Sharing, Teaching, Listening, Preparing....

On this day in Orosi, I shared; I taught; I listened; and, I prepared.

With the morning sun draped over my shoulders, I sat in a small classroom with several other volunteers and shared a time of devotions and encouragement and singing songs. It was a prayer answered. I had been yearning for fellowship. How good and right it feels to praise God together! As the Ticans say, gracias a Dios (thanks to God). He provides.

My teammates and I taught our small practicum class how to order spaghetti and meatballs in a restaurant. No, not espaghetti; it's ssssssspaghetti. (Latinos have an awfully hard time beginning a word with "s.") How much I enjoy teaching English! The practice that I had last semester with the refugee organization in Indy and with the elementary school students in G-burg has proven invaluable. I have a lot of confidence and prior experience to draw back on. Not to mention, WorldTeach has provided a surplus of resources and training. But, most of all, I think that I enjoy teaching language because it is a powerful and stimulating subject. The more we know about our own language or about another language, the better we become at expressing ourselves and understanding the wide world around us.

I listened intently as one of my host sisters shared what she hopes to become when she grows up. Normally a shy and withdrawn girl, I was quite surprised when I was able to elicit more than a one word response from her. After divulging that she desires to become an orthodontist AND a lawyer, I simply asked, "why?" She looked over her shoulder and smiled timidly. Filling the silence, I quickly asked, "do you really like teeth?" She nodded in approval. "But, why a lawyer?" I prodded. Pausing, she replied, "para sacar la gente inocente." I smiled broadly in approval. What a beautiful heart she has! She wants to be a lawyer so that she can set free the innocent. It is further proof that the family that I am living with here in Orosi are such good people. I can't begin to name the number of times that they have gone out of their way to help me. Gracias a Dios.

Just a few minutes ago, I sat here on my bed in a Costa Rican home located in the beautiful valley of Orosi, and prepared my lesson plan for tomorrow's English class. Tomorrow, my group switches from the fourth grade to the first grade for the final two days of practicum. I'm excited to compare and contrast the two widely different age groups. And then, somewhere in the midst of writing my lesson, it hit me: I am living in Costa Rica and teaching English. And, I'm really enjoying it! What a privilege! This is one year that I will never forget. Likewise, I hope that for you dear reader, this year holds excitements and challenges that will not leave you the same.

Even a teacher can be taught...

On this day in Orosi, I learned what it feels like to be the non-native speaker who is trying really hard but, in reality, making a mountain of silly mistakes. Last Saturday was family day at the plaza, the centerpiece of every Costa Rican town: the soccer field. (For all of my soccer playing friends out there, I envy you. But I still think swimming is the best sport. =) ) I participated in the games along with several of my host sisters. We didn't win any games, but we played hard and walked away with some skinned up knees to prove it. Just when my knee was beginning to heal, it broke my fall on the indoor soccer field tonight as I attempted to stay on my feet and kick the ball at the same time. (which, as it turns out, is very difficult for me) Sitting with my host sisters after the game, we were commiserating over our skinned knees. I looked to Geocanda and said, "Are your knees healthying?" And, her response was the same confused look that you are now making. I quickly realized my mistake and broke the silence, "I sound funny a lot of times, don't I?" She cracked a smile and nodded shyly.

Later on, as we were preparing for bed, I said, "Duerma bien." She paused for a second, but then simply replied, "Hasta mañana." (See you tomorrow) Not one minute later, she peeked her head around the corner to gently correct me, "que duerma bien." "Oh," I said, "May you sleep well." That she cares enough to correct me means so much to me.

But, I've been doing more than keeping the TIcans entertained with my language malfunctions. On Sunday, we went on a hike up the high hills surrounding Orosi with a spirited man named Nano who passes the time taking tours to see the waterfall (see picture) and to visit his bungalow atop the hill. Once we reached the top, Nano treated us to some freshly brewed coffee, play time with the newly born puppies, and a host of crazy antics including a "phone call" to the White House on his red dial up phone.

In the afternoon, I went to a birthday celebration with my host family in a nearby town called Palomo. The scene is as follows: 30-40 Ticans young and old, a small wooden house with a great view sloping down to the houses below and up to the high hills beyond, latin music, birthday cake, games, dancing, a piñata, and an American girl amusing the little ones with a card trick. It was an event to be remembered, one not at all unlike those I have enjoyed frequently back home in Indiana. At the end of the evening, my host uncle promised, "When you return to the States, you will remember Costa Ricans as a colorful people." If by colorful he means lively dancers, animated speakers, opinionated but open-armed, then I think I am beginning to know what he means.

We begin our practicum next week! Basically, we are putting on a one-week English summer camp for any 1st through 6th graders in Orosi. This might be messy at first, but it's going to be so fun!

Side note: It turns out that serving ice cream and Jello together makes a great combination! Don't take my word for it, give it a "goer!"

The Honeymoon

On this day in Orosi, we had a charla (or chat) about culture shock. There are four stages: initial euphoria, irritation and hostility, gradual adjustment, and adaptation and bi-culturalism. I am definitivamente still in the first stage. I haven't yet had any qualms about eating rice and beans at every meal. I haven't yet grown tired (nor do I ever expect to) of the lush green mountains and the bright, colorful houses. I haven't yet been discouraged by my insufficiencies in the language. I haven't yet been bored or lonesome. I haven't yet been annoyed by the incessant cackawing of the rooster during our classes. (Okay, maybe I'm fibbing a bit on that last one...they're SO loud!)

