Standard Tree

In my real life (I’m currently surrounded by palm trees, pineapples, and puppies so this can’t be real life) any trip I have taken would be coming to a close. However, at the end of week one in San Pedro, this expedition is still in its zygotic stages. After seven days and three times as many meals*, I feel I have leveled up from “shoobie” to whatever the classification is for a level two tourist. Perhaps “overly comfortable houseguest.”

I have spent these past five days of increasing acclimation in Miss Yvette’s Standard 3 classroom at Isla Bonita Elementary School. The ten (what a peacefully low number “ten” is) children in my class are quite possibly the sweetest, but at the same time most mischievous, eight and nine year olds I have seen in my days. They are respectful to their teachers and excited to learn, but have no qualms about throwing a stuffed bear across the room at their classmate’s head as punishment for a wrong answer. This behavior seems to stem from their unwavering devotion to Angry Birds, a hobby that I was certainly not expecting to find at a small school in Central America. There’s a nice juxtaposition to be found in the students’ modern interests (Mario, Halo Reach, Ben 10) and their classroom language; they refer to their teachers as “miss” and “teacher x” so I have learned to respond to “Miss” (à la Summer Heights High) and “Teacher Shannon.” Feel free to continue this tradition once I’m back in the US.

An overly comfortable houseguest’s observation: You have the right of way in San Pedro. Whoever “you” are, zoom around the corner and skip across the street (no need to turn your head either way) because it’s all yours.  However, be careful of any other “yous” who happen to be out there zooming and skipping, taking advantage of their own right of way. I’m considering investing in a blinker-clad helmet in order to ensure an accident free walk to the fruit stand.

Thank you for your readership and have a pleasant day.

*Updated food list: fish empanada, chicken burrito, pineapple smoothie, banana bread, pico de gallo-infused turkey panini, chicken curry, coconut rice, watermelon, flautas, spinach and pork/cheese pupusas, and pineapple coconut juice.