My Messi Mala.

I've been bad about updating my blog in a timely manner the last couple of months. I swear I'll do better...I hope.

Back in August my host mom got a call from a neighbor. She hung up and asked if I would like do a quick errand with her. I had nothing better to do so I got in the car. We drove down the street, turned into a driveway and got out. When we got up to the house I saw a cat with a litter of the cutest kittens. (Well to be honest when have you ever seen an ugly baby kitty?) My host mom said I could pick one out to have and maybe we could train it to hunt the rats residing in our house. (Yeah right. That cat will be babied to no end there will be no rat hunting)

She was so tiny. I was terrified the first week she would die. But the neighbor said the mom had already abandoned two others, mine as well take one. So I did! No need to tell me twice. Messi is doing great and not my little baby any more, she is so big.

Its  nice to have a little buddy to pal around with. We take naps together. Its great.

First Day with Messi, Aug 2011

All Grown up! October 2011

           

I did it!

After AVC, All Volunteers Conference, a group got together and BUNGEE JUMPED off a bridge! One of the scariest things I've ever willingly done. Can't wait to throw myself out of a plane next!

Yesterday was a learning day.

Yesterday we had a ferria to celebrate San Carlos, the region where I live. A day off from school means extra study time for the FSOT, which is coming up this Saturday! However, instead of studying I spent the entire day walking into bad luck.

My host bother asked if I wanted to go see the pig he is going to buy for Christmas dinner in Santa Elena. I agreed, because he said it was a quick there and back deal. (Note to self- it is never a quick there and back trip, always allow for 2-3 hours extra) He seemed kind of in a hurry so I jumped in the truck with my flip flops instead of actual shoes. After all, its a quick trip, right? On the way we picked up a few of his friends, arrived at the farm with the pigs and walk around for a bit. It started to rain so we waited under a tree for the heaviest part to pass. As we were waiting I kept feeling something pinch my heal. I thought it was a fire ant, but could never brush it away. Turns out it was a chunk of wood that went through my sandal and kept stabbing me in the foot. I should have respected the foreshadowing. Instead of going home where it is dry and safe, my brother and his friends decided to pick mamones chinas from the trees. The best trees where at the other side of the farm, so we hopped in the car a drove over. To get to the trees we had to jump up a dirt hill and climb under a barbed wire fence. As I was climbing under I hear my shorts rip...right in the seat. NO! Okay not awesome, but maybe my host mom can sew them later. Up the rest of the hill we go and fill two bags with mamones. It continues to rain and my flip flops are now muddy and slippery. Instead of falling down the hill on the way back I take off my flip flops and walk barefoot. Yep, barefoot right into a huge pile of cow poop! The most disgusting part about having cow poop on your foot is the feeling of it squishing in between your toes. I'm screaming, my brother is laughing and everyone else is just plain disgusted. I wipe the poop off best I can and then threaten to wipe my dirty foot on my brother if he doesn't let me back into the car. We drive back to where the pigs are to say hi to yet another friend of my brother's. There are lots of puddles now so I try to stay by the car, determined not to get even more dirty. But as luck would have it my brother says, "hey all you need now is to fall in this puddle," as he pretends to push me, I fall. In the puddle. Thanks. My flip flop gets sucked into the mud and breaks, so now I only have one shoe, even better.

Fortunately that was the end of my bad luck for the day. I laugh about it now, but a the time I just wanted a shower.

What didn't happen on my vacation?

After being gone for 9 months I finally got to go home! A quick little vacation, 10 days, then back to work. It was a surprise trip for a lot of people, my family and friends.

The Stress

During the planning of my trip I found a "cheap" airline, Spirit Air. DON'T EVER FLY WITH THIS COMPANY! They advertise cheap tickets then charge the absolute hell out of you for everything else. I was charged $43 for a checked backpack and $40 so I could bring a carry-on. WHAT?! (No where in my confirmation e-mail did it advise me of charges or where to look for them) Thennnn, after going through security, I bought a $3 water at the airport snack counter, Spirit searched my bag before I got on the plane and made me dump it out so they could charge me another $3 for more water. They were late, disorganized and I've never felt more stress during travel than I did that day. I was so afraid I would miss connecting flights and get stuck...I only had 10 days with my family...or so I thought.

My Baby

So I had a crappy flight. The important thing was I made it to Boston and my family was there waiting. My bags were accounted for, sweet, ready to go home! Then my mom told me that Clancy, our chocolate lab, was dying and wouldn't make it through the day. That was that absolute saddest thing anyone could have told me. He is such a good boy and my baby. I waited 9 months to come back and see him and he was dying. When we got home, he was laying on his bed and wagged his tail when we came in, such a sweet pupppy (a 13 year old puppy). He was so skinny, couldn't walk, didn't want to eat or drink. I sat with him a cried and cried and cried. Later my friend picked me up to go North while my dad took him to the vet. I love my Clancy.

Clancy, Summer 2010 <3

Friends, Family and Fun

Since a bunch of friends and family didn't know I was coming home it was a great opportunity to surprise them. First on the list was Courtney. My sister, myself and our friend James drove up to Laconia. Courtney has a lake house and was up there for the 4th celebrations. I went in through the back and jumped into the living room where everyone was waiting. We all expected her to start screaming but she just sat there looking at me. (What the heck friend! I flew from Costa Rica to surprise you! Do something!) After a minute she just kept saying What? What? What are you doing here?! We hugged, it was great.

We drove back down home the next morning to help set up for the party my mom had been planning. A 4th of July celebration/Julie is back party. Most of the party guests didn't know I was home so there was more fun in surprising people. I spent the day visiting and spending time with my family which I missed.

