Teaching English in Costa Rica...the saga continues!

I apologize ahead of time for being so behind on posts...there are a lot of things going on in my life, most of which I don't have the words to blog about right now. I hope you all can forgive me. Pictures and posts will be updated in the next couple days, I promise! If you want to catch up with my life in pictures, check out my Facebook page...most of the pictures are posted.

This blog will focus mostly on the saga of teaching English in Costa Rica. As I mentioned in previous posts, after I returned to Costa Rica in September 2013, I started teaching English at Politecnico Internacional, a language institute in San José and the northern province, Heredia. I was working part time (about 15 hours a week) until the end of December 2013, at which point, my boss told me there weren't any classes to teach yet, but to keep checking my email while I was back in the States. I figured everything would be fine and I would at least have a couple classes to teach and whatever I wasn't teaching, I could make up with online classes...well easier said than done there. I ended up emailing them a week before I returned to San José, and they responded by saying there still were no classes for me to teach.

I felt defeated, but not completely hopeless. There were still online classes, and I worked my butt off, teaching over 100 hours in January and February (hence the lack of blog posts). I also haven't been traveling as much, which I will probably end up regretting once I'm back in the States, but at the same time, I have to make money somehow. Living here is expensive, but I thank BridgeTEFL for telling me about this online job. It has made life so much easier and less hectic. I'm able to work from home and I have more time to exercise, run errands, and take a few days off if I want to travel. What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger, right?

I made the decision a few months back to return to Flagstaff in April, no matter what my job situation was like. I'm glad I made that decision, and I vowed to not return to CR to work unless I'm sure it's a reliable job with consistent hours. I'm going to miss the country but it's a part of me, and I know I'll come back to visit. It's going to be hard leaving my roommate, Jenny. She's let me live with her for the last year and we've grown close. I'm going to miss talking to her about everything.

I will be teaching a beginner Spanish class when I get home, starting April 21st. The amazing staff at The Literacy Center reached out to me and wanted me to teach the class. I'm hoping to get a lot of friends to take the class and make relationships with learners that I haven't done before. I feel ready for this new experience!!

New job & new opportunities

While I was home in August, I got a job offer from a school in San José called Politécnico Internacional.  I was hoping there would be full time hours, but I got a part time schedule emailed to me and decided to take it, in hopes of maybe picking up more hours or subbing classes when I got back to Costa Rica. It turns out the school is great, and a lot more organized than Maximo, although there is still a "Tico time" way of dealing with things...I didn't officially sign my contract until the second week of classes!  Overall though, I love working there.  The students are awesome and my fellow teachers and both academic directors are great as well.  The pay is better per hour than Maximo too, but only working part time has been a little challenging, as it's very difficult to save money since everything is so expensive here. The commute is also taxing. I think I've spent half my time here on a bus!!!

Sunday marked a year in Costa Rica, and it really got me thinking. No matter how much I love Costa Rica and my job here, I know in my heart that not everything that glitters is gold.  A year here has been the biggest decision that I've ever made...but I know there are other opportunities that I can take advantage of, and I've come to the realization that maybe I need to explore those.  In order to be able to save money, I took an online teaching position part time, recommended to me by Bridge.  It pays $10 an hour and I think it's going to be really fun! I'll get to meet people from all around the world and apply what I know as well as learning new skills I'll use in my in person classes. The best part about it is that I can teach no matter where in the world I happen to be. After three months, I could switch to a real full time job (40 hours a week), but I would get to teach in my pajamas! 

Right now, the option that I'm considering is to go home for Christmas, come back to Costa Rica for three months, then go back to the U.S. for the summer (until September).  I could work full time teaching online and be able to save money, while still taking occasional weekend trips outside of the Central Valley. I'm really wanting to teach somewhere new, so I think in the spring I'll interview for a school in Cuenca, Ecuador.  I would have to return to the States if I got this job anyway, since I need a visa to teach there and the closest Ecuadorian consulate is 4 hours away in Las Vegas. There is also the school in Liberia, but I don't want to be disappointed if it doesn't work out, so I'm going to have a Plan B this time.

Back in the U.S.A. (Part 2)

About a week after coming home from Challis, my friend Kristin went with my dad and I down to Tempe for the "Livers of Steel" Tour aka the most fun I've had in the Valley in a long time. Three of my favorite groups (Wade Bowen, Micky & The Motorcars, & Reckless Kelly) all in one night was like a mini Braun Brothers Reunion all over again. To escape the miserable desert heat, Kristin and I went skating at Oceanside.  After that, we headed back to the hotel to change clothes and get ready for the concert.  They were playing at an unusual (but gorgeous) venue for them, the Tempe Center for the Arts.  

