We have a staff get together tomorrow at Linda's, our Director. It's officially called "Beer and Bocas", which literally translated out of Spanglish means Beer and Mouths. Essentially, it's a potluck with the drinks provided. I like potlucks, I like eating, and I won't turn down the occasional drink. Only problem? What can I bring to a potluck when I don't have a single baking/cooking item in the house?
First, I explore. I discover an 8 inch cake pan in my cupboard. Fantastic. I go up to the AM/PM Mercado on the corner and buy a cake mix, something that looks like canola oil (I think it's actually soy...) and some icing. I thinking, this is great. I have everything I need for some simple brownies. I buy an empanada for supper, and a can of Pepsi, and we're set.
The next challenge? Discovering that my oven works in Celsius temperatures. I have four options: 140 degrees on top and bottom, 310 degrees on top and bottom, and then 210 degrees on either the bottom or top. I cook in Farenheit, as does Betty Crocker, according to the recipe instructions. Google saves the day, and I end up switching between 140 and 310 in order to get to about 350 degrees farenheit. Problem solved.
Have you ever tried to measure cooking oil without a measuring cup? Didn't think of that. When I moved in, I was excited to have plates and bowls; I didn't look for baking supplies. I eyeballed the oil after finding out if I was at a high enough altitude to need to change the recipe (I still don't know...I was praying by this point.) The tablespoons of water were measured with the tablespoon that you eat with, and doubled when it didn't look right. Mixed up, it looked like brownie mixture, so I dumped it in the greased pan, and threw it in the oven. At least ny microwave is in English and I could set the timer. Now just to wait.
Toothpicks. I don't know about you, but I was raised to check a cake's completion with a wooden toothpick. If it sticks, it's not done. Toothpicks were NOT on any of my shopping lists thus far, nor were potholders. A clean towel and, get this, a crochet hook stood in for the more traditional tools.
The cake is on my counter, cooling so I can ice it. I don't think I'll taste it until tomorrow night. It LOOKS done...
Post Script: I was disappointed to see I couldn't buy any squeezable icing. I"ll explain sometime!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
We'll start at 8 am...or 8:30. Possibly 9
I really don't like to be the last person to walk into a meeting. I aim to be prompt, not too early, but fairly on time. It's not normally a problem. Very little is normal in Costa Rica!
If a meeting starts at 8 am, we might get started by 8:15. Time is very fluid so far. Buses don't have a posted schedule anywhere, because they run on their own time. It depends on traffic, the day, and how many people flag them down from the side of the road. Our half hour Survival Spanish course turned into more than an hour long just because we started asking questions! It's something to become accustomed to: no one is in a big hurry. Everything will get done. Everyone will end up where they need to be. I had been warned, but one really has no idea until they've experienced it.
Today is the first day of work with all staff members. I'm finding it really hard to remember names I didn't quite catch the first time! As slow as the schedule can go, the speaking makes up for it. Everyone is really friendly; I've been kissed more in the past week than in the past year. I have some meetings today, and the rest of the week. I had to clarify where I was needed; as a specialist, I could be in three meetings at once because of the preschool, elementary, and midle/high school.
This semester I teach all of the younger grades: K3 through Grade 5. I have 6 three-year-olds, and my largest class is 16 kids. 16! My MS/HS principal informed me that we would run an elective if as few as 5 kids chose to register for it. What a difference having 200 kids in a school rather than 1000. I anticipate there will be some challenges with such a tight community, but there is really good support from all the administrators so far.
This weekend is a long weekend. Monday is some sort of Saint Day; Las Angeles, I think. Apparently half a million people will be walking through San Jose and San Pedro this weekend on their way to Cartago (about 22 km) in order to visit the Basilica there. The legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared to a small girl, and eventually the priest figured out that Mary was telling them where to build the church in her honour. Every year all these people go, thanking her for blessings and asking for things. I'm really tempted to go, as I don't think I've ever seen half a million people walking anywhere, never mind together. Our principal and others have strongly suggested going the next weekend when people will still be walking AND we can see the church more easily. I'm thinking this is the better idea, and I can see the streets full of people here in town.
One note: I don't live in San Jose. I thought I did, based on where I flew into, and where the school's address is. I know now that the school is in San Ramon de Tres Rios, and I live in Mercedes Monta. de Oca, very near San Pedro. San Jose is actually quite small, with a lot of smaller cities/towns/counties coming out of it, sort of like bike tire spokes. I'm still trying to find a map.
Ok, off to be early for a meeting. More later, provided I don't fall asleep. I'm still not used to 6 am.
If a meeting starts at 8 am, we might get started by 8:15. Time is very fluid so far. Buses don't have a posted schedule anywhere, because they run on their own time. It depends on traffic, the day, and how many people flag them down from the side of the road. Our half hour Survival Spanish course turned into more than an hour long just because we started asking questions! It's something to become accustomed to: no one is in a big hurry. Everything will get done. Everyone will end up where they need to be. I had been warned, but one really has no idea until they've experienced it.
