Well I realized I haven't much talked about my classes yet. We have class about the History of Costa Rica and Health Care from 8-11:45 every day. It has been really interesting because we have had several speakers come in to talk to our class. The health care system is universal, and private insurance does not exist here. The government has all insurance companies, and phone companies too. Around 9% of a worker's salary is taken to go to social security and health care, as well as 4% from the employer. This gives you free access to all public care, however some citizens choose to pay out of pocket for private care. The public has long waits, and many are angered that the Nicaraguan immigrants are given free care, even if they have not paid their due to the CAJA. (social security) I had a long conversation with my home stay mom last night, and she utilizes and loves the CAJA. She says as long as she is paying for the system out of her pay check, then she will use the system and has actually been quite pleased with it. They also focus on preventative care, traveling to schools and clinics with vaccinations for students that might not have received them.
I am thinking about minoring in Spanish now, the small class size has really helped me improve. I only have 3 other students in Spanish with me, and we spend almost an hour a day simply holding conversations in Spanish. The rest of the time is spent on grammar and new vocab, but the conversations have been the most helpful.... I was able to talk to my madre tica for an hour in Spanish yesterday, and frequently talk about the world cup with my hermano tico. I am finding every way possible to practice :)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Manuel Antonio
This weekend was spent at a spectacular beach. Our hotel was on a cliff, over looking the gorgeous beach below. Manuel Antonio is one of the biggest tourist beaches in Costa Rica, and if you look at a post card, this is most likely the beach photographed. The cliffs are covered by green rain forests, and there are several rocky islands in the ocean.
Saturday morning we got up and walked to the national park. It was a standard $10 entrance fee, but totally worth it. We walked a mile and a half to a hidden waterfall, but the tropic storms had destroyed the paths, so it was quite an adventure to get there. On the way we finally saw a frog, a neon yellow and black one. It was so hard to spot, but really cool to finally see one. After the trek through the slippery mud we arrived at the waterfall, and were able to go stand under it. people in my group were scared to get in and stand under it, but I was not going to lose the opportunity to stand under a waterfall in the rain forest. it was well worth it, and everyone joined me right away. It was amazing.
After the waterfall, we went to a beach with in the pack. It was in a cove, blocking the waves so you could just go float in the water. The cove to me was the definition of paradise. There was a coral reef, where we could view awesome fish. The cove has a rocky side that was covered in Hermit crabs, and it was crazy to explore. Laying on the beach, racoons, iguanas, and monkeys came close enough to your towel to steal your food. We literally fed a monkey that was 5 feet from us. It was amazing. At the end of the day, on the way back to the hotel we saw two white tailed deer fawns right on the trail. It was a nice reminder of home. That night we went to an outdoor restaurant on the roof of our hotel and watched the sun set.
Sunday morning we went to the public beach in the town and met a ton of cool people. Lots of backpackers from Boulder and Oregon and Kentucky. It was nice to speak in English to our new friends. There were isles of stands with dresses and crafts made by the people, and it was fun to walk and barter over prices. I ended up with a cute coverup and a nice sarong that I learned to tie in several different styles.
A quick bus ride home to San Jose to finish my papers completed my weekend. My roommate is now gone back to the states, so I spent a good part of the evening with my hermanotico (homestay brother) discussing the world cup. During the game Friday, we all had the live feed running on our computers during class. It is fun to be here, where everyone loves futbol, during the World Cup. oh, and when I wore my new Costa Rica jersey, I got lots of comments from the locals.
Hope everyone had a nice weekend back home, can't wait to hear how it went.
p.s. it is crazy that I have been here 3 weeks now, I feel like I have already done so much.
Saturday morning we got up and walked to the national park. It was a standard $10 entrance fee, but totally worth it. We walked a mile and a half to a hidden waterfall, but the tropic storms had destroyed the paths, so it was quite an adventure to get there. On the way we finally saw a frog, a neon yellow and black one. It was so hard to spot, but really cool to finally see one. After the trek through the slippery mud we arrived at the waterfall, and were able to go stand under it. people in my group were scared to get in and stand under it, but I was not going to lose the opportunity to stand under a waterfall in the rain forest. it was well worth it, and everyone joined me right away. It was amazing.
