awwwww the brothers and sisters all together. and me the midget. i had two wonderful hours with this bunch saturday night while in elgin and it was great to be together again! love you guys!2.15.2010
Family Time!
awwwww the brothers and sisters all together. and me the midget. i had two wonderful hours with this bunch saturday night while in elgin and it was great to be together again! love you guys!
2.13.2010
Camera Withdrawal
I mentally kicked myself all day yesterday for not bringing my camera with me. Seriously, what was I thinking? My initial thought was that it was only one weekend, so I wouldn't have many opportunities to take photos. WRONG. Yesterday I saw at least 20 volcanoes (some peeking through the clouds!), at least 10 craters, islands in the Pacific Ocean and in various lakes throughout Central America, Aztec ruins in Mexico, the beautiful skyscrapers in downtown Mexico City, snow-peaked mountains in Mexico, and of course the beautiful Chicago cityscape all lit up at night. Everytime I looked out the window and saw another beautiful sight, I regretted not having my camera.
And I apologize to you, the reader, that I can't share the visual with you. Bummer, bummer, bummer.
The good news is I get to see my family tonight! It will be the first time I have seen Wes since he left for England in August! Maybe someone else will bring their camera! :)
And I apologize to you, the reader, that I can't share the visual with you. Bummer, bummer, bummer.
The good news is I get to see my family tonight! It will be the first time I have seen Wes since he left for England in August! Maybe someone else will bring their camera! :)
2.09.2010
February 12th through February 14th
So today is February 9th. And on Friday, February 12th, I will be on a plane at 7:30am from San José to Mexico City. After 5 hours in Mexico, I fly for Chicago and will arrive around 8pm.
Saturday, February 13th, I will be in a testing center before 1:30pm for the Illinois Spanish Proficiency Exam 0056, hoping to earn my Type 29 certificate for teaching in a bilingual classroom. When I am done with the test, I will be meeting my parents and siblings for dinner at GIORDANOS :) I'm not excited about that part of my weekend or anything :)
And then Sunday. Back at O'Hare by 12pm. Fly to Mexico City. 5 more hours. Fly to San José. Arrive around 12am, go through customs, arrive home 1amish.
That's right. 1am. Then back to work Monday morning, 7:15am. Eeeeeh.
I have mixed feelings about this upcoming weekend. Please pray that God gives me peace as I take the exam on Saturday.
Saturday, February 13th, I will be in a testing center before 1:30pm for the Illinois Spanish Proficiency Exam 0056, hoping to earn my Type 29 certificate for teaching in a bilingual classroom. When I am done with the test, I will be meeting my parents and siblings for dinner at GIORDANOS :) I'm not excited about that part of my weekend or anything :)
And then Sunday. Back at O'Hare by 12pm. Fly to Mexico City. 5 more hours. Fly to San José. Arrive around 12am, go through customs, arrive home 1amish.
That's right. 1am. Then back to work Monday morning, 7:15am. Eeeeeh.
I have mixed feelings about this upcoming weekend. Please pray that God gives me peace as I take the exam on Saturday.
The New Costa Rican President!
Left to right: Oscar Arias (current president) and Laura Chinchilla (president elect)History was made Sunday as Laura was voted the first female president of Costa Rica. She takes office the 8th of May.
2.08.2010
Playa Esterillos
Fuimos a la playa este fin de semana, y nos divertimos muchisímo!
We went to the beach this weekend, and we had lots of fun! :)
2.03.2010
Student Writing
I thought I would treat you again to a few student thoughts... Here's straight from their writing notebooks.
ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
life without trees
Hi my name is James and my topick is life without trees. With out trees would be bad becuse if we did not have trees ther would be no climing, no homes for anaminals, no tree houses, no fun, and most of all there would not be life on our planet. We would all die becuse we would not have oxygen. did you know that trees give off oxgyen. If you did isent that cool. yes or no? pleas anser the qestion. I am dune with that topick.
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
I really like fieldtrips. I also like the olipicks. they come on when I'm twelve and then when I'm sixteen. they come on every four year I've been waiting for them to come on last year Micheal Phelps was Americas heroe hes a great swimme he beat France by a fimger! it was great! I'm proud of him. he was awsome. I couldn't believe my eyes it was the greatest thing ever!
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
Imedeatly he drew his sword so did Link. They both received a few cuts, before the man knocked Link down with one solid punch. Link got up and asked, ''Who are you?'' ''My name is Ike,'' he replied ''How did you get here,'' Link asked, ''I don't really know, '' Ike said. ''I was in the middle of battling a dark knight, when that portle appeared right in front of me . . . . . the next thing I knew I was right here'' Ike finished. ''So you came here without knowing'' Link said.
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
(Teacher Note-- This is about the student's mentally handicapped brother)
If sam wasn't here I woudn't be here because sam has saved me 2 times and sometimes I just get mad at myself because I treat him bad or ignore him. When he is trying to tell me something or make me happy. and I feel the same for my other brother henry only I chose to talke about sam because I never talk about him and I think he deserves to be talked about also.
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
(Teacher Note-- The purpose of this entry was to confuse the reader with homophones... Good luck!)
