Jeepers! Creepers!

So, the other day I was sitting in the living room of the house, on my computer, trying to find second leg of the Real Madrid Champions League game on the Internet (as they weren’t showing it on TV) to watch with my host brother and his friend (who were at home due to exams/free periods/not having a teacher yet (not sure which one)). I hear the family dog, Chester, barking loudly so I looked up to the porch and saw Chester chase a lizard into my room. I only got a quick glimpse-but the thing he was chasing looked lizard-ish. So, I amble over to my room, look in, and in the corner by the bathroom door, I see what you see below. Yes! I good-sized iguana is just chilling in my room. Now, iguanas aren’t anything special down here in Costa Rica-but this was my first full viewing-I’d seen partial views in trees-from a distance.

So, I went back inside and tell my host brother, ‘Bryan, there’s an iguana in my room.’ He grabs the broom and he and his friend come in to take a look. He gets on the bed and tries to shoo it away, but it just mad leans away from the broom and snaps his tail like he means big boss business. So, after the whipping tail gets close to Bryan, he comes back to the doorway. So, I tried throwing a tennis ball at it, and all I hit was the tail, which it snapped and the ball rolled away. Now, apparently brave, manly Costa Rican men hunt iguanas with their bare hands, and lots of people have them as pets, but I guess we’re all a bunch of weaklings. We then tried sicking Chester on the iguana, but all he did was maintain a meter and bark, and bark, and bark. His back legs were actually trembling as he barked crazily at it. So Bryan took Chester away and I mustered up the courage to grab the broom and try to coax it out. Eventually I was successful, and it strut out of the room incredibly slowly, so that I had to nudge it twice to get it going.

The best part came when, instead of going through the wide open door right in front of it, it jumped up on the windowsill. My host mom was standing outside the window, watching this all transpire, and she gave out a scream and hustled back into the yard. It looked like the iguana was going to climb up and around the window, so I had to push it three different times with the broom to get it to fall (those claws have some kung-fu grip fo-sho). After it fell to the ground it was off like a bullet to hide in the plants in the corner of the yard by the road.

So, the iguana was by far the biggest animal I've had to get out of my room, but I have also had to chase out two geckos, a small green tree frog, and a toad. It's not like I invite them in, but the geckos and toads are all over the yard and porches during the night, the frog was much less common. After the first week or so, my host dad gave me the good advice to close all my windows and doors as soon as the sun starts to go down, not only to keep the mosquitos and moths out-but also the toads. My room is well sealed and the house isn't anywhere near as rustic as many in town-but with so many creatures-this creep was bound to happen.

So, what is it I do, exactly?

So, according to reader feedback, it seems like some of you hard-working, taxpaying Americans (or my relatives) want to know what it is I do everyday. Now, I have tried to make it clear that work in the Peace Corps is different from many other jobs-because much of our job is planning activities, identifying potential activities, and carrying out these activities that will benefit the education, health, or development in the communities we work in. The TEFL program I work in is a little more narrowly focused than some other programs, so I’m able to give you interested readers (so excited I have readers!) a pretty good list of what I do every day. Before, I begin, I will note, that the part of my day dealing with the normal high school has been much less consistent than my community classes and work at the night school. Well, full disclosure, we are halfway through the first trimester of the school year-and I was also here for more than a month before school started-and I did not get a working schedule organized with the teachers until last week.

So, on to what I do with my time (not blog-as has been sadly obvious). Three times a week I show up at a building run by the community development association and teach English classes for anyone that wants to come from the community. On Sunday and Tuesday evenings I teach a beginner class, where we started with almost nothing-but most of them have some English knowledge or exposure. Many of the students are younger high schoolers (7th-9th graders) and then there are also some people who have dropped out of high school and are maybe looking to go back at some point-or do the Costa Rican GED-equivalent. There are also a few elementary students-I didn’t want little kids-so they’re all fifth or sixth graders and also some people in their twenties or thirties, who have various jobs-that don’t really require English-so this may just be for personal enrichment-something to do, I can’t say for sure. On Monday nights, my class is more of an intermediate level-I work lots on getting the students to say the things they know how to read and write. Syntax is also a big focus in this class; it’s fun because I have been able to get to know the students better (because they can respond to personal information questions-and because my host sister, host mom, and host sister’s best friend come).

