During our visit to Nicaragua, we visited the Island of Ometepe in the middle of the Lake of Nicaragua. The island is made up of two volcanoes, (one active!) and breathtaking biodiversity. The island is home to wild monkeys and petroglyphs from early inhabitants, while one can even find sharks swimming in the Lake! This photo was taken on a lovely stroll down the beach where one can find locals playing a pickup game of soccer, called a “mejenga” in Central America, as well as backpackers from around the world soaking in the sun and serenity of the island. The clouds in this photo are made up of the steam that comes out of the active volcano.
This past week, our group visited Managua, Granada and Ometepe Island, Nicaragua. Here are sophomores Jennifer Carpenter and Jasmine Lopez taking a break after touring around the colonial and colorful city of Granada.
This weekend, my Costa Rican professor invited our class to explore her hometown of Puriscal, Costa Rica. We went along a river that winds through the mountains, and we got to swim through the lagoons and in the waterfalls. We learned how to make empanadas, tortillas and traditional coffee and we had the privilege of learning traditional Costa Rica dance. Here is a short video of the experience. All thinks to Gina Torres Calderón! ¡Que profa!
My first few days in Costa Rica have been incredible, overwhelming, humbling, and wonderful all at once! So much has happened already, I feel like I’ve been here a month, but it’s only been about a week! Classes have just started, but I’ve learned so much already just from experiencing this different life. I guess the best way to describe what I’m feeling is to say I feel like a child, both in a good way and a bad way. I feel like a child when I can’t successfully communicate what I need, want, or feel because I am not yet comfortable with the language. I feel like a child when I use the wrong word in Spanish and cause a lot of confusion (I mixed up the words for ‘before’ and ‘after’ and it took about 10 minutes to clear up what I was trying to say!). I feel like a child when my language and grammar is corrected in almost every sentence I say. I feel like a child because I still have to be escorted everywhere because I’m still trying to learn my way around. I feel like a child when I don’t know how to count the correct amount of change to give the bus driver and everyone stares at me because I have no idea what I’m doing or where I’m going. I am sure as a child it was overwhelming when so much of life is brand new to you and others have to help you with everything, and I feel the exact same way. But I also think feeling like a child can be a good thing. I am seeing this world with a whole new child-like wonder! Every time I go outside I see the gorgeous mountains that surround the city of San José or the vibrant, different plants outside, and I just marvel in the beauty of this new and gorgeous world I’m in.
Sporting a little Valpo pride with the beautiful mountain backdrop at Guayabo, Costa Rica
The gorgeous view from the backyard of my host family! Loving the vibrant and beautiful plants!
Also, like a child, I am an information sponge right now! I ask a ton of questions everyday, and I am learning at an extremely rapid rate, just like children do in the early years of their lives. I feel like I ask the question “What is this called?” about 50 times a day, but I am learning so much just by asking! I feel like a child when I see and taste new fruits and vegetables and foods that I’ve never seen or heard of before. For example, this is a fruit called a mamón chino that we saw at a street vendor in downtown San José. It looked so weird on the outside – red with these long spikes on it. I thought to myself “There’s no way that’s edible food”. But when he opened it up and I saw the fleshy inside of the fruit, I was so surprised! And by the way, it was delicious and very sweet. And this has happened many times already!
A mámon chino! How weird looking, yet delicious!
In this new and crazy adventure, I need to have the faith of a child as well. Faith that others will help me get to the right place. Faith that my host family will take care of me. Faith that I will get more comfortable with the language and that things will get easier. I need the faith that God will get me through each day and that He will keep me safe. The faith of a child is completely trusting, and I need that kind of faith at this point in the journey.
I think appreciating the little things in life like a child does is an important part of the “Pura Vida” or pure life/good life that the Costa Ricans live. I hope I continue to keep my eyes wide open like a child and learn and appreciate all the little things that this new life has to offer.
Guest Blog Post written by Jeneal Hunt. See original blog post here.
The following was written by San José Study Center student Malachia Jones-Bone.
