Just wanted to write a quick update. The aftershocks had finally started to slow down until we had another earthquake yesterday! A 5.6 at 2:29 pm. We turned on the news immediately and the epicenter of this one was also in Sámara. (This is the beach town where I studied Spanish at last year. )
The news has said that this could go on for about 3 weeks, and to expect another earthquake that is at least a 6, until all of the energy is released from the subduction zone. Well I hope the Costa Rican news crews are just like those of Florida when it comes to hurricanes: "hunker down! this is going to be a big one!" and then the hurricane turns and misses Florida altogether.
So far, since yesterday's quake we have not felt any movement at all. Not even any aftershocks followed the earthquake yesterday. Maybe it is all done now. I sure hope so.
We did have a crazy aguacero yesterday. It POURED rain for 6 whole hours. No lie. I guess that's not much different from Florida, though. One of the bridges from Cóbano flooded out yesterday making it completely un-driveable. (That shouldn't be a surprise if you read my description of the dinky bridges in one of my previous posts). The river was rushing over the bridge so you couldn't even tell what was the road and what was the river.
Tomorrow is our first day back to school since last Wednesday's earthquake. Let's pray that the seismic activity does not start again so that this teacher can stay calm for her kiddos.
This coming week is semana civica because Costa Rican independence day is on Saturday. Throughout the entire week we have activities at school, a few activities after school in town and on Saturday a parade. So a super busy week for us all at school.
Buenas noches.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Earth-shaking Update!
I wish I could say that I just woke up from a very long nightmare. That's what I feel like, but this is no bad dream. Yesterday, at 8:42 am the ground started crumbling beneath me, literally. That is when the 7.6 magnitude earthquake shook the Nicoyan Peninsula.
I was in my fifth grade class in the middle of a math lesson. I had just propped myself on top of the table while my kids were copying something down. I felt the table shake lightly so I said "está temblando." Tremors are common and somewhat frequent since we are situated on top of the Cocos and Caribbean plate boundaries. A lot of times these tremors go unnoticed, but I tend to feel them since I am not accustomed to them.
Anyways, I thought I felt a tremor so I got off the table and told the kids and that's when it really started. I honestly don't remember what I said, but I got all of the kids out of the classroom and I ran out behind them.
The ground was like jello and people could barely stand. I felt like I was running at a 45 degree angle to the ground. I remember seeing the swing-set swaying as the ground buckled beneath it. It seems like it took me forever to run just that short distance because it was so hard to move with all the movement beneath me, but once I finally stopped I had two crying kids wrapped around my waist who weren't even my students. I was looking at one of the buildings and how it was moving and thinking 'this really is not happening.'
It seemed to last forever, it really did, but within minutes after the quake ended cars rushed into the school and flustered parents bursted out of said cars looking for the students. I'll be honest: I was wishing my momma was there to wrap me in her arms also. I couldn't stop shaking for several hours.
Maybe ten minutes after the quake, a caravan of cars and trucks loaded with people began passing the school. They are coming from the direction of Montezuma and toward Cobano. Someone hangs up a phone and says that Montezuma is now under a tsunami warning. Our school is high enough that we didn't need to be concerned, but it was still quite alarming to me.
Needless to say classes were cancelled for the rest of the day, all the children had gone home and the town was without electricity and water. (We are still without water...) The teachers had a little meeting to survey the damage and discuss the natural disaster and how it was handled. Other teachers were saying that this was the strongest earthquake they had ever felt! That is coming from Costa Rican natives who are somewhat used to quakes--so imagine how strong it felt for me! I did experience one earthquake last year when I was studying in Heredia. It was my first one and was strong at the time (I think a 5 something), but it was nothing compared to this monster!
We have had countless after shocks since yesterday morning. Last night we were all having a candle-light dinner and the table starting shaking. We listened on the radio and that was a 3 something on the richter scale. We all slept in the same room last night and everytime there was a tremor I would gasp and then hear "tranquila Morgan." I don't know who was more scared, me or the 9 year old. Last night was definitely a time where I was very thankful to live with a host family. I kept checking the time and I may have dozed off once or twice. I was shaken awake, though, at 3:07 am. Come to find out, that 3 am "tremor" was more of another earthquake than a tremor because it rang in at a 5.1 on the richter scale.
