Adios, Miss. Britt!

As I sit down to write one of, if not my last, blog from Costa Rica – even here at my little cafe, with a grande latte, this. is. hard.
 

This one's about my school. Over the past three months I've been a Student Teacher in Mr. Valverde's 5^th grade class at International Christian School in Heredia, Costa Rica...with a bunch of rambunctious little munchkins. I could fill pages and pages of things they've taught me, ways they've made me laugh, and how they've loved on me. But, I think all I need to do to demonstrate this is recall the events of last Friday, my last day at school.
 

There was a blanket of sadness throughout the day as the students and I knowingly exchanged “the glance” that meant: “I can't believe you're leaving us” and “I'm so sorry I have to go.” The day before my teacher sent an email letting parents know that today would be my last, and I wrote a small paragraph thanking them for each of their children. Shockingly, this translated into the idea that we needed food, and lots of it. For, while exchanging sad glances, students and parents kept bringing in snacks and goodies that eventually accumulated into an entire feast.

 

That day, we ate fresh Chinese, chips, cookies, candy, ice cream, cake, brownies, and a whole slew of other things that made these fifth grade kittens jittery with sugar, all in my honor. It was incredible the way the parents had, in the past 24 hours, rallied together to create such an amazing celebration of my time spent there. After lunch, we all ran back to the room, where I assumed the impossible task of settling the kids down for lessons would begin. Instead, my teacher opened the closet in the front of the room, and one by one the students went up to the hiding place, grabbed their gift for me, and proudly presented it to my shocked self. Before I knew it, my desk was a mountain of coffee (of course), chocolate, flowers, hand-written cards, and other gifts, along with a blown up picture of all of us, that they had each signed. I. Was. Stunned.
 

As the day ended, I left them each with their own little note to remember me by – filled with a memory or two and the promise to never forget them. Well, that's what did it, and from them on came the waterworks. They all hugged and kissed me (even the boys, which never happens!) and promised to email/Facebook often.
 

As I sat down to collect my gifts, still in shock at the accumulation of them, my teacher asked me to run and give a message to someone in the teacher's lounge. I promptly went on my merry way, and entered to find balloons, signs, coffee, and more food. Thinking I was interrupting something important, I uttered, “excuse me...” and they all cheered, “Yay! She's here!” I stood there like an idiot and asked, “Wait, is this for me?” They all laughed and nodded. We ate more food, drank more coffee, and they said the most precious things while trying to convince me to return. It was wonderful.
 

To my (almost always) precious students: Thank you for teaching me so much. Thank you for making me laugh every day. Thank you for welcoming me to Costa Rica. Thank you for trying my patience, because it made me stronger =) Thank you for your love - I will never forget you!
 

To the staff/teachers at ICS: Words can't even describe my thanks to you. In these past three months you have made me feel so special – beyond what I deserve, and I can't thank God enough for each of you! You all hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for helping me get through each school day with laughs, coffee, and a break from the little humans. I will never forget your kindness. Until we meet again <3

I'll Be Seeing You,

From a little darling who's leaving a little piece of her heart in Costa Rica.

Xxoo

 

 

When the Earth Quaked

It was a Wednesday just like any other day. I woke up after a short night of sleep, slapped on some make up, scarfed a delish breakfast from my host mom, walked my daily jaunt to where I get picked up, and prepared for another day of 5^th grade shenanigans. School starts promptly at 8, and as my cooperating teacher started the class off with devotions, I sat down to grade some composition notebooks. About 40 minutes later, as I prepared to take over and teach Reading, my teacher was taking a minute to explain to the class just how fragile and expensive the new “Interactive Board” in our classroom was. As we all looked at the screen, we couldn't help but notice that it started shaking ever so slightly. Some of the kids looked at me in the back of the classroom to see if I was playing a little joke, then we all directed out attention to the projector hanging from a pole from the ceiling of the classroom, which was definitely trembling. “Is that...?” my teacher started to say, and looked at me. Suddenly the entire earth started to move.

“Under your desks, under your desks!” Mr. Valverde yelled in a voice I had never heard before. Like magic, the students simultaneously scurried their little bodies under their desks. “Protect your head!” He yelled again.