The Spring 2014 Costa Rica cohort in the Magistrates’ Chamber
I’m two weeks shy of being in Costa Rica for 4 months. This trip to Costa Rica has been the greatest experience I’ve ever experienced. The beautiful scenery, the friendly people, the warmth in each community, are all aspects I’ve appreciated. I came to Costa Rica looking to find myself. This is a broad statement, but to be more specific I wanted come out of my comfort zone and find my place in the world. The only places I was accustomed to were the Chicago and Valparaiso areas. Of course I’ve visited a few other states, but nothing like Costa Rica or Nicaragua. My experiences of the United States had me initially with high expectations of Central America. Of course the pre departure meetings helped but I was not prepared mentally nonetheless. Walking through the gate to my host family home I was nervous, anxious and somehow ready to start fresh somewhere. The first months here in Costa Rica were exciting. I met new people I’ve never seen at Valpo prior to this trip. I was forced to work with a group of students I had no similarities with, and oddly enough those students became some of my closest friends. Aside from attending Spanish classes we were able to explore Costa Rica. Every week was a different adventure. One adventure that sticks out to me was traveling to Manuel Antonio National Park, on the Pacific Ocean. We planned and executed the trip with little to no outside help. We walked the streets because apparently J-walking is not illegal here. The streets twisted and turned. The weather was exceptionally hot. You could practically fry an egg on the side walk. Every corner had a small business or local restaurant. As we walked we could hear the music coming from various restaurants, cars, and residential homes. There were chickens walking around in the alley as well as roosters who literally became my alarm clock for the next few days. For the first time in my life I felt completely independent and on my own. It was a breath of fresh air but scary at the same time. At that moment I realized new adventures might be scary but they are worth it in the end because I grew as a person! It is worth it to try something new and relinquish my comfort zone because in return I have an opportunity to experience life in a whole new way.
“Spanglish. Spanglish is the word of the week. It’s tough spending all morning in an all Spanish class, spending the next 4 hours in an all English class, then going home to an only Spanish-speaking household. I’m finding myself struggling to express myself in both English and Spanish. Which I guess is a good problem to have…but these first couple weeks are rough. But, between classes and home time, I’m soaking in all the culture. Here’s a rundown of the last week.
Last Saturday we went to Guayabo National Park and saw the ruins of an indigenous tribe, as well as the aqueducts that they built…and they still work! Those circles in the back of the photo are the foundations of the dwellings. Because Costa Rica has a rainy season and this site is in a valley, they built their houses on a raised foundation, made of stone, to prevent flooding. Pretty smart, huh?
Guayabo National Park
It was pretty cool to take the tour in Spanish and understand most of what was said. Everyday is like one more baby step. After the tour, we had a picnic lunch. And when I say picnic, I mean full on meal…check it out.
A feast of a picnic!
Even so, we naturally had to stop at 3 for coffee. We took a rest stop at a little cafe with a fantastic view of the mountains. We had our coffee individually brewed and took in the scenery.
Gorgeous mountain viewGroup photo!
After our coffee break, we continued onward to Orosi where we saw the oldest church in Costa Rica that still has a congregation. Then we went into Cartago and saw the Basilica. Although we didn’t get to spend much time in the Basilica (because there was Mass), we did get to see the springs that some say have healing powers. There is a legend that says an indigenous girl, during the time of colonization, found a black figurine of the Virgin Mary near a spring. She took it home, but the next day found that it was gone. Returning to the spring, she again found the figurine. After consulting the Priest, the people decided to build a church in her honor…hence, the Basilica. The figurine is still in the church for most of the year, expect for when it tours other churches in the country.
The oldest "functioning" church in Costa Rica
Basilica
Later in the week, we got to go inside the Costa Rican Supreme Court Building as well as the equivalent to the Costa Rican FBI building. That was pretty cool. We listened to speakers who told us about the work their doing in Latin America to address human trafficking, drug trafficking, along with other international issues.
We got to sit in the magistrates' chamber at the Supreme Court.
And of course, we had class everyday. I have officially survived half of my time at the UCR. Two weeks down, two weeks to go. Even though I’m enjoying my class there, 4 hours a day is really tough…But, there are definitely some perks. For example…
This is where I go to school...
