Ms Janet Coon
Mrs. Coon's Wiki Page!
Hi! Thanks for joining me on this fantastic adventure to Costa Rica! We have a wonderful opportunity to learn about the ecosystems in Costa Rica and how the people are working to preserve the environment. We will also get a first hand look at their culture. Our goal will be to see the "Big Picture" of environmental sustainability and cultural preservation. What do you think we will learn about ourselves from this experience?
This is the front page to my virtual classroom. I will be placing my journal entries on this page so you can "join" me in Costa Rica. Please click on the links below for assignment activities and my photo gallery. I am looking forward to your questions and comments! As always, I hope you have a great day!
ĦQue le vaya bien!
Mrs. Coon
'Please remember that this is an on-line classroom. It's important to focus on our learning. Thanks for your cooperation and enthusiasm! -Mrs. C'
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Ghandi
- Mrs.Coon's EMS Science Site
- Mrs. Coon's Blog
- Mrs. Coon's Assignments
- Mrs. Coon's Gallery
- Mrs. Coon's Comment Page
May 3,2009 I have this amazing gift of experiences, knowledge, ideas, and emotions bottled up inside from the last two weeks. I can hardly comprehend everything that has transpired. Its now time to slowly sort through everything that I have taken in these last 14 days. I have plans for sharing the information with various groups in a number of different ways. I will begin to piece together presentations and stories for those who would like to be a part of this journey. I hope that I can be an inspiration in some way to others-perhaps through a story, a picture, a concept or fact. Perhaps it will be in seeing that if you work very hard for something that anything is possible. In life there are always risks of failure, but without taking that first risky step there is nothing gained. I am so thankful that I took the risk of being apart of this educational experience to Costa Rica. I gained so much in countless ways.
I would especially like to thank Toyota and IIE for sponsoring this once in a lifetime opportunity. It has been priceless. The leaders of our trip-Rhonda, Mike, Mar, and Vicki were amazing in thier organization and leadership. Julio and Isa were outstanding tour guides, leaders, storytellers, and hosts. My fellow educators are amazingly talented individuals and were a pleasure to get to know.
I'm grateful that my school district, principals, and peers were supportive of my participation in this program. Without their support none of this would have been possible for me. For today, thanks for reading along with me. There will be additional thoughts to come as I process all that I have gained. Pura vida!
May 2, 2009 I boarded the bus at 7am for the airport in San Jose. It was a bittersweet feeling leaving such a wonderful place-wondering if and when I will be able to return and the anticipation of returning home to my family, school, and the United States. I missed my family a great deal and was so grateful for their e-mails. They often brought me smiles, laughter, and words of encouragement. There were times when I also had a few tears, but only because of my wonderfully close bond with them. I also loved reading comments from my students and friends thanks to Toyota and the wiki page. Even though I was so far away,I felt like I was still at home in my classroom.
Upon arrival to the airport, we paid our $26 exit fee and went through security. I was surprised at how many people were wearing face masks because of the threat of the flu. Our first leg of the trip was to Dallas. We arrived ihn the midst of very heavy storms and shortly after, the airport was closed. We proceeded to customs and were flagged to report to an agricultural customs section. We filled out our entrance forms stating that we had visited farms and had come into contact with livestock. I showed the agent my tennis shoes worn at the sites and answered several questions. He said nI was okay to pass into the US. My luggage finally arrivesd after 1 1/2 hours and I passed it along to be loaded onto my next flight.
My luggage was now ready for the flight that no longer existed. They had cancelled our flight to Minneapolis. With some convincing and much time spent standing in lines, we were able to get a flight to Minneapolis, but with no connection to Sioux City. We decided that we would rather sleep in the airport at Minneapolis than Dallas,so boarded the plane. After a safe landing atn 11pm we had to make sure thatn our luggage wouldn somehow arrive in Sioux City from another airline. In the meantime, my wonderful husbandn had driven 5 hours to pick me up at the airport so I wouldn't have top sleep there. So Mr. Sok, my husband and I drove back to Sioux City and finally arrived home atn 5:45 am.
Luckily, my luggage finally arrived at 1pm. I was excited to look through the souvenires I had acquired along the way. I especially am proud of the coffee we were able to help package at our homestay.
As I sit typing with my windows open, I stop to pause and listen to the sounds of my home. Gone are the grunts of the howler monkeys, the chorus of tropical birds, howling of the wind, rumbling from the Arenal Volcano,and the incessant honking of horns in downtown San Jose. Intead I hear the sounds of the neighbor's lawnmower, kids playing outside, a random black bird cawing, and quiet.
I often heard the local people say that the Costa Rican people may not completely realize the treasure that is their country and all that it encompasses. I'm wondering if that may be the same for some of us-wherever we may be. Whether it be our family and friends, our homes and schools, our jobs, or our country. I know I am going to make more time to slowdown and reassess the gifts I have been blessed with. I am going to make a point to appreciate and to help conserve all that is important to me for generations to come. What is important to you? What small steps can you take today to help ensure its sustainability for tomorrow?
