Feliz Dia de Mujeres

Apparently, the 8th of March is a holiday honoring all women in Costa Rica...unless Andre the Civics teacher was lying to me, or I misunderstood his Spanish (both viable options). Anyways, I´m enjoying being celebrated here today, though I haven´t received any presents yet.

My return to Monteverde has been a cozy homecoming after time away. I´ve begun my intensive Spanish classes at the language institute in town and after two straight hours of trying to speak Spanish one and one with my teacher, I feel like I´ve been hit by one of the non-fuel efficient, half broken-down Tico buses. It´s exhausting to try to fumble my way through two hours of conversation in a foreign language. At least my students and host brothers can help me with my homework. ¨Necesito ayuda¨(I need help) has become a ritual phrase to which my tico brothers have grown accustomed...they stumble into my bedroom, shaking their heads, saying ¨mas tarea otra vez¨(more homework again?)

Heading to Montezuma for some more beach this weekend and San Jose next weekend. I´m hoping to catch a soccer match in the city and catch up with a few friends I met down here that recently moved there. As much as I love this quiet town with one supermarket, one post office, one bank, and three bars (priorities!), it will be nice to be in a city again for a few days.

School is going really well. I finally feel like I´m starting to know the students and their personalities which makes working with them both easier and more enjoyable. The school is bustling with tons of volunteers. We have a few high school groups from the US working on trail maintenance and reforestation projects on the school grounds and a church group is here helping to build a new classroom. On top of that, we´re expecting a student teaching group to join us for three weeks to observe and assist in the classrooms. Besides the overcrowded computer room and longer lines at the bathrooms, this also means that I will probably have another volunteer in my homestay with me. He/she hasn´t arrived yet, but I´m just waiting for the one-man construction crew to begin adding another bedroom onto our house.

Ok, heading to class. Pura vida,

Kat