I'm not a gringo!
In Costa Rica, "gringo pinto" is the Tico term for Caucasians who try to speak Spanish, but fail miserably in their pronunciation. The term is originally gringo, but the Ticos put their own little spin to it, incorporating the terminology of their common dish of "gallo pinto" (rice and beans).
Yet another fun fact of the day!
Yesterday I had my very first test in Intermediate Spanish! It actually wasn't too difficult. We were tested over medical vocabulary, commands, the past verb tense, and the questions used to acquire information about a patient. It's interesting how they've managed to combine Health and Spanish into a single course. Although my Spanish professor is definitely more meticulous than my Spanish teachers at home, I think he has played a huge part in my improvement. I catch myself remembering his lectures while speaking Spanish to my Tica Madre. In Spanish class today, we had our midterm: a patient simulation. In a patient simulation, we (the students) pretend to be a doctor speaking to a patient. We had to acquire the patient's general information (date of birth, address, telephone, family history, etc.) and give them commands in order to take their blood pressure, measure their height, and weigh them. I was kind of nervous, but it turned out well I think!
I was relieved after the tests, because my professor let us out about an hour early both days! I came home yesterday, laid down hoping for a little siesta, reached for my eye mask, and it was gone! Who would've thought that little dog Nano snatched it off my night stand?! So much for that nap. Emy was kind enough to wash it for me, though.
It's finally the weekend!!! About time. Tomorrow, we leave for Arenal Volcano! I'll be sure to post about my adventures at the end of the weekend! ¡Hasta luego!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Salud, Dinero, y Amor
Health, Money, and Love
My Spanish professor sneezed three times in a row today, and the 6 of us said "Salud" each time, the equivalent of America's "Bless you." He then corrected us, saying that the second time a person sneezes you are supposed to say "Dinero" and the third you are supposed to say "Amor." Basically wishing them health, money, and love. I thought that would be an interesting fact for the day!
Yesterday was a good day! I got up early and went to the gym with Katie, ate breakfast, did some homework, and ate lunch at a Pizzeria next to Veritas before Spanish class at one. At the pizzeria, I got the dish called an "Antipasta." It had lettuce, mushrooms, zucchini, olives, eggplant, cheese, and red peppers. (In Costa Rica, it's popular to mix cold and cooked veggies in a dish) It was so good, I had to go back and get it today for lunch :).
Yesterday and today have been quite gloomy. I'm not sure if it's from the weekend, all of the rain, or a combination of both, but everyone is dragging, including myself! Hellooo Costa Rican coffee! ¡Que rico! (How rich!) Anyway, I spent last night writing a 10-minute presentation on Diabetes in Spanish. I've never been a public speaker, especially not in Spanish, but I got a 94%! Happy day! In Costa Rican Health Care and Tropical Medicine today, we watched a film called Sicko by Michael Moore. I actually enjoyed his satirical approach to the American Health Care System. I think everyone needs to watch it. You won't be so critical of Obama's health care proposal (Not saying that I'm still not uneasy about it, but just a suggestion for those of you who are completely opposed).
Today in Spanish, we learned several different verbs (with a medical approach, of course). I swear, the Spanish language has a word for everything! For example, when a person has a cold, he says just that: "I have a cold." However, in Spanish, there is a whole separate verb: resfriarse. And that's just ONE example! Well, I have to go study for a Spanish test tomorrow. ¡Chau!
My Spanish professor sneezed three times in a row today, and the 6 of us said "Salud" each time, the equivalent of America's "Bless you." He then corrected us, saying that the second time a person sneezes you are supposed to say "Dinero" and the third you are supposed to say "Amor." Basically wishing them health, money, and love. I thought that would be an interesting fact for the day!
Yesterday was a good day! I got up early and went to the gym with Katie, ate breakfast, did some homework, and ate lunch at a Pizzeria next to Veritas before Spanish class at one. At the pizzeria, I got the dish called an "Antipasta." It had lettuce, mushrooms, zucchini, olives, eggplant, cheese, and red peppers. (In Costa Rica, it's popular to mix cold and cooked veggies in a dish) It was so good, I had to go back and get it today for lunch :).