May 1, 2009 With an early start we headed back down the mountains to the city of San Jose. On this leg of the trip we drove down the Pacific side and could see the dry forest. This ride was also full of twists and turns and bumps. I loved seeing all of the families along the way. This was one of my favorite parts while traveling. I would try and take in all I could of the culture by way of the architecture, gardens, landscape, animals, and family interactions. The sites and sounds of Costa Rica are alive with color, nature, simplicity, and unity. Colorful homes dotted the hillsides, and bright hues of magenta, corals, and purples painted the tan and green roadsides with splashes of color from shrubs. The ever prevalent feeling of simplicity and modesty filled the air. I'm so glad I was able to capture a small piece of Costa Rica in my heart to savor for years to come.
After driving for about five hours, we arrived back to the hustle and bustle of San Jose. Many of the stores were closed because of Labor Day. People filled the city parks and main street of shops for pedestrians only. Small vendors selling fruits and vegetables and breads were on nearly every block. It was time for our lunch, so we met in the hotel for a variety of salads,fish, rice and beans, and fruit. I tried some of their ceviche which was almost as good as Eva's, but not quite. We then attended our final lecture by Prof. Dunne of the Bren School. He was a priceless addition to our study tour. Prof. Dunne offered so much information and perspectives on sustainability, climate change, and our ability to conserve our resources on Earth.
Our next stop was Purdy Motors-the largest Toyota dealership in Latin America. We were able to review the concepts of the Toyota Way. Toyota has an amazing philosophy that they live and work by. I am so impressed with their people first attitude. It was also very benefical for us to break into our groups and process this experience together. We offered suggestions for upcoming trips as well. Following our session we dined at a wonderful restaurant full of beautiful,vibrant paintings of exotic plants and orchids. It was a wonderful way to bring a close to our journey.
April 30 Today was a very rough but rewarding day. This day was set aside to be our service learning project with people from the Monteverde Institute. My group,(Phyllis, Beth, and myself) was able to clear and maintain a trail for people to walk on. They don't have sidewalks like we are used to, instead they walk on the side of the gravel and rocky roads. We began by taking measurements of the area after a short hike up the trail site.
Our heavy work began after carrying all of our tools up the hill. We scooped out the area, cut wood, realigned rocks, and hammered stakes in the ground for support which will hopefully last for years to come. I also made many trips up to a big gravel pile where I shoveled gravel into a wheelbarrow and then carted it back down the rocky road to our work site. You may be thinking that today sounded easy, but our group had 17 out of the 25 people sick with a flu. Many of them had to stay behind while the remainder of us participated in the activity. We had a great guide from the Monteverde Institute and he made all of this hard work fun! When we finished we walked over to the cheese factory and had some locally made ice cream. I had coconut and it was fantastic! It was very smooth and creamy with big flakes of coconut. Yum! Oh yes, I also got to meet the man who first moved to Monteverde with a group of Quakers from the United States. If you remember, Costa Rica is a peaceful country with no military and this was an important value to this particular group of people at the time of their move. I just happened to hear our guide mention that he was the man leaving the cheese factory in his jeep, so I ran over and introduced myself. We are in a picture together on the Photo Gallery. See if you can discover his name from clues I gave you. Let me know on our Comment Page.
It makes me feel good that I was able to help out while in Costa Rica. As I sit in my home, I can picture all of the people who are currently walking on the path I helped to create. It is a small act but one that brings a smile to my face. I hope that each day forward I will be able to bring a close to my day knowing that I made a positive contribution in some small way. How about you?
April 29 Hola from Costa Rica at the Tree House internet cafe. There is a live band upstairs so as I write you I'm listening to the beat of bongos and the rythem of salsa! Today we visited an environmental school for students in kindergarten thru 11th grade. The students start their day at 7:45 and go to classes until 3pm with a snack break at 9:30. All of the students bring their own lunches and snacks. This was the first school that didn't require uniforms. One thing I have found interesting is that I haven't seen any textbooks in any of the schools. The kids either ride a bus for 1 to 2 hours each way or walk long distances on unpaved roads to get to school. The buildings themselves are spread about on the school grounds and the kids go from one small building to another. The rooms and supplies are rather sparce too. You will see a huge contrast between our school and theirs. We are very lucky to have all of the resources that we do. This school also has its own school garden and over 100 acres of forest. I loved their garden and look forward to implementing what I have seen at EMS. Their students are working on a reforestation project. To this day, they have planted over 900 trees.
We hiked to the top of their school grounds/forest and we were able to see the continental divide and the Pacific Ocean. A teacher suggested that all of the teachers from the US have a garden area in their schools for students and teachers to be able to relax and chill out in. What a great idea!
After our traditional Tico lunch of rice, beans, vegetables, plantains, and chicken we went hiking in the cloudforest for 2 hours. It rained and was windy so we wore raincoats, long pants, etc. I saw some very cool birds, hummingbirds, tarantulas, orchids, and a snake in a tree. I'm looking forward to showing you the pictures!
Tomorrow we get to work on a service project in the Monteverde cloudforest from 9am-3pm. I am going to be doing trail maintenance. Oh, before I forget, I saw a jaguar footprint today! Amazing! My work day tomorrow is from 6:30am to 6pm. I hope to havethe chance to write again.