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights, I work at the night school. I am always there at 17:00, to meet with the English teachers. We practice speaking (I ask them complicated questions to help improve certain skills); I look over their lesson plans, worksheets, or homework if the want; I pronounce words they have doubts about; explain things they have come across and don’t understand; and help them with their homework from their classes (some of them are finishing up bachelor’s/master’s degrees). As indicated, sometimes the bus is running late, sometimes their husband or wife doesn’t come home with the car until a bit later, sometimes they have to take care of their kids because the their husband is late home from work, as well as various other reasons why they may show up late or not at all. But, I am always there to help-and they usually we come and I think it’s very productive and is sustainable (yes!). After this, on these three nights, I’ll stay from 18:00 until 21:00 or maybe 22:00 (when night school is over) helping out in the classrooms. This involves observing as they teach, answering any quick questions they have, floating and helping the students when they are working, co-teaching (both of us up at the board), or taking turns teaching with the teacher. While this is less sustainable and is kind of me doing their job, it is also a great way for me to give examples of other teaching and classroom management methods.

Now that the nights are explained, on to the less organized days. I don’t mind getting up early, but I am in the habit of and enjoy staying up late to finish tasks or read. So, I generally don’t end up getting up too early. Because I haven’t yet had a schedule, I usually dropped by the high school, and would try to find one of the English teachers that was there, and would drop in his or her class, helping with whatever they wanted. This has involved everything listed above, and I even encouraged a few teachers to involve activities/learning games into what they were teaching. Sometimes (like during exam week+) I just go to the teachers’ lounge and hang out with the English teachers, sometimes helping them with grammar, pronunciation or usage questions; sometimes talking about trouble with their spouse or colleagues. I’ve tried to do this at least for the morning or afternoon every day. In the past, and in the future, I keep at minimum one afternoon and one morning to myself-to do lesson planning for my community classes-and the two other classes I teach.

I have added two classes to my schedule in the past three weeks, both of which I teach on my own. I am teaching reading comprehension to each of the twelfth grade classes. As I wandered around the school and chatted with teachers and students, I came to find out that the twelfth graders needed lots of help with their English. Well, in reality, there is lots of room for improvement at all levels at the high school, but the twelfth graders’ need is more pressing. Due to problems with the teacher placement system (or maybe the system is the problem) neither of the twelfth grade classes had an English teacher until last week (mid-term of the first trimester). They also end the year early, in September instead of December, in order to carry out a two-month practicum. But that means that they take the national graduation exam in September. Two of the English teachers and many of the students made clear to me that they were in need of additional help preparing for the test. So, with the help of one of the teachers (he helps pick topics, give me some sample readings) I am teaching one section on Friday mornings-all morning. And the other group on Saturday mornings. It’s lots of fun, probably the thing I enjoy most-as they are mature, pretty smart kids-and lots have great senses of humor. Additionally, because they are the students that have remained in school throughout high school; so there is a lot of camaraderie within the group. This makes it easy to joke with them-as they already joke amongst themselves. So, it’s more work-but it’s enjoyable. It wasn’t something I had planned to do, but was a problem I identified and am working on solving, exactly what this job is supposed to be about.