After eating dinner, we walked along the walkway for as long as we could stand the late afternoon desert sun beating down on us...I think we lasted about 15 minutes! The view was beautiful though. Tempe Center for the Arts is located right along Tempe Town Lake.

The concert was amazing...these guys are great musicians. They somehow manage to get better every time I see them! We ended up hanging out with some of them after the show...it was great getting to know them a little bit better.  They're so nice and it was awesome to go out on Mill Avenue with them!

The last couple of weeks in town were great.  It was bittersweet to leave, but I knew I'd be back over Christmas, so only a few more months!! It was so wet and green in Flag when I left...hopefully there will be a lot of snow and I'll come home to a white winter wonderland!!! 

Costa Rican despedida/Back in the U.S.A. (Part 1)

My contract with Maximo was up at the end of July.  I was sad leaving the great staff and friends I had made along the way, as well as my students.  Thank goodness for social media so I could keep in touch with all of them! As sad as I was to leave, I had made up my mind to come back in September for at least a few months.  I had a potential job lined up, but it wasn't a for sure thing when I left Costa Rica.  Two other girls from Maximo were leaving too, so we had a little goodbye party or "despedida".

Home was great.  It was so great to see all my friends and of course, my parents.  It had been 8 months, and being in the comforts of home again was refreshing. 

I had been a little down my last month of teaching, I think mostly due to burnout.  It's great to know that when I need to and when I can, I can go home again and clear my head...one of the best (and worst) things about Flagstaff is that nothing changes.  This is especially great if you've moved away.

The first week I did experience some culture shock.  This was to be expected, and I think the altitude that I knew for 24 years and loved was the most shocking part.  I was so tired the first couple of days, I didn't really want to do anything, but I got back to my old self just in time to go to one of my absolute favorite places Challis, Idaho for the annual Braun Brothers Reunion Festival.  It arguably beats Disneyland for the happiest place on Earth.

Dad and I got to hang out with our friends, The Departed, and see our old friends Gunda, Jerald, Jenny, Jared, Josh, and some of their friends and enjoy the best music not heard on the radio.  My favorites included:

Todd Snider backed by The Departed,

 

Wade Bowen,

and Randy Rogers Band!

I love this festival...knowing I might have to miss it next year is going to suck, because it's the best out there right now!

May Happenings

Wow, I can't believe it's June already...where is this year going? I'm eight months into living abroad, and I am finally accustomed to the way of life here.  I'm done with my contract at Maximo July 30th and am still waiting on the school in Liberia...I should know something next month.  I'm also looking at jobs in Antigua, Guatemala, Granada, Nicaragua and Tampico, Mexico...but more on that later.

May was a relatively low key month.  I made one out of town beach day trip on May 1st, which is Labor Day here in Costa Rica.  I had some fun in town adventures though! Sonia, Jenny, and I went roller skating one night.  It was a lot of fun...and more difficult than I thought it would be.  It's sort of similar to ice skating, but I think I would have done better with roller blades, since that's what I used when I was younger.

The last weekend in May, I went with some of the volunteers and one of the Tico staff members, Mario on a day hike near San Pedro.  It was a lot more challenging than I thought, but the views were spectacular...you could see most of the Central Valley from the top!!

The hike is called the Three Crosses, because there are three crosses about evenly spaced.  These made for good resting points...especially at the second cross, where the group stopped for a snack break.  Once you get to the top (and the largest cross), it flattens out a bit and gets a whole lot greener! How to get back down the mountain? Well, come back the way we had come, which was steep and muddy, or go down the mountain side stepping and butt sliding...the result being a flatter walk at the bottom next to a creek. We chose the second option, and boy am I glad we did! We had an amazing time just hanging out by the water and enjoying the afternoon.

Mario was right...the way down the mountain was worth it, and it was flat at the bottom...just a few places where we had to cross the creek, but other than that, it was nice to have a break from the strenuous climb back down the way we had come.  

After reaching the paved road in the "expat capital" of Escazu in San José, we stopped at a cute little café/soda for lunch while waiting for our transportation to pick us back up.  Overall, it was a great day to see some great views of the Central Valley while getting a workout in and enjoying the clean air of the mountains!

