We Interrupt This Program For A Special Report

For those of you who don't know me personally, you may not realize that my family lives in south Louisiana and that I own a house just outside of New Orleans. As I write this post, most of my family (the ones with any sense) have evacuated from the area in anticipation of Hurricane Gustav and are safely ensconsed in hotels and the homes of other family members. Of course, we are all concerned about our homes and about those who didn't leave. This is especially hard on me since I'm so far away...not that I could do much to change the situation if I were there. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Dolphins, Coral and Fun in the Sun

On Saturday, Julia and I explored several places as part of a tour. First stop was an area where dolphins are known to hang out and play. We did see several, but they were far away from the boat and didn't spend a lot time out of the water.







Next, we went snorkeling. This was the second time in a week I'd been snorkeling but the two experiences were very different. Before, I saw lots of beautiful, colorful fish. Yesterday, I saw lots of beautiful, colorful coral. I've taken pictures, but again have to have them developed.

We moved and snorkeled at another location but I didn't stay in the water long. Instead, Julia and I had beverages and enjoyed the view from this small restaurant...



Finally, we headed to a private beach where we soaked up the sun, enjoyed the water and hung out at the bar.

Just Another Day in Paradise

I’m spending the weekend in Bocas del Toro, Panama with my friend Julia. We’re here because tourist visas in Costa Rica only last for 90 days. After that time, you have to leave the country for 3 days before you can get a new 90 day visa. So, Julia and I paid for a package that includes transportation from San Jose to the island of Bocas del Toro, two nights in the hotel, three days of breakfast and a tour. We left San Jose Friday morning at 6 a.m. and arrived at the hotel about 3:30 p.m. Of course, that was 3:30 p.m. Panama time, which is an hour ahead of Costa Rica time. We made the time change as we walked across the bridge from Costa Rica to Panama. I felt like a refugee and I pulled my suitcase behind when we crossed this bridge… Once we crossed the bridge, we took a taxi to the boat launch. From here, it was about an hour to the island. Just kidding! This wasn't our boat. We actually took a speedboat that seated 20, along with all the luggage. Along the way, I took lots of photos and video. The first part of the trip was a lot like taking a bayou tour - not something I needed to do since I live in swamp country. However, once we hit the Carribean waters, it was a different story. Check back for the video clips.








Bocas del Toro is a tourist town. Many, many ex-pats in Costa Rica come here on a "visa run" every three months. There is a main street that is colorful and fun. Julia and I walked through the town last night before dinner. Dinner was one of the worst experiences I've had since coming to Central America. They were out of three of the items I ordered (cerviche, shrimp cocktail and steak) and the "prawns" I ordered were ridiculous. I've seen bigger shrimp come off the boats on the Gulf Coast so these were definitely not prawns. The service was pretty bad as well. The only good thing was the view from the deck chairs before dinner... After a long day, we returned to our hotel which has air conditioning in the room! Hallelejuh! I haven't slept in an air conditioned room in three months!

I'm a day behind on the postings. All of this happened on Friday and it's Saturday evening right now. Today was an eventful day as well and I have lots to share, but I'm too tired to do anymore tonight. So, check back tomorrow for a recounting of Saturday's adventures!

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish...LSU Fish?

I got the photos back from my underwater excursion the other day. Unfortunately, they don't do justice to the beautiful colors on the fish that I saw.

There was one in particular that I kept trying to capture on film because the colors were purple and gold...LSU colors!

My First Day of School

Today was my first day as "Teacher Tracie" at The Green H School. It was a very interesting experience. My 5th grade class only has 4 students...3 boys and a girl. One of the boys speaks very little English and I'm not sure how much he understands. Another talks non-stop. I'm not sure what the behavior standards are at the school but I don't remember being allowed to chat during class when I was in 5th grade!

I had the same issue in the 6th grade class as well. There are 12 students in the class and 3 or 4 of them like to chat constantly. Again, I have student who speaks very little English. Fortunately, in both classes there are students who can translate. However, since the objective is to improve their English skills I won't be able to rely on my student translators.

The schools uses a pretty complex schedule...I don't have the same students at the same time each day. Every day it is a different schedule and I've had to figure out how plan 4 sessions each of science, reading, spelling and grammar throughout the week. Fortunately, the material is pretty easy to teach, although I did have a scary moment today trying to remember the difference between linking verbs and action verbs when the verbs are words such as looked, seemed, sounded, etc.!

Not sure if I've told the story about the school. The official name is The Green House School because it is designed around the gardens, hills, etc. that are part of the property. This is what I see when I look out the windows of my 5th grade classroom...






And from my 6th grade classroom...



So, I've finished my first day and I'm exhausted! I'm heading to bed now!

A Trip To Turtle Island

On Saturday, I took a tour to Isla Tortuga, or Turtle Island, so named because of the way it looks from the water...not because there are lots of turtles. The trip started early (I met the tour bus at 6 a.m.) and we stopped for a typical Costa Rican breakfast along the way. The view from the restaurant was beautiful, of course, and I got some great photos of the various trees and cacti around the restaurant.







Once we boarded the boat, the real fun began. The weather was wonderful, the vista was beautiful, and the music was fun and fiesty...







When we reached Isla Tortuga, I went snorkeling. I took pictures with an underwater disponsible camera. I have to get those pictures developed, but they are worth waiting for. I saw some of the most gorgeous fish...multicolored fish with brilliant colors and designs. I'll post those as soon as I get them back.

The island has a small beach and caters to tourists. The water was gorgeous, the sand was clean and white, and the metal building housed a huge souvenir store. Like I said...catering to the tourists!







There were a couple of exotic animals on the island. A very smart parrot that repeated what others said and a creepy looking boar that wandered the souvenir shop.




All in all, it was a wonderful day and I was exhausted when I finally got home around 8 p.m. I forgot to put sunscreen on my nose so I looked like Rudolph today but it was worth it for the fun I had! To see more photos, click here.

Patacones...A Typical Costa Rican Dish (and one of my favorites!)

Today in my cooking class, we made patacones. This is one of my favorite dishes here. It can be a side dish or the main meal, depending on how much you make and how hungry you are!

Patacones
Plantains
Cooking Oil
Salt

Peel and cut plantains 1" thick. Place in hot oil in skillet. When bottom half of plantain has changed color, turn over. When the whole piece has changed color, take out of skillet. Press flat. Return to skillet and cook in oil on both sides. Add salt to taste. Serve with guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese and/or beans.









Beans
Mashed Black Beans - 1 to 2 cans
Garlic - 6 or 7 cloves
Cooking Oil
Sugar
Coffee
salsa inglesa - Lizano

Dice garlic and sauté in pot. Add canned beans and stir. Mix in a spoonful of sugar, a heaping spoonful of coffee, and two spoonfuls of salsa inglesa. Stir. Add dash of cooking oil if too thick.


Pico de Gallo
Tomato
Onion
Cilantro
Lemon Juice

Finely chop tomato, onion and cilantro. Mix together. Add lemon juice to taste.

Mi Escuela de Español

I took a couple of photos of my the place where I'm taking Spanish lessons. I met with my teacher this afternoon and we spent two hours chatting about all kinds of things, including Mardi Gras. Trying to explain the chaos and fun of Mardi Gras in another language is pretty difficult! Tomorrow, we have a cooking class at the school so I'll have more pictures and a recipe to post.