Independence Day

Yesterday, September 15, was Costa Rica’s Independence Day. Turns out, it’s a shared Independence Day for 5 Central American countries – celebrating their collective independence from Spain in 1821. As you might expect, there were lots of celebrations and parades, as most people had the day off. We still had school, but I snuck out for a bit to see this parade that was happening just down the block.

On food . . .

Cheap avocados. Lots and lots of fruit. Good ol’ gallo pinto. Plantains. Real fruit juice. Simple and whole and nutritious. I really couldn’t ask for more.

Also . . .

THE YOGURT IS ALWAYS BETTER OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. I DON’T CARE WHERE YOU ARE.

It also helps when you have a good chef. Three cheers for Entze, a classmate and our very own chef.

Landed In Costa Rica

I got to Costa Rica yesterday after what I’m going to call a red-eye flight. I bought a red-eye plane ticket to Costa Rica for the same reason I just bought a pink camera – it was $30 cheaper. This is my version of instant gratification. Choosing the immediate satisfaction of saving $30 without considering for a second the havoc that that decision will wreak upon my mental well-being in the future. Now I’m just sleep-deprived and I own a pink camera.

The goal is to use that camera and this blog to keep you posted on this journey. I’m here in San Jose for a month to get my TEFL certificate so I can teach English as a second language. Once I get it, the goal is to find a job, here or elsewhere, where I can put it to good use.

Goals for this year:
1) Become a better photographer (I also have a non-pink camera that I’m going to attempt to take real photos with) – I’ll consider all of you my judges and some of you my coaches.
2) Be a good teacher, and become involved outside of the classroom too
3) Make an effort to learn the language (better) wherever I end up
4) Motorbike
5) Climb a volcano
6) Swing in a canopy
7) Spend as much time in the rain forest as possible. Period.