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| Vanessa's in Costa Rica |
| "I am learning all the time. My tombstone will be my diploma." -Eartha Kitt |
Vanessa will be keeping an online journal while she's studying in Costa Rica
this month. It should be updated every couple of days, so check back soon!
The journal will be broken down into weeks...if you want to see a previous
week, just click below on the week you want.
this month. It should be updated every couple of days, so check back soon!
The journal will be broken down into weeks...if you want to see a previous
week, just click below on the week you want.
What week do you want to read about?
You can also click on the thermometer to the right to see how the weather is
in San Jose right now! Is it raining on Vanessa? Only one way to find out...
in San Jose right now! Is it raining on Vanessa? Only one way to find out...
 |  |  |  |
viernes, el 27 de julio
Today was the last day of classes!
It was just an informal day to get together and turn in our projects. For our final
grade, we had to create four lessons-- reading, writing, speaking, and
listening--using authentic Spanish materials that we found here in Costa Rica.
At a bookstore I found this really cool little book of science experiments that kids
can do at home, and so I used that for the listening and writing lessons. For the
speaking, I used an online schedule for a local movie theater, which is awesome
because since it´s online, the schedule will always be current. And for the
writing lesson, I used an article from the newspaper about a local custum. It
was about how every year on August 1st, parisioners from throughout the
province of Cartago make little dresses for the basilica´s statue of the Virgen de
Los Angeles. The church has ended the tradition this year, which makes it a
controversial and interesting topic.
I´ve gotten so much out of this program-- my class was so great! I am really
really excited about beginning the school year so I can use all kinds of new
ideas. For those of you who are teachers, I seriously recommend the program.
It is called Modern Language Studies Abroad, email at info@mlsa.com. You will
be writing to the program director, Dr. Celestino Ruiz. The course I took is
called Techniques of Teaching Spanish, with Profesor Carlos Sanchez (who, by
the way, should write a book). The program lasts one month in the summer,
and the price is not too bad for all you get out of the experience.
Still, sadly, my camera is protesting Panasonic batteries, so I did not get a
photo of our class, but luckily my friend Jill did. She has my email and will
probably send a picture of the class soon.
Only 2 days left until I come home! I´ll be sure to write again before I leave...
Yet another grad class under her belt,
Vanessa
_________________________________________
jueves, el 26 de julio
Catalina´s husband and three children arrived here in Costa Rica on Saturday,
and they all came over for dinner last night. Kathleen is now staying with them
in a hotel suite near the campus, so I've been roommate-less for the past week.
:-( But it was great seeing them all at dinner last night. Her family is precious!
She has three children, Jennifer (15), Christopher (11), and Skyler (5). Jennifer
is a sophomore in high school and looks just like her mom. Chris likes
motorcycles and skateboards. He´s growing his hair long, which his parents
aren´t crazy about, but of course that´s just what young guys do... Interestingly,
both Chris and Jennifer were in San Antonio to participate in the junior Olympics
in tae kwon do! I don´t know what the chances are of the junior Olympics being
hosted there again soon, but I hope they are, because I´d love to see Chris and
Jen compete.
The little one, Skyler, came to dinner all dressed up in a Costa Rican dress
filled with ruffles. She was our entertainment for the evening, especially when
we went to play with Nico (the family dog-- not sure if I´ve mentioned him yet)
after dinner. Speaking of dinner, it was so good! I think it was the first
authentic Costa Rican meal Kathleen´s family had eaten since their arrival. We
had chicken with rice, frijoles, and some salad. The kids liked the meal so much
that they asked Kathleen if she would make if for them when they got home!
What a compliment to Roxanne. I´ve told her many times that I like her food so
much better than any food I get in restaurants around here. Yay for good food!
I´ve been meaning to include in this journal a recipe for gallo pinto, which is
practically the country´s national dish. When I first heard of gallo pinto, I
thought I would be bored with it fast, but really... it´s delicious! You serve it with
fried eggs, or cheese, or natilla, which is sort of like sour creme, only...
creamier. Anyway, here´s the recipe:
(Rats, I left that notebook at the house. I´ll be sure to add it tomorrow. Now
you´re all just built up for a delicious dish with no way to cook it... ah... the
anticipation...)
I haven´t yet mentioned Robert, Kathleen´s husband. But now I have mentioned
Robert, Kathleen´s husband. Robert works as a real estate appraiser
somewhere outside of Los Angeles, and it´s a good job for their family becasue
when Kathleen has classes, Robert can arrange his schedule to be at home if
need be. The crazy part is that... Robert and Kathleen knew each other as
kids! She says everyone used to call him ¨Bobby¨. That´s so cool-- that they
knew one another as kids and now they´re married with a family. Kindof like
Harriet and Robert!
