As human beings we sometimes can be so unaware of time that we forget on of its most basic principles: it passes as quickly as it comes. I know that I have been surprised once again by the coming and going of the ever-present moment, as I come to the end of my Costa Rica experience. I leave on Tuesday, April 27th, for Miami, FL, and the finale of this semester of dreams. Before I go, however, I wanted to make a few comments about my last few weeks here in Grecia.
The last three weeks have been divided between two days of Spanish classes and three days of an internship at el Centro Educativo Divino Niño (a private Christian school here in town). The classes have been wonderful because they have basically consisted of showing up and conversing, putting together dramas, and generally having fun, all in Spanish. Plus, they are feeding us food out the wazoo, with breakfast, morning snack, lunch, cafecito (coffee hour), and sometimes dinner. Costa Ricans sure know how to eat! However, the overall point of our time here is "Relationship over Task", so I've spent a lot more time just visiting with people and talking than I have actually working. It is very different than our task-oriented U.S. culture, but it has been really relaxing. At the school I have basically been following around the two English teachers and helping them teach Spanish to kids from ages 2-12. It has been such a blast! I have learned so much Spanish and had to practice my Spanish all the time, explaining homework to kids or trying to converse with them (the former being easier than the latter). The two teachers are wonderful, and will remain my friends even though I will no longer be at the school. Overall, I was just impressed with the whole situation. I was able to be helpful to some people here and at the same time be helped substantially by the experience. I was also surprised to find that Costa Rican kids really are no different than U.S. ones, with the exception that everything is in Spanish.
On this, our last Saturday, one of our teachers/friend/guide/keeper took us to Volcán Poás, one of the volcanos close to Grecia with one of the largest craters of any volcano in the world. It was a beatiful day spent with friends, and the volcano was not clouded over (which means a lot here as the mountain regions tend to be covered in clouds a large portion of the year). We also went to this fish farm where we got to fish for our own lunch. I didn't actually eat what I caught, but I had a GREAT time fishing for it. It was a great last hurrah for our time here. I had to laugh though, because it was almost as if we were all relatively unimpressed with the volcano...I think it's more that we've had so many "wow" experiences this semester that a ashy old volcano is no big deal...lol. I had a great time though, and I just had to revive my sense of wonder at it all.
I have a paper to write at the moment, but I wanted to update before I forgot to. I hope everyone has enjoyed my posts, and that they have kept you connected to my life in some small way. I have enjoyed writing them and knowing that you all are reading. As I wrote this blog, I wanted to begin and end with a quote. Both resound with where I am right now.
Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven. ~Tryon Edwards
Much love, and can't wait to see everyone in person!
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