Masters of Arts in Education, University of Bath!

 

Has it really been 10 years?

July 19th marks my 10th year anniversary since I started my new life in Costa Rica. 

I remember accepting a full time teaching job in Costa Rica back in 2016. The whole process lasted two days...I applied to a teaching job to an international school on a whim, while listening to Fifth Dimension's "The Age of Aquarius," thinking this could result into something... a change of fate, a redirection of sorts. 

At the time, I remember feeling disappointed with my experience in Canada...the miserable weather, the abusive Church, and so many negative experiences. I need a change. A positive change. 

Within minutes of submitting my application, the General Director replied and wanted to send the school chauffeur to pick me up to the interview. The next day I went to the interview and was hired at the spot, complete with a housing stipend. Later on, students commented that the General Director sensed "good vibes/energy" and thought I would be a positive influence to the school community. Little did I know that job would transform the way I view education, reveal power it holds and shape the vision I continue to carry with me to this very day. 

Ten years later, Costa Rica has allowed me to create the life that I wanted. I was able to travel to the UK (Cambridge University for my Literature programme, SOAS for Gender Studies), meet people and then travel together to Utrecht and the Andalusian region in Spain, Volunteer in Senegal, China (Xian and Zhangjiajie for my Honeymoon), Ireland, Iceland, Chile, The Galapagos in Ecuador, and Curacao. 

And next comes one of the biggest milestones of all: Graduating from the University of Bath with a Masters of Arts in Education. 

Through my work, I have met all sorts of fascinating people, from Cold War survivors from Poland and Hungary who later became European Diplomats, to children of U.S Embassy staff, expats from various multinational companies and amazing educators from all walks of life. I also met my husband, and together we are raising our beautiful daughter. I am endlessly grateful for my little artistic and traveling family. 

This entire chapter started with taking a risk, having the courage to leave behind abusive and unhealthy experiences, and wholeheartedly embracing change. 

In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed. After a marriage, a daughter, and now Costa Rican citizenship, I can honestly say this has been one of the best chapters of my life...and the best is yet to come!

The Galapagos

The Galapagos has been on my bucket list ever since one of my colleagues went there on a diving trip. I have meticulously planned this trip one year ago; buying tickets when they were cheap and booking accommodations with anticipation. Ecuador has always fascinated me with its rich history and culture. 

Yet no one warned me about the long lines that one must wait in the airport to get the Tourist Card and the luggage check (to check for biohazard material). We arrived at 6am for our 9am flight yet we nearly managed to miss this long anticipated flight! Talk about airport frenzy! Once we got our tourist cards, the LATAM counter (I am shamelessly calling them out! lousy customer service) was closed, we could not check our luggage. The boarding gate was closing in 20 minutes. Our option was to lose our flight or lose our luggage. Thank God that there was an airport locker and we chose to leave our big luggage behind so we could board since the airline refused to check our luggage. After frantically running around the airport, we managed to board to our flight to Guayaquil and San Cristobal de Galapagos. 

Arriving to San Cristobal, we checked into our Airbnb and toured around the island. The sea lions were everywhere....scattered around the pier and greeting every visitor with a honk-like roar. We ended our first day in Playa Mann. My toddler was so excited; her eyes brimming with joy as she clashed with the waves. She is fearless, and like mom, has a unquenchable spirit for adventure. 

Second day, we did the 360 tour around San Cristobal. We circled the island starting with Kicker's Rock. When I tell you, that my heart leapt when I saw Charles Darwin's Blue Boobies...it was magical! My husband and I took turns snorkeling, and was a bit disappointed we did not spot hammerhead whales. We the stopped at Bahia Sardina, a beautiful beach East and Bahia Rosa Blanca in the North. Not a soul in sight and we were enjoying the most pristine waters. We swam with sea turtles and sea lions. At some point, a baby sea lion approached my toddler and me and started to play with us. We snorkeled and spotted so many sea turtles. 

