Archive for the ‘Costa Rica’ Category

August 25th, 2010 - 7:14 am § in Costa Rica, Culture, In the Field, Tips & Resources

Lessons of Working in Another Culture

Long-term international development work is a unique experience. It’s quite different than just moving to a new city in your own culture to start a job. Not only do you know no one, but you also don’t know the culture and how they work. Can they work as a team? Can they not? Are they effici[...]

August 24th, 2010 - 12:56 pm § in Around Town, Costa Rica, Volunteer

Back to San Jose, Back to Excitement

Some might say that cities such as San Jose, Límon and Jaco in Costa Rica are ugly. Reasons for this ugliness might include poor air quality, a plethora of prostitutes searching for wealthy gringos (or vice versa), thieves on every corner, traffic jams, or the large amount of drug dealers. I guess [...]

August 9th, 2010 - 7:00 pm § in Costa Rica, Country, Culture, Guatemala

The Centries: Handing Out Awards to Central America

While you read this, I should be on a plane back to the States. As this Latin American production wraps up, I’d like to present the Centries, which honor the highlights of my Central American experience (the marketing department’s working on the name). Best special effects: The Friday me[...]

July 29th, 2010 - 12:26 pm § in Around Town, Costa Rica, Country, Culture, Day in the Life

Observing From the Inside

I’m always impressed by the kindness of strangers.  Sometimes in a world full of such turmoil, one forgets to believe it exists.  But it does.  You just have to pay attention. I’ve noticed a handful of random acts of kindness lately.  Either they’re happening more frequently or[...]

July 28th, 2010 - 5:00 pm § in Costa Rica, Looking for Opportunity, Tips & Resources, Volunteer

If I Won the Lottery Tomorrow: Why Everyone Should Volunteer

I think it should be mandatory for every university degree to include a volunteer component, whether locally or internationally. Why? I have recently returned to my home in Canada after eight months of working at a Costa Rican microfinance organization. Most of my friends have university degrees and[...]

July 21st, 2010 - 11:01 am § in Around Town, Costa Rica, Country, Good Ideas, Guatemala, Panama, Tips & Resources

Getting Schooled in Spanish Schools

Well, I’ve done this all backward. More than six months after coming to Central America, I’m finally taking a long-term shot at Spanish school. I decided on the school I’m at – Sol Latino in in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala – after hearing good feedback from some travelers I met. B[...]

July 15th, 2010 - 12:20 pm § in Around Town, Costa Rica, Country, Culture, Event, In the Field

Ode to Costa Rica

In my last post, I don’t think I was very convincing of living la vida idealist, naming all the possible health problems I could get and how I have lots of time in this slower pace of life to sit and think about them. So with this space, I’m going to do the opposite and [...][...]

July 14th, 2010 - 5:00 pm § in Costa Rica, Country, Culture, Nicaragua

Living the High Life (and not even knowing it)

I don’t know why I hate the idea of me being rich. Maybe its because I don’t like people who flaunt money, or because I’m jealous I never will be rich, or because I’m a good-old America-hating socialist. Whatever it is, that label was put upon me recently. It made me really u[...]

July 14th, 2010 - 9:51 am § in Costa Rica, Culture, In the Field, Op Ed

Profits vs. People

Costa Rica is arguably the most “developed” country in Central America. But at what cost has this “development” been attained? Is it really an accomplishment to be able to say, ¨We cater to the interests of gringos better than anyone else?¨ Or would it be more noble to pass[...]

July 6th, 2010 - 5:23 pm § in Costa Rica, Culture, Day in the Life, Volunteer

Is Living in Latin America Turning Me Into a Hypochondriac?

Yes.  The answer is yes. I have officially been self-diagnosed with hypochondriacism.  Is that a word?  Surely it must be a disease?  And surely, I have it. I think I first became a hypochondriac when I moved to a village of 700 in the mountains of Costa Rica just over a year ago.  A village fa[...]





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