During the week it was decided that I would extend my vacation by a week, because 10 days was a silly idea and ridiculously short. YAY! The one thing Spirit Air didn't charge me for was to change the date of my return... weird.

The weekend of the 8th I met up with Nicole! We graduated Simmons together and were on the crew team. She planned the whole thing and let me tell you there wasn't a boring moment. Red Sox game at Fenway, Tequila Rian, shopping, restaurants, couples massage, Park Plaza Hotel! 

The only draw back to my visit home was that my stomach was constantly acting up. No, I will not go to the doctors during my vacation, so that was that.

The Surprise

As the extended part of my vacation came to a close, I packed my bags and went out for one last meal with my parents and sister. Bertucci's...pizza and ice cream, that's right! It was so hard getting to sleep my last night. I probably would consider it more of a nap, because I had to be out the door at 3am to make it to Boston and on my flight. I rolled over on my stomach and what a mistake that was. All of a sudden my chest was on fire. One minute the pain wasn't there and BAM! It was burning, burning, burning. I couldn't breath and I was sweating. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone. It never lets up for a second. It starts horrible and stays horrible the whole time. (I've broken bones before...I would take a broken arm to that any day) The pain from my chest spread to my back and that's when I went to my parent's room. Give me something, anything to make it go away please please please. To be fair my mom was telling me all vacation to go to the doctor because of past episodes of pain I had while in Costa Rica as well as my stomach issues while home. She told me it was my gallbladder, she should know, hers was taken out years ago. I went back to my room. I'll just put the a/c on an wait it out, if I miss my flight I'm screwed. I opened a bottle of milk of magnesia and took shots...nothing. Still sweating and shaking and I'm going to die, I'm going to die of pain... so I gave in. Take me! Hospital! Run the red lights!

We got to the ER around midnight...I still have 3 hours until I need to go to Boston...we're good. It was like a reunion with all your old friends. My mom is a nurse and worked 10 years in the ER before she transferred to endoscopy last year. I waited a few minutes while my mom registered me and spoke with the nurse. Then went back to a room. Blood was drawn, then beautiful, glorious, most magnificent pain meds were given, Diloded. Thank you tiny baby Jesus. Everyone said, yes most likely your gallbladder. However, the hospital is relatively small and the ultrasound tech goes home around 6pm, so I had to go home and come back in the morning to confirm and decide where to go from there.

As soon as I get up from the bed, I feel like  absolute s**t. The pain in my chest and back was gone, instead I feel like I could barf all my insides onto the floor. Lets just go, go to the car now, I'll lay back and feel better.  The nurse asks if I want to stay and hands me a bucket as I'm walking out the door. Thanks but no, I'll feel better at home. WRONG. I make it to my room and puke my brains out, lucky my mom the nurse has cat like reflexes, no a drop outside the bucket. I lay down, but don't sleep. Diloded makes me itchy as hell, then it wears of an pain pain pain again. I'm thirsty but can't drink anything in case of surgery the next day. We go back to the hospital earlier than my schedules appointment with ultrasound, maybe I can get the images soon and check back into the ER. That would be marvelous! Finally some luck because they take me early and I'm done with the ultrasound in 20 minutes and back in the ER 5 minutes later. This time instead of Diloded I get my best friend Morphine. She is a good friend. I feel brand new! No pain, no nausea no itching, it's fabulous! From there things go quickly- yes its the gallbladder complete with stones, thickening of the walls and an infection. All of which means surgery and I am so ready to get it out and be done with the trouble of it all. Sign this, initial that, have you eaten? No. Anything to drink? No. Great, ready to go then. My dad took the day off from work (he is also a pharmacist and worked in the hospital with my mom until a few years ago when he decided Siemens was a better fit). My poor sister had slept through the entire ordeal and was still at home sleeping, having no idea I'm in the country still or about to have surgery, surprise! She comes and sees me before I go under. I get a little extra medication and I'm in the OR. The last thing i remember is moving myself from the ER bed to the table and giving my apologies for flashing everyone. Those gowns are not the concealing type and slide so quickly.

I vaguely remember waking up and feeling sick, then getting sick and blacking out again. I stay over night. There is pain, but different from the burning and this time there is a nurse to shoot up my IV. Breathing deeply is out of the question, laying down is best and I'll just hold my pee because no way am I moving out of this bed. I get these two blankets rapped around my legs that give massages. How awesome! But really its to keep up my circulation. Oh those silly blood clots.

The next day I eat...more like drink, some broth and jello. That's about all I can handle anyways. I slip in and out of sleep all day. There are some visitors. I get a pillow pet! No idea what that was until I was given one. That little guy was my sidekick! I used him to hold against my sutures when I needed to cough or move, which helped so much. By that night I could get up to walk to the bathroom. What an accomplishment! I felt well enough to go home, after all home comes complete with a nurse and pharmacist, no problem in that. I get some Vicodin for the road and off we go. Throughout the next week all I do is sleep, watch a movie, eat a popsicle, sleep, watch a movie, eat a popsicle and its wicked awesome! Two weeks pass and I can walk around no problem, I get tired easily, no heavy lifting and all that, but I feel much better. I got 3 weeks added to my already extended vacation, which I was thankful for in more ways then one.

My House

The last eventful moment to my vacation was that my parents sold our home! Something they have been trying to do for a few years, but the market hasn't exactly favored those trying to sell. The best part is that they are moving to one of my favorite places, BOSTON! Looks like when I go home for Christmas I will be living in an apartment in Brighton across the street from my sister's new high school, St. Joseph's.

End of Vacation

Peace Corps Medical clears me to go back to Costa Rica August 11th.

