The Little Children

It’s a little appalling that I’ve been in Costa Rica two months and still haven’t written about my students and what I do here. Here’s a sample of what a typical day is like….

6:30 Rise and Shine! (Perhaps more appropriately, Rise and Rain!)

7:20 Eat breakfast of Gallo Pinto (Beans and rice mixed together)

7:45 Arrive at school (I’m supposed to be there at 7:30 but no one has ever arrived on time EVER. So I’m trying to adapt and fit in)

8:00-8:10ish Bible class in English begins (I teach grades 2-6 = 18 students)

8:40ish Math class in English begins

9:20 Snack time for children!!

9:40 Some days I’m helping in the other classrooms, other days I’m working in the library, and

still other days I’m sitting in the office. It just depends

11:00 Another break for the children!

12:20 Lunch (More beans and rice)

1:00 English class with the other English teacher. (I continue doing odds and ends which might include helping kids finish their homework)

3:00 School is Over!

Of course, this schedule may change at any time due to any whims of the teachers. Costa Rica is a VERY relaxed place.

The kids are very cute. Some know lots of English and speak to me in English almost all the time. Others know hardly any and look at me like I’m crazy when I talk to them. I’m learning that each one is different and very unique. There are the studious students, the screamers, the ones who have yet to sit in a chair for more than 120 seconds, and the ones who like to draw pictures and daydream all day. Each one has a story to tell and if you listen and watch them, you can learn a lot.

Red, White and Blue

Even though I’m technically a teacher here in Monteverde, I think I learn more than the students. I learn something new about the people and the culture of Costa Rica every single day. For example, did you know that most of the countries in Central America, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, celebrate September 15 as their independence day and all except Costa Rica have a white and blue flag? I learned all this while sitting in the kids’ social studies class. As you can see, I’m learning lots.

In order to celebrate “el quince de septiembre,” the kids in our school participated in the Annual Independence Day Parade. The day consisted of a patriotic program in the gym (when I say gym, I’m referring to the local high school gym which happens to be the only gym in town) and a parade around downtown. To get the right idea, you have to remember that “downtown” is only one, triangular shaped block. As you can imagine, the parade went pretty quickly.

The weather was great, the program was fun and the kids did well. What more could you ask for?