Ccccheck....one week of class complete! At times the days in the classroom seem long, but what I am learning is so valuable that it keeps my attention and focus. Besides that it's a bit relaxing to be the learner once again rather than up in front doing the teaching. I was told before I left Korea by a few that the TEFL/TESOL course would be a waste of my time since I completed a year of teaching already.

FALSE.

I'm learning tons! Actually, I think it's an even better situation that I'm taking this class after a year of teaching rather than if I had taken before I left for Korea. While sitting and discussing methods, activities, etc, I can picture exactly how they can be adapted or fit into my classes for next year. The ones in the course who have no previous ESL teaching experience seem to lose focus quickly, perhaps having trouble seeing the 'big picture' of it all.

My classmates are a great mix of people. A few from England and the rest representing all the regions in the U.S. We spend all day together and most nights choose to hang out with each other as well...a good sign I'd say. I have a feeling by the end of our course we're going to be a tightknit group.

Despite my muy mal español skills, I am having a lovely experience living with a host family. They are such kind, jolly people! My host mom is a lil prankster. She told the other student and I we were eating iguana the other night for dinner. She had us both going until she let out a good, hearty chuckle, finally telling us it was pollo (chicken). Cute. :)

The beauty surrounding me each morning when I wake up is still surreal. Just a short bus ride away is the most goregous beach....straight out of a romance novel. Titi monkeys run around right outside the windows at my school. Gekos crawl on the walls as I eat dinner. I have yet to see a sloth but that is most definitely the goal of the weekend as I plan to hit up the national park.


It's rainy season. Meaning each morning starts out hot with clear, bright blue skies. As the day progresses, in comes the rain. Most afternoons the rain is off and on into the still hot and humid (it is the jungle) evenings. So is the life of a Tica, I s'pose.

I miss Korea.

I miss Iowa, too.

Hola amigos~~~

Estoy super en Costa Rica! I've made it to my home for the next 4 weeks...Quepos, Costa Rica. But not without some typical traveling frustrations that always seem to haunt me. My 30+ hour flight landed me in San Jose without my luggage, lots of paperwork to fill out as a result, and without the shuttle bus to my hostel. Nevertheless, I met some great people on my flights. One being a surfer representing the U.S. in the World Surf competition. Pathetic brush with pathetic greatness? I think so Nell and Kate!

I waited around in San Jose for 3 days until my luggage arrived (all in tact) and found it to be a pretty dirty, scary city. Not the best place a 'solo', American girl wants to find herself in for a long period of time anyway. Getting the bus ticket to Quepos was another frustration but thankfully my taxi driver turned out to be an angel.

The bus ride was absolutely beautiful....words cannot describe properly. My head never left the window the entire 3 1/2 hour ride. It was a bit rainy/misty, giving the lush, green countryside its proper jungle look.

Here are a few of my observation thus far:
-I've left a land where curves are found disgusting, where bare shoulders are a "no-no", to enter a land of many curves...curves that have no shame and bare all. This is probably an appropriate transition before going home as most people here are not fat, just chubby. :)
-Costa Ricans, called Ticos, are generally friendly, smiley and helpful.
-Hot showers do not exist.
-I don't remember near as much Spanish as I thought I would. (Molly study hard!)
-I'm as pale and white as they come. No longer a sign of beauty like in Korea but more probably a sign of weakness.
-My body cannot handle average amounts of cheese anymore, nor do I find it all that appealing.

As I was typing this I met two girls who will be doing the TESOL course with me starting Monday, one who just happens to be living with the same host family! Bright and early tomorrow I'll be on a rafting excursion with some other people from my hostel. I'm ready to get out into the exotic nature that surrounds me!

Out of battery power, I'll try to update in a few days!

xoxoxo