Just felt another one. I'm still so nervous. Just when you think it's over, there's more. I heard on the news that the tremors could continue for several weeks! Also it is possible that we could have another severe earthquake in this area in the coming month or two. That's not for geologists to decide though. Only God knows.
By the way, I'm at home because the President of Costa Rican cancelled all schools in Cobano and several nearby towns for the rest of the week until all school can be inspected for structural damage. Wouldn't exactly call it a day off though because my Principal has called me 3 times already today. I was supposed to be getting work together for two students who are going out of town. I'm not a complete procrastinator to the point that I hadn't done it. I had their packets ready, but in all of the craziness yesterday, I completely neglected to give them to them.
So against my wishes, I had to venture into town. I was to meet the parents in front of the copy store because they needed to copy a few pages from the textbooks. I also needed to pick up the copies I had sent in on Monday. (Remember, the school doesn't have a copy machine). The copy store always delivers the copies to school for us, and mine were due back yesterday, but clearly that did not happen.
Anyways, I went into the copy shop and I couldn't believe my eyes. The entire ceiling had fallen down and ceiling tiles were everywhere. It made everything so real again.
From watching the news, I learned that yesterday's earthquake was the second strongest that has ever affected Costa Rica. The shocking part is that as strong as the quake was, the damage was relatively minor. Things could have been a whole lot worse.
I think it is tremoring again right now. Or I'm feeling things. I'm honestly not sure.
Here are a few pictures I took after things stopped moving:
Back at home, everything was in disarray. Things were all over the floor, and many glass things broke. A tv fell and cracked. Milk flew off the counter and many of the kitchen cabinets were emptied out. My bed (a heavy beast) was moved out of place and the contents of my bathroom were tossed about. Water splashed out of the toilet, too. Yuck. A few cracks, but thankfully no major structural damage.
I was in my fifth grade class in the middle of a math lesson. I had just propped myself on top of the table while my kids were copying something down. I felt the table shake lightly so I said "está temblando." Tremors are common and somewhat frequent since we are situated on top of the Cocos and Caribbean plate boundaries. A lot of times these tremors go unnoticed, but I tend to feel them since I am not accustomed to them.
Anyways, I thought I felt a tremor so I got off the table and told the kids and that's when it really started. I honestly don't remember what I said, but I got all of the kids out of the classroom and I ran out behind them.
The ground was like jello and people could barely stand. I felt like I was running at a 45 degree angle to the ground. I remember seeing the swing-set swaying as the ground buckled beneath it. It seems like it took me forever to run just that short distance because it was so hard to move with all the movement beneath me, but once I finally stopped I had two crying kids wrapped around my waist who weren't even my students. I was looking at one of the buildings and how it was moving and thinking 'this really is not happening.'
It seemed to last forever, it really did, but within minutes after the quake ended cars rushed into the school and flustered parents bursted out of said cars looking for the students. I'll be honest: I was wishing my momma was there to wrap me in her arms also. I couldn't stop shaking for several hours.
Maybe ten minutes after the quake, a caravan of cars and trucks loaded with people began passing the school. They are coming from the direction of Montezuma and toward Cobano. Someone hangs up a phone and says that Montezuma is now under a tsunami warning. Our school is high enough that we didn't need to be concerned, but it was still quite alarming to me.
Needless to say classes were cancelled for the rest of the day, all the children had gone home and the town was without electricity and water. (We are still without water...) The teachers had a little meeting to survey the damage and discuss the natural disaster and how it was handled. Other teachers were saying that this was the strongest earthquake they had ever felt! That is coming from Costa Rican natives who are somewhat used to quakes--so imagine how strong it felt for me! I did experience one earthquake last year when I was studying in Heredia. It was my first one and was strong at the time (I think a 5 something), but it was nothing compared to this monster!
