Friday 11/28/08

Today was my last full day in San Jose. It’s crazy to think it’s been months now since that nerve-racking arrival in the San Jose airport when people, places and the life ahead of me was foreign. Now I look back and smile at those times as Costa Rica has become home and a place of familiarity, family, and friends. When I woke up, Mami and Papi had to head to the hospital and so it was just Pamela and I for the morning. I spent the morning packing and sorting through all my stuff. I needed to go to LASP to drop off some money, but had to wait until Pamela woke up because she wanted to come with me. She didn’t wake up until 12:30, so we got a bit of a late start to our trip. We took a taxi to LASP, quickly dropped off my money and then headed into San Jose for a nice lunch together. We headed to the open market so I could buy some last minute items, ran into a bunch of my friends doing the same thing, and then headed home. Pamela really wanted to bake something with me and so I taught her and some cousins how to make sugar cookies. Later in the evening we had a nice last family dinner and reflected back on these fast last 3 months. After dinner my family asked if I would like to go to a “mirador” (a look-out spot up on a mountain that looks out on the whole valley of San Jose). I of course said yes and we made the commute up the windy mountain. We got to the lookout spot where we went to this amazing bar/restaurant that was decorated in all these old Costa Rican antiques and overlooked the entire city. It was amazing! Everyone ordered hot drinks (except myself, yuck…hot drinks!) and just enjoyed our time together. We finally made our way back to the house around 11:30 and called it a night.

Exit Survey

Exit Survey
Thanks to Kelly Glenn, I am using this survey (with a few of my own revisions) to help me process the last 3.5 weeks I spent teaching English in La Virgen (as it was an experience much more profound than sitting in the classroom in San Jose). Again, thanks Kelly! This survey really helped me personally reflect on and sum up my time in La Virgen

Name: McKenzie DeBow

Site: La Virgen de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica

Nicknames: “Niña” (this is what the kids call a teacher), “profe”, “teacher”, “gringa”, and my favorite was“McKenzie, la trailera”

Biggest accomplishment: keeping classrooms of 30+ first through third graders entertained in a language they don’t even speak for 3.5 weeks

Biggest disappointment: the Saturdays we spent watching movies all day instead of getting out and doing something

Biggest regret: I don’t like regrets; I just like to think I learn from my mistakes

Biggest fear: That I would get hit by a truck on my way home from school (there was only one skinny main road in town and trucks zoomed through town inches away from pedestrians)

Defining moment: Of course there were many defining moments, but to mention one, my mom, Maria, looked at me and said “I truly feel like you’re my daughter. I feel like I’ve known you your whole life” in the sweetest most sincere way ever

Things you will miss most: all the kids at school, being greeted at school by swarms of girls ready to give me kisses and hugs, being crazy with my family (dancing, singing and just being silly), deep conversations with Maria, knowing everyone in town, listening to Maria sing while she cleans, being able to have conversations in bed due to ceiling-less rooms

Things you will miss least: eating when I’m not hungry but to be polite, watching massive amounts of TV, walking up with itchy bug bites

Biggest Irony: we locked the front door, but hung the key on a nail right next to the door (so much for a “hide-a-key”)

Worst illness: I didn’t get sick, just occasional bouts of the squirts

Biggest freak-out: There were no major freak-outs, but I was always on edge during recess because the kids would run wild (no such thing as recess duties) and I was convinced I was doomed to see a broken bones or a kid run through the glass window of the library. Thank God somehow none of this managed to happen!

Most useful things I brought: camera, computer, umbrella, and knowledge of how to bake cookies and cakes

Least useful thing I brought: sweat pants (it’s freakin’ hot and humid!),

Favorite activity when bored: solving the hardest puzzles in the Sudoku book my sister gave me

Weirdest thing I did when bored: used the macro setting on my camera to take close-up pictures of anything and everything including my eyeball

Favorite Costa Rican slang: ¡Que toque! and “juey pucha”

Greatest lie I told at my site: I convinced some snobby tourists that I was a Tica who simply learned English in school. They even believed me when I told them that Licho and Maria where my real parents even with my blonde hair and blue eyes (which I told them came from my grandma). My whole family thought it was hysterical!

Favorite Costa Rican inquiry: "How did you learn English?”

Best Costa Rican gesture: puckering and pointing with the lips instead of the finger when you want to point to something or someone

Favorite CD/song during my service project: “Marinero” and Maria’s mariachi music

Song I would be content to never hear again: crappy North American pop music kids listen to

Favorite book(s) during my service project: Unexpected News (I had to read it as homework, but it was good)

Favorite Costa Rican fashion: actually I loved the fact that in the country people care way less about fashion than in comparison to San Jose. I could wear whatever and just be comfortable (and barefoot!)

