Hola!
I've been enjoying all of the youngsters who come to visit their abuela, (grandma) my host Mom. The two 11 year old girls go to a wonderful little school called the Cloud Forest School where all of their subjects are taught in English. We visited the school yesterday and they are always looking for teachers if any of you are interested. The school is in the middle of a beautiful forest and focuses on environmental sustainability and English. The students work in a beautiful garden right "on campus"
and there are beautiful paths for nature walks. Took photos with my phone which I can't post here right now but it's a sweet school. There are some American students and many Costa Rican students on scholarships. I've learned that in Costa Rica they teach English in the public schools but it's like Foreign Language in the U.S., if the students don't use it outside of class, they don't get very fluent.
In a town like Monteverde it's very important to speak fluent English since the tourist trade is so big so families do what they can to send their children to private schools where all subjects are taught in English. Here's a photo of me and Ana getting ready to plant trees at Life Monteverde:
I'm posting photos I took at a hummingbird garden where there were so many hummingbirds it was a bit reminiscent of Hitchcock. The hummingbirds flew by so close to my head I could hear the buzzing of their wings. I loved it. Also posting the road leading to my house here, a photo of the Farmers Market here this morning - a bit different from Meridian but I felt right at home, and a photo of a delicious salad I had for lunch today at a restaurant called Morphos - with painted butterflies everywhere.
Tomorrow morning we leave for Playa Flamingo and our last home stay. It it's anywhere near as nice as my first two homestays I'll be happy.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
Two more days in Monteverde
Hola!
Just as I'm becoming acustomed to the routine with my host family in Monteverde, I'll move again on Sunday. I can't complain though because my next host family lives in Playa Flamingo - a block or two from the ocean! Both of the families I've stayed with so far are early risers and they go to bed early which works well for me. My host Mom serves me breakfast at 7:00 and here's what I've had so far: Empamadas with beans, eggs and toast, pancakes and today an omlette in a tortilla. Muy bien.
We eat breakfast and dinner with our host families and often eat in a restaruant for lunch. The avocadoes and mangos here are amazing!
Just in case you are wondering, I am doing quite a bit of curriculum work and homework while I'm here - it's not all about beaches and ziplining.
Here are some photos: A few of us getting ready to go ziplining, our group having lucnh at a great restaurant in San Juaqin called Super Snacks, a phot of me and some young women who were staying with my last host family and some of the young family members at the birthday fiesta for their grandmother who turned 80.
Just as I'm becoming acustomed to the routine with my host family in Monteverde, I'll move again on Sunday. I can't complain though because my next host family lives in Playa Flamingo - a block or two from the ocean! Both of the families I've stayed with so far are early risers and they go to bed early which works well for me. My host Mom serves me breakfast at 7:00 and here's what I've had so far: Empamadas with beans, eggs and toast, pancakes and today an omlette in a tortilla. Muy bien.
We eat breakfast and dinner with our host families and often eat in a restaruant for lunch. The avocadoes and mangos here are amazing!
Just in case you are wondering, I am doing quite a bit of curriculum work and homework while I'm here - it's not all about beaches and ziplining.
Here are some photos: A few of us getting ready to go ziplining, our group having lucnh at a great restaurant in San Juaqin called Super Snacks, a phot of me and some young women who were staying with my last host family and some of the young family members at the birthday fiesta for their grandmother who turned 80.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
More of Beautiful Monteverde
Hola!
I had an exciting morning here in Monteverde. We went on a zipline tour of the canopy of the cloud forest, which means we were above the trees. O.K., I know my family is amazed that I did this since I'm not much of a thrill seeker. It was so much fun! Riding on chairlifts in the mountains of Colorado was good preparation.
The other experience that has prepared me for life in Costa Rica would be spending time at our family cottage on Crystal Lake. Many of my colleagues here are complaining about the bugs in their houses but so far the cottage has more bugs in it than any place I've been here. They say Playa Flamingo is bugier though and I'll be there next week.
I didn't take my ipad with me on the zipline so I can post any pictures of it now but friends took videos and photos so I have proof!
We were already a very close group of people before the zipline tour, but that was definitely a team-building experience.
Below is a picture of me in a beautiful orchid garden that I toured after having an Agua Dulce Con Leche (My new favorite drink - sugar cane, water and milk) in the Orchid Cafe.
I'm also posting a photo of my host family here in Monteverde and a photo of me standing in front of a fountain at the school where I'm learning Spanish. Pretty nice looking school huh? When I'm sitting in class I watch the hummingbirds outside the window!