Who knew that my new book was going to be green. The other kind of flour was the color of the flower. was fair when i went to the fair the fareman wasn't fair i confused myself. miss siscoe said she will get a new nose but she didn't knew that she will get a new nose and her sister knoew she would get a new nose but that they cut her other one so they said they couldn't put the other one on because it was bleeding so she became the girl with no nose. One week she was very weak and so she said to the tail to stare at the stairs. but then she changed her mind and said go up the stairs, see the sea, and stare at the sea. Dear deer, you are very healing heel heal heel. Hares heals will heal very fast. i don't know just write.
ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
life without trees
Hi my name is James and my topick is life without trees. With out trees would be bad becuse if we did not have trees ther would be no climing, no homes for anaminals, no tree houses, no fun, and most of all there would not be life on our planet. We would all die becuse we would not have oxygen. did you know that trees give off oxgyen. If you did isent that cool. yes or no? pleas anser the qestion. I am dune with that topick.
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
I really like fieldtrips. I also like the olipicks. they come on when I'm twelve and then when I'm sixteen. they come on every four year I've been waiting for them to come on last year Micheal Phelps was Americas heroe hes a great swimme he beat France by a fimger! it was great! I'm proud of him. he was awsome. I couldn't believe my eyes it was the greatest thing ever!
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
Imedeatly he drew his sword so did Link. They both received a few cuts, before the man knocked Link down with one solid punch. Link got up and asked, ''Who are you?'' ''My name is Ike,'' he replied ''How did you get here,'' Link asked, ''I don't really know, '' Ike said. ''I was in the middle of battling a dark knight, when that portle appeared right in front of me . . . . . the next thing I knew I was right here'' Ike finished. ''So you came here without knowing'' Link said.
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
(Teacher Note-- This is about the student's mentally handicapped brother)
If sam wasn't here I woudn't be here because sam has saved me 2 times and sometimes I just get mad at myself because I treat him bad or ignore him. When he is trying to tell me something or make me happy. and I feel the same for my other brother henry only I chose to talke about sam because I never talk about him and I think he deserves to be talked about also.
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
(Teacher Note-- The purpose of this entry was to confuse the reader with homophones... Good luck!)
Who knew that my new book was going to be green. The other kind of flour was the color of the flower. was fair when i went to the fair the fareman wasn't fair i confused myself. miss siscoe said she will get a new nose but she didn't knew that she will get a new nose and her sister knoew she would get a new nose but that they cut her other one so they said they couldn't put the other one on because it was bleeding so she became the girl with no nose. One week she was very weak and so she said to the tail to stare at the stairs. but then she changed her mind and said go up the stairs, see the sea, and stare at the sea. Dear deer, you are very healing heel heal heel. Hares heals will heal very fast. i don't know just write.
1.27.2010
A Touchy Subject...
WARNING!!!! I might step on some toes with this post because it is going to be my strong opinions based on my experiences here in Central America as well as my observations and current outsider's view of the United States. My intention is not to offend, just to sort through my own thoughts and challenge others to engage in these thoughts with me.
Ready? Okay, here goes.
Being a minority is hard. Yes, I am a minority here as I am a pale-skinned, blue-eyed, native English speaker, not to mention North American. I am whistled at, stared at, called names (do they think I don't understand? probably not...), pushed by ladies in the grocery line, etc. Some people tell me I speak Spanish super-bien, others question my abilities to my face. I don't understand all the cultural cues, I offend people unintentionally, I am doing the best I can but in some situations people aren't very gracious with my obvious lack of cultural cue knowledge. I sometimes feel inadequate or clueless about how to act in social situations.
Thus, I have a need for authentic learning. I am in these real life situations every day and I want to learn how I am supposed to act or what I am supposed to say in the daily encounters I have with Costa Rican natives. BUT in order for me to learn, I first have to be willing to ask questions, to admit that I won't get it right the first time, to admit that my college degree in English really does nothing for me in Spanish. AND the people around me that I am engaging with are hopefully in a place where they can answer my questions, give me grace even if I don't get it right the first second third time I try, and encourage me when I do it right.
So I am here, I am learning, I am hoping that someday I will speak well enough to communicate effectively no matter if I am at the grocery store, the bank, or the auto place, no matter what level of conversation I am having (think small talk vs. vocabulary specific vs. a heart-to-heart). And what is my purpose in learning? To become a better teacher, and ultimately, a bilingual teacher.
Okay, are you ready for me to get to the point?
I say all this from my own experience because I sense tension in the United States about minorities. Yes, there are migrants pouring in, legal and illegal. Yes, the government is working to filter out the illegals, but the attitude I generally hear from North Americans is that they are not open to having new migrants (but how our own families even part of the United States.... our grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents migrated!). It is said migrants are ignorant of our ways and do not want to learn English, therefore shouldn't be part of our country(But what did our ancestors speak when they came? Probably not English...). Stereotypes about migrants abound, but I won't go too deeply into that because I don't want to present my thoughts as if they are the only right way to think.
Am I a legal migrant to Costa Rica? Yes.
Am I trying my best to learn the language? Yes.
Am I asking questions of the people around me, observing them to learn their ways? Yes.
