Better Late than Never!

It's September 14 and over a month since I last posted...oops.
I wish I could blame it on my "super busy schedule," but I think it has more to do with the fear of not giving the trip justice in my reflection.
So, I'll keep in simple and organize it in a way that my currently sleep-deprived Wellesley brain can handle...bullet-point!

• Los Retos son Oportunidades: Challenges are Opportunities
• This trip was far from easy; it challenged me physically, mentally, and emotionally, and I returned to the U.S. with a greater awareness of my limits, strengths, and weaknesses. My leadership and teaching philosophies were challenged and improved, and although I'm no where near fluent in Spanish, my confidence level is higher than when I began.
• People will be people; you can set high expectations for yourself, but don't automatically assume that others are in the same place. Question your responses to difficult situations and improve upon them. Walk away if necessary and ALWAYS remember your number one goal (in my case, the kids).
• Enseñanza: Teaching
• If I could only say one thing about teaching, it's this: Children WANT to LEARN. I knew when I walked into a classroom that I would probably get stuck with the little boy in the front row who I had just witnessed screaming and chasing the girls at recess. However, when we brought out the crayons and colored paper, he was always the first one to ask and answer questions. And the group of girls who talk and talk and talk and then remain silent when you ask them their opinion? Even if you assure them that there's no right or wrong answer, they'll still sit there and stare at you. Try hand motions. Kids will use body language and movement to express their feelings until they gradually warm to your presence. 
• Finally, kids have it figured out. If you're standing around at recess, they will hand you the end of the rope so that they can jump with their friends. They will yell at the line-jumper in order to maintain a fair game, and they will correct you if you use the wrong verb conjugation. So...LISTEN. Knowledge is a mutual exchange and brilliant ideas often come from unexpected sources.
• Líderazgo : Leadership
• Quite simply, people will piss you off. Crying and swearing into you pillow provide temporary relief, but are not solutions. Maintain your beliefs and integrity and do what's best for the team.
• Learn by example: observe the girl who has the patience of a saint and model her techniques. (Even if you don't fully succeed, it might limit your F-bombs.)

In conclusion...

Did I enjoy my trip? 

Yes (and no, but I really don't wish to reiterate past frustrations). I'm grateful for the mistakes made and lessons learned, and for the amazing children that taught me more than I've learned in 19 years of formal education. I loved visiting two beautiful countries with welcoming locals and rich traditions. Most of all, I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to grow as a person.

What should I do now?

Currently, I'm preparing to present my experience with two other volunteers (both members of the Nicaraguan team, one of whom was on the leadership team [note: I was a leader on the Costa Rican team]) at Wellesley's Tanner Conference, an event that showcases student reflections on summer programs and internships.

I plan on using tools learned during this trip in my future teaching positions (all volunteer; I don't plan on pursuing a career in education), as well as in my studies and extra-curricular activities.

Thank you for following my blog! This was a wonderful outlet for my thoughts and feelings, and I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to share with friends and family.

Abrazos y besos,

Katie Suchyta

Directora/Jefa/Maestra...Gringa (Principal/Boss/Teacher...)

Hello! Sorry that it's been so long; I've been using most of my free time napping :)
Since it's been two weeks, I think it'll be easier for my sanity to process information if I write my favorite moments day-by-day...