I had an exciting morning here in Monteverde. We went on a zipline tour of the canopy of the cloud forest, which means we were above the trees. O.K., I know my family is amazed that I did this since I'm not much of a thrill seeker. It was so much fun! Riding on chairlifts in the mountains of Colorado was good preparation.
The other experience that has prepared me for life in Costa Rica would be spending time at our family cottage on Crystal Lake. Many of my colleagues here are complaining about the bugs in their houses but so far the cottage has more bugs in it than any place I've been here. They say Playa Flamingo is bugier though and I'll be there next week.
I didn't take my ipad with me on the zipline so I can post any pictures of it now but friends took videos and photos so I have proof!
We were already a very close group of people before the zipline tour, but that was definitely a team-building experience.
Below is a picture of me in a beautiful orchid garden that I toured after having an Agua Dulce Con Leche (My new favorite drink - sugar cane, water and milk) in the Orchid Cafe.
I'm also posting a photo of my host family here in Monteverde and a photo of me standing in front of a fountain at the school where I'm learning Spanish. Pretty nice looking school huh? When I'm sitting in class I watch the hummingbirds outside the window!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Third Day in Beautiful Monteverde
Hola!
Monteverde is a beautiful area in the mountains with green hills and lots of open space. We spent a wonderful morning yesterday at a farm called Life Monteverde where they grow coffee and have goats, chickens, pigs and huge gardens. We learned a lot about sustainable, organic farming and planted some trees. Tomorrow we'll go to the Cloud Forest and Thursday we have a Zip Line tour through the canopy.
Today we have time to use the internet and work on curriculum. It's a good thing because I have all kinds of ideas swirling in my brain and I need to get them in writing. For you teachers out there, last week was like the first week of the school year - so many new people to meet, names to learn and information overload. Exciting and exhausting. Now I'm used to the schedule and my Spanish is improving little by little, although never fast enough for me. Below is a view from the yard of my new home in Monteverde:
Below is a photo of my new host family in Monteverde - my host Mom Virginia, her daughter and granddaughter. She also has another daughter, Fabiola, who has a one year old daughter named April and she has a son Erich. They weren't home when I took this photo. I'm also posting a photo of their house from the outside. The little building on the right of the house is where the rooster lives. The photo of the woman weaving was taken at the school where I'm learning Spanish. I have class for four hours a day - during our break we watched some of the indigenous people weave and work with wood and heard them speak about their craft.
Other photos are of Life in Monteverde Farm. It's difficult to capture how beautiful it all is but here you go:
Monteverde is a beautiful area in the mountains with green hills and lots of open space. We spent a wonderful morning yesterday at a farm called Life Monteverde where they grow coffee and have goats, chickens, pigs and huge gardens. We learned a lot about sustainable, organic farming and planted some trees. Tomorrow we'll go to the Cloud Forest and Thursday we have a Zip Line tour through the canopy.
Today we have time to use the internet and work on curriculum. It's a good thing because I have all kinds of ideas swirling in my brain and I need to get them in writing. For you teachers out there, last week was like the first week of the school year - so many new people to meet, names to learn and information overload. Exciting and exhausting. Now I'm used to the schedule and my Spanish is improving little by little, although never fast enough for me. Below is a view from the yard of my new home in Monteverde:
Below is a photo of my new host family in Monteverde - my host Mom Virginia, her daughter and granddaughter. She also has another daughter, Fabiola, who has a one year old daughter named April and she has a son Erich. They weren't home when I took this photo. I'm also posting a photo of their house from the outside. The little building on the right of the house is where the rooster lives. The photo of the woman weaving was taken at the school where I'm learning Spanish. I have class for four hours a day - during our break we watched some of the indigenous people weave and work with wood and heard them speak about their craft.
Other photos are of Life in Monteverde Farm. It's difficult to capture how beautiful it all is but here you go:
Monday, June 24, 2013
More amazing experiences!
Hola!
If you're drinking coffee right now did you know that coffee is a fruit? You can see a photo of a coffee plant below. I've been to a coffee plantation, a family owned an run organic farm, and my new home is in the beautiful countryside of Monteverde. It's a change from Heredia. Instead of waking up to the noises of the sister in law next door yelling at her children I'm waking up to the rooster in the backyard! I'm usually awake anyway.
The woman in the red shirt in the photo with me is Ana, my host "Mom" in Heredia, who is 20 some years younger than I am. She is a wonderful cook and host.
My new host Mom has a one year old granddaughter living with her so that is fun. I speak more Spanish than she does. :)
My new host family does not have internet so I may not be able to post as often as I'd like, I'm still having an amazing, wonderful life-changing experience. Here are some photos from Heredia. I'll post some from my new home in Monteverde soon.
