Reminiscing
The other day, I found myself reminiscing about Costa Rica, a place I proudly used to call home. It was just for two and a half years, but it was long enough to feel like I belonged. And long enough to have made an impact on my life. I learned to confidently speak Spanish (which I have since returning lost), I learned to get out of my shell and talk to new people, I learned to be brave and fend for myself, I learned to appreciate my good fortune, but perhaps most importantly, I learned that no matter who you are or where you are from, we are all essentially the same. We breathe, eat, drink, laugh, love, believe, share, feel...maybe just a little differently.
As time passes, my life there is becoming more of a distant memory. Which makes me sad. I don't think about it regularly anymore, and I fear I am forgetting some amazing stories/experiences that I long to hold close. (I should have started this blog back then, as I would have captured many great memories to look back on). The reality is, my life has moved in a whole new direction, and naturally I'm not living in the past. I hope to bring Jon there someday, to introduce him to my friends there, to show him my favorite places, and to sort of fill him in on a part of my life that no one really knows.
I came across some old emails recently that I had sent to family and friends while living there, and they brought a huge smile to my face. They may not mean much to anyone else, but I enjoyed reminiscing and thought I'd share a few very random excerpts:
I couldn´t ask for better students! They are full of life, excited to learn, intrigued by English (and me, which can be both unfortunate and entertaining), have great senses of humor, and continue to challenge me. I just recently spent about a week trying to convince the security guard at Cafe Britt that there are only 50 states in the US! Apparently there is this misconception that there are 52 states, one of which being Puerto Rico. After hours of entertaining argument and Juan Carlos´s theory that 2 more states must have been added since I left the US, I finally won! So there really is never a dull moment in English class!! :-) I made my students chocolate chip cookies this week, and now have their approval to get married SOME DAY (as I can now bake, I guess!), and have other students plotting to throw eggs and flour at my head on my birthday (a Costa Rican tradition apparently). Let´s just say these guys keep me on my toes!
(Email from a student) Hello Lisa, What do you doing?? Im read the letter new, you expresion for the Cristmas is good. Sorry for my English a need practis. See you next couse. God night. Hasta la bay bay. -Juan
Perhaps the sweetest surprise I’ve had is a token to the kind-heartedness that nearly all Ticos possess. One morning awhile back I had been out jogging around the park. On one of my last laps, an adorable little old man approached me, handed me a carton of orange juice, said, "Here, reina…you look like you could use this," (in Spanish) then smiled at me and walked away. What a sweet random act of kindness! Not something one often sees back home.
I’m still teaching English in several companies, just starting a new private class with a very young, sweet, flamboyant make-up artist who has seriously changed his hair color every single day we’ve had class! It continues to rain so much that I think I’d be fine with never seeing rain again in my life. It’s apparently now illegal for me to drive downtown on Thursdays (new traffic laws to regulate traffic), which I find slightly amusing and very doubtful that it will solve anything. I give them credit for trying to prevent the horrible traffic jams though. I ate snail, from those big sea shells that we always put up to our ears, for the first time (in the same company of those who fed me turtle last year) and although I found it surprisingly tolerable, I think it’ll be another item for my “tried once and never again” list.
I could kick myself for not having written more while I was there. Now it's 5 years later and my memories are starting to blur... :(
As time passes, my life there is becoming more of a distant memory. Which makes me sad. I don't think about it regularly anymore, and I fear I am forgetting some amazing stories/experiences that I long to hold close. (I should have started this blog back then, as I would have captured many great memories to look back on). The reality is, my life has moved in a whole new direction, and naturally I'm not living in the past. I hope to bring Jon there someday, to introduce him to my friends there, to show him my favorite places, and to sort of fill him in on a part of my life that no one really knows.
I came across some old emails recently that I had sent to family and friends while living there, and they brought a huge smile to my face. They may not mean much to anyone else, but I enjoyed reminiscing and thought I'd share a few very random excerpts:
I couldn´t ask for better students! They are full of life, excited to learn, intrigued by English (and me, which can be both unfortunate and entertaining), have great senses of humor, and continue to challenge me. I just recently spent about a week trying to convince the security guard at Cafe Britt that there are only 50 states in the US! Apparently there is this misconception that there are 52 states, one of which being Puerto Rico. After hours of entertaining argument and Juan Carlos´s theory that 2 more states must have been added since I left the US, I finally won! So there really is never a dull moment in English class!! :-) I made my students chocolate chip cookies this week, and now have their approval to get married SOME DAY (as I can now bake, I guess!), and have other students plotting to throw eggs and flour at my head on my birthday (a Costa Rican tradition apparently). Let´s just say these guys keep me on my toes!
(Email from a student) Hello Lisa, What do you doing?? Im read the letter new, you expresion for the Cristmas is good. Sorry for my English a need practis. See you next couse. God night. Hasta la bay bay. -Juan
Perhaps the sweetest surprise I’ve had is a token to the kind-heartedness that nearly all Ticos possess. One morning awhile back I had been out jogging around the park. On one of my last laps, an adorable little old man approached me, handed me a carton of orange juice, said, "Here, reina…you look like you could use this," (in Spanish) then smiled at me and walked away. What a sweet random act of kindness! Not something one often sees back home.
I’m still teaching English in several companies, just starting a new private class with a very young, sweet, flamboyant make-up artist who has seriously changed his hair color every single day we’ve had class! It continues to rain so much that I think I’d be fine with never seeing rain again in my life. It’s apparently now illegal for me to drive downtown on Thursdays (new traffic laws to regulate traffic), which I find slightly amusing and very doubtful that it will solve anything. I give them credit for trying to prevent the horrible traffic jams though. I ate snail, from those big sea shells that we always put up to our ears, for the first time (in the same company of those who fed me turtle last year) and although I found it surprisingly tolerable, I think it’ll be another item for my “tried once and never again” list.
I could kick myself for not having written more while I was there. Now it's 5 years later and my memories are starting to blur... :(
That sounds like so much fun! I wish I would've traveled like that. During my junior summer of college I was preparing to student teach in England. I was in talks with the Ed advisor and had all of my paperwork and finances figured out. It was just a matter of actually sending in the paperwork and going. And guess what? I decided not to go all because of my (then) boyfriend. He pretty much pressured me not to go, and I listened, which I wish I wouldn't have. We ended up breaking up 3 months before college graduation anyways so i wish I would've followed my heart and gone. I'm jealous that you were so brave and did that!! Wonderful memories I bet!!!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you were in Costa Rica for that long! I totally agree with Suzi, I wish I would have done something like that when in college. And if you come across more old emails or stories about your adventures be sure to share them!
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