April 28-evening Hi, today was an interesting day. Short and sweet-I got very car sick on the 4 1/2 ride over twisting, winding, bumpy roads. I had to ride with a bag handy. Luckily the bus driver let me sit up front with him and that made it a little better. We arrived in Monteverde which is situated in the cloudforest. It was a nice sunny day but there was a constant mist falling which created a rainbow. We are able to see the Pacific Ocean from our hotel window since we are so high in elevation. Our hotel cabins are located on a very steep hillside.
We had a lecture about the history and ecosystems of the cloudforest. Then we got to go on a night hike in the cloudforest. Imagine hiking deep into the rainforest at night. There are so many amazing sounds and sites. The stars and moon were are street lights. In a cloudforest there is a constant veil of clouds and mist, so we wore raincoats and our trusty headlamps.
Everything was great until I noticed I had been standing on fire ants! These little ants carry an acid which they inject when they bite. Believe me, I know! I had a swarm of them crawl up my pant legs biting all the way as they seemed to be playing follow the leader Wow, got to go. They are closing the cafe. Try and talk tomorrow after my school visit.
April 28 Hola! Yesterday was a day of extreme activities. We hiked up to the base of the Arenal volcano. I am in awe of its size and power. As we hiked through different types of vegetation, we could hear rumbling like thunder. The rumbling was the rocks being tossed from the volcano and rolling down its sides. We were able to see them tumbling down from the distance. They were white in the day but would be red at night. Unfortunately it was too cloudy to see the night activity. As we hiked to the volcano, we passed through different types of vegetation as we climbed closer to it and higher in elevation. We began hiking in an area that was covered in grasses at least 9 feet tall. The vegetation gradually changed into forest and then a lush, dark green rainforest. I saw a yellow viper on the trail-a poisonous snake. The hike was very hot and I was glad to have my water bottle! It is taking me a while to get used to the extreme humidity and heat. I feel like I am constantly sweating.
Following the hike we returned to the Kioro Hotel in LaFortuna for a barbecue near the pool and hot springs. We had burgers, salads, and fruit. The pineapple here is so delicious-its creamy, juicy, and sweet.
At 3:30 we drove to the canopy tour and zip lines. I wasn't sure what to expect and I under estimAted what the experience would be like. In my mind I pictured something on a much smaller scale than it actually was. My adrenalin started kicking in, heart racing, nervous giggles. We signed a waiver acknowledging the danger and then put on our helmets, gloves, wrist light, and leg and waist harness. They took us to the top of the canopy in a tram, like little cages caring 6 people at a time. We landed high atop the rainforest canopy and stood on a perch where we learned how to do the zip line. They hook our clip connected to our waist to the cable and we pull our legs up to our chest with ankles crossed, lean back, and hold on tight to the handles...the next thing you know they have given you a big push and you are flying through the forest! The lines ranged any where from 500 to 1400 to 2400 feet long. It was fast and exhilerating! Yesw, I was scared so I volunteered to go first. The wind picked up and the rain was pouring down so it felt like pellets hitting my face. We rode on 8 different lines. To stop as you fly into the next tree top perch, you spread your legs wide apart like a V shape. It was very, very fun and...did I mention scarey?? I thought so. We were all soaking wet and laughing and cheering for one another. It was GREAT fun and a wild way to see the rainforest from a different perspective.
We arrived back to the hotel and a group of us ordered food by the pool and then sat in the hot springs. This is an amazing group of people from across the country. I am learning a lot from each of them. Maybe more importantly, I am learning a lot about myself, too.
We are leaving now for a 4 1/2 hour drive to Monteverde cloud forest. Pura Vida!
April 27 Buenos Dias! Last night we arrived in LaFortuna at the base of the Arenal volcano. It was about a three hour drive. The hotel has hot springs for us to sit in that are heated from...can you guess? I can look straight out our bedroom window and look directly at the volcano. It is massive and looks close enough to touch! Today I will be going on a hike with a volcanologist. Hopefully I will have time tonight to upload pictures from the banana plantation, LasPalmas stay, and today's volcano hike. Have a great day!
April 27 Pura Vida! Following our bird walk Saturday morning, our group toured a banana plantation and EARTH's sustainable farm. The bananas produced here are sold to Whole Foods markets in the US. We were able to walk out in the fields and see first hand how the plants gow and are protected from insects and fungus. Do you know the difference between a banana and a plantain? See if you can discover what animal helps to pollinate the banana plant. We then toured the area where bananas are brought in to the outdoor processing area for cleaning and packaging.
The sustainable farm is run by students. They raise hogs and cattle. We were able to watch cattle getting their horns clipped. The farm has its own biodigestor for using the manure and to create methane gas for power. I have many picture to show you all of the steps and simple materials used to create this very cool device. It is the coolest concept and so efficient. A sustainable farm produces and uses all of the things it needs to function on its own. I will be showing you everything involved in this cycle when I return. Very cool!
