Surprising

Last week was our IST (In-Service Training) which is given on our 3 month mark of living in our site.  That also means we have lived in country for 6 months!  I cannot believe that it has been 6 months.  It has been a true emotional roller coaster.

Back to IST, it is a full week of technical and core training (very similar to PST) but the best part is that our whole training group has to be there.  So we got to catch up with everyone (but one who had an interruption of service and left for the States last week) and just hang out together after classes.

Taco Tuesday!

It was wonderful to see people who have been come some of our dearest friends.  We have built strong relationships with some of the volunteers and with our common bond of serving in the Peace Corps we will forever have this connection.

The boys posing like girls and the girls posing like boys. 

IST was informational and allowed for me to talk with my boss and a PCV from another group, who is currently transitioning to a job like mine.  This 2 hour+ conversation helped us define what our specific goals are and define the specific activities to carry out the goals.  I do not work in a school like the others in my group do.  I was asked to work along side the English assessor with the goal of providing opportunities to train the teachers.  This assignment means I have a totally different PCV experience and it was nice to sit and talk with someone who had similar situations as me.  The conversation will hopefully lead to some new and exciting opportunities for us and I can't wait to see them play out.

IST was a wonderful moral booster as well as rejuvenated us.  I got excited to go back to work and put into place ideas that were imagined from the past week.

To end IST, the Hubs and I picked up his fam for their first visit to Costa Rica!

Upon greeting them, my mom-in-law said that they had accidentally left a gift back over there and they had sent one of my sisters in law to go get it.  I had hugged all that were present and went (with some encouragement) to go find my other sister in law.  I found her and put her in a bear hug while hearing my mom in law ask if I had found my present yet.  I look up and saw my present.....
MY MOM!

Running and jumping off the porch.

Our two families have been conspiring this for two months.  My in-laws invited my mom to come with them to visit for the week.  That is in the top 3 of my favorite surprises (even though, ironically, I am not a fan of surprises).
This is the third surprise that our families have pulled over me.  The first one was getting the Hubs to Texas where I was working after we had spent the summer apart (he in Africa).

Shocked 

The second surprise was when the Hubs proposed  to me at the annual Christmas party at the church I worked at.  It consisted of 200+ roses (that were given to me by my CHill family) and a popped question that forever changed my life.










I am so blessed to have such TWO loving families.  I am off to the beach with the family!
Have a great week!

Introducing

After 6 months of living in Costa Rica and 3 of them in our new home.  I am finally going to introduce our family and town to you.

First off, our familia Tica:

Meet our host parents, Papa M and Mama I.

Ending a day of fishing with a bonfire. 

Oh, yea, Papa M is an artist.  See?

One of our Tico brothers and his family lives with us.  These are Host Bro #1's kids.  

Oh yea, they are hardcore typical dancers. 

Meet La Lisa, the house's guard puppy.

We also have two other host brothers and their families that are our neighbors.

 Now here are two reasons for being here...

the Hubs spends his time here at the bilingual.

This is where I spend a good portion of my time.  The MEP regional office of Santa Cruz. 

But Santa Cruz has much more to offer.  It is home to about 20,000 people.  Has two Catholic churches, a methodist church, and few that we haven't figured out just yet.  5 major grocery stores, 2 bus stations, a lot of little tiendas, 4 electronic/furniture stores, a large variety of restaurants, a park, and two plazas.  And few fresh fruit stands/store where I can buy some tasty fruit, like these....

My favorite fruit, mamon chino.  Google how to eat them.

With Peace Corps we have had wonderful opportunities such as spending time with the president of Costa Rica.  

Since living in another country we have missed younger brother's college graduation, two of my best friends moving, two other best friends' first baby, the start of high school senior year for baby brother, my favorite Sonic drink, favorite food in general (gallo pinto can only be eaten at every meal for so long), and other things like driving and air conditioning.

However, it has brought new things, like meeting seeing the president, meeting people from the national MEP office, starting classes, learning a new language (I just declared today that I have a grasp, however small, on Spanish), building relationships, getting a haircut from me for the first time, and exploring another culture.  

The next six months will bring another haircut for the Hubs, visit from the Hub's family, a week long training in a nice hotel with the rest of our group for a week, the actual start of new projects, first major holiday miss for me, a visit to the States to celebrate my favorite holiday, a (hopeful) opportunity at facilitating workshops on a larger scale, and who else knows.  

Hope you have a great weekend!

Forgetting

So last post was about the Hubs getting a haircut and now it is time for his next one (brave soul).  Oops...