After the waterfall, we went to a beach with in the pack. It was in a cove, blocking the waves so you could just go float in the water. The cove to me was the definition of paradise. There was a coral reef, where we could view awesome fish. The cove has a rocky side that was covered in Hermit crabs, and it was crazy to explore. Laying on the beach, racoons, iguanas, and monkeys came close enough to your towel to steal your food. We literally fed a monkey that was 5 feet from us. It was amazing. At the end of the day, on the way back to the hotel we saw two white tailed deer fawns right on the trail. It was a nice reminder of home. That night we went to an outdoor restaurant on the roof of our hotel and watched the sun set.
Sunday morning we went to the public beach in the town and met a ton of cool people. Lots of backpackers from Boulder and Oregon and Kentucky. It was nice to speak in English to our new friends. There were isles of stands with dresses and crafts made by the people, and it was fun to walk and barter over prices. I ended up with a cute coverup and a nice sarong that I learned to tie in several different styles.
A quick bus ride home to San Jose to finish my papers completed my weekend. My roommate is now gone back to the states, so I spent a good part of the evening with my hermanotico (homestay brother) discussing the world cup. During the game Friday, we all had the live feed running on our computers during class. It is fun to be here, where everyone loves futbol, during the World Cup. oh, and when I wore my new Costa Rica jersey, I got lots of comments from the locals.
Hope everyone had a nice weekend back home, can't wait to hear how it went.
p.s. it is crazy that I have been here 3 weeks now, I feel like I have already done so much.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Catching up
Well the protests are over, and the sidewalks are clear again! It has been a typical week of class and papers, I really feel like my Spanish is increasing a lot though. My understanding is way above my speaking, but I think I am bridging that gap. American food here is so expensive! We went to the store to buy food for our weekend, and local food was reasonably priced, but I was shocked to find a box of cereal for $10 and a snickers for 3. ohh well, guess I know what food I will be craving when I get home!
Off to Manuel Antonio for the weekend, a beautiful white beach inside a national park. Beautiful waterfalls and lots of monkeys :)
Happy Early Father's Day :)
Off to Manuel Antonio for the weekend, a beautiful white beach inside a national park. Beautiful waterfalls and lots of monkeys :)
Happy Early Father's Day :)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Arenal
Arenal is a volcano that was dormant for 500 years, but now erupts constantly. It is absolutely beautiful, however it was cloudy Sunday so it was hard to see the top. When the clouds cleared, we were able to get quick glances of the full volcano. The volcano overlooks a huge man made lake that is absolutely beautiful. Baldi Hot Springs is a place that has 15 different pools all heated by the volcano. Each pool is heated to a different temperature, including one that is 115 degrees, and too hot to do more than dip a hand in for a short time. We spent the afternoon relaxing in the pools and watching the volcano. There were several water slides and waterfalls to enjoy as well. After dinner (they had a chocolate fountain...my first chocolate in 2 weeks!) we drove to a remote area to view the volcano. During the day you can always see smoke coming out of the opening, but at night it is possible to see the lava as well. We were not lucky to see lava spew out of the top, but could see bright red rocks rolling down the side of the mountain. It was incredible to be so close to an active volcano.
Monday morning we took a safari float down a river near Arenal, and saw an impressive amount of wildlife. We were able to spot monos congos, or howler monkeys. Our guide spoke back to them, and the monkeys howled even louder. There were some babies present, and it was adorable. We were also able to see 3 crocodiles sunning on the side, and one of the large ones entered the water right near the raft. We stopped at an old farm, the owner is 98 and just got running water. It was incredible to experience the simple life they lived.
that afternoon we visited another EBAIS, this time in an urban area and learned more about the system here...Residents around the country are on strike, and the interns are joining them today. It is interesting to be experiencing these strikes while learning about the health system here...