I will have to say that my farm-stay has been my absolute favorite, fun, and meaningful part of the trip so far. The family I stayed with really touched my heart. Five of us stayed the weekend at LasPalmas finca/farm. Rosa, the mother,and her son Edin, and daughter Vera and her son Jose Pablo, welcomed usn into their home with open arms. We toured their farm which is totally sustainable. They have their own biodigestor that is fueled by the manure from their two pigs. They have many fruit trees and root plants that are used for cooking. There chickens and rooster provide eggs, meat, and a built-in alarm clock. The family also grows a number of medicinal plants that cure everything from ear aches, stomach aches, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, to fighting infections-so no need to go to a pharmacy for a pill. They also raise tilapia and ornamental plants. The family is in a group of farms that work cooperatively to raise and process coffee beans for sale. Everything on this farm is organic.
The special part was in sharing pictures with one another of our families and students. Pablo, who is ten, got out a US map puzzle and tried to memorize the states where each of us are from. We watched Costa Rican bull fighting until 10:30 pm after having a delicious meal of chicken soupa, pan/rolls with anise seeds, rice and beans, and pineapple. I tried to teach Pablo the Bone Dance and he taught me how to change his transformer toy into a police car. I got up with the help of the Rooster. Rosa and Vera were wonderful to teach me how to cook a number of dishes and let me help with sweeping and doing the dishes. We felt very much at home. I would highly recommend a visit to one of these sustainable farms, I know I would love to accept their invitation to come back and visit with my family!
April 25 Hola! A quick note this morning. While bird watching this morning at 5am I saw a dead armadillo and a huge iquana lounging in a tree. I'm off for the day to tour a plantation and lecture. Tonight is the beginning of the farm-stay. Have a great day and I will write later.Be good and do good today!
April 24, 2009 Hi everyone! I had the opportunity to spend the morning at Colegio Tecnico Profesional de Guacimo. It is a school that specializes in agriculture and eco-tourism. Students work to learn trades so that when they graduate with a certificate they can get jobs in one of these areas or go on to college to further their knowledge. A main focus in every class is the environment, peace, and health. Students are in our 6th-11th grades, but they call it Level 3 and Level 4. They wear uniforms that are different styles depending on the Level/grade and the area they are studying.
The school day runs from 7am to 4:15 Monday thru Friday. The school year is from Feb.- Dec. Most of the students are from rural areas and ride the bus 2 hours to school and then 2 hours back home each day. That would be like you driving to Omaha to go to swchool every day and back again! If a teacher is sick, they don't have a sub, instead the students get free time for that class time.
The building design is different too. There are a number of small buildings close together that makes their campus. The school grounds are completely fenced in. They do not have glass on their windows either. It kind of reminds me of a row of shops lined up alongside one another in a sense. The students walk down a sidewalk and walk into their classroom. Students gather at picnic tables or sit along the building with friends to talk. I never heard a bell ring and some students were always outside visiting. Classes had about 4 to 12 students.
The students at the school raise their own cattle, tilapia, chickens, hogs, bananas, palm, and pineapples. They eat some of these and sell others. We rode in a tractor on part of the tour.I was on the end and we had to keep ducking our heads because of branches. Students were very excited to get their pictures taken and wanted to see what they looked like. I showed them pictures of you I had taken in classes and of the EMS garden. Following the tour, the school made a surprise meal of huevos, arroz y frijoles, crema, and tortillas. SO, today I had two breakfast and a lunch. Tonight we go to a barbecue. I think I have eaten more on this trip then I usually do in three weeks. The food is very, very good,but my clothes are starting to get tight.
Tomorrow I go on a bird hike at 5am and then tour a banana plantation. In the afternoon we will be departing for our homestays at the farm. I will probably have to wait until I get back to a hotel Sunday night or Monday to write again.
It is very hot and humid. I feel sticky all day long. It sounds like we are listening to a cd of the rainforest, but it is right here all around me! It's like listening to a cd of your favorite group vs. having them play a private concert for you in your backyard. Awesome!!!!
April 23-evening As I am writing to you from my dorm room at EARTH University recalling the events of the day. As I replay them, it seems like it could only have happened in a movie. This part of the world is so very green, lush, and diverse. I am so very thankful that I have been given the opportuntiy to experience this and hope that one day you too will be able to experience life here.
This morning we traveled to the highlands from San Jose. It is a stark change from the bustling, crowded city to the peaceful countryside. Just as I am sitting here, a bird flre up to my screened window and began calling out. WOW! There are no TVs, clocks, air conditioning, or radios. Instead, we have the cool breezes blowing through our windows and the sounds of birds and insects providing a night time symphony. Peaceful.
The drive was on very narrow, one-lane roads that twisted and turned as we climbed higher and higher. Soon the clouds rolled in and enveloped our bus. We stopped for breakfast for arroz y frijoles, huevos, fruita, pan, refrescos, cafe con leche, and tortillas y queso. We sat at open-air tables looking down on coffee fields and lush vegetation.
