Days 6, 7, 8 & 9

July 13, 2008

The first day on my own. Albert left last night about 5pm and it was WAY harder to see him go than I thought it would be. We woke up this morning and had breakfast. Our host mother is going to pick us up at 11am. We were completely packed and ready to go when she arrived. Her name is Leehia and she lives alone. So much for expectations! Our host family is not the family the school told us it would be. The drive to her home was very quick and she lives near the center of town. We brought in all our bags and she showed us where we could sleep. We have 3 rooms. Abbey and Kasondra are sharing a large room, Jenna has her own room and Quinten and I share a room. Her home is very comfortable but definitely not what we are used to. We unpacked and then had to go to the school to test at 2pm. Leehia drove us to the school which is not that close (definitely not an 8 minute walk) and dropped us off and then she told me that we would be walking home. Oh my gosh! What did I do? Walking a looooong way with four kids! I want to go home! Kasondra and I took the tests which consisted of a written portion and a verbal portion. It was pretty easy and not very scary. It really didn´t matter how we did. It just told us what class we would be in.

After the testing, we started walking. The walk is about 45 minutes with children. It would probably take about 30 without. We stopped at a soda (which is a little cafe) and bought some water and sodas (real sodas, like coke) for the walk home. Everyone was complaining. It is a long walk. We actually got home and didn´t get lost. Yes, we were impressed too and our mama Tica had dinner ready for us. We had chicken and white rice. There is another student staying with us until Wednesday. Her name is Katie and she is from Colorado. She teaches 4th grade. Quinten, Jenna and Abbey love her! Almost too much!

After dinner, we all got ready for bed and went to sleep. The weather is not really that hot but is very humid. The city is celebrating Saint Buenoventura which is the patron saint of the town all this week starting today. There were many "bombas" or blasts. I think they are fireworks. They are very loud.

When I walked into Leehia´s house, I already had a full suitcase full of dirty clothes from the past week. I looked all around praying for a washer and dryer. I was very disheartened to find no dryer and an interesting looking washer. I asked Leehia if there was a laundrymat and she said that Turrialba didn´t have one. What was I going to do? Quinten didn´t have anymore underpants! Leehia told me that she would do our laundry. Okay. Leehia does our laundry, cleans our rooms and cooks for us. Doesn´t sound too bad, does it? Now it´s starting to sound like a vacation. Our clothes are line dryed and they actually dry pretty quickly even though it rains every day. I don´t know how but who am I to question it?

Monday, July 14, 2008

Our first day of escuela. Gabby, the director of the school, picks us up every morning (thank goodness). This morning, she picked us up at 7:30am. We also picked up another mother and her little girl, Hannah who is 5 years old. We went to Abbey and Quinten´s school to drop them off first. It is a really cute little school and clean too. After dropping them off, we headed to our school. I have one other student in my class. Her name is Josette. She is from New York and has two children Trina and Zeke ages 11 and 10. She is completing her 3rd week here and she will be leaving to go to Arenal on Friday.

We attend school from 8am until 12:30pm with two 15 minute breaks. It´s a lot of spanish and my head is spinning. I know way more than I thought I did. But I still just know un pocito. Today, I left at 11:30am to go with a taxi driver to get Abbey and Quinten from their school and bring them back to my school. When we arrived, we needed to wait a little bit for Kasondra and Jenna to be done and then we headed to Cocina de Betty for lunch. Betty comes over to the school during the first break and let´s us order our meal ahead. I ordered a burrito con pollo, Kasondra and Jenna ordered a hamburger and I ordered Quinten and Abbey quesadillas. The walk to Betty´s is about 15 minutes.

After lunch, we walked over to Soda la U where there was an introductory meeting with the group that plans tours for the school. We were a little late so we missed most of that meeting. It was okay. Then, we started on a walking tour of the city. Thank goodness they were walking toward our house and not away from it. We got a abbreviated tour because the kids were very tired and then walked home in time for dinner. Tonight we had carne and arroz which is very similar to carne asada. Leehia asked me what the kids would eat and I told her. It makes it much easier for her too.

After, dinner, everyone took a shower. The shower is really big. There is hot water but the pressure is not very strong. I got in with Abbey and Quinten fully dressed to wash them down. There is only a shower and no bath. Jenna, Abbey and Kasondra had homework to complete and then it was time for bed. Quinten watched Underdog until he fell asleep.

I brought down the gifts I brought for the host family and gave them to Leehia. She seemed happy with them. I still need to make the Friendship Bread. I just haven´t had time. When Albert was here, he bought some whiskey for the host father. We don´t have one but Leehia´s brother was here so I gave it to him. I gave him the Angels hat too but apparently he likes the Yankees.