Beach-Pacific side

The weekend before last was much like any other weekend. I had slept in even more than I usually do (Costa Ricans, especially out in the countryside, tend to get up with the sun-around 5:30 or 6:00). Thus, getting up at 7:30 or 8:00 is considered sleeping in, and when I don’t show up for breakfast until 9:00, that’s all sorts of late. So, after a late breakfast, I was in my room, on my computer, putting together lesson plans for my community class, writing some reading comprehension readings, and watching episodes of It’s Always Sunny. After lunch, I had gone into the kitchen to grab a glass of juice/Kool-aid, and my host mom mentioned that they were going to Orotina. Because I don't

have every town in Costa Rica memorized, I misunderstood her and thought she said they were going on some sort of routine, so I asked. She clarified it was the name of a town near the Pacific coast, and they were going to visit a friend of my host dad’s and to hit the beach. Two of my host sister’s friends were also going, so it sure seemed like a good opportunity. But, I had to teach a community class Sunday evening. So I asked if we would be back in time. She didn’t seem sure, so she asked my host dad, and he also stated he couldn’t promise to go. I wavered and said I probably shouldn’t go (knowing that my host family tends to linger when they go to visit people, and (I’m going to expound on this in another post)-knowing thatmaking deadlines is not exactly something Ticans do with much success. But, my host mom indicated to me that my host dad isn’t all that often willing to use his short weekends (he works Saturday mornings) to drive the family on trips. So, with her pressure for me to take advantage of the opportunity, I said yes. I figured we’d be in a hurry to get going, so immediately packed my bag, finished my lesson plan for my class, and then had over an hour to screw around on my computer. Then my host dad walks by my room and asks if I’m ready, and I rush out to jump into the 15-passenger van (which is one of the vehicles he drives for work) as they’re waiting on the road. I don’t know if I’ll ever understand this: telling me to get ready to go, then waiting an hour, then giving me zero seconds of warning that we’re leaving. But it seems to be the way my host family (read: host dad) works.

The trip across the central mountain range was gorgeous. So gorgeous I probably should have gotten out my camera from my bag and taken pictures. Sorry. And it was cloudy on the way back. Sorry again. Some of the roads that crossed over the continental divide were narrow, poorly maintained, poorly marked, and altogether nothing if not adventurous. Add in that we were driving through clouds and it was best just to not look up from my book. But I’m still here, so here’s to my host dad for not crashing/driving off a cliff. We also drove through one really pretty mountain town, and pretty towns aren’t something I’ve seen a lot of in Costa Rica.

So, we get to the town where my host dad’s old friend live, and drive off onto a rural dirt road peppered with houses and mango trees on one side, and pastures on the other. As we get to a house with some women sitting on the porch, my host dad gets out and seems to be asking where his friend lives. At this, I start to look up from my book and try to listen. Remembering another adventure with my host dad, I am interested to see how this one pans out. He and my host sister have been continuously calling from both phones, but to no avail. Now that I am paying attention, it seems like one of the ladies is saying that the people we have come to visit have gone to San Jose, and might be gone for the weekend. And, yes, my host dad did get out to ask them where his friend lived. We then go down to a small dry goods store, who I’m guessing we were told might have more information, and my host dad is up there for about ten or fifteen minutes. The sun has set during this occasion, making it seem longer than it probably was. As we chill in the van, I first joke that it will be fun to spend the night in the van. This gets few laughs. I then ask, what I think are legitimate questions like: did he call the day before or in the morning to give an ETA? Did he not call and make sure he knew where the house was? Did he get an extra cell number or house number in case the people weren’t there? I’m told, by my host mom, that no, he didn’t do any of those things-because he’s that’s the way he is (él es así). (Side note: using ‘that’s the way he/she/it is’ as a response or excuse drives me absolutely insane.) “He finally gets a hold of one of the people we are coming to visit/stay with. He jokes around on the phone pretending to be someone else and asking for people by ridiculous nicknames, the kid on the other end never gets it, and he finally relents and explains that we’re sitting down the street from their house, waiting for them to get home. In a few minutes my host dad’s old friend and his son arrive on motorcycle. The son had been out buying a new cell phone, and only brought his SIM card with him, and the dad didn’t bring his phone. So, they finally got the calls after buying the new phone and setting it up.

