Pura Vida!

I can't believe I'm finally here!  Costa Rica is just as beautiful as I remember.  I arrived two hours later than I was supposed to thanks to a delay in Dallas (whether it was hurricane-related or not, I don't know.  I had a smile on my face as soon as San José came into view through the plane's window.  I knew then and there that I had made the right decision.  I had a lot of misgivings the week before I left, and a lot of high stress the last couple of days before leaving, but they were all squashed as soon as I saw the awesome mountains and volcanoes of Costa Rica's Central Valley. 

San Jose sunset.

I had my first day of orientation with Máximo Nivel today, the school I'll be teaching at for the next six months. I finally met Ken, the founder and GM of the school.  Everyone here is so nice, and I know this is the right decision.  

Máximo Nivel

I'll be posting more in a few days about the new job. I'll start teaching on Thursday!!! 

The countdown begins...

Well, I have 19 days left in Flagstaff, my hometown.  I'm seeing everything differently, especially now, in October.  There's a reason October is one of my favorite months in Flagstaff.  The changing leaves and cooler nights, mixed with my changing sentiments of the city, are bittersweet.  The mountain lights up with yellow from the aspen leaves.  I have always loved this mountain town and will always call it home, but now everything's different. 

I'm growing tired of the daily routine, and as much as I love both of my jobs, it will be a nice change to be teaching, because I know that is my calling (at least right now).  I'm ready to experience a (relatively) new culture, and see things as an expat.  My friend Andres, put it this way last night in a text message: "You have a new vision of Costa Rica, not like a tourist, now like tica."  I want to go to different places like Arenal Volcano and Monteverde Cloud Forest, and still see it as an American, but Andres told me I could go to places like Puntarenas on the weekend and meet his family.  These experiences will make me appreciate the culture even more and expand my love and adoration of the Costa Rican people.

I know I should be living each day that I'm still in Flagstaff to the fullest and appreciating everything that Northern Arizona has to offer, but I can't help feeling antsy.  Costa Rica has been calling my name since I left it 4 1/2 years ago, and I love jumping into the unknown. My tica friend Pridian has been helping me look for apartments, and emailed me the other day letting me know that one of her friends is looking for a  roommate.  I might not even have to bother looking for an apartment.  It's close to the university (and my school, Maximo Nivel) and get this, I'd be paying $140 a month!

New beginnings

It's been almost a week since I signed the teaching contract with Maximo Nivel.  I've asked what seems like a thousand questions to the director, a new co-worker, the BridgeTEFL program advisors, and my Tico friends Andrés and Pridian.  All of them have been great with dealing with these questions, and Pridian even offered to drive me places, help me find an apartment, and go with me to buy a phone.  

I really couldn't ask for much better right now.  I'm still riding an amazing high that I hope won't go away for a long time.  I don't think leaving my tutoring job at CCC will be that difficult, and even my co-workers at the rink won't be that hard to say goodbye too, even though I love all of them.  Even saying bye to my parents won't be too bad...I will cry leaving my figure skating family, and I'm dreading it.  I've been skating with most of them for at least five years and a lot of them I've grown really close to.  The students I teach will be really hard to leave, as well as my Literacy Center family.  They've given me so many amazing opportunities (especially the executive director, Carynn) to grow as a teacher and I don't know if I can ever thank them enough for everything they've done for me.  My students there have been amazing as well, and I'll definitely be sad the last class...I had one learner come up to me the other day and say that there won't be anyone that can replace me.  

That statement is why I teach...I've always wanted to change people's lives in a positive way, and right now I feel like this new chapter is exactly what I need.  Despite the misgivings, doubts, sadness, and nervous feelings that I have right now, the excitement of the unknown outweighs all of them.  I remember crying on the flight home from Costa Rica 4 1/2 years ago, and now I get the opportunity to go back and fulfill what I struggled so hard to achieve with my bachelor's degree. 

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 #3: How much Chile made me realize I don't like earthquakes and how Valparaíso/Viña del Mar made me love Chile!

Week #3 started off a little shaky...ok I'm under-exaggerating a bit.  After being awoke by a "tremor" early Saturday morning, an even bigger "tremor" hit around 8:00 pm in Santiago on Sunday night.  I was actually just about to talk to my parents via Skype when I heard a car alarm go off...which is not an uncommon occurence here in my neighborhood.  Feeling the ground shake is something that I would have to get used to, but as of now, I'm not a fan of these "tremors". The earthquake was about 150 miles away, close to where the big one two years ago was.  Luckily, no deaths were reported and only about 14 people were hurt.


Getting out of town for the weekend was exactly what I needed.  Valparaíso is now one of the coolest places I've ever been too.  I loved the layout, probably because it reminded me a lot of San Francisco.  The streets suck to walk up, but nevertheless, I decided to walk to one of Pablo Neruda's other houses, La Sebastiana.  Boy, was I glad I did, even though I was sweating profusely once I got there a half hour later.  This house was where most of his poetry was written, and I can see why.  The house is situated in one of the nicest neighborhoods of Valparaíso, and he had a full view of the ocean port with ships coming in and out regularly.


The next day, I went to Viña del Mar, which reminds me of Florida or California.  I didn't spend but two hours there, and I wish I would have stayed there longer because it was much cleaner and a little more touristy than Valparaíso, but one of the best beaches is about 10 minutes away by taxi, and I didn't have a chance to make it there.  I'd definitely have to stay a week to see all that Valparaíso and Viña del Mar have to offer.