Kathleen´s Robert took lots of pictures, as my camera has decided now that it
only likes to be fed with certain brands of AA batteries... what a time for a
camera to be whimsical. So they have my email and with any luck will be
forwarding along some pictures soon.
Off to look for my recipe...
Vanessa
Today was the last day of classes!
It was just an informal day to get together and turn in our projects. For our final
grade, we had to create four lessons-- reading, writing, speaking, and
listening--using authentic Spanish materials that we found here in Costa Rica.
At a bookstore I found this really cool little book of science experiments that kids
can do at home, and so I used that for the listening and writing lessons. For the
speaking, I used an online schedule for a local movie theater, which is awesome
because since it´s online, the schedule will always be current. And for the
writing lesson, I used an article from the newspaper about a local custum. It
was about how every year on August 1st, parisioners from throughout the
province of Cartago make little dresses for the basilica´s statue of the Virgen de
Los Angeles. The church has ended the tradition this year, which makes it a
controversial and interesting topic.
I´ve gotten so much out of this program-- my class was so great! I am really
really excited about beginning the school year so I can use all kinds of new
ideas. For those of you who are teachers, I seriously recommend the program.
It is called Modern Language Studies Abroad, email at info@mlsa.com. You will
be writing to the program director, Dr. Celestino Ruiz. The course I took is
called Techniques of Teaching Spanish, with Profesor Carlos Sanchez (who, by
the way, should write a book). The program lasts one month in the summer,
and the price is not too bad for all you get out of the experience.
Still, sadly, my camera is protesting Panasonic batteries, so I did not get a
photo of our class, but luckily my friend Jill did. She has my email and will
probably send a picture of the class soon.
Only 2 days left until I come home! I´ll be sure to write again before I leave...
Yet another grad class under her belt,
Vanessa
_________________________________________
jueves, el 26 de julio
Catalina´s husband and three children arrived here in Costa Rica on Saturday,
and they all came over for dinner last night. Kathleen is now staying with them
in a hotel suite near the campus, so I've been roommate-less for the past week.
:-( But it was great seeing them all at dinner last night. Her family is precious!
She has three children, Jennifer (15), Christopher (11), and Skyler (5). Jennifer
is a sophomore in high school and looks just like her mom. Chris likes
motorcycles and skateboards. He´s growing his hair long, which his parents
aren´t crazy about, but of course that´s just what young guys do... Interestingly,
both Chris and Jennifer were in San Antonio to participate in the junior Olympics
in tae kwon do! I don´t know what the chances are of the junior Olympics being
hosted there again soon, but I hope they are, because I´d love to see Chris and
Jen compete.
The little one, Skyler, came to dinner all dressed up in a Costa Rican dress
filled with ruffles. She was our entertainment for the evening, especially when
we went to play with Nico (the family dog-- not sure if I´ve mentioned him yet)
after dinner. Speaking of dinner, it was so good! I think it was the first
authentic Costa Rican meal Kathleen´s family had eaten since their arrival. We
had chicken with rice, frijoles, and some salad. The kids liked the meal so much
that they asked Kathleen if she would make if for them when they got home!
What a compliment to Roxanne. I´ve told her many times that I like her food so
much better than any food I get in restaurants around here. Yay for good food!
I´ve been meaning to include in this journal a recipe for gallo pinto, which is
practically the country´s national dish. When I first heard of gallo pinto, I
thought I would be bored with it fast, but really... it´s delicious! You serve it with
fried eggs, or cheese, or natilla, which is sort of like sour creme, only...
creamier. Anyway, here´s the recipe:
(Rats, I left that notebook at the house. I´ll be sure to add it tomorrow. Now
you´re all just built up for a delicious dish with no way to cook it... ah... the
anticipation...)
I haven´t yet mentioned Robert, Kathleen´s husband. But now I have mentioned
Robert, Kathleen´s husband. Robert works as a real estate appraiser
somewhere outside of Los Angeles, and it´s a good job for their family becasue
when Kathleen has classes, Robert can arrange his schedule to be at home if
need be. The crazy part is that... Robert and Kathleen knew each other as
kids! She says everyone used to call him ¨Bobby¨. That´s so cool-- that they
knew one another as kids and now they´re married with a family. Kindof like
Harriet and Robert!
Kathleen´s Robert took lots of pictures, as my camera has decided now that it
only likes to be fed with certain brands of AA batteries... what a time for a
camera to be whimsical. So they have my email and with any luck will be
forwarding along some pictures soon.
Off to look for my recipe...
Vanessa