¡La mejor que he probado en mi vida!

El día de hoy, martes 13 de enero, la señora Sumi nos mostró su habilidad para la cocina y preparó una deliciosa Sopa Miso (¡la mejor que he probado en mi vida!). A continuación, compartimos su receta y algunas fotos de la clase. También cocinó variaciones de la Sopa Miso: con camote y cebolla, con tomate y hongos y, además, preparó una ensalada con pepino, algas y surimi. ¡Todo exquisito!

January, 2008

Mi Experiencia de Costa Rica

Beachside Blues
Intercultura student and blues singer Eric Vanderpool made graduation history when he performed a blues harmonica sólo on stage with the following song, composed after only 3 weeks of Spanish classes!

Mi experiencia en Costa Rica
By: Eric Vanderpool

Antes de venir aquí
Mi Español fue peor
Con la ayuda de Ruth y Nelsy
Ahora yo hablo mejor.

La escuela Intercultura
Puso mucho Español en mi cabeza
Pero yo solamente vine a Costa Rica
Para surfear y por la cerveza.

Cuando yo estuve hablando
Yo dije “un otro”
Pero mi maestra Nelsy
Gruñó como un oso.

Yo juego fútbol
Pero yo no gano
Va a hacer diferente
El próximo año.

Yo no sé todo
Y no soy un tico
Pero yo hablo bien
Para ser un gringo.

Thanks to Intercultura for helping me learn Spanish well enough to embarrass myself on stage!
August, 2008

Espectáculo Nacaome, XX Aniversario

The "Grupo Proyección Folclórica Nacaome", was founded in 1988, with the objective of producing and presenting artistic interpretations of the cultural traditions of Native Costa Ricans. From it's beginning, the group has focused on dance interpretation, music and oral tradition in their productions. This year, in celebration of their 20th year anniversary, the group of "Heredianos" (people from Heredia) has explored the region's culture and formed it into a presentation focusing on the importance of coffee in the province, incorporating "la carreta" (elaborately painted ox carts used for hauling coffee) in the presentation. Other highlights of the presentation include, the interpretation of Heredia's traditional "fiestas" (festivals) and the bulls and masquerades that are apart of them. Representations of the people of the "city of flowers" played by beautiful women dressed in their best attire, opposite handsome men exchanging smiles and glances with are also one of the show's highlights. Above all, the joyful atmosphere of the galas that were held in Heredia's Central Park is accented in the presentation. The show entitled, "Nacaome por media calle", which evokes the popular phrase "Heredia por media calle" (used by Costa Ricans from other provinces to describe the way the people of the town walk in the middle of the street, rather then on city sidewalks) will take place on Saturday, September 20th, at 7:00pm at the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar, in San Jose. Intercultura has the pleasure of being a part of the "Nacaome" family, through the it's collaboration of offering its dance room for the group's rehearsals in addition to providing materials for the stage ad sets.
September 1st, 2008

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Fiesta del Día de la Anexión

Intercultura celebrates the Anexation of Guanacaste in Playa Sámara every year with typical folkloric dance, music, food and "fiesta" for all. This year was the first in which students and staff performed traditional Costa Rican dance pieces together, to much applause! Staff and students also shared "bombas" with the audience (bombas are short, comic Costa Rican poems of two rhyming couplets, usually about courtship, love, marital troubles, friendship, mother-in laws or related themes!). The following example contains a frequently used metaphor...
"Los maridos y los gatos son de una misma opinión; que teniendo carne en casa salen a buscar ratón"
July 25th, 2008

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UN Global Compact welcomes Intercultura
to its list of registered participants!

In recognition of its commitment to the principles espoused by the UN Global Compact, Intercultura became the first academic institution in Costa Rica to be included in this UN initiative, which supports sustainable development and corporate responsibility in the areas of human rights, the environment, labour and anti-corruption.

Intercultura has been recognized by the UNGC for its demonstrated alignment with the goals of the compact, and for its dedication to building social and ethical legitimacy, within Costa Rica and internationally. Intercultura is uniquely poised to provide the "practical meaning and reach to the values and principles that connect people and cultures everywhere" (Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General), in fulfillment of its mission to cultivate global awareness, and tools for communication and tolerance, through the sharing of cultures and languages.
June, 2008

Boot Drive for the Children of Talamanca:

This past February, Intercultura's students and staff collaborated in the collecting of rubber boots and school supplies for the children of Talamanca, Costa Rica. Talamanca, is in the southern-most region the country, bordering Panama. If you have visited Costa Rica, chances are you were in Talamanca. Puerto Viejo and Cahuita are popular tourist destinations in the region, famous for their Caribbean charm, national parks, and beautiful beaches.
March, 2008

Intercambio, March, 25th

Both Intercultura's Spanish and English departments organized an hour and a half long Intercambio during which the students had the opportunity to actively participate and practice the language they are learning.

