I was riding the bus home from San José yesterday morning and, despite being very tired since I got up at 4:30am to catch the bus, I found myself looking out the window and thinking about just how beautiful the scenery is. I do that a lot actually. Almost every time I take the bus I spend the majority of the time gazing out the window in wonder. The sky is so beautiful, the colors change, the clouds are always different, sometimes you see the mountains, sometimes the mountains are covered in mist, it's so green, there are always flowers and plants I've never noticed of seen before.
It's important to note here that I take the same bus A LOT. There's one main road trough my town and you can go east or west, those are your only choices. Riding the bus that much in only two directions you'd think that you'd get tired of the scenery. I guess some people would, but I don't. How could you get tired of seeing a new little waterfall between a bunch of vines, discovering a beautiful little creek you've never seen, seeing huge red parrots swooping through the sky? I don't know that I'll ever get bored of it.
In the same way my bus only goes east or west, I only have 3 or 4 roads to run and bike on, and I certainly don't get tired of those. Pineapple fields, cute baby cows, goats who look like the might at any moment decide to chase me, frogs, butterflies, palm trees, pine trees, babbling streams, seeing all the way to Nicaragua on a clear day, a faint distant view of a volcano, jogging 10 minutes from my house to a bridge that sits 100 feet above a lush ravine and class IV rapids... and my absolute favorite little kids and grandmas and grandpas on the porch who smile and say "Adios".
I heard two very interesting comments from gringo travelers this week about Costa Rica. The first was, "All Costa Rica has are beaches and volcanoes and rain forests. That's it." 'Hmm.' I thought when hearing this, 'Sounds pretty boring to me.' The next thing I heard was, "Yeah, I've been traveling around the country for about 3 weeks and it's getting kind of boring." Just like the first comment, I thought, 'Yea, really boring. I don't find anything interesting about miles of white sand beaches or volcanoes that spew red lava all night long' I don't really know what these people were getting at. Maybe they were missing their friends and family and were tired of traveling. I don't know, but what I do know is that it's really a shame that a person can't enjoy the beauty of what's out there, especially in a place like this, and I can't help but wonder what it is that they think when they're sitting there looking out the window of their little apartment in Detroit, or wherever it is they're from.
5/03/2011
4/11/2011
The Butterflies are Free (not that they were ever captive)
It must be the season for butterflies. I don't know much about them, but I do know that right now they are EVERYWHERE, they're beautiful, and they're reckless. I realize they have the right to fly where ever they so choose, but they fly right into me all the time when I'm running and I usually dodge them because they're so big and coming right at my face.
I realize dodging a butterfly doesn't seem that logical. After all, they can't really hurt you. But here's the thing, they fly SUPER fast and they don't really watch where they're going. In addition, they are big. I already look funny running to and from nowhere for hours and up hills that no one even wants to walk up, and it really adds to it that I am ducking, sidestepping and otherwise trying my best not to get hit by a careening butterfly.
What it's really like with all the butterflies lately is, and I'm not exaggerating this at all, the butterfly exhibit at the zoo. You go into that netted area with flowers and stuff and there are butterflies flying all around. There are all different kinds, all different colors and designs and all different sizes from tiny baby ones to huge mommas. That's where I live. In a butterfly exhibit, except it's natural, it's really cool.
To give you an idea of how reckless and large the butterflies are, listen to this: On Saturday as we were sitting in the house having coffee a butterfly with a 6in. wing span flew in the front door. We thought at first it was a bird, then a bat, and finally realized it was a butterfly. We tried waving our hands to get it out, but that didn't work. We talked to it. Pointed to the windows. Whatever we could think of, but it just kept un-carefully flying right at our faces, until it decided to leave about 10 min. later. But then... it came back. Out the window, and right back in. Same window, silly butterfly. 5 more min. Out the front door. Back in the kitchen window. 5 more min. When it left the third time we each rushed to a different window or door and slammed it shut. Out for good, but only 'till the next one.