If you're drinking coffee right now did you know that coffee is a fruit? You can see a photo of a coffee plant below. I've been to a coffee plantation, a family owned an run organic farm, and my new home is in the beautiful countryside of Monteverde. It's a change from Heredia. Instead of waking up to the noises of the sister in law next door yelling at her children I'm waking up to the rooster in the backyard! I'm usually awake anyway.
The woman in the red shirt in the photo with me is Ana, my host "Mom" in Heredia, who is 20 some years younger than I am. She is a wonderful cook and host.
My new host Mom has a one year old granddaughter living with her so that is fun. I speak more Spanish than she does. :)
My new host family does not have internet so I may not be able to post as often as I'd like, I'm still having an amazing, wonderful life-changing experience. Here are some photos from Heredia. I'll post some from my new home in Monteverde soon.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
One more day with my host family and then on to another
Hola!
I've become accustomed to the routine here with my host family in Heredia but tomorrow we leave for Monteverde and I'll have a new host family. I'll be in a more mountainous area - a bit more touristy and more expensive from what I hear.
Yesterday we went to INBioparque, which is a wonderful part that's also a type of zoo although only a few of the animals were in cages - the snakes and spiders!
We had a wonderful guide who is a naturalist and we learned a lot about various plants and wildlife.
You can see him in a photo below standing next to a kapok tree. I'm including other photos of the park and a photo of the dinner my host "Mom" gave me when I told her I was only a little bit hungry.
I got two delicious chicken/mushroom cannelloni and a plate of mashed potatoes! And yes, I ate it all. She's a wonderful cook. The cute girl in the turtle shell in the photo is Ana, who will be a Junior at MSU this fall. We have agreed that I'll be her Michigan Mom. O.K. I still have some Spanish homework to do so I'll post the pictures and get back to work. The photo of the food is for you Mary.
I've become accustomed to the routine here with my host family in Heredia but tomorrow we leave for Monteverde and I'll have a new host family. I'll be in a more mountainous area - a bit more touristy and more expensive from what I hear.
Yesterday we went to INBioparque, which is a wonderful part that's also a type of zoo although only a few of the animals were in cages - the snakes and spiders!
We had a wonderful guide who is a naturalist and we learned a lot about various plants and wildlife.
You can see him in a photo below standing next to a kapok tree. I'm including other photos of the park and a photo of the dinner my host "Mom" gave me when I told her I was only a little bit hungry.
I got two delicious chicken/mushroom cannelloni and a plate of mashed potatoes! And yes, I ate it all. She's a wonderful cook. The cute girl in the turtle shell in the photo is Ana, who will be a Junior at MSU this fall. We have agreed that I'll be her Michigan Mom. O.K. I still have some Spanish homework to do so I'll post the pictures and get back to work. The photo of the food is for you Mary.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Photos of mi casa
Hola!
I'm learning Spanish just as fast as I can since I'm meeting so many interesting people to talk with.
Today we actually met the president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla and she answered our questions about environmental sustainability, gender equity and globalization. I can't believe we got to meet her but the folks at M.S.U. sent a request and had a connection here who helped. We met in the presidential dining room, which was beautiful. I don't have pictures of that on my ipad but will have access to some to post later. President Chinchilla shook every one of our hands! She is very gracious and has a sense of humor.
I feel so fortunate to be welcomed into the Costa Rican home of the Madrigal family. I took some pictures of the house so you can see where I'm living. The area with the cars is a gathering place which is surrounded by several small houses - more like apartments in the U.S. The mattress is on the table because the rain came through the roof last night during the soccer game, which was a big deal. I watched it with several members of the family who yelled and cheered just like my family does. Tomorrow we meet with the Minister of Education and the Minister of the Environment.
I'm gathering lots of information to bring back to teachers and anyone else who is interested.
Here's a glimpse of my home for this week. Next week I'll be with a new family in Monteverde.
I sure hope they are as nice as the Madrigals.
I'm learning Spanish just as fast as I can since I'm meeting so many interesting people to talk with.
Today we actually met the president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla and she answered our questions about environmental sustainability, gender equity and globalization. I can't believe we got to meet her but the folks at M.S.U. sent a request and had a connection here who helped. We met in the presidential dining room, which was beautiful. I don't have pictures of that on my ipad but will have access to some to post later. President Chinchilla shook every one of our hands! She is very gracious and has a sense of humor.
I feel so fortunate to be welcomed into the Costa Rican home of the Madrigal family. I took some pictures of the house so you can see where I'm living. The area with the cars is a gathering place which is surrounded by several small houses - more like apartments in the U.S. The mattress is on the table because the rain came through the roof last night during the soccer game, which was a big deal. I watched it with several members of the family who yelled and cheered just like my family does. Tomorrow we meet with the Minister of Education and the Minister of the Environment.