We have now lived in our town for 2 months (and 2 days).  We are wrapping up our 2 week mid-year vacation with style.  A day at a fancy resort to swim in the pools with our host family.  Speaking of family, the Hub's family is coming August (soooooo excited, seriously, words cannot express) and mine had a scare this week.  My dear, sweet Mamaw had to have a pacemaker put in and had a little complication.  However, she is doing well but still has a struggle in front of her (as well as the family that is caring for her).

June/July has brought many things.  Improved Spanish, new acquaintances, lonliness, projects planned, trips to the beach, homesickness, and times with friends and host family.  We were lucky enough to celebrate the 4th with some of fellow PCV friends.  We celebrated by eating delicious burgers, watched a new movie, and talked late into the night. 

Enjoying Doc Brown's burgers in San Jose 

The month of July has brought two weeks of vacation and will bring an almost week long celebration of the day Guanacaste was annexed.  We will celebrate with fiestas, bull fighting, parades, dances, and food.  

We are looking forward to the next few months of staying busy and sharing our new home.

By the plaza 

the Catholic church across from the park 

In the park (our host dad built this structure)

The view from our room 

The Hub's school 

My office

One of the great views on my run 

Cutting cake and hair

We have finished week 2 of being PCVs and I am glad it is the weekend!  This weekend we are celebrating our Host Dad's 66th birthday in style...going to the beach!  Then cena complete with arroz con  pollo and of course que que (cake)!  This man does not look or act almost 66.  He still rides his bike everywhere, climbs on cars to put the TV in our room, and creates wonderful pieces of art.

This weekend the Hubs and I celebrated a first...the first hair cut done by me.  My lovely husband trusted me to remember what our precious hairdresser at home (M) said about trimming his hair.  It has been 3 months since his last one and he needed it.  Trust me M, we were desperate...

So there we were, the Hubs sitting in the shower, me cutting and combing every which way.  Even sacrificed a knuckle in the process.  But I think the Hubs sacrificed more than I did.  He has to walk around with the hair I cut.  I only cringe when I look at his left side burn.  The side burn that has a line of no hair because I got trimmer happy.  

(I made him hide the left sideburn)

But the Hubs is a wonderful man.  He laughs and smiles when I stare at the left side of his head.  As I apologize and cry he holds my face in his hands and tells me he LOVES his haircut.  If the roles were switched I would be throwing a fit and refusing to leave the room.  But no, the man I married smiles his big, beautiful smile and assures me he doesn't care.  

We are beginning our third week and getting comfortable with our family and roles in the community.  (I am even learning my way around town!)  This week is going to bring fiestas, time with friends, a new town to explore, the completion of another workshop, and more teaching.  Can't wait!

PS  Check this out...http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Costa-Rica-welcomes-new-Peace-Corps-volunteers-_Monday-May-14-2012#.T7LIc2wHhKg.facebook 

It's an article about Tico 23 in the English version of one of the biggest newspapers. 

Volunteering

We are official.  After a surprise party thrown by our first host families, a long hike, dinner at Flavors, and saying good bye one more time-we are real volunteers. The Hubs and I swore in to the Peace Corps 1 1/2 weeks ago, moved to our site, and began our work.

(Tico 23 with the US Ambassador to Costa Rica)

Things are falling into place and becoming routine.  My Spanish is slowly (I mean very slowly) improving.  We are living with a wonderful host family.  They love to talk, help with my Spanish "homework", and include us in things.  The Hubs and I live in a bedroom with a bathroom above their patio.  It is a pretty sweet set up and almost makes me feel independent.

(Our room after our FIRST load of stuff-there is more now)

The Hubs is working at a bi-lingual high school in Santa Cruz.  He plans with the English teachers, teaches, hand out fruit during Health week, creates activities for his students, makes copies, and whatever else needs to be done.  He is wanting to create a Bachillerato course and maybe do a sports project for his students.  

(The Hubs helping with the English departments part of Health week in the schools)

I am working at the regional assessors' office in Santa Cruz.  The regional assessors supervise over all the teachers of their area (in my case-English).  The regional assessors observe/provide feedback to individual teachers, design/facilitate workshops, aid in festivals regarding their area, design content specific curriculum, and support their teachers any way they can.  In my first week, I observed one workshop about listening in English using songs, co-created/facilitated the first of a five day workshop about utilizing different materials in their classrooms, and began the editing process of a province wide English curriculum based on Guanacaste.  

(The teachers creating materials to use in their classroom)

I already love what I do.  I love training the teachers and hearing how they will use or have used what was presented to them.  If I continue to enjoy the training aspect, I may try to proceed with a similar career after Peace Corps (yes, we are already thinking of that future).  Even though I am enjoying my work, there are still MOMENTS (just moments now) when I forget why we decided to come here and feel down trodden.  That is when I put in my iPod and listen to two of my go to songs- 

"Some Nights" (Fun.) 