I want to live here...

Bahia Ballena, Uvita

Finally made it to the beach. 6 hours and 3 bus changes from Coope Isabel to San Jose then another 7 hours and crowded bus down to Uvita. It was so worth it. Ballena is beautiful, hot and the beach is shaped like a whale's tail!

Because I'm on a Peace Corps budget and this place is wicked cool I stayed at Flutterby House Hostel. Tree house bunking and the ocean = awesome!

A plus to Flutterbly is that they are super conscience about how they treat the environment, lowering their eco-footprint and recycling recycling recycling! Just remember to follow this very important rule...

Can I change sites to the beach? So hard returning to reality.

Dear Teachers

Dear Teachers,

I would like to take this opportunity to give you; a high five, pat on the back, shake your hand, hug, bow in honor, curtsy and generally say THANK YOU for all that you do.

After exactly four months of teaching under my belt, I have come to the scientific conclusion that teaching is tough. I tested my hypothesis, followed the experimental procedure and was able to formulate a new law of science which states; teaching is difficult, very difficult.

Each generation depend on teachers to give their children the best education possible and to create bright, creative and successful adults. You are never given enough credit, pay or respect for the monumental task you agree to take on at the beginning of every school year. You are educators yes, but many times throughout the span of your career you also inspire and motivate. You the teacher, motivate students to set goals, work hard and  darn it, hand in your homework! You inspire students to make it happen! To fulfill dreams that were once thought impossible. You work; during the day, at night and on weekends. You plan, grade, organize, glitter, paint, type and bedazzle papers, chalkboards, bulletin boards, posters and classrooms to name a few. All of this is done during your vacation time, sleep time, lunch time and any other time that's considered "you" time, because when you are a teacher "you" time is really "how can I make things better for my students" time. During June you get landed with the classroom that smells funny and a fan that doesn't work. In winter you wear two sweaters to class because budget cuts have forced the school to cut back on non-necessary items like heat during a blizzard. In every group of students you have at least one who is rude, interrupts, distracts or refuses to participate. That student makes you want to pull out your hair, burn your teacher id badge and cry yourself to sleep. But, instead, you take that student under your wing, give them extra help and get them on the right track. During that same student's graduation he or she gives you a big hug after they receive their diploma and head out the door to college. You my friend, are a hero. You are patient, dependable and selfless beyond what is possible and never hear the words thank you enough. Thank you!

I have walked in the shoes of a teacher for 4 months and they wear pointed toe, 6 inch spiked heals as their leisure shoe. I now have blisters. I believe everything I have just written to be true about the teachers who helped me throughout elementary, high school, college and beyond. I hope I can be as generous and hard working as these people are, but I don't know if I'm that strong. Here is to 1 and half more years of retesting my experiment and hopefully coming out the other side in one piece.

I take my hat off to teachers, where would we be without them?

Much respect,
Julianne

Te Quiero Mucho Teacher.

At least once a week I think about my decision to join Peace Corps and become an English teacher. If I was being really honest, sometimes daily. On the service side of things, I think about that fact that I'm missing my sister's last 2 years of high school, including prom and softball games.  I'm not doing activities that I loved and made me feel like me, rowing for one.  I'm missing a whole bunch of things, with a whole bunch of people I love, who live thousands of miles away. I have doubts about the one thing I was so sure, so excited and worked so hard to get accepted into. I talked about Peace Corps non-stop before my departure with anyone who would listen. So why am I having this internal struggle...I got exactly what I wanted. With regards to my career, I'm a first time teacher. No teaching degree, no experience, working in three (count them... THREE) elementary schools. I organize, I plan, I make, I teach first through sixth grade and its hard, so hard for me. I struggle. I get tired. Sometimes I get lazy and just don't want to plan. Most time I don't even know if I'm enjoying what I'm doing, is teaching for me? Lots of time the answer is no.

Then little, tiny, quick as lightening moments happen with students and it completely turns me around again.

The most recent quick as lightning moment happened at Escuela El Carmen. I ride my bike to the school, about 20 minutes outside of my town. It is the poorest of the three schools I teach at. The schools is set up much the same as the others- two classrooms, bathrooms and a kitchen. There are enough desks and chairs for students but all other resources are scarce. I have to say, out of all three schools, I enjoy myself most at El Carmen. It is the best fit for me and I can't put my finger on why, it just worked out that way.

This past Thursday I was giving a lesson, my second to last for the day. I was giving the second graders a lesson on weather in English. (Sunny, Cloudy, Rainy) To have a little fun with learning I decided to make a weather dice. I gave each student a piece of paper that had an outline of 6 connected boxes, some of which had white tabs. Inside each box was a picture of one of the types of weather. Students colored the pictures, then cut out the connected boxes, folded and then glued the tabs in order to make the weather dice. Once finished gluing, the students tossed the dice and repeated the English word that corresponded with the picture face up.

During the gluing and cutting part of class, one of my students came to show me his dice. I said my usual praise of "what a good job! I love the colors you used, so creative!" before he turned to sit back at his desk he passed me one of the scraps of paper used to make the dice. As I was opening the paper another student came to show me their work as well. Daniel jumped in front of the other student and said "no, this paper is only for you." So I waited to open it. When all of the students where at their desks playing I opened my secret note from Daniel. It read, "Te quiero mucho," with hearts and a picture of a girl (which I assume is me). It was short, done on an impulse with scrap paper, but it made my day. No one told him to write a note, he just decide to draw a quick picture and say something nice. I'm sure he doesn't know I'm blogging about his small gesture or that he made me happy and impacted the how I was feeling about teaching at that moment. To be honest Daniel made me feel reassured of my decision to join, happy with being a teacher and that I was wanted. All of those feelings from this little boy who decided I was a nice enough person to receive a "te quiero mucho" note. 

