Sunday, July 19, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Las direcciones
San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is like other Latin American cities but it also has its uniqueness. It has lots of traffic and all kinds of people going to work, to school, and so on. The one thing that is very interesting and also hard to manage is the way people give directions. Costa Rica uses the metric system, which is fine, but people use it to give an address or talk about a point of reference without using anything else. At the beginning, it was hard to understand and to move from one point to another by just listening to a local give directions. They will say, for instance, “walk 10 meters to the right then 25 meters to the left you will find the place.” Someone giving directions to her house may say, “Get off at the bus stop to the cemetery, go 25 meters to the right, then 100 meters to the left until you find my house.” Do not ask for the names of streets. That simply does not happen. They may tell you if you walk east all numbers are even if you walk west all numbers are odd. San Jose is a wonderful adventure.
Tortuga
Costa Rica is a very pretty country outside the capital. Mountains, beaches, and beautiful national parks surround it. Last weekend, I visited Isla Tortuga with a large group from MLSA. The journey started at 6:00 a.m. at the casita, which is the biggest house in the sector where UCR is located. All the students were full of anticipation when they met there. We took a two-hour bus ride to San Miguel, a wonderful pueblo. There we ate the typical Costa Rican breakfast “gallo pinto” (rice and black beans). After breakfast, we took a boat to la Isla Tortuga. The name comes from its shape. It has two mountains, which from far away look like the heads of two turtles looking at each other. It has a small beautiful beach surrounded by mountains, lots of palm trees, and gorgeous flowers. We tasted the ceviche (raw fish cocktail) and were entertained by marimba music. The bus ride was pintoresco and we were able to appreciate the stunning flora in Costa Rica. The scenic views I admired along the road live up to the dicho, “pura vida.”
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Aventura a pie
Tuesday, I decided to walk today to UCR. It was the most interesting walk. There are no sidewalks in Costa Rica. The streets are very narrow and it is hard to walk. The side of road has open channels to allow the water from the intense rain to flow. Big holes are formed along the street due of the extreme change in the season. Having the cars and traffic in general so close to you while walking is scary. At least I have not seen many motorcycles. Hasta pronto y “Pura Vida!”
Los trabajos
Monday was a quiet day. Classes are going at a fast pace. Projects and papers are
starting to pile up. Due days are getting closer, and the level of anxiety is higher now. It is winter in Costa Rica, and the rain marks this season well. It rains every day in the afternoon like clockwork. I have never seen the rain fall so hard to the ground. I was not expecting it to be so rainy and cold.
starting to pile up. Due days are getting closer, and the level of anxiety is higher now. It is winter in Costa Rica, and the rain marks this season well. It rains every day in the afternoon like clockwork. I have never seen the rain fall so hard to the ground. I was not expecting it to be so rainy and cold.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Los inconvenientes
Friday:
The classes started without a problem. Students seemed happy with their class choices. I took a walk around campus with other students to become familiar with the facilities around the university. We were able to see beautiful birds flying around campus and many different types of banana plants with lots of racimos growing. This was a surprise for many students to see and for me too. It took me back to my land, Colombia. Many of us had assignments that required that copies be made. When we found the places that provide this service, we were allowed to complete the assignments on Friday or Saturday because there are no places open on Sunday. They ended the explanation with this is how we live in Ticoland and always of course, “Pura Vida.”
The classes started without a problem. Students seemed happy with their class choices. I took a walk around campus with other students to become familiar with the facilities around the university. We were able to see beautiful birds flying around campus and many different types of banana plants with lots of racimos growing. This was a surprise for many students to see and for me too. It took me back to my land, Colombia. Many of us had assignments that required that copies be made. When we found the places that provide this service, we were allowed to complete the assignments on Friday or Saturday because there are no places open on Sunday. They ended the explanation with this is how we live in Ticoland and always of course, “Pura Vida.”
El bus
Thursday
Thursday was the first full day of classes. At 7:15 a.m. many doors in the neighborhood opened for all the students who live in the same street to walk together to the bus stop. We all line up at the bus stop, as is the style in “Ticoland,” Costa Rica, when you are getting on the bus. After every one is on the bus, it looks like a private college bus back home with all the students in their seats speaking English. The feeling of comfort is clearly present. The few natives are very helpful and willing to help those that request help or who curiously asks what the signs on the way to the university mean. As one such student asked me, what “Se renta batidora” meant. The sign also had a phone number listed. She asked me, “what is a batidora.” I answered it is a blender. Then she asked me again, “are they taking a bout regular blenders?” I replied, “I do not know, let me find out.” I asked a local about the sign. It was confirmed that the sign was about a regular blender. The Ticos have this type of business. She was surprised but understood that in other parts of the world the abundance that we have in the States in not always available. When we talk about simple things like a blender, “Pura Vida.”
Thursday was the first full day of classes. At 7:15 a.m. many doors in the neighborhood opened for all the students who live in the same street to walk together to the bus stop. We all line up at the bus stop, as is the style in “Ticoland,” Costa Rica, when you are getting on the bus. After every one is on the bus, it looks like a private college bus back home with all the students in their seats speaking English. The feeling of comfort is clearly present. The few natives are very helpful and willing to help those that request help or who curiously asks what the signs on the way to the university mean. As one such student asked me, what “Se renta batidora” meant. The sign also had a phone number listed. She asked me, “what is a batidora.” I answered it is a blender. Then she asked me again, “are they taking a bout regular blenders?” I replied, “I do not know, let me find out.” I asked a local about the sign. It was confirmed that the sign was about a regular blender. The Ticos have this type of business. She was surprised but understood that in other parts of the world the abundance that we have in the States in not always available. When we talk about simple things like a blender, “Pura Vida.”
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