We continued our journey to the highlands and saw small,colorful homes-pink, green, coral, purple, and bright yellow. When we passed kids along the way, they would wave or give the peace sign. The people are very friendly. The roads are very narrow-much more narrow than ours-and two busses need to pass one another. Our driver, Mauricio, is very skillful. I would be aqble to touch the other bus with my hand. We also came to places that were only wide enogh for one vehicle to fit.
We had lunch of rice and beans, cabbage salad, beef, and plantains. To drink we had agua or sugarcane juice. We were at a beautiful sugarcane plantation. I volunteered to help demonstrate the process of extracting juice from the cane. I included some pictures. They made the candy over a woodburning stove and we got to sample it. It was similar to a VERY sweet caramel fudge that had hardened a bit. We then went to the rainforest at GUAYABO. I am so thankful I could experience the sites,sounds, and smells of the forest. So amazingly green, with leaves and plants of all sizes and shapes. It was so cool to actually see all of the layers of the forest in person. I saw leaf-cutter ants marching in a line carrying leaves many times larger than themselves. I also saw a huge blue butterfly. It rained during the hike and I thought that the day couldn't be more perfect.
I am now at EARTH University for two days. I would encourage you to go on-line to see where I am staying. Tomorrow is the day I will get to deliver two of your books. Have a great day! (Someone saw a sloth today on their hiking path!)
April 23, 2009 Buenos dias! I am off to put my bags on the bus by 6am so that we are all ready to leave by 6:30 to Guacimo. Today we will be driving about 6 hours. Ont the way we will be stopping at an archeological site. Our stay will be at EARTH University for two days followed by our farm stays. Have a great day and I hope to write again today or tomorrow. Do the right thing today.
April 22, 2009 evening Hola, and Happy Earth Day again! Today we traveled to an airport to learn about an airline called Nature Air. This airline is environmentally friendly. It will be the first airline to be Carbon neutral. In a nutshell, they release less carbon into the environment which results in a balance with nature. If you go on-line and do the game activity on our Geography Site about Carbon Footprints it will explain this in more detail. If your feet are muddy, you leave a footprint on the floor for everyone to see because it has made a mess. A carbon footprint also leaves a mess in the environment. Our goal is to do our very best Not to harm the environment-timber, water,air, scenery, etc.-and to improve life on our planet for all living things now and in the future. The airline collects used cooking oil from its employees and local retaurants and has it made into bio-diesel. It is a very cool process, and we will discuss it more when I return. He did say that the exhaust smells a little like fries! Following our tour of the airport, we drove to PEACE University. It is a university with 167 students from 47 countries. The teachers are from every continent. It is located in a rather remote natural area. They study the relationship between peace, conflict, and the environment. Hmmm...can you think of any countries that have fought over natural resources-minerals, water, timber? After the lecture and tours at PEACE we drove back to San Jose and made plans for tomorrow. We also walked to a couple of stores and then went to dinner at an authentic Costa Rican restaurant. I chose sea bass for dinner. We have to have our things packed and down at our bus by 6am tomorrow for our trip to Guacima. It will be about a six hour drive. Along the way, we will visit Parque Nacional Monumento Arqueologico in Guayoba. Can you find it on the map or on-line? Then we will check in at Earth University. We will be staying in dorm rooms and hopefully will get to do laundry. Did you know that Whole Foods Market in Omaha sells bananas grown at Earth University? I will write you whenever we have internet access. Please continue to check my comment page, photo gallery, and the other Toyota Teachers' sites. Have a good day and remember to turn the water off while you are brushing your teeth!
April 22, 2009 Happy Earth Day! I would like to let you know about our day on Tuesday. You will see that it was very busy, so I wasn't able to write last night so opted for this morning-very early! We began our day in San Jose with a planned tour of the National Museum. The museum was once a fort and the bullet holes on the tower walls are still very visible. Unfortunately the building was undergoing some construction and we were unable to visit the grounds. Luckily, we were able to walk to the Jade Museum. Wow, this was a fantastic tour full of displays of artwork and implements made by the people of the region throughout their history for everyday life and ceremonies such as rites of passage, fertility, funerals, etc. It was as if a geography textbook suddenly came alive and you could see firsthand what the text and pictures were explaining. I hope to share some of the photos with you. I took pictures of jade (a greenish, volcanic stone that is 7 on the hardness scale I believe), pottery, wooden and stone sculpture, and jewelry. At one time, jade was more valuable to some of the Central American societies than gold. I also took pictures of oil paintings depicting scenes of San Jose that were in a display in the lobby. This part of my trip has given me a great deal of information about the history and culture of Costa Rica. You will notice that my pictures cover a theme each day. When we begin traveling to more rural areas I think the photos will be showing much more of the environment. As I was walking to my next stop, I looked in a car at the intersection and had to take a double look--I believe I saw Tito's double! No one is like our Tito, but this man could have been his twin. I also saw a girl who looked just like Gladys walking with her friends on a busy street. I purchased some