It was with sad hearts that we left Monteverde, where we had spent four incredible days in the mountains with a host with a heart of gold. After saying our goodbyes and gobbling up the last of the farmer's cheese, we embarked on our jeep-boat-jeep journey to our next destination, Arenal. Arenal is known for… Continue reading A Hop and a Skip in Arenal and the End of Spring Break Costa Rica
Author: odeliay
Bridge Treks, a Horse named Johnny, and Coffee/Sugar/Chocolate Tour Caffeine Highs
Even though the soreness in our bodies used to classrooms and workouts consisting of grading marathons, Monteverde continued to lure us into adventure after adventure. It is probably fitting that I quickly mention a brief encounter with a scorpion. I was going through my clothes, looking for a swimsuit, when I saw something dark in… Continue reading Bridge Treks, a Horse named Johnny, and Coffee/Sugar/Chocolate Tour Caffeine Highs
100% Aventura
Our adventure tour in Monteverde, Costa Rica promised a unique adrenaline rush in the heart of the cloud forest. It 100% delivered.After San Jose/Heredia, we took a public bus headed to Monteverde, which is where the cloud forest is located high up in the mountains. The journey was incredibly picturesque as we climbed higher and… Continue reading 100% Aventura
We Climbed a Volcano and Danced, Danced, Danced (and Sang)
Spring Break was nothing but pure bliss. I now understand why Costa Ricans say 'pure vida' all the time, because that is exactly how I felt during my 9 days in Costa Rica with my two lovely travel companions, Thecla and Ruthie. It was the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, trekking and lounging. We arrived… Continue reading We Climbed a Volcano and Danced, Danced, Danced (and Sang)
Why the Threat of Violence is as Strong as Violence Itself
If you google 'how fear works' you will get some links as your first hit, describing fear as a chemical reaction in the brain that starts with a stress stimulus and leads to a racing heart, fast breathing, fight-or-flight responses, and so on and so forth. But anyone who has experienced fear, especially those who… Continue reading Why the Threat of Violence is as Strong as Violence Itself
So what’s the real issue here?
"To sum up, by paying teachers poorly, offering them no career ladder, and subjecting new entrants and old timers alike to the pressures and demands of local politicians, many countries have ended up with teachers who are not the best and brightest of every generation. Additionally, the working conditions of teaching place high demands on… Continue reading So what’s the real issue here?
Looking Out the Window and Seeing Someone Look Back
As if teaching and working on a start-up was not demanding enough, I'm currently taking an online course through the Johns Hopkins School of Education on Introduction to Global Urban Education. Anyone who knows me should know how exciting a course like this would make me, as it combines my passions of international comparative education… Continue reading Looking Out the Window and Seeing Someone Look Back
“One Thing Remains”
On and on it goes. For it overwhelms and satisfies my soul. And I never ever have to be afraid. Because one thing remains: Your love never fails. It never gives up. It never runs out on me. Every year there's a song or a group of words that really get me through longer journeys or… Continue reading “One Thing Remains”
Connections from Across the Atlantic
There are those weeks that seem that they will last forever. The ones where the work seems to pile up faster than I can get rid of it, and the students seem ready for the extended weekend ahead already. Sometimes it threatens to slump you into the motions of what you do day to day,… Continue reading Connections from Across the Atlantic
Real Talk
"When Kepler found his long-cherished belief did not agree with the most precise observation, he accepted the uncomfortable fact. He preferred the hard truth to his dearest illusions." -Carl Sagan One of the harder realities of teaching the lowest performing students (as measured by the district) in the Reading Department is that many of… Continue reading Real Talk
Odelia Younge 