Fourth day, I visited Isla Española. Isla Española is an island 35 km away from San Cristobal. It was about a 2-3 hours boat ride from the pier. Isla Española is the oldest island in Galapagos, and completely uninhabited. Going there was an adventure. Our Zodiac broke down a number of times: the sea lions kept surrounding us as the motor would NOT turn on. And surprisingly, it was the captain from our previous 360 tour that rescued us. My eyes lit up when I heard the other tour guide exclaim "Guacamoleeee!!!" (the 360 tour captain was notoriously famous in San Cristobal for making the best Guacamole on tour). As we landed in Isla Española, we walked about 100 meters and was surrounded by Albatross birds nesting and mating. A most exquisite sight, since the Albatross of Galapagos only nests in Isla Española and we were in season. Their magnificent wings can spread up to two meters and they can fly up to 110km per hour. I was so amazed at the sight of beautiful albatross circling around us so freely. The poem by Gerald Manley Hopkins came into my mind "Let me be to Thee a circling bird."

Let me be to Thee as the circling bird,
Or bat with tender and air-crisping wings
That shapes in half-light his departing rings,
From both of whom a changeless note is heard.
I have found my music in a common word,
Trying each pleasurable throat that sings
And every praised sequence of sweet strings,
And know infallibly which I preferred.
The authentic cadence was discovered late
Which ends those only strains that I approve,
And other science all gone out of date
And minor sweetness scarce made mention of:
I have found the dominant of my range and state —
Love, O my God, to call thee Love and Love.

Such an unmatched and spiritual experience. Such a riveting sight seeing these majestic giant birds circling around us in this uninhabited island without a care in the world. I shared this experience with a retired Biology teacher and an Irish lady I met at the boat ride to Española. We just stood there speechless, soaking in the moment of pure beauty and joy. 

However, my greatest satisfaction from this trip was to watch my three year old toddler learn and play with nature in its finest glory. Galapagos is untamed, wild and filled with brazen beauty. 

Life in 2023

It's been a while. 

Some of my friends have asked me if I still write on this blog. To be honest, so much has happened lately that it has been quite hard to find some time to write. But here I am :). 

Life in 2023 feels like living in the future. I started this blog in 2004, and to put it frankly, my 2004-version-me would probably not recognize the post-pandemic world we live in. Artificial intelligence, the Russian invasion in the Ukraine and the increase in mass shootings paints a very dystopic world. 

Also, I feel so grown-up in the sense that I have a family of my own...a husband and a 1-year old baby. I quit teaching last year for an (extended) maternity leave and have been traveling back and forth between Costa Rica and El Salvador to be with family and friends. I am trying to raise my daughter in bilingual (and eventually trilingual) household. Coupled with swimming lessons, music lessons, early stimulation and a few walks with nature during the week, this soccer-esque mom in the making is frankly tired. I have experiences many different types of tired in life (teacher tired, college burnout) but there is nothing like mom tired. It is a new level of exhaustion that no one talks about. It's like never having a full night of sleep and being "on" all the time. IYKYK. 

There are a couple of exciting things happening this year. I am finishing my final course in Bath this Summer and will be traveling to the Emerald Isle. Nothing can go wrong with some good ol' Guinness, Irish tap dancing and reading about Irish folklore and history. The Ring of Kerry, Aran Island and visiting the musical city of Galway are on top of my bucket list. Oh, and we also talked about visiting the Amazon Rainforest this morning with some friends...so who knows...

Life does change after becoming a mom. One of my greatest fear was to lose my identity in the process. But I am trying to find a balance. There is so much (unnecessary) shame from society of what you should do and not do as a mother. Yet no one speaks about the emotional load and toll it  brings to your life. I still want to chase after my dreams...to travel, to work in education, become a writer...with my daughter by my side, always.

Anyways. Stayed tuned for more posts on motherhood, life and travels.

