I have this odd quirk that makes me a really cheap date (and easily entertained) when I’m on vacation in another country: I love foreign grocery stores. I can’t explain why. It’s just a part of my life-long foreign fetish, I guess, but there’s just something about checking out what foods are popular in other countries, how they’re priced, what the packaging looks like, and anything else that pops up as I stroll up and down the aisles. A worldwide tour of grocery stores sounds like a great kind of vacation to me. I’m weird like that. When we went to Germany in 2010 I had a great visit to…
-
-
Immersion
It’s interesting what happens when you are placed (or place yourself) into a world completely different from what you’re used to. After a while, your brain starts to make adjustments. The length of time varies for everybody–I have a feeling it has a lot to do with how open-minded a person is and what his or her past experiences include–but eventually, we all adjust. Studies have shown that being totally immersed in a foreign language is the best way to learn it, and although I believed that before I arrived in Costa Rica on Sunday, today I can say that I know it to be true from personal experience. Although…
-
No Hablo Español
As I walked around Alajuela, Costa Rica yesterday, my thoughts and feelings were in opposition. On one hand, I was focused on being very, very careful. Being a woman, walking around a strange city all alone and not speaking the language (not to mention the glaring lack of street signs anywhere, plus my lack of a cell phone with International capabilities), I knew I had to be extra careful. I kept my purse tightly under my arm and held onto the straps as an extra measure. When I took my camera out to grab some pictures, I was quick about it and then shoved it deep down into my purse…