Yesterday and today have been quite gloomy. I'm not sure if it's from the weekend, all of the rain, or a combination of both, but everyone is dragging, including myself! Hellooo Costa Rican coffee! ¡Que rico! (How rich!) Anyway, I spent last night writing a 10-minute presentation on Diabetes in Spanish. I've never been a public speaker, especially not in Spanish, but I got a 94%! Happy day! In Costa Rican Health Care and Tropical Medicine today, we watched a film called Sicko by Michael Moore. I actually enjoyed his satirical approach to the American Health Care System. I think everyone needs to watch it. You won't be so critical of Obama's health care proposal (Not saying that I'm still not uneasy about it, but just a suggestion for those of you who are completely opposed).
Today in Spanish, we learned several different verbs (with a medical approach, of course). I swear, the Spanish language has a word for everything! For example, when a person has a cold, he says just that: "I have a cold." However, in Spanish, there is a whole separate verb: resfriarse. And that's just ONE example! Well, I have to go study for a Spanish test tomorrow. ¡Chau!
Monday, July 11, 2011
¡El Fin de Semana para Playa Tamarindo!
The Weekend for Playa Tamarindo!
Before leaving for the beach on Friday, Emy walked Darrian and I around her neighborhood and surrounding areas of San Jose. No rain, so it was scorching hot outside! However, we ventured to Pequeño Mundo, a large store that resembles Sam's, except it carries more inexpensive clothes and house decor than food items! Construction workers live for cat calls. As we walked down the street, we received quite a few "Buenos dias" (Good morning) and "Te amo" (I love you) shout outs. My Mama Tica told us to ignore them. It's amazing the difference between American and Costa Rican cultures. I know some guys shout out at girls walking on the street in the U.S., but it's definitely not as common. In addition, we have to get used to how often people use their car horns here! In America, we're taught to associate the horn with frustration. On the other hand, Ticos honk ALL the time! They honk to tell you the light is about to turn green, they honk to say hello, they honk to tell you they're turning. You name it, they're honking! I find myself whipping my head around every time I hear a honk, expecting to see a terrible driver on the loose!
Anyway, Darrian and I came back to the house, grabbed our stuff, and got on the bus destined for Playa Tamarindo! We left around 1 and arrived around 7:30, but we took a pit stop. So all in all, the trip took a little less than 6 hours by bus. Just our luck, the DVD player wasn't working either! So everyone was either sleeping or listening to their iPod. I tried to do both, and failed miserably. Sleeping straight up isn't exactly my forte. Luckily, on the way back, the DVD player worked and we were able to watch Rio and Dinner for Schmucks. Anyway, after arriving at Playa Tamarindo, we took our luggage to our rooms and went back down for a typical Costa Rican dinner. You guessed it--rice and beans accompanied by veggies and fruit. After dinner, some of us changed into swimsuits and went for a little night swim. The pool was amazing! Swim-up bar, bridge, fountains. Not to mention, ending the night with a 5-star resort bed and hot shower. I fell in love!
The next day, my friends Sam, Shayla, Katie, and I woke up at 7 and went running on the beach. No, we aren't crazy! We wanted our beach time in! Can you blame us? Ticos walk up and down the beach, and I swear every single one brought his dog! I'm a dog lover, but when pit bulls are jumping on me and chasing me, I get a little scared!
Anyway, after running, we ate a delicious breakfast provided by the resort and Sam, Lindsey, Danielle, Katie, and I headed to the beach to lay out!
At 1, Katie and I, along with about 78 other ISA students, boarded the catamaran! It was a blast! We just hung out out on the boat while driving to an island. Once we arrived, they anchored the boat and we jumped off, snorkeled, and swam for awhile! We got back on and ate some tasty snacks of guacamole, salsa, chips, pasta, and fresh fruit!
The catamaran then headed back to the resort. Before getting off, they anchored the boat again and we all used our new salsa and merengue dance moves while watching the sunset. What a perfect day!
After dinner, we walked around for a little bit and headed back to the resort to hang out in Lindsey, Sam, and Danielle's room. We were worn out from the day!