To my daughter

I hold my daughter close, 

Inside my womanly wounded womb. 

I feel my daughter's quickening, 

Her kick, her spirit, her great dreaming. 

I hold you close, my tiny dancer, 

My playful artist, my wonderful fighter. 

Let your life be light and joy to those around you. 

Be the change that the world so desperately needs, 

My darling daughter, my strong dreamer. 

Season of grief

Pandemic.

What a horrible word has it become. How I loathe it to its very core. 

One of my good friends passed away recently from Covid. She was a brilliant linguist who translated the book of Mark into a Mixtec variant. She was young, strong, warm, hospitable. But most of all, she was my dearest friend who received me into her home during my study exchange in Oaxaca. It was her friendship and dedication to her community and work who helped me heal after a terrible onslaught of spiritual abuse from my previous church. It was because of her, that I held on to the belief that there are good Christians out there. 

We would write often after I left Oaxaca and I once went back to visit her. She was truly formidable....teaching linguistics in colleges, writing books about linguistics, directing workshops for translators, and doing amazing work amongst the indigenous community. She combined her passion for languages with a powerful vision. I loved her and admired her for who she was and how she made others feel around her. 

Sometime in July this year she wrote me a note about reminiscing our times in Oaxaca. Sometime in August she fell ill with Covid. I prayed and prayed for her life. Sometime in September she passed away. Life is that short and effervescent. 

And these past few days, my grief has come washing me with its ebb and flow. Sometimes, I find myself crying in the car asking God...why? Why did you take her so soon? And sometimes I am comforted that I will see her again. But most of all, I just think of the wonderful days I got to spend with her in Oaxaca, going from village to village to visit the indigenous communities...talking to new people, eating mole and smashing piñatas in birthday parties. 

What an honor to have met you, Karina. 

My father's poem

Yesterday was my dad's birthday. It was nice catching up and talking about life. Although, we are in different stages in life, I still feel his closeness, care and love. I woke up today to this poem that he wrote.

决择，。      

 几许往时梦，几许心惆怅，别了惜日家，万里而去心潮千万丈，收起往时梦，抛开心惆怅，任那海和山，肋我寻遍天涯各处乡，闯一番新世界，挺身发奋图强，要将我根和苗，，再种新土壤，就算受错折，也当平常，发辉决择的力量，再起我新门墙，像那家乡样，胜我旧家乡。

This resonates to my heart so much. He encourages me to leave my past behind, travel the world, accomplish my dreams and live a fruitful and victorious life. 

Victory is my homeland.

Conchalio

Do you ever feel homesick? 

Specially when Corona has the world on lockdown, 

But your heart is elsewhere, waiting and anxious to return, 

To your family, to the waves you called home. 

I still reminisce those sunny days, 

When my aunt took me by my hand to see the dawn rise, 

Those stony pebbles, the sandy feet and warm gatherings in 

Conchalio. 

Seem so far away, now. It's been more than 20 years. 

But it will be always be the moment I have felt the most at home. 

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie is well-known for its beautiful mountains. It is also the place that Avatar was filmed. 

Michael has been obsessed with visiting the mountains. We made a stop in our Honeymoon. 

Everywhere I looked, it looked like a Chinese painting....majestic and poetic.

I would highly recommend going to Zhangjiajie if you are in Hunan province. We are thinking of going back once Covid ends during the Summer time. 

Pictures for your enjoyment.

The Prisoner

The captive raised her face; it was a soft and mild

As sculptured marble saint; or slumbering unweaned child;

It was so soft and mild, it was so sweet and fair, 

Pain could not trace a line, or grief a shadow there!

The captive raised her hand and pressed it to her brow; 

"I have been struck," she said, "and I am suffering now;

Yet these are little worth, your bolts and iron strong; 

And, were they forged in steel, they could not hold me long."

-Emily Brontë, 

"The Prisoner," 1845