We have had countless after shocks since yesterday morning. Last night we were all having a candle-light dinner and the table starting shaking. We listened on the radio and that was a 3 something on the richter scale. We all slept in the same room last night and everytime there was a tremor I would gasp and then hear "tranquila Morgan." I don't know who was more scared, me or the 9 year old. Last night was definitely a time where I was very thankful to live with a host family. I kept checking the time and I may have dozed off once or twice. I was shaken awake, though, at 3:07 am. Come to find out, that 3 am "tremor" was more of another earthquake than a tremor because it rang in at a 5.1 on the richter scale.
Just felt another one. I'm still so nervous. Just when you think it's over, there's more. I heard on the news that the tremors could continue for several weeks! Also it is possible that we could have another severe earthquake in this area in the coming month or two. That's not for geologists to decide though. Only God knows.
By the way, I'm at home because the President of Costa Rican cancelled all schools in Cobano and several nearby towns for the rest of the week until all school can be inspected for structural damage. Wouldn't exactly call it a day off though because my Principal has called me 3 times already today. I was supposed to be getting work together for two students who are going out of town. I'm not a complete procrastinator to the point that I hadn't done it. I had their packets ready, but in all of the craziness yesterday, I completely neglected to give them to them.
So against my wishes, I had to venture into town. I was to meet the parents in front of the copy store because they needed to copy a few pages from the textbooks. I also needed to pick up the copies I had sent in on Monday. (Remember, the school doesn't have a copy machine). The copy store always delivers the copies to school for us, and mine were due back yesterday, but clearly that did not happen.
Anyways, I went into the copy shop and I couldn't believe my eyes. The entire ceiling had fallen down and ceiling tiles were everywhere. It made everything so real again.
From watching the news, I learned that yesterday's earthquake was the second strongest that has ever affected Costa Rica. The shocking part is that as strong as the quake was, the damage was relatively minor. Things could have been a whole lot worse.
I think it is tremoring again right now. Or I'm feeling things. I'm honestly not sure.
Here are a few pictures I took after things stopped moving:
 |
| my 5th grade classroom |
 |
| next door in 9th grade |
 |
| two rooms down in first grade |
 |
| portions of the cement wall between us and the neighbors came tumbling down, knocking a tree down too |
Monday, August 20, 2012
22 candles.
I have been here, there, and everywhere except my computer to write a blog post. The simplicity of life here is so great. It is such a change to be "unplugged" but a good one at that. There are days that I don't turn my computer on at all, and I neglect my cell phone even more. You can usually find me swinging in a hammock with my nose in my kindle.
I was on a mini staycation so blogging was not on my mind and when I returned I neglected work, such as exam writing, to catch up on. Two weeks ago I got the best birthday present ever, but I had to wait until 8 pm to pick it up from the bus station--nothing happens fast around here. My momma, my poppa, and my tía Barbara came to visit me!
We had a blast. Or at least I did. They didn't much care for the humidity and lack of air conditioning. Now they know my new way of life, though.
I was thinking back to last year on my birthday I did something I had never imagined I would do: I got my first tattoo! That was so adventurous for me, but I didn't do anything daring this year. Then I realized, HELLO! Morgan you have taken a huge leap of faith and are living and working in in a foreign country! Now if that doesn't rate high on the list of "craziest things Morgan has ever done," then I don't know what does.
We stayed in this beautiful house for the week while my family was here. It was right on the ocean in Montezuma. The house is a two-story with the bedrooms upstairs. There ended up being a twin sized bed on the porch upstairs that I claimed. Aside from the mosquitoes, it was so nice sleeping outside and having the sound of the ocean lull me to sleep. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz! And the sunrise! A written explanation can not do it justice. I only got bit by one spider (YIKES!) and it wasn't even while I was sleeping outside.
I got to show my parents and aunt some of my favorite places and spaces, and introduce them to typical Costa Rican cuisine. They now know the little town that is the center of it all, my school, and the people and house that I've come to call my home away from home.
