11/11/11

SO many good things about today:

• Flannel Friday (even Lindy was wearing flannel by coincidence today, since he didn't know we had planned it!)

All flanneled up in "Colda Rica"!

• 11:11: Originally, the plan was to bust into the students' class that was going on and have a spontaneous dance party for the minute. Then Bean and I were talking about International Day of Peace and thought it might be nice to dance in joyous jubilation for just 30 seconds, and then for the other half of the time to have some silence and contemplation for world peace. But then Bean and I got distracted and really into a conversation we were having in the Fun Times Room (what we have alternatively called our office). And when we looked at the clock, it was 11:13! So it's the thought that counts, right? Maybe we'll celebrate at 11:11pm (even though I know it's really 23:11 by military time and that the true 11:11 already passed... in our time zone at least). I doubt I'll be awake at that hour of the night anyway; we are leaving to go canopy zip-lining early tomorrow morning. At lunchtime, we found out that the students did a little dance in celebration in the middle of their Core 350 class with Lindy anyway (and just neglected to come get us). Watch the video they recorded of it here.

• Playing basketball: we bought a basketball last week and were really excited to go down to some courts in San Rafael (just down the mountain) and play some HORSE and Around the World. It was fun to get out and throw the ball around a bit... even if I cannot shoot from the left side of the court and successfully make baskets. I didn't lose at HORSE though! (We also tossed the ball around partially in honor of last night's Midnight Madness at Whitworth North. See the video that my friend MTay, on the Whitworth bball team, made to advertise the MM dance moves that Whitworth North people participated in last night for the opening of our basketball season!) ***More on this to come! Stay tuned!! 

Playing some Around the World and H-O-R-S-E at the "Scouts" court in San Rafael de Heredia.

At the "Scouts" court in San Rafa at sunset.

• Donde Pancho soda:
• "SODA": The Costa Rican name for a hole-in-the-wall little Ma&Pa small restaurant operation.
• One of our students' host families just opened a soda this week, called Donde Pancho (Pancho is what William's friends and family call him). This host family, William & Zayra, are one of the sweetest couples I know. 
• To summarize the background information about the cause for open this new little restaurant: William was a victim of what is becoming all the more common here in CR--age discrimination (and also a trend that is being realized in Nicaragua as well, we've heard). He has worked as the manager at the largest Pizza Hut in Costa Rica for decades. Instead of paying a long-time employee, with benefits, it is better from a corporate perspective to let go older employees that have received pay raises, bonuses, and promotions over the years and hire new, younger employees to do the jobs for less pay. It makes sense from a financial business standpoint, but is really sad in reality. So William was without a job, and decided to open up his own little soda right in San Rafael!
• Anyway, we ate there last night, and then ate there again tonight after shooting some hoops. He just opened it on Wednesday and has all these plans for the business, and we like helping him out and supporting him! It's so cheery and clean and cute! They know pretty much everyone who passes by, and we gringos sitting out and crowding around eating last night and tonight was really good, free publicity for them it turns out!

William & Zayra's new little soda, just across from the escuela and Parque Central
in San Rafa, next door to the Musmanni panadería.

Today's been a good, exciting, and relaxing Friday. The student teachers from Escazú are here as well tonight, joining us for ziplining tomorrow! Buenas noches!