In the beginning...there was a different blog
Welcome to my blog! It is not a new blog but rather a continued blog from a private site. I am excited to share my experiences at UPEACE with you. For more information on how I arrived at the United Nations University for Peace and my first days here, please go to www.joy4peacescholarship.com.
So far I have attended three days of orientation and one week of classes at UPEACE. Meeting students from different cultures and backgrounds has been the highlight of the first two weeks. It is very interesting getting to know people from different cultures since many interact differently. For instance, there are different protocols for meeting people such as kissing on the cheek, kissing on both cheeks, shaking hands, special handshakes, and just politely bowing the head. I have had the pleasure of learning a new handshake from a student from Uganda and I often go out of my way to greet him because I enjoy shaking hands so much! Today another student from Africa was greeting students in the morning and asked if she could kiss our cheeks. It was very sweet and instantly I felt closer to her for being able to share in this greeting.
Another challenge of attending school in Costa Rica is that there is so much to see and to do! El Rodeo, where the university is located, is a gorgeous place surrounded by coffee plantations, ranches, forests, and hills. I have been hiking there several times already. Last weekend my friend Morgane and I went on a trail behind the university. We climbed a slippery trail up through the green canopy enjoying the foliage and the feeling of being engulfed by the forest. As we were walking, we noticed two monkeys in the trees above us and stopped to marvel at seeing monkeys so close to where we live! We continued up, ever cautious for snakes, but only encountering frogs, before we reached the top. A lovely view awaited us. On a clear day you can see the Nicoya Gulf. We didn't see it that day but did later that week. What a site! On our way down the trail, we were encountered more monkeys. Before it was a rare site and then we were surrounded. One monkey took a particular interest in us and as we were watching each other, he threw a large branch at us! It was our sign to leave, and we left quickly.
This is just one example of the lovely distractions that surround me. Tomorrow I am having a beach day with eight other students. We haven't been to the beach yet and we are taking our school readings with us! Not to mention, as I am writing this blog I am helping my host sister with an art project. It's lovely being a part of a family but to be a part of a family, one has to spend time with the family. So, life here in Costa Rica is a rich experience. I hope to keep you updated on my life in Costa Rica as well as what I am learning at the University for Peace. One reason that I moved my blog is so that more people can access it and so that anyone can comment. Let's have a cultural learning experience together!
So far I have attended three days of orientation and one week of classes at UPEACE. Meeting students from different cultures and backgrounds has been the highlight of the first two weeks. It is very interesting getting to know people from different cultures since many interact differently. For instance, there are different protocols for meeting people such as kissing on the cheek, kissing on both cheeks, shaking hands, special handshakes, and just politely bowing the head. I have had the pleasure of learning a new handshake from a student from Uganda and I often go out of my way to greet him because I enjoy shaking hands so much! Today another student from Africa was greeting students in the morning and asked if she could kiss our cheeks. It was very sweet and instantly I felt closer to her for being able to share in this greeting.
Another challenge of attending school in Costa Rica is that there is so much to see and to do! El Rodeo, where the university is located, is a gorgeous place surrounded by coffee plantations, ranches, forests, and hills. I have been hiking there several times already. Last weekend my friend Morgane and I went on a trail behind the university. We climbed a slippery trail up through the green canopy enjoying the foliage and the feeling of being engulfed by the forest. As we were walking, we noticed two monkeys in the trees above us and stopped to marvel at seeing monkeys so close to where we live! We continued up, ever cautious for snakes, but only encountering frogs, before we reached the top. A lovely view awaited us. On a clear day you can see the Nicoya Gulf. We didn't see it that day but did later that week. What a site! On our way down the trail, we were encountered more monkeys. Before it was a rare site and then we were surrounded. One monkey took a particular interest in us and as we were watching each other, he threw a large branch at us! It was our sign to leave, and we left quickly.
This is just one example of the lovely distractions that surround me. Tomorrow I am having a beach day with eight other students. We haven't been to the beach yet and we are taking our school readings with us! Not to mention, as I am writing this blog I am helping my host sister with an art project. It's lovely being a part of a family but to be a part of a family, one has to spend time with the family. So, life here in Costa Rica is a rich experience. I hope to keep you updated on my life in Costa Rica as well as what I am learning at the University for Peace. One reason that I moved my blog is so that more people can access it and so that anyone can comment. Let's have a cultural learning experience together!
Comments
Post a Comment