I had a really good week at work this time around. Part of it is probably just the fact that I'm more used to the schedule, and I know where I'm supposed to be and what's expected of me. Since I'm not as shell-shocked and self-conscious as I was the past few weeks, I've been able to focus more on my surroundings and less on my broken Spanish. There's three things at Casa Maria that have stuck out to me this week and that I've really been able to appreciate:
1. The presence of Mary
It would seem obvious that a place called Casa Maria would have some sort of Marian presence, but it is the way they do it at Casa Maria that is so nice. I learned that the girls say the whole rosary every single day at 5pm before dinner, which is pretty impressive to me. All over the walls of the school there are messages about praying to Mary for help and encouraging the recitation of the rosary. In the dormitory, classrooms, dining room, etc there are tons of paintings of Mary with the baby Jesus, as well as several sculptures. (On a side note, today I realized that all the paintings of Mary look exactly like my mom, which is really neat.) The girls say multiple Hail Marys before each of their meals and before classes start. I haven't been immersed in so much Mary since my Theology of Mary class at UD. Overall, it seems to be a perfect kind of environment for these students. Who could be a better role model, helper, mother figure, and friend for a teenage girl than Mary? I hope that each of them are getting something out of it.
2. The nuns
The nuns at Casa Maria are stereotypically super strict when it comes to afterschool studying and doing chores, but it is obvious that they play a special and unique role in the girls' lives. One day after school this week, the head nun, Sor Carmen, sat down to give the thirty-five or so enternas (the girls that live at Casa Maria) a talk, and instead of sitting next to her or pulling up chairs, all these normally-loud teenage girls gathered close around her feet on the tile floor and listened intently like it was story time in first grade. It was crazy to watch.
A few weeks ago, Sor Carmen had to leave the country for eight days. It was only for just over a week, but as she was giving goodbye hugs, the girls were sobbing and clinging to her. It was heartbreaking because it showed me how much the girls felt that they needed her, and made me wonder if she was the closest thing to a real caring mother they've ever had. For her return home, the girls made welcome back posters and each wrote letters to her. The girls even put together a little thank you gift for the nun who substituted in for Sor Carmen that week. It was so sweet to see them take initiative like that.
Another thing I love is that the nuns are so affectionate with the girls, and not just physically affectionate, but verbally. I can't tell you how many times I've heard them call a girl "mi corazoncita (my little heart)", or the Spanish equivalents of dear, sweetheart, etc. I love it.
A tangent: I love that people are so affectionate in general in this country. At an elementary school I've seen teachers call their students "mis amorcitos (my little loves)" and caress their heads. I can work at Casa Maria's daycare and return a cheek kiss from a four year old, call him "my love", and not have to worry about being taken to court. I think children need all the love and affection they can get, and it's sad that in the U.S. there is so little physical and verbal affection outside of the home.
3. Their attitude towards me
I'm just this gringa that is coming to their school, replacing the last gringa they came to know and love, nagging them do their chores, making them talk during English classes (a chore in itself), making them slowly repeat everything they say to me, and stumbling over every third word when speaking to them. They have every reason to be impatient, hostile, and even apathetic toward me, but they are so incredibly friendly, or at least polite. In one of the ninth grade classes (mostly 17-19 year olds), the girls think I'm "so cute" and only listen to me patronizingly during English, like I'm a performing monkey or something. But at least it's something. I definitely have an in with the entire eighth grade and a few of the seventh graders. Even though I try to make my rounds to each of the cliques during study time (i.e. free time), there's always one group of girls I know I can sit with that will talk with me and include me fully in their gossip sessions or whatever they're talking about. One of them even invited me and a few other girls to come over to her house sometime to meet her family. And these girls have big families -- one fifteen-year-old girl is the youngest of eleven kids, and already the aunt of nineteen kids.
Also, I took over an English grammar class yesterday and we reviewed for their midterms for next week, and I. Was. Awesome. No hesitations, no stumbling, just me ranting and raving English comparatives and superlatives and not taking no for an answer. I wish it had been videotaped. I also gave certain insight to English that their English teacher didn't know and couldn't give, like why we call it "T-shirt" (a shirt shaped like the letter T? They won't forget that on the test). Basically, I rocked third period yesterday.
Anyway, I hope that I keep seeing new silver linings and surprises in the coming weeks and months. It's looking more and more promising every day.
Almost forgot -- at 7am on Sunday on the CR news channel there will be a televised mass that takes place at the Casa Maria chapel, that was filmed on Wednesday, that I may or may not have been at with my girls... : ) Exciting!
