Q&A (Audrey blog entry)

The Gavin kids (in Panama)

I realize that I'm way overdue with a blog entry.  Thought I would try something different…  Questions and answers (without Tom, btw…he is in the U.S. for work this week…)   Here goes!   Favorite things about CR? -"Lights in the city at night" (lulu) -"Fireworks at Christmas time" (char) -"The vacations" (jack) -"I like the people in my class. I like that it is a small country we can get to know. I love our house here and I love when visitors come and showing them around." (ella)

Liadan (and iguana behind her)

  And a few additions of my own… -Frequent and beautiful rainbows -Friendly and unfailingly polite people with much less of a “keeping up with Jones’s” approach to life -Costa Rican’s patience with my lack of natural aptitude for languages :) -Fireworks and parades, etc. throughout the year…always looking for a reason to celebrate here -Kiddie sized ice cream cones that are actually kiddie sized! -No winter (although that would be on the negative list for the kids) -A school that encourages creativity, public speaking, independent thinking, etc.  

Jack at a waterfall he discovered with Tom while on a hike in CR

  Not so favorite things about CR? -"The wind at the house sometimes!" (ella and lulu) -"No snow" (kids) -"Being the only non-fluent Spanish speaker in class" (Jack) -"Dogs roaming around (most are owned but some are strays)" (Ella) -The obvious first and foremost thing – family and friends aren’t here! (me) -No fall (me)    

Charlie with his grasshopper (which he made out of palm leaves)

What do you think of learning Spanish? -“I think it is interesting and I love learning it” (Charlie) -“I think it is hard.” (Lia) -“I think it is good to learn Spanish; sometimes it can be hard but it’s a lot of fun at the same time” (Ella) -“Spanish is confusing, but addicting.” (Jack) -“Humbling” (me)   What do you think about living in the mountains? -“I like living in the mountains because you can see amazing sunset and rainbows and the lights in the city.” (Ella) -“It is not too hot and not too cold; it is just warm enough.” (Charlie) -“I like it up here b/c there aren’t that many people up here so it’s quiet and peaceful and there are cows and dogs!” (Lia) -“Its pretty, but it is also isolated up here.” (Jack) -“The view, the view, the view. And the peaceful feeling of being away when you are up here.” (me)   Would you ever want to move abroad again (either as a kid or when you are a grown up?)? If so, where? -“I would rather stay here for another year.” (Charlie) -“I want to live in Ireland for a few months.” (Lia) -“I would go with my kids someday, somewhere in Central America.” (Ella) -“I want to live in Mali or Ghana in West Africa.” (Jack) -“If it ever worked out, in a heartbeat.” (me)   What surprised you about CR? - “I thought it was going to be burning hot every day.” (Lia) -“That a lot of people speak English.”   (Charlie) -“That there was a sloth on our street!” (Jack) -“That I made friends quickly at school and really liked school” (Ella)   Coolest animal you’ve seen? - Toucans – (Lia) - Endangered scarlet macaw and zebra tarantula in Tical   (Jack) - Crocodiles   (Ella) - Aracari (bird) and quetzal   (Charlie) - Boa (me)   Favorite/Least Favorite meal at school (kids required to clean their plate every day) - "I like all of the lunches, except for the eggplant."  (Charlie) - "My least favorite was beans,   my favorite – spaghetti and lentil soup."  (Lia) - "Favorite – salmon with potatoes; Least favorite – lentil soup."  (Ella) - "I don’t like their lunches."  (Jack)