I think what most surprised them was the trip getting here. No, not the 2 hour 45 minute direct flight with airconditioning and snack. It's the half-day journey to get down here to Cóbano. Getting from the airport to the correct bus station in downtown San Jose, then taking the bus, the ferry, more bus, stopping in Cobano, unloading your luggage and switching busses to finally arrive in Montezuma. Oh and then pulling the luggage up the hill on the unpaved road to finally arrive at the hotel. No need to take a taxi when you have legs that work, right?!
I obviously don't live in the hotel, so I can cut the last part about getting to Montezuma out of my personal travel itinerary. Nonetheless, it is quite a trek to get all the way down here in the Southern Nicoya peninsula. I guess I should be a little proud of myself for having now done that trip two times by myself. I kind of felt like a pro, making sure my family had their luggage off the bus and that we switched to the correct bus after we met in Cobano. It does make things a whole bunch easier that I speak Spanish, too.
On my actual birthday I had to work, but it was so nice of the country of Costa Rica to make the day after my birthday a national holiday. I really do appreciate it, Costa Rica. My students sang to me in five different languages! (I really don't know how they knew it was my birthday because I didn't tell them...) When I woke up my host family stood outside my door and serenaded me with Cumpleaños Feliz and my host mom baked a tres leches cake, which was to die for!
This post is so out of order because it follows my train of thought! Where was I? August 2nd, I had the day off from school so we basically just spent the day in Cobano. I gave them the grand tour that lasted all of 5 minutes. Cobano is just soooo BIG. not. But we saw iguanas just chilling. It's funny how used to iguanas I am now. Yea, that's an iguana running across the road. Nonetheless it was fun to "play tourist" and whip out my camera.
To the left you see the center of town. That is the only four way intersection in these parts. Do you see any traffic lights? Me either.
And to your right we have the local post office on the left half of the building and police station on the right.
Then Thursday night we went downtown Montezuma for dinner and a movie at Sano Banano. The closest movie theater is about 3 1/2 hours away, so you go to the restaurant instead because they show a movie every night at 7.
Friday I had to work again and do some errands in town before heading back to Montezuma for the night. Saturday I woke up outside and it was so bright I thought for sure it must be at least 10 am. Nope, it was 6 something. Why not get up and enjoy where we are at?! We sipped our coffee, laced up our tennis shoes, and applied the sunblock and bug spray. We headed to the cataratas. (waterfalls). It had been a while since I had made the trek, and I can't say it was a complete success. I definitely missed my fearless Aggie leading the way.
I didn't remember being on any sort of trail when I hiked this last year. I'm climbing over rocks looking back at my dad and aunt crawling on their hands and knees. When my mom saw a trail above us I figured I just didn't remember the trail from last year. So we crawled back over the rocks and hoisted ourselves up onto the slippery red clay.
Well I should have trusted my instinct. Turns out the trail did not lead where I wanted to go. The trail led up, up, up and I am not so fond of heights. It led to a point across from the top of the waterfall. If we would have not taken the trail we would have ended up at the pool at the bottom of the waterfall; however, the view from the top was spectacular also!
After nearly killing my family on the climb, I led them on yet another adventure on this fine Saturday morning. We took a bus to Mal Pais/ Santa Teresa. What do you mean a bus ride is not an adventure? I am soooo glad I do not have to make that trip from Mal Pais to Cobano everyday...what was I thinking when I was considering moving there?! 40 minutes on a bus, up and down those rocky mountainy roads. The bridges. That's what gets me everytime. The bridges are maybe a foot wider than the width of a bus. And that's a generous estimate. And there are no guard rails on these bridges. I'm getting nervous just typing this. Uhh.
Monday, back to school back to school. Are you bored of reading this blog post yet?
Can you tell I'm kind of bored of writing it?
Where was I? Monday. Oh yes. My family met me at work to see the school and meet my students. I really enjoyed that. Now they have can put faces to names when I tell stories, and they can see where I spend 40 hours of my life each week.
My kids are still talking about when mi familia came to visit. The funniest thing was the day after my parents came to school, one of my boys asked me "is your dad a police officer?" "No, why?" Turns out they were quite intimidated by him, his serious demeanor, and his size! My boys started flexing their muscles and one boy made this serious face that [until then] only my dad can make--lower the chin, furrow the eyebrows, and gaze upward. Oh children......