The 5 of us woke up again at 7 the next morning to get some more beach time in! Yes, we love it-haha! Unfortunately, it was a little cloudy, but it started to clear off around 9. Danielle and Lindsey decided that they wanted to basque in the comfy bed before leaving. Sam and I played in the waves for a little bit, and then we headed to the pool to swim with Katie.
Afterwards, I headed back to my room to pack up and take one last hot shower for the week! I can't complain, though, because I'm incredibly grateful for God leading me down this road. He gave me these challenges to make my trust in Him stronger! I take so much for granted at home, and now I'm even more grateful for everything my parents provide for me. It's true: you never know what you have until it's gone!
Before leaving for the beach on Friday, Emy walked Darrian and I around her neighborhood and surrounding areas of San Jose. No rain, so it was scorching hot outside! However, we ventured to Pequeño Mundo, a large store that resembles Sam's, except it carries more inexpensive clothes and house decor than food items! Construction workers live for cat calls. As we walked down the street, we received quite a few "Buenos dias" (Good morning) and "Te amo" (I love you) shout outs. My Mama Tica told us to ignore them. It's amazing the difference between American and Costa Rican cultures. I know some guys shout out at girls walking on the street in the U.S., but it's definitely not as common. In addition, we have to get used to how often people use their car horns here! In America, we're taught to associate the horn with frustration. On the other hand, Ticos honk ALL the time! They honk to tell you the light is about to turn green, they honk to say hello, they honk to tell you they're turning. You name it, they're honking! I find myself whipping my head around every time I hear a honk, expecting to see a terrible driver on the loose!
Anyway, Darrian and I came back to the house, grabbed our stuff, and got on the bus destined for Playa Tamarindo! We left around 1 and arrived around 7:30, but we took a pit stop. So all in all, the trip took a little less than 6 hours by bus. Just our luck, the DVD player wasn't working either! So everyone was either sleeping or listening to their iPod. I tried to do both, and failed miserably. Sleeping straight up isn't exactly my forte. Luckily, on the way back, the DVD player worked and we were able to watch Rio and Dinner for Schmucks. Anyway, after arriving at Playa Tamarindo, we took our luggage to our rooms and went back down for a typical Costa Rican dinner. You guessed it--rice and beans accompanied by veggies and fruit. After dinner, some of us changed into swimsuits and went for a little night swim. The pool was amazing! Swim-up bar, bridge, fountains. Not to mention, ending the night with a 5-star resort bed and hot shower. I fell in love!
The next day, my friends Sam, Shayla, Katie, and I woke up at 7 and went running on the beach. No, we aren't crazy! We wanted our beach time in! Can you blame us? Ticos walk up and down the beach, and I swear every single one brought his dog! I'm a dog lover, but when pit bulls are jumping on me and chasing me, I get a little scared!
Anyway, after running, we ate a delicious breakfast provided by the resort and Sam, Lindsey, Danielle, Katie, and I headed to the beach to lay out!
At 1, Katie and I, along with about 78 other ISA students, boarded the catamaran! It was a blast! We just hung out out on the boat while driving to an island. Once we arrived, they anchored the boat and we jumped off, snorkeled, and swam for awhile! We got back on and ate some tasty snacks of guacamole, salsa, chips, pasta, and fresh fruit!
The catamaran then headed back to the resort. Before getting off, they anchored the boat again and we all used our new salsa and merengue dance moves while watching the sunset. What a perfect day!
After getting off the boat, Katie and I showered up really quick and went to dinner with Lindsey, Sam, and Danielle at a beachfront restaurant called Beach Bar. It was so relaxing with the strung-up lights and serenaders.
My dinner of Chicken Curry Salad
After dinner, we walked around for a little bit and headed back to the resort to hang out in Lindsey, Sam, and Danielle's room. We were worn out from the day!
The 5 of us woke up again at 7 the next morning to get some more beach time in! Yes, we love it-haha! Unfortunately, it was a little cloudy, but it started to clear off around 9. Danielle and Lindsey decided that they wanted to basque in the comfy bed before leaving. Sam and I played in the waves for a little bit, and then we headed to the pool to swim with Katie.