During the Intercambio the students participated activities like: "La Doble Rueda" where students got in two circles (one inner

and one outer) and walked around the circle introducing themselves (telling their name, age and occupation/area of study) to everyone in the other circle. After Doble Rueda students filled "Láminas" with conversation question topics. And finally, students ended the intercambio with "El Espejo", a game where students paired off face to face and mirrored all of the movements their partner made.

March 2008

CLASES DE COCINA

Por Marcelo Arroyo Jiménez
Uno de los placeres que más goza el ser humano es comer. Pero para otros, el mayor placer está en preparar lo que se va a saborear posteriormente. Y este fue el caso de la clase de cocina en vísperas de la Semana Santa, pues los estudiantes, guiados por la profesora de cocina Carmen Jiménez, prepararon una empanaditas rellenas de miel de chiverre, platillo muy característico de la época santa.

¿En qué consisten?
Las empanadas están cocinadas a base de una pasta de harina más huevos, margarina y queso crema. El relleno, el chiverre, es una verdura que crece y se procesa con miel de tapa (tapadulce) y especies dulces. Se forman las empanaditas y luego se llevan al horno y -en poco tiempo- ya están listas para comérselas con una buena taza de café, un agua dulce o un vaso de leche. Algunos prefieren saborearlas solitas, para poder sentir mejor el sabor del chiverre.
Creatividad.
La clase de cocina estuvo matizada no sólo de sabor, sino que también la creatividad de los participantes se hizo presente.

Como se observa en una de las fotos, los estudiantes crearon la primera Tortuga rellena de Chiverre, que causó gran revuelo y admiración entre el personal administrativo/docente y los estudiantes. La repostería presentaba un caparazón (donde se encuentra el relleno), patitas, cola y una cabeza pequeñita, que nos recuerda a las tortugas Baula, tan caracaterísticas de la región pacífica de Costa Rica.

March 2008

ANCESTRAL VOICES:
A theatrical portrayal of Guanacaste´s people and history.

On Saturday March 8th, 2008 Ancestral Voices, a theatre group representing Guanacaste's history, performed at Intercultura, Playa Sámara.

The piece tells the story of Costa Rica's original peoples and indigenous groups, such as the Chorotegas, who settled in the region before confronted by the Spaniards during the invasion. Eventually, indigenous and Spanish inhabitants came to an uneasy truce, resulting in the mestizo (mixed race) culture found today in Guanacaste. The idea of the presentation is to communicate the fact that we are all, to some degree, a mixture of races, people, and nationalities: as such, we need to live together, show tolerance and understanding for those different than ourselves, and especially learn from our ancestors. Respect for the environment was a prominent theme, with references to the indigenous peoples' respect for animal life, their efficient use of resources, and our need today to pay attention to these lessons. Voces ancestrales was organized, written and composed by Guadalupe Urbina, with the help of local authors, the performers themselves, and others.

In addition to the theatre piece, several prominent Costa Rican musicians performed at the event, including Karol Cabalceta (who dedicated a piece to the women of Sámara in celebration of International Women's Day), Esteban Monge and Olman Briceño. Intercultura's next public event will be in late July or early August, celebrating the Anexation of Guanacaste. We will again have music, as well as dance, cultural festivities, food and folkloric presentations.
March, 2008

Concert at the Ujarras Ruins

By, Marcelo Arroyo J.
Last Saturday evening, the 23rd of February, a number of students had the opportunity to attend the second concert of Musica Virrenal Española y Colonial Mexicana (music from the 16th and 17th century) which was organized by the Mexican and Spanish embassies in Costa Rica.