Those butterflies should really be more careful.
I realize dodging a butterfly doesn't seem that logical. After all, they can't really hurt you. But here's the thing, they fly SUPER fast and they don't really watch where they're going. In addition, they are big. I already look funny running to and from nowhere for hours and up hills that no one even wants to walk up, and it really adds to it that I am ducking, sidestepping and otherwise trying my best not to get hit by a careening butterfly.
What it's really like with all the butterflies lately is, and I'm not exaggerating this at all, the butterfly exhibit at the zoo. You go into that netted area with flowers and stuff and there are butterflies flying all around. There are all different kinds, all different colors and designs and all different sizes from tiny baby ones to huge mommas. That's where I live. In a butterfly exhibit, except it's natural, it's really cool.
To give you an idea of how reckless and large the butterflies are, listen to this: On Saturday as we were sitting in the house having coffee a butterfly with a 6in. wing span flew in the front door. We thought at first it was a bird, then a bat, and finally realized it was a butterfly. We tried waving our hands to get it out, but that didn't work. We talked to it. Pointed to the windows. Whatever we could think of, but it just kept un-carefully flying right at our faces, until it decided to leave about 10 min. later. But then... it came back. Out the window, and right back in. Same window, silly butterfly. 5 more min. Out the front door. Back in the kitchen window. 5 more min. When it left the third time we each rushed to a different window or door and slammed it shut. Out for good, but only 'till the next one.
Those butterflies should really be more careful.
Pizza Hut and Beer on Tap
Sometimes you have the best time doing something that you had never thought of doing. Take yesterday:
Yesterday, another volunteer, Kristi, and I went to Ciudad Quesada, the closest city to us, to present at a meeting of the regional education evaluation committee. Sounds unusual, I know. Fun? Doesn’t sound like it, but just wait.
The way we (and by that I mean, I) got ourselves into this was that I was having a meeting with the Regional English Assessor, the lady who oversees English education in my region of the country, and I mentioned that the way the teachers were grading tests was too subjective. It was a scale of 1 to 5 with no criteria. So basically it was if the teacher liked you or not. I mentioned that I’d like to see something done about it and that I was going to work with the teachers at my school to change our criteria. She said, “Great idea, why don’t you present that to our regional committee.” I said, “Umm…ok…and the other volunteer, Kristi, also has experience with grading since she was a high school teacher.”
Should I have agreed to be on the committee? I don’t know. I certainly don’t feel qualified to be developing an educational evaluation system. (I’m not single handedly doing it, but either way I have no idea what I’m doing) Should I have dragged Kristi into it with me? I don’t know, but it was really nice to have some company as I sat through three and a half hours of a woman droning about grading systems in Spanish. We’re on the committee anyway, no backing out now. And it actually turns out to be something really good. Yesterday the had us talk a little about rubrics and how to use them in grading, and in two weeks were going back with examples of evaluation techniques and real examples of work we can evaluate. I may not really have any idea what I’m doing, but just the fact that I am a product of the American system of education gives me experience Costa Ricans don’t have. I do have some university teacher training, but more than that I was educated in a system that effectively used the evaluation techniques that these people are talking about implementing, so I’ve seen and experienced them. I’m certainly no expert, but I do have something to add to the conversation.
So, as exciting as the whole meeting thing was, the better part of the day was Pizza Hut. Still not your idea of fun? I know, but when you live in a small town all by yourself, going to Pizza Hut with your friend and having beer and pizza is pretty exciting.
Our meeting ended at 2:30, so we decided to go do something. ‘Beer?’ we both thought. ‘Great idea.’ we agreed. Where do they have beer in town? Well, there are all the little dingy bars. Places we, as women, probably shouldn’t go. And then…there’s Pizza Hut. They even have beer on tap, a novelty around here. There we found ourselves. 3 pm, in Pizza Hut, with beers in our hands. We had nothing to do, so we stayed at Pizza Hut ‘til 7 when headed to catch buses home. We grabbed Snickers bars in the bus station, another novelty we can’t find in our towns, and headed back.
