First week

These are some pictures from my classroom and surrounding areas. The mural has a critter on it that lives near the school. In fact, my 4th grade class got excited and told me to look outside, that one of them was running around, and it was. I don't know the name yet, but the kids said he would steal their lunches if they left them out on the tables. He wasn't afraid one bit when the boys started chasing him. Whatever was being taught was ended so we ate our snacks.

Friday afternoon there was an event honoring the interns, who didn't attend, and me, the new teacher who did attend. It was at Choco Cafe; there were 20 to 25 of the staff present with their kids, husbands, and assorted friends. Always the reuniones here have been lively and full of conversations and laughter...lots of Spanish so I'm trying my best to follow. I learned from my fellow 3rd/4th grade teacher how to make the Costa Rican rice and beans...cook the beans seperately from the rice, season the beans with onions/salt/pepper and some spices (I asked what spices and Arleny said "you know, cilantro and salsa lizano"). I'm trying it today since Saturday is my day to explore and find things around where I live. I also bought a painting by Roberto Wesson, a Costa Rican artist living in Monteverde. Probably, this will be only the first of many I buy. Pura Vida y'all!

Cloud Forest School, Day 1

I rode the bus up this road to school. Lots of information, plans, schedules, but all in all a great day. The school is set in 167 acres (don't know how many hectares) of rain forest, at the top of the mountain. There are school buildings and playgrounds, but from every point there is this magnificent view one could get lost in. I get a tour tomorrow so I'll wear my walking boots...lots of walking up and down hills, stairs, paths...I love it. On another note, does anyone know how to make coffee in the thing in the first picture?

Ramblings, trying to not let my jaw hang at the beauty around me.

I'm in Monteverde now, in my bedroom looking out at a green lushness with chirping birds, someone riding a horse down the street, and a cool breeze. The stay in San Jose was fun; the ride to Monteverde was also fun. School for me starts tomorrow! But now, I'm going exploring.

Bruce Springsteen - We Are Alive

Backward underwear

You know you've packed in a hurry, and in the dark, when you go the the airport bathroom and notice your panties are inside out, and backward. What I've forgotten will remain forgotten. I'm in San Jose, Costa Rica after an uneventful trip from Austin to Houston to San Jose. I met young men celebrating a friend's upcoming wedding by going to Costa Rica (to see the volcanoes I'm sure) and a couple from Tulsa, visiting the man's brother and his "significant other" at his new house in Costa Rica. The SO term was stated by the woman with a curled lip and rolled eyes...you know those Okies, all white and all right and no gay boys allowed. We stayed on the surface, conversationally...grandbabies, etc. I got to sit by a couple with their 7 month old grandson, taking him to Boston on their vacation. He was a great little traveler, too. All along the trip were these moments of humanity:  the United flight attendant who happened to have 1 bandaid which she generously gave to me fot the blister on my heel, the tall man who saw me struggling with my overladen back pack and put it in the overhead for me, the seat partner who let me use his foot space so I could get out fast to make my connection in the Houston airport.

San Jose is a big city...green, small coffee fields growing alongside the highway, lots of traffic, surrounded by mountains with clouds at their tops. I woke this morning hearing loud hummingbirds outside my window. The hotel is small, not fancy, and nestled among other buildings. There's a kindergarten down the street. A ceiling fan and an outside view plus inside plumbing to change my underwear is enough for me, And, it's cool. I thought about staying at the hotel today, swimming and napping, but the desk guy convinced me to take the bus (Sabana Estadio/soccer stadium rount) downtown. He and I shared we both like to take buses because you see so much, but a taxi could also get me there. I think the "broom" I'll take is the bus. As they say...pura vida.

How I prepared for Costa Rica

It may seem to be a roundabout way to prepare for living and working in another country, but my way was to go to Oaxaca, Mexico with Mark. We had planned and paid for this trip before I got the teaching job, so...off we went. It had everything I love:  Mark, great food (8 kinds of mole,) archeological sites (Montealban and Mitla,) great people (Oaxacans, Londoners, New Zealanders, Germans, Americans,) beautiful scenery (a bus trip over the Sierra Madre Sur mountains from Oaxaca city to Puerto Escondido,) and the ocean (P. Escondido, waves, sand, and thousands of turtles laying thousands of eggs.) Here are some of the pictures I took; so many more are in my mind.