Yes. The answer is yes. I have officially been self-diagnosed with hypochondria. 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 far aw[...]
Posts Tagged ‘La Vida Idealist’
June 20th, 2010 - 10:00 am § in Culture, Dominican Republic
A Lesson in History: Race on the Island of Hispañola
Growing up in the U.S., I got used to talking about race or describing someone by their skin color in a careful manner, afraid to offend someone or say something wrong. This inhibition has been eradicated after spending over two years in the Dominican Republic where a person’s skin color is used a[...]
Nicaragua to Alaska: An Unlikely Duo
I joined the ranks of La Vida because I am an idealist. I believe that, in one way or another, it is our duty to give back what we can. I believe in the right to energy, clean drinking water and education. I believe that idealists who volunteer can make a direct impact and pay [...][...]
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction
People drawn to Idealist are those who want to improve their corner of the world. We follow Canadian physician William Osler’s maxim that “we are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life.” But it’s important to cast your desire to add to the world in [...]
Wrapping My Brain (and Tongue) Around Spanish
My uvula shook as I said the word despejar.: “Despehhhhar.” My friend Pilar smiled. “You sound Spanish,” she said.* “Huh?” I kind of thought that was the point. “The ‘hhhh.’” she said. “That’s from Spain. Listen: ‘dehar,’” she said, using a shorter a[...]
May 24th, 2010 - 8:19 am § in Costa Rica, Volunteer
The Seven Cruelest Concepts for English Language Learners
If you can read this, you are incredibly fortunate. Not because it’s a one-of-a-kind Kent Green blog. The skill of understanding English is something people from countries like the United States, England and Australia simply grow up with. Most are oblivious that it’s something billions o[...]