Up until yesterday I was not happy with teaching. I'm not sure why that particular gesture changed my perspective, but it did. Since I began teaching students have given me positive comments that made me feel good, but didn't change the fact that I wasn't enjoying what I was doing. I don't expect to be fully in love with the job everyday (its a tough job). I don't know if teaching is my longterm path, but for now I fully enjoy visiting El Carmen and am so happy with being a teacher at that school.

Thank you Daniel for getting me out of my funk, doing something kind for someone else, and being the cutest darn second grader I know.

Book Donations! Please and Thank you!

Greetings from your favorite Peace Corps Volunteer,

As you all know, I am serving two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica. I was accepted to the TEFL or Teaching English as a Foreign Language program and have been living in Costa Rica since October. Currently, I work in rural Northern Costa Rica at three elementary schools and teach grades 1-6. These students are receiving English classes for the first time. So exciting for the kids and schools! 

The Challenge: These schools have basic materials and little funding to meet the needs of their students. Forget about English resources, there is nothing. I spend a majority of my time preparing for class by drawing, writing and making all materials for my students. 

The Need: Children's Story Books! This would be an amazing tool for teaching English. I am looking for book donations from friends and family who have outgrown their books. All types of children's books would be greatly appreciated!! I plan to take themes from books and create a more interesting fun lesson out of the stories. For example: "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," I could use that story to teach days of the week, numbers, colors and food. 

The Sad Factor: Children don't read for fun. There is no reading circle during school, bedtime stories at home, or book clubs during vacation. Books are expensive, many families can't afford to purchase them. As a result reading for fun and to promote learning is non-existent. I made a small picture book, complete with illustrations, for a 1st grade class to teach numbers 1-5. While reading the children where completely focused. They laughed when I spoke in funny voices or made silly faces. At the end of the story, I asked the students what was their favorite book to read? No response. Through a little more talking I found out that this was the first story book that had ever been read to the students. It made me so sad, because I loved bedtime stories, especially when my parents read to me. I still remember my favorite books and can't wait to read them to my own children one day. This is why I would love to incorporate books into my lessons. Firstly, to show that reading is FUN! Secondly, to use as an English resources and something I can leave behind that the children can continue to use after my two years of service.

Books: These are just ideas...I will gladly accept and use anything you find to donate. THANK YOU!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?

The Rainbow Fish

Anything by Dr. Seuss

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

The Little Engine that Could

5 Little Monkeys

Good Night Moon

The Story of Ferdinand the Bull

Tikki Tikki Tembo

Guess How Much I Love You

The Berentstain Bears

Any book, all books would be an amazing gift for my students and something I know they will love.

If you find books you are willing to donate they can be sent to my mom or myself. If you are interested in donating please email me! I will give more details and contact information for send the books.

My email: julianne.davis23@gmail.com

THANK YOU/GRACIAS!

Julianne

The Wiggles

I never thought I would have The Wiggles on my itunes let alone ipod. Now I dance, sing and teach English with my Wiggle cd. It was probably the most fun I've had with my 1st - 3rd grade students. We learned how to shake, nod, clap, jump and stretch our sillies out, and wiggle them all away today.

In all seriousness it is a great tool. I'm going to use the song "Dr. Knickerbocker" for the parts of the body lesson, "Fruit Salad" and "Hot Potato" for different types of food... etc. The kids got so excited when I pulled out the stereo, everyone was listening and participating...most importantly speaking in English! Its hard to come up with activities for the youngest groups, there are only so many times I can ask the kids to repeat a word then color the picture before they revolt. Plus, they get rid of excess energy they may have used to interrupt or distract others in class.

If anyone has children cd's that your family has outgrown, including holiday music, please let me know! I would love to use as much music as possible.

"Were gunna shake, shake, shake our sillies out..."

Jazz Chants

Thanks to our IST-In Service Training, I learned how to make and use Jazz Chants in order to teach English.  They are a big hit with both my elementary school students and adult community class students.

A Jazz Chant is a rhythmic poem you can create in order to teach vocabulary, grammar structures, commands, etc. Verses are often repeated to reinforce the lesson and it is not necessary to make everything rhyme. Students can simply sing the words alone or add clapping, snapping or stop their feet to the rhythm. When students feel comfortable with the vocabulary you can separate them into groups and make a sing-off competition. 

In order to teach Jazz Chants;
1. I introduce the vocabulary or grammar structure by itself. Write it on the board and have students copy the information.
2. I bring a hackie sack with me to every lesson, another great tool. I pass the ball around and quiz the students, then let the students ask each other.
3. I write the new Jazz Chant on the board, which incorporates the lesson into the song and have the students write it in their Jazz Chants mini book.
4. We practice singing! The first couple of times I sing a line and the students repeat.

With younger students I like to make paper bag puppets they can use to sing the song. Sometimes we change our voices to a higher or lower pitch or make dances to go along with the words.

In all cases, elementary or adult, the students have a lot of fun learning the songs and spend the rest of the day singing what they learned.

In my Adult Community English Classes they are learning: introductions, greetings and basic conversations starters. For example: Hello, good morning, What is your name?

Here is of the Jazz Chants I use to teach this subject...

Hello good morning

How are you?

I'm fine, thank you (x2)

Hello good afternoon

How are you?

I'm good and you? (x2)

Hello good evening

How are you?

I'm bad (x2)

GOOD NIGHT!

(students like to shout the last line)

Last night I challenged my students to write their own Jazz Chants using the vocabulary we practiced and any other English words/phrases they know. It was a big success! One group came up with a chant that I think is hilarious!! Here it is...

