día del maestro costarricense

I have no motivation to do anything.  Nothing at all productive.  So I thought I'd write a blog post.

Last Thursday was día del maestro costarricense (Teacher's Day in Costa Rica).  We still had classes on Thursday but Friday was feriado to allow the teachers the chance to spend the day celebrating together.  We had gone back in forth in the previous weeks' staff meetings about what we would do with this day off.  The original idea was to go to Arenal, but that turned out to be a tad bit too expensive.  It was finally decided that we would spend the day at Isla de Tortuga!

The American girls, waiting.

I went to Tortuga last year while on our weekend trip to Montezuma, and I was very happy to return.  Not only is the island BEAUTIFUL, but the boat you take to get there also takes you out to go snorkeling.  Last year I saw the most exotic, colorful fish I have ever seen.

It really surprised me to learn how many of the Costa Rican women that I work with don't know how to swim!  I thought, oh it's just because I'm from Florida, but they live closer to the ocean than I did while in Florida.  One of the Tica teachers held on to me so tight while we were wading into the water to get on the boat.  Every time a little wave came, everyone screamed!

Safe and secured in their life vests!















It takes about 45 minutes to get to Isla Tortuga from Montezuma and it is so beautiful along the way.  (Although the water was too choppy for my liking)  From the water I saw the waterfall that Isabelle and I had gone horseback riding to.

I promise the waterfall is bigger when you are at it!

The water was soooo clear that it was just gorgeous.

Unfortunately, I did not see all of the beautiful fish while snorkeling this year.  The guide said there had been red tide.  I'm glad I have the memory of seeing them from last year.

Back on the island we had a feast.  I had chicken, others had fish, and no one went vegetarian.  You see, there was one vegetarian, but she had recently "changed her classification." ;)

We went exploring and found all these beautiful rescued birds.  There was also a rumor of a pig that lives on the island.  Oh and there was this big gift shop.  Not a huge deal, but it was large and I have no recollection of it being there last year.  I asked the lady how long they had been there and she told me 12 years.  I felt dumb.  Or blind.  Because I definitely don't remember seeing that last year.

we bought hats

and shared them with our coworkers, of course!

Here are the birds.  The green birds were easy access.  I did in fact venture past the sign that said nobody beyond this point because I wanted to take a better picture.  My excuse was going to be that I did not read Spanish, but then I realized the sign was in English too.

BFF's

I no read Spanish, but I see you back there birdy...

so I came a little closer.

After lunch and before making my American skin not so stark white, I made it my mission to find the pig.  She has a name, a really weird one; so weird that I cannot remember it.  Jiminella maybe?  I think her snout is really cute, and if you look close enough, she has eyelashes.
I found her!  She kind of looks mean in one picture, but she's not.

I think she's smiling in this picture to the right, don't you?!















I petted her too. I didn't even bribe her with food.  I just oinked until she came my way.   She was very wiry:  like a porcupine.  Although, I've never petted a porcupine, but I guess she was how I think a porcupine would be.

Mission accomplished.  We spent the rest of the day basking in the sun.  We also had the option of taking another shot at the snorkeling at a different location,  but many of us stayed back in fears of getting sea sick before the 45 minute boat ride back home.
So we just enjoyed looking at this:

What a beautiful way/day to spend getting to know my coworkers outside of the school setting.

La Luna

Fun and tasty review in sixth grade science today! I think today's science lesson was the quietest and most attentive I have had in a LONG time with that group.

And no, my phases of the moon are not in order, but at least you can see what every phase looks like!

Thanksgiving in Costa Rica

Thanksgiving translates to día de acción de gracias, but just because it translates doesn't mean it is celebrated here in Costa Rica.  Pilgrims came to America after all.

Since I teach at an International Bilingual school, I decided it would be appropriate to include a few Thanksgiving lessons for my students.  My fifth grade class is all from Central American countries, so I planned for them to watch a short movie explaining the Pilgrim and the Indians and how the first Thanksgiving came about.  After discussing the meaning and tradition of Thanksgiving they each wrote down what they are thankful for this year.  

I only had 4 students that day (out of 7),  but I put this outside our classroom so others could see
My favorite is the top left:  his brother just had a major heart surgery.

