The Kids

More Costa Rica photos to show you today.

My intense 10 day immersion trip was through my school (where I teach) and a local university. Our big focus was to see what life is like if you are living in Costa Rica as a local. With lived with a host family for 5 nights. During the day we had class at both ends of the day, and then in between class we had various activities and adventures to get to know the area we were in-Porto Jimenez in the Osa Peninsula

Several of our activities were visiting school- the local elementary. and high schools, a private bilingual school in town and then 2 rural mixed grades k-6 schools. They were definitely my favorites. We taught some English lessons and observed and participated in some other activities.

The kids were adorable.

6th grade science class in the public Porto Jimenez elementary school. Kids must be in school k-6 but after that it is optional.

Here's 2 of my colleagues teaching.

Assembly for us at the private bilingual school. The woman in the front in the red shirt is our fearless leader Helaine.

The high school science class. Man, this was SAD. This teacher had no control nor seemed to care about control. I guess you get assigned by the government when you graduate from college and the least experience you have means you get sent to the least desirable schools. This school had a pretty decent tech area but academics were scary.  Plus look at the rooms.  No supplies.  No lab tables. No books either.  Very rote-memorize everything. And the windows weren't windows but open air and with kids milling around everywhere it was not a very advantageous place for learning. Very sad actually.

Here is my new friend Nancy (on the left) from the trip. We are at one of the rural mixed grade schools we visited.  We were teaching the kids some action verbs and the verb was surfing. I taught them singing and eating. We all laughed a lot and it was Fun!

Here's the younger kids learning the verb running.

Here's the same exercise at the other rural school.

So back home-

I think I am finally getting back into the swing of New Hampshire life. This is my last week off, Monday it is back to the grind.

That is good and bad, but this trip being so close to the end of the summer put me back into the school mode a bit.

The heat is back here too, but maybe that means next week will be cooler.

Maybe!

So while I was gone my kitchen cabinet painting got finished and the kitchen looks great. I went out and got some new shelves for one of my cabinets which I hope get put in soon. I also took a trip to my fav. craft store Tuesday (since it was in the vicinity of the Container Store where I bought my shelf unit), got new sneakers since I left my torn, soggy and muddy old ones in Costa Rica, and worked one morning at the lake. I've also been working on my paper from the university from this trip. Its been a busy week. Hope to have some art up to show you soon and have been going through my trip photos. More there.

Some whales, monkeys, tropical flowers...all kinds of things to show you.

Have a super day and

I appreciate your visit.