19 & 20 Teaching at Capulin
Capulin is a small school about a fifteen minute walk from our residence. The school had a new principal who didn't know about our organization and who didn't want us to interfere with the students' classes. Solution? Teach grades 4-6 in the morning (they have class in the afternoon) and 2-3 in the afternoon (class in the morning). Grace passed out permission slips after school and when the first day arrived, kids came running with slips in hand. I had never seen anything like it! I didn't teach at Capulin as it was my turn as materials person (pass out supplies to volunteers/take notes on teaching skills/take photos) and for this reason, my presence created some confusion among the kids. According to some of the volunteers, the kids assumed that I was the directora (principal) or jefa (boss). My favorite, however, was a girl named Shelby. When I first met Shelby, she was disappointed that I wasn't teaching and would give me a big smile whenever I passed by her group. On the second day, as we made a big circle to reintroduce ourselves, I heard someone yell, "GRINGA!" from across the circle. I looked up and saw Shelby pointing to the space next to her, "AQUI!" (Here!) So, I went and stood next to her. It wasn't until she told the boy next to her to shut up (his talking was preventing us from beginning) that I realized she was EXACTLY like me at that age! (and now, of course) In addition to Shelby, there was a young boy named Luis who presented more of a challenge to some of the volunteers (aka, he was a pain in the ass). Whenever I passed by his group, Antonio, a volunteer, would look at Luis, point at me, and say, "Do you want to go with her?" I'd give Luis my best "boss lady" face and raise an eyebrow. He'd give me a look of terror. At the end of the day, he insisted on being in the photo with Shelby and me...

21 & 22 Festival & Show SIN Talento
Since Guanacaste (the region in which Liberia is located) is currently celebrating its annexation into Costa Rica, the city hosted a festival. On Saturday we strolled around eating churros and plantain chips, rode rides (I took pictures instead), and pretended to assess the multitudes of livestock (so. many. bulls.). It was great to relax and participate in the celebration! Here's me with my Prince Charming...

On Sunday night, I emceed the annual show (without) talent. Volunteers rapped, danced to Saturday Night Fever, performed a skit based on the personalities of the group, and did a humorous take on the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet ("Julieta" had two boyfriends...Romeo, and Lomeo). I laughed so hard, I cried, and considering I was parodied twice, I consider the show a wonderful success :)

23 Teaching at Nazareth
We returned to Nazareth, this time to teach the 5th grade. I taught a lesson on the artist Chagall with Jean to a group of three: Keylin, Jordan, and Bryan (left to right). The group was very quiet at first, especially Keylin, but soon relaxed and participated in the lesson.

24-27 Teaching at Curubande, Playa Nacascolo, & Mini Adventures
On Tuesday, we traveled to a small school called Curubande to teach Kinder-6. I taught an ocean lesson with Erick to the Kindergardeners (Hooray!) and a lesson on teamwork (as a team since there were only six students) to the sixth graders. The kindergarders were ADORABLE and knew their colors in English! However, I think my favorite part was getting to twirl the jump rope in between classes :)

(Sofia, Megan, Kendall, & Estiven)

(Back row: Sarah, Erick, Me, Bryant. Not pictured: Deisi)

(Front row: Evelyn, Luz Maria, Fiorela, Richard, Joan, Juan Daniel)

Wednesday was a holiday, so we took a field trip to Playa Nacascolo. The beach is privately owned, so it was free of the multitudes of tourists and quite relaxing.

We were supposed to teach at Curubande on Thursday, but arrived to an empty school (the kids were given a day off to sleep after the holiday). So, we stopped and took pictures on the way back to the residence...

Also on Thursday, we visited a local prison-turned-museum where we found children practicing for a concert. We attended the concert later that night expecting a short children's concert...little did we know that we would get the chance to hear Costa Rica's National Symphony Orchestra! (Which was fantastic, by the way.)

We returned to Curubande on Friday to teach for our second and final time. When we arrived, the principal informed us that all the teachers and staff were going to attend a funeral and that we'd be in charge of all the children (!). So, we got to work! I taught the ocean lesson with Antonio to a group of first graders:

(Zeylin, Josephine, Anderson, Meybelin, Omar, Jose Pablo, Me)

I knew when I walked into the classroom and saw Anderson and Jose Pablo (two trouble makers who like to chase the girls at recess) that they would be in my group (fate has a way of laughing at me). However, they participated wonderfully :)

Once word got around that the teachers weren't at school, only seven children from 2nd, 5th, and 6th grade arrived for their late-morning classes. So, we made the best of the situation and half of us taught and half of us cleaned! Antonio and I had the pleasure of teaching the ocean lesson to two 2nd grade girls and I even translated an old Girl Scout shark song (with movements!) to sing with them.