Happy Friday! I miss you family and friends!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
TGIF, or GDPV: Gracias a Dios Por Viernes
First, a shoutout: Happy 21st Birthday to my sister Sam! I wish I could be there!
So I have been living in Costa Rica for three weeks and working at Casa Maria for two weeks now. I can't believe how much my Spanish has improved. Sometimes long-winded explanations and conversations lose me completely, but I look back to where I was on day one of work and I'm amazed at my progress. Practice really does make perfect. By practice, I mean being put in front of a class on the first day and instructed to talk the whole period. In Spanish. It was forty minutes worth of badly-conjugated verbs and blank stares. But the teacher says I've gotten so much better since day one, and the girls tell me I have too. Hay esperanza para mi!
Even with better Spanish, I expect to have many more FML moments. Like the other day: While working at the daycare with Jelly, a sad little four-year-old girl comes up to me and asks me, lip trembling, if her mother is coming to get her ("Viene mi mama?") What did I say? Smiling cheerfully, and also without thinking about the actual phrase I was using, I answer sincerely, "Espero que si!" (I hope so!) I got a dirty look, followed by a sniffle. Way to go, Britt. Way to go.
Another one: Yesterday, I asked two of the students at Casa Maria if they had change for a bigger bill that I had; I needed change for the bus. They said no, they didn't have any change, but you could exchange religious tokens for a bus ride. "Wow!" I say. "Like what kind of religious tokens?"
"Oh, all kinds. We don't know."
"Ok, well, where could I get some?"
"In that store over there." They point to the little shop next to the front desk of Casa Maria.
I am still very interested, so I keep asking questions, thinking to myself, 'this is crazy! Who knew you could ever barter for a bus ride like that?' This country must be more Catholic than I thought. But over the next minute or so, they start looking very confused. So am I. I back up the conversation a little, then a lot, then I realize that we are not on the same page as all. You cannot actually exchange a pocket cross for a ride. They were just telling me that I could exchange my 2000 bill (at the little shop over there that sold religious tokens) for change for the bus. I guess you had to be there, but it was pretty hilarious. I think the girls are still confused by that conversation.
Anyways, I've definitely settled into more of a routine at Casa Maria. I will be leading four English conversation classes a week, and sitting in on the English grammar classes and helping out whenever needed. In my last blog, I had said that the biggest challenge would be trying to be an authority figure as well as a friend to the girls. Now, I know that won't be a problem. The girls are great. My biggest challenge is to adapt to -- and have patience with -- the school system. It's run very differently than any American school I've ever encountered -- it's not super punctual, lessons are relaxed, and there doesn't seem to be any learning benchmarks or lesson plans. Also, students talk on their cell phones during class. The teachers ignore it and talk over them.
But there are great things about it, too. Like the 20 minute break at 10am every day when the teachers all head into the lounge to drink coffee and chat. Someone always brings a pastry or a loaf of fresh bread and shares with everyone. I look forward to that during the school day. And when I'm not observing or teaching in an English class, I get office work to do. It's actually really interesting. Even if I'm just reporting all absences for the past two months or sorting out which students haven't paid tuition yet for the month (two U.S. dollars per month for private education, room, and board), I get to learn all the students' names and which classes they're in.
The students' names are really interesting. In Costa Rica (and all Latin America, I think), a person has a first name, middle name, father's last name, then mother's last name. For example, my official legal name would be Brittany Lee Buckner Adams, or on a transcript, Buckner Adams Brittany Lee (sans comma). Some girls have double last names, like Sanchez Sanchez. Also, it's amazing how many girls have the name Maria. A lot just use their second name because there are so many named Maria. Some have awesome first names, like Mary of the Sea or Mary of the Rosary (Maria del Rosario). And one name that a ton of people have is Jocelyn, and you wouldn't believe how many ways a person can spell Jocelyn (Josseling, Yoselin, etc.). For names, J's and Y's make the same sound here, so I think a lot of them get their names misspelled, even on official transcripts. The copy editor in me cringes.
Anyway, life here is great. The food is fantastic and the weather is perfect (not too hot, not too cool). I have discovered the secret to wonderful, scalding hot showers. I have not yet discovered the secret to frying plantains... : / I can say the rosary in Spanish and I don't have to throw my weight against the front door to get in the house anymore!! I have come a long way.
And everyone here is so hospitable -- the friars have us over for a great lunch after most Sunday masses, and the director in charge of the St. Francis School, Yami, invited us over to her house last weekend for a huge breakfast with her family (here, family includes every person you've ever been distantly related to). It was so nice. Everyone is so generous and welcoming and I am so grateful and humbled by it.
