Another week in the books and the settling in process continues to go smoothly. We GREATLY enjoyed our trip to Esterillos Oeste last weekend. The beach was practically deserted. I know it's rainy season but still! The beach itself is very wide and very very long, so the few people who were there could spread out from each other nicely. We enjoyed a lively game of three-on-three two hand touch football on the beach and some frolicking in the waves. The pacific beaches are quite wavey so swimming isn't always an option, but I have been told that the seasons effect the waves quite a bit. The high of the day's activities was listening to Ivan explain why football should not be called football, as he (correctly) pointed out that the ball is rarely kicked and in fact the ball isn't shaped like a ball. His suggestion is that we change the name from football (which confuses the Latinos anyways because futbol to them is soccer) and instead call American football "egg arm", because you are using your arm to throw an egg-shaped ball. Of course.
At school, we had back to school night and I got to meet some of my students' parents. So far, everyone seems quite nice. I am still waiting for "but" to come in at some point, however, so far everything at work is going along busily and swimmingly.
Back at the compound, we are easing into some enjoyable weekly routines. On Fridays, we have continued the trend of having small parties to celebrate the end of the week. This week, we had some rousing games of Bananagrams and Cards Against Humanity. On Fridays, Michelle and I also roll down to the community center near our apartments for a free Zumba class. It's so enjoyable. The people are so nice, there are kids running around and no one is showing up looking all pretentious with matching spandex and diamond earrings. It's a great way to close the work week out. On Saturdays, we hit the market. I am getting really good at shopping at the market, knowing what to get and how much to get. Nothing has gone to waste yet so I am pleased with my process so far. Today at the market, I met a lovely Venezuelan father and son pair because I was wearing my Magallanes hat. The Magallenes are my favorite Venezuelan baseball team and the father was wearing the rival team's hat! They were so nice and I so enjoyed meeting them. Ivan says it's sad I am meeting all the nicest Venezuelans not in Venezuela.
Tomorrow Ivan and I are excited to join a scooter gang that travels around on Sunday mornings to visit nice places outside of San Jose. Ivan found them on Facebook and is really pumped to talk scooters with the gang members. I told Ivan that this gang isn't going to be nearly as cool as my Grandfather's biker gang. Scooters can't top a bunch of old guys on Harleys! But then again, I have never heard of a scooter gang so this could prove interesting. Either way, it will be a great little adventure to close out our fifth week in Costa Rica!
August 22, 2015
August 15, 2015
Un mes esta en el pais de Pura Vida
And just like that, we have lived in Costa Rica for a month. I can't decide if I feel like I have lived here for a year or three days- some days it seems like I've been here forever and other days (particularly those when I get lost) I feel like I just stepped off the plane. Either way, we continue to explore and enjoy our new home!
We've taken the bike out to the burbs of San Jose a time or two now with no incidents. Despite my naysaying, we haven't dropped her yet. We also still haven't decided on a name, so she will continue being "the baby". After my first practice session I have yet to try to drive her again myself. Ivan has gotten so comfortable on it that for the meantime I think that I am just going to backseat drive. We are hoping to take a trip to one of the closer beaches in the next few weekends!
Speaking of beaches, we are looking forward to a number of beach trips in the coming weeks. Tomorrow we are heading out with a few friends to Esterillos Oeste, a small, tucked-away beach about two hours from San Jose. This is the beach that all the teachers who have been here for a while rave about. The second weekend of September, we are road tripping to Guanacaste, the peninsula on the pacific side where most of the famous tourist beaches are, for the Tamarindo Marathon. We've rented a very nice house that sleeps 12 and while Ivan and others run anywhere from 5km to a marathon, I will be waking up late and meandering to the finish line to cheer them on! The last weekend of September I am REALLY excited because SARAH LINKE SKANCKE IS COMING TO VISIT ME. I've taken a Friday off of work and she and I are going for a weekend escape! I could not be more excited to host one of my dearest and oldest friends as my first guest! She has also promised to be my pack mule so I am thrilled to get magic erasers and peanut butter. At least now I don't have to request toilet paper.
School is going GREAT. I LOVE my job and my department. I am so enjoying getting to know the students. They are really wonderful young people. I got a great surprise this week as well when the assistant principal for the secondary school came into my office and asked if I would be the speaker for the senior awards ceremony! He said that the administration thought that I would be a good choice because of my "energy". Guess they have me pegged already! I was honored to be asked and I am excited to write my speech. I have also been excited to teach the 10th grade advisory class about character and careers. We have had some amazing discussions on character qualities, growth mindset and grit. The kids have really taken to it and it makes me so happy to help students engage with this content. My favorite comment so far came from a shy 10th grade boy whom I heartlessly called on as he was obviously trying to make himself as small as possible in his desk in the back of the classroom. I had asked the question "how do we define character" and had some good responses but none that really nailed it. So I called on Mr. Back Seat Hider and after a minute of reflection (or sheer fear) he said "Character is how people remember you." Boom. I was floored. Did I mention I love my job?
