Timez Attack

Following in my footsteps, my daughter is not much of a math person. She would rather spend her hours in the pages of a good book than sit down to work math problems. It takes some persuasion, but she somehow gets through her lessons and keeps cruising along on the road of mathematics. To help keep her interest, I always go in search of math games, anything to make it enjoyable.

When multiplication came up, I immediately saw that it was even less her cup of tea than anything she had learned before. It was time to find a new game. I wanted her to be able to visualize the numbers, rather than just memorize the tables. Luckily, after a quick search on the net, I found Timez Attack. I never dreamed I could discover such a perfect tool for teaching my daughter this essential skill. It is a video game that teaches and reinforces the logic behind the numbers. Kids defeat a creepy ogre using their multiplication skills. The graphics are great, my daughter asks to play, and she is learning really fast.

I am not one to write about products, but this one is really over the top. So, if you happen to know some little person who is ready to multiply, they'll love you for telling them about this fun way to learn. Timez Attack offers a free version you can download off the Net, or you can buy the full version to enjoy an even greater game. Now, if only there was some interactive game that would teach her to love cleaning her room!

Si Dios Quiere

There are many ways to express that we will accept what ever comes. "If it's meant to be," is my phrase of choice. In Costa Rica, it is "Si Dios Quiere," or God willing. Personally, there are only certain occasions when I put my little phrase to use, like after a job interview. "If it's meant to be, you'll get the job." I would not, however, answer to a pregnant woman who has just told me that her baby is expected any day now, "Yes, if it's meant to be."

When I was pregnant here, "Si Dios quiere," was just the response I received from a local woman after I told her I was only one week away from my due date. This really took me back. How could she suggest that the successful delivery of my baby might not be what God would want? I thought it a very odd comment, and while I did not take it as being malicious, it has made me tune in more.

It turns out that practically everything here is pending on: "Si Dios quiere." Carla is going to have a birthday party next weekend, "Si Dios quiere." I'll meet you at the back of the market, "Si Dios quiere." Marie will be there to wash your windows, "Si Dios quiere." Luis said he would like to take you out on another date, "Si Dios quiere." The phrase just rolls off of tongues and seems as essential to a plan as a period is to the end of a sentence"."

I find it very burdensome that each and every mention of a plan has to be followed by the verbal acknowledgment that it might not be in the cards. What happened to optimism? Why must we constantly be reminded that things might not work out? It almost suggests that every bad thing we take measures to prevent would have, otherwise, been the will of God. Is everything in Costa Rica caged and gaurded by men with guns because God is waiting around willing theives and vandals to invade our homes and businesses? Probably not.

Sometimes, I want to end my thoughts with "Si Dios quiere o no," whether God wants it or not, but that would be disrespectful. I understand it is a cultural thing, and as a guest, this is just one of many circumstances when I must leave my own culture at home.

Cobbler

A Cobbler. What comes to mind? A tempting baked dessert, or a person whose profession is the making and repairing of shoes? On a Google search of images I turned up fruity results over shoe makers 7 to 3. How many Cobblers do you know? The art has been confined to the cold soulless walls of factories. Why should one person take the time to make a good pair of shoes worthy of future repair, when dozens of people can make millions of shoes that can be easily thrown away. New shoes everyday!

There are a few Cobblers in Puriscal. It seems that they do pretty decent business too. I happened to meet one of them thanks to the strap of my little red bag. When it broke, I was disappointed, the bag is nothing really special, but it suits my needs perfectly. Why should one stitch keep it off my shoulder? So I popped in to see Fernando Zuñiga Cespedes, on the West side of the Mercado and asked him if he could repair it. He was at first reluctant, after all, his business is shoes. However, once I assured him that I was not fussy about the thread matching exactly, he obliged my request. A few days later, I picked up the bag and the strap was as sturdy as ever. I was thrilled.

When I lived in the US, a broken bag meant a reason to shop. There are so many places right around the corner offering great merchandise for next to nothing. Who would ever try to search out a Cobbler, unless of course it was piping hot with a dollop of ice cream? Sadly, this trade in first world countries is simply not "a la mode." I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have these years in Costa Rica, while it is still reminiscent of days of yore. I have acquired a great appreciation of the art of making everything last until it is completely used. It is still the way people live here. I hope it lasts a while.

Green

June in the tropical mountains of Costa Rica is the first month I become aware that "summer" has drawn to a close and the wet months of winter have secured their grip. The mountainsides begin to swell with humidity and the hard, brown landscape of the dry season transforms into soft, soothing shades that seem to have been poured on from buckets filled with green. Calm little clouds float past my house and make me feel like I am living within the pages of a destination magazine. It is like being on vacation just to peer out the window. Incredible.

No Pasar

In life there are always signs, indications of what is ahead. Sometimes they are as blatant as a stop sign in the road, but often they are nothing more than subtle intuition. Whether or not we listen to them is a different story entirely. Often we are too in love with the idea of something to acknowledge potential flaws, or too committed to turn back.

My manufacturer of signs has delivered me a doozy: "NO PASAR." It is not the first time in my life I have been granted such wisdom, but this time I will take heed. Sometimes the timing is just not right, no matter how badly we want something, or how perfect we know it will be. I continue to hold tight on the reins of my life confident that everything will fall in place in due course. After all, patience is a virtue.

Being Mom

No one ever mentioned the worrying. No one told me about this feeling inside me that is always hoping, wondering if I am making the best decisions for my girls. I never could have imagined what it means to be a mom, until I became one. No one ever could have let me in on all of the joys of watching two unique people grow and become super human beings. I wouldn't trade it for the world.