Chepe Chronicles

My parents dropped me off back at site from our vacation down South last Sunday, and I had less than 24 hours there before school resumed on Monday . Fortunately, I didn’t have any classes planned for those first few days as my counterparts knew students, teachers, and parents would forget if we scheduled them before the break. However, Monday was a particularly fun day at school, because although I was working, I got to show my parents the centros educativos I spend my days at. It was cool to see worlds collide as my parents met my counterparts and host family for the first time. Additionally, some curious students, upon seeing other gringos , figured out my parents were in the building, and waved hi. After they got a chance to see my daily life a bit more, we took a quick detour to the regional city of Desamparados before I said my goodbyes to my parents and they took off for the beach in Guanacaste. The rest of the week was a little weird with several interruptions to the typical c...

As a Peace Corps Volunteer, or PCV, I represent the federal government of the United States. And as you can see at the top of this blog, volunteers must make it clear that any of our personal views or perspectives are our own and should not be associated with the agency nor the US government. I have strong opinions on government; those who follow me on social media probably know that I've worked for Members of Congress and on a presidential campaign in the past. Equally, person-to-person diplomacy is a super important part of the Peace Corps mission. The more open I am about my beliefs, the more trust and kinship I’ll likely have with those in my community. So, as I navigate these conversations with Ticos , many who may ask what I think of Trump or Biden, I share my opinion, but also make it clear that my thoughts don’t represent the Peace Corps nor the government nor do they represent what many people in my country feel either.  Tensions back home are high right now. Equally, opin...

It’s been awhile! As I alluded to in the previous update, I was headed towards the much-needed July school break here in Costa Rica. Students (and teachers) get 2 weeks off in between semesters, so it functions kind of like our winter break in the States. Fortunately, my parents were already planning a July trip to Costa Rica, and I’d accumulated quite a few days of annual leave as well, so I was able to take advantage of the school break to travel the southern part of the country with them. Our first stop was a tiny town on the Osa Peninsula called Drake Bay, or Bahía Drake. I’d heard rave reviews for Drake Bay, and knew it was a haven for seeing wildlife, but I didn’t appreciate just how remote it was until we got there. We took the 7 hour drive there in a rental car from San José, only to later learn that boating there is the preferred mode of transport. The final hour of the drive was a 20-mile gravel road that required extensive 4x4 usage, but we made it there (and back) without g...

One year ago yesterday, my cohort landed in Costa Rica. A lot has happened in the 12 months since, and although I’ve tried to keep everyone updated with my weekly blogs, I figure this one year mark may be a good time to reflect on and recap my service thus far. “How is Costa Rica?” and “How are you doing?” are natural questions which accompany my service. And my answer? “ Pura Vida” . In all seriousness, things are going well thus far. I feel physically and mentally healthy and I’m proud of the projects I’ve helped get off the ground at my site. Additionally, I’m happy with the way I’ve traveled the entire country on a shoestring budget, without taking away from my work in my community. Finally, given my comfort living here, a polarizing political climate back home, and the dearth of jobs in the international relations and international development sectors, I am in no hurry to leave Costa Rica after a year. I’ll give a quick recap of the timeline for this past year. Last July, my cohor...

The Costa Rican academic calendar is quite different from the American one: classes start in February here and end right before Christmas in mid-December. Because of that, July marks the halfway mark of the academic year for Costa Rican students and teachers. This was the last week of school before a much-needed two week break for everyone two separate the two semesters.  Before classes let out, I still had time with students, and I was able to sneak in some more learning content prior to the break. At the colegio , I helped in English classes as a teacher's assistant of sorts. English teachers at my school have a language exam soon, so I'll be prioritizing spending time with them in the upcoming weeks and months to help them practice their English. At the escuela , I facilitated several PE classes and hosted my second session of the International Club, Amigos Sin Fronteras . This was an additional day spent learning about the US (since they have a biased American volunteer at ...

Running is a big part of who I am, and it has been an essential part of keeping me physically and mentally healthy during my Peace Corps service here in Costa Rica. I run almost every day, at least six days a week, and have participated in a number of races throughout the country. I’m not an expert on a lot of the sidebar topics I write about, but this is one I feel like I’ve got a pretty decent perspective on at this point. How is the running culture in Costa Rica? In my opinion, it’s a mixed bag. I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm and interest in the sport, but the infrastructure isn’t great for it nor is Costa Rica churning out many elite-level runners yet.  There is a running club in my cantón , Desamparados, and there are several running groups in San José, like the one I go to every Sunday, Un Club Secreto . The club in Desamparados is geared more towards people in that specific community and is made up of primarily middle-aged runners. On the other hand, Un Club Secreto , w...