Hey, good morning

Good morning (x2)

What's your job?

I don't work (x2)

SORRY!

My host brother's group came up with that Jazz Chant. I couldn't be prouder...hehe

I hope they will let me video record some of their songs in the future.

Nature Girl

I live in a tropical climate, which means lots of bugs and weird animals. Its awesome when I get to snap a shot of a sloth, or a toucan is chilling in a tree outside my window. What I'm not use to is finding all the other creatures inside my home. When people come to visit I feel like their should be an entrance fee for the wildlife exhibit, do not pet the animals sign and a departure rabies shot. (Well, maybe thats a bit of an exaggeration, but my house is always full of surprises!)

        

              



On the plus side, my reaction timing has improved, the flying cockroaches love aiming for your head. I'm going to be great at dodge ball when I get home. Who wants to start a team?

Most recently, a bat has decided to make his home in our bathroom. He doesn't do anything, except hang upside down in the shower. I use to get surprised when I would go to use the bathroom, look up and find him right next to me. Now I think he is kind of cute, plus he eats the spiders and mosquitoes.

The most irritating is the gigantic herd of mice living in the ceiling above my head. They love to come down on the other side of my wall into the house and fight. I use to be really afraid of them, especially at night, but now I feel like I'm in that Disney movie, Ratatouille. Remember the scene in the beginning where Remy, the main character and a mouse, is in the old lady's house. He was looking for food to bring back to the colony of mice when the old women walks in with her shotgun and starts shooting. Remy and his brother try to escape by climbing back into the ceiling where the family lives, but the old lady shoots too many times and the ceiling caves in. Hundreds of rats fall down into the home and begin run everywhere. That's my room. I'm the old lady living below a colony of mice who are a few gun holes away from caving in on me. My mosquito net will save me right?

IST- In Service Training

March 22-31

IST- In Service Training happens 3 months after swearing in. TEFL is a pilot program, the first English education group for Costa Rica. Therefore there are a lot of issue to work out. IST was much needed and appreciated. 

Tico 21, my Peace Corps group, got to stay at the Crowne Plaza Corobici for 10 days. I walked into this swank hotel after 6 hours on a hot bus, rocking my chaco sandals and camping backpack. I'm not exactly their type of gringo customer. I was sweaty, dirty and my hair was more of a don't than a do. There was air-conditioning, hot showers, I had 4 pillows all to myself and a flat screen t.v. with shows in English! We were there to work but it felt like a mini vacation. 

Training was amazing, we were able to vent about the negative and learn about all the successes. I felt like I was able to get back in the driver seat and take control of my projects and not let them control me. I gained direction and perspective and feel more prepared to work with my schools and community. Thanks IST!

Finally!

I've been waiting 6 months to get a picture of a sloth!

When I arrived in my community I asked what kind of animals lived in the area. Coope has many different species of birds including toucans, there are congos, sloths, iguanas, ect. It has been my mission to get photos of a sloth, toucan and congo.

I told my host family that I love animals and would like to take pictures because none of these animals live where I do in the states. Before long the whole town knew that I wanted to take pictures of animals. Since then, people come running or call my house in waves to tell me which animals they have seen and where they are.

Today was the day I finally got my picture of a sloth. It was in a neighbors yard in a small tree. I could have reached out an touched it! Did you know sloths hiss?

   

Cafecito Time!

Cafecito time is my favorite time of the day! It happens around 3pm. We sit a drink coffee. Thats it. And I love love love it.

During school days cafecito time is earlier, around 1:30pm.

Today, while at school, the teachers went for cafecitos and found a frog in the school's coffee maker. Awesome!

My Little School

LA ESCUELA DE COOPE ISABEL, COSTA RICA

  

   

Google Earth

I was being a very responsable volunteer today and writing my community diaognostic, when I came to the section where I need to insert a community map. Coope Isabel, my community, doesn't have a map nore can you find it labeled on Google Maps. I decided to check online anyways and began playing around with Google Maps and Google Earth. The closest town to Coope that has a label is Los Angeles, which is right next to where I live. I switched from the Maps program to Earth program and started zooming in on the general direction of Coope. I FOUND MY TOWN!


Coope Isabel, Costa Rica

•  The point where the road comes to a "T" is the center of town.
• There is a square piece of grass next to the intersection, this is the Plaza or Futbol Field.
• On the North side of the field their are 3 white buildings, this is the school. The biggest building holds the classrooms, the one in the middle is the kitchen and the smallest is the principals house.
• At the opposite end of the field, South, are the Church and local store.
• The town community center is located at the bottom right, South East corner of the Plaza. It was condemned a year ago so no one is able to use it.
• Most of the land is used for agriculture; pineapple, plantanos, yucca and cattle ranches.
• Roads
• The road to the North leads to a town called Santa Elena.
• The road to the East leads to the town Los Angeles, you can located this town on Google Maps.
• The road to the West is the direction of the river Tres Amigos and the town El Carmen.
• The majority of houses are along the road but some are scattered around the fields.

P.S. Thank you James for the tech help.

Teaching the Teacher

Teaching has been a fun and frustrating experience. I was feeling over whelmed my first week of  English classes. Where do I being? How do I organize and plan lessons? Where are we going to end up at the end of the year? I was afraid of being a miserable failure of a teacher and disappointing the expectations of my community.

But...

The past two weeks have taught me a lot.

First- to go slow, go really slow. For these students, it is their first experience with English and exposure to something outside their culture, their norms and their routine. What I my think is easy or will take 5 minutes to explain and comprehend may take them an entire class to understand. So, there is no rush to figure out what direction to go or where to end the school year because we are still working on, “hello” and “my name is.”