I think I can speak for all of us when I say that the five of us are doing well! We get along great. We have been keeping up on housekeeping for the most part, and everyone really sticks to The List of whose turn it is to do what, whether it is cooking dinner, dishwashing, prayer, etc. Serious business. Thankfully, we are becoming more accustomed to the language and the general way of life here, and getting to know the area. So tonight, instead of walking around awkwardly to Moravia bars and ending up in one with only three old men in it, we hope to venture out a little more this weekend. Salsa dancing lessons are a priority -- maybe tonight, who knows?
P.S: Dear Overenthusiastic Rooster Outside My Window: Keep it up, gallo. Keep. It. Up.
So I have been living in Costa Rica for three weeks and working at Casa Maria for two weeks now. I can't believe how much my Spanish has improved. Sometimes long-winded explanations and conversations lose me completely, but I look back to where I was on day one of work and I'm amazed at my progress. Practice really does make perfect. By practice, I mean being put in front of a class on the first day and instructed to talk the whole period. In Spanish. It was forty minutes worth of badly-conjugated verbs and blank stares. But the teacher says I've gotten so much better since day one, and the girls tell me I have too. Hay esperanza para mi!
The first day of work:
Even with better Spanish, I expect to have many more FML moments. Like the other day: While working at the daycare with Jelly, a sad little four-year-old girl comes up to me and asks me, lip trembling, if her mother is coming to get her ("Viene mi mama?") What did I say? Smiling cheerfully, and also without thinking about the actual phrase I was using, I answer sincerely, "Espero que si!" (I hope so!) I got a dirty look, followed by a sniffle. Way to go, Britt. Way to go.
Another one: Yesterday, I asked two of the students at Casa Maria if they had change for a bigger bill that I had; I needed change for the bus. They said no, they didn't have any change, but you could exchange religious tokens for a bus ride. "Wow!" I say. "Like what kind of religious tokens?"
"Oh, all kinds. We don't know."
"Ok, well, where could I get some?"
"In that store over there." They point to the little shop next to the front desk of Casa Maria.
I am still very interested, so I keep asking questions, thinking to myself, 'this is crazy! Who knew you could ever barter for a bus ride like that?' This country must be more Catholic than I thought. But over the next minute or so, they start looking very confused. So am I. I back up the conversation a little, then a lot, then I realize that we are not on the same page as all. You cannot actually exchange a pocket cross for a ride. They were just telling me that I could exchange my 2000 bill (at the little shop over there that sold religious tokens) for change for the bus. I guess you had to be there, but it was pretty hilarious. I think the girls are still confused by that conversation.
Anyways, I've definitely settled into more of a routine at Casa Maria. I will be leading four English conversation classes a week, and sitting in on the English grammar classes and helping out whenever needed. In my last blog, I had said that the biggest challenge would be trying to be an authority figure as well as a friend to the girls. Now, I know that won't be a problem. The girls are great. My biggest challenge is to adapt to -- and have patience with -- the school system. It's run very differently than any American school I've ever encountered -- it's not super punctual, lessons are relaxed, and there doesn't seem to be any learning benchmarks or lesson plans. Also, students talk on their cell phones during class. The teachers ignore it and talk over them.
But there are great things about it, too. Like the 20 minute break at 10am every day when the teachers all head into the lounge to drink coffee and chat. Someone always brings a pastry or a loaf of fresh bread and shares with everyone. I look forward to that during the school day. And when I'm not observing or teaching in an English class, I get office work to do. It's actually really interesting. Even if I'm just reporting all absences for the past two months or sorting out which students haven't paid tuition yet for the month (two U.S. dollars per month for private education, room, and board), I get to learn all the students' names and which classes they're in.
The students' names are really interesting. In Costa Rica (and all Latin America, I think), a person has a first name, middle name, father's last name, then mother's last name. For example, my official legal name would be Brittany Lee Buckner Adams, or on a transcript, Buckner Adams Brittany Lee (sans comma). Some girls have double last names, like Sanchez Sanchez. Also, it's amazing how many girls have the name Maria. A lot just use their second name because there are so many named Maria. Some have awesome first names, like Mary of the Sea or Mary of the Rosary (Maria del Rosario). And one name that a ton of people have is Jocelyn, and you wouldn't believe how many ways a person can spell Jocelyn (Josseling, Yoselin, etc.). For names, J's and Y's make the same sound here, so I think a lot of them get their names misspelled, even on official transcripts. The copy editor in me cringes.
