 Snowy’s Costa Rican update
It’s been 18 months since I bid farewell to the shores of England and a full two years since I used a hockey stick in anger. Looking back, it’s been a life-changing experience and quite different from cold Tuesday nights running shuttles in Guildford!
My wife, Abby, and I moved to Guanacaste in Costa Rica in July 2013 to work for educational charity Abriendo Mentes (which means opening minds). It gives local people access to enhanced education and employment opportunities by offering a fun, free and engaging program of English, technology and extra-curricular activities such as sport and art. This is a rural region, where the education system could be better, so we are working to help families break the cycle of poverty through improved education.
Costa Rica is a beautiful country, very green and tropical and we live right next to a quiet beach lined with palm trees and white sands. We speak Spanish everyday with local people and I’ve been trying my hand at surfing although I’m pretty terrible, much to the delight of the local kids!
It’s been a huge transition to move out here but as we approach the two year stage we are thinking of what the future may hold and it looks like we will be moving back closer to home at some point during 2015. You never know, you might even see me back on a hockey pitch next season!
A huge hola! To all of my Guildford friends, I do keep track of all the results and enjoy sitting down to an amusing Gondoliers match report every now and again!
You can find out more about the charity and even how you can come and volunteer here.
I am also running a marathon around a volcano in February for Abriendo Mentes. Please visit my fundraising page here.
https://www.crowdrise.com/volcanorun/fundraiser/richardjulian
All the best
Richard (Snowy)
| 