Monday morning we took a safari float down a river near Arenal, and saw an impressive amount of wildlife. We were able to spot monos congos, or howler monkeys. Our guide spoke back to them, and the monkeys howled even louder. There were some babies present, and it was adorable. We were also able to see 3 crocodiles sunning on the side, and one of the large ones entered the water right near the raft. We stopped at an old farm, the owner is 98 and just got running water. It was incredible to experience the simple life they lived.
that afternoon we visited another EBAIS, this time in an urban area and learned more about the system here...Residents around the country are on strike, and the interns are joining them today. It is interesting to be experiencing these strikes while learning about the health system here...
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Unreal weekend...Monteverde (Part 1)
This weekend was unreal and so amazing, I saw so much and experienced more than I could have imagined, so I suppose I will take you all through it day by day. (sorry if it gets a little long...)
Friday we went to Monteverde, which is a tourist town in the mountains north of San Jose. It is in a cloud forest, which is ultimately a rain forest in the clouds. It honestly feels like you are living in the clouds when you stay there. We visited the EBAIS (health clinic) in the area, and then had a tour of an old sugar cane and coffee plantation. They make brown sugar, and only stay open now by doing tours. We learned about the coffee making process, and got to see some of the machines in use (so I can now tell everyone about the quality of coffee :)) we also learned about sugar cane, and actually make some candy. They use certain machines to squeeze the juice out of the cane (although we got to chew on it and taste the juice as well)and then boil it with a piece of bark from a female burrio tree. This gives the sugar a maple syrup taste. Next they pour it in molds to cool and harden, but we were able to take a scoop and mix it with chocolate and nuts to make some candy. It was delicious, and really interesting to see. The plantation still uses oxen for transport, and we got to ride in the famously painted carts pulled by oxen
Monteverde was originally settled by Quakers from the United States, and there are still around 100 Quakers in the small town. We listened to a talk by a Quaker women, and it was amazing to see how in 1950 when they came there were NO roads at all. They built all the roads and bridges, only asking the government for help for one lengthly bridge. (The roads are still dirt and not very drivable during the rainy season...imagine muddy mountain pass roads) When Ticos started developing the area for tourism, they created 2 reserves to protect the land. Most of the forests however are secondary forests.
Friday was complete by a bonfire at our mountain lodge. It was a very informative day.
Saturday was our day of adventure:
In the morning we went for a 2 hour hike through the cloud forest, on hanging bridges. We were walking through the canopy when we saw a Quetzal, which was absolutely beautiful. People travel to CR just to see these birds, and they are very rare to see...we were very lucky to spot one and spent a while watching it. We were also lucky enough to see several butterflies and hummingbirds as well as the second largest rodent in the world (I don't remember the exact name)The entire experience made me appreciate nature and relax and enjoy the small things. It was amazing how loud the forest was, with the birds singing and it was absolutely beautiful. The best part was climbing up a tree. We literally got inside an old tree root, that had new vines growing around it, and used the vines to climb to the next layer of bridges...it was incredible how I fit inside a tree trunk with enough room to climb.
After lunch we went ziplining through the canopy. It was a nice mix of excitement and peace. They had some fast lines through the trees, and we had to repel down a tree. They also had a "Tarzan Swing" which was basically a bungee jump followed by a swing through the trees. This one was scary, and the video of me screaming is rather hilarious. the next line however was the most serene and out of this world experience. We got to zip line laying down superman style, and look at the forest below. The line was a half mile long, and we were above the trees looking at the valley below. It was absolutely incredible. I felt an amazing thrill, and like I was one with nature at the same time. No words to describe it :)
That night we went on another walk through the rain forest in the dark. It was incredible to turn off the flash lights and see just how dark it was. We were able to see the rodent again, and a sloth!!! This was sooooo unbelievable to see. We also saw 3 turantulas coming out of their holes. It was like a movie to see these HUGE things crawling out of their holes...I was slightly scared but it was incredible at the same time. You really cant be afraid of bugs living here, you just have to wear the bug spray and be aware of everything.
Sunday morning we went for a hike in the POURING rain. Everyone was complaining because of the rain, but we got to hike at our own pace through the forest, and so I felt at home. It was nice to hike alone and just think about everything. it is so beautiful here, and I realize how much we take for granted. Slowing life down and appreciating nature really helps to bring a peace of mind...
Sunday afternoon we drove to Arenal, an active volcano, but I will have to save those stories for later....
