Yes! It’s holiday time. We finished up in school on Thursday. It was a really good night, but mixed with sadness as we said goodbye to several of our colleagues.
The Orphanage
-------------------
One of the traditions in Intercultura is that the teachers and staff buy presents for orphans in Costa Rica each Christmas. This year my orphan was a 12 year old boy called Jesser, and I bought him the official world cup football of the Costa Rican football team.
I chose not to go out to the orphanage the day they were delivering, because I thought I might get too sad. But talking to the other teachers it made me realise what a good idea it is. The kids were all lined up at the railings waiting for the bus and presents to arrive. They were absolutely thrilled with their presents and played for the morning with the teachers who went along. It’s something that reminds us what Christmas is really about.
Preparing for Christmas
-----------------------------
For me, Christmas in the sun really doesn’t really seem right. I was in Australia for Christmas a number of years ago, and although I loved the trip it didn’t seem like Christmas. Now, I go out and see all the Christmas lights and decorations, with the blue, blue skies and the sunshine and it all just seems like a joke.
I’m heading off to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast tomorrow, to have a few days at the beach before Christmas. It will be quite a bit hotter on the coast. Here we have lovely warm days, but nice cool evenings at the moment.
Christmas Eve is the bigger day here, rather than Christmas day. It’s when the families have their big meal, and I guess Christmas day is more like our Stephen’s day. I’m going to my friend Laura’s for Christmas, along with the few teachers who haven’t gone home. I was also invited by my landlord to spend the day with his family if I didn’t have other plans. Which I thought was a really lovely and generous gesture.
The supermarket experience
----------------------------------
It’s interesting to remember the differences between the supermarkets over here and at home. First of all when you go in you have to leave any bags or other shopping in a cloakroom area, and receive a cloakroom ticket. The supermarkets are well stocked, and as everywhere here, they have plenty of staff. But I laughed during the week to see that there was a girl doing women’s nails, right in the middle of the aisles. You could sit down and have your nails manicured and have little flowers painted on them between the household utensils and Christmas decorations, as the rest of the shoppers strive to get their trolleys around you.
Christmas week
-------------------
As soon as Christmas is over, everyone heads for the beach, and only come back around New Year. It’s the busiest time of the year for hotels and hostels, along with Easter week. Rita arrives just after Christmas, but we’re going to stay in Heredia and visit the local sites before heading off just after New Year to avoid the rush, and the higher prices.
Weekly email – Now available in Podcast!
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Well, you can’t accuse me of being behind the times. Now, as well as receiving the weekly email by email, or as a weblog on the web, you can now also receive it by podcast if you so wish! Basically I’m going to record it as a file, and you can download it to your iPod or podcast software from www.angelfire.com/journal2/eamon/weeklypodcast.rss . So you can get to hear the weekly mail in my very own dulcet tones! I warn you it’s a very amateurish production at the moment, but hopefully I’ll get better as time goes on.
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Well, that’s it for another week. I’m off to Manuel Antonio tomorrow to relax on the beach before hitting Christmas. I hope you all have a really good holiday. The world may stop for the Christmas, but rest assured, the weekly emails (and podcasts!) will continue regardless.
So until next week,
Feliz Navidad,
Éamon
Today’s headline in La Nación: Lawyers falsify marriages with foreigners.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Secret Santa
Running a bit late this week. It was quite a busy weekend, and I just never got round to writing. Then we went out after work last night to mark the beginning of our last week. As you do.
A bit a culture
------------------
A group of us went to the ballet on Friday. It was in the Teatro Nacional. This building is in all the guide books as the architectural gem of San José. From outside, it doesn’t really look all that much, so I didn’t really understand. But inside, it’s really beautiful. It’s very European in styling and looks like an old theatre from Vienna or somewhere. The ballet was ‘The Nutcracker Suite’, and it was great to have a bit of culture after all this time away!