Anyway, life here is great. The food is fantastic and the weather is perfect (not too hot, not too cool). I have discovered the secret to wonderful, scalding hot showers. I have not yet discovered the secret to frying plantains... : / I can say the rosary in Spanish and I don't have to throw my weight against the front door to get in the house anymore!! I have come a long way.
And everyone here is so hospitable -- the friars have us over for a great lunch after most Sunday masses, and the director in charge of the St. Francis School, Yami, invited us over to her house last weekend for a huge breakfast with her family (here, family includes every person you've ever been distantly related to). It was so nice. Everyone is so generous and welcoming and I am so grateful and humbled by it.
I think I can speak for all of us when I say that the five of us are doing well! We get along great. We have been keeping up on housekeeping for the most part, and everyone really sticks to The List of whose turn it is to do what, whether it is cooking dinner, dishwashing, prayer, etc. Serious business. Thankfully, we are becoming more accustomed to the language and the general way of life here, and getting to know the area. So tonight, instead of walking around awkwardly to Moravia bars and ending up in one with only three old men in it, we hope to venture out a little more this weekend. Salsa dancing lessons are a priority -- maybe tonight, who knows?
P.S: Dear Overenthusiastic Rooster Outside My Window: Keep it up, gallo. Keep. It. Up.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Here we go
I've been in Costa Rica for over a week now and the initial culture shock has worn off. I know the town a lot better now, although I still have plenty of places to explore. My Spanish, while still miserable, has improved tenfold from the Friday we arrived. And the food is still amazing -- lucky I live with a bunch of great cooks. I cooked fried plantains the other night, which might become a staple of ours, along with the standard rice and beans, which I can't get enough of. If I had gallo pinto with tico cheese and avocado for every meal for the rest of my life, I'd be a happy girl.
Also, between the five of us, I bet we could write a whole book of short stories about our house's plumbing system. Like when showers turn on by themselves. But those are stories for another day.
I toured my site last Thursday. I will begin tomorrow, on Monday the 13, working as a mentor/tutor/??? at Casa Maria Auxiliadora (Mary, Help of Christians), at a school for at-risk high school-aged girls that come from bad situations and such. I'm not sure yet what my role with these girls will be, and that is where I am most nervous. There is some line I am going to have to toe between friend and authority figure and that will be the biggest challenge in the long run, I think.
I am going to be challenged a lot this week, even outside of my job. Whether it is understanding Spanish and being understood, not tripping on the sidewalks, attempting to unlock our front door (impossible), or dodging monster cockroaches during Mass, this week and the coming weeks are going to be difficult and mentally exhausting. Please keep me in your prayers. Skyping with my family and friends and my boyfriend has been uplifting for me, so thank you all for being there for me.
I know I am going to be having a lot of fun at the same time. Some days I will be walking/bus riding with some of my FrancisCorps roommates to and from work, which will be an adventure every day. I love our daily dinner making parties and nightly prayer sessions. Each of them manages to surprise me somehow every single day, whether it is a story about themselves or through something they do. I am lucky to have met them and I know that this year will be a blast with them. Thank you guys! Good luck at your sites tomorrow!
Also, between the five of us, I bet we could write a whole book of short stories about our house's plumbing system. Like when showers turn on by themselves. But those are stories for another day.
I toured my site last Thursday. I will begin tomorrow, on Monday the 13, working as a mentor/tutor/??? at Casa Maria Auxiliadora (Mary, Help of Christians), at a school for at-risk high school-aged girls that come from bad situations and such. I'm not sure yet what my role with these girls will be, and that is where I am most nervous. There is some line I am going to have to toe between friend and authority figure and that will be the biggest challenge in the long run, I think.
I am going to be challenged a lot this week, even outside of my job. Whether it is understanding Spanish and being understood, not tripping on the sidewalks, attempting to unlock our front door (impossible), or dodging monster cockroaches during Mass, this week and the coming weeks are going to be difficult and mentally exhausting. Please keep me in your prayers. Skyping with my family and friends and my boyfriend has been uplifting for me, so thank you all for being there for me.
I know I am going to be having a lot of fun at the same time. Some days I will be walking/bus riding with some of my FrancisCorps roommates to and from work, which will be an adventure every day. I love our daily dinner making parties and nightly prayer sessions. Each of them manages to surprise me somehow every single day, whether it is a story about themselves or through something they do. I am lucky to have met them and I know that this year will be a blast with them. Thank you guys! Good luck at your sites tomorrow!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Bienvenidos a Costa Rica
This is my first blog. I've never really been much of a journaling person so this could prove difficult throughout the year. But people have been asking me to keep a blog about my year with FrancisCorps, so here it is. I'll try to update it regularly. I hope it is somewhat interesting. Also, I have a feeling that I'm going to want to remember my time here with these wonderful people forever :) so I'd like to have something to keep.