Afterwards, I headed back to my room to pack up and take one last hot shower for the week! I can't complain, though, because I'm incredibly grateful for God leading me down this road. He gave me these challenges to make my trust in Him stronger! I take so much for granted at home, and now I'm even more grateful for everything my parents provide for me. It's true: you never know what you have until it's gone!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
¡Relajarse!
Relax!
Because I was unable to blog yesterday, I'll update you on yesterday and today!
Yesterday I woke up and met my friend Katie between our casas (houses), and we walked to El Gimnasio Diamond. The gym is really nice! It has a lot of spinning classes, so I'm one happy girl! Oddly enough, Diamond Gym doesn't let you work out unless you have a towel with you. And, who would've thought?! They have towels for sale for about $4 in colones. How convenient! Haha
After working out, Katie and I walked back to our respective houses. Then, I got ready for school and ate the pancakes my Mama Tica made for breakfast. I then went to Spanish where we learned mandatos (commands). My homework entailed writing 5 positive and 5 negative commands for Costa Ricans when San Jose has been plagued by mad cow disease. Figuratively, of course:). My professor is a goofball! I love it! After class, I went home, ate dinner, did some homework, and went out to a local club called Los Profesionales. First night to go out in San Jose! So much fun!
Today, my day began with education on the American Health Care System in contrast to that in Costa Rica. I'm not going to bother explaining it because it's too long and, quite frankly, I don't really fully grasp the whole concept. We got out of class early, and Darrian and I went to turn in my paperwork and payment for my Student Visa. Stupid customs. It was such a pain, but now it's off my chest! Then, we met up with three of our friends and had lunch at a soda. In Costa Rica, soda's are their version of the American cafe. Delicious and outdoor seating that overlooks the mountains!
Anddd we reluctantly went back to class on a beautiful day with no rain. A miracle in San Jose during the wet season! At the beginning of Spanish class, a doctor spoke to us about signos vitales (vital signs) and how to measure them. For the last part of class, we practiced the process of speaking with a patient (in Spanish, of course) while taking their blood pressure. For dinner, Antonio cooked sandillas. Sandillas are boiled and peeled squash with cheese in the middle and cooked with eggs. An exotic taste, but very good!
Some random photos:
Because I was unable to blog yesterday, I'll update you on yesterday and today!
Yesterday I woke up and met my friend Katie between our casas (houses), and we walked to El Gimnasio Diamond. The gym is really nice! It has a lot of spinning classes, so I'm one happy girl! Oddly enough, Diamond Gym doesn't let you work out unless you have a towel with you. And, who would've thought?! They have towels for sale for about $4 in colones. How convenient! Haha
After working out, Katie and I walked back to our respective houses. Then, I got ready for school and ate the pancakes my Mama Tica made for breakfast. I then went to Spanish where we learned mandatos (commands). My homework entailed writing 5 positive and 5 negative commands for Costa Ricans when San Jose has been plagued by mad cow disease. Figuratively, of course:). My professor is a goofball! I love it! After class, I went home, ate dinner, did some homework, and went out to a local club called Los Profesionales. First night to go out in San Jose! So much fun!
Today, my day began with education on the American Health Care System in contrast to that in Costa Rica. I'm not going to bother explaining it because it's too long and, quite frankly, I don't really fully grasp the whole concept. We got out of class early, and Darrian and I went to turn in my paperwork and payment for my Student Visa. Stupid customs. It was such a pain, but now it's off my chest! Then, we met up with three of our friends and had lunch at a soda. In Costa Rica, soda's are their version of the American cafe. Delicious and outdoor seating that overlooks the mountains!
Some random photos:
Southern Sub! Represent!
Veritas Auditorium
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Las trabalenguas
Tongue-twisters
First day of classes! Here's a few pictures of Veritas University. ¡Es bonita! It's pretty!
Anyway, I thought today would never end. However, my teachers are Tico through and through. We're on "Tico Time," which means that classes have several breaks and start late. My kind of schedule! Tropical Medicine seems to be an interesting course. My teacher is actually a practicing physician in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, doctors go straight to medical school after high school. It only took him 6 years!! Not to mention that one semester at his public university cost about 70,000 colones...that's about $150!! Crazy. Anyway, we learned about the "sistema de salud" (health care system) as well as the indigenous peoples. I think the class is going to be very interesting! After that class, we have an hour break for lunch. I walked across the street with some friends and had an amazing lunch of Casado..