After writing and drawing about what we are thankful for,  I took my class out to the mango trees (our favorite place to go for read alouds) to read Thanksgiving at the Tappleton's.  This was all on Wednesday, because I don't have English with my fifth graders on Thursdays.  

For those of you who don't know the story, Mrs. Tappleton opens the door for the milkman in the morning and the turkey slips and goes sliding down the icy hill.  She just can't tell the Mister.  So Mr. Tappleton goes to pick up the pies, but the line is extremely long so he goes to the nearby cafe to have a cup of coffee.  When he goes back to the pie shop, they are all sold out so he asks for two empty boxes tied up with string.  He can't let Mrs. Tappleton.  You can predict the rest of the story.  One by one, each person responsible for a dish has a mishap.  The Tappleton's all sit down for dinner and one by one they confess to why their portion of the meal is not at the table.  They come to realize that the important part is that they are all together.  It doesn't matter what they eat;  in fact, they end up eating sandwiches.

Well, my fifth graders loved the story.  More than I expected actually.  We were talking about the story afterwards, and one of the students asked if we could have a Thanksgiving.  Then another suggested we could eat sandwiches, just like the Tappletons.  So they got together and planned who would bring what.

Instead of our normal lunch on Thursday, we stayed in the classroom.  I moved my table/desk toward the center of the room.  Since I only have one chair, I pulled each of their desks up around the table.  I sliced up the tomato, someone washed the lettuce, the boys went to bring juice from the lunchroom, and the rest helped prepare the sandwiches in assembly line style.  (Ham and cheese, by the way).

I was kind of unsure what to do next, because I really felt the need to pray before a Thanksgiving meal, but the school specifically does not teach religion.  God solved that before I could blink, because one of the boys asked if he could pray before we ate.  Then I told my kids that my family always goes around the table and says at least one thing they are thankful for.  They were very thoughtful and said meaningful things.  After one student said she was thankful for her family, and her friends, she said "and I'm thankful that Teacher shared her tradition of Thanksgiving with us."  That almost put a little tear in my eye.  So sweet.  

First Annual Thanksgiving at EFV!  All happy and healthy :)

I really enjoyed our ham, cheese, lettuce, and tomato sandwich Thanksgiving.  I was sitting there eating my sandwich and thinking what a bittersweet day it was:  I couldn't be in Florida with my family, but I was part of making a new memory for my seven fifth grade students.

Also, one of the American moms came around and gave all the teachers mini pecan pies.  My mom always makes pecan pies, since it is my brother's favorite, so it was nice to have a little taste of home.  

yummmmm

Thursday night, one of the American staff at EFV, invited me and the other American teaching staff over to her house for a pot luck style Thanksgiving.  It was 6-8:30 or whenever you could get there.  I know I got there more than fashionably late, but the group I was coming with had some of the food, as did I, so I knew it wouldn't be a problem.  I'm on Tico Time now.  Seriously.

Anyways, it was soooo wonderful.  We had a Turkey!  That's actually a big deal here.  Usually you have to go to capital, San José, to buy a turkey, but this year someone was smart and asked the supermarket in advance if they would order a few for Cóbano.  I was telling my host mom and her friend about Thansgiving, as I was waiting for my ride to arrive.  They both said they had never eaten turkey.  That's so hard to believe.  One of the tica teachers also came to the Thanksgiving, and she said it was her first time eating Turkey.  

My camera was misbehaving and the flash would not function, so my pictures are not so fantastic.

Nicole and her BF, Brian

TURKEY!!!! and delicious rolls

Serving line on the washing machine!

Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, veggies, and a roll!
Only missing something cranberry. (Not to be found in Costa Rica)

Thanks to Kim (behind the stairs) we had Turkey!  

la mesa

And we even had dessert...

apple pie.  The crust was made by the EFV students during cooking class.

Sarah's passion fruit bars garnished with Ylang Ylang flowers

Melissa, Nicole, and I: fat and happy.

Although I was not with my family this Thanksgiving, for Thanksgiving 2012 I am thankful for the new "family"  that gathered this Thanksgiving and gave me the special feeling of togetherness usually felt on Thanksgiving.  Maybe my story is the reverse of the Tappleton's.  We had all the traditional Thanksgiving foods, but we were missing our loved ones from back home.  Of course we were grateful for the food, but the most important part was that we could all come together and enjoy each other's company!

