la primera semana

Dear followers,
I was hoping to be posting much more often, but this week ended up being much busier than I expected, and on top of that I got sick =(  Not to worry, it was just a bad cold, and I'm feeling better now, after a trip to the farmacia, an injection, and some pills.  In Costa Rica, everyone has access to health care and in the farmacias there are doctors who are there to write prescriptions and treat people...so 11,000 colones (or $22) later, I'm feeling like a new woman.  It leaves me to wonder, why don't doctors work directly in our farmacias in the US??

So, some of you may be wondering what is life like in Grecia, Costa Rica...well, its wonderful, muy tuanis!!  In the morning, I have breakfast with my family, and usually my tica aunt and her two students Susan and Jenna.  Class starts at 8am! 

Here is Jenna on her way to class on the first day:

Spanish class lasts from 8-12, with a little coffee break at 10am.  During our coffee break we always get fresh fruit and juice too.  The fruits here are so darn juicy and amazing...mi familia tica was explaining its because the fruits get to rippen on the tree or vine, rather than rippening on a plane or boat.  We have about an hour and a half for lunch and there are lots of different options from the local soda in the mercado, to Cafe Delicias, my personal favorite.  I love the batidos (smoothies) of Guanabana.

Here is my profesor de espanol, Enrique:

In the afternoon there are lectures, this week Diego from the school gave lecture on Costa Rican culture.  As you may know, Costa Rica has not had an army since 1948, and often they say that they "tienen un ejército de maestros", an army of teachers.  Coming from a family of educators, I love this!!  And because of this Costa Rica has a very high literacy level and high school completion rate relative to Central America.

Here are Diego and Alejandro giving their lecture:

It is also important to taste the Costa Rican Culture, so we had Cacique (the local liquor derived from sugar cane) and Tamales de Navidad!!  Que rico!

Salud!





There was also a lecture from Laura Guzman a social work professor from University of Costa Rica.  It was so interesting to learn about the origins of social work in central america.  Many of them started at "social visitors" that were there to help protect children, and also for labor rights.  One point that she reinforced, which I thought was very interesting, was that social work would not exist if there wasn't capitalism.  While I hate to think of my profession as being dependent on capitalism, Professor Guzman has a point that capitalism creates social problems, and for that reason we have social workers.  I'd love feedback on what you think about that....

On Wednesdays there is free time or extra excursions in the afternoon, this week Karen, Kirsten & I got pedicures.  My tica aunt, Melina, offered that her friend who recently finished school was looking for more clients and could come to the house and give us pedicures.  So, we got delicious chocolate pedicures...it was amazing.  And of course they fed us with picadillo and aguadulce...mmmm....  My family takes such good care of me!

We have also had time to explore the mercado central, where you can buy anything you could possibly need:

And in evenings we always eat together (believe me, I certainly will not be starving during this trip, quite the contrary), and hang out.  On Wednesday night I taught a little yoga class to mi familia tica...in total 10 students.  It was fun to have everyone together and show them a little bit of yoga.  Fabricio, pictured below, told me he thinks I should set up a schedule so we can do yoga at least 2 times a week!  Love it!

And last night we all went out with the ladies!  La noche de mujeres!!  I'm not sure how it would work in the U.S., but here it sure is fun to have all the extended family around all the time!!  Mom, Ingrid, Jon, what do you think?? ;-)

p.s. the bufanda (scarf) is from mi mama tica, who said I need to wear so I don't get more sick.  Like I said, I'm being very well taken care of!  Que dicha!

This afternoon we leave for the beach.  I'm going with Kirsten, Karen and Jenna to check out Jaco. 
Abrazos fuertes de Costa Rica!!