Second- I’m not alone. Being foreign, speaking Spanish as my second language and living away from family, friends and other volunteers I feel disconnected and isolated. I learned this week that its good to email other volunteers, they can give some good advice. Also, I may live in the middle of no where, but my community and family here does care and does want to help. At first I felt like I had to take on the responsibility of English Classes and Community Projects without help/advice/support/ideas from people in town, but they showed me over the past two days that they want to make me feel welcomed and  supported.

Third- I have to take it day by day. Bad days don’t last forever and when a good day pops up it makes you feel so HAPPY.

So a Priest Walks into a Bar...

Last week was a tough week at school. I teach Mondays and Thursday at the school in my town. Thursday being the longer day where each classes is 120 minutes long. The last class of the day was my combined second and third graders. There are about 20 students in this class. I had been having trouble getting them to follow through on the class rules and maintaining classroom management during “communicative activities,” which is a fancy word for games. But, I decided to continue with my planned lesson and “communicative activity.”

It was a disaster. When I ask for silence, I got loud conversations. When I said, "time to listen to instructions", I was blasted with questions and students repeating “teacher, teacher!” When I yelled, the kids just talked louder. I literally was not able to put more than 5 words together in a sentence with out a questions being yelled, students leaving their seats, leaving the classroom, or completely ignoring me and continuing with their conversations.

The first day of class we had gone over the rules and expectations, but apparently no one was listening then either.

I felt frustrated with the class for their behavior and angry with myself for not being able to keep them under control and focused. Even more so, that I yelled to get their attention, which made me feel even more out of control.

The next day, Friday, I went to Pital to interview a priest for the community diagnostic I am writing. As a community leader and someone that people respect I wanted to get his opinion on the town and its needs. I spoke with Padre Gabriel.

Faith, religion, god are all things extremely important to Costa Rican culture and is dominant in rural communities where people are generally more traditional. This is not exactly my cup of tea. I skirt around the questions of faith and god. I stand during prayer time at school with the rest of the students, but am silent and attend mass with my host mother, but only because it is important to her and for the community to see me involved. I was interested to see how the interview with the priest would go- would he ask me personal questions about faith? How would I respond? And so on.

The interview with Padre Gabriel was the best interview I’ve had so far and gained a lot out of his perspective and what he had to say. He was practical, honest, and sincere. When I asked, “What are important 3 things Coope Isabel needs?” I expected an answer along the lines of English classes, improved infrastructure, or new community center. What I go was “family” -Coope Isabel needs to work on their families, their relationships, how people treat one another. That answer made me so happy. It had nothing to do with asking for money or material objects (something I get a lot of), but with love. I think I lost track of that during my diagnostic and  in thinking of ideas about how to improve Coope, to develop its resources, to educate, and create programs. How can the community participate or respect physical improvements to the town if they can’t treat each other correctly? This is brilliant!

Padre Gabriel also asked me how I was doing, how my week went. I told him about my Thursday and how lost I felt with my out of control class. He listen and we talked about what my plans were for the following week and the changes I was going to implement.

The interview ended and I felt really accomplished, which lifted my mood.

Sunday was church like normal. Padre Gabriel gave the mass. Too my surprise he decided to make the topic of his sermon what we had talked about during the interview- How people treat one another and pass on bad behavior to children, the students! No specifics were given but he said… it is a shame that there are people willing to sacrifice and live in this community, who have no other motive than to help and teach, and are received with disrespect… This was in reference to me and the behavior of my students. It felt nice to have someone in my corner, especially a community leader, but also a little nervous to see the reaction of the parents.

After mass some of the mothers walked up to me and told me I have there full support and if I need help they will do the best they can. That was a relief, the parents weren’t upset and actually wanted to participate, which is sometimes like pulling teeth. Over all I felt so much better about heading into Monday classes with a new plan, haven spoken to others about my problem and receiving positive feedback.

MONDAY class with the second and third graders was…AWESOME! I didn’t expect such a change, but there was. I’m not sure if it was that fact that they had the weekend to play and relax, if their parents talked to them, or if I was just more on top of things, but the class stayed completely under control. We started with the rules; I made posters and hung them in the front of the class depicting each rule. We practiced the kind of behavior I wanted to see and played the “silence game.” Also, taught the students “magic words” or please and thank you and told them how much I love to hear “magic words.” I even squeezed in an English activity! I was finally able to enjoy this class.

Happy ending...

Just My Luck

I waited 5 months to get internet and now that I finally have it my computer doesn´t want to work. Somehow its filled with viruses. I probably got them when I put my USB in an internet cafe computer then used the same USB on my computer. Hopefully its in the process of being saved...we shall see.

Until then...fingures crossed

Dear Callae Hackett at Siemens.

Thank you for your generosity. Its greatly appreciated and means the world to me.

I love my family <3

First Day of TEACHING...

Feb 24, 2011
First Day of English Class!


4th and 5th Grade Class

I didn't sleep at all the night before. I kept thinking about the fact that I've never taught English before, no experience, no idea what I'm doing, my Spanish is not the greatest...the kids are going to eat me alive.

La Escuela de Coope Isabel has 3 classrooms (including kinder) and a seperate building, el comedor, or the kitchen where food is prepared and students eat lunch. The day is split in 2, in the morning half the students have classes and in the afternoon they switch for the other grades. Esentially each student gets about 3.5-4 hours of school each day. (significantly less than in the States) In the morning first graders have one classroom and fourth and fifth share the other. In the afternoon sixth graders in one class with second and third combined in the other class.