Shark song!

(Me, Kiany, Yuliana, Antonio posing as our favorite sea animals: octopus, fish, and sea stars)

28 & 29 Open House

This weekend was pretty low-key except for our Open House on Saturday night with past and present volunteers. We enjoyed an incredible dinner of arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) with all types of fruits, side dishes, and cake!

30 & 31 Teaching at Salto and...More Kittens!
Teaching at Salto was probably the most exhausting and most rewarding of all the schools. We taught full days (woke up at the crack of dawn, taught from 8 to 4) and had to maintain our energy in order to give our whole selves to the kids. The principal was wonderful; she gave us lunch on our second day (a traditional corn and chicken soup) and had us participate in a civic duty presentation (in celebration of the holiday).
In addition to our teaching, one of the cats in the residence gave birth to three kittens!

(Roberto, Nella, Isaac, Fanny, Dylan, Me)

(2nd Grade, lesson on the artist Kandinsky)

(Nella, Alexander, Adriana, Seylin, Me, Gina)

(5th Grade, lesson on Haiku)

(Victor, Jostin, Me, Katherin, Cristian. Not pictured: Lindsey, my teaching partner)

(3rd Grade, Kandinsky)

(Back: Jimena, Nella, Jeison, Anderson, Noelia. Front: Valeria, Me)

(4th Grade, Haiku)

More kittens!

(Victor, Cristian, Lindsey, Katherin, Me, Jostin)

(3rd Grade, Picasso)

(Jimena, Jeison, Me, Anderson, Noelia, Valeria. Not pictured: Lindsey)

(4th Grade, Chagall)

Traditional soup!

Kindergardeners :)

Volunteer (and fellow Support Person) Bryant trying to lasso the bull!

Alexander to the rescue! (Or not...)

(Isaac, Roberto, Me, Dylan)

(2nd Grade, Picasso)

Roberto gave me his artwork...I wanted him to take it home, but he insisted that I take it. He revealed to me that his mother burns his artwork. It broke my heart, but at least he knows that it will be cherished.

(Seylin, Alexander, Me, Adriana, Gina)

(5th Grade, Chagall)

My first time teaching alone!

August 1 (!) Last Day of Teaching and Community Project

We returned to Nazareth for our last day of teaching, this time with the sixth grade. I decided to push myself and teach alone again, this time with a more difficult lesson-Haiku. Things went well, but I did have some difficulty explaining some of the material. Thankfully, I was able to connect with my students and they were soon finishing my sentences! Tiffany even attempted to speak a couple phrases in English :)

After the lesson, we had time to play a game, and a fellow volunteer (Emily) and I decided on Rana y Moscas (Frog and Flies). Between the two of us, we were able to explain the game...what followed was absolute hilarity. Cristopher proved to be quite the actor, dying dramatically as he sprawled across the floor. After observing my quick method of killing (as a the frog), Tiffany proved to be a master-she killed almost everyone before the investigator figured out that she was the frog. Soon, we joined with two other groups and had a blast as one big group. At the end, the students performed a cute little chant in which they threw us besos (kisses). It was a perfect way to end our time teaching :)

(Tatiana, Tiffany, Cristopher, Me)

After teaching, we returned to Curubande to clean and organize a supply closet as our community project. Five hours later, the mini library was reorganized, garbage thrown out, the place clean, and the principal happy :)

August 2 (I still can't believe it's August) Playa Conchal

We went on our last field trip today to Playa Conchal, a beautiful beach consisting of crushed shells. Although I returned with crushed shells everywhere (and I mean everywhere), I had a blast in the waves-the current pushed us back and forth, allowing us to body surf close to shore. 

(We didn't realize the tide came up so far!)

As it is now 2am Costa Rica time, I think I will end here :) However, I do have less than a week left, so look forward to some reflections!

Abrazos y besos!

Counting to 10 and TEACHING!

The past 3 days have been like a roller coaster minus the safety harness...

