School has started!!!!!

Monday the school held a meet and greet for the parents, teachers and admin. This is typically done to start the school year off, a wonderful idea!

It was separated into 2 meetings, one for the expats held in English, and then later for the Tico’s held in Spanish. All the expats brought their kids, so it was a good opportunity for us newbies to meet each other, kids to play, and be given a general orientation of the school, look into classrooms etc.

The 2 storied building above, to the left of Rich, (orange shirt), has some administration offices downstairs and the 5th and 6th grade classrooms upstairs, (Luca’s rooms). Here they are…

After the orientation had finished we walked to the Friends Library to stock up….

Luca photo bombing my photo of the view 🙂

It was a glorious day!

When over this way of town Luca has his “regulars” that run to greet him and follow us around, for hours sometimes. These ones we have named Fred and Ginger, seemed appropriate, though the reference may well be lost on some ,(we are clearly showing our age!!!!!) 🙂

As always, going to the library means going passed the cheese factory, which inevitably means an ice cream. We justified it this time by needing cheese, and it would be rude not to partake in an ice cream whilst there 🙂

Fred and Ginger made themselves comfortable and waited while we ate…

the staff and patrons did not disturb them, just eased around them getting through the door 🙂

Then it was off to the CASEM to a little Tico restaurant behind the Women’s Co Op that we have been meaning to check out. It was going on 2pm and we were all very hungry! The food was delicious! We had a lovely conversation with a traveler, who conveniently is a Spanish teacher, and helped us out with the ordering of food 🙂 Originally from the US, she has been to Costa Rica many times and also lived and taught in Guatemala, which was of interest because we are planning a trip there. She was very knowledgeable and patiently answered all our questions! If you are reading this Liz, thank you!!!!!

As we walked through town we grabbed some groceries and finally made it home at 6:30pm, Pica eagerly greeting us on arrival, we had left at 9:30am. She is such a good girl, puts herself to bed and waits, never gives any issues.

The next day Luca started classes. So an early start to catch the bus at 7:30am

Rich and I went with him on the bus and stuck around until circle time.

Circle time is held before classes start in the morning, some exercises and a few messages given, then it is off to start the school day.

Luca did have that “deer in headlights” look, poor kid. He is the only expat in his class of 21. All the other kids are Tico and know each other, so chat away in Spanish, I know he feels a bit lost, but he is determined, and off he goes.

All his teacher are so kind, thoughtful and have made us all feel very welcome. There are 2 teachers in every class, at least one of them speaks English to help Luca out. Some classes are held in English, some in Spanish. Luca in addition has a one on one Spanish teacher, I was sent this during the day yesterday, of Luca doing his Spanish lesson 🙂 How cool that he can be in his favorite environment,(outside), and have a lesson?!!!!!.

He got off the bus smiling last night so that was a good sign 🙂

Rich and I had met up with another expat couple in the morning for coffee which was so nice, and when Luca came home from school our neighbor came over with her 2 boys and we went for a jungle walk. These are the neighbors that are expats, have been in Monteverde a year, have 3 kids in school here and have decided to stay on. They have been invaluable to us, such a wonderful source of information and help, Luca loves their kids, we are so lucky to have them close by.

The local vendors now know we are living here,(not just passing through), so they call by with their wares, it is wonderful! It great to be able to support and get to know the local community members more.

Today it was a couple selling freshly made tamales, so time consuming to make, and delicious! The only thing I can compare it to, is how our food in New Zealand tastes after coming out of a hangi. Instead of flax leaves they use banana leaves and don’t use a pit oven ,(that I am aware of anyway), but the result is similar in taste to that of hangi food.

and the fruit vendor called by. One of my favorite fruit at the moment are the mamon chino, so delicious, they must be in season because they are plentiful!

You eat the white round part inside.

Luca has just arrived home and said it was a good day, he is off now to play with the kids next door, therefore all is well in our world, when he is happy so are we 🙂