For the first lesson I decied to teach greetings, something we can use at the begining of every class to establish a routine. We brainstormed, wrote, listen and played "hot potato," I gave out homework and that was the end of each class. The morning went surprisingly well. I had some free time around lunch. Then the afternoon classes began. I went to the sixth grade first. It was hot they had extra energy they needed to burn off but over all they listened and we got through everything I planned for their lesson. When I got to the second and third graders I made sure to establsh the class rules and what I would do when I needed their attention. This was the biggest class of the day and combined 2 very young levels. Started out great, everyone writing the vocabulary in their notebooks, when we got to the "hot potato" game the noise level went crazy and the class steadly fell apart. No matter what I did I couldn't get them back to where I needed them...thank god for recess. The class ended, I wasn't able to complete the lesson which was unfortunate, but I was so glad to go home where it was quiet.

My first day went better than expected. Productive lessons for the most part and I know where I really need to have perfect classroom management.

My Sweet New Ride

Feb 18, 2011
I got my bike! Now I can get to my other schools, ride to other volunteers and not depend on the bus!

Me and My Sweet New Ride Part1

The day I got my bike I decided to ride it home. Pital to Coope Isabel, about 50 minutes. I stopped in Los Angeles to see my aunt and show off my sweet new ride! I told her everything was perfect except the brakes didn't really work...no big deal right, who needs breaks? The down hill parts of my ride home were really exciting! Her husband came home about the time I was leaving to go back to Coope and insisted on looking at the breaks for me. Sure what the heck, thanks!

The next day Katherine (another PVC that lives in the area, and by area I mean 3 bus rides away) and I decided to meet up in Pital on our sweet new rides, aka bikes. we were going to meet in at 11, have lunch and hang out. I got ready and left my house at 10.  The first couple minutes I was loving life, then I started to notice that it was really hard peddling my bike even though I had it on the lowest gear and the road was flat. "Egh probable just out of shape, no biggie." Then again there was this awful noise that wasn't there yesterday, but I was dedermined to get to Pital and see my friend. So I continued; legs burning and sweating my gringa butt off. Then this guy rides up next to me, stranger danger! No not really, in the campo everybody are friends. He says that my tire might be the problem and he has an air pump. So I stop, he helps, we start riding again. Nope not the tire, we stop, he looks at my bike, its the brakes. I was riding with my brakes ON the entire time...ha I totally knew that, yup. (My uncle had fixed my brakes a little too well.)

Side note: My town has no paved roads, there are three roads leading in and out of my town. In the direction of Los Angeles the dirt road leads to a paved road. The paved road starts in Los Angeles and continues in the direction of Pital until you hit the intersection where you can turn left toward La Legua or right Toward Pital. At this intersection the road turns into dirt again with huge rocks and pot holes.

We get to the intersection where the paved road ends. I turn right toward Pital and he crossed the street towrad the fruit packing factory where he works. I forgot to ask him his name,thank you stranger. At this point I've been on my bike for an hour; its 11, I'm late to meet Katherine, the sun is burning hot, no shade and I still have another 3 miles to go. I get off my bike and start to walk because I'm tired and I'd rather not fall off my bike into the rocks. So I walk and I walk and I walk. Every car that passes has a cloud of dirt following it, which sticks to my skin because I'm dripping with sweat. Me being the really smart and well prepared PCV has water and a rain jacket but didn't bring extra sunblock or a hat. I am completely baking under the sun, walking on this dirt road, no clouds no shade. Any moment the vultures were going to come down and carry me away. I decide to alternate between riding an walking because all I want is to be in Pital, baby wipe the dirty away and chug some water.

I arrive around 11:50 and meet up with Katherine. She confirms that I look like a lobster from hell and we find a place to eat. After lunch we take my sweet new ride to be fixed which took at of 10 minutes and head to the soccer field for some more gossip and fruit. I bought more sunblock on the way and poured it all over myself but the damage was done, I was a bright red crispy gringa with a farmers tan that would beat any farmer. No amount of sunblock could help be now. We got on our bikes heading home around 3, his time my trip was much smoother. I passed the fruit factory just as the work day ended and turned onto the paved road heading for Coope. The first downward hill on the road is fairly steep and leads directly to an uphill. My brakes weren't really any better so I let go, crossed my fingers and hoped I wouldn't hit a bumb. I passed some walkers as I was speeding down and they yelled, "eso!" like I was incredibly cool for going so fast, but really, all I wanted was to not fall off. I made it, survived the first hill. When I got to the top I heard someone on a bike behind me, it was my friend! We rode the rest of the way to Coope together, he lives there aswell. Oh and I made sure to ask him his name, Louis.

When I got home my host mom was worried. I showered and she gave me aloe. The next few days she chased me around with sunblock, an umbrella and kept reminding me that, "I'm just too white for the Costa Rican sun." She is so good to me.

I love my sweet new ride, even if it forces me to walk in the hot sun until im burnt and thirsty.

The End

First Day of School! First Day of School!

Feb 10, 2011
First day of school and I'm the teacher, weird! English classes won't start for a while, I'm going to spend some time observing and getting into the swing of things.

I got a lot of stickers!

Lions and Tigers and SLOTHS Oh My!

Jan 20, 2011
I saw 2 sloths today! Where was my camera? No where near me, awesome.

Town Meeting

Jan 18, 2011

My first town meeting, a little intimidating, but I got through it.

 In preperation for the reunion; I made invitations, walked door to door and stood up at the end of Sunday Mass announcing, in Spanish, all the details. Most people in town knew there was a gringa living there now, some people knew why, but most people didn't have a clue. Having me arrive at their front door with invitations was a little strange for them, they weren't sure how to react.