Best drive: The amazing family road trip to Volcan Poas (the views the entire road trip were indescribable)

Worst bus ride: The bus ride back to San Jose on my last day (I hate goodbyes)

Favorite food: Maria’s banana pancakes (even though she fed them to me all the time) sweet bread she made the very first day I was there, and fresh pineapple from Licho’s pineapple farm

Worst thing I ate: flan and rotten papaya

Worst thing I smelled: farm animal manure

Stupidest thing I did: I forgot a book I need to read for class in San Jose and had to go all the way back to San Jose to retrieve it

Untrue fact told to you as undeniable truth:

You know you’ve been in La Virgen too long when…: you know everyone in town, untamed classrooms seem normal and you assume bathrooms won’t have toilet paper

I never thought I would…: be able to feel so at home and part of a family in 3.5 weeks

When I grow up I want to be…: someone who loves God and loves people

If I had to do it all over again I…: would have planned better daily lessons for each class session

Favorite Ropa Americana T-shirt: A little boy wearing a shirt that said “Don’t you wish I was your girlfriend?”

Favorite animal story: One day, I was in the kitchen baking with Maria when suddenly a gecko fell on my head. I felt like Meredith in the Parent Trap if you know what I mean.

Best habit acquired: Being flexible and going with the flow, learning to be “tranquila” about everything, eating everything I was served with a smile

Worst habit acquired: going to the internet café on my breaks

Thing you missed most from San Jose: my San Jose family and my friends from LASP

Thing you missed least from San Jose: wasting hours on the bus, the loudness and chaos of the city, and always guarding my stuff as if I’m about to be mobbed

Favorite location in La Virgen: the property behind our house along the river

Things you’d wish you had known before you came: When schedules change no one will advise you about the change (one of the moms told me this, unfortunately it was the last day I was there. If only she would’ve told me on the first day and not the last!

Best advice for others coming to La Virgen: It’s all about being “tranquilo” and “pura vida”. You’ll have to come to figure out what that means

Thursday 11/27/08

Happy Thanksgiving! I celebrated by going to class from 8-5 (what fun!). That’s right, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated here at all and so we had class all day. It actually ended up being quite an interesting day as we spent the morning reflecting on all our different experiences and then in the afternoon having a class dedicating into orienting ourselves for our trip to Cuba. I came home and Mami was the only one home. She left within minutes of my arrival and told me she was going to pick up Pamela and would be right back and that afterwards we would head to her mom’s house because it was her birthday. Sadly enough, I ended up spending most of my Thanksgiving evening home alone and hungry (a stark contrast to how I have spent every other Thanksgiving in my life). There was literally no food in the house, but it was already dark and knew that Mami wouldn’t want me to be out in the dark by myself. They finally came home much later than the told me and then disappeared again to go pick up the birthday cake. After sitting around waiting for Mami to come back with the cake we finally just decided to go to my aunt’s house, where the birthday party was supposedly supposed to take place. When we got there, my grandma had already left to go home and everyone was in bed ready to go to sleep. This is where I have yet to understand Latin American culture. Mami finally showed up around 10 and made my grandma come back to my aunts house so she could blow out the candles, even though everyone else was already asleep. It was somewhat strange and immediately after they scarved down a piece of cake, Mami said it was time to go. We came home and waited another 1 for dinner. We didn’t sit down for dinner until about 11. Afterwards Mami and Papi said they had to go to a candlelight service for the owner of our house who passed away. So, Pamela and I had a sleepover and talked and talked and talked knowing that this was our second to last night together. If you’re at all confused about the second half of my day and this entry didn’t make any sense, don’t worry, I was just as confused as you all evening!