I know it doesn’t sound that cool, but believe me, it was. I wouldn’t normally opt to sit in Pizza Hut for hours, or drink beer in the middle of the afternoon, or eat candy bars in a dirty bus station, but yesterday, it was probably the best afternoon I could have asked for.
Yesterday, another volunteer, Kristi, and I went to Ciudad Quesada, the closest city to us, to present at a meeting of the regional education evaluation committee. Sounds unusual, I know. Fun? Doesn’t sound like it, but just wait.
The way we (and by that I mean, I) got ourselves into this was that I was having a meeting with the Regional English Assessor, the lady who oversees English education in my region of the country, and I mentioned that the way the teachers were grading tests was too subjective. It was a scale of 1 to 5 with no criteria. So basically it was if the teacher liked you or not. I mentioned that I’d like to see something done about it and that I was going to work with the teachers at my school to change our criteria. She said, “Great idea, why don’t you present that to our regional committee.” I said, “Umm…ok…and the other volunteer, Kristi, also has experience with grading since she was a high school teacher.”
Should I have agreed to be on the committee? I don’t know. I certainly don’t feel qualified to be developing an educational evaluation system. (I’m not single handedly doing it, but either way I have no idea what I’m doing) Should I have dragged Kristi into it with me? I don’t know, but it was really nice to have some company as I sat through three and a half hours of a woman droning about grading systems in Spanish. We’re on the committee anyway, no backing out now. And it actually turns out to be something really good. Yesterday the had us talk a little about rubrics and how to use them in grading, and in two weeks were going back with examples of evaluation techniques and real examples of work we can evaluate. I may not really have any idea what I’m doing, but just the fact that I am a product of the American system of education gives me experience Costa Ricans don’t have. I do have some university teacher training, but more than that I was educated in a system that effectively used the evaluation techniques that these people are talking about implementing, so I’ve seen and experienced them. I’m certainly no expert, but I do have something to add to the conversation.
So, as exciting as the whole meeting thing was, the better part of the day was Pizza Hut. Still not your idea of fun? I know, but when you live in a small town all by yourself, going to Pizza Hut with your friend and having beer and pizza is pretty exciting.
Our meeting ended at 2:30, so we decided to go do something. ‘Beer?’ we both thought. ‘Great idea.’ we agreed. Where do they have beer in town? Well, there are all the little dingy bars. Places we, as women, probably shouldn’t go. And then…there’s Pizza Hut. They even have beer on tap, a novelty around here. There we found ourselves. 3 pm, in Pizza Hut, with beers in our hands. We had nothing to do, so we stayed at Pizza Hut ‘til 7 when headed to catch buses home. We grabbed Snickers bars in the bus station, another novelty we can’t find in our towns, and headed back.
I know it doesn’t sound that cool, but believe me, it was. I wouldn’t normally opt to sit in Pizza Hut for hours, or drink beer in the middle of the afternoon, or eat candy bars in a dirty bus station, but yesterday, it was probably the best afternoon I could have asked for.
4/05/2011
A couple weeks away
So, I just wrote about the three month mark of living in Venecia, but yesterday was the official 6 month mark of me being in Costa Rica. That's kind of a long time. Some days it feels like it, and some days it doesn't. It just depends. Overall, I'm really glad I'm here and I'm really enjoying it.
I spent the last 2 weeks out of town at a training in San José and at the beach. Our group had a 10-day training in San José and some friends and I decided to tack on a couple days at the beach to each end of our trip. We do live in Costa Rica, after all.
