Introduction of my host family: I live with Marta (my host mom), her husband Carlos, their daughter Carla, and Carla's daughter Valeria. Marta is an ama de casa. Her job is that of a stay-at-home mom. She is in charge of cooking, doing laundry, cleaning the house, and making sure everyone's needs are met. Carlos is retired. When he was younger, he traveled around Central America playing soccer. Later he had an office job, where he met Marta. Currently, he spends most of his time at home watching television, helping with laundry, and listening to baseball on the radio. Carla works and studies at a local university. Valeria is 14 and she goes to a private school about 45 minutes from San Pedro. She takes about 15 classes, only a few each day. Her favorite class is music. She plays the lyre. She is also taking English, which I told her I could help her if she ever needs.
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| Marta, Me, Valeria, Carlos |
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| Lyre |
One thing I read before I arrived here was that people from Costa Rica, Ticos, like to avoid confrontation, especially when it comes to controversial topics. I think I became one step closer to being a Tico today at church. Marta asked me what religion I am. (I grew up going to a Presbyterian church, but I am not very religious.) I decided to tell her that I was Christian but that I didn't know the word exact word for Presbyterian, but I knew that I wasn't catholic. "Do you believe in God?" I said yes. She responded by saying, then you are cristiana. I just nodded my head.
After mass, misa, Marta and I went to the supermarket and walked through the neighborhood. At one point we got caught in the middle of the street since the lane closest to us was the only one without cars and we crossed half way. We had to wait a while before we could cross the other lane. That's an experience I don't have in Minnesota, especially on multiple occasions (which I found out later). I also went to an ATM to withdraw money. I was reading the directions in English but I was really confused by the exchange rate (500 colones per 1 dollar). I'm a pencil-and-paper person so it took me longer than it should have but eventually I got some cash.
Then lunch. Then I watched about 15 minutes of a Costa Rican soccer match. I read the magazine that comes with the Sunday paper. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I could understand. I read articles about redheads, pelirrojos, (which I thoroughly enjoyed), the new American tv show Perception, and Jennifer Aniston's engagement. I also took a quiz about how healthy my sleeping habits are: decent, but could be better. I continued reading Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal. As expected, it rained off and on from 3:00-4:00 with some thunder and lightning. Nap time.
After dinner I watched La Voz México with Marta and Carla. I have never seen The Voice back home, but now I get the premise. It was fun to hear the contestants sing, but I could barely understand what they were singing. Hopefully, by the end of the show I will be able to understand some of the songs.
Tomorrow I get to go to class and meet the rest of the students in the program. I can't wait.
Breakfast: Fried egg, toast with paté (a meat-based paste), strawberries, coffee with milk and sugar
Lunch: Rice, beans, fish (corvina), potatoes and onions, peach refresco, cheesecake with peaches
Dinner: Rice, beans, chicken, salad with mayo as dressing, peach refresco
Palabras nuevas
corvina - sea bass
jalea - jelly
balcón - balcony
foco - flashlight
pecas - freckles
arándano - blueberry
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