On the way up to the theatre (there were about 13 of us going) we were showered with confetti on Avenida Central. Apparently it’s a local custom for December. The street looked like it was covered in snow, because all the confetti was white. People were covered with it. As I passed I heard one kid say ‘There’s no point throwing it at him, he has no hair’.
Christmas party
-------------------
Saturday was the Intercultura Christmas party. It was our last Saturday of the semester, and the bus picked us up outside the school at 4pm. The party was on a kind of a farm, with swimming pools and a large function hall. There was free drink and food all night. The ‘dance floor’ was out on the grass under the moonlight, with smoke machines and disco lights. It was a really excellent night. And my God the Latinas can dance. The Spanish teachers were up on the dance floor as soon as the music started, and I don’t think some of them stopped all night.
We had a Secret Santa running in work all week. It’s like a Kris Kindle, but you buy little presents for your person all week, and then a proper gift for them that you present to them at the party. I got a bottle of Champagne from my friend Anna to have on Jack’s return.
After the party some of us popped into a couple of the Heredia bars to round off the night!
Los Colombianos
---------------------
The biggest group of immigrants in Costa Rica are the Nicaraguans. The next biggest group are Colombians, and I have a real affection for them. Marcella who we met very early on is Colombian, as is Paula my Spanish teacher. I’ve had several students that I’ve really warmed to, only to realise after a time that they’re also from Colombia. We were out on Thursday, and I met Nixon, the Colombian barman from our local much-loved bar, El Cholo, and two of his friends, a Colombia three, if you will. When we moved to another bar they introduced me to another friend he asked where I was from. When I told him, he said ‘Oh, Irish! You are my friend. You help us train the FARC. Thank you, we need someone to help us against the Americans!’
End of term
--------------
While I’m delighted it’s end of term and to have the break, there are a number of teachers that are leaving that I’m really going to miss. It’s part of the life of an English teacher abroad that the turnover is quite high, and people are constantly moving on. There are 4 of the American girls leaving, along with Tom from London. While it was similar last semester, I had only just started and didn’t really know anyone that well. This time all five are people I really get on with and I’m really going to miss.
Costa Rica in the news
----------------------------
This week Costa Rica hit world headlines twice, which is more than they have in all the time I’ve been here. First they were drawn against Germany and will play in the opening match of the World Cup. This has generated enormous excitement.
The second, sadder, story was that the guy who was shot on the plane in Miami, after allegedly claiming to have a bomb was Tico. Although he had American citizenship and had lived there for many years, he’s from Costa Rica and his parents still live here.
-----
Well, that’s it for another week. I’ve another two days of work, and it’s holiday time, so I’m really dying for the break.
So until next week,
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Saturday’s headline in La Nación: We open the World Cup
A bit a culture
------------------
A group of us went to the ballet on Friday. It was in the Teatro Nacional. This building is in all the guide books as the architectural gem of San José. From outside, it doesn’t really look all that much, so I didn’t really understand. But inside, it’s really beautiful. It’s very European in styling and looks like an old theatre from Vienna or somewhere. The ballet was ‘The Nutcracker Suite’, and it was great to have a bit of culture after all this time away!
On the way up to the theatre (there were about 13 of us going) we were showered with confetti on Avenida Central. Apparently it’s a local custom for December. The street looked like it was covered in snow, because all the confetti was white. People were covered with it. As I passed I heard one kid say ‘There’s no point throwing it at him, he has no hair’.
Christmas party
-------------------
Saturday was the Intercultura Christmas party. It was our last Saturday of the semester, and the bus picked us up outside the school at 4pm. The party was on a kind of a farm, with swimming pools and a large function hall. There was free drink and food all night. The ‘dance floor’ was out on the grass under the moonlight, with smoke machines and disco lights. It was a really excellent night. And my God the Latinas can dance. The Spanish teachers were up on the dance floor as soon as the music started, and I don’t think some of them stopped all night.
We had a Secret Santa running in work all week. It’s like a Kris Kindle, but you buy little presents for your person all week, and then a proper gift for them that you present to them at the party. I got a bottle of Champagne from my friend Anna to have on Jack’s return.