I also love getting to know the new cohort of people I came here with as well as the returning teachers. Living in the compound is really expediting the "getting to know you" process. As in, last night, we were having happy hour in one of the girl's apartments when we realized that Rob, the token single straight guy of the building, had a girl coming over for a date. So of course we all descended upon his apartment to help him clean it and hang pictures before her arrival. And then we accidentally spilled a huge glass of red wine all over the floor. Poor Rob. But in all seriousness, everyone is so nice and accepting. I know this because I was supposed to go out with a lot of the crew last night and instead fell asleep with all of my going out clothes on at 9:30 and no one gave me a hard time. Pura Vida, right?
August 9, 2015
Our First Three Weeks as Ticos
I have walked around half of San Jose. Eaten a lot of mangos. Been to the beach. Been to the jungle too. Seen a volcano (not too closely though). I've even made a doctors appointment over the phone all in Spanish ALL BY MYSELF.
So ya, I am going well here in the land of Pura Vida. It's been a whirlwind transition like any good transition is. On day two, Ivan and I moved into our tiny apartment. I am not going to lie: my Caracas apartment spoiled me. Moving into a very small, unfurnished apartment with no pool and tennis court almost did me in. I didn't cry, but I thought about it. It took about two weeks to get settled in and now I quite like the place; we've definitely made it our own. Before I arrived, I was determined to cook more and I am happy to report that, despite my tiny kitchen, I have made at least five full meals so far. Meals that included farmers market ingredients AND making necessary substitutes. #omgIamfinallyreallyreallyanadult.
Amazingly, and with the help from some incredibly nice co-workers, Ivan and I have purchased a MONSTER moped. Like, I didn't know they made mopeds this big. I know Mom. I can hear you now: BUT TRACEY WHY DO YOU NEED AN EVEN BIGGER MOPED YOU ARE GOING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED. Calmate Mom. This baby is going to take us to the beach! It's definitely more of a bike for the open road, so it will get us around town and out of town for those oh-so-necessary beach weekends as well. For now, Ivan is the primary driver while I practice turning right and going over speed bumps, but I'll get there. I am very excited about our upgrade and for us to get comfortable enough to hit the open road. She is lacking a name though, so we are taking suggestions!
School is, well, incredible. I am absolutely over the moon about my department head Monica. She and I are a two-woman college counseling show. Monica is a Tica who has been making some stellar changes to the department since she came a year and half ago. Last year it was approved to expand the department by one full time person....and here I am! I think we will make an excellent team. I also adore my secondary principal and the superintendent. They are both very progressive, nerd out on things like Grit and Growth Mindset and Character Education (LIKE ALL THE THINGS I LOVE AND READ ABOUT CONSTANTLY JUST FOR FUN) and are like. so. crazy. nice. and. welcoming. In fact, everyone here is so nice and welcoming! Ticos are very concerned that we gringos are happy and enjoying ourselves in the land of pura vida.
Enjoying ourselves we have been. I have a great cohort of new teachers to get to know. It's not hard getting to know each other either- the majority of us all live in the tiny apartments together. Our building is nine units and each unit is a Lincoln School teacher! Since the building is surrounded by a wall, we have been referring to it as "the compound", but really it's more like being in dorms again. If you are home and accepting visitors, you just keep your door open. People stop by, chat, swap beers and stories. Friday night we have an impromptu 90's dance party on the balcony. In fact, right now I write this post from my "office"- a small table on the balcony overlooking the street and the yonder mountains. It is nice to be close to people. We can help each other out and it makes commuting easy. It also makes getting to know each other happen rather inorganically, as we can all hear what everyone else is doing at all times (even over the din of traffic). My wish is that we all continue to get along as well as we have been!
The location of the compound is stellar. It's only 4k from school, next to a discount grocery store and walking distance from a much nicer (abet more expensive) grocery store, a strip mall of stores and restaurants (including a drive thru only KFC), a community center (where I partake in free zumba on Mondays and Fridays!), an awesome, inexpensive year-round Saturday farmers market and a real, serious, fancypants mall! The Lincoln Plaza is a serious business mall that makes me feel more like I am in Miami than San Jose. It's way nicer than any of the malls I frequented in the US for sure! A little farther down the road we can walk or bus to a Walmart, an EPA (like Lowes or Home Depot) or the Tibas or Morovia plazas which are surrounded by a variety of stores. Ivan has found a number of great running routes and one of them is a nice 5k loop that I have walked a couple of times. Even though we are technically in the rainy season, the weather has been unseasonably dry this year so we are all trying to be outside as much as we can.
All and all, the last three weeks have been good. I do have my moments. Sometimes I feel that things are just so "easy" here. Like San Jose is Latin America Lite. Sure, people run on Tico time and peanut butter is like a million dollars, but besides a few weird prices and inconveniences it is remarkably easy and manageable to live here. But then again, my bar is living in Venezuela. And I may be looking at it with rose colored glasses, but I kind of miss the challenge of living in Caracas. It certainly kept me on my toes. And I left all I knew and love for adventure, not drive through KFCs after all:). I'm sure I'll adjust to the easy life soon enough and shudder at the thought of going back to jetting out of work at a moments notice because there is milk in the store. But for now, I am letting myself mourn the loss of waiting in incredible lines, not being able to find toilet paper and spending over $1000 on plane tickets to the US. No really, I am missing my balcony, my friends, never having to spend money and my little moped Cindy. She certainly couldn't get me to the beach but she could take those speed bumps like a little champion.
