CELTA, Week 2: Electric Boogaloo

Second week of CELTA went by just as blazingly fast as the first—so fast, in fact, that I didn't sit down to write about it until Wednesday of the third week! The upshot is that there's not much more I need to expound upon as it's all the same, only more of it.

The one notable thing is that I have new students now; you switch from an Intermediate class to an Elementary class about halfway through, so you can get practice at both levels. While my new students are total sweethearts and generally quite nice, I do miss my chatty, funny, Intermediate class.



The last day of week two (which was actually their first day with their new teachers), they bought us soda and cake and we had a little snack party after the day was over. IT'S SO SWEET THAT I CAN BARELY STAND IT AHH. ;-;

Bonus game: play "find the teacher" with that photo. There are three!

Afterwards was "conversation club," which is more like "go to the bar down the street and relax with a few glasses of Imperial."





A few cocktails in, and a few of us (two other teachers and one student) decided to go to "Monster Pizza."









And if it seems like all I'm doing here is basking in the sun and drinking, it's because that's the only thing I'm doing that's actually interesting to write about. Going on about language analysis and all the self-evaluations and essays I'm writing and the classes I'm taking isn't exactly riveting material. Suffice it to say, it's not all peaches and cream. It's actually mostly the mushy vegetables you have to eat before you can have your dessert.

Fortunately, this Friday we have a brief respite from all of this; afternoon classes are canceled and so myself and two other teachers are going to Arenal Park, home to an active volcano, hot springs, horseback riding, and the cherry on top: The Venado Caves.

Costa Rica Picture Post!

My digs! Not pictured is my own private bathroom to the left of the nightstand, and my little tiny desk. It's a small room, but the price is right and I have an amazing living room and balcony for when I want to do my work. (I am a introverted anti-social weirdo, though, so I do spend a lot of time working in here.)












My walk to school every day.




Mostly, Jaime and I spent today shopping in the downtown area, combing the little tourist-y stalls as well as the nicer shops.



This little guy was just hanging out behind his grandma's stall (I ended up buying too expensive pants from her, but they are awesome pants that need a photo unto themselves), being adorable.



Of course after a long day shopping, we deserved some dessert.



A GOOEY CARAMEL CENTER WHAT IS THIS I DON'T EVEN—

Next Saturday I have to observe a class, so weekend meanderings will again be limited to San Jose. Hopefully, I'll be able to get out and about the area a little bit more after that.

Musical Interlude

Hearing all the Spanish around me—specifically, a preponderance of "Si!"s—has put this song on "repeat one" in my head. It's Glenn Miller and (I think) one of the Andrews sisters.

Mission: Bats

First of all, the MSoE! put together a lovely bat treasury.


Second of all, I am a mission to find one of these guys before I leave Costa Rica:



How cute!

Almost Disappearing

This will be my world for the next six weeks. I'm taking a month-long TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification course in Costa Rica, and then traveling around for an extra two weeks (because when else will I be in Costa Rica?). Crafting will go on hiatus, though I plan on scouting rock-geeky things (caves!) when I get the time. And coming home with all kinds of nifty supplies.

Pura vida!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Time for National Novel-Writing Month! Is it sad that, even though I have a degree in Creative Writing, November is the only time I sit down to really write?

If you're burned out on your 1,667 words a day, stop by my NaNoWriMo treasury and check out items that might help you on your journey to fifty thousand. See you on the other side!


Large Cozy Afghan by roundabout1.