The concert's venue was the Urjarrás ruins, the ruins of the first church built by Spanish colonizers in Costa Rica. The musical program performed by Syntagma Musicum, a Costa Rican ensemble, and was comprised of four pieces written by composers, Manuel de Zumaya, Francisco Javier Llorante, Fabian Ximeno, Ignacio Jerusalem, Sebastian Durón, Juan de Vaeza and others of the time. Many well known personalities were in attendance of the event, among whom stands out the president of Costa Rica, Mr. Oscar Arias (Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1987) and also included members of the cabinet, ambassadors from various countries, university officials, and Costa Rican writers. Some Intercultura students attended the concert and were able to get close to the president, speak with him, and take pictures with him. Everyone was very happy at the end of the evening, as the music together with the proximity to the president made for an experience difficult to forget.
February, 2008

Intercultura Nominated for International Award

Intercultura has received two nominations (2006, 2008) for the Annual SAPIENTIAE Award for Excellence in Education, given by the Organization of the Americas. This organization, headquartered in Brazil, seeks to recognize the work of internationally renowned professionals and institutions in the field of education, emphasizing achievements in Sustainable Development, Innovative Pedagogical Methodologies, Ongoing Professional Development for Teachers and Staff, Community Recognition, and the use of Technology as a tool to promote Human Rights and Interdisciplinary Applications.
February, 2008

Juegos Deportivos Nacionales, Heredia 2008

Por Marcelo Arroyo Jiménez
Heredia se ha vestido de gala al iniciar el 2008 siendo la sede los XXVIII Juegos Deportivos Nacionales, cuyo lema versa "Caudal de

voluntades". Es esta idea la que ha guiado al grupo de organizadores para que en esta oportunidad 18 disciplinas deportivas, entre las que destacan natación, baloncesto, beisbol, tenis, boxeo, voleibol, futbol y futbol salón, atletismo, ciclismo, karate, distribuidas todas en los distintos cantones de la provincia, se disputen las preciadas medallas de oro, plata y bronce. También, habrá exhibición de Gimnasia, Patinaje y Balón Mano.
February, 2008

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Halloween 2007

The annual Intercultura ESL Halloween party was a success this year as in years past.

Students and staff from both the Spanish and English departments came to show off their costumes and participate in the activities going on around the school. The fun was kicked-off with everyone meeting in the dance room for the piñata. Afterwards, students went to classrooms all around campus to participate in such events as gross bags, face painting, cookie decorating, plating the card game “killer”, and a trick or treat walk. To end the party all of the attendees gathered in the dance room to choose the winner of the costume contest, Popeye and Olive Oil! When the school’s party was over, many headed out together to continue the celebration dancing the night away in Heredia.

October 2007

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Trajes típicos

Costa Rica Celebrates it’s 186th year of Independence

In 1821, Costa Rica, along with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (the 5 provinces that formed the then

Bastoneras

Central American Federation), gained their Independence from Spain. News of Central America’s independence arrived in Costa Rica almost one whole month after freedom had been declared in Guatemala (the news did not get to Costa Ricans until October 13th!). Even after the news arrived, Costa Rica did not formally receive its own independence until after a peaceful meeting with the Spanish army on October 29th.

How did Samareños Celebrate Their Independence?

On Friday the 14th Intercultura, along with the rest of the town of Samara, walked in the typical “desfile de faroles” (parade of lanterns) which began at the public elementary school

Faroles

Banda

with the singing of the national anthem and finished in downtown Sámara. Then, on the 15th, Sámara’s children danced, played in musical bands, and beat the drums, while they paraded through the streets in celebration of their country’s independence.

September, 2007

A 24 Hour Trip

On August 18th and 19th all of Intercultura’s employees enjoyed the annual trip to Hotel Fiesta in Roble, Puntarenas. This recreational activity, although short, (it lasts approximately 24 hours) is looked forward to very much by

all the staff and personnel of the school. The objective of the trip is first and foremost to unite, under the same roof, employees from Heredia and Samara, and then, to offer a space for friends and partners of the employees to integrate into the school’s life which consists not only of work but also moments of amusement. This year, more than in years past, the event was very united. We occupied about 45 rooms and those who attended could participate in cultural

activities, meals with friends and colleagues, walks on the beach, beach soccer and volleyball, spend time in the pool areas, rest, eat the foods they craved and more. The weather tried to make the trip a bad one when we arrived on Saturday, it rained from the time we arrived until we went to bed! Thank goodness Sunday was full of clear skies and sun and we all woke up in a good disposition to drink a few cocktails and have the most fun possible.
August, 2007

Teens in Costa Rica

Intercultura's teen summer program was created in 2006 for 14-17 year olds who want to

immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture, learn the language, and explore the country on the weekends. The program is taught by Intercultura's professors, who have designed a syllabus specially for adolescent education, keeping learning fun, productive and very interactive. The activities, excursions and lodging were coordinated by our wonderful teen chaperones, Georgia, Jen, Ashley and Lucie, whose patience and hard work has provided the teens with a safe, diverse and lively immersion experience into Costa Rican culture and the country itself.
Summer, 2007

Photos

Día de la Anexión de Guanacaste (Annexation of Guanacaste)

Marcelo Arroyo, and Alexa Santana, along with all of the professors from the department organized the celebration of the holiday with an hour of history, contests, music, dancing, and food for students and faculty to enjoy. Students dressed in typical clothing from the region and gave short presentations on the region’s history and cultural traditions to their peers while Marcelo and professor Erica danced the “Punto Guanacasteco” and the “Caballito Nicoyano”.