After all that work I wasn't sure if the curiosity of meeting the new girl in town would be enough to draw in a big crowd. Other Peace Corps Volunteers warned me that many people will say they are coming and in the end you have 5 participants. So I was shooting for 5. I ended up getting around 35 people, success!

The twon meeting was split into 2 time slots; 4pm for women and 7pm for men. I did this on the advice of my host mom, firstly because of the differing schedules between men and women and secondly to encourage mens participation instead of sending their wives to find out whats going on.

Of course both meeting were running on "Tico Time" and started 15-20 minutes late. I began with and introduction of who I am, why I am here and some history of the Peace Corps. I also explain that the meetings are part of a town diognostic I have to complete before community developmnt projects can begin. By gathering information and gaining a better understanding of everything Coope, as well as the people, I can help organize and creat; effective, sustainable and meaningful community activities.

The Community Assessment Tool or CAT that I used for the first meeting was a maping activity. Each group of men and women were given news print paper, markers, crayons ect to draw a basic outline of Coope. Once that was completed each group was handed colored construction paper; red squares, green circles and yellow triangles. On the red squares the group were to write things they thought were dangerous in town and place the square in the that area of the map. The circles represented items the wanted but did not have and the triangles things then need. During the presentation of the maps I was able to ask quastions, see the different perspective between men and women and understand my community better.

At the mens' meeting some Nicaraguan men living in the town decided to drop in and see what was going on. This was a pleasant surprise, because in general, Nicaraguan immigrants are not well integrated into the town and are faced with widespread racism throughout Costa Rica. It was nice to have a population that doesn't normally participate, interested. Unfortunately, this event wasn't above the social problems of today, a few Ticos decided to give me an example of the racism and sour feelings between Ticos and Nicaraguans. It was the one bad note to an otherwise productive and fun first town meeting.

Fine Dining

Jan 10, 2011

My sister invited me to go North to the Nicaraguan boarder with her, her cousin and a friend. No big deal, just ate some lobster. Apparently there are sharks in the Rio de Juan...say what?!?!

Yumm

Jan 4, 2011
Accidently ate some ants

Christmas and New Year's

It didn't feel like christmas, which was good because I would have been a lot more homesick if it had. Both holidays passed uneventfully. Spent most of the time getting to know my host family.

I went to Pital, closest town that has things like a bank, supermarket, post office ect, to buy and extension cord. Conveniently the hardware store was out. (Go figure) Instead I bought supplies to make my own extension cord. Since I had no idea what I was doing I went straight to my Tico grandpa and made it together...okay well he make it and I held the flashlight.

The Rat

My new house is more spacious than where I lived for training, which was a pleseant surprise. I have my own room at the corner of the house with a door leading into the house as well as to the outside. (The only thing missing from my doorway into the house was an actual door.) The set up alows me to come and go as I please and be involved as much as I want with the happenings of the house or room to have privacy and space. (However, wanting to spend time alone is very unusual to Costa Ricans) The first thing I did when I got to my room was set up mosquito net, yes I am married to it now. (And fully committed to making it work :)

Once upon a time...

My sister decided to have a party with her High School friends since they were all back in town for the christmas holiday. She introduced me to them, we chatted for a bit and then I bowed out. They were all very welcoming, but I didn't want to have to think in Spanish or play catch up to understand all of the inside jokes from school. It was late...okay it was 9 o'clock, but I was really tired so I went to bed. (Yes, I'm and old lady who enjoys the early bird special and is married to my mosquiot net.) After I secure my mosquito net so that there was no way anything was getting in and I sure as hell wasn;t get out, I fell into a coma.

Sometime later in the night I heard shuffling. I figured it was someone from the party looking for the bathroom, so I fell back asleep. Then I woke up suddenly but didn't understand why until I heard something in my room screaming and bangining into the walls, my bed, the outside door ect. My first thought was, "Its a monkey!" "What am I going to name him?" And then I realized it wasn't a monkey, it was a huge RAT! And I was trapped in my bed by my mosquito net with no lights. So I tried screaming...nope, no one heard me and it just made the rat run faster. When I knew it was under my bed I pole vaulted out of my bed and to the main part of the house.

After I successfully got everyone in my family out of bed and armed for a counter attack, the rat had gone...no doubt waiting and plotting its next ambush. My brother thought I was just hearing the rats in the ceiling, but I swear on the most holy of Nutella jars that there was a big, fat, gray rat running and screaming around my room. Needless to say for the next week I acted like a 5 year old who has monsters in their closet and jumped at every night time noise I heard.

To this day the rat still lerks in the shadows gloating at its successful escape while sneaking around the house at night...Mark my words I will catch him!

The End

A New Life

Training officially ended Dec 17, 2010 with the Swearing In Ceremony. Complete with Peace Corps diploma and a photo opp with the U.S. Embassabor to Costa Rica.

Dec 19,2010
Moved into my new house, with me new family in my new town- Coope Isabel. Coope is a small agricultural community of aprox 300 people that produces; pineapple, platanos and yuuca along side cattle ranches. If you are looking to see where I live on the map. Coope is in the Northern Low Lands in the Province of Alajuela, San Carlos. The closest town visible on a map is, Pital, I live about an hour North near El Rio de Tres Amigos.

Plaza de Futbol, Coope Isabel

Family :)
Awesome! The best way to describe my new family is awesome! I have a small imediate family (by Costa Rican standards), Mom-Mar de Luz, Sister-Glenda and Brother-Jose Alberto, plus our dog Oso. They have been nothing but kind and generous to me since the day I got here. I love love love my Peace Corps family.

                                                                       My Family :)