English and Snacks
el 22 de agosto –
Greetings. Just a brief shout-out from the land of tasty treats – Limón, Costa Rica. Things are still going really well – English class has been quite a success thus far, I would say. We have had 6 classes now, with somewhere around 20 students or so each time. And quite eager students who are making progress and seem to be enthusiastic about learning (or just practicing) English, so that makes things more fun. So far we have hit a lot of great basic topics: Greetings, Items in the Classroom, Parts of the Body, Contractions, Basic Verbs, How to talk in the Present Tense, Colors, Numbers, Calendar (Dates, Months, Years, Days of the Week, etc) and Weather. It has been fun to see their progress and watch and listen as they try to apply and use what they are learning. It also has been an interesting look at my own language from a different perspective. The questions they have about how things are pronounced, or words that sounds alike, or rules with verbs and conjugations and stuff like that have made me have to think about English in a different sense. I have had to try and explain the “why” of things that I just know because that’s the way it is, or that is just the way you say it, etc… I feel like I can definitely relate to them though, because I have had similar questions about Spanish as I have been learning it more and more. Anyway, so English class has been a definite highlight so far.
Another highlight of being here in Limón refers back to my original greeting… the “land of tasty treats.” Ah, and what a true statement indeed. Being a “snacker” by nature, I am daily forced to smile as I think about all the delicious options that are in abundance everywhere I turn. The only sad part is that I am always thinking of something else I want to try, or something I want to have again because it was so good, or sometimes I am already thinking of how much I am going to miss all of these things when I am not living here anymore. All of this makes me want to get one of everything – right now, today! Ha. Okay, so maybe it is not that bad, but really, this place is like a dream come true for me. A couple of reasons why: 1) Everything is available in single-serving packages (and unlike our “super jumbo Mini” bags and portions in the US, these ones actually are feasible as a SNACK for one person in one sitting. 2) The fruit. I know I have talked a lot before about all the new and delicious fruits they have here, but the other part that is great is how readily available they are. In walking around “downtown” Limón there are people on every block it seems selling little bags of mango or other fruits – all washed, sliced and ready to go, with salt, lime, and vinegar on hand so you can season to your liking. So I am walking…thinking, hmm, some mango sounds good, so I turn the corner and there is a woman sitting with a little bag of slices of mango, just waiting for me to douse them in lime juice and sprinkle with salt….lovely. 3) I think I told you before about all the tasty tortilla and corn chips, and the plantain chips, not to mention all the cookies and cracker things – all of which are once again available in nice little single serving packages. And the great part is that they have little “corner stores” everywhere here – downtown, in the neighborhoods, literally everywhere. So no matter where you are, there is a “pulperia” nearby where you can pop in, pick up a snack and be on your merry little way. (As a side note, the other great thing about the “pulperias” is that along with the snacks they have a little bit of just about everything – first aid stuff, beauty items, paper products, cleaning supplied, plus all the essential food items. It’s really like a supermarket shrunk into one teeny tiny storefront. So whatever you need…baking emergency, dinner supplies, something to satisfy the chocolate craving…all you have to do is walk around the corner to the local pulperia. When I am running in the morning I often pass kids and adults, still in their pj’s, headed to the pulperia to pick up fresh bread or milk or whatever it is they may need. No getting in your car, or taking a bus or taxi to the grocery store is required. You could feed your whole family and never once leave your neighborhood!) 4) Okay, so the last comment about the tasty treats here is that they are all so cheap! A little bag of chips or plantain chips or package of cookies ranges from about 10 – 40 cents. Seriously, how great is that?!
Greetings. Just a brief shout-out from the land of tasty treats – Limón, Costa Rica. Things are still going really well – English class has been quite a success thus far, I would say. We have had 6 classes now, with somewhere around 20 students or so each time. And quite eager students who are making progress and seem to be enthusiastic about learning (or just practicing) English, so that makes things more fun. So far we have hit a lot of great basic topics: Greetings, Items in the Classroom, Parts of the Body, Contractions, Basic Verbs, How to talk in the Present Tense, Colors, Numbers, Calendar (Dates, Months, Years, Days of the Week, etc) and Weather. It has been fun to see their progress and watch and listen as they try to apply and use what they are learning. It also has been an interesting look at my own language from a different perspective. The questions they have about how things are pronounced, or words that sounds alike, or rules with verbs and conjugations and stuff like that have made me have to think about English in a different sense. I have had to try and explain the “why” of things that I just know because that’s the way it is, or that is just the way you say it, etc… I feel like I can definitely relate to them though, because I have had similar questions about Spanish as I have been learning it more and more. Anyway, so English class has been a definite highlight so far.
Another highlight of being here in Limón refers back to my original greeting… the “land of tasty treats.” Ah, and what a true statement indeed. Being a “snacker” by nature, I am daily forced to smile as I think about all the delicious options that are in abundance everywhere I turn. The only sad part is that I am always thinking of something else I want to try, or something I want to have again because it was so good, or sometimes I am already thinking of how much I am going to miss all of these things when I am not living here anymore. All of this makes me want to get one of everything – right now, today! Ha. Okay, so maybe it is not that bad, but really, this place is like a dream come true for me. A couple of reasons why: 1) Everything is available in single-serving packages (and unlike our “super jumbo Mini” bags and portions in the US, these ones actually are feasible as a SNACK for one person in one sitting. 2) The fruit. I know I have talked a lot before about all the new and delicious fruits they have here, but the other part that is great is how readily available they are. In walking around “downtown” Limón there are people on every block it seems selling little bags of mango or other fruits – all washed, sliced and ready to go, with salt, lime, and vinegar on hand so you can season to your liking. So I am walking…thinking, hmm, some mango sounds good, so I turn the corner and there is a woman sitting with a little bag of slices of mango, just waiting for me to douse them in lime juice and sprinkle with salt….lovely. 3) I think I told you before about all the tasty tortilla and corn chips, and the plantain chips, not to mention all the cookies and cracker things – all of which are once again available in nice little single serving packages. And the great part is that they have little “corner stores” everywhere here – downtown, in the neighborhoods, literally everywhere. So no matter where you are, there is a “pulperia” nearby where you can pop in, pick up a snack and be on your merry little way. (As a side note, the other great thing about the “pulperias” is that along with the snacks they have a little bit of just about everything – first aid stuff, beauty items, paper products, cleaning supplied, plus all the essential food items. It’s really like a supermarket shrunk into one teeny tiny storefront. So whatever you need…baking emergency, dinner supplies, something to satisfy the chocolate craving…all you have to do is walk around the corner to the local pulperia. When I am running in the morning I often pass kids and adults, still in their pj’s, headed to the pulperia to pick up fresh bread or milk or whatever it is they may need. No getting in your car, or taking a bus or taxi to the grocery store is required. You could feed your whole family and never once leave your neighborhood!) 4) Okay, so the last comment about the tasty treats here is that they are all so cheap! A little bag of chips or plantain chips or package of cookies ranges from about 10 – 40 cents. Seriously, how great is that?!
posted by Dynasty goes to CR at
1:51 PM
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