Liberia

The first week of March I headed north to my favorite province in Costa Rica, Guanacaste.  Whether it's because it's the first place I visited in Costa Rica or because I was with my parents at the time, I don't know.  Liberia has a very special place in my heart.  I've blogged about a language school there called Instituto Estelar Bilingue, which was the first school I interviewed with after I got my IDELT certificate...I actually was in contact with her while I was still in Chile. 

The primary purpose of my trip to Liberia was to see the school and meet the director, Bethany.  I arrived there on a Friday night after a very comfortable ride on an air conditioned bus (almost unheard of!).  I got settled at the hotel and wandered the two blocks down the street to the school.  

Bethany actually told me there was a job opening at the end of April, as that's when one of her teachers would be leaving because it was the end of their contract.  I would love to head up there that soon, but as I've already committed to going home in August, I told her September would be better.  

Conveniently, the Fiestas de las Civicas were also going on in Liberia that weekend, and I took the opportunity to explore the town a little more. I love the culture, it's very different from San José and the Central Valley.  There is a more relaxed vibe here.  No one is in much of a hurry to do anything.  The people are happier and live longer, and I can understand why.  They have orgullo, or pride for not just their country but also their province, town, and all the people that live there. 

I think I understand why Guanacaste is my favorite.  It reminds me of home.  For the 72 short hours I was in Liberia, I felt more at home than I had since returning to Costa Rica on New Years Day.  The people greeted me like they'd known me for years.  I got to observe a kid's class that Bethany teaches on Saturdays, and it was great to be able to see the teaching style a bit before I actually teach there.  I really hope this job works out in September, because right now, I need more relaxation, less stress, and a little more of the "Guanacasteco" culture in mi vida. :)

Here are some pictures of the "tope" or parade in the streets of Liberia:

Tamarindo

Gah I'm so behind! I'm now blogging for a website called Go Overseas as well as The Literacy Center, the organization in Flagstaff that I volunteered with...and today, BridgeTEFL (the organization that got me the job at Máximo and took the IDELT course with) emailed me today and said they wanted to make me a regular contributor!!! Sometimes I tend to take on too much, but blogging is great because I can share my experiences with people around the world, as well as tell my friends and family back home about my experiences. Long story short, I apologize in advance for long lapses on my posts here.

Alright, now back to regularly scheduled blogging!!

The first weekend of February was a long one, since we had our monthly staff meeting on a Thursday.  This meant we could actually leave San José early the next morning for Tamarindo, which is the northwestern province of Guanacaste.  I went with one of my fellow teacher friends, Carissa, who had actually just finished her contract with Máximo.  The bus ride does take forever, since they have to stop frequently to pick people up/let people off the bus.  I would say it was worth it with the perfect temperatures and temperate water...Guanacaste is much drier than the rest of the country.  Some of the views on the way to the beach made me think we were in Africa!!

No better way to celebrate a long weekend than with views like this:

 And this...

Oh, I forgot to mention...we stayed at the cutest hostel ever! We think the owner was from somewhere in Scandanavia somewhere, since the theme was cows and the name of the hostel was "La Botella de Leche" (A bottle of milk).  It was cheap, clean, and comfortable with a huge kitchen/lounge area, a TV, pool, rack for hanging towels/wet clothes, and even a washer! If you're in Tamarindo, definitely stay there!!! :)

And it wouldn't be a successful weekend at the beach without a gorgeous sunset!

Adjustment period

After my culture shock abated, I finally started to feel at home in Costa Rica.  The city still has its downfalls, and as much as I'd love to live closer to the beach or in the mountains (since transportation here is insane), I'm oddly happy living in a big city.  I moved from the apartment I spent November in to a house in Vargas Araya, which is about a 10-15 minute bus ride to work.  Everything is close; there's a market a block away, as well as a bar/restaurant, Chinese restaurant, bakery/panadería, ice cream shop, and a couple of video rental places.  My roommates are great, and I love the house.

Last night was the Christmas party at Máximo.  It was so great to have fun with my new family.  I really do love everyone that works there.  We had great food, dancing, drinks, and gift giving in the form of Secret Santas.  

I'm really excited to go home and play in all the snow.  Flagstaff got 18 inches at the airport, and there was a foot at my parents' house.  I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends and family and telling them about my Costa Rican adventures...I feel like it's been forever since I left home.  Part of this comes from feeling like I've changed. Maybe it's because I'm living an independent life for the first time and I've had to adjust to everything on my own.  I've met amazing people, but my loved ones at home mean everything to me. 

Teaching/life in Costa Rica!