After unloading the car and chatting a little bit, we all piled into the car (except the old friend) and headed to Puntarenas-a port city on the Pacific coast. We stopped at the supermarket and bought some mini-bags of chips and two bottles of pop and ice. The beach was nice, really expansive and it was awesome to walk along the beach. There were a bunch of families hanging out on the parks along the beach, having barbecues and enjoying the pleasant evening. As filling as two bags of chips at 8pm after lunch at noon are, I went down to a street vendor and bought cut up hot dogs served over French fries covered in ketchup, mayo, and mustard (health was not the main goal). At about 21:30, we got back in the van, drove up and down the street past all the closed food vendors and then my host family asked me where I had gotten my food, we drove by there as well, but of course it was closed. Why we didn't stop earlier-or buy more substantial food at the supermarket was beyond me (becoming a trend on this trip). So, upon getting back to the house, my host mom went about making dinner for all of us, while the rest of us enjoying delicious mango juice and watching a DVD of classic rock music videos (awesome) and 80s hair band music videos (considerably less awesome). I didn't get too technical in correcting my host dad that Jim Morrison probably did a little more than just smoke some pot. So, we finally got to bed (on sleeping pads we had brought in the middle of the living room) close to 01:00. Oh, yeah, we were getting up ungodly early to get to the beach before the crowd and because my host dad likes to get to the beach early in the morning (not so that we could get back for my English class).

Now, I like to joke with the rest of them, but when my host dad was yelling that it was 08:00 and we needed to hustle up when it was really 05:15 the next morning let's just say I didn't laugh. The beach was gorgeous, my host mom made sandwiches, and we had watermelon and honeydew melon. I did some reading, and spent a lot of time enjoying the warm, albeit quite salty water. It wasn't the world's prettiest beach, and was pretty

crowded with Ticans driving their cars all over. But, I mean, I've only been in Costa Rica for half a year, I can't be a beach snob yet, it was great to be out in the sun and the water.

After the beach, we went back to the house, and instead of packing up and heading back (my preference) we hung out, took showers, and waited for my host dad and his friend to go into town to buy groceries, and then for my host mom to prepare lunch for everyone. I'm sure this was my host dad and mom trying to thank his friend for hosting us, but, it wasn't like he did too much-we slept on mats and sheets we brought on the floor. And they didn't have triple antibiotic cream, rubbing alcohol, or band-aids for my toe I cut all up on the beach rocks the night before. I'll contend this is a fair complaint-a house with a pet snake ought to have a box of band-aids. But, the big deal for me, was that because we sat around and ate lunch, chatted, watched some soccer, and lived life at the Tico pace (which normally isn't too problematic for me) it meant we wouldn't make it back in time for me to teach my class. Of course, part of this problem is that both my host mom and dad always seem to underestimate the time it takes to travel places (which is incredibly odd-as my host dad drives a truck for a living).

So, I didn't make it back in time for my class, and I was unable to contact the person from the community center that I organized the class with because her cell phone was broken. So, I've had to do my best to earn back some respect from my students (and pay back the bus fares for any of them that took the bus to class). Needless to say I was not excited about missing class, but hopefully my host family was happy I went on the trip with them. And, swimming in the ocean isn't the worst consolation.

Back to bloggin'

First of all, let me start this blog off the way I should, with an apology. To everyone that comes by this blog often, or follows it with Google reader or their own blog-sorry for not having posted since the end of February. There’s no good excuse for it, and the reasons aren’t even that valid either. But, to recap and feel slightly better about myself (which is what really counts, right) I’ll give it a stab. Something that every volunteer in Costa Rica has to do is prepare a CAT-Community Assessment Tool (they don’t have to do them in Kazakhstan-not sure about the other 80 posts). Unlike the household pet, (yeah, I’m making the obvious comparison) the Peace Corps CAT is not cute, fun to pet, and doesn’t require minimal maintenance. Actually, it’s the opposite. The CAT requires all sorts of attention and maintenance. The CAT is a written report identifying, describing, and analyzing the important issues and attributes of the volunteer’s community.

