ACCE

For those interested in taking Spanish for Social Workers or wanting further information on where I was studying, here are photos and info. I was studying at Academia Centroamericana de Espanol. Alejandro Suarez and Diego Alvarez run the school and have had this program for social workers for at least four years, I believe. The program is amazing, classes actually include a booklet of example social work conversations and vocab frequently used in social work. Depending on your teacher, but many classes spend half the class each day having conversations about social problems and the differences or similarities in Costa Rica and the US. The website includes contact information and details on upcoming sessions and costs. They even go beyond just classes and set up weekend trips to tourist locations, social work lectures, trips to agencies (such as those in my blog) and a service project.

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Inside the school, the lounge area.

And the balcony with classrooms to the right.

Last day and Fiesta

Our last full day in Costa Rica felt very bitter sweet. On Monday of that week I was thinking it was time to go back home, I missed certain foods, Chipotle, and of course Alex. But once it was Friday, our last full day I was wishing it wasn't so.

After finishing classes I hung out at the school for a bit trying to decide what I was going to do for my last day, and I was on my own as many others had made lunch plans with their host families. I decided to explore some stores I hadn't been to in order to get gifts for my teachers and Tico mom. It was a great afternoon and a very different experience to explore and sit in Cafe Deliciosa alone watching people. It was the first time I had gone and done anything alone, besides walking home. It was a very nice, peaceful chance to take in Grecia and reflect on the trip.

We ended the day with a fiesta in which we received our certificates, played some games about our knowledge of Costa Rica, and drink some cerveza.

Below is Jenna and I with, Marianela, our first teacher, and with our second teacher Enriqu,e and then a group picture of some of us.

We then finished the night off with El Lago (a club but not a Disco), in which we danced and watched people dance, it was an interesting aspect of the culture that I am glad I experienced...even though it was difficult to get up at 6am to leave for San Jose.

Centro Comunidad Cristiana

Now that I have been back in the states, uploading pictures and even a video has become much easier. I wanted to share a little about our last week in Costa Rica. We spent the afternoons on Wednesday and Thursday at a community center in San Ramon called Centro Comunidad Cristiana (click the link to see their website). This is a community center next to Bajo Tejares which is a poverty ridden community primarily inhabited by Nicaraguans.
The first day we immediately got started making crafts with the children at the center and playing Costa Rican games in the gym. The second day we had the opportunity to get a more detailed explanation of the center and a tour of the community. This community center is primarily operated by a social worker, John (from the states), and a pastor. They receive funding from Faithful Servant Missions in Jacksonville, Florida. The center is focused around after school education and tutoring, with the hopes of helping the children in the community finish school at least at the ninth grade level (equivalent to high school sort of and able to enter technical schools at this level). Kids come to the center after school and are helped with homework, math tutoring, reading and are provided with supplies to use which they do not have in their homes. There is then a church for evening services for those interested in the community. They currently only have a couple classrooms for students which are frequently effected by the rain and had a mission group volunteering at the time to build a separate building for the older teenage kids. During this week the kids were all on vacation from school so they seemed to be at the center to play because they didn't have activities at home.

The community originally began with Nicaraguans sort of squatting on the land and making what they could into a home, as more and more came it became bigger. When the interest began to develop the center, there was a patch of old coffee land that was being used, of which they convinced the owner to donate. It was developed knowing there was a great amount of need and initially to help children with education, in the last two years it has changed and grown tremendously. Now they advocate for neighborhood rights, drug and alcohol programs, teen programs and do what they can to help families in need. Because they don't have funding for financial services to the families, they explained that frequently the staff is pulling money together from their own pockets or going door to door in San Ramon to collect food.

The biggest accomplishment has been getting the government to assist with sustainable housing in the community. Many now have small, two bedroom homes which house about two families, a great accomplishment from their previous homes. Unfortunately, there are not enough of these homes for everyone. There was a huge struggle to make sure these homes were built for the community and not for renters, but many had to give up on waiting for their home or were never given their home. These families continue to live in home made of corrugated metal and dirt floors with sketchy electricity. Actually, about twenty of these families lost their homes to a large fire a few months ago. Fortunately, some of them have found ways to rebuild with the scrap metal. Many have also rented out their backyards to other families...not legal in the government housing but a necessity.

It was a bit overwhelming to see this community but also very humbling. They even had a co-op in which about 20 women work in the garden and share all the vegetables produced.

After our tour we walked back to the center, with a larger group, (some of these cute kids convinced us to carry them up the hill to the center), and made some tortugas de papel with the kids at the center. Having these two days at the center really made our last week and culminated the ending for those of us leaving. The kids were great and took a spot in each of our hearts.

Arenal Volcan y Tid Bits

I think I am at the point where I am too tired and ready to go back home...or almost. I think I feel ready partly because I am tired and partly because they changed our Spanish teachers on us, very sad to no longer have Marinela for a teacher. I wanted to update on things I have learned of the culture and done in the last week.