Today is the first day of work with all staff members. I'm finding it really hard to remember names I didn't quite catch the first time! As slow as the schedule can go, the speaking makes up for it. Everyone is really friendly; I've been kissed more in the past week than in the past year. I have some meetings today, and the rest of the week. I had to clarify where I was needed; as a specialist, I could be in three meetings at once because of the preschool, elementary, and midle/high school.
This semester I teach all of the younger grades: K3 through Grade 5. I have 6 three-year-olds, and my largest class is 16 kids. 16! My MS/HS principal informed me that we would run an elective if as few as 5 kids chose to register for it. What a difference having 200 kids in a school rather than 1000. I anticipate there will be some challenges with such a tight community, but there is really good support from all the administrators so far.
This weekend is a long weekend. Monday is some sort of Saint Day; Las Angeles, I think. Apparently half a million people will be walking through San Jose and San Pedro this weekend on their way to Cartago (about 22 km) in order to visit the Basilica there. The legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared to a small girl, and eventually the priest figured out that Mary was telling them where to build the church in her honour. Every year all these people go, thanking her for blessings and asking for things. I'm really tempted to go, as I don't think I've ever seen half a million people walking anywhere, never mind together. Our principal and others have strongly suggested going the next weekend when people will still be walking AND we can see the church more easily. I'm thinking this is the better idea, and I can see the streets full of people here in town.
One note: I don't live in San Jose. I thought I did, based on where I flew into, and where the school's address is. I know now that the school is in San Ramon de Tres Rios, and I live in Mercedes Monta. de Oca, very near San Pedro. San Jose is actually quite small, with a lot of smaller cities/towns/counties coming out of it, sort of like bike tire spokes. I'm still trying to find a map.
Ok, off to be early for a meeting. More later, provided I don't fall asleep. I'm still not used to 6 am.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Three Days In
Parrots. Buses. Umbrellas. I don't think I've ever seen as many of these in one place as I have in these first three days. I've discovered how to end the rain here in Costa Rica: have a girl from Saskatchewan buy an umbrella. It's the same reasoning, only reversed, as washing your car.
I took the bus by myself to and from school today. I think it took an hour to get there, and 15 minutes to get back. It's all about being at the right stop at the right time, and having a driver who shows up. Some of the buses are quite nice, others have seen better days a long time ago. None of them have air conditioning. They are crowded at certain times, but each time I've seen men stand up for women of all ages to have a seat.
After the school, I dropped my things off at my apartment and took the Sabanilla - San Jose bus, with the intention of getting off at the San Pedro Mall. Well, I got off the bus somewhere downtown San Jose. In my defense, it looked like a mall. It had a sign in English for a food court! Thankfully I went into a shop looking for an umbrella and found a very nice clerk who spoke English. She pointed me towards a Mas X Menos, where I bought an overpriced umbrella, and told me where I was. I should have stayed on the bus a little longer and I would have been at the mall. Hopped on yet another bus, after being assured that this bus would go to the Mall San Pedro. They have men at some of the busier stops just to load the buses.
Found the mall, though after the bus had gone through the traffic circle. It's quite daunting to be on one side of a large, two lane traffic circle and have no idea how to get across. Crosswalks are really only near schools, and aren't really recognized. There was a young man waiting as well, and he seemed to realize that I didn't know when to go. He said something like "Follow Me", and I did. He and I got to the mall safely!
The mall itself is rather strange. In between dollar stores and kitchy stores, there's a Tommy Hilfiger and a Gucci jewelry store. I bought a few books (stop rolling your eyes): a conversational Spanish book and a verb conjugation book. I know I have a verb book at home, but I'm pretty sure it's in storage. In storage translates to unaccessible unless dire circumstances occur. I looked at some shoes, but I really hope I can wear sandals of some sort to teach in. I had Wendy's for supper because I wanted something familiar; it was and it wasn't. Instead of ketchup, they put bbq sauce on the burger. I bought a few cinnamon buns from the Cinnabon, and took the bus home. You can get just about anything here.
What I've seen in the first three days:
I took the bus by myself to and from school today. I think it took an hour to get there, and 15 minutes to get back. It's all about being at the right stop at the right time, and having a driver who shows up. Some of the buses are quite nice, others have seen better days a long time ago. None of them have air conditioning. They are crowded at certain times, but each time I've seen men stand up for women of all ages to have a seat.
After the school, I dropped my things off at my apartment and took the Sabanilla - San Jose bus, with the intention of getting off at the San Pedro Mall. Well, I got off the bus somewhere downtown San Jose. In my defense, it looked like a mall. It had a sign in English for a food court! Thankfully I went into a shop looking for an umbrella and found a very nice clerk who spoke English. She pointed me towards a Mas X Menos, where I bought an overpriced umbrella, and told me where I was. I should have stayed on the bus a little longer and I would have been at the mall. Hopped on yet another bus, after being assured that this bus would go to the Mall San Pedro. They have men at some of the busier stops just to load the buses.
Found the mall, though after the bus had gone through the traffic circle. It's quite daunting to be on one side of a large, two lane traffic circle and have no idea how to get across. Crosswalks are really only near schools, and aren't really recognized. There was a young man waiting as well, and he seemed to realize that I didn't know when to go. He said something like "Follow Me", and I did. He and I got to the mall safely!