I was on a mini staycation so blogging was not on my mind and when I returned I neglected work, such as exam writing, to catch up on. Two weeks ago I got the best birthday present ever, but I had to wait until 8 pm to pick it up from the bus station--nothing happens fast around here. My momma, my poppa, and my tía Barbara came to visit me!
We had a blast. Or at least I did. They didn't much care for the humidity and lack of air conditioning. Now they know my new way of life, though.
I was thinking back to last year on my birthday I did something I had never imagined I would do: I got my first tattoo! That was so adventurous for me, but I didn't do anything daring this year. Then I realized, HELLO! Morgan you have taken a huge leap of faith and are living and working in in a foreign country! Now if that doesn't rate high on the list of "craziest things Morgan has ever done," then I don't know what does.
 |
| throwback to 2011 |
We stayed in this beautiful house for the week while my family was here. It was right on the ocean in Montezuma. The house is a two-story with the bedrooms upstairs. There ended up being a twin sized bed on the porch upstairs that I claimed. Aside from the mosquitoes, it was so nice sleeping outside and having the sound of the ocean lull me to sleep. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz! And the sunrise! A written explanation can not do it justice. I only got bit by one spider (YIKES!) and it wasn't even while I was sleeping outside.
 |
| Casa Sol, our home in Montezuma for the week |
 |
| view from the house! |
I got to show my parents and aunt some of my favorite places and spaces, and introduce them to typical Costa Rican cuisine. They now know the little town that is the center of it all, my school, and the people and house that I've come to call my home away from home.
 |
| first found this rock last year; such a peaceful place to sit |
I think what most surprised them was the trip getting here. No, not the 2 hour 45 minute direct flight with airconditioning and snack. It's the half-day journey to get down here to Cóbano. Getting from the airport to the correct bus station in downtown San Jose, then taking the bus, the ferry, more bus, stopping in Cobano, unloading your luggage and switching busses to finally arrive in Montezuma. Oh and then pulling the luggage up the hill on the unpaved road to finally arrive at the hotel. No need to take a taxi when you have legs that work, right?!
I obviously don't live in the hotel, so I can cut the last part about getting to Montezuma out of my personal travel itinerary. Nonetheless, it is quite a trek to get all the way down here in the Southern Nicoya peninsula. I guess I should be a little proud of myself for having now done that trip two times by myself. I kind of felt like a pro, making sure my family had their luggage off the bus and that we switched to the correct bus after we met in Cobano. It does make things a whole bunch easier that I speak Spanish, too.
On my actual birthday I had to work, but it was so nice of the country of Costa Rica to make the day after my birthday a national holiday. I really do appreciate it, Costa Rica. My students sang to me in five different languages! (I really don't know how they knew it was my birthday because I didn't tell them...) When I woke up my host family stood outside my door and serenaded me with Cumpleaños Feliz and my host mom baked a tres leches cake, which was to die for!
 |
| My "sisters" and I with the yummy peach tres leches cake |
This post is so out of order because it follows my train of thought! Where was I? August 2nd, I had the day off from school so we basically just spent the day in Cobano. I gave them the grand tour that lasted all of 5 minutes. Cobano is just soooo BIG. not. But we saw iguanas just chilling. It's funny how used to iguanas I am now. Yea, that's an iguana running across the road. Nonetheless it was fun to "play tourist" and whip out my camera.
To the left you see the center of town. That is the only four way intersection in these parts. Do you see any traffic lights? Me either.
And to your right we have the local post office on the left half of the building and police station on the right.
Then Thursday night we went downtown Montezuma for dinner and a movie at Sano Banano. The closest movie theater is about 3 1/2 hours away, so you go to the restaurant instead because they show a movie every night at 7.
 |
| belated-birthday dinner |
I didn't remember being on any sort of trail when I hiked this last year. I'm climbing over rocks looking back at my dad and aunt crawling on their hands and knees. When my mom saw a trail above us I figured I just didn't remember the trail from last year. So we crawled back over the rocks and hoisted ourselves up onto the slippery red clay.
