Awhile back, I learned an important lesson about international volunteering. As Peace Corps volunteers we enter our communities for two years equipped with an entire flash drive full of resources (ideas, pre-made programs, previously used programs, workshops, talks, etc.), most of them tried and tru[...]
Archive for the ‘Costa Rica’ Category
Warning to Women: Thicken Your Skin, Machismo Awaits in Costa Rica
With a female president and numerous high ranking female politicians, one would tend to think that the Costa Rican people are progressive in terms of gender issues. It is for this reason that I am surprised by the level of machismo, or paternalistic ways of thinking and acting that exist in the coun[...]
Take Your Own Advice
The first thing I noticed was the smell. Stepping off the plane around 10 p.m. after nearly being turned around due to a lack of visibility as we flew through a lightning storm, I was hit with the humid smell of San Jose. (I can’t describe it really; it’s something you have to smell it [[...]
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[...]
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 [...]
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[...]
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[...]
