First impression: when our bus picked my group up from the airport I wasn't sure what to expect, a big city, crowds of people, chaos etc... I was immediately confronted with many different people, a different language and a bit of a culture shock. We drove through San Jose on our way to Heredia and I was a bit taken back by the trash, run down homes and buildings.... but with a picturesque view from afar. As we drove through this city I questioned the living conditions of the families and children I would be staying with in San juaquin which is a mere 15-20 minutes outside San Jose. We had been told numerous times San Jose is a dangerous place to be and what I saw during our drive definitely solidified that fact.
Over the weekend our group stayed at a wonderful note called La Condesa which was located in Monte De La Cruz. It was a beautiful resort and our time there was very short but I am so glad I was able to bond with my group from UNCW as well as the students from Missouri state university. We traveled to La Paz and Poas Volcano on Saturday and Sunday and ate DELICIOUS food for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. A typical meal is a casado with rice, beans, vegetables, chicken, fish or beef as well as plantains and fruit. I was planning on losing a bit of weight here in CR but that is definitely not going to happen with their large portion sizes!!!
Homestay: on Sunday night, we took a walking tour of the streets our home stays would be on and then we met back at CPI which is our Spanish immersion school to meet our host families. I was nervous, excited and still in shock that I was in Costa Rica let alone leaving with my own host family in a matter of minutes. So many questions popped into my mind as we stood in a line waiting for our named to be called. Would my family speak English? Would they like me? Will I have my own room/bathroom? What kind of food would they have? Etc.... One by one our UNCW-MSU group got smaller and smaller as more names were called. Finally, it was time.... "Carolina" (the pronunciation of Caroline in Spanish) was called. A short woman with shoulder length black hair greeted me with a hug and a kiss on the check alongside her young son Samuel. The first thing she said to me was.... "No habla Ingles"
Well that's that! I knew from that point I had to break our language barrier and perfect my Spanish speaking skills so I would be able to communicate with my family.
We pulled up to a home with sky high black gates and barred doors and windows, and children playing futbol outside. I wondered why all of the homes I had seen so far were caged in and secluded? Everyone I met thus far had been so warm, welcoming and inviting. I discovered that it is just the "norm" in Costa Rica to have the locked gates and that it is nothing to worry about safety wise.
My Papa tico and Mama tica greeted me with "mi casa, su casa" which was exactly what I needed to hear to calm my nerves. I met their three boys as well as aunts, uncles, grandparents and at least a dozen cousins who all live on the exact same street either next to or across from my house. I wondered why everyone was so close and wished my family back home was like that!! All of their doors were wide open and the children played while I attempted to converse with the family. They have a very simple one story home with white tile floors and white walls. There are two bedrooms, one bathroom and a common living space with a dining table and one couch. The kitchen is small with all of the necessities, no frills. They do not have a television or many materialistic items, instead they focus on being together, sharing stories and enjoying each others company.
Being at this home is a complete culture shock, but in a way I really love the simplicity and calm feeling I get when I am home with them each morning and night. The hot rooms, bugs and cold showers are tough to get used to but I've been able to manage so far!This experience had taught me a lot about appreciating what I have as well as my friends and family back at home.
Schools:
I can empathize with English language Learners in the US now more than ever before and that is truly a gift. The language barrier I have is one of the hardest struggles I've had to deal with while in Costa Rica. Even though children are taught English throughout their eduction, most are not fluent and the older generations rarely speak any English at all. A few examples of times when I felt defeated after trying so hard to communicate toCosta Ricans was asking for directions, ordering food, trying to figure out how to work my shower etc... The little things that I took for granted before is now harder than ever. When I become and teacher and I have an ESL (English as a second language) student I will be able to reflect back on how I felt during this
experience and understand exactly what they are going through.
Today I had my first experience in a school called Calle Hernandez. This was about a 30min ride outside of San Juaquin. It was in a poor, rural area surrounded by beautiful mountains, barbed wire and livestock everywhere. The school had two buildings with an outdoor corridor in the middle. The buildings were painted a bright green with tropical paintings on the walls. Children were running around playing, interacting and learning in all directions. I was a bit taken back by the inside of the school. One classroom, no walls, wooden desks, no school supplies, no ceiling, basically horrendous learning conditions but despite all of that, the students and teachers All had smilies on their faces and were so excited that we were there to help and teach as much as we could! This school teaches in both English and Spanish do most of the students were bilingual. My experience today changed my life and outlook on teaching completely and I cannot wait to learn from these students and teach them as much as in can! The students deserve a great education and endless opportunities and I know that their teachers as well as my group will foster that learning environment and provide them with what they need to be successful in life.
What a whirlwind week. I bet you will form deep bonds with those you meet and journey with over the next few weeks.Can't wait to hear more!!
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