Well I should have trusted my instinct. Turns out the trail did not lead where I wanted to go. The trail led up, up, up and I am not so fond of heights. It led to a point across from the top of the waterfall. If we would have not taken the trail we would have ended up at the pool at the bottom of the waterfall; however, the view from the top was spectacular also!
 |
| this only shows the top two-thirds or so of the fall! |
The bus ride back from Mal Pais wasn't 40 minutes, just 30. Is the trip back shorter, you ask? No, it's not. The bus driver clearly wasn't getting paid by the hour. We sat in the back of the bus, and I think we all have a little brain damage now. One of my friends was further up toward the front of the bus and she asked me later, why were you guys screaming back there? We were flying around, that's why. I think that bus ride is something you won't understand until you've done it.
Sunday we were supposed to go to Isla de Tortuga and I was so excited because it is soooo pretty there. It was a gorgeous day, too. Our trip got cancelled though, because the seas were too rough. Makes me wonder how our trip was not cancelled last year....
 |
| Tortuga trip in 2011 |
Monday, back to school back to school. Are you bored of reading this blog post yet?
Can you tell I'm kind of bored of writing it?
Where was I? Monday. Oh yes. My family met me at work to see the school and meet my students. I really enjoyed that. Now they have can put faces to names when I tell stories, and they can see where I spend 40 hours of my life each week.
 |
| Mom and I on the playground (classrooms behind us) |
 |
| my 5th grade class--just so cute! |
So after reading this, who else is ready to come visit me?! Any takers??? I wish I could share this wonderfulness I have found with each of you in person, but until then I will have to share it with ya'll through this blog.
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
...and BINGO was his name-o!
So yes it has been an adjustment living with others, as I had just gotten the hang of flying solo in my 3 bedroom condo 7 minutes from the beach in St. Augustine. (it makes sense if you know how that all came about, haha!)
Anywho, I realized what a gift it is to have this host family. Not only do I have this job that I LOVE, but I get to learn the culture even away from school. Alright so I haven't slept on any floors, but I am learning how to live, eat, and yes, even cook!
Eat rice and beans for breakfast. More rice and beans with lunch, and more with dinner. Yes, this explains why I had to buy new shorts again when I was back in the states a few weeks ago. Meep. And soup you eat with your hands. Like there will be a chicken leg and corn on the cob and such in your soup, so you literally have to pick it out of your soup to eat it. I don't know how I feel about that.
As far as cooking goes, I did learn a few of the basics when I was in Heredia last year, but when I was home a few weeks ago I realized I haven't learned any new recipes. I am living with an absolutely amazing cook, so she's started teaching me a thing or two in the kitchen. (No promises that I will be able to duplicate Costa Rican cuisine as she cooks without recipes.)
I am learning to laugh at the absurdities such as the random horse tied to the fence outside of the grocery store waiting for its master to shop. Or the school dog. We are an environmentally friendly school--in English Escuela Futuro Verde means School of the Green Future--so we have a compost bin among other projects. Any food that we don't eat, and any scraps from cooking go into a separate garbage can. At the end of every day, this can is emptied into the compost bin. So Monday afternoon I'm sitting outside in the cafeteria (yes, it's outside) trying to check a thing or two off my to-do list and the dog who lives on campus was just helping itself to the chicken bones in the compost. He kept going and getting bone after bone and cleaning any remaining meat off the bone. I was like 'this is so gross and he might choke!' but then I realized that it actually tickled me a bit and I began to laugh at what was happening.
On Sunday my host family asked me if I wanted to go to BINGO with them. Sure, why not? We brought our own chairs, because they said there may not be seating left. Is BINGO really that popular here? I was told we were going to the store where I bought my cell phone. Well I assumed that meant the little cafe across from the store or something, because why would we go to Gollo, a furniture and appliance store, to play BINGO.