Life here is agreeing with me.  I'm the happiest I've ever been, and I'm truly grateful to be able to have this experience.  There are things I see every day that I want to blog about, and hopefully I'll be able to soak them in and share them with others. 

The first three days of teaching have been great.  The class structure is really similar to the training I took in Chile for the IDELT course, so it's nothing really new.  All the books are supplied, and teachers get a curriculum with activities, games, and different ideas for the material.  All the teachers and staff at Máximo Nivel are great and are willing to help me or answer questions whenever I need support.  The learners are also awesome, they're all so smart!

I will have to post a separate entry on my first full weekend in Costa Rica.

New Job!

Yes, you're reading that title correctly!!! I got a job! On Tuesday, I signed a contract with a school called Maximo Nivel in San Jose, Costa Rica! I'm so excited for this next phase of my life. I have to be in San Jose by October 29th so I can attend the teacher orientation and I officially start teaching on November 1st.

Here are a few pics from my last trip to Costa Rica.

Me at Volcan Poas

SO green!

Me soaking wet at La Paz Waterfall!

A beautiful beach on Isla Tortuga

Downtown San Jose

Beach at Manuel Antonio National Park

Beach right outside our hostel in Puerto Viejo.

I love this picture. Can't wait to see Andres & Jorge again! :)

PURA VIDA!!!!

Job hunting brings a whole new meaning to "full time job".

It's been a little difficult to find time to write lately.  I've been really busy between both jobs, skating, teaching and volunteering.  Searching for a job has consumed a lot of my free time lately.  It's pretty much been like a third job.  I've had two interviews, one at a school in Liberia, Costa Rica called Instituto Estelar Bilingue and the other in Queretaro, Mexico for Bridge (the organization that I got my IDELT certificate from). 

So far, the Liberia school is my first pick.  I've been to Costa Rica twice already, and I'm comfortable there.  I have dreams about my experiences there, and I can picture myself teaching English there.  It's a perfect combination of local culture and experiences and the tourism industry, plus Liberia is only an hour and a half away from the Nicaraguan border and not far from the beach.  I've been talking to my host brother, and having ties to the country is always a comforting feeling, especially since I'll be so far away from friends and family.  I've been in contact with another school called Idiomas Mundiales, which is based in San Jose and Heredia in the Central Valley.  The prompt response from there really shocked me, as he told me he was very interested in hiring me, I just had to be in country and the interview was just a formality really.  This was even before I was done with the IDELT course when I was still in Santiago.

My second choice is still being decided.  There's a full time job in Antigua, Guatemala (which is outside Guatemala City) at a preschool.  I'm still trying to see if I could exhibit enough patience with children to teach English at a preschool, but Antigua looks like an absolutely beautiful city.  I would definitely consider moving here and it would be a big risk for me to move somewhere where I didn't know anyone, but I know (just like my experience in Chile) I would make a lot of friends and learn so much about myself as well as my students.

I haven't really researched the school in Poza Rica, Mexico yet.  From what I've read, the pay is really good for Mexico standards and the school is funded by the oil company, Pemex, so they have really competitive pay rates compared to other schools in the region.  I actually hadn't even heard of this small city.  Apparently, most of the population moved years ago, so the town's population now is about 34,000 (half the size of Flagstaff).  Its close proximity to the beach and some insane Mayan and Aztec ruins make it really appealing to live, plus I could always meet family and friends in Cancun or other locations during vacations.  I adore everything about Mexico and I know I wouldn't have issues with eating Mexican food every day either. :)

I'll be updating as soon as I know anything...at this point, I'm pretty much a sitting duck until July or August, which is when the hiring season in Mexico starts and also when the director of the school in Liberia will be able to tell me whether or not the teachers are going to be renewing their contracts.  The director of the preschool basically told me that I'd come in October, stay for a two month trial teaching period, and be hired in December.

Week #4: How Chile made me hungry to learn more about the world.

Wow, I can't believe I've been home from Chile for almost three weeks now. The country taught me a lot about myself, and I came home ready to start a career in English teaching. As excited as I was to come home, I find myself missing the most amazing things about Chile.  I miss the fresh fruit that you could buy for two dollars from the man across the street from my apartment (the strawberries were to die for!), walking the tree lined streets of Providencia on a Sunday afternoon, the stunning views of Valparaiso, and all the friends I made there.  I think what I miss most though, is my host family.  Throughout my stay, not a day went by when they didn't ask me how I was doing, things about my family, if I needed anything, or how my course was going. I will never forget their amazing generosity and hospitality during my short month in Chile.  It's for this very reason that I stay with host families while I'm in a foreign country and I've been fortunate to have two great stays (in Chile and Costa Rica).