Hope all is well at home and Chelsea's open house was beautiful :)
Friday we went to Monteverde, which is a tourist town in the mountains north of San Jose. It is in a cloud forest, which is ultimately a rain forest in the clouds. It honestly feels like you are living in the clouds when you stay there. We visited the EBAIS (health clinic) in the area, and then had a tour of an old sugar cane and coffee plantation. They make brown sugar, and only stay open now by doing tours. We learned about the coffee making process, and got to see some of the machines in use (so I can now tell everyone about the quality of coffee :)) we also learned about sugar cane, and actually make some candy. They use certain machines to squeeze the juice out of the cane (although we got to chew on it and taste the juice as well)and then boil it with a piece of bark from a female burrio tree. This gives the sugar a maple syrup taste. Next they pour it in molds to cool and harden, but we were able to take a scoop and mix it with chocolate and nuts to make some candy. It was delicious, and really interesting to see. The plantation still uses oxen for transport, and we got to ride in the famously painted carts pulled by oxen
Monteverde was originally settled by Quakers from the United States, and there are still around 100 Quakers in the small town. We listened to a talk by a Quaker women, and it was amazing to see how in 1950 when they came there were NO roads at all. They built all the roads and bridges, only asking the government for help for one lengthly bridge. (The roads are still dirt and not very drivable during the rainy season...imagine muddy mountain pass roads) When Ticos started developing the area for tourism, they created 2 reserves to protect the land. Most of the forests however are secondary forests.
Friday was complete by a bonfire at our mountain lodge. It was a very informative day.
Saturday was our day of adventure:
In the morning we went for a 2 hour hike through the cloud forest, on hanging bridges. We were walking through the canopy when we saw a Quetzal, which was absolutely beautiful. People travel to CR just to see these birds, and they are very rare to see...we were very lucky to spot one and spent a while watching it. We were also lucky enough to see several butterflies and hummingbirds as well as the second largest rodent in the world (I don't remember the exact name)The entire experience made me appreciate nature and relax and enjoy the small things. It was amazing how loud the forest was, with the birds singing and it was absolutely beautiful. The best part was climbing up a tree. We literally got inside an old tree root, that had new vines growing around it, and used the vines to climb to the next layer of bridges...it was incredible how I fit inside a tree trunk with enough room to climb.
After lunch we went ziplining through the canopy. It was a nice mix of excitement and peace. They had some fast lines through the trees, and we had to repel down a tree. They also had a "Tarzan Swing" which was basically a bungee jump followed by a swing through the trees. This one was scary, and the video of me screaming is rather hilarious. the next line however was the most serene and out of this world experience. We got to zip line laying down superman style, and look at the forest below. The line was a half mile long, and we were above the trees looking at the valley below. It was absolutely incredible. I felt an amazing thrill, and like I was one with nature at the same time. No words to describe it :)
That night we went on another walk through the rain forest in the dark. It was incredible to turn off the flash lights and see just how dark it was. We were able to see the rodent again, and a sloth!!! This was sooooo unbelievable to see. We also saw 3 turantulas coming out of their holes. It was like a movie to see these HUGE things crawling out of their holes...I was slightly scared but it was incredible at the same time. You really cant be afraid of bugs living here, you just have to wear the bug spray and be aware of everything.
Sunday morning we went for a hike in the POURING rain. Everyone was complaining because of the rain, but we got to hike at our own pace through the forest, and so I felt at home. It was nice to hike alone and just think about everything. it is so beautiful here, and I realize how much we take for granted. Slowing life down and appreciating nature really helps to bring a peace of mind...
Sunday afternoon we drove to Arenal, an active volcano, but I will have to save those stories for later....
Hope all is well at home and Chelsea's open house was beautiful :)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Protests
Well we finally found out what the protests were about after passing them twice a day for over a week. The so called "squaters" have no land to create their makeshift houses as the Government has been cracking down on this practice. In the past families have made houses on any open land, especially government land but now they are out of places and have nowhere to live. There are probably 30 people living in the makeshift tents on the sidewalks now, and there has been an increase of security around the president's house. At least they now help us cross the street when we need to :)
Classes have been really interesting this week, we have had two different physicians talk with us about the health care system, and a historian as well. It is interesting to hear the citizens view on the so called universal health care system (it only helps 80% of the country). It boasts amazing statistics, but the people using it experience long waits and other issues we have been learning about.
