Experience Choices With an S.

Today after class, a bunch of us went to downtown San Jose to do a language exchange with some Spanish speaking students who are learning English. This is said to be a great opportunity to both learn and give help to those in need. Olger, our teacher, lead the group onto the appropriate bus and into the school where student go to learn English. Olger is our teacher at ILISA, and he is also a teacher at the school we’re going, which is a branch of ILISA only by a different name that escapes my memory. Usually Olger does not speak English to us, because the curriculum forbids it, as it will help us learn quicker, but today, after class, he was talking up an English storm. That may have been the most comma’s I’ve ever used in once sentence. I hope I used them well enough for them to not be considered accomplices in a run-on-sentence; I’m sure Bridget will let me know if it is. The class in which I was “exchanging” was being taught by my conversation teacher, Jorge. He is also the teacher that Christa and I are developing a large crush on (he has the cutest accent when he speaks in English). Regardless, Jorge had me and two other ILISA students helping small groups of three with their English homework. To us, this work is simple. Things we would have learned in 4th or 5th grade, but to them, it is very difficult. It was both interesting and relieving to find that there are other people in the world that are struggling with a new language. That shit is fucking hard! Here in this class, we began to talk about the word sense and all of its different conjugations i.e. sensible, sensitive, senses, sense, sensation, etc. We came to sensitive issues when Jorge asked the class what they think are sensitive issues and are difficult to talk about. Most of the class responded with things like, religion, politics, and sex. But one student responded with sexual orientation. This is a sensitive issue for me, but only when I sense a feeling of animosity towards the subject. I felt that animosity in this class room and I quickly became very uncomfortable. Most of class agreed that it isn’t a big deal, but there were a few students that felt very strongly for the other hand. I’ve been asked to go back, but I don’t know if I want to. None of the students in that class room know that I’m gay, except maybe the one’s that I arrived with, but even still, it is scary. Apparently it is even more frowned upon to be a homosexual in Costa Rica, than it is in Utah in the heart of an LDS family. I suddenly feel significantly less safe...

On another, more enjoyable note, Jeff and I were sure that we finally knew our way from our casa tika to downtown San Pedro. And, in spite our last attempt, we accomplished just what we set out to do. It took us about 2 hours to walk to school today, what with all the stop go to look in the different shops on the way. At times, I felt as though my body would poop out on me; I’ve been feeling extremely beat these last 2 days. For the longest time I could not figure out why, but after analyzing which muscles gave me discomfort, I came to the conclusion that it was from all the swing dancing Shay and I had been doing on Saturday. She and I started just for a laugh when we were in Punta Leona, but as she began to feel stronger about how “naturally good” I am at the swinging, we began to do more difficult moves. I was literally throwing her about my body, just as one imagines when picturing partners swinging. Needless to say, there are few sore spots on my body. But honestly, I’m really excited to keep learning. I promised to go to the Union Station on Wednesdays with her when we get back; they’re swing dance nights in Ogden. This means I’ll have to pull out the Zuka suit and the Bengay.

That is all for now, but stay in touch. Loves and such from Costa Rica!


Xoxoxo
Derek.