After the party some of us popped into a couple of the Heredia bars to round off the night!
Los Colombianos
---------------------
The biggest group of immigrants in Costa Rica are the Nicaraguans. The next biggest group are Colombians, and I have a real affection for them. Marcella who we met very early on is Colombian, as is Paula my Spanish teacher. I’ve had several students that I’ve really warmed to, only to realise after a time that they’re also from Colombia. We were out on Thursday, and I met Nixon, the Colombian barman from our local much-loved bar, El Cholo, and two of his friends, a Colombia three, if you will. When we moved to another bar they introduced me to another friend he asked where I was from. When I told him, he said ‘Oh, Irish! You are my friend. You help us train the FARC. Thank you, we need someone to help us against the Americans!’
End of term
--------------
While I’m delighted it’s end of term and to have the break, there are a number of teachers that are leaving that I’m really going to miss. It’s part of the life of an English teacher abroad that the turnover is quite high, and people are constantly moving on. There are 4 of the American girls leaving, along with Tom from London. While it was similar last semester, I had only just started and didn’t really know anyone that well. This time all five are people I really get on with and I’m really going to miss.
Costa Rica in the news
----------------------------
This week Costa Rica hit world headlines twice, which is more than they have in all the time I’ve been here. First they were drawn against Germany and will play in the opening match of the World Cup. This has generated enormous excitement.
The second, sadder, story was that the guy who was shot on the plane in Miami, after allegedly claiming to have a bomb was Tico. Although he had American citizenship and had lived there for many years, he’s from Costa Rica and his parents still live here.
-----
Well, that’s it for another week. I’ve another two days of work, and it’s holiday time, so I’m really dying for the break.
So until next week,
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Saturday’s headline in La Nación: We open the World Cup
Monday, December 05, 2005
O’Connor’s Pub
The weather has been so beautiful recently, and it’s so refreshing after the months of rain. It’s very warm during the day, and very comfortable and cool at night. I never think that I’m a sun person. But the beautiful and warm weather has us all in great form. However, it seems very un-December!
Parque Central
-------------------
I’m starting writing this mail on Saturday morning. I’ve taken my class to Parque Central and now they’re filling in a questionnaire on the things they see in the park. So I have time to have a look at it myself.
The Parque is quite big, it’s a fully city block. There is the old Church to the east. The sky is completely blue, I can’t see a cloud. There is a large fountain in the centre, but it’s empty, and kids are playing in it. There is a clown entertaining them. There are a group of kids singing carols in the bandstand. The square has many tall palm trees on the side near the post office.
The square now has a lot of stall selling clothes, jewellery and indigenous artisan crafts for Christmas. There is a funpark, called Ciudad Mágica in one corner. It has a beautiful old carousel and a few scary rides. The sort you see in Funderland which turn people fully upside-down up in the air. It’s full of people really enjoying themselves.
------
Back at home – Sunday (with a red sunburnt head from yesterday!)
------
Head Teacher
-----------------
My boss Barbara asked me to have a talk earlier in the week. It turned out that she wanted to ask me to be Head Teacher next semester. Head Teacher is not like headmaster, but it is a role of senior teacher I suppose. Teaching has only been the means to an end for me. It’s a portable skill that I learned expressly for the purpose of travel. But, that said, I have to say that I felt really chuffed when I was asked. She said that she felt I had a presence on the staff, as well as the respect of the other teachers. I can’t believe that having taught in the school only since May, and only having trained earlier this year, that I’m going to be Head Teacher next semester. It’s really made me realise that I’ve achieved so much this year.
How the other half live
----------------------------
I was out on Friday with a few of the teachers. Leah’s Tica roommate Alba invited me to a party today Sunday in her American boyfriend’s house. So we headed out to the exclusive suburb of Escazú today. The house is beautiful. It’s in the foothills of the mountains, and we were having a barbecue by the pool. The mountains are really high, we were at about 5,000m and they towered over us. It was quite beautiful.
