We only arrived in Costa Rica about three weeks ago. And in those three weeks we have been slightly introduced to a new culture much different than our own. Besides that we have been taught something we had never learned in school- How to teach your native language to those who do not speak it. It is kind of a wild concept. But, now that I understand it a bit better I do not think it is so crazy and I am actually excited to become a teacher. I think what I want mostly in this world is to touch the lives of others or leave the world better than when I came into it. I know that teaching doesn't always have such a dramatic effect, but based upon my previous jobs I would say that this is the closest I have been to reaching positive change. Individual people do have the power to influence society and the world for the better.This weekend was a pretty eventful and good one for me. On Saturday I met with Rocio from Centro Canadiense where she is a teacher. We met in Coronado and took the bus to San Jose. She was scheduled to teach her group of adolescents from 2-5. But, we arrived in San Jose before 11 AM. So, she showed me around the center and asked if there was anything in particular I would like to do. At this point I knew I needed a cell phone and having a native Spanish-speaking Costa Rican with me was my best bet! I absolutely could not have obtained a cell phone without her help. As a foreigner, you need your passport with you to get a cell phone. I only had a copy so Rocio had to sign for it. This does not put her at a liability though because my phone is pre-paid. Apparently, I got a 5,000 colones discount and a land line. Rocio said it was because I am a "macha" (aka blondie) and it was a man who waited on us. After you obtain the cell phone, you go upstairs and wait about 2 hours to get it activted. In Costa Rica is it typical to wait for everything. The motto is more or less- "What's the rush?".
After the cell phone acquisition we had a short lunch before class at "Spoon" in the same building as Centro Canadiense. Rocio had a carne wrap that looked more like a grilled paninni. I had "sopa negro" which was black bean soup accompanied with white rice, avocado, hard boiled egg, and tortilla chips. It was delicious, but around 3,600 colones most likely my salary per hour. After a delicious lunch we headed to Rocio's classroom. Her students entered shortly after with a laid-back and non-serious mentality. I don't think most of them took the course seriously, but I think a factor was primarily their ages. In Costa Rica not all students are expected to go to college. A primary reason why many people learn English is for jobs because of all the companies that have moved here from other countries most likely for cost-advantage. Her students have a project coming up that entails them to create their own businesses in groups, much like many projects I have completed in college and post-graduate. Some had ideas on making a company selling all different brands of shoes- something common in the U.S. and I believe Costa Rica. Others had ideas of making "feminine product containers" for ladies’ purses. I cannot stereotype all her students as "lazy" because some were very serious. After they brainstormed for their products they had an exam. The test consisted of listening and speaking exercises. I was able to help Rocio with this by individually listening to the half of the students read an excerpt. Then I was to evaulte the students on their reading comprehension. I noticed some common errors that most of them had made. The words of difficulty included "behave, discipline, and embarrassed". It was good to sit in on a different class other than Centro Agricola where all our student teaching and observation had taken place. After class, Rocio and I grabbed a coffee and split a desert. She told me more personal things about her life, family, and friends. She told me that she will be my friend and to come to her if I ever need anything. In a country where you hardly know more then two-handfuls of people this means a universe.
After the cell phone acquisition we had a short lunch before class at "Spoon" in the same building as Centro Canadiense. Rocio had a carne wrap that looked more like a grilled paninni. I had "sopa negro" which was black bean soup accompanied with white rice, avocado, hard boiled egg, and tortilla chips. It was delicious, but around 3,600 colones most likely my salary per hour. After a delicious lunch we headed to Rocio's classroom. Her students entered shortly after with a laid-back and non-serious mentality. I don't think most of them took the course seriously, but I think a factor was primarily their ages. In Costa Rica not all students are expected to go to college. A primary reason why many people learn English is for jobs because of all the companies that have moved here from other countries most likely for cost-advantage. Her students have a project coming up that entails them to create their own businesses in groups, much like many projects I have completed in college and post-graduate. Some had ideas on making a company selling all different brands of shoes- something common in the U.S. and I believe Costa Rica. Others had ideas of making "feminine product containers" for ladies’ purses. I cannot stereotype all her students as "lazy" because some were very serious. After they brainstormed for their products they had an exam. The test consisted of listening and speaking exercises. I was able to help Rocio with this by individually listening to the half of the students read an excerpt. Then I was to evaulte the students on their reading comprehension. I noticed some common errors that most of them had made. The words of difficulty included "behave, discipline, and embarrassed". It was good to sit in on a different class other than Centro Agricola where all our student teaching and observation had taken place. After class, Rocio and I grabbed a coffee and split a desert. She told me more personal things about her life, family, and friends. She told me that she will be my friend and to come to her if I ever need anything. In a country where you hardly know more then two-handfuls of people this means a universe.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with an indirect friend. To be exact- my mother's best friend's counsin's good friend, Soltir. I had met a wonderful person at more or less, my (indirect) sister's wedding. Her name is Bonnie. She is a middle-aged woman with an equally amazing husband who has a home near the Volcan Arenal volcano. She also lives in the United States. I sent her an email a few weeks after arriving in Costa Rica letting her know I was here and that I would like to see her the next time she comes here. She let me know that she wouldn't be back until Novemember, but she had two very close friends who live outside of San Jose. She gave me his email. He has been so kind and considerate since the first email I received. Ironically, he works for Centro Cultural, a great school in San Pedro, Heredia, and Cartago. He was kind enough to assist me and my friend, Emily with interviews this Wednesday. Yesterday we met him by the church in Guadalupe (Costa Rica rarely has addresses- they find things by landmarks making for a confused Gringa). He took us to his home to meet his family. He has a great partner, Tommy, loving and close mother, and is now the grandpaw of three new Chihuahuas. He and Tommy are vegetarians. So, for lunch they made a delicious vegetable soup kind of like the soup I ate the day before. It came with potatoes, corn, cabbage, zuchinni, etc. Then we added the accompaniments of soy protein and rice. It was one of the best home-made meals I have had yet in Costa Rica. Brownies with walnuts were for desert. After eating, Soltir projected Google earth on his white blank wall and virtually showed us around Costa Rica. He advised where we go on short trips and longer ones. He also showed us around Costa Rica which is a small country and also told us where we should never visit. I showed his some pictures of my dog back home and trips that I have been on from my facebook page. Afterwards, we played with the new-born pups whom we witnessed taking their first steps. It was such a lovely day and great again to meet some new people who are caring enough to not know us well, but take the time out to help us get adjusted to this new country.I am looking forward to this week ending. I would like the interview processes to be over. Also, if we (fingers crossed) get these jobs we would have a break before we start teaching and start working. In that 5-6 day span, it is time to actually start traveling. Time to see the country and experience Pura Vida for ourselves.
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