For the Record

Some have questioned the nature of these stories that I post and if I have really done/seen all of these things. Trust me; you can not make these things up. Am I really stoked that I saw a man skirting around my group with nearly see-through undies? Nope. Not even for a second. Did I mention that he also started digging in the sand to make a giant sea turtle? This process involved a lot of squatting, bending and otherwise odd movements that only tiny boxer briefs could make look awkward.

But I digress… Life down here is a break from the ordinary back in the states. If you count the high school students I teach throughout the year and the experiences I get down here, I live a pretty fulfilling and exciting life. There is never a dull moment. Perhaps, that is why I adore being a teacher as well as traveling so much. So many experiences and people have come into my life and impacted me for the better solely because I seize every opportunity before me. Purely, simply, life is good.

Today was a mañana libre, and if you’ll recall another post about free mornings, you’ll understand why we chaperones covet them. I spent an easy morning at the hotel and then later at the CPI apartments with Nanou and Jesús. From there, our driver took us around the greater Flamingo area so I could show Nanou and Jesús every place we stay, eat, and visit while here with West Coast groups. It was a nice way to spend the morning even if we didn’t make it to the beach…

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Once a summer I like to give a general recap as to what exactly I do down here. I am optimistic enough to think that someone is new to this blog this year and might be confused as to the nature of my work. I work for a Spanish language immersion school called CPI (Centro Panamericano de Idiomas). I work the Groups division of the school, and do not teach any classes while I am here (which is the general thought when I tell people I work for a language school). I serve as a chaperone for high/college age groups that come down and study at any one of our three campuses within Costa Rica. I am the essentially the answer to all of the questions from the group members, such as “Where are we going?” “What’s for dinner?” “What are we doing tomorrow and what should we bring?” I see that the group’s home-stays are adequate, classes are the right level, and that food is plentiful. I also get the privilege of traveling to a lot of great places and seeing a lot of neat things. I whitewater raft, waterfall rappel, surf, hike, zipline, dance, swim, run, and cook my way through the summer. I am on the move constantly, usually changing locations about every five days. For this reason, I am very nomadic in the summer and choose to travel with a hiking backpack and smaller daypack as my only luggage. I am essentially the liaison between the group and CPI for the group’s entire stay here in Costa Rica.

So what’s in it for me? Everything. I get to meet new people and make new friendships as well as come back and be with those that I have grown extremely attached to. I speak Spanish all summer, which I happen to love. : ) Each year gives me a new experience to draw upon and grow from. I have grown immensely fond of my ‘summer home.’

All right, “Noche de Baile” awaits me back at the hotel with the group. I’d better see what’s in my dancing repertoire before getting there. : )

Hasta pronto,

Jessica Lynn