May 27, 2008 | Spanish, Volunteering
Hal and the boys are teaching English at a nearby volunteer school. They go twice a week: once teaching adults, once teaching teens. The adults are easier just because they show up voluntarily. The teens have been coerced by either parents or school so are pretty...
Aug 16, 2007 | Culture Shock, Living-In, Spanish
This morning, my Costa Rica blogger friend (meaning I’ve never laid eyes on her but we chat like we are best friends), Erin, wrote about speaking Span-glish. Which newbie expats do A LOT! I love going to a restaurant where the waiter is practicing his English...
Sep 26, 2006 | Amistad Institute, Communications, Culture Shock, Expat, Spanish
In the great landscape of Things To Know When Moving to Costa Rica, you start with Thing 1 and Thing 2. I have heard people say you do not need to learn Spanish to live in Costa Rica. They must be selling real estate. You absolutely DO if you are going to thrive here....
Sep 21, 2006 | Communications, Spanish
The Spanish word esposo [e-SPO-so] means husband. One meaning. The Spanish word esposa [e-SPO-sa] means wife. It also means handcuffs. You KNOW a guy thought of this. *********** OKAY OKAY: I stand corrected. Fortunately, I’m used to this living with teenagers....
Sep 4, 2006 | Cost of Living, Criticia Voluptua Right-Right, Food, Real Estate, Restaurants, Spanish, Taxes, Teenagers, Tipping
Or, in Costa Rica, "Hamburgesa con queso! Hamburgesa con queso!" [ahm-bur-GAY-sah cone KAY-sew] It’s a mouthful. And, if you have a teenager, you say it a lot. A good cheeseburger in Costa Rica is hard to come by. Beef here is not that great; it tends...
