Pura Vida-Teaching in Costa Rica : November 2014

So my last blog ended with the weekend before Halloween, so I still have about a month to catch up on. Halloween night... Not the usual Halloween night for sure. Some people celebrate, but my school doesn't celebrate at all. Therefore, we took the opportunity to go out for dinner and try chifrijo- a dish I'd been wanting to try since I saw it on the back of my tortilla chip bag the first week I was in Costa Rica. It is a dish that is made of chicharron, pico de gallo, black beans, and rice. It is served with chips, lime, platano and avocado. Que rico!! We traveled up into the mountains for this adventure.. and boy was it cold! I didn't pack much clothing for cold weather so I know now what I need to bring back with me at Christmas time.

Chifrijo

Seeing as Thanksgiving is a US holiday and all, I was surprised to hear that we are having quite the celebration at school with our kids. The planning began way back in October, on a Friday after school. I'm thankful to have a few moms who love being crafty and have been such a huge blessing. We decorated the classroom just in time for November to begin, and have planned for our lunch of Popeye's chicken. After spending many hours decorating, the next morning was a much needed trip to the beach!

I was fortunate enough to take two final beach trips with my dear friend Stephanie before she had to return to the United States. We made it to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica and woah was it 'tan linda!' The water was so clear, the food was delicious (cooked in coconut oil) and the weather was fantastic! We were so blessed to be able to ride with one of our bosses and his wife to the beach, and we even were able to stop at the Sloth Sanctuary on the way. I never knew how amazing sloths could be. They're pretty interesting creatures! Since we had a ride to the beach, that also meant we had a way to go down to the beach called Punta Uva; one I had heard was amazing. And it was. So serene, with not too many people, no vendors, and beautiful sand and water. Such a blessing of a weekend!

Puerto Viejo

Sloth Sanctuary- Featured on Discovery Channel

Punta Uva, Puerto Viejo

Lunch on the beach in Puerto Viejo

The next weekend we headed back to Tamarindo for one last beach vacay together. We stayed right near the beach in a pretty nice hostel/hotel private room. Within walking distance of Tamarindo beach, we decided to continue walking to the next beach, Playa Grande. The only problem is you have to cross a river with crocodiles. So naturally, being the thrill seeker that I am, we swam as fast as we could across the river and only saw two crocs. Just kidding! There are many people with little boats that will take you across for a small fee. The beach was much nicer on that side since there weren't as many people, and no one to bother you to buy things. It was a much needed relaxing place to lay next to the ocean. However, it was a good 45 minute walk to the spot of the beach we wanted to get to. But SOO worth it!

Playa Grande, Tamarindo

Sunset in Tamarindo

Now I've caught up to this weekend... the weekend of Stephanie's departure. I can't express how much she has meant to me the past three months. She has been more than just a roommate. She has been a true friend, spiritual companion, trusted listener, co-cucaracha killer, laughter pal, "sister/twin" (according to all my students), amazing chef, music DJ, accountability partner, and so much more. I will truly miss her, and already do! She had such an impact here in Costa Rica and I am so glad she followed what God put on her heart while she was here. I can't wait to see her again, whether its in Costa Rica or if I make it to Brazil to visit! She's irreplaceable but I know God will lead me to more friendships here in Costa Rica.

Stephanie and I before she left...

It's not goodbye... It's see you soon!

Its true that time can truly fly when you're having fun. It has been a whirlwind of an adventure so far in Costa Rica, but I wouldn't change any moment of it! I have officially been here for 3 months now, completed one whole quarter of teaching, and am about halfway through the second quarter.

As far as school goes, the biggest challenge lately was Parent-Teacher Conferences. The only experience I had with true Parent-Teacher Conferences was during student teaching because I had only had Student-Led Conferences the past three years:). In addition to the newness of Parent-Teacher Conferences, the added challenge was that most of the parents only speak Spanish. However, I took the time to prepare notes in Spanish so I was ready to discuss everything with the parents. It was a very neat experience to get to host conferences in Spanish and English.

The challenges of adapting to teaching here have slowed down as I am learning the ways of the school. I absolutely adore my class and am learning a lot from having a class that is full of ELL (English Language Learners). After I finish my MS in Education, Reading and Literacy this year, my next goal is to get my ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) endorsement. Therefore, this year has helped me learn a lot about teaching ELL students.

And of course I have had a blast exploring Costa Rica! The country is so diverse and has many different ecosystems to explore. Living in the valley of San Jose, I am experiencing the wet, rainy season, but having the opportunity to travel on the weekends to see other parts of the country. Below are a few photos from my adventures since the last blog!