We were on the patio beside the guest house, at the bottom of the garden. With a sunken hot-tub inside. The guests were a mix of the host, Brad’s, friends, with a very high proportion of older American men with young Tica girlfriends or wives.
On the way home we drove through Santa Ana, and I saw the only Irish bar that I think is here. I’d read about it on the internet, but when I asked people said they didn’t know it, and I thought it was gone. But I saw the sign ‘O’Connor’s Irish Pub’. So we stopped for a drink. It was all very disappointing. There were no road-signs or photos , or anything from Ireland. There was just one Tricolour and two small framed old Guinness ads. The rest was all Heineken branded, with NOTHING Irish available. Not even Irish whiskey!
And when I went to the loo I arrived into Joe’s Mexican bar next door!
I’m off now to have a good rest. This is my last busy week before Christmas. There are no Spanish classes next week, so it will just be teaching.
So until next week,
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Today’s headline in La Nación: Second round seems unlikely [in the presidential election]
Parque Central
-------------------
I’m starting writing this mail on Saturday morning. I’ve taken my class to Parque Central and now they’re filling in a questionnaire on the things they see in the park. So I have time to have a look at it myself.
The Parque is quite big, it’s a fully city block. There is the old Church to the east. The sky is completely blue, I can’t see a cloud. There is a large fountain in the centre, but it’s empty, and kids are playing in it. There is a clown entertaining them. There are a group of kids singing carols in the bandstand. The square has many tall palm trees on the side near the post office.
The square now has a lot of stall selling clothes, jewellery and indigenous artisan crafts for Christmas. There is a funpark, called Ciudad Mágica in one corner. It has a beautiful old carousel and a few scary rides. The sort you see in Funderland which turn people fully upside-down up in the air. It’s full of people really enjoying themselves.
------
Back at home – Sunday (with a red sunburnt head from yesterday!)
------
Head Teacher
-----------------
My boss Barbara asked me to have a talk earlier in the week. It turned out that she wanted to ask me to be Head Teacher next semester. Head Teacher is not like headmaster, but it is a role of senior teacher I suppose. Teaching has only been the means to an end for me. It’s a portable skill that I learned expressly for the purpose of travel. But, that said, I have to say that I felt really chuffed when I was asked. She said that she felt I had a presence on the staff, as well as the respect of the other teachers. I can’t believe that having taught in the school only since May, and only having trained earlier this year, that I’m going to be Head Teacher next semester. It’s really made me realise that I’ve achieved so much this year.
How the other half live
----------------------------
I was out on Friday with a few of the teachers. Leah’s Tica roommate Alba invited me to a party today Sunday in her American boyfriend’s house. So we headed out to the exclusive suburb of Escazú today. The house is beautiful. It’s in the foothills of the mountains, and we were having a barbecue by the pool. The mountains are really high, we were at about 5,000m and they towered over us. It was quite beautiful.
We were on the patio beside the guest house, at the bottom of the garden. With a sunken hot-tub inside. The guests were a mix of the host, Brad’s, friends, with a very high proportion of older American men with young Tica girlfriends or wives.
On the way home we drove through Santa Ana, and I saw the only Irish bar that I think is here. I’d read about it on the internet, but when I asked people said they didn’t know it, and I thought it was gone. But I saw the sign ‘O’Connor’s Irish Pub’. So we stopped for a drink. It was all very disappointing. There were no road-signs or photos , or anything from Ireland. There was just one Tricolour and two small framed old Guinness ads. The rest was all Heineken branded, with NOTHING Irish available. Not even Irish whiskey!
And when I went to the loo I arrived into Joe’s Mexican bar next door!
I’m off now to have a good rest. This is my last busy week before Christmas. There are no Spanish classes next week, so it will just be teaching.
So until next week,
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Today’s headline in La Nación: Second round seems unlikely [in the presidential election]
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