The first weekend before our training we went the the town of Quepos and the beach at Manuel Antonio. It was beautiful. White sand beaches and palms, the scene from a Costa Rican post card. Two girlfriends and I enjoyed our first real vacation lying on the beach, eating food we can't find where we live, taking in the gorgeous Pacific sunsets and relaxing. I highly recommend Manuel Antonio to anyone coming to Costa Rica and I think I'm going to spend part of Easter week there, since we have school off.
Our training in San José was good. It was much better that the first three months of training we had when we got here. Going back after three months we actually had context for what we were learning. We can really apply what we're learning, it's not just theoretical anymore. I picked up lots of good teaching tips and some supplies, and even more importantly I got to spend 10 days with other volunteers. It's nice to be with your friends after spending so much time in such a distinctly different situation.
The last couple days before coming home we spent in Jacó, the closest beach to San José. Jacó is known as a party spot and not necessarily the nicest beach in the country. It held true to both descriptions. It was a great surfing beach, but it was a little rocky and not the best for swimming both because of the rocks and the really strong undertow. A friend and I got pulled out preeeety far while swimming and it was a struggle to get back. We were fine but we sure got our workout in. The other thing about it being a party spot was true. The night life was very active, but it wasn't really our scene. We were looking for somewhere to go dancing and all there really were were clubs with only OK music and lots and lots of liquor. I'm all for having a good time with a good cocktail, but it was kind of a Cancún type scene where foreigners come to drink too much. We were informed, however, that every night is ladies' night in Jacó and as women we would never have to pay for a drink. Everyone loves free, but having every young man you meet tell you booze are always free for women makes you wonder about their intentions, if you know what I mean. We laughed it off, stayed in a group and took advantage of a couple free cocktails. All in all it was fun, but Jacó does not come highly recommended.
I only have 10 days at home before I'm off again to volunteer at a soccer tournament for indigenous kids in San José and then to the beach again for Easter week. Though life, eh?
I spent the last 2 weeks out of town at a training in San José and at the beach. Our group had a 10-day training in San José and some friends and I decided to tack on a couple days at the beach to each end of our trip. We do live in Costa Rica, after all.
The first weekend before our training we went the the town of Quepos and the beach at Manuel Antonio. It was beautiful. White sand beaches and palms, the scene from a Costa Rican post card. Two girlfriends and I enjoyed our first real vacation lying on the beach, eating food we can't find where we live, taking in the gorgeous Pacific sunsets and relaxing. I highly recommend Manuel Antonio to anyone coming to Costa Rica and I think I'm going to spend part of Easter week there, since we have school off.
Our training in San José was good. It was much better that the first three months of training we had when we got here. Going back after three months we actually had context for what we were learning. We can really apply what we're learning, it's not just theoretical anymore. I picked up lots of good teaching tips and some supplies, and even more importantly I got to spend 10 days with other volunteers. It's nice to be with your friends after spending so much time in such a distinctly different situation.
The last couple days before coming home we spent in Jacó, the closest beach to San José. Jacó is known as a party spot and not necessarily the nicest beach in the country. It held true to both descriptions. It was a great surfing beach, but it was a little rocky and not the best for swimming both because of the rocks and the really strong undertow. A friend and I got pulled out preeeety far while swimming and it was a struggle to get back. We were fine but we sure got our workout in. The other thing about it being a party spot was true. The night life was very active, but it wasn't really our scene. We were looking for somewhere to go dancing and all there really were were clubs with only OK music and lots and lots of liquor. I'm all for having a good time with a good cocktail, but it was kind of a Cancún type scene where foreigners come to drink too much. We were informed, however, that every night is ladies' night in Jacó and as women we would never have to pay for a drink. Everyone loves free, but having every young man you meet tell you booze are always free for women makes you wonder about their intentions, if you know what I mean. We laughed it off, stayed in a group and took advantage of a couple free cocktails. All in all it was fun, but Jacó does not come highly recommended.
I only have 10 days at home before I'm off again to volunteer at a soccer tournament for indigenous kids in San José and then to the beach again for Easter week. Though life, eh?
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