As recently posted we went to Musade last week, I took a trip to Sarchi for shopping with some girls, and we left for Arenal on Friday. Sarchi is famous for their oxcarts, which are hand painted and very colorful. We took the bus to Sarchi and just barely made it in time to get three seats on the bus. I ended up sitting next to some guy with a guy standing next to me and bumping into me on every turn while I tried to eat my whopper (yes I bought a fast food burger in Costa Rica, sometimes you miss food from the states). We got off at the beginning of Sarchi and looked at a bunch of stores than talked to a woman about whether there were more stores in the center of town. Really, a classmate that is pretty much fluent talked to her. So instead of attempting to walk on the side of the crazy windy road with no sidewalks we waited for the bus again. We got off in the center near the church and had to venture around looking for this big souvenir shop but eventually found it, spent money and had to wait for the bus again to go back to the first cheaper stores....it was a fun trip and we made it home before dark.

We also had a little fiesta for students that were heading back to the states on Thursday. Which was very fun, as we got out for the evening, except it was a very busy day with no time for homework except if you can do it on a bus while winding around turns and up and down hills. Makes me car sick thinking about it. This fiesta was very fun but we had to say goodbye to quite a few of the Portland State students. Many of the other students continued to party afterwards for a fellow student's twenty-first, not me, I was way too tired. Oh and of course since we were too busy we decided not to do our homework, which worked out since we never had time to go over it in class and switched teachers this week.

Friday, after class, we took our trip to the Arenal Volcan. We had an amazing hotel with a fabulous view and great pools right near our rooms. This volcano was considered dormant until 1968 when it erupted. They say it was considered dormant because it was so quiet. Turns out it being quiet meant pressure was building up but once a scientist realized this no one would believe it would erupt. Now it has little eruptions all the time which allow it to release pressure. We hiked through the national park on Saturday morning exploring the animals, plants, rocks and the view. Unfortunately, I never got any night time eruptions on my camera as I wasn't constantly carrying it but was able to catch a daytime one and see part of a night time eruption. It was a great weekend which included many hours in the hot spring pools each day. They even had some cocodrilos, mariposas, ranas, and hormigas at the hotel. I viewed the hormigas from a far as they traveled through their house with their leaves, it was cute.

The weekend finished with going to see Toy Story 3 in 3D with my host family last night. I of course was dressed very casual because I was sunburned (from 10 minutes by the pool without sunblock) and I was very tired. We got to the mall, where the movie theater is, and shortly after I felt very out of place, not just as the gringa in the mall. It is apparently the place to be with your family or boyfriend on Sunday night. Everyone was there for dinner and a movie and dressed up. The girls all had their heels on and shirts similar to what we would wear to the bar or club in the states. I felt incredibly out of place and too tired to speak Spanish. I even had trouble saying I was going to get popcorn and a drink and paying for it myself. I know how to say that really...Oh and they have caramel topping for their popcorn at the theater. I didn't try it but smelled very good. I also had Taco Bell while at the mall and it came with fries...plus the guy taking my order kept speaking English to me cause he didn't think I understood.

This week I started class with a new teacher, and I am still unhappy with changing as I don't think it will be as enjoyable. I am thinking we are going to be forced to really work on our grammar this week...but trying to keep an open mind. Still missing the teacher with all the social work knowledge to chat with who is our age and shares interests, as I hear her class laughing down the hall. Sad that we got used to her and got to know her this week and now we are with a new teacher. Switching is supposedly so we don't get used to the same voice in Spanish but we have a Tico family too.

Oh another tid bit I realized today. The tv news here seems so much more informative than in the states. It is very interesting to see the difference. I like that it seems like you get more of the whole story here, however, I don't like the somewhat limited confidentiality and video shown. For instance, they show people being arrested but have them cover their face with a shirt or blanket or something but they also show injured or sick people going to the hospital as well as those who died in car accidents. They do not show the face and entire body but just cover the person where they are in a sheet...so you can't see their face but can see that they are dead and possibly some blood. Wasn't really what I wanted to see while eating breakfast. On that topic, Costa Rica is definitely similar to the states when it comes to social problems. Last week a high school student (I think) shot his school principal, which has been all over the news. I am unsure why but sure it was similar to teens in the states. I will try to update with photos and more information before the end of the week.

Musade

Last week we took a trip to an organization in San Ramon, called Musade. This organization is for woman who have experience domestic violence. This organization started through a clinic for women. They realized women were coming in for problems beyond health and related to domestic violence and (I don't know the exact details) began a program. But woman that come in for help are first met by another woman who has been through the program and survived domestic violence so they have someone who can tell them how it works and share that they made it through it. The women are referred to shelters to stay at and are helped with developing skills for micro-enterprising as well as making souvenirs which are sold in the store to support Musade. They are assisted in developing these skills because many have been stay at home moms and need to support themselves for the first time.

The organization also does many political events such as public marches to help women see that it is not ok to be abused and that they can get help. They also have support groups for the women and their adolescents who have experienced the abuse. Beyond this, they go to the schools to educate young children about violence so that they can be aware of the signs and so that they stop the stereotypes of women before they are too old. This is so that the males and females know it isn't ok to treat women poorly. They also mentioned that it is very common that women first visit because their husband brought them because he thinks they have a problem because she won't sleep with him. I must also mention, one of the great things about the program is that it is run by women, men may be partners but not hold director positions. They also promote many women who have been helped by the program to support women and help them succeed.

