TEFL Con Ticos

Every seven seconds, a rooster crows in La Otoya. It’s been scientifically proven, at least for the standards of a Peace Corps volunteer. All you do is sit in bed, count to seven, and listen. It’s like counting sheep, but not as relaxing. In fact, if your not careful and pay too much attention to the crows, they have the ability to drive you absolutely insane. This is what happens when you have three teenage brothers who own 20 roosters. Yes. Twenty. Why do they own so many roosters? Good question. Let’s just say they’re obsessed with their gallos . Our host mother, Isolina, put it into perspective one day when she told us, “It’s better than being into drugs.” Very true. Our brothers have found their true passion in raising chickens, especially of the male variety, so Megon and I rarely post a complaint. To be honest, they really are beautiful creatures, even though they're obnoxious -- especially when they start crowing at midnight.  Megon and I have become so fascinated with t...

The question took me by surprise. “What’s the Super Bowl?” my host brother asked, in Spanish of course, while he curiously flipped through my October issue of Sports Illustrated. “Really? You don’t know?” I responded. Wow, I thought. How do I explain our nation’s biggest, most-watched sporting event? How do I explain that with the exception of Easter, it’s the most important Sunday of the year? Or how do I explain that one of my friends loves the Super Bowl so much, he considers it the New Year and actually begins his New Year’s resolution during the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy? “Okay, the Super Bowl is when the best two American football teams play for a championship.” He raised his eyebrows, shrugged his shoulders and continued to flip through the pages. There on the page was an article on tight ends ­– the position in football, not cheerleaders – and a picture of former Cleveland Browns great Ozzie Newsome. “That’s my favorite team,” I told Diego. “Are they good?” ...