Oh yeah! Leehia DOES NOT speak any English. Our conversations are very interesting.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

This morning, school begins at 7:30am so Gabby is picking us up at 7:15am. Kasondra is very happy to be getting up even earlier (yeah, right!). She picked us up and dropped us off before Quinten and Abbey because they don´t start until 8am. Mauricio took Abbey and Q to school and will pick them up and bring them to me at my school at noon. Today there is a coffee tour planned.

Jenna is getting along very well with Josette´s children and they want to do canyoning today so Kasondra and Jenna are going canyoning instead of going with me, Abbey and Q to the coffee plantation.

After school, we head down to Betty´s for lunch and then we need to go to Soda la U (another little cafe across the way) to meet the tour. I had to run home really quick during school and get an extra set of clothes for Kasondra and Jenna and Kasondra came with me because she had to change into shorts and tennis shoes. They needed to bring a towel and insect repellent too. At Soda la U, Kasondra bought a water proof camera for 5,000 colones so they could take pictures. They left when we left.

We did the tour. It was not great for kids. But they did like the gift shop (of course!). I bought a bag of coffee for my mama Tica and one for Albert. Abbey bought a thermometer and Quinten bought a lanyard. I also bought a DVD of Turrialba. When we got back to Soda la U, I asked the driver to take me to the Explornatura office (which is the tour company) because that is where Kasondra and Jenna would be dropped off. Quinten fell asleep on the ride home and I was carrying him. We got to the office about 5pm and waited an hour for the girls. Finally, Alex (one the the men that works for the company. He used to live in Los Angeles but moved to Costa Rica and has a family now) said he would walk Kasondra and Jenna home for me. We just live around the corner. We got home a little after six and Leehia made dinner for us. About 6:45pm, Kasondra and Jenna arrive. They were soooo tired and their shoes were soaked. I can´t believe I didn´t bring their water shoes. Duh! They ate with us (again carne y arroz).

Canyoning is repelling down waterfalls, doing the zip line and walking across teeny bridges. Jenna would totally love to go it again. Kasondra says once in enough. Quinten and Abbey are going to do canyoning for kids on Thursday afternoon. I hope to get some great pictures!

After dinner, we went up and Kasondra took a shower and the others watched some TV because they were very tired and school begins again at 7:30am. While the kids watched TV, I did my homework. It was fairly easy.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Mauricio picked us up on time today at 7:15am. We are eating breakfast drinks and having cereal. There isn´t much time for breakfast except for Abbey who continues to get up about 6am. She has a great time with Leehia in the mornings. Mauricio takes us to school and then drops off Abbey and Q. School is the same. Mucho espanol. Kasondra´s class went to buy ice cream today and she brought me back a shake. It was very nice of her.

Again, we walked to Betty´s for lunch and after we walked home. Josette, Trina and Zeke came with us. We have a cooking class at Betty´s tonight at 6pm so we will eat dinner there. Josette and I left all the kids with Kasondra and Leehia and walked to the internet cafe just down the street. I have been on line for 1 hour and 5 minutes and it is costing me 400 colones (almost a dollar). I need to change some traveler´s checks but I left my passport at the house.

There is a lot of cement and bars (on the windows) in the city but the city is pretty small and everyone has been very nice. I think they are used to students from the school. The houses are run down but everything seems to work. I have a nice clean room and a fan. The bed could definitely be better and I may have some back issues when I return home but it´s nothing terrible. Leehia´s brother bought a large jug of water for us to use. It was very nice of him (I think it is because we gave him whiskey). The city is not very pretty but when you get outside it, there is so much green.

I was talking to Explornatura about taking some weekend trips and I told Leehia about them. Last night her son came over and told me (in Spanish) that his mom has a house in Playa Viejo and his wife and daughter are staying there right now with her sister and children. He said that he could drive us there and all we would have to pay for would be the gas and our food. Apparently, the house can sleep 20. This is the beach that the tour company is going to this weekend. It is such a nice thing to do for us and will save us a bunch of money. The weekend after, I am planning for us to go to the Arenal Volcano in Fortuna. It is were the kids can go down waterslides in the hot springs. Que Bueno! Every week, we have a tour on Tuesday afternoon with the school, cooking classes on Wednesday night and dance classes on Thursday night. We are very busy which can sometimes cause grumpiness so I am making sure the kids have some down time. Well, I better go back home now and make sure Kasondra hasn´t killed anyone yet. Hope to blog again soon!