So ya, I am going well here in the land of Pura Vida. It's been a whirlwind transition like any good transition is. On day two, Ivan and I moved into our tiny apartment. I am not going to lie: my Caracas apartment spoiled me. Moving into a very small, unfurnished apartment with no pool and tennis court almost did me in. I didn't cry, but I thought about it. It took about two weeks to get settled in and now I quite like the place; we've definitely made it our own. Before I arrived, I was determined to cook more and I am happy to report that, despite my tiny kitchen, I have made at least five full meals so far. Meals that included farmers market ingredients AND making necessary substitutes. #omgIamfinallyreallyreallyanadult.
Amazingly, and with the help from some incredibly nice co-workers, Ivan and I have purchased a MONSTER moped. Like, I didn't know they made mopeds this big. I know Mom. I can hear you now: BUT TRACEY WHY DO YOU NEED AN EVEN BIGGER MOPED YOU ARE GOING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED. Calmate Mom. This baby is going to take us to the beach! It's definitely more of a bike for the open road, so it will get us around town and out of town for those oh-so-necessary beach weekends as well. For now, Ivan is the primary driver while I practice turning right and going over speed bumps, but I'll get there. I am very excited about our upgrade and for us to get comfortable enough to hit the open road. She is lacking a name though, so we are taking suggestions!
School is, well, incredible. I am absolutely over the moon about my department head Monica. She and I are a two-woman college counseling show. Monica is a Tica who has been making some stellar changes to the department since she came a year and half ago. Last year it was approved to expand the department by one full time person....and here I am! I think we will make an excellent team. I also adore my secondary principal and the superintendent. They are both very progressive, nerd out on things like Grit and Growth Mindset and Character Education (LIKE ALL THE THINGS I LOVE AND READ ABOUT CONSTANTLY JUST FOR FUN) and are like. so. crazy. nice. and. welcoming. In fact, everyone here is so nice and welcoming! Ticos are very concerned that we gringos are happy and enjoying ourselves in the land of pura vida.
Enjoying ourselves we have been. I have a great cohort of new teachers to get to know. It's not hard getting to know each other either- the majority of us all live in the tiny apartments together. Our building is nine units and each unit is a Lincoln School teacher! Since the building is surrounded by a wall, we have been referring to it as "the compound", but really it's more like being in dorms again. If you are home and accepting visitors, you just keep your door open. People stop by, chat, swap beers and stories. Friday night we have an impromptu 90's dance party on the balcony. In fact, right now I write this post from my "office"- a small table on the balcony overlooking the street and the yonder mountains. It is nice to be close to people. We can help each other out and it makes commuting easy. It also makes getting to know each other happen rather inorganically, as we can all hear what everyone else is doing at all times (even over the din of traffic). My wish is that we all continue to get along as well as we have been!
The location of the compound is stellar. It's only 4k from school, next to a discount grocery store and walking distance from a much nicer (abet more expensive) grocery store, a strip mall of stores and restaurants (including a drive thru only KFC), a community center (where I partake in free zumba on Mondays and Fridays!), an awesome, inexpensive year-round Saturday farmers market and a real, serious, fancypants mall! The Lincoln Plaza is a serious business mall that makes me feel more like I am in Miami than San Jose. It's way nicer than any of the malls I frequented in the US for sure! A little farther down the road we can walk or bus to a Walmart, an EPA (like Lowes or Home Depot) or the Tibas or Morovia plazas which are surrounded by a variety of stores. Ivan has found a number of great running routes and one of them is a nice 5k loop that I have walked a couple of times. Even though we are technically in the rainy season, the weather has been unseasonably dry this year so we are all trying to be outside as much as we can.
All and all, the last three weeks have been good. I do have my moments. Sometimes I feel that things are just so "easy" here. Like San Jose is Latin America Lite. Sure, people run on Tico time and peanut butter is like a million dollars, but besides a few weird prices and inconveniences it is remarkably easy and manageable to live here. But then again, my bar is living in Venezuela. And I may be looking at it with rose colored glasses, but I kind of miss the challenge of living in Caracas. It certainly kept me on my toes. And I left all I knew and love for adventure, not drive through KFCs after all:). I'm sure I'll adjust to the easy life soon enough and shudder at the thought of going back to jetting out of work at a moments notice because there is milk in the store. But for now, I am letting myself mourn the loss of waiting in incredible lines, not being able to find toilet paper and spending over $1000 on plane tickets to the US. No really, I am missing my balcony, my friends, never having to spend money and my little moped Cindy. She certainly couldn't get me to the beach but she could take those speed bumps like a little champion.
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