First day of classes! Here's a few pictures of Veritas University. ¡Es bonita! It's pretty!
These are little open-aired areas to sit and eat that I'm obsessed with!
¡Este es delicioso! Casado is the typical dish of Costa Rica. It entails rice, beans, salad, meat, plantain, etc. After lunch comes the killer...5 hours of Medical Spanish with a professor that only speaks Spanish. In addition, there's only 4 girls in my class, including me. It's going to be challenging, that's for certain, but the professor is funny and tries to make it interesting with different activities. Today, we focused on pronunciation. I never realized how important it is to know the letters and emphasis on each one! My homework for tonight is to ask a Tico to teach me a Spanish "trabalenguas," or tongue-twister. My tongue feels like it might roll into a knot! After the long day of classes, my friend Sam and I decided to try out a Yoga class that Veritas offers. It was actually pretty challenging! The teacher required us to use each other for balance...yet another representation of the Costa Rican concept of personal space. I had to hold the hairy leg of the girl next to me...ew. I then came home, grabbed a quick dinner, and Sam, Darrian, and I went to a dance class also put on by Veritas! It was a blast! We learned the salsa, merengue, and a Colombian dance. Watch out Ticos!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Está lloviendo muchísimo
It's raining cats and dogs!
And here's a picture of a street downtown...
We had an interesting experience at the bank. I felt very safe because guards check your purse before entering! Also, you aren't allowed to be on your cell phone inside (I got yelled at). Anyway, we then took a taxi back home where Emilia (my house mom) took Darrian and I to the "super," or the supermarket. It was no Wal-Mart, but it had all the essentials and was considerably cheaper. Emilia informed us that typically stores charge for usage of plastic grocery bags! We ended the night with a dinner of picadillo, pork chops, rice, and black beans along with Criminal Minds. I'm off to bed. Tengo una día larga mañana. Buenas noches!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Mi día de viaje
My day of travel
I just arrived in San Jose after a full day of traveling. Everything went fairly smoothly except for a postponement of my flight from Miami to San Jose. The Miami airport had a bunch of little shops and restaurants so Derek and I were well entertained for the 4 hours we spent in the airport. I was greeted by an ISA representative who then took me and another student to Veritas University to meet our new "moms." My house mom's name is Emilia. She's has 2 dogs, 4 birds, and a best friend named Antonio (Tony for short). There are 3 other girls staying here as well, one of which is in my same study abroad program. We ate chicken spaghetti for dinner (just like yours, Mom!) and I could barely keep up with their conversations! Luckily, Emilia and Tony speak a little English so they were able to fill me in. They had me totally convinced that they had a rule that you have to bring home bread and a newspaper if you're out past 3:30 AM. Another girl filled me in on the joke. A lot of things are definitely going to take some getting used to! For example, instead of flushing toilet paper, they throw it away. My living quarters are quite different than what I'm used to...
..but I have my own bathroom, which is nice. I'm worn out, so I'm hitting the hay. Buenas noches.
I just arrived in San Jose after a full day of traveling. Everything went fairly smoothly except for a postponement of my flight from Miami to San Jose. The Miami airport had a bunch of little shops and restaurants so Derek and I were well entertained for the 4 hours we spent in the airport. I was greeted by an ISA representative who then took me and another student to Veritas University to meet our new "moms." My house mom's name is Emilia. She's has 2 dogs, 4 birds, and a best friend named Antonio (Tony for short). There are 3 other girls staying here as well, one of which is in my same study abroad program. We ate chicken spaghetti for dinner (just like yours, Mom!) and I could barely keep up with their conversations! Luckily, Emilia and Tony speak a little English so they were able to fill me in. They had me totally convinced that they had a rule that you have to bring home bread and a newspaper if you're out past 3:30 AM. Another girl filled me in on the joke. A lot of things are definitely going to take some getting used to! For example, instead of flushing toilet paper, they throw it away. My living quarters are quite different than what I'm used to...
..but I have my own bathroom, which is nice. I'm worn out, so I'm hitting the hay. Buenas noches.
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