batteries and candy from a vendor on the street and had to use my Spanish skills as well as my math skills in converting US money into colones. I am still getting the hang of that! It is difficult to get used to carrying around bills that say 10000! Can anyone figure out how much that would be in US money? The next stop was an outdoor market. Again, I got to use my skills. Many people know a little English so that between the two of us we can understand one another with my Spanish and English. I was trying to purchase a postcard from a woman who spoke no English. The two of us had quite a time together. I needed to ask her to repeat herself several times so we could gradually understand one another. It took a while and many smiles and gestures and we finally got it! I've found the people of Costa Rica to be very friendly and helpful. As we road our big, green tour bus to lunch, I was able to see a number of students walking with friends. Groups of kids would be wearing different types of uniforms throughout the city. Almost all kids wore backpacks. Most uniforms have blue pants and either a white or light blue shirt. Some of the kids where a tie that goes with their uniform. I noticed some of the girls wore blue skirts. I have included a few pictures of the students I've seen on the sidewalks. Some of the little kids and students your age have been very friendly and waved or given me the thumbs-up sign. For lunch I had tuna steak, rice, carrots and squash, tortillas and amazing sauces, chilis, and the best tres leches cake! Oh my, was it good! Following lunch, we traveled to the United States Embassy and met with representatives about the economy, duties of the embassy, and the environment. We couldn't take any electronics or cameras in and we had to show our passports and go through a screening. On our 30 minute drive back to our hotel I did a lot of sightseeing out my window. The streets here are very narrow and hilly. There are also no railings on the edge of the road, but instead a three feet drop-off on the highway type roads. In the city itself, the roads are so narrow that I could literally put my arm out the window and touch the bus next to me-that is close! When we returned to the hotel We attended a dinner and lecture by Dr. Pedro Leon on the preservation of the environment. His lecture was entitled Peace with Nature Initiative. It was an honor for me to get to sit at the same table for dinner with him and Prof.Dunne. After dinner at 9:30, I tried to answer comments from our page and then went for a quick swim with other teachers. Today we are going to an airport that is environmentally friendly and then PEACE University for the remainder of the day. I hope you have an awesome day and I will talk more tonight. One of the teachers is making small videos each day and posting them to youtube. The keywords should be something like Toyota Teacher. You may find these interesting! I also encourage you to visit the sitesof the other teachers who are nblogging on this trip. We are all grouped together at the top of the page. I am trying to write about things I think you would be interested in, so please comment back to me if there is something particular you are interested in-okay? Tomorrow I leave for Guacimo. After this I'm not sure how often I will have internet access. How are all of you doing? Have a great day! I am about ready to go down for breakfast, it must be around 5am. I do love the rice and beans. I have had three or four different types of rice and many other foods that are new to me. I'm typing this in the restroom so I don't wake up my rommate. Adios.
April 21, 2009 Buenos Dias! I thought I would try and write a couple of things I had forgotten to mention last night. Please remember that we have very, very full and exciting days which begin at around 5:30am and conclude around 10pm, and that is when I begin to respond to your comments, write my wiki, upload pictures, etc. If I make an error I apologize. I wanted to mention that we felt one very small tremor yesterday. The guide said she felt two of them and on the average day there are 100 earthquakes. Some are so minor however that they are not felt. I thought some of you might be interested in that tidbit. As we toured the city yesterday, we saw very beautiful architecture that has a European influence. The Natl. Theater has marble in its entryway on the walls and floor. The statues were imported from Italy. I will be going back there this morning. I also visited a beautiful cathedral. Each church has a park behind it in this city. The parks are so beautiful. I am very excited about all of the amazing plant life. Trees are blooming and orchids are abundant. I took a picture of a cork tree yesterday. When I touched the tree trunk it was somewhat soft like a corkboard. They had also planted corn and coffee plants in one park to remind people of the importance of these crops to the people of Costa Rica. I asked about the corn because it looked very different than the corn we have in Iowa. She said they have many different varieties grown in Central America. One other interesting observation occurred while waiting to cross at an intersection. They use an audio signal to assist visually-impaired peoplein crossing. It sounds like a chicken. The sound isn't to be confused with the large amounts of green parakeets gathering in the trees. Traffic here is quite a bit busier with motorcycles and small cars racing in and out and around traffic. There is a lot of honking. Many of the streets are paved in brick. I was amazed how clean it is in the city where 80% of the countries population lives. I discovered that they put trash bags out on street corners every night to be picked up and they also wash the streets nightly. Remember that it does get dark here at 6pm. The government stations 6 police officers at one particularly important statue each night to be guarded in that park. The statue represents the battle for independence of CR alongside her neighbors of Central America. Well, time for breakfast. Have a good day and I will talk later!