Chile made me hungry to learn more about the world, not only because of Santiago's rich history and architecture, but because I went there alone, not knowing anyone, and managed to come away from the experience with a deeper understanding of Chilean culture and the people.  I now have a handful of friends and a host family there, and I can't wait to go back.  I want to see more of the country, and I'm hoping that my next experience there will be as equally exciting and stimulating as my first trip.

Week #2: How Chile made me glad I recycle.

I seriously can't believe I've been here two weeks, and that my month in Chile is halfway finished already.  I'm so busy with the coursework during the week that I really don't have time to go out and do things at night.  Hopefully that will change this weekend, and no matter what homework I have, there are things I want to see and do! This weekend I'm hoping to go to La Chascona (one of poet Pablo Neruda's three houses) and el centro (downtown).  Hopefully if I'm not too bogged down with homework, I can post a blog on Sunday telling you all about my adventures!!!


I've convinced myself that I will come back to Chile and tour the country for at least a couple weeks at some point.  I'm not even going to make it to the Lake District (which runs all the way to Patagonia), see the Atacama Desert, or get to Easter Island!!!!!


Everything is different here.  There's more traffic and people, but it's a little ridiculous how impatient the drivers are...although I think Costa Rica still wins out on impatient drivers.  At least here, the drivers stop if you're crossing the street.  Seriously, the obsession with mayonnaise is a little disgusting too.  I think the hardest custom to get used to is wearing shoes ALL the time, even in the house.  It's considered rude if you don't.  Also, if I could wave a magic wand and change one thing about Chile, it would be their complete lack of caring about the environment.  Santiago is so smoggy most days, you can't even see the Andes, and March isn't that bad (apparently winter is the worst and summer is the best).  I walked by a house the other day that had a hose spewing with water and I learned very quickly to re-use the plastic bags you get or you'll accumulate them.

Week #1: How I found my passion in Chile

Wow, I can't believe I'm in my second week already! The course is speeding by, as well as my time in Chile. I'm going to try my hardest to see everything, but I already know I need to come back two or three more times to see half the things I wanted to in Chile. A month is definitely not long enough!!!!!


Week #1 has been exciting and exhausting all at the same time.  After recovering from the weekend jet lag, I walked into Bridge ready to learn. I actually expected to know a lot of the techniques for teaching EFL (or ESL in the States) but I've learned so much and gotten so much more out of this course than I ever would have anticipated.  I've definitely changed some of my perspectives on how hard it is to be a teacher and, more importantly, how much harder it is to be a student learning a foreign language (especially English!!!)


I'm learning so much and this IDELT course has made me realize just how much I love imparting my knowledge on to others.  I walk in to Bridge every day excited and challenged.  It's not like most university classes at all...I actually want to come to class because I know it's helping me towards a career (more on that coming soon!!)  Coming to Chile has made me realize just how much I want to be a teacher.

48 hours

48 hours from now I'll be on a plane to L.A., then Dallas, then Santiago, Chile.  It's going to be a long day, but I know it will be so worth it when I get there. The more I read/hear about it, the more I love the country, and I haven't even been there yet.

I'm mostly excited, but a little nervous too. This is the first trip I've taken where I literally won't have anyone I know traveling with me or know anyone when I get there. I'm nervous to meet my host family, and nervous about the course, but I'm excited to experience all of these things too.

I really hope I have enough time to blog every day.  I feel so connected to everyone when I blog, it's like writing emails, except to everyone. I'll even try to share a couple pictures on here if I can!

My next entry will be from Chile! Puedo escribir pronto! (I'll write soon!) :)

update.

So again, here I am with this blog.  It's been a long time, longer than I've anticipated.


Now that I'm a college graduate, I find myself with possibly less free time than I had when I was in school, but it's spent doing things I enjoy, for the most part.


I'm headed to Chile next month...I'm beyond excited about it, I can't wait to see another culture completely different from my own and meet some incredible people. I've heard nothing but good things about the people, the scenery, the food, and the capital city, Santiago, is surrounded by the Andes mountains and pristine beaches.


I'll definitely be updating through this blog while I'm there.  I find it easier to blog when I'm away from my regular life and in a new place...partially because I don't have a very exciting life in general, and when I do, it's usually not anything even worth posting.  Taking a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course might be the most challenging thing I've had to do yet, since the course is 140 hours in a month! I'm ready for the challenge!!!