Carlos’ wife taught me how to dance merengue and salsa in preparation for a night out at the local “middle class discoteca”. I put on the pleather shoes I bought last week at Moo Shoes in the Lower East Side of Manhattan just for this occasion, and Monse taught me the “basicos” of these dances in the living room.
It was at the discoteca that I received the dose of culture that I was looking for. Ticos (Costa Ricans) flocked to the dance floor as the night wore on, dressed to impress. Each song was a different style. In addition to salsa and merengue, there was reggaeton, a Latin urban music that originated in Panama and has become very popular in Costa Rica, along with several other songs and dances. All of them were not only distinct musically and had different dances, but they had their own character. Most impressive was Cumbia, a dance that originated as a courtship dance with African slaves, which was so quick that it looked like it was in fast forward motion, and Carlos even “pulled a muscle while doing it once.” I wasn’t surprised. The men spun the women in circles, they held each other’s arms behind their backs, then in front, knees and feet never stopped moving. The dance was so fast that the exactitude of the movements were almost indiscernible. I found myself watching one couple, who Carlos described as “doing it right.” They were mesmerizing.
I wanted to try my hand at merengue. I noticed a group of girls looking over at the “gringo” so I asked one of them, “quiere bailar?” After a nod of the head, she joined me on the dance floor, and I led with the correct steps this time, Monse’s instructions in my head, “Always keep your knees and feet moving; take both of her hands and move them up and then around outlining el sol; take your right hand off her waist and spin around with your back toward her, then take her hand with your left and spin her; take your right hand off her waist and spin around her with your back toward her again, but this time take her left hand with your right and her left with your right and spin her; keep spinning”.
I was sweating like crazy and we danced in so many circles I was surprised I wasn’t seeing double. I had never put so much thought into dance moves before, which made the experience kind of rewarding, but the most fun I had were the times when I let go and went with my instincts.
The evening was a uniquely Latin experience and definitely a highlight of my time here so far. Unlike in the States, the dances here have specific moves that the locals learn from a young age. In addition to having a great time trying out these moves for the first time, I was impressed with the exactitude of the dances, the speed to which they were performed, and ultimately, the sheer joy in the faces of the Ticos.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
First Two Days in Costa Rica
7/22/2011
The mixed emotions of fear and excitement in moving to a new country are similar to that of teaching. Entering into an unknown world takes courage, and so does standing in front of a classroom for the first time. By putting great efforts into my teaching here, and attempting to use the most effective methods to bring out success, I hope that success in the classroom will translate to my overall experience in Costa Rica, like it did when I lived in Japan and China. I wonder if the two - teaching and living in a foreign land - are inextricably bound. There is the obvious reason behind so many teaching jobs for foreigners abroad - to fill a need. But is it more than that? To be a teacher is to be a particular kind of person - one who is willing to meticulously plan and at the same time, be able to think on one's feet; this is much like the ambitious world traveler, who plans trips, yet often possesses an inclination for spontaneity. The best teachers have eyes in the back of their head; you ought to be aware of your surroundings in a strange place. There is nothing better to a teacher than seeing the excitement of a student learning something new, the same emotion that a foreigner feels when he or she embraces a different culture. Perhaps even the obligation that teachers feel toward their students is what motivates the person who lives abroad - a feeling of obligation to oneself, or God, or life.
There are five things I'd like to accomplish in this new chapter of my life: be the best teacher I can be, learn as much Spanish as possible, learn how to dance salsa and merengue, travel, and soak up the culture like a sponge.
Until I get settled, I'm living with my friend Carlos and his wife, who are incredible hosts. They've been helping me with everything from picking me up at the airport to driving me around to cooking meals to translating from Spanish to English. They've taught me a few words of Costa Rican slang. "Tuanis!", which means "Great!", supposedly comes from gringos saying "Too nice!" and "Que buena nota!" is slang for "Que Cool!". The one that has earned the most laughter so far, however, is "chunche", which translates into "thingumajig" (a "lazy word").
That's all for now. I'm going merengue and salsa dancing Saturday night. The experience will be recorded in my next blog.
The mixed emotions of fear and excitement in moving to a new country are similar to that of teaching. Entering into an unknown world takes courage, and so does standing in front of a classroom for the first time. By putting great efforts into my teaching here, and attempting to use the most effective methods to bring out success, I hope that success in the classroom will translate to my overall experience in Costa Rica, like it did when I lived in Japan and China. I wonder if the two - teaching and living in a foreign land - are inextricably bound. There is the obvious reason behind so many teaching jobs for foreigners abroad - to fill a need. But is it more than that? To be a teacher is to be a particular kind of person - one who is willing to meticulously plan and at the same time, be able to think on one's feet; this is much like the ambitious world traveler, who plans trips, yet often possesses an inclination for spontaneity. The best teachers have eyes in the back of their head; you ought to be aware of your surroundings in a strange place. There is nothing better to a teacher than seeing the excitement of a student learning something new, the same emotion that a foreigner feels when he or she embraces a different culture. Perhaps even the obligation that teachers feel toward their students is what motivates the person who lives abroad - a feeling of obligation to oneself, or God, or life.
There are five things I'd like to accomplish in this new chapter of my life: be the best teacher I can be, learn as much Spanish as possible, learn how to dance salsa and merengue, travel, and soak up the culture like a sponge.
Until I get settled, I'm living with my friend Carlos and his wife, who are incredible hosts. They've been helping me with everything from picking me up at the airport to driving me around to cooking meals to translating from Spanish to English. They've taught me a few words of Costa Rican slang. "Tuanis!", which means "Great!", supposedly comes from gringos saying "Too nice!" and "Que buena nota!" is slang for "Que Cool!". The one that has earned the most laughter so far, however, is "chunche", which translates into "thingumajig" (a "lazy word").
That's all for now. I'm going merengue and salsa dancing Saturday night. The experience will be recorded in my next blog.
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