ISU Diary, 14 July 2010: A Note on our Host Families
July 14th, 2010 | Published in ISU Costa Rica | No comments
Every day is different in Costa Rica and that´s the magic of the place; one never gets bored!
Today, after our Sustainable Development course with professor Milton Clarke, we had the Spanish classes with our teacher coming from Cuba, established in Costa Rica. Learning the language helps us to understand better the culture and traditions of locals: los ticos, but at the same time it is a great opportunity to get to know each other better and to enjoy.
But if one really wants to immerse himself in the culture of Costa Rica, living with the locals is the perfect way of doing it! Family is very important for los ticos and that is very easy to notice. They are very warm people, ready to welcome you in their homes and make you feel that you belong to the family. It is the perfect occasion to have your questions answered, to notice the difference between their culture and your own and to make friends among them.
For me it is always interesting to discuss with them and change opinions about different cultural topics, and this happens especially at dinner time when the entire family gathers around the table. And lets not forget the food in Costa Rica, where the chalupas (tortillas with chicken, cheese, avocado, beans), sopa negra (beans soup) and patacones (mashed platanos, and the fried) are delicious!
by Adela Michea