Well, I certainly wasn't going to argue, so Miss. Brittan shoved herself under her desk too! (Which is the same size as the student's I might add). It was probably the longest thirty seconds of my life. There, on the ground, I looked at the white tile underfoot. It had turned to a big pan of jello, it was moving up and down, swaying back and forth, impossible to stand on.

I suddenly realized that my teacher had completely endangered himself attempting to save the expensive projector dangling from the ceiling. I started feeling rather silly for being the teacher and hiding under my desk, so I bravely decided to peek my head out and move the curtain from the window next to me. Outside I could see teachers and students who were on the playground had started to gather in circles and sit on the ground.

“Is it over?” My teacher asked as he looked at me. I shook my head “no,” as there was still a little movement felt.

A few more seconds allowed the foundation to stabilize and everyone made a line and paraded outside to wait. At this time, everyone counted their students and accounted for staff members. For the next half hour, parents called, emailed, and some came to pick up their kids. But I assure you that an hour later, we were all back in the classroom and learning was in full speed, like nothing had ever happened.

As I returned to my desk, I swear I felt another earthquake coming, but I was told later it was probably just a tremor. I did feel dizzy and have a headache for the rest of the day – I think the whole “tile turning to jello” thing really messed with my equilibrium. And honestly, as I sit here in my living room and write this, I'm getting a little queasy! There's something unnerving and unsettling about having one's foundation taken from you, from seeing something completely stable and reliable become unpredictable and threatening.

My host brother sent me a lovely “Welcome to Costa Rica” text later that day, and my host mom swears that the earthquake happened just because “Sarah es en Costa Rica!” All this little darling knows, is if that's my first and last earthquake experience, I'll be just fine.

The earthquake was originally estimated at 7.9, but later was downgraded to a 7.6 – the strongest to hit Costa Rica in about 20 years. Only two deaths have been linked with the earthquake, and the entire country is working together to repair buildings, roads, and houses that were in the effected areas – there was no damage where I live, thank the Lord! Since the initial earthquake on Wednesday there have been hundreds of small tremors, mostly in the northwestern part of the country, including a magnitude 5.6 that happened yesterday. Don't worry – I haven't felt a thing!

Who would have ever thought that after countless fire drills, tornado drills, even lock-down drills, I would be lacking in the basics of “Earthquake Procedure” … well, not anymore =)


All for now,

XXOO

First Day of School!

Yesterday was my first day of school! Every day I walk a little ways down the winding neighborhoods to a busy street. I then get picked up and taken on the most beautiful route to International Christian School of Costa Rica. Oriana, the guidance counselor, is the one who picks me up - and her daughter Camila is in my class.

I am teaching 5^th grade with Mr. Valverde and so far I love it! Let me just tell you that these kids are SMART. They are all bilingual, as they all speak Spanish and this is a private English-speaking school, and some of them also speak Korean and/or Chinese. It’s absolutely incredible…and I feel rather foolish that I am there one-language-speaking-silly-young-American-teacher.

The school is fairly small - I have 21 kids in my class and there is another 5^th grade class with about the same. Most of these kids have known each other their entire lives, and they also know the teachers - so the first day of school really only felt like the first day to me.

These little kittens are BEYOND CUTE and say the funniest things! For example, when asked what a picture of a ship could be in their history books, one kid shouted “Christmas Columbus!”. Today at lunch I asked one of my students what I was drinking (in Spanish - I was so proud!) and she hesitated and said, “I am nervous to say because sometimes it sounds like a bad word…peach? Yes, it’s peach tea.” I laughed as I realized with a Spanish accent that word could certainly sound like something I would never want to be called.

It has only rained once so far during the day (unusual for the rainy season) but let me tell you, it was cats and dogs! Something I have to look forward to during these next months :p

I slowly getting used to this culture full of cheek-kissing, umbrella carrying, and endless soccer playing. It’s certainly different from home, but it’s becoming my home away…

Until next time, I’ll leave you with a little peck on the cheek!

XXOO

The look for a warm Wednesday...