We woke up Monday to a barely-there breakfast (one of the cooks wanted to make rice and eggs, but we didn't have eggs, so he decided to just serve tiny triangles of toast with some fruit). Kendall and I quickly whipped up some oatmeal, and I kept my mouth shut while washing dishes to prevent any snappiness (I'm mean when I'm hungry!). Then came the meeting during which I made at least 10 announcements covering everything from making enough food to participating in after-breakfast cleaning to cleaning your own dishes after you decide to buy and cook yourself a steak (you know, the obvious but apparently not so obvious responsibilities of "independent and responsible young adults"). I posted a status on Facebook which read, "It's been one of those count to ten type of days for which ice cream before dinner is a foregone conclusion..." After a day of material prep (basically herding cats), I walked to town and got an ice cream cone to clear my head before dinner. In conclusion, thank you God for common sense, Mom for teaching me to be independent, and Dad for never accepting stupidity.

Tuesday was FABULOUS (in a so-nervous-I-might-puke-but-this-is-still-so-cool kind of way). We woke up around 6am and arrived at Jesus of Nazareth school around 8am. The team split into two groups, A and B, in order to teach two classes at a time. Since Nazareth is a fairly large school, we only teach 4, 5, and 6 grades (as opposed to 1-6). Tuesday morning was 4th grade...all 5 classes (around 100 students total). We began by entering the classroom with Kendall introducing our group. After brief introductions (names and country), we formed our groups and circled up the desks. My and Javier's group (we teach in pairs) included  2 girls, Doris and Cristina, and 4 boys, Kendall, Jordin, Joseph, and Geral. Our lesson was an art/history lesson on Georges Braque. Everything went fairly smoothly (if I sounded like I didn't know what I was saying, Javier would jump in and cover me) and the kids' eyes lit up when they saw the art supplies (every lesson includes geography and an art project...even math!). The girls reminded me a lot of myself at that age (except quieter) and Kendall reminded me of my brother (intelligent but a pain in the ass). Our second class was mainly girls (definitely very cliquey) and our group included one boy, Franklin, and 4 girls, Nelly, Kimberlyn, Hillary, and Arelys. This group was slightly more challenging as Nelly completely shut down (she was angry that she wasn't in a group with her friends), Kimberlyn did all the talking (Me!), and the teacher wanted the kids to go to lunch instead of finishing the lesson...but we made it work and the artwork was wonderful. The other group stayed behind to teach a 5th class, while we went back to the dorms to prepare materials. All in all, a very productive day :

Today. Hmm. I had to make breakfast today (yea! cooking! ugh.) and decided that I wanted pancakes. So I tried to make pancakes. Operative word being tried. They were edible, but I threw bread on the table in case people were hungry after one pancake, some eggs, and some plantains and watermelon. Add in the fact that some of the guys think it's appropriate to leave the door open when they pee, (I had to run to the restroom in the middle of cooking to blow my nose) and I got to walk in on someone. During the meeting, I made the announcement to shut the door...the guys started to laugh but I quickly shut them up by stating that I passed my anatomy class in high school and didn't need another lesson.

I spent most of the day with a horrible headache and fell asleep during the morning meeting. I slept through lunch and then spent the rest of the day on material prep (we teach tomorrow). I've gotten to a point where I need support and I'm not "feeling the love" as I usually do. As I posted on Facebook, "Whenever school became rough, I had my hallmates and my Shakers. Whenever I had a bad day at work, I had my friends to make me smile. Now, all I can say is, I miss my support teams." Don't get me wrong, I have no problem being away from home (thank you Girl Scout camp!). It's just the frustration of working in a bilingual environment at a very low bilingual level and not feeling fully connected with the entire group. I felt great when I was in Nicaragua with the leadership team, but here in Costa Rica feels different. I only wish we could teach everyday so that I could be reminded of my goals and be inspired by the kids on a daily basis. Their smiles kept me going after a rough start to the week and I pray that they'll lift me up tomorrow.