The mall itself is rather strange. In between dollar stores and kitchy stores, there's a Tommy Hilfiger and a Gucci jewelry store. I bought a few books (stop rolling your eyes): a conversational Spanish book and a verb conjugation book. I know I have a verb book at home, but I'm pretty sure it's in storage. In storage translates to unaccessible unless dire circumstances occur. I looked at some shoes, but I really hope I can wear sandals of some sort to teach in. I had Wendy's for supper because I wanted something familiar; it was and it wasn't. Instead of ketchup, they put bbq sauce on the burger. I bought a few cinnamon buns from the Cinnabon, and took the bus home. You can get just about anything here.
What I've seen in the first three days:
- A man driving a motor bike, carrying two large fruit boxes on his lap. And in Canada you can't even text and drive!
- A school bus that had a tv in it for the driver.
- A woman riding a vespa in the highest heels I have ever seen. I think I want a Vespa.
- Two parrots sitting on a telephone wire. It's very strange to not see them in a cage. My first reaction was that they had escaped from somewhere!
- A bush on my street that has the "Roxy" flower. I think it's called a hyacinth, but feel free to correct me. I am not a horticulturalist.
- Spongebob Squarepants in Spanish. It's no more intelligent en Espanol than it is in English.
- A thunderstorm in the middle of the day. The lightning cracked and the power went off in the school. Poor Trent was in the middle of a course syllabus, and tried to restart three times before he gave in to Mother Nature.
- My classroom! It's on the stage, in the gymnasium. It could be very loud at times, I think. I am more worried about what to do in there if the power goes out; it's pretty dark in there.
Ok, enough for tonight. It's only 7:18 here, but it's dark, and the rain has finally started, so it's cooling off. The sun likes to rise before I do, and I have some Spanish to learn! Buenos noches.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
New Roads
Here I am in Denver, Colorado, waiting for my flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. It's about 7:30-ish, and my flight doesn't leave until just after midnight. It's strange to be in this "in-between." I'm far from home, yet I'm not anywhere else. I'm excited about being in San Jose, yet apprehensive about starting a new job in a new culture that speaks a new language. I can't wait to meet and make new friends, but I'm concerned about the family members at home who aren't well. As I told Mom, I wish I could bring the old people with me. It's always about choice, isn't it. Life must be lived, and I can't be in more than one place at a time.
I've decided that if I'm ever rich, I'm going to job shadow people for a couple weeks at a time. It doesn't matter the job; I want to know a bit about everything. As we landed in Denver this afternoon, I could watch the guy with the orange batons directing the plane into position. I realized that I want to know what all the signals mean, and how he knew when to do what. Could I discover this information in a book, or online? Most assuredly. But wouldn't it be more fun to try it? To follow someone around and learn how to do it for real?
As I'll never likely be overly wealthy, this is a bit of a dream, but remember: dreams have to come true occasionally.
Best line of the trip so far: To a small child in a stroller: "It's airplane rules; we have to go potty or they won't let us on the plane."
Best sight so far: The biggest thunderhead clouds I've ever flown through. I didn't see any lightning, but some were definitely dark. Awesome, in the old terms meaning awe-inspiring.
Funniest thing so far: Sitting, eating my supper from BK, and a woman pulls a knife out of her carryon and asks how that got there! Her teenage children: "Mom! Stop waving that thing around! You'll get arrested!" We weren't through security yet, obviously, and I had to ask where they were headed, just to make sure they weren't headed my direction! Plenty of giggling, and the knife ended up in the garbage. TSA wouldn't be letting that go through!
Ok, more when I'm in San Jose, and settled in a bit. I can't wait to see the colours.
E
I've decided that if I'm ever rich, I'm going to job shadow people for a couple weeks at a time. It doesn't matter the job; I want to know a bit about everything. As we landed in Denver this afternoon, I could watch the guy with the orange batons directing the plane into position. I realized that I want to know what all the signals mean, and how he knew when to do what. Could I discover this information in a book, or online? Most assuredly. But wouldn't it be more fun to try it? To follow someone around and learn how to do it for real?
As I'll never likely be overly wealthy, this is a bit of a dream, but remember: dreams have to come true occasionally.
Best line of the trip so far: To a small child in a stroller: "It's airplane rules; we have to go potty or they won't let us on the plane."
Best sight so far: The biggest thunderhead clouds I've ever flown through. I didn't see any lightning, but some were definitely dark. Awesome, in the old terms meaning awe-inspiring.
Funniest thing so far: Sitting, eating my supper from BK, and a woman pulls a knife out of her carryon and asks how that got there! Her teenage children: "Mom! Stop waving that thing around! You'll get arrested!" We weren't through security yet, obviously, and I had to ask where they were headed, just to make sure they weren't headed my direction! Plenty of giggling, and the knife ended up in the garbage. TSA wouldn't be letting that go through!
Ok, more when I'm in San Jose, and settled in a bit. I can't wait to see the colours.
E
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