April 20, 2009 Hola! I woke up at 5:30am and traveled to the airport at 6:30am. We had breakfast at the airport before boarding. I had a spinach empanada which is a Cuban sandwich. It is like a puffy pastrie filled with cheese, spinach, and onions. It was good. We then flew on a three hour flight to Costa Rica on a huge plane. It was 8 seats across. I will include a photo. When I arrived I had to go through Immigration and Customs to enter the country. We all gathered on a big bus we will be touring on and traveled 30 minutes to San Jose and our hotel. San Jose is in a tectonic depression between mountain ranges. I can see mountains on all sides of the city. Our guide pointed out the volcanoes covered with huge clouds. For lunch we had tortillas, rice and beans, chicken legs, stew, and beet and potato salad.(Tortillas, arroz y frijoles, pollo, y ensalada con pappas. Cafe y dulche.) Si? We also had guava juice and very strong coffee. Oh yes, for dessert two Very sweet candy type cookies. They were very similar to the sweetest sugar cookie dough you could imagine. I am going on a tour of the city now and will take pictures for you to see. Until later... I am back from my tour of the city. We walked for 2 1/2 hours. It was a very informative trip through the center of San Jose. Our tour guide shared the history of San Jose and Costa Rica with us through buildings, monuments, artwork, and parks. I have included pictures of our tour on the Photo gallery. The main street does not allow any cars and is always very busy. I did see some students downtown leaving school and they were wearing uniforms-light blue shirts and dark blue pants. I will discuss the tour in more detail later, as I am going to attend a dinner shortly. It is 6pm and dark outside. I can see the city lights below and the outline of the mountains on the horizon. We daparted for dinner at LaVerbena at 6:30 and arrived at 7pm. LaVerbena is an organic restaurant. In my photos I hope you can see all of the ivy and plants cascading down the walls. You chose a delicious dinner for me. I had a mures refresco-berry juice, salad with hearts of palm, squash soup, and of course rabbit. I hope you can see the picture of it. Yes, it does taste similar to chicken. For dessert I had a lemon tart. I just arrived back at the hotel at 10pm. It has been another very full, interesting, educational, and fun day. Tomorrow I will be in San Jose as well. My day will begin with breakfast at 7am and then we will be visiting the National Theater and the American Embassy. Have a good day!
April 19, 2009 Hi everyone! I began my morning at 5am Eastern time. We had breakfast and then attended lectures this morning by Prof. Dunne from the Brenn School in Santa Barbara, California. He is a Hydrologist and a Geomorphologist. What do you think he studies? (Try and dissect the terms.) Today's lecture focused on Global Climate Change and Its Implications. I have a lot to share with everyone when I return. I would like you to think about this, "Does it matter that climate is changing? How dos it effect what matters to you?" Next, share with your neighbor what you were thinking about. I'm curious as to what some of your responses were. Did anyone say,"Polar bears, pandas, food supply, or health?" These are just a few topics I thought I would mention. Please let me know your thoughts on this topic. After our lectures, we had an hour bus ride to the Everglades. The ride was very flat. Does anyone know the elevation above sea level? We attended a class with 4 of the rangers in the park. Following the classes we were able to go on our first hike. When I went out to the water's edge I saw a most unusual bird. It had a long neck like a snake, tail feathers like a turkey, and it dives under the water to spear its prey--fish. The Anihigan catches the fish and holds it in its long, sword-like beak. Still holding it, it beats it against the ground to stun the fish. The next thing I saw was the Anihigan swallowing the fish whole! I could actually see the fish moving down the bird's neck. The ranger said the bird would digest the entire fish in 10 minutes! Those are some strong gastric juices. Alligators were plentiful, I first saw a small alligator about 4-5 feet long sunning itself to keep warm. When they get too warm they submerge themselves into the water. Why would they need to do that? As I continued my hike, I saw many larger alligators. One VERY large male began chasing another alligator. That same male then began rolling over onto its back in the water again and again. The ranger said he had never seen anything like that before. It was a mating ritual. Besides animals, I was able to see many interesting plants. I was amazed to see bromeliads on my hikes. They are like the small tropical plants we have in the back of the classroom. these were much larger though and part of the plant was a brilliant red. Another cool tree was the Gumbolimbo or tourist tree. They call it that because the bark turns red and peels off, like a tourist with a sunburn. The amazing thing about this tree is that the entire tree goes through photosynthesis. The entire trunk is green! This is an adaptation for the tree. If it were to lose all of its branches and leaves in a hurricane, it could still survive. An animal I was thankful not to see today was a python. They are not native to the area, so how do you think they arrived in the Everglades? (Tell your partner.) People who had them for pets released them into the area. This is an illegal and dangerous thing to do. Why would introducing an exotic/non-native species into an area be a poor decision? There are a number of species in the park that are not native and cause harm to the environment-feral pigs, dogs, cats, pythons, and fish to name a few. One of their themes is "Don't Let It Loose". How could releasing a non-native species into one of our parks cause a problem? Something to think about. I did see a Water Moccasin today on my hike. It was about 8 feet in front of us. It is a very dangerous snake and is aggressive if provoked. We took a picture from a distance and then left it alone. I followed the snake procedure and backed away-far, far away! How can you tell if a snake is venemous or not? Check its eyes. What do you think you would be looking for? I was able to see a very tiny tree frog that was very cute. We also saw very interesting shaped Cypress trees. I have included a number of pictures from today's adventures on the Photo gallery. Someone special reminded me to use all of my senses while on this journey. I was able to feel the mushy, sinking feel of the ground beneathe me. I could smell a particular tiny, green plant that had a fragrance of lemon and lavendar. I got to taste sawgrass which was very similar to the taste of potatoes. I got to hear-silence. We stood in the middle of a Cypress dome for three minutes without making any movement or sound. it was amazing. One last thing, I would like you to take a moment tonight to go outside and gaze up at the stars. The rangers said that they had students come out at night and look up at the sky. The students asked, "What are those shiney little spots up there?" They were stars. The students from the city had NEVER seen stars before. I hope you can take amoment to enjoy a simple pleasure that we may often take for granted. The next time I write I will be in Costa Rica! Have a great Monday!