My assumptions were wrong. We arrived at Gollo, and good thing we brought our own chairs because all of Cóbano, Santa Teresa, and Mal País decided to come to Gollo that day too. Is this real life? All these people here to play BINGO?!? Yes. The townsfolk had parked themselves on the display couches and those who were standing were resting their BINGO cards on washing machines.
 |
| hello entire population of Nicoyan peninsula! |
 |
| my card, which proved numerous times not to be the winning card |
however, I am not the proud owner of a blue bike with a basket on front. Viene, viene, viene, viene, VIENE! I was sooo close to winning a twin size mattress. Hahaha! It was great watching people win all this stuff! From frying pans, to tables, to bikes, to bar stools and umbrellas. At one point one of the employees even began throwing free pillows to the crowd from the second floor of the store.
Despite the fact that I left without winning any new possessions, I won something even better: a simple, yet delightful experience of playing BINGO the tico way.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
caballito
Did you know that tic-tacs could melt? I didn't know that either, but apparently they will melt in Costa Rica. Yes, it is that hot.
I found a trail of ants in my room this morning. I've known not to keep food in there ever since the ants beat me to eating my raisins. So what could they be after? I followed the trail to my backpack and into my backpack. My pens? I stuck my hand in the zipper pocket with my pens to find some orange goop. If it smells like a tic-tac and tastes like a tic-tac, then it must have [at one time] been a tic-tac.
All ya'll Floridians can quit complaining to me about how hot it is in Florida right now. Is it hot enough to melt tic-tacs? Didn't think so. And are you complaining about the heat while sitting in an air-conditioned building also cooled by a ceiling fan? Mmmhmm. That's what I thought. Until you don't have air-conditioning and a ceiling fan, then no complaining!
How did you watch the opening ceremony on Friday? I watched it in Spanish with my tica family. Did you have a snack or a beverage during the ceremony? We did...we had coconuts straight of the tree in the backyard and agua de pipa to drink. That's right. Chop 'em in half with a machete, pour the juice into a cup (or drink straight from the coco with a straw if you so prefer), and eat the rest with a spoon. Pretty cool, huh?
On Wednesday we had a celebration at school for the Annexation of Guanacaste holiday. I've learned why the Costa Rican school year is 200 days instead of 180...those extra 20 days are spent partying! So Wednesday there were more cancelled classes, and an assembly. The students shared dances, skits, poems, bombas and more. The colegio students had made typical food to sell at the festival.
All of the pre-k and kinder students dressed up with the full skirts or the white button up, scarf and hat and they were just the cutest little things.
Some of my students performed a dance and it was just so great. I can't take credit for teaching the dance to them, but they made me proud to be their teacher. Take a look:
I found a trail of ants in my room this morning. I've known not to keep food in there ever since the ants beat me to eating my raisins. So what could they be after? I followed the trail to my backpack and into my backpack. My pens? I stuck my hand in the zipper pocket with my pens to find some orange goop. If it smells like a tic-tac and tastes like a tic-tac, then it must have [at one time] been a tic-tac.
All ya'll Floridians can quit complaining to me about how hot it is in Florida right now. Is it hot enough to melt tic-tacs? Didn't think so. And are you complaining about the heat while sitting in an air-conditioned building also cooled by a ceiling fan? Mmmhmm. That's what I thought. Until you don't have air-conditioning and a ceiling fan, then no complaining!
How did you watch the opening ceremony on Friday? I watched it in Spanish with my tica family. Did you have a snack or a beverage during the ceremony? We did...we had coconuts straight of the tree in the backyard and agua de pipa to drink. That's right. Chop 'em in half with a machete, pour the juice into a cup (or drink straight from the coco with a straw if you so prefer), and eat the rest with a spoon. Pretty cool, huh?
On Wednesday we had a celebration at school for the Annexation of Guanacaste holiday. I've learned why the Costa Rican school year is 200 days instead of 180...those extra 20 days are spent partying! So Wednesday there were more cancelled classes, and an assembly. The students shared dances, skits, poems, bombas and more. The colegio students had made typical food to sell at the festival.