"I Won't Give Up" (Jason Mraz)

These songs help remind me that I didn't come here to find comfort, but to push myself, to better myself and those around me.  I came here to learn another language; work with people who have different traditions, expectations, lifestyles, and goals than me; I came here to change.  

Anticipating

We know one thing....where we will live for the next two years.  The Hubs and I will live in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste.  Okay, we know a few more things, such as our jobs (I will get to in a little bit), where we will be living, and where other Tico 23ers will be living.

Our jobs-The Hubs will be working with up to 9 English teachers in a bilingual cologio (high school).  He will do things like co-plan, co-teach, conduct English conversation clubs, and other neat things to help the teachers and students improve their English.  That his is primary job being a TEFL PCV.  For his secondary projects he says he wants to work with young kids and/or teens.

I will be working with our regional English assessor creating uniform observation forms, observing teachers in our region, and facilitating workshops for English teachers in the escuelas (primary school) and cologios.  I will be doing a more administrative role (I think), which is what I want to do after the Peace Corps.  Regional assessors are equivalent to district managers in the retail world.  This is a new job in the Peace Corps Costa Rica world.  For my secondary projects, I would like to do something with teen moms/young women about parenting and taking care of themselves and maybe an exercise group for women.  However, our secondary projects will be based on the needs of our community more than what we want.

Speaking of our community, we will be living in a larger community than most Peace Corps volunteers because it needed to support two people.  We are about an hour from the beach and half an hour from an international airport.  And has just about everything we need and want to live.

We will be living with a couple possibly close to our parents age who have grown kids.  We have been told we will stay in their upstairs with our OWN BATHROOM!  I am a little excited because our two room apartment has felt extremely small the past 2 1/2 months.

We will know more of what our community looks like, our jobs, counterparts, (Tico co-workers) and host family soon.  We leave today for a 2 day workshop with our counterparts.  Then on Saturday, our counterparts will take us to our communities.  This is for everyone in our group.  We will no longer be living in walking distance from our friends.
Once we get back from our site visit we will only have 1 1/2 weeks left together before we swear and do what we came here to do, make a difference.  While our group is diverse and unique we have become pretty close knit.  It will be hard saying good bye to more people, but it will only be for a short while and we have some cool places to visit.

So friends and family in the States and in Costa Rica, be thinking of when you want to come visit us.  The Hubs and I would LOVE visitors.

PS Sorry for the lack of pictures again, still having problems with posting pictures.

Informing

This past week was Tech week here in the training world of a future TEFL Peace Corps Volunteer.  We each visited a current Volunteer at their site and work along side them.  (Each program has a tech week during training and they trainees visit a current Volunteers in their project field.)

The Hubs and I visited an awesome couple who basically dominates the TEFL world.  :)  We were able to observe and teach with them at their night school, primary school, high school, and community class.  

We lived with a host family to continue working on our Spanish.  Our host family was the most adorably sweet family.  They have 3 kids and the cutest pets.  They were so patient with my Spanish and welcomed us into their home for the short week.  The host mom and her sisters were the teachers and director of the primary school we worked at.  

We are now back home and getting ready for the last stretch.  We only have a month left in trainee.  Can you believe the Hubs and I have been in Costa Rica for 2 months!  

Here is a quick run down of what our basic week in training looks like, what we have done up until this point, and what were are doing here on out.  

Our typical week:

Mon.- Spanish class*  (8-3:30)

Tues.- Tech (TEFL) training (8-5)

Wed.- Spanish class*

Thurs.- (PC) Core training 

Fri.- Spanish 

*We also teach in a local school for a couple hours during class 

What we have done in training: 

Visited the Peace Corps office in San Jose 

Visited Volunteers in Costa Rica for PCV Visit**

Visited Volunteers (in the same project) for Tech Week** 

Attended VAC dinner in San Jose 

What we have left to do in training:

Find out our permanent site 

Visit our site during Site Visit**

Project Partner workshop-where we meet our counterparts we will work with at our permanent site

Family Party-throw a party for ALL the host families from the training communities

Swear-in

Move to our permanent site

**As a married couple in the same project we were able to go on visits together.  However, if you are a couple in different projects you will do the first two visits separate.  

We also have been to visit family of our host family, stay in a hostel after VAC dinner, experience Holy Week, and just see the country.  

Sorry, for the lack of pictures.  I am having trouble uploading them on blogger so just check out my facebook for pictures.  

***Congrats to two of our best friends on the birth of their first child!  We love and miss you JKJ!