School

So, I have given a bit of a "summary" of school, but here is the entire description of mi colegio. First off, we don't call school, escuela. That is used for the little kid school, so, for high school, the word is colegio. The name of my highschool is: Liceo de Puriscal. It is right in the middle of Santiago, and only a 15 minute bus ride from my house.

Colegio starts at 7:00 in the morning. THANK GOD I have mornings free on Tuesdays and Fridays, because classes end at 4:50. It is a reallllyyyyyy long day. Not to mention I don't understand much in my classes, so it just adds to the boring hours in school. But, the good thing is, sometimes teachers don't show up to class, so I will have a free period where I go and buy ice cream, or hang out and talk with my tica friends.

This is my usual class schedule of the week

 

My favorite class has to be either English (I wonder why?) or social studies. I really like my social studies teacher, he is really funny, and I understand what he is saying, even though he is teaching about politics in Latin America, something I knew nothing about, and I seem to have a good idea on it now. I also enjoyed social studies in the States, so that probably adds to it. I absolutely HATE biology. I hated it when I was a freshman, I didn't understand anything and it was honestly the happiest moment of my life when I finished that class. But wait, no. Now I have to take it again! Oh the joys of being in another school, taking biology, once again, in Spanish this time. HA. It is honestly just one big funny experience. Also, my biology teacher says, verdad, after every single sentence. So it just adds to the confusion, and hatred of the subject. I know for sure, I will never become a doctor. That is what biology has taught me.(: The other subjects I don't exactly like are chemistry, and fisics. I just don't understand them, and I don't think there is any way for me to understand them because: a. I came in the middle of the year so I missed the introduction and the easy stuff, and b. It is in Spanish. Enough said! All the other classes I can handle!

 

My colegio is actually really nice. I mean, it's no Holy Names (my current high school in Seattle) but it is really nice. There is no real "building" more like little hallways outside with classrooms. The classes are inside, but most of the campus is outside. There is a miny "park" in the middle of the campus, and there are 3 places to get food. One place is an ice cream shack, haha which is honestly one of the most popular places after lunch because it is SO hot and it is always nice to have a cheap Popsicle to cool you down. They also sell fruit there, but it is over priced so I buy fruit ahead of time at the super market and bring it to school. The other place to go is this miny cafeteria that has all sorts of food. And then there is the main cafeteria, that only operates during lunch.

 

This is one of the "hallways"-I don't really know what else to call it

The ice cream/fruit stand

The miny cafeteria

The "park" in the middle of the school

Another "hallway"

 

There are also my companeras, or classmates. Here in Costa Rica, all your classes are with one group of people, which is very different than every high school in the United States. We do go to different classrooms for different subjects, but it is the same people all day long. This can get a bit tiring, but it just reminds me of grade school. Colegio also starts when kids turn 13. There are 7th to 11th grade in colegio, and right now I am in 10th grade, which is called decimo here. (my sister is in 7th). The year ends at the end of November/early December, and then I have a summer vacation! YESSSSSS!!! Anyway...(; then I start school again in February and I will be in 11th grade. This means I get a special uniform, which changes each year. So when February comes around I'll make sure to show y'all! But, on the subject of uniforms, I wear a bland beige colored shirt, with dark blue pants, and black shoes. Nothing too fancy but it works! It is a bit hard going to school in a polo shirt and long pants when it is 80-90 degrees out, but I've gotten used to it....kinda!

These are my friends and I. (From left to right: Kris, yo, Gabby, Chinni, y Fernanda)

 

That is my life at colegio. It can be boring, but hey isn't every school?! Besides, I am missing the hardest year at my high school in Seattle right now, and I am studying here as well, so I keep looking on the bright side. School is school, add in the Spanish factor and it gets a bit harder, but in a few months I'll be pro so I am looking forward to that! All in all the people at colegio are so nice and open and I have made a lot of friends not just in my class, or my grade, but in the others as well. Ticos are very fun, open people, and they are very welcoming as well. I was welcomed into Liceo with lots of smiles, and with lots of people trying to braid my hair(; So, until next time hasta luego! Hope you enjoyed reading a little more about my life here!