Playa Hermosa/Jacó

The third week of November was my adjustment week...I finally started to feel comfortable with all of the Costa Rican customs and culture.  This was the weekend that I wanted to socialize with some of the TEFL students and other staff at Máximo, so what better way to do that than go to the beach?

We left Máximo at 7:00 a.m. and headed for Playa Hermosa.  There are actually two beaches named Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica (not that it's confusing at all...), one in Guanacaste and one in Puntarenas.  We went to the one in Puntarenas since its closer...only about 2 hours away from San Pedro.  Playa Hermosa is a gorgeous black sand beach just outside of the more touristy beach, Jacó.

First, we stopped for a stretch/bathroom break...where we also got the opportunity to take pictures of some crocodiles wading in a river.  This is really a tourist stop, as most of the people taking pictures of the crocs were foreigners.

Once we got to Playa Hermosa, we enjoyed the first sunny day of our stay in Costa Rica just relaxing on the beach and swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

 

After Playa Hermosa, we went to Jacó for lunch.  Jacó is way more developed, with lots of hotels and more tourists than Playa Hermosa.  I liked Playa Hermosa more, as it has a small beach town type of vibe...definitely more my style. :)

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. 

Culture Shock

Since arriving in Costa Rica, I've been experiencing culture shock.  It's definitely an interesting set of emotions...there are even stages like grieving! It's different for everyone. 

Wikipedia defines it like this: Culture shock is the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to immigration or a visit to a new country, or to a move between social environments also a simple travel to another type of life.

"Symptoms" include (starred ones are ones I experienced):

Excessive concern over cleanliness and health

Feelings of helplessness and withdrawal*

Irritability*

Anger*

Glazed stare

Desire for home and old friends*

Physiological stress reactions*

Homesickness*

Boredom

Withdrawal*

Getting "stuck" on one thing

Suicidal or fatalistic thoughts

Excessive sleep

Insomnia*

Compulsive eating/drinking/weight gain

Stereotyping host nationals*

Hostility towards host nationals.

Like any move, it just takes time. I'm already 100% better from two weeks ago, and every day I'm here, the more I adjust. It will be interesting to see if I have reverse culture shock when I go home for Christmas!

Puntarenas

Last weekend, I went to the port town of Puntarenas to visit my friend, Andrés.  The last time I was in Costa Rica, we came through Puntarenas to take a catamaran to Isla Tortuga, so I never really got to see the whole town.  

Andrés and his brother, Randy, picked me up from the bus stop near their home in the neighborhood of El Roble.  We went back to their house, and I met their parents and aunt.  Then we went to a maritime museum with crocodiles, turtles, and sharks.  We all got to pet a nurse shark, which was pretty cool.  

 

After the museum, we went to get ice cream and Andrés and I walked "el paseo de turistas" (Tourist Walk) and all the way into the actual city of Puntarenas.  It was really nice catching up with Andrés.  He helped me with my Spanish and I helped him with his English (which has really improved!).  We sat on one of the overlooks to watch the sunset.  It was beautiful!!

   

We also went to "surprise" Jorge! He lived in the same house as Andrés, Pridian, and I in San José back in 2008.  It was great to see him too, and it was even more funny to hear Andrés make fun of him.  I got to experience the game of futsal, which is really just indoor soccer.  Randy's girlfriend, Francinie was on the team, and it was definitely interesting to watch because there weren't any referees or scoreboard.  It's a really aggressive game!

On Sunday, we ate a big, delicious, traditional Costa Rican breakfast of eggs, gallo pinto (a black beans and white rice combo), and fresh juice with fruit.  Andrés, Randy, Francinie, me, and their dad went for a drive up to Miramar, which is in the mountains overlooking Puntarenas.  We could see the entire Nicoya Peninsula...it was absolutely gorgeous! We had lunch in Miramar and then headed back down the mountains, where I had to catch the bus back to San José. 

It was a very fun, relaxing weekend.  I really enjoyed spending time with Andrés and meeting his family.  Hopefully, I'll go back soon!

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.

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!