I don't know, maybe I've just hit a rough patch (it's been almost 5 weeks!). Or maybe it's the fact that I'm not on my annual summer mission trip with my youth group which is occurring right now in North Carolina (it would have been my 5th summer!). Whatever it is, I hope the feeling passes quickly. I haven't been my usual laughing self (and as most of you know, that's just not normal).

Abrazos y besos.

P.S. I spoke before of having to deal with Wellesley's financial aid office...my dad and I figured everything out (I'm going to have to work my butt off to pay back these loans!) and I will be returning to Wellesley in the Fall. Hooray!

Lock-picking and Waterfalls

I woke up at the 15 min warning (before breakfast) this morning instead of at the 5 min and in my state of half-slumber, I locked myself out of my room (and of course, the security guard doesn't go on duty until 2pm). This usually wouldn't have bothered me, but today is Sunday...field trip day. Sarah and Alondra attempted to pick the lock, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. However, I was able to enjoy the beautiful Cataratas de Cortes in Alondra's extra swimsuit (a tad skimpier than the one I had brought and therefore a big hit with the guys on the team...) and clothes, Kendall's socks, and Lindsey's new running shoes. Alondra even had a book for me to read (The Perks of Being a Wallflower!) Perhaps the best part of the situation was the need for official ID, since the police have the wonderful habit of stopping buses and checking everyone. My passport and ID were locked in my room, but I have a copy of my passport on my computer (which was in Kendall's room thanks to her late-night chat with her boyfriend). Since nothing is open on Sundays and we couldn't print a copy, I brought the laptop with me. Sure enough, we were stopped. As the officer made his way to the back of the bus, I turned on my laptop and held it up to show the picture (acting as casual as possible of course). He gave me a weird look, I smiled at him, and he laughed. I don't know if it was my pretty face, but he accepted the picture :)

(Back row: Jose, Kendall, Deisi, Bryant, Antonio, Me, Grace, Fernando, Alondra, Erick, Jean)

(Front row: Nella, Sarah, Lindsey, Emily)

(Top: Grace, Middle: Sarah, Kendall, Lindsey)

(Bottom: Deisi, Nella, Alondra, Me)

See the guy in the background? :)

Patience and KittyCats

Wonderful news! I can connect to the WiFi in the residence hall!

Our team is now in the dorms at the University of Costa Rica. There's sixteen of us: six guys, ten girls, eight foreigners (U.S.) and eight locals. Things have been running pretty smoothly (no major kitchen disasters, the majority are usually on-time for meetings), and we've been able to cover a lot of material. As a member of the leadership team, I am now on the kitchen rotation as an "experienced" cook...I am proud to announce that I haven't burned or under-cooked anything and everyone is still alive. Our meetings consist of the leadership team (Kendall and Grace: Coordinators, Bryant and I: Support People) teaching the rest of the group everything that we learned in Nicaragua (leadership skills, educational theory and techniques, etc). Our group is great-we'll definitely be ready to teach on the 17th.

Our dorm has a family of cats-2 adults and 5 kittens. They are ADORABLE. I'm going to have to find time to upload pictures (since I've taken a bajillion). One of the volunteers named the kittens after the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (with the fifth named "Turtle"). Rafael seems to be missing (which was announced at our latest meeting), so keep your fingers crossed that he shows up :) Biggest difference between these kitties and my kitty (Squeaky the Lazy Cat)? The mama cat will take the time and effort to kill an IGUANA. I came out of a meeting to find a head, tail, claws, and a bunch of iguana eggs in a neat little pile near the door. I didn't notice the blood until it showed up under the flash of my camera...

We had a fiesta three days ago (Sunday) to celebrate GL's 15th birthday. Jana was able to secure a local cafe for the evening at a very low cost (Even if we weren't a non-profit, education-enriching org, I'm sure Jana could charm anyone). We had wonderful bite-sized appetizers and tons of cake (banana with cream cheese frosting topped with strawberries and grapes). Past volunteers spoke of their experiences, and we sang Happy Birthday 15 times (a GL tradition!). I sang in Polish and Arabic :)

Monday was field trip day (usually Sundays, but we had the party)...we went to Playa Hermosa, a beach about an hour away. It was much more touristy than the beach in Nicaragua, but still beautiful and relaxing.