Every day at school we get to try a new natural drink. Fresh fruit is squeezed and mixed with water and sugar to make natural fruit juice. It is delicious, and the star fruit has been my favorite so far.
This weekend is going to be an adventure, but I will be without communication for 4 days. We are going to visit two EBAIS or medical clinics in rural towns. we will also be visiting the active volcano, Arenal and hope to see the lava at night. The lava warms hot springs we will swim in, and we will also swim at the base of a waterfall. the next day we will go to Monteverde, the cloud rainforest to walk through the hanging bridges and zipline through the canopy as well as rafting down a river...hopefully I will have some amazing experienes to share on Tuesday.
Love to everyone back home! Talk to you soon
Classes have been really interesting this week, we have had two different physicians talk with us about the health care system, and a historian as well. It is interesting to hear the citizens view on the so called universal health care system (it only helps 80% of the country). It boasts amazing statistics, but the people using it experience long waits and other issues we have been learning about.
Every day at school we get to try a new natural drink. Fresh fruit is squeezed and mixed with water and sugar to make natural fruit juice. It is delicious, and the star fruit has been my favorite so far.
This weekend is going to be an adventure, but I will be without communication for 4 days. We are going to visit two EBAIS or medical clinics in rural towns. we will also be visiting the active volcano, Arenal and hope to see the lava at night. The lava warms hot springs we will swim in, and we will also swim at the base of a waterfall. the next day we will go to Monteverde, the cloud rainforest to walk through the hanging bridges and zipline through the canopy as well as rafting down a river...hopefully I will have some amazing experienes to share on Tuesday.
Love to everyone back home! Talk to you soon
Monday, June 7, 2010
La Paz
This weekend I experienced the paradise of Costa Rica. I promise pictures soon! On Saturday we took a group trip to a volcano near San Jose. After a half mile hike we arrived at the basin. We looked down into a crater of beautiful red rocks, and he center was spewing white smoke. It smelled like sulfur which of course reminded me of my summer in Yellowstone. Another half mile led us to a hidden lake that was a perfect blue, surrounded by dense green vegetation. It was absolutely beautiful. After a traditional lunch, we went to La Paz, a waterfall and garden area. We entered a bird house, and got to spend time walking around with the toucans, humming birds, parrots and all kinds of other birds. One of them landed on my friends arm. The humming birds flew around their feeders so quickly I felt like I was going to get hit in teh face. They just wizzed right by. There was then a butterfly house, and the butterflies were everywhere. They frequently landed on us and flew around our heads as we took pictures of their pristine blue. The waterfalls were absolutely breathtaking. We had to descend several hundred stairs to reach them, but the hike was worth it. There were 3 falls we saw, each about the height of Canyon Falls, but of various sizes. The river was actually pretty narrow for such immense falls. we were happy to see them, because the rumor had been that they were destroyed in the earth quake, but trust me, they are still spectacular.
Sunday we went to Punrarenas, a local beach that is an hour and a half bus ride from San Jose. The sand is black, and it is not the best beach (it is the beach the ticos go to) but the view of the mountains against the water was beautiful. The water was nice and warm, and while the beach was on the Pacific it is in a cove so it was really calm. There was a triathalon finishing right on the beach, which provided some great entertainment.
Off to write 3 papers (one of them in Spanish :))
Sunday we went to Punrarenas, a local beach that is an hour and a half bus ride from San Jose. The sand is black, and it is not the best beach (it is the beach the ticos go to) but the view of the mountains against the water was beautiful. The water was nice and warm, and while the beach was on the Pacific it is in a cove so it was really calm. There was a triathalon finishing right on the beach, which provided some great entertainment.
