However, I did end up continuing. Thursday I convinced myself it would only be an hour's worth of class (we had done an extra half hour Wednesday and Friday so that we could do the afternoon activity on Thursday). Then Thursday ended up being a bit better again so I decided to just stick it through until Friday.
Something about Costa Rican culture that has been pointed out to me in several different ways during my short week here. In the movie I saw Tuesday, in a cartoon my morning teacher showed in class called "The Impossible Dream," and in my host family. Women in the household are absolutely nuts with the amount of work they do and the speed at which they work. From the moment they wake to the moment they sleep they are busy busy busy!! They even speak at a mile a minute in addition to being loud and engaging.
In the family I live with Constanta not only does all the household chores but also works while I'm pretty sure Marcos is retired and doesn't do much of anything all day. However, I have noticed Marcos do some tidbits here and there around the house but primarily he just sits and watches Constanta in action. "The Impossible Dream" was about a woman who dreamt that her husband and son actually helped out around the house. However, my teacher said that this is beginning to shift a little but that it is just so much ingrained into their culture.
I have continued to have breakfast with Constanta and Marcos. Usually we have a bread with cheese. When there is an egg it is just with cheese, but when there is no egg it has some kind of processed meat in it too. Also, a lovely array of cut fruit (lately the two of them having been sharing a bowl while I have my own). We also have a large cup of coffee with our breakfast. There is also sometimes another coffee hour in the late afternoon shortly before my dinner. Instead of the coffee they bought me some tea since I wasn't sure if the caffeine would keep me up at night. Last night there was also some delicious empanadas at the before dinner meal.
I'm usually the only one eating a full meal at the dinner hour. However, in this instance with this family it does not feel awkward. Maybe I've just gotten used to it. But I think it's that this family just goes about their business while still making me feel welcome rather than trying to force conversation with me or ignoring me completely. Maybe it's that they are generally happier people and it rubs off on me too! Or maybe it's part of the Costa Rican culture that's different that Guatemalan culture. Who knows? In any case, for dinner I've had combinations of a bean/meat soup, fish, rice, and salad these past few nights.
The school activity on Thursday was a visit to Cartago, the original capital of Costa Rica. There we first visited some ruins of a church that was repeatedly destroyed by earthquakes before it was completed. Then we went to the city museum that had previously been the police station and prison. After that we went to the beautiful Los Angels Church full of culture and an interesting history. Then we walked through the central market which was so much calmer than any of the ones I visited in Guatemala despite it being one of the market days. Afterward, Vinicio (our morning teacher) dropped us off at the bus that would deposit us back near our homestays near the school.
In that brief bus ride I attempted to chat a bit with my one other classmate, David, in English (the first time I'd spoken English all week, other than on my bookclub call). However, after a short time I realized it was better when we barely communicated in Spanish. An older gentleman probably in his 70s, how can he have travelled so much, lived so long, and still be so sheltered and fearful? I have to give him credit going outside his comfort zone and trying to learn a new language at an older age, but I'm definitely glad that never again will I hear him refer to every other person, including President Obama as a "gangster." I have definitely met people of all sorts on this trip....
Vinicio on the other hand will be sorely missed. He had his wife bring in his 10 month old daughter as a surprise to us on our break today. You should have seen how his face lit up in showing Camilla off to us. He has been a fantastically patient and clear teacher! The director, Gaby, and assistant Dayla have also been so welcoming and helpful during my stay here! I can't believe the week has already flown by so quickly and I will be yet again off to my next destination...
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