What you might want to concider is building one out of corrugated plastic ( SPAD ) first, till you get the hang of it.I mean, you smash it up, 20 minutes with a hot glue gun, another prop, and you're back in the air. IMHO, bipes fly pretty mych like any other sport plane. It's the landings that will get ya. You have to land at about the same speed as it takes to take off. I have seen a couple models out there that have like a 3 - 5 degree dihedral, on the top wing, but none on the bottom. I don't really understand the reasoning behind that. It seems to me the wings would be fighting each other for control ... but then again, that's probably why I'm sitting here at my house on the internet instead of in a corner office at NASA.
I have to agree with Bruce, there really isn't a gracefull easy flying bipe unless you get one of those foamie park fliers.
I don't know how easy corrugated plastic is to find there, but it'd be worth it in the end. I'd start off small though say .40 size, and a box of APC 11x5 props.
Best of luck in whatever you decide.