San Jose, pt. 2: Intensive Spanish

The first week of Spanish classes at CRLA were a whirlwind of activities. We visited the Universidad de Costa Rica to interview students there about the college experience here, which included getting lunch and ice cream with my classmates and professor, learned a lot of grammar, gave two 20-minute presentations, and wrote two 2-page essays. On Tuesday we met up with Miguel, Chesca, and Manny for lunch, who we hadn't seen in (GASP) four days since they are native Spanish-speakers and therefore exempt from the CRLA program. I also saw a movie (No Strings Attached, or Amigos con Derechos in Spanish) in the theater at the mall, which costs only 1,000 colones ($2) on Wednesdays, celebrated St. Patrick's day despite the fact that my host mom didn't know where Ireland is (she thought it was part of the US!), found and brought business to a self-serve frozen yogurt place near the University (the only one I have seen in CR!), and attended a cooking class where I learned how to make delicious tortas de yuca.

Some amigas celebrating St. Patrick's day with green beer at Caccio's our favorite bar

One of our 20-minute oral presentations for Spanish class was about our experience with our Costa Rican family, so I also had the pleasure of learning a lot more about mi familia tica during my first week at CRLA. My host mom, Maria Eugenia, is in her 60s and is the youngest of 19 siblings. Her family is huge (needless to say), and pretty much everyone in the neighborhood of Cedros, where my host house is located, is related to her in some way or another. She has lived in the same house for her entire life, and seen the city change around it for the past 60 years, which is amazing. She and her husband Francisco have two daughters and had one son who passed away more than ten years ago.

Me, Maria, and Francisco

Their oldest daughter, Ivania, lives across the street and has two daughters of her own (11 and 14 years old). Ivania is Maggie's host mom, and also has enough space in her house to host up to three additional CRLA students. We all have dinner together about twice a week. Their younger daughter, Carolina, got married recently and lives with her husband, who is a doctor. I stay in Carolina's former room. Our family also includes two pet birds, a parrot named Lola that does great human impressions, and a parakeet named Pepe. Maria and Francisco love Pepe very much and let him sleep in their bedroom in a box with a blanket, out of the cage. Sometimes Maria even lets him sleep against her chest in the bed!

Mary, my host "sister," holding Pepe the parakeet

Maria and Francisco are both retired, but Maria volunteers at the hospital a few days a week and is also very actively involved in her church (especially now since it's Lent!). Francisco spends most of his time in the garage downstairs, working on his motorcycle. He is deaf in one ear and watches TV with the volume very loud because it's difficult for him to hear otherwise. They are a very funny couple and bicker with each other playfully. Maria is also an excellent cook, and always serves me and Mary delicious food. She doesn't usually eat with us, but serves us at the table and sits with us while we eat. At first I thought this was weird and a little overly formal, but I got used to it quickly and wasn't bothered by her eating habits because it was nice to have her company and conversation at the table whether she was eating or not. A typical breakfast in our house takes place around 7:30 am and includes coffee, orange juice, bread with jelly, fruit, and sometimes cereal. In Costa Rica you can buy pre-toasted bread, which I think is kind of funny, and sometimes we have that for breakfast but Mary and I don't like it too much because it's very dry.

Breakfast at the dining room table. Mary didn't want to be in this picture... oops

Dinner is always different, but usually includes salad, rice, plantains, and chicken. We've had soups, arroz con pollo, tacos, chalupas, and other wonderful dishes that Maria prepares. One day we had to walk home from school because it was rush hour and all the buses were full, and after almost an hour and a half of walking Mary and I ate an entire pot of linguini with cheese. It was so delicious that we high-fived after we finished dinner. Maria laughed because she said we left no evidence that she had cooked. In short, my homestay is great.

The living room of my host family's home