BLESSINGS!

Wedding Crasher

I'm a wedding crasher.  I went to a wedding that I wasn't invited to, and I had never met the couple that was getting married.  I have become such a rebel.  not.

My host family was going, and promised me it would not cause a problem if I went.

Did I bring wedding attire?  I didn't think my paisley boots should make an appearance in the Catholic church of Cóbano.  I borrowed a LBD (little black dress) from my host mom, and dug out the one pair of wedges I brought with me.  I somehow put my hair in an updo in like 5 minutes.  Not sure how, because I am not good with updos;  I just know how hot that church is (no AC, remember!) and I wanted to do something a little different than my normal low messy bun with a flower clip.

The wedding started at 3 pm, tico time.  We left the house at 3:05 and we arrived before the bride.  What I realized halfway through the ceremony is that there was not a bridal party.  Just 4 children--2 flower girls and 2 ring bearers, and the bride and the groom.  That certainly saves a LOT of drama!

Maybe I just watch too many TLC wedding shows, but for all the stress, and time and money that goes into planning an American wedding--having to have everything perfect, with every t crossed and every i dotted.  I was so impressed by the beauty of this tico wedding.  Why?  The simplicity made it so beautiful.  She forgot to carry her bouquet, as she walked down the aisle, and when someone gave it to her at the reception, it was just like oops!  Whereas, it would have been catastrophic if that happened to any TLC bride.

I am always astonished by the huge figures that are spent on food and booze for a wedding in the US.  None of that here. A group of women who attend the church of the bride gathered together in the morning of the wedding.  They cooked the main dishes and a few little appetizers.  We ate off of plastic plates, and drank from plastic cups.  Everyone left with full bellies and I didn't here any complaints.

Here are a few pictures from the wedding:

the setup 

the bridal party

here comes the bride

during the ceremony

signing and making the marriage official

where the reception was held

decorations at the reception

admiring their cake  (she just may be wiping a tear!)

?????suggestions?????

Do any of my readers know anything about obtaining grants to purchase books for my classroom??  I have not had any luck finding international grants...

Or does anybody know how to solicit donations for books??  Are there any non-profit organizations that do this?

I want my students to be exposed to quality literature, but I found out today that any books that I want my students to read during the school year will have to be purchased on my own dime....

One of the challenges of working in a third-world country.

Please e-mail me if anyone knows of a way to obtain cheap/free books or any international grants.

mhill996@alumni.flagler.edu

THANKS! :)

Cooking 101

Today I had another cooking class with my host mom.  Last weekend we made chimichurri, which was actually a lot easier than I expected.  I think chimichurri is the same as pico de gallo, which is just a fresh, flavorful, non-spicy salsa.

This week I asked to learn how to make arepas.  I mean, I know how to eat them, but what am I to do when I go home for Christmas?  I can't bring my host/ chef with me!  Well, now I know why arepas please my taste buds so much:  they are basically just a dough of sugar and flour.  Who wouldn't like them?

Although I never had the chance to cook with my Nana, I have a feeling that cooking with Nana would have been very similar to cooking with Guiselle.  No measurements.  Just eyeball it.  Or until it looks right or tastes right.  I don't know how well I will duplicate arepas once I am back in the states.

If I can get the dough right, then I know I can do the rest.  I was having trouble making my arepas flat, and they were far from round.  Guiselle is on the other side of the stove just pat-pat-patting perfectly round circles.  And so fast too!  She taught me how to work my fingers, and it turned out much easier.

The round ones are "plain," or just the cooked sugar dough.  The semi-circle ones are filled with a mixture of crumbled cheese and white sugar.

adding cheese before folding

I made this one!

The arepas turned out well and just as I was finishing cooking the last few, she made the coffee.  It's custom here to have afternoon coffee and a snack; usually a bread, empanada, etc.

So I went outside to enjoy my coffee and arepas in front of the Christmas tree.  That's right:  Christmas tree already.  I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that Costa Rica is entering into SUMMER now as the Christmas decorations are going up!

Happy Friday!

Oh and I'm going to a wedding tomorrow, so I'm pretty pumped about experiencing a Costa Rican matrimonio.