This is what we do in class..
Okay, that’s not all we do in class. I had my second exam and second presentation today. Exam went alright. Stinkin’ Spanish pronouns are confusing! Presentation went well. J.R.R. Tolkien…influential in any language. In my class, there are 2 other VU people, a girl from South Korea, a boy from Germany, and 3 girls from KU. They’re definitely not in Kansas anymore…
Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
It’s a nice small group, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know them. My professor is great. Even though she’s constantly laughing at her own jokes (most of which we don’t get…), she is very good about making our 4 hour class interesting. We do lots of small group work and interactive activities. She likes to play games and she’s very willing to answer questions. God is so good. 🙂
Last week I said I was anxious to settle into a routine. I’m glad to say that I have one now, more or less. I wake up every day at 6:30, eat at 7:00, out the door by 7:15, on the bus at 7:37. Then class, lunch, and most days class at the Valpo center. Although some days we have field trips, like our tour of the government buildings. And we always have at least one afternoon off. This is a much-needed break. Yesterday, for example, we all had a nice sit down lunch, ate some killer nachos, and just talked.
Life with the host family is also going well. Granted, it’s a pretty awkward just jumping into the lives of total strangers. But after a day or so I started feeling pretty comfortable in their home. The family I live with consist of a mom, dad, and college age daughter. My host mom is great; she makes me breakfast every morning, which always includes fruit and coffee, and usually some other food to go along with it. My host dad is always very eager to ask how my day was, and he likes asking me questions to help me practice my Spanish.
After two weeks, I’m not only learning the routine of the house, like Friday is laundry day and we eat cereal for dinner on Sundays, but also about who they are. For example, I’m learning that I live in a house divided. If you’re a Cubs/Sox fan or a Bears/Packers fan, you’ll understand. My host dad loves Cartago soccer, but my host mom and sister love Alajuela. But everyone knows Saprissa is actually the best. Even thought sometimes I feel like I’ve stepped into a Spanish sitcom where I don’t know what’s going on, I know that I’m part of the family.
God has been so good in putting me here. He has answered the prayers of my heart in placing me in this home, and I am so thankful. He is my constant companion, since every day has its ups and downs. We’ve done lots of cool stuff like I wrote about…but there is a lot of struggle that goes on too. I ask for your prayers for me and my classmates as we continue in our journey.
“Yesterday, our first Saturday here in Costa Rica, the Valpo group met up bright and early for a tour of the National Monument. Thus, we loaded up a van and took a trip to Guayabo de Turrialba, which is an archaeological site.
Once there, we decided to take the tour in Spanish even though they offered to do it in English. What would you have done? 😉
A mini re-creation of how the village would have likely looked.
What is actually present – only the raised bases of the homes, which are actually taller than you think.
After touring Guayabo, we visited the Iglesia de San José de Orosi, which is the oldest church in Costa Rica still used for worship. A larger, more modern church is under construction next door.
The final stop was the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, which is dedicated to the “Lady of Angels.” She has a very unique back-story, in case any readers have a taste for the unusual.
We made a quick coffee stop between church visits, briefly watched a soccer match, and finally worked our way back into San José.
The garden outside the Iglesia de San José de Orosi. ¡Qué lindo!
This weekend trip was the first time I truly felt like a tourist, whipping out my camera at every place we stopped and several times in the van too. However, it was completely worth the while because being a tourist meant learning more about how the history shaped modern culture, and thus how to better understand life here.
There are more weekend adventures to come…beware! :)” -Nola
During our visit to Nicaragua, we visited the Island of Ometepe in the middle of the Lake of Nicaragua. The island is made up of two volcanoes, (one active!) and breathtaking biodiversity. The island is home to wild monkeys and petroglyphs from early inhabitants, while one can even find sharks swimming in the Lake! This photo was taken on a lovely stroll down the beach where one can find locals playing a pickup game of soccer, called a “mejenga” in Central America, as well as backpackers from around the world soaking in the sun and serenity of the island. The clouds in this photo are made up of the steam that comes out of the active volcano.