I'm gathering lots of information to bring back to teachers and anyone else who is interested.
Here's a glimpse of my home for this week. Next week I'll be with a new family in Monteverde.
I sure hope they are as nice as the Madrigals.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Photos of Pura Vida
I have been wanting to post more photos for the past couple of days but we have been really busy and the internet doesn't work everywhere. I'm having an amazing experience! It's unbelievable how much Spanish you can learn in a short time when you're living with a family that speaks only Spanish.
Some of the children are studying English and I have helped them a little with their homework but they mostly write and don't practice speaking. My host family is wonderful - such a big family I can't even tell you how many people are living under the same roof - little "casas" all hooked together in a space that's about the same size as one of our houses. We met with the Director of Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy this morning which was really interesting and we are scheduled to meet President Laura Chinchilla tomorrow!
I'm are some of the places I've been: A family owned shoe factory, a volcano, a cemetery and some houses - we learned how to make tortillas from an 72 year old great grandmother in one of the homes.
Hopefully the photos below will give you some sense of what I've seen so far!
Some of the children are studying English and I have helped them a little with their homework but they mostly write and don't practice speaking. My host family is wonderful - such a big family I can't even tell you how many people are living under the same roof - little "casas" all hooked together in a space that's about the same size as one of our houses. We met with the Director of Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy this morning which was really interesting and we are scheduled to meet President Laura Chinchilla tomorrow!
I'm are some of the places I've been: A family owned shoe factory, a volcano, a cemetery and some houses - we learned how to make tortillas from an 72 year old great grandmother in one of the homes.
Hopefully the photos below will give you some sense of what I've seen so far!
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Photos of Second Day
My new friends - all of them are helping me improve my Spanish. The last one on the right is Ana, my roommate in the hotel in San Jose, an MSU preservice teacher, and my interpreter when I don't understand things.
Some of our group at Peace University, where we had classes the first couple of days and went on a Nature Walk - photos of the nature walk below:
Some of our group at Peace University, where we had classes the first couple of days and went on a Nature Walk - photos of the nature walk below:
Thursday, June 13, 2013
First Day in Costa Rica
Hola!
This is the view from my room here in San Jose.
I have had a wonderful first Day in Costa Rica. The group of teachers I'm traveling with are a great bunch of interested, interesting and fun people. Most of them are young women in their 20's who are in their first year of teaching Spanish or Social Studies. There are 3 or 4 people closer to my age and we have a couple of young men with us too.
We started our day by taking a bus to the Earth University, which was founded by the UN. We settled into a beautiful classroom and learned a bit more about Costa Rica and the goals of the Earth University. There are students here studying International Relations and they offer classes to groups like ours. I saw some of the most incredibly beautiful yellow and orange butterflies along with many bugs I don't recognize. The doors of the classroom were left open and a couple of dogs wandered in as we were watching a powerpoint presentation.
After class we had a walking tour of San Jose, mostly in the rain, which is typical for afternoons here.
Angelo was our tour guide and he had some great stories about the country and "Pura Vida," or the good life in Costa Rica.
I learned that a GPS wouldn't work well here because they don't use street numbers to find houses or other buildings. Even the mail is delivered to an address like: The house that is 65 meters north of the Earth University behind the large coconut tree. So people get pretty upset when a tree gets cut down, especially if it's part of the directions to get to their house.
We went to a wonderful market for lunch and I had the most delicious fruit juice - Cas. Angelo said he would choose it as his last drink, which was a good enough recommendation for me.
There was a small earthquake here a couple of hours before our plane landed yesterday but apparently they are used to them - it was a 4 point something....I'm terrible at remembering numbers.
We're staying at the Holiday Inn Aurola in San Jose for these first 3 nights, which is very nice. After that we'll go to Heredia for the first of our three home stays.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
One Day Before I leave
I won't be seeing this view for 5 weeks. I'll be in Costa Rica - participating in a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad trip. I'm one of twelve teachers from across the United States who will be learning about the United Nations Millenium Develoment Goals (UN MDGs) and creating curriculum to incorporate into our teaching.
My hope is that I'll use this blog to post pictures and observations for those of you who are interested.
This is my first time blogging, so thanks for your patience! I'm also using a brand new ipad and for those of you who know me well, you're probably surprised that I'm embracing technology in this way, or at least attempting to embrace it!
Here is a link to a website for the project which includes an itinerary and information about the group I'm traveling with: 2013 Costa Rica Group Projects Abroad
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