Do I have goals for the future after this hard work of learning? Yes. (But I won't be done learning!)
I guess my plea is to examine your thoughts next time you interact with someone who might be a migrant, whether they are Mexican, Polish, Indian, whatever. (I mention those because they are the first growing populations that come to my mind in the Chicago area... but it might be different in your area) Cut them some slack. Ask them if they need help, even if it's something simple like helping count change at the grocery store or teaching a new word. Give grace because trust me, if you were learning a new language and desperately trying to figure out cultural cues, you would need grace too, just like me.
An example of a situation in which a North American was not sensitive to a Costa Rican... I was at the airport in December, in line for my Houston flight. A tico needed to pass through the line, and so he said ''Excuse me, lady'' to the well-dressed woman in front of me. Now, I know that in English, we do not say ''lady'' unless we are saying it with attitude... like a snap-your-fingers, don't-treat-me-like-that kind of way. BUT in Spanish, ''Con permiso, muchacha'' is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it's considered very polite to say it that way. So this tico thought he was being very polite, and the well-dressed woman turns to her well-dressed husband and says ''That was soooo rude. I can't believe he just called me 'lady'.'' Now me having gone through similar experiences has taught me that to be called ''muchacha'' (lady) in Spanish is the very polite form, but this woman didn't.
I have become more conscious of situations when I need to give grace to others, even when I don't understand where they are coming from, and my challenge is that you will examine your own attitudes and actions when you don't understand someone else, namely minorities.
Thanks for reading my jumbled thoughts!
Ready? Okay, here goes.
Being a minority is hard. Yes, I am a minority here as I am a pale-skinned, blue-eyed, native English speaker, not to mention North American. I am whistled at, stared at, called names (do they think I don't understand? probably not...), pushed by ladies in the grocery line, etc. Some people tell me I speak Spanish super-bien, others question my abilities to my face. I don't understand all the cultural cues, I offend people unintentionally, I am doing the best I can but in some situations people aren't very gracious with my obvious lack of cultural cue knowledge. I sometimes feel inadequate or clueless about how to act in social situations.
Thus, I have a need for authentic learning. I am in these real life situations every day and I want to learn how I am supposed to act or what I am supposed to say in the daily encounters I have with Costa Rican natives. BUT in order for me to learn, I first have to be willing to ask questions, to admit that I won't get it right the first time, to admit that my college degree in English really does nothing for me in Spanish. AND the people around me that I am engaging with are hopefully in a place where they can answer my questions, give me grace even if I don't get it right the first second third time I try, and encourage me when I do it right.
So I am here, I am learning, I am hoping that someday I will speak well enough to communicate effectively no matter if I am at the grocery store, the bank, or the auto place, no matter what level of conversation I am having (think small talk vs. vocabulary specific vs. a heart-to-heart). And what is my purpose in learning? To become a better teacher, and ultimately, a bilingual teacher.
Okay, are you ready for me to get to the point?
I say all this from my own experience because I sense tension in the United States about minorities. Yes, there are migrants pouring in, legal and illegal. Yes, the government is working to filter out the illegals, but the attitude I generally hear from North Americans is that they are not open to having new migrants (but how our own families even part of the United States.... our grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents migrated!). It is said migrants are ignorant of our ways and do not want to learn English, therefore shouldn't be part of our country(But what did our ancestors speak when they came? Probably not English...). Stereotypes about migrants abound, but I won't go too deeply into that because I don't want to present my thoughts as if they are the only right way to think.
Am I a legal migrant to Costa Rica? Yes.
Am I trying my best to learn the language? Yes.
Am I asking questions of the people around me, observing them to learn their ways? Yes.
Do I have goals for the future after this hard work of learning? Yes. (But I won't be done learning!)
I guess my plea is to examine your thoughts next time you interact with someone who might be a migrant, whether they are Mexican, Polish, Indian, whatever. (I mention those because they are the first growing populations that come to my mind in the Chicago area... but it might be different in your area) Cut them some slack. Ask them if they need help, even if it's something simple like helping count change at the grocery store or teaching a new word. Give grace because trust me, if you were learning a new language and desperately trying to figure out cultural cues, you would need grace too, just like me.
An example of a situation in which a North American was not sensitive to a Costa Rican... I was at the airport in December, in line for my Houston flight. A tico needed to pass through the line, and so he said ''Excuse me, lady'' to the well-dressed woman in front of me. Now, I know that in English, we do not say ''lady'' unless we are saying it with attitude... like a snap-your-fingers, don't-treat-me-like-that kind of way. BUT in Spanish, ''Con permiso, muchacha'' is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it's considered very polite to say it that way. So this tico thought he was being very polite, and the well-dressed woman turns to her well-dressed husband and says ''That was soooo rude. I can't believe he just called me 'lady'.'' Now me having gone through similar experiences has taught me that to be called ''muchacha'' (lady) in Spanish is the very polite form, but this woman didn't.
I have become more conscious of situations when I need to give grace to others, even when I don't understand where they are coming from, and my challenge is that you will examine your own attitudes and actions when you don't understand someone else, namely minorities.
Thanks for reading my jumbled thoughts!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)