So we've been in San Jose for 7 whole days, UNA SEMANA! Started classes last Thursday and it's been a blast thus far! Our eleven student-delegation is loving their host families and has even begun to take Costa Rican public transportation to and from school. We are taking advantage of all the positive experiences that this experience will reap.
As the only Black person, let alone the only Black woman in my Spanish class, I've been having some amazing discussions in Spanish about the differences between American, Costa Rican (tica) and German culture and systems, as there are two German students, Alex (pictured at left) and Nadine, another American name Joan, and lmi maestro Gabriel (pictured at right) in my class.
As the only Black person, let alone the only Black woman in my Spanish class, I've been having some amazing discussions in Spanish about the differences between American, Costa Rican (tica) and German culture and systems, as there are two German students, Alex (pictured at left) and Nadine, another American name Joan, and lmi maestro Gabriel (pictured at right) in my class.
Immersion is very much about conversation here. Five hours of Spanish everyday is no joke! Luckily thanks to the delegation of professors that traveled to Costa Rica from Bennett today, namely Dr. Bookman and Mr. Maghee students like me who have completed their general education Spanish requirements can receive credit for BOTH of the classes we are taking in these three weeks. THANK YOU DR, BOOKMAN AND SISTER, AND MR. MAGHEE!!!!!!!!!
Whether we're in class, taking a break, or discussing the sociology of global citizenship and eco-tourism with Dr. McLucas, we are having some great discourse. Yesterday, I had a really enlightening conversation about the differences between America, Costa Rica, and Germany in terms of health care, education, politics & government, and crime & punishment. The question was simple: " I learned a lot about the perspectives that "extranjeros," people from countries outside of the US, have about America and Americans. My German counterparts were astonished to find out some of the realities about the United States, and I was intrigued by the social and political practices and mores in Costa Rica and Alemania (Germany).
Today, my classmates and I designed a language school, well a language university, as an activity for learning the passive voice. Interestingly enough, signs in America that say "Se hablan Español" are grammatically incorrect. The class was muy interesante, and on top of that I finally learned the rules for using tildes in Spanish words, a burning question I've aways had. :)
Whether we're in class, taking a break, or discussing the sociology of global citizenship and eco-tourism with Dr. McLucas, we are having some great discourse. Yesterday, I had a really enlightening conversation about the differences between America, Costa Rica, and Germany in terms of health care, education, politics & government, and crime & punishment. The question was simple: " I learned a lot about the perspectives that "extranjeros," people from countries outside of the US, have about America and Americans. My German counterparts were astonished to find out some of the realities about the United States, and I was intrigued by the social and political practices and mores in Costa Rica and Alemania (Germany).
Today, my classmates and I designed a language school, well a language university, as an activity for learning the passive voice. Interestingly enough, signs in America that say "Se hablan Español" are grammatically incorrect. The class was muy interesante, and on top of that I finally learned the rules for using tildes in Spanish words, a burning question I've aways had. :)
After the first session. we had a delicious lunch, complements of two beautiful ticas that can throw down!
The menú was as follows
-tílapia (fish)
-frijóles (beans)
-arroz (rice)
-ensalada (salad)
-jugo del banano (banana flavored juice)
Tan Delicioso! (I wish I could find the upside down exclamation point on this thing....)
Despues del almuerzo (After lunch), we dove into our first class with Dr. McLucas! Heavy discussion about global civics. What is it? What is it for? Who needs it? How can we achieve it? Should we be striving for it? We analyzed all of these questions in the context of our trip, especially the community service aspect. We reminded each other that we are entitled to our opinions and perspectives as Americans, African-Americans, women, and the unique combination of the three that defines a large part of our human experience. However, we also reminded each other that to experience and/or evaluate an international experience in the same way that we would evaluate an experience in the States is to partially disregard and misunderstand the perspective of the indigenous people.
We decided that Black people, Black women especially, need to be exposed to opportunities to have a global experience and then to travel abroad with humanitarian and/or academic aims. The grew also adopted a new motto, coined by Ms. Sierra Cotton, for promoting study abroad programs: "IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, YOU WILL NOT GO!" We need to do both!!!!
Finally to close out the day we viewed a presentation, to be continued tomorrow, by engineer and environmental issue specialist Mauricio Blandino about what Eco-tourism really is and what role women play in its growth and developement.
We're really learning SOOOOOOOO much, and we are going to savor this experience for years to come! Sharing it with our sisters and spreading awareness about globablization!!!!
We decided that Black people, Black women especially, need to be exposed to opportunities to have a global experience and then to travel abroad with humanitarian and/or academic aims. The grew also adopted a new motto, coined by Ms. Sierra Cotton, for promoting study abroad programs: "IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, YOU WILL NOT GO!" We need to do both!!!!
Finally to close out the day we viewed a presentation, to be continued tomorrow, by engineer and environmental issue specialist Mauricio Blandino about what Eco-tourism really is and what role women play in its growth and developement.
We're really learning SOOOOOOOO much, and we are going to savor this experience for years to come! Sharing it with our sisters and spreading awareness about globablization!!!!