I am actually a big fan of the CAT, which puts me in a very small minority group among the Peace Corps volunteers I have talked to. Firstly, it forces the volunteer to get out and about in the community (which we should be doing anyways) but having a concrete goal in mind provides us with even more inspiration. Secondly, it is a formal reason to ask for interviews with leaders of various community groups or government agencies. Especially with the government agencies, having a formal reason to sit down and chat makes the

interview seem more worthwhile to the administrator and thus brings about a more fruitful interview. Lastly, having to produce a written report, with required sections and a bibliography really caused me to do more interviews and seek more sources than I otherwise would have in learning about my community. Being part of the TEFL program within Peace Corps Costa Rica, I already had my target areas in the community identified-the students and teachers of the high school and night school. But, for other volunteers working in more broad areas like ‘community development’ or ‘economic development’ the CAT provides a great framework for the volunteers to identify issues they could/should address with their projects.

Wow, did I really just read two paragraphs about a report-you ask yourself-and if you’re reading this then the answer is yes-you just got punk’d. But, really, since my last blog I have spent a considerable amount of time doing interviews around town, learning some interesting things about the Old Port in Sarapiquí, and writing/editing my report (in Spanish) which ended up being pretty meaty. Since my last blog, school actually started (like 'teachers teaching students in a classroom' started), after supposedly “starting” back in early February.

I also spent a week plus at the luxurious Crowne Plaza in San Jose for “In-Service Training”. This involved professional development meetings from 8-5 every day (quite different than my own schedule in site). We spent most of the coffee breaks sharing host family complaints, humorous anecdotes, and successful classroom activities from our sites. Of course, I think I pissed off most of my group by explaining how nice my host family’s house is, how my host mom keeps my meals in the microwave until it’s convenient for me to wander into the kitchen and eat, how there aren’t any roosters that wake me up at 4 a.m., how I have my own bathroom, and how I currently sleep in the biggest bed I have ever slept in in my life. Maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut. Never been good at that (noted as an item to work on). While in San Jose I paid another visit to La Embajada-any bar restaurant named ‘The Embassy’ is bound to be my favorite-and enjoyed delicious chorizo and cool Pilsen beer. I also went with my colleague Barton to support Las Brujas (The Witches), by far the coolest named soccer team in Costa Rica, and the only team that sports a pink home kit. They lost 4-1, they might have the coolest name, but they finished just out of last place this season.

In my spare time-which is gratuitous some weeks and barely existent others-I have been trying to read a book a week, have brushed up my American culture (so I can share it and thus be a successful Peace Corps volunteer) with seasons of Arrested Development and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as well as various movies on my laptop, argued and discussed soccer with my host brother (although I’m worried we’re driving my host mom and sister away from the kitchen table), and watched just enough Tican television to figure out the two shows that are worth watching (Minuto Para Ganar and La Media Docena) and possibly the most amazing (using the word in a Ke$ha sense) show: Intrusos de la Farandula-which consists of four super hot chicks, one super hot guy, and a fat forty year old guy analyzing interviews with Costa Rica’s A, B, and C list celebrities. If you’re thinking, wait, I don’t even know of any A-list Costa Rican celebrities-then you can only imagine the entertainment of these people analyzing C-list Tican celebrities. And, yours truly was just feet away from the mystique that is Intrusos de la Farandula-it took all my diminutive self control to stop from screaming when I spotted the hot male host working out at the gym adjoining the Crowne Plaza during my stay there for training. How’s that to top off a summary of a month without blogs-I might have worked out on the same machine as a guy who is one of the hosts of Costa Rica’s ‘Entertainment Tonight’. Yeah, exactly.