All of the pre-k and kinder students dressed up with the full skirts or the white button up, scarf and hat and they were just the cutest little things.
Some of my students performed a dance and it was just so great. I can't take credit for teaching the dance to them, but they made me proud to be their teacher. Take a look:
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Blame it on the Remolacha
I had THE weirdest dreams last night. I can't even begin to recount all of the crazy things that occurred last night in my sleep. They were so vivid that I woke up and felt like I had actually experienced some of the bizarre happenings.
I went in the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee and said good morning to my host mom. ¿Cómo durmió? We always ask each other how the other person slept last night. She began to tell me it was a strange night. Not only did she dream all night long (even though I know we always dream all night), but she also said her dreams were quite vivid and rather odd. Cosas feas.
We both recounted our dreams and laughed at how odd they now sound when being retold.
Now I don't know the science behind this, but I like an explanation when I can have one. She says oh it's probably something we ate last night. We had porkchops, which we don't have so often. She asked the girls if they had crazy dreams. Nope. Scratch pork chops off the list. We all had the same things for dinner.
Wait, wait. It's the remolacha! The beets. The girls didn't have beets, but the two of us did. Could it be the remolacha?
I went in the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee and said good morning to my host mom. ¿Cómo durmió? We always ask each other how the other person slept last night. She began to tell me it was a strange night. Not only did she dream all night long (even though I know we always dream all night), but she also said her dreams were quite vivid and rather odd. Cosas feas.
We both recounted our dreams and laughed at how odd they now sound when being retold.
Now I don't know the science behind this, but I like an explanation when I can have one. She says oh it's probably something we ate last night. We had porkchops, which we don't have so often. She asked the girls if they had crazy dreams. Nope. Scratch pork chops off the list. We all had the same things for dinner.
Wait, wait. It's the remolacha! The beets. The girls didn't have beets, but the two of us did. Could it be the remolacha?
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
windows and doors
I really like the fact that the school where I work is
open-air. Windows? Doors? Who needs them. I also love the natural light. I much prefer natural light to overhead
fluorescent lighting. Just ask my
environmental science professor from Flagler…
opening the blinds was always my preference rather than turning on the
lights…
My fifth grade classroom has an overhead light, but I never
turn it on. You see we have a wonderful
“sky light” if you will. More like a
hole in the roof where iguana tails hang from and make me have a slip of the
tongue with some sort of profanity that luckily my students do not understand.
(now say that three times fast!) So
really the natural light is brighter than the artificial light so I don’t even
think to flip the switch.
My sixth grade classroom doesn’t have any lighting except
for what shines from the sun, but honestly I didn’t realize that until just the
other day when someone pointed it out.
Not a big deal.
The sky light in my fifth grade room is actually nice—not
only does it provide light but even a little breeze every now and then. Today I had planning at the end of the day
and I was actually being somewhat productive compared to my usual plan
time. I typically get distracted by
something outside or become sedated by the tranquil music drifting in from yoga
class.
 |
| view from my 6th grade classroom |
I don’t even know why I have written four paragraphs about
this already. It seems like the more I
speak Spanish, the less I am able to communicate in English. My spelling is verging on atrocious, when I
once was the spelling bee champion of Lake Mary Elementary School back in the
day. Stucco. S-T-U-C-C-O. Stucco.
Where was I? Oh
yes. There was a storm, a tormenta to be
precise, during my plan time today. It
actually got so dark that it was necessary for me to get up and turn the lights
on. And then it started pouring. And
thundering and lightning. And there are
children, running and screaming. (there
went my productivity). I learned that my
sky light/ hole in the ceiling is not so convenient during a storm. Not only was I catching a nice breeze that
literally blew my dress up, but leaves were blowing in from above. And then the rain. Combination of wind, rain, hole in the roof,
plus windows without glass in them = run for cover, but where?
Today would have been a day for the paisley boots…
On an unrelated note, this week I believe that I realized my purpose in this country...
 |
| to share the deliciousness of JIF peanut butter |
 |
| and to introduce Milkbones to the dogs of Costa Rica |
...consider my mission accomplished!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)