I expect that my euphoria will dip into a valley, but I do not anticipate when or how low. I will face these "lions" when they arise, but as for now, I am everyday trying to improve my Spanish, learn how to be an engaging English teacher, and making friends for the year ahead when we will disperse to our individual sites. There are 18 volunteers en total. Some will be as close as 15 minutes and some as far as 8 hours, but I imagine that we will lean on each other mucho in the rises and falls of the coming year. Every day, I remind myself that I am in Costa Rica, and I am living a "sueño hecho realidad," a dream come true.

If you are reading this, then you have played an important role in my being here because you have touched my life in some way. You have hugged me, smiled at me, listened to me, rejoiced with me, cried with me, and comforted me. You have taught me to forgive myself, to forgive others, to pray, and to have faith. You have made me laugh, made me feel important, and made me feel appreciated. I will do unto others as you have done unto me. In this way, you have loved me and, in this way, you and I are loving our neighbors in this small, colorful, lively, welcoming Central American country. Everyone can be a world changer: it can be as simple as a smile or as unassuming as a thoughtful deed.

As the Ticans say, "Dios lo acompaña," may God go with you.

Que rico con las conversaciones con los ticos

(It literally means that conversations with the Ticos are wonderful!)

On this day in Orosi, I soaked in our first day of orientation and my second day of living with my host family. It is a large Catholic family, eight children in all. I have a room of my own, and I have enjoyed large, tasty meals and breezy, sunny weather. The other volunteers and I have begun to get to know each other better, and it has been a huge comfort to share some of the same concerns, excitements, and cultural observations. For example, it came as quite a surprise when we learned that people often say "adios," or literally "goodbye," when they are passing each other on the street or that Ticans eat fast and they can't get enough rice and beans!

Yesterday, we spent the day in San Jose. We listened to a presentation by the embassy and we met our contracted doctor and laughed at his dry sense of humor: "And watch out for the killer bees...if they come after you, my prescription is to run." By the end of the day of warning after warning, I was ready to board the first flight back home, but things changed dramatically once we got to Orosi later that day and met our host families.

From doom and gloom to smiles and besos (kisses), the day ended with a happy exclamation. My family welcomed me with a hug and a kiss and showed me patiently around the house and the neighborhood. We played cartas, and after two unchallenged wins, my host mom insisted that we play another so that she or her son would have a chance of revenge to which they were finally able to seize. Later, I went to an evening rosary with my host mom and two of her daughters. I enjoyed the latin guitar as I listened to the prayers and songs. Afterward, the church shared a meal together of rice, beans, corn tortillas, carne con salsa (meat with salsa), and Fanta to drink. My host sisters, 11 and 13 years old, put me to shame and cleaned their plates. I enjoyed every bite, but had more than enough.

My Spanish is both better and worse than I thought. Sometimes, it has been difficult for me to have very simple conversations like when I am going to go to bed and wake up in the morning, and at other times, I have found myself discussing favorite vacation spots or the influx of Chinese run supermarkets in Costa Rica and the apparent generosity of the chinos. As you can see, the Ticans, most especially my host family, have been very patient with me, and I think the immersion along with our daily language classes for the next few weeks will help me to make significant gains.

This is hard. Harder than I thought. It's hard to be away from my family and loved ones. It's hard to navigate through a new culture and learn a new language. But, it's also incredibly rewarding to speak in a different language and to observe and digest a different way of life. Not to mention, technology eases the pain a little. (Thank you Skype and facebook!) But, when you close the night with a beso and a hug from your host mom, it makes me feel less like a stranger in a foreign land and more like a welcomed guest among friends.

A new beginning

On this day, I welcomed in the new year and with it a rush of hopes, misgivings, and last-minute packing. One week from today, I will be on a plane to San Jose with over 20 other volunteers from around the states to teach English to primary school children in rural Costa Rican towns. We'll be spending the first month in Orosi, getting acclimated to the culture, studying the language, preparing to teach, and building friendships.

It has been a long preparation process that began in August when I applied with World Teach, an affiliate of the Center for International Development at Harvard. I was attracted to the program for its high expectations and its vast support network. And, I'm excited about the chance to earn a TESOL certificate (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Not to mention, we will be staying with host families. After living with a host family in Spain for two weeks in 2006, I determined that this has to be the best way to travel. What better way to taste the culture!

Once I was accepted, I had the task of beginning the physical and professional preparations. Getting vaccinations, seeing my doctor for a physical, obtaining VISA documents, passport photos, plane tickets, English class, observations, completing TESOL pre-work, buying a new laptop, shopping around for a backpack...the list goes on and on. And, in the midst of all this, trying to picture the coming year: anticipate the difficulties, expect successes, and hope for peace of mind.

Professionally, my goals are to...
1. Earn a TESOL certification
2. Teach English with creativity and excitement to the children of Rey Curre
3. Make a significant contribution to the community outside of classwork
4. Improve my Spanish

Personally, my goals are to...
1. Immerse myself in a new culture
2. Build close friendships
3. Paint a mask, meet a monkey, see an active volcano, zip line through the cloud forest, see a quetzal, and eat a fresh mango
4. Be a mentor and pass on the many good things I have been taught

As I look ahead to the coming year, I reflect on all those leading up to it and the grand support I have received in my life to be able to make it to this point. Thank you to all of my family and friends for your constant love and encouragement, especially to Mom, Dad, Kim, Matt, Neil, and Stacy. Also, I have a close-knit extended family that leaves me no room to doubt that I am known and appreciated. Finally, I don't know where I'd be without my fellowship in Cincy, Gburg, and Indy. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! I will think often of you in this coming year, and I hope that you will visit my blog often to join me in this adventure.