April 18, 2009 Hi from Miami! I began my day at 3:30am and got ready to set forth on my journey. I could hardly sleep last night because I was so excited-and a bit nervous. I met another teacher I am traveling with at the airport at 5:15am. (If you go to the Participant Page you will see a picture of Mr. Sok.) The first part of our flight was to Minneapolis, MN. Looking out the window, I could gaze down at clouds that reminded me of popped popcorn. They were a very light gray with a sea of slate blue sky underneath. Off on the horizon, the sunrise provided a soft orange glow. Before I knew it we were descending into Minneapolis. During my three-hour layover I read all of your letters. They were great! I know I will be reading them over and over again during the trip. When I return I will need to talk with you about your personal messages. Some of them provided me with reminders (to take a picture of a certain meal-lol), others with smiles and laughter, and others with the motivation to dive right into this adventure full speed ahead facing any fears and taking full advantage of the opportunities before me. Thanks! The second leg of my trip took me from Minneaqpolis to Miami-a 3 1/2 hour flight. The captain announced that the temperature in Miami was 25 degrees C. What would the temperature be in farenheit? I told the flight attendant about the trip and all of my students. She offered to give me packages of peanuts to give to you until I told her how many of you I had in class. I told her that was a very nice offer anyway. She did give me a pair of wings for you to see. I ate lunch on the flight, and I got to choose this myself! I picked a greek chicken salad and fruit. I also got 3 chocolate cookies-yum! At 3:10pm I arrived in Miami. It was amazing to go outside and see palm trees everywhere. It was very warm and breezy. I could see boats in the harbor on the way to the hotel, as well as very tall condominiums and office buildings lining the skyline. As soon as I arrivd at the hotel, we had an orientation meeting. We had an opportunity to introduce ourselves and meet all of the teachers in the group. We learned a great deal about Toyota and the Toyota philosophy. I'm looking forward to talking to you about it when I return. Keep these phrases in mind; Kaizen and Nemawashi. Toyota supports two main pillars in its philosophy: "continuous improvement" and "respect for people". Following our meeting, we had dinner together. We dined on antipasto, chorizo and bean salad, mixed greens with a cilantro dressing, fried plaintains, mahi mahi, arroz y frijoles, chicken havanna style, and tres leche bread pudding. It was delicious! I plan to post pictures on my photo gallery. The hotel is really cool, by the way. The Intercontinental Miami has a strong dedication to being environmentally friendly. Well guys, it is getting late and I need to be ready to go by 7:30am tomorrow morning. We are off to the everglades for the day. Do something nice for someone today!-Mrs.C.
17 April 2009 Hi everyone! It's the night before the big trip and I am busy with last minute packing. I'm trying to figure out two pounds of things I can leave behind. The Iowa Books and popcorn kernels put me over my maximum weight. Do you remember how much that was? I will get it figured out sooner or later. (Hopefully sooner!) I'm looking forward to reading all of the letters you and Miss Woodford wrote me. It will be great getting to have you along tomorrow through your letters. I will be traveling from Sioux City to Minneapolis, MN first. Can you figure out how many miles that is? Next I will fly from Minneapolis, MN to Miami, FL. How many miles will that be? I will get to meet two of the teachers in the program on my flights. It will be nice to get acquainted with a few people before we arrive. Tomorrow night I will meet all of the teachers in the program. We represent 22 states.Take a look at the Meet the Teachers link on this Toyota site to see where everyone is from. Thanks again to everyone who has helped me prepare for the trip. I really appreciate your support! I'll talk to you again tomorrow when I land. Be good and take care- Mrs. Coon
13 April 2009
Hola! I can hardly believe that I will be departing for Miami and Costa Rica in less than a week. Exciting! I am busily preparing for the trip. My students have been learning alongside me as we gather information about Costa Rica. My classes have also been busy creating books about themselves and Iowa to share with the students I will be visiting in Costa Rica. We are hoping to form a relationship with a class(s) that we will be able to communicate with in the future. We are very thankful that we will be able to communicate with one another while I am traveling in Costa Rica through this Wiki page. It is a wonderful educational tool. I will be posting photos on my Photo Gallery so you can see what I am experiencing along the trip. I also plan to bring many, many photos back with me. My students, colleagues, and family will be able to correspond with me on my Comment Page. I have also created a link to my blog on this page. Everyone is welcome to follow my trip on that site as well. I hope that you will join me on this incredible journey!
I also want to give a special "thank you" to my family, friends, co-teachers, administrators, and school district for encouraging and supporting me in this once in a lifetime learning experience. Que le vaya bien! -Mrs. Coon