Roblealto

So writing each day has become far more difficult than I had thought prior to arriving in Costa Rica. We are constantly doing something. We start school at 8am, have a short break at 10am in which we have snacks and reflect without using computers or phones, then finish class at 12pm. Frequently after class we have trips or visits to organizations. After these trips we usually arrive back home in the evening leaving time for dinner, homework and maybe going out.

Yesterday we went to visit Roblealto Bible Home. This is a home for children that have been abused physically, emotionally, and economically.It has operated for the last 75 years. It is a temporary home, in which they have 9 houses, which each house approximately 10 children. I think we only got pieces of what they do and not a very good explanation of the whole thing because the video they had for us had no subtitles and the couple that was showing us around has only lived there about 10 months and are from the states. I think they typically come from very poor communities in Costa Rica in which they have no running water in their house and have a great deal of crime. In each house they have a house mom and dad. The mom works in the house and takes care of the dinner and kids after school while the father works. The house mom and dad also have their own children who live with them, which means there are about 13 or 14 children in the house. They explained that many times families are referred to Roblealto or come to Roblealto asking for help. The kids usually stay there two or three years before returning to their family. While the children are there and interdisciplinary team works with the kids and the parents to change behaviors, therapy and to teach better disciplinary skills.

Every other weekend the kids go stay with their family and every other Sunday the parents come to the home to visit for a few hours and have a group or class. They kept saying that the children are able to experience "love" at Roblealto and their lives are greatly changed. They also reported having a 95% success rate and no second generation children. This success rate is measured from conversations with the child´s family, teachers and others within their social system. Many students were discussing how this can´t be very accurate but we were also thinking that it is more of an American or Western method to quantify research of programs. I assume from my experience here so far that the social workers are very connected with teachers after the child returns home but our view is that there are flaws in such a method or would be in the US.

However, they also report that once a year they have an alumni party in which adults who lived there as children return with their own children as sort of a reunion and live very different lives than if they did not receive help. When going to this facility, you must also understand that there isn´t a foster care system like we have in the states. They do put children up for adoption but more typically when they are born.

It was very interesting that they had this program and the difference of those in the US. I also heard some conversation about the implications of the woman staying home while the dad works. However, my understanding is that this is part of their culture, although many woman may stay home during the day and have jobs in the evening. But you must also keep in  mind that this organization is very religious and receives a great deal of funding from international religious foundations. It sounded like it would be neat to go there for a week to volunteer (painting or building usually) in order to gain a full experience of what they do. It seemed like a pretty quick visit that we had also. Oh, I must mention the kids love visitors and interacting with others, they were very excited to show us their rooms and everything, or at least those that had cleaned their room.

I must also mention how we spend almost half of our class time discussing social problems and how they differ in both Costa Rica and the US, each day. It is great, oh we do this completely in Spanish. From what I understood, our teacher has her psychology license but therapy is not very important here, help for economic problems comes first and thus she is teaching us. Today we each had to do a little presentation on a social problem in Spanish and then discuss the differences in Costa Rica. I learn something new about the culture here everyday. It is interesting because they say they don't have their own culture as Costa Rica has taken so much from other countries but when you discuss social problems and how things are handled or viewed in Costa Rica there is so much that is distinct and different from our culture. I think the majority of the group has already experienced going to the pharmacy for an injury or illness to see a doctor, and it is much cheaper than our pharmacy.

First Weekend y Manuel Antonio

We left for the weekend to visit the beach, Manuel Antonio on Friday. The bus ride was very curvy which made a few people sick but fortunately no one puked.

On the way we stopped to see the crockodiles in the river or as our tour guide says crocodriles. He didn´t know we were all laughing at his pronounciation. They were definitely fat crockodiles as it appeared the community throws them chicken in order for tourists to stop and look and buy souvenirs.

After arriving at the hotel in Manuel Antonio I took a big wipe out near the pool because the flooring was very slick from the rain. I had tried to catch myself with my wrist and ended up with a very swollen wrist and hand by the end of the night. This was a bad start to a vacation weekend. In the morning I went to the pharmacy to see the doctor and had it wrapped and received some stronger ibuprofen like drugs for 20 bucks.

I then wore pants and hiking shoes to the national park to prevent bug bites but by the time we arrived at the beach in the park my feet were covered in bites. I then got more bites while sitting in the bar later that evening. Some of us think the tiny ants were biting or we were bitten while in bed.

Although I had some unlucky experiences it was great to see white face monkeys at the park and titi monkeys in the trees around our hotel. There were also the occasional iguana. Unfortunately, I took few photos on this trip as it was too difficult to carry my camera.

I came back and told my host mom that I got drogas for my hand and found out that only works when speaking of marijuana or hard core drugs in Costa Rica, I was corrected with las pastillas.