Wednesday 11/26/08

Today was the heart-wrenching goodbye to the small town of La Virgen, a beautiful place filled with beautiful people who have become family in the short time of 3.5 weeks. The morning began with a trip the piñera (pineapple farm) where Licho works transporting pineapple to the port city of Limon. I said my goodbye to Licho and we headed home for my last breakfast of pinto. Jose Manuel didn’t go to school (although I tried to tell him he should being the teacher I am) because he wanted to stay with me until I left. We spent the morning switching my room back into Maria and Licho’s room (as they had all shifted rooms for my visit. I wasn’t aware of this until today) Around 10, we headed to Puerto Viejo so I could catch the 11 o’clock bus to San Jose. The car wasn’t starting but the muscles of Jose Manuel, Andres and I pushing finally got it to start up. We stopped at my cousin house and she gave me a small souvenir-like gift of a frog on a leaf she had painted. Since we couldn’t turn off the car at the bus station, my goodbyes were very simple. Maria was having a really hard time with the fact that we were saying goodbye, so she just had to tell herself I was going to San Jose to run an errand and would eventually be back. The bus ride was emotionally tough, but luckily safe. We were a little concerned because the road had been closed for the last few days due to the flooding (which is now being considered a “national emergency”, but don’t worry San Jose isn’t affected at all, which means I’m now away from the flooding). When I finally got back home in San Jose, I was greeted by my family in San Jose and we had a nice lunch together. Although I love my family here in San Jose and am extremely grateful for the love they’ve shown me over the last few months, I was having a little bit of a difficult time transitioning back into the city life (as it is so much louder and chaotic and less personal, intimate and “tranquilo”). My time in La Virgen was much more down to earth and fit extremely well with my personality. I have never felt more at home than I did during my time in La Virgen and I already miss my family in La Virgen a great deal. Hopefully at some point in life (either this one of the next) we will find ourselves back together again. The afternoon was very low key. I took a nap even though I was more emotionally drained than physically drained. My family was gone for the rest of the afternoon so I simply hung out alone (checking my e-mail, listening to Christmas music, and reflecting over the last 3.5 weeks). Even as I write this I still cannot process what an amazing experience I have had these last few weeks. I eventually showered up because I was informed that we were headed to my grandma’s house for Papi’s sister, Tatiana’s birthday. My parents eventually came home and we headed to the party in our new car. Tatiana’s new puppy was the center of attention at the party and it was a nice time to catch up with everyone in Papi’s big extended family. After the party we ran a few errands for Pamela’s school project and made our way back to the house. My parents headed out yet again to pick up a Guatemalan pastor who has been staying with my family for the last few days and is spending his last night here tonight. I said my goodnights and prepared for getting “back to the grind” of school.

Tuesday 11/25/08

It’s extremely bittersweet to be saying that today is my last full day in La Virgen. I absolutely love my life here. I’m teaching, I have family and friends who loves me, I walk around town and am known by name, and I live in the tropical rainforest. Yet at the same time I’m freakishly excited to be back in the States where I have family and friends who love me, independence (and a car), and I live in the most beautiful part of the country (I know, I’m biased) I told my family last night that I feel like all my limbs are being tugged by different parts of the world where I have made such beautiful connections and how I have several places I feel I can call home (Costa Rica, Mexico, Seattle, Eugene, etc.). After an elliptical workout due to the flooding/intense rains and some pinto and pancakes, we made our way one last time to the school. I worked with my classes on last time, said goodbyes throughout the day (with plenty of kisses and notes and gifts). We had an assembly and I said my official goodbyes and an overall “thank you”. I came home content with the hard work I’ve put into my time at the school, yet also said to think that this chapter of my life is coming to a close. It has truly been an experience I can say no one else has had (since I am the first gringa ever to work in the school). I spent the afternoon simply enjoying my last afternoon with my family. The boys and I played cards and Licho finally came back from Limon (he’s been working for days straight and I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to say goodbye. We had a nice last family dinner, took family pictures and I gave them some gifts I had brought from home. I showed off my magic tricks and had the whole family in awe and/or convinced I was a witch. We had a bittersweet evening reflecting on the last 3.5 weeks. We eventually said our final goodnights knowing that the morning would be a difficult goodbye.

Monday 11/24/08

Today was my last Monday here in La Virgen, as I will be leaving for San Jose on Wednesday. Since the school year is finishing up and the English teachers don’t come on Mondays, I didn’t really have that much to do in terms of working at the school. I woke up late (7am), worked out on the elliptical and enjoyed having the entire house to myself (as everyone had morning classes or work). I ate pinto and eggs my mom had left for me and sang at the top of my lungs (somewhat forgetting that we don’t have glass windows. Therefore, I’m sure the neighbors were well entertained all morning). I made a final trip to the internet café and then eventually made my way to school for lunch. When I came home, I watched the news with my brothers while helping Jose Manuel study for his English test tomorrow. The national news highlighted our area of Sarapiqui because we’ve had so much constant rain in the last 72 hours that many areas are beginning to flood and people are having to evacuate. Luckily, we have not experienced any flooding and my brothers said that due to our location on the river, we won’t experience flooding. The news said that it has rained more in the last 3 days than the usual average for the entire month of November. The only thing I’m beginning to worry about is my journey back to San Jose as both my options may be struggling with mudslides (something I had to deal with on the way here). We finally found a deck of cards (something we’ve been looking for) and I taught the boys Shaft, Speed, and Spoons. I then taught Maria to make Snickerdoodle cookies. She’s been asking me to show her as many recipes as I know before I go so that she can bake lots of Christmas treats. We had our “cafecito” (a part of the day in which everyone sits down and drinks coffee, usually around 3 or 4) with our fresh Snickerdoodles (I of course substituted my coffee for water)

For Wes...(on Nov. 25th!)