Off to write 3 papers (one of them in Spanish :))
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tico Time
Hola :)
Many exciting things are happening right now...there is a protest right outside the president's house and it has been growing every day. I am thankful that I have someone who walks home with me because both sidewalks are covered with tents for the protest, and yesterday there were drums and bells too. No one can seem to figure out what exactly it is about though...also, there is a big storm coming up the Pacific coast, and the beach we wanted to visit is completely shut down with out power for a week. Our house has been without water for a few evenings too...it runs during the day but is shut down at night again (it is like this for my entire neighborhood)
Other than those current events, things are going wonderfully here. yesterday we spent the day going through 2 museums downtown. I actually really like downtown, there are a lot of pretty buildings and I spent some time in a typical city market. Tomorrow we visit a rain forest, a waterfall and volcan and go one a coffee tour...I am exited to see more of the country.
con amor,
Meg
Many exciting things are happening right now...there is a protest right outside the president's house and it has been growing every day. I am thankful that I have someone who walks home with me because both sidewalks are covered with tents for the protest, and yesterday there were drums and bells too. No one can seem to figure out what exactly it is about though...also, there is a big storm coming up the Pacific coast, and the beach we wanted to visit is completely shut down with out power for a week. Our house has been without water for a few evenings too...it runs during the day but is shut down at night again (it is like this for my entire neighborhood)
Other than those current events, things are going wonderfully here. yesterday we spent the day going through 2 museums downtown. I actually really like downtown, there are a lot of pretty buildings and I spent some time in a typical city market. Tomorrow we visit a rain forest, a waterfall and volcan and go one a coffee tour...I am exited to see more of the country.
con amor,
Meg
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Rain
today I got to experience first hand a rain storm. we went to lunch when it was beautiful and sunny, and had to return in a torrential downpour. Some of the other provinces experience great flooding during the month of may, but San Jose has been okay. There was also a very small earth quake last night. I did not feel it, but some of my classmates could.
I am learning more about food customs as well, breakfast is usually a piece of fruit (half a mango, a chunk of pineapple ect) and a piece of plain bread with cheese or a pack of crackers and cream cheese. For dinner my family has made me a rice and chicken mix one night as well as white rice with a piece of meat last night.
One of the typical dishes is casado (which means married) because there are beans, rice, and meat on one plate (but all separate) and a sweet banana for dessert.
In my Spanish class today we learned that doctors do not typically wear gloves except during surgery. When taking blood or checking wounds or changing the dressing on a incision, the doctors do not wear gloves. I found this very interesting considering the high state of the health care system and how many tourist come to CR for plastic surgery and dental procedures. Because of their very Catholic Religious beliefs, abortion as well as Invitro fertilization are illegal here, although some people go to panama for in vitro fertilization.
Morgan's family ( my friend) has a jet ski and so we might go to the beach with her hermano Sunday to ride it, or else a group is planning on taking a bus to the beach. 2 hour trip each way, but only 1500 colones, which is less than $3. (the exchange rate is around 535 colones per dollar) Ticos know the exchange rate for every country
off the top of their head, which is very interesting to me.
Voy a cenar ahora, adios
p.s. Aero Smith is here on tour right now
I am learning more about food customs as well, breakfast is usually a piece of fruit (half a mango, a chunk of pineapple ect) and a piece of plain bread with cheese or a pack of crackers and cream cheese. For dinner my family has made me a rice and chicken mix one night as well as white rice with a piece of meat last night.
One of the typical dishes is casado (which means married) because there are beans, rice, and meat on one plate (but all separate) and a sweet banana for dessert.
In my Spanish class today we learned that doctors do not typically wear gloves except during surgery. When taking blood or checking wounds or changing the dressing on a incision, the doctors do not wear gloves. I found this very interesting considering the high state of the health care system and how many tourist come to CR for plastic surgery and dental procedures. Because of their very Catholic Religious beliefs, abortion as well as Invitro fertilization are illegal here, although some people go to panama for in vitro fertilization.
Morgan's family ( my friend) has a jet ski and so we might go to the beach with her hermano Sunday to ride it, or else a group is planning on taking a bus to the beach. 2 hour trip each way, but only 1500 colones, which is less than $3. (the exchange rate is around 535 colones per dollar) Ticos know the exchange rate for every country
off the top of their head, which is very interesting to me.
Voy a cenar ahora, adios
p.s. Aero Smith is here on tour right now
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