As with any large group together 24/7 in a foreign place, things don't always run smoothly. Some of the foreign volunteers don't understand the importance of making enough filling food for the entire group. It's very frustrating when people complain about eating rice and beans everyday and that they want more variety.  It takes everything I have to avoid smacking them upside their heads. The leadership team ate rice, beans, and plantains for at least 2 meals a day, every day for two weeks with eggs and tuna for protein and a mix of fruits and veggies for variety. AND WE LOVED IT! Many of the local volunteers have left meals feeling hungry (as have I and the other members of the leadership team). We explained all this in our latest meeting (I kept my mouth shut since I knew I'd say something rude) and hopefully things will improve. If not, our grocery budget is going to explode...

In addition, I just received notice that one of my favorite high school science teachers, Mr. Coleman, passed away. Mr. Coleman was a brilliant man who had high standards for his students and didn't mind playing Jurassic Park or Young Frankenstein for his classes. He also always attended Prom with his wife. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts/prayers!

To end on a good note, this team is HILARIOUS. I can't write about everything that happens, but between our dance parties and general silliness, our meetings are quite entertaining. Two of my favorite stories:
1) While playing "question from a bag" (a get-to-know-you type of activity), someone pulled the question, "What would you name a child?" Most of the group gave traditional names like Marisol or John. However, I noticed that Emily, a volunteer from Missouri, had no idea what to say. I leaned in and told her to say "Apple" and "Moses" (the names of Gwyneth Paltrow's kids). She did it. I have never seen so many confused faces in my life...until I said Rosalind/Beatrice/Hermione and Fred/George :) Only a couple people got the Shakespeare/Harry Potter references...
2) While discussing inappropriate language (Spanish and English), Nella, a local, told us a story about her experiences in English class. She tried to say "can't" in class one day, but due to the differences in vowel pronunciation in Spanish vs. English, the word came out "c*nt." Apparently the teacher couldn't stop laughing...

Abrazos y besos <3

Costa Rica!

We made it safely across the border yesterday. There were five of us, including myself. Getting out of Nicaragua was surprisingly quick, but getting into Costa Rica took about an hour. We took a bus to Liberia and are staying in a rental house belonging to a past volunteer. The other volunteers arrive tomorrow and we'll hopefully be able to move into the University of CR dorms by Saturday. Then we train the newbies for a week!
Jana, our trainer, is leaving to visit family today and then heading home, so we'll be on our own for the rest of the trip. I've been trying to memorize every bit of Liberia since I'll be leading everyone else on grocery runs, etc.
Jana explained that Liberia used to be just as simple as San Jorge, but has changed dramatically in the last 15 years due to tourism. The schools, however, will be very similar to those in Nicaragua since we'll be working in the poorer outskirts of the city.
There is supposedly sketchy internet in the dorms, but it's very likely that I won't be able to connect or have time (to walk to town to a cyber cafe if that's not the case). I've been having trouble with Wellesley's financial aid department and bills are due this month, so most of my free time will be spent figuring that out.
¡Abrazos y besos!

Lost in Translation

Two days ago, I tried to tell everyone to remember their secret friend at one of our meetings. [A secret friend is someone who leaves you little Good Job! notes.] Except I said "amigo especial" which is VERY DIFFERENT from "secret friend." Apparently, "special friend" basically means "friends with benefits." I should have known from the look on Beto's face that I had said something VERY WRONG. Oops :)


It's been much cooler here in Nicaragua. Lots of rain (and a lot of running outside to grab laundry) and cool breezes. We've been wrapping up training and preparing for the arrival of the other volunteers. I leave for Costa Rica on the 4th (!), so I only have a couple more days until the main event (training volunteers/teaching!). 


I've been getting better in the kitchen...well, not really. I cooked broccoli with butter again last night and the pasta was only a little soggy. If only I could prove that I make a mean pb&j sandwich...


Abrazos y besos <3