We arrived safely in Costa Rica around 1:30pm yesterday (that's 3:30pm for Eastern time zoners). It was damp and kind of chilly -- a total 180 from last time I came to Costa Rica. We are in the colder, rainy season now and will be until November or so. I am still amazed at the house we are living in. It is gorgeous. Big bedrooms, huge closets, wooden and tile floors, etc. All the necessary appliances. Our backyard has a hammock, clothesline, and a real banana tree. The bananas aren't ripe yet but I'm sure we'll be all over that when they are.
The friars that live down the street are so nice and welcoming. We went over there for dinner last night and talked with them for quite awhile. My Spanish isn't terrific so I did a lot of nodding and "si, si" yesterday. We will be having a community night with the friars most Sundays this year.
Upon arriving back at the house, the five of us hung out together, laughing hysterically at the epic photos of our dance party at the Syracuse house the night before. Team 'Cuse, you are missed and loved!! We also shared with each other how overwhelmed we are, especially with the language. I'm glad that I'm not the only one. Of course, we've only been here for a day, so there's plenty of time.
Today we got to sleep in and it was wonderful. Breakfast was interesting -- the coffee was amazing, of course. I still can't get over the milk being stored in the pantry. And I've discovered that I need to learn how to cut a mango without completely butchering it. I actually got about 30 seconds of hot water in my first shower, so that was a small victory for me! We walked around Moravia, my town, today so Brother Jim could point out all the little shops and hot spots. The grocery store was similar to any U.S. grocery store in most ways -- but in what Kroger would they give out free rum and cokes samples in the liquor section? No joke.
We watched the Notre Dame - Purdue game on TV this afternoon (we do get a few American channels) and we've just been relaxing. We are about to do our preprendials (sp?), a nice little custom that Brother Jim introduced to us in FrancisCorps. Before dinner every night these past few weeks we've put together a plate of cheese, crackers, fruit, etc. and opened a bottle (or two or three) of wine as a pre-dinner session to converse and relax. It has been raining all afternoon and even though it is loud on our tin roof, it is so relaxing -- I'm going to sleep good tonight. Matt is playing some amazing guitar music in the background and I smell rice cooking in the kitchen.
I love this place.
We arrived safely in Costa Rica around 1:30pm yesterday (that's 3:30pm for Eastern time zoners). It was damp and kind of chilly -- a total 180 from last time I came to Costa Rica. We are in the colder, rainy season now and will be until November or so. I am still amazed at the house we are living in. It is gorgeous. Big bedrooms, huge closets, wooden and tile floors, etc. All the necessary appliances. Our backyard has a hammock, clothesline, and a real banana tree. The bananas aren't ripe yet but I'm sure we'll be all over that when they are.
The friars that live down the street are so nice and welcoming. We went over there for dinner last night and talked with them for quite awhile. My Spanish isn't terrific so I did a lot of nodding and "si, si" yesterday. We will be having a community night with the friars most Sundays this year.
Upon arriving back at the house, the five of us hung out together, laughing hysterically at the epic photos of our dance party at the Syracuse house the night before. Team 'Cuse, you are missed and loved!! We also shared with each other how overwhelmed we are, especially with the language. I'm glad that I'm not the only one. Of course, we've only been here for a day, so there's plenty of time.
Today we got to sleep in and it was wonderful. Breakfast was interesting -- the coffee was amazing, of course. I still can't get over the milk being stored in the pantry. And I've discovered that I need to learn how to cut a mango without completely butchering it. I actually got about 30 seconds of hot water in my first shower, so that was a small victory for me! We walked around Moravia, my town, today so Brother Jim could point out all the little shops and hot spots. The grocery store was similar to any U.S. grocery store in most ways -- but in what Kroger would they give out free rum and cokes samples in the liquor section? No joke.
We watched the Notre Dame - Purdue game on TV this afternoon (we do get a few American channels) and we've just been relaxing. We are about to do our preprendials (sp?), a nice little custom that Brother Jim introduced to us in FrancisCorps. Before dinner every night these past few weeks we've put together a plate of cheese, crackers, fruit, etc. and opened a bottle (or two or three) of wine as a pre-dinner session to converse and relax. It has been raining all afternoon and even though it is loud on our tin roof, it is so relaxing -- I'm going to sleep good tonight. Matt is playing some amazing guitar music in the background and I smell rice cooking in the kitchen.
I love this place.
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