San Joaquin

     On Sunday we visited the Poas Volcano. We were able to walk to the top and look down over the opening of the active volcano. We arrived just before the clouds rolled in over the mountains so we had a clear view of the crater. 

      After lunch and visiting some souvenir shops, we went to Centro Panamericano de Idiomas, or CPI for orientation. CPI is a school where we will be taking Spanish classes. Following our orientation, we met our first host families. After about ten minutes with the host family and after using almost all of my Spanish skills, I realized that I had arrived at the wrong house! Another girl and I had gotten mixed up and went to each others families. It turned out to be no big deal and I was even able to explain the situation to my Mama Tica in Spanish. The people of Costa Rica are called Ticos; Mama Tica is what I call my host Mother. As our conversations went on, I noticed that I could understand most of what my Mama Tica and Hermana Tica (sister) were saying, but it was very difficult to express what I was thinking in Spanish. Neither of them spoke English so there was a lot of nodding, smiling, and, “No se” (I don’t know). I even found myself speaking English with a Spanish accent thinking they might understand! 

      I was exhausted Sunday night! After a full day of activities, trying to communicate in a new language was very difficult and extremely tiring. At times I became frustrated because I couldn’t tell my family what I wanted to say. I am just beginning to experience what it is like for English language learners in a classroom. With both a tired body and brain, I slept very well Sunday night!

    My home in San Joaquin

  Monday, we spent the day at CPI learning about schools in the area of San Joaquin and about what we would be doing with our time spent there. In the afternoon, we were split into small groups and matched with a teacher for our Spanish classes. We spent four hours learning Spanish, with a small break in between. Talk about extreme overload! A lot of what the professor was saying went right over my head. I think he could tell by my facial expressions that I did not understand, because after looking at me he would slow down and explain things again. There was a lot of new information packed into those four hours! My brain actually hurt a little at the end. Even though it is a lot to take in and it is not easy, I really want to learn the language. I am self-motivated and engaged. What about those students in the classroom that are not self motivated or engaged? Learning a new language must be much more overwhelming and frustrating for them. 

      When classes were over, we each returned to our Tico homes. It was after dark so I walked with a couple of other girls who lived nearby, according to our map. There are no street names or addresses here so finding our way home was very challenging! After about thirty or forty minutes of wandering and walking in circles, I finally found my way home safely. It was so much easier to talk to my host family after my first day of classes. I was able to both understand and speak better. After dinner, I worked on my Spanish homework or taeras at the kitchen table. My hermana tica (sister) sat down and helped me with the new words. As she helped me with Spanish, I showed her different meanings in English. It was a great bonding experience. I learned so much in one day, I can’t imagine what I will be able to do after three weeks!