July 2007

International Culture at the Beach

Throughout the week of July 16th, Sámara Language school was the proud sponsor of both an International book and film fair, as well as a short story appreciation workshop (hosted by Diego Lasso). At each activity throughout the week the school raffled a CD from the very popular Puntamayo World Music collection. Many locals and students attended the showing of the cult film classic “Betty Blue”, which was particularly enjoyed by the staff currently studying French. In general, the most popular events were the used book sales and short story workshops, where Sámara residents and vistors alike were able to discuss current trends and replenish their libraries with contemporary literature, poetry and other texts from Latin America, Spain and translated international works.

July 2007

The Discovery Channel Visits Intercultura

Intercultura will be a part of the upcoming Discovery Channel travelogue program titled,

“Passport to Latin America. While at the school, the channel filmed Spanish, dance, and cooking classes given at Intercultura and even followed students and staff after classes to their favorite Salsa hot spot, Castro’s, in Barrio México, San José. When asked why the program chose to include Costa Rica in the travelogue, a representative from Discovery Channel said that they did so for the same reason many foreigners decide to visit, the friendly people who live here. Póas volcano, Parque Alajuela, San José, and, Guanacaste were some of the other places visited by the Discovery Channel in Costa Rica. Stay tuned, the program is scheduled to air towards the end of September this year!

May 2007

Fighting for a Better Kind of Community Development in Guanacaste

Weekly Beach Clean-up

Gabriela's Friday Beach clean-ups. Every other Friday, after she gets off work, Gabriela from Intercultura's Sámara campus runs a beach clean-up with volunteers from our student body. So far students have cleaned not only the whole main strip of Sámara's beach, but also the main roads in the town.

April 2007

One Holy Friday in San Joaquín de Flores

Costa Rican society today stands out among many other modern societies because of the way it has been able to preserve its cultural traditions which have been celebrated in its small town communities for years. I observed an example of the preservation of our culture while attending a procession on Good Friday this past month in the beautiful community of San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia. However, before retelling my experiences I would like to quickly reflect on the history of this quaint town.

By Marcelo Arroyo, April 2007

Saving the Humedal de Cantarrana Wetlands

Residents, host families and locals are working together to find a way to save the Sámara Wetlands by founding a nature reserve. With the help of the MINAE (Costa Rican conservation organization), Sámara may be able to save the endangered species under threat by continued development around the wetlands area. Local host families who own some of this land are cooperating with the MINAE to begin designing the conservation project soon. Intercultura plans to get involved by offering student tours to the area, as well as sending volunteers to help staff the project.

By Laura Ellington, April 2007

Un lugar como no hay dos en Heredia

Mercado Central de Heredia

En este momento histórico que estamos viviendo, bastante convulsionado, globalizado, y en donde las tradiciones ticas, literalmente, luchan por no desaparecer ante tanta modernidad, indiferencia, discriminación y juicios de valor, es que sobrevive el “famoso” mercado central de la provincia herediana.

By Alexa Santana, April 2007

Anonymous donor sponsors Sámara Community Development Fund

Just before Easter, a gentleman who prefers to be known only as "Jack" came to Intercultura to donate funds destined for community development in Sámara. His generous donation has helped put ideas for several projects into action, and we hope within the next couple months to see the evidence of his generosity all over Sámara. Projects include: Sámara public library building funds, fixed public trash containers to avoid dirty streets after the weekenders leave town, metallic signposts requesting cooperation in keeping Sámara clean and safe, payment for the policletas (bicycle police), materials for the volunteer fire brigade, a scholarship fund for art and English classes for local children, sleeping policeman, and much more. Thank you Jack for your help in keeping Sámara clean, safe, smart, and beautiful!

By Laura Ellington, February 2007

What More's Happening in Heredia...

Nuevo espacio, Mayor comodidad

Recientemente, los administrativos, docentes y estudiantes del Campus de Heredia experimentamos un cambio en el área de Recepción: una remodelación.

By Marcelo Arroyo, April 2007