the worst lectures I've ever had the misfortune to experience.
Best,
Chris
I really hate to break it to you, but I'm a tenor too!
In college I travelled all over the US and also to Italy performing in a 70 person choir. I can't say being in choir helped much when it came to picking up women... well, except for that one time when I was singing in the Duomo and when I sat down to wait for the next movement some young Italian girl ran up, right in the middle of the concert, and gave me a note that said....
Well, nevermind.
Just to make you all feel better, today I had two of the worst lectures I've ever had the misfortune to experience.
Best,
Chris
- Azalin
- Posts: 2783
- Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Location: Montreal, Canada
- Contact:
Okay, what *did it* say? Please telll meeeeee!!! I'm just imagining the wildest things right now.ChrisLaughlin wrote:well, except for that one time when I was singing in the Duomo and when I sat